Traditional Yoga and Meditation Practice in Sydney

03/19/2026

Good Day, I just want to inform everybody that THE TRADITIONAL YOGA AND MEDITATION PRACTICES AT THE CLUB 55 HAVE UNEXPECTEDLY BEEN STOPPED BY THE CLUB. (*A bunch of inappropriate behaviour that I will not get into.) I will begin looking for another location. Meanwhile, if anybody knows of a community minded location in the Sydney downtown general area, please feel free to let me know about it. Take care, and see you all again a little down the Yogic road. .:)

02/25/2026

SAMSARA > CYCLICAL SUFFERING Those who have attained realization have broken out of Samsara, which is the cyclical suffering that we all know so well. We especially know it well this time of year. Seasonal Affective Disorder is our general fun term for it. I will just shoot straight now . . . regular physical yoga practice, pramayama (breathing techniques), and meditation takes us out of Samsara in time. Best investment anyone can make anywhere. It is a practice, and it is definitely NOT "goal oriented". And that is why it works. Hard to wrap the head around until you are in it while it is working. And there are other rules of engagement that don't make sense at first, until you see. This is why it is so difficult to break out of Samsara silly .🙂

02/20/2026

I have a Respiratory Virus (*corrected), so unfortunately YOGA IS CANCELLED FOR TOMORROW FEBRUARY 21st.

02/03/2026

OUR BAND'S FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE THIS SUNDAY AT THE FRENCH CLUB > I am already having flashbacks to the PUB FLAMINGO, THE DOUBLE DEUCE, and THE BIRDLAND in Halifax from my band performances in the early to late 90's. Moving back to Sydney three years ago has re-ignited the Alt-Rock side of me. The music energy here in CB and CBRM is way larger than HRM by the way. After my Alt-Rock days, I wrote contemplative music and performed at Yoga events. I even melted some Yoga faces with a wall of distortion at those events .🙂 This band will be a mix of Alt-Rock and contemplative...
So yes, I am quite looking forward to performing with our band at THE FRENCH CLUB (Sydney) open mic Sunday, February 8th (4-7pm). We will play 4-5 songs, depending on what the host will allow. The band is called "forest yogin and the Confused Sea-State". Brian Dean is on Bass, and Paul Gartland is on the skins. ..
Attached is a national review (National Chart Magazine/Chart Magazine) from the first album of my band back in the 90's. The cover of that album was a map of the Guyon Island Lighthouse off the coast of Belfry Beach. And probably a pic or two of my contemplative phase as well. ..
Take care, and maybe see you there (hey, that's a song too !)

12/31/2025

HAPPY WESTERN NEW YEARS EVERYONE ! This time is of course a time of reflection on the year. As we get older, and we reflect, we evolve. We see the source of our toxic energies more and more. We see the source of the positive energies more and more. We draw lines to delete the toxicity more and more. In turn we see clearer, and see more to delete. We draw lines to include the positive and helpful energies. Clarity increases. We grow, evolve, and even awaken to our actual nature. Not who we "thought" we are, but what our actual nature is. And joy becomes a constant. Like a Fischer Price Weeble Wobble, we experience the pain, and we always return to joy. This is how we were when we were born into this life. We get more and more flashbacks of childhood transcendent experiences. Wait ! . . . this s**t actually works ! .🙂

12/26/2025

Traditional Yoga and Meditation is still off this Saturday December 27th, It resumes Saturday January 3rd at 11:30 am.

12/20/2025

There is still no power downtown since 8pm last night. So unfortunately Yoga has to be canceled today. Take care, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. .🙂

11/07/2025

MUSIC PLAYS A H-U-G-E PART IN YOGA > Does anybody out there like music ! Music manifested as an optimal vehicle for truth. In Yoga they call it "DOHA YOGA' or "Music to guide toward enlightenment". The wacky Tibetans adopted the Indian Sanskrit to just "DOHA", which means "Spontaneous Songs