Yogi38

गुरु

Alongside countless misinterpretations and misappropriations of the Yogic terminology comes one that, even someone who never heard of Yoga, knows: Guru. In our pop culture, commonly describes an expert or a leader in a specific field, hence misused.

In Sanskrit it literally means ‘weighty’ (‘heavy’ with spiritual wisdom). Etymologically, it gets deeper: two syllables - Gu (गु) + Ru (रु).

Gu = darkness/ignorance
+
Ru = light or the dispeller (of darkness).

A teacher, which is 99.9% of the current Yoga instructors, will share a skill or a form of training. Most do so to make a living, they do not live Yoga. Practice a couple of asanas and call themselves Yogis. They just deliver a ‘message’, often with no implementation in their own lives. Basic skill delivering.

A Yogi is the embodiment of self-awareness/knowledge. A master of his own senses and emotions. He does feel them, but they do not rule him. Has transcended sense limitations of individual existence. If you apply it or not to your path, he doesn’t care. None of his business.

Though he imparts knowledge, he is not a teacher. Though he ‘shares’ Yoga, he is not a Yogi. Though he communicates behavior conduct and traditions (achar), he is not an Acharya. He is all of these and more.

Akin to a mirror (the cleanest!), he’ll show you your dead angles. His presence, alone, has the ‘power’ to awaken the student’s inner consciousness. A guru provides guidance on the path, on your inner nature (your swadharma). Rooted in your elements, he makes you aware of your gunas and how to go above them.

I have had many teachers in my life for which I am beyond grateful: London, Dimitri (Ευχαριστώ), Adyashanti, my knee/accident, life (!)... This man, this being that you see in the pictures is my Guru. My Guruji. In our tradition, the Guru-chela (disciple) relationship is the most sacred one. ‘Yogic’-wise (and more!), everything worth knowing, comes from him. His most meaningful teaching: “do not react João!”. The man I am today is massively due to him. Like a father. My spiritual father.

…continues on comments (below).

spirituality

𖣠 𝐃𝐇𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐀 𖣠

Most things I am asked for help have 1 single (simple) solution: MEDITATION. ‘But I cannot meditate, my mind is always (over)thinking.’ Similarly I am told they don’t practice yoga because they’re not flexible enough. That’s akin to saying that you’re too dirty to shower, no?

1st - no, meditation is not what you think in the sense that it is not what is most commonly taught as. It actually ties in with the way it’s marketed: ‘mindfulness’. Herein, etymologically, lies the gross mistake. Your mind is already full and you’re told to practice mind-full(ness)? Contradictory, no? Well, you can argue that it’s easier if someone guides you with their sweet-sounding voice and instructs you to visualize that you’re in an idyllic beach, and so forth – those are crutches, like bicycle training wheels you used as a child to learn. You have a valid point if you say that you need to learn – sure, I’ll guide you.

2nd – no, meditation is not what you think in the sense that everything that is going through your mind, whilst seated with your eyes closed, is literally just happening. Like an endless loop of thoughts, of emotions. Like watching the passing clouds in the sky. You have zero control over it. Trying to stop thoughts in order to meditate is like waiting for the river stream to stop so you can cross over. It won’t happen.

Neti neti.

Meditation is not something you do. It is not possible. But you can prepare yourself for it: beforehand, physically, with asanas and pranayama, remove all distractions and then you just stand still with a single focus, an anchor – Dharana - (mudra, mantra, breath, chakras, etc). It won’t happen overnight. Dedicated consistency is key.

Name one thing you (actually) value that didn’t require commitment, that didn’t require diligence? Unfortunately, us human beings (often) need to go through ordeals to really appreciate and (moreso!) to be prepared for the ‘prize’. It is like the Disney stories: the dragon was never a foe – there to see how ready you were, if you actually wanted/deserved IT.

Realize that you are before you attempt to be.

((( 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐋𝐘 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 )))

My whole life I felt like an alien (still do tbh).
‘In this world but not of it.’ (John 17:14)

When I turned 33, I got to the peak of my suicidal depression. I was then living in London and, mainly due to my sensitive nature and numerous heartbreaks, everything felt quite bleak.

My Achilles tendon had always been women (love) and, according to family members and friends, my fiery, passionate (and often blind) commitment to them proved to be my demise. If you are an ex and reading this: I (genuinely) thank you (for unconsciously forcing me into my-Self). To my future partner, my twin flame, my soulmate, if you’re reading this: may we align in divine timing.

Even though, on the surface, I was fortunate enough to work in internationally renowned Film companies (which is what took me to London in the 1st place – to take my MA in Film Curating (by then, the 1st one worldwide)), it all looked rather pointless.

In the West, when you have depression (deep-pressure (needing) deep-rest) you are a no-longer useful member of society, a cog in the machine. The powers that be will deem you faulty and give you pills. I also took them. This is until I realized that I’d rather feel something (even if pain), as opposed to be (comfortably) numb, a living zombie.

You see, in ancient native communities, symptoms of depression were ‘hailed’. What does one feel? The urge to be alone, to go within, to seclude into a pod. Amidst ‘envy’ (yes, you read that right!). guided by the elders, the members of these communities would support this brother/sister and give him/her space. The point is that a ‘death’ is imminent. Nowadays, in ‘civilized’ (what a joke!) societies, we’re not taught how to deal with this. One’s soul is saying that, that way of living, that character, that identity no longer aligns with its higher path. It’s not the body that needs to die! The caterpillar recedes into a cocoon to become a butterfly. So that you can fly!

…continues in comments.

𖣠 ＲＨＥＭＡ 𖣠

Ancient Greek: ῥῆμα – meaning: “utterance”, word that provides guidance or encouragement, that brings life to a personal, present-moment situation.

Alongside Logos (λόγος) – ‘The Word’; the divine wisdom manifest in Creation

There was a period in my life where I was on a very low place. Engulfed by darkness, every time I had (tiny) glimpses of hope (a thought, a feeling, a ray of sun) – I kid you not – I’d lift my head and the number ‘38’ was there. On the wall, on a car, on a backpack, on a talk.

The way I interpreted it was that my guides, my ancestors, God, (chose your pick) were telling me ‘don’t do anything foolish. There’s a reason why you’re feeling this way, a purpose, keep going’. It is not happening to you, it is happening FOR you.

Hence my logo. A wake-up call.
To remind me (and you!) that everything is divinely orchestrated.
My ‘revelation’ manifested into a visual logo by a great designer (my brother):

When ॐ (OM) and ∞ (infinity) come together, the all seeing eye, 𓂀 the third eye – the triangle – opens. This sparkle happens around the sun, surrounded by light.

3:
- Birth, life and death;
- Mind, body and soul;
- ࿊ Yin + Yang = The Tao (the Way);
- The Holy Trinity: Father, Sun and the Holy Spirit;
- The Hindu Trinity – Trimurti (“three forms”): Brahma (the Crestor), Vishnu (the Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer/Transformer);

8:
- Infinity
- My life path number
- Strenght tarot card: will power, inner strength;
- Associated with the planet of karma and lessons: Saturn;
- The balance between the spiritual and the material world;

P.S: The sun is inspired and a massive nod to Alex Grey and his long running artistic collaboration with my favorite band: Tool. Hats off to their album ‘Lateralus’ (my favorite).
P.P.S: The way numerology first came to my life, and opened my eyes, actually started with 11:11 – but that’s a different story ;)

𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓

I love Yoga gentrification: Power, Rocket, Hot, Gin Yin, Broga, Animal (Puppy, Goat, etc), Beer, Rage (!)… *. Surprised with some of these? Yes, me too (that they even exist). There’s even Heavy Metal Yoga \../ ROFL

I am being sarcastic (maybe I should also start a trend: ‘Sarcasm Yoga’). One of the things that I’ve sharpened over the years are my ‘siddhis’ (psychic powers): I can often read haters’ minds. I can hear them say: ‘He must be really angry and frustrated’. Not at all, you entertain me.

Hear me out. I started in a gym. Even later, in a studio, I’d go to 2 and even 3 B2B classes (sweat it out)! Took me a long time to see beyond the physical aspect of it, to realize that there’s much more to it. I rephrase, to see that it’s everything but. I feel like all those types of Yoga function as a Trojan horses. Or as bait, if you prefer.

I speak from experience. So when I said that the aforementioned variations entertain me, I actually meant that I am grateful for them. A long time ago (in a galaxy far away) I practiced some of them. Then I noticed how I was just numbing myself, bringing the competitor’s mindset, the rushed life into the mat. Those instructors are preparing my students, getting them ready. Separating the wheat from the chaff.

You see, I only teach rich students. I’m sure you immediately assumed monetarily rich. I mean that my students, my community is very wealthy emotionally and intelligent. If you come to one of my classes you will see that some might not be the most flexible or strongest (physically!) – let me tell you a little secret: me neither (especially after my accident)! But they’ve seen beyond the superficial. And this stays between you and me (not to inflate their egos!) – in terms of resilience, real mind strength, they f * * * kick-ass!

…continues on comments.

Yeshua, the Messiah
(Jesus’ Hebrew name, meaning ‘salvation’),

Mythbusting: (maybe to your disbelief) I am not Christian. The amount of ‘followers’, students, friends, etc, that I lost (keep losing!) based on that assumption is actually ludicrous.

I don’t follow religions (aka indoctrination control systems) but I am a fervorous religious man. The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit beej (seed) word ‘Yuj’ which can be loosely translated into ‘to yoke, to unite’. Now ‘Religion’ comes from the Latin word ‘religare’ which (surprise, surprise) also means ‘to (re)unite’. So how can you call yourself a ‘yogi’ and not be religious?

Jesus was a great man (the greatest!). Here’ an eye-opener: a great Yogi. (His)tory speaks of Him until He was a teenager and, later on, when He reappears around His 30’s. Have you ever questioned what happened during that interregnum? What the powers that be have hidden from you (with their smokescreens): He went to India/Tibet, to learn with the great sages and yogis. One of the key syllabus in any Yoga TT is Yogananda’s ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ - if you have read it surely you recall his references to Jesus as a supreme yogi. And, btw, notice the similarity between the words Christ and Krishna? Amen and Aum?

What a mind twister. Jews (the Sadducees), who were looking for their Saviour, ended up killing Him. Then made him into an avatar for a worldwide in-formation system. How sad is it that the symbol of Christianity is that of a man, in unbelievably excruciating pain, nailed to a cross? A martyr. The creators of Christianity are to blame for scaremongering and controlling society. And, nowadays, the so-called rebels, the anti-patriarchy, the anarchists, the atheists, the pseudo-spirituals, see Him (and His teachings) as an enemy (trust me, I know – as a teenager, my anger towards the dogmatic belief systems in Portugal was such that I claimed myself a satanist). What a catch 22!

…continues in comments below 👇🏻

One of the first ever mentions to Yoga was written by the great Indian sage Patanjali. In his ‘Yoga Sutras’ (principles), he mentions (what is commonly referred to as a posture) ‘Asana’ in sutra 2.46 – ‘sthira-sukham asanam’.

Sthira = steady, firm
Sukham = comfortable, with ease
Asana = to sit upon

People say they practice Yoga. Do they?
Asana is (only) one of the eight limbs of Yoga (the 3rd by the way). In earlier days you’d only begin to practice (maybe only one) asana if you were faithfully following foundational ethical codes (Yamas – restraints - and Nyamas - observances).

Example: the first Yama is ‘Ahimsa’ = non-violence.
Confused, I often scratch my head with what I experience. Students (not knowing any better, mostly influenced by social media and seeing their teachers (also!) fighting with their bodies (violence) – the glory of the posture for the sake of the body. Worst, the so-called teachers, smoking after teaching Pranayama (breath techniques); drinking alcohol/consuming drugs (natural and artificial) after preaching a healthy-lifestyle; flashing their (naked) bodies on Instagram justified by body acceptance/liberation (ie to get more followers), eating sentient beings! - You should be examples! - where’s your Satya, your Saucha?!

On one side you have the ‘common’ human being, the corporate drone, the 9-to-5er, with its (often imposed) discipline (‘steady’ rigidity) – I’d call the (toxic) Yang of society. On the other side you have the rebels, the black sheep with their freedom rants, their ‘healing my shadows’ speeches, everything with (often inauthentic or lack of real embodied) ‘ease’ – the (toxic) Yin of society. On one side western medicine followed like a doctrine, on the other side holistic/plant medicine followed (also) like a doctrine. We have been brainwashed. In truth we actually need some washing of our brains.

Where’s the middle point? The balance?
The steady, healthy Yang. The soft, healthy Yin. We need both.

Sthira-sukham asanam.

Prakriti (Nature/Energy)
Purusha (Consciousness)

Kaivalya (Liberation)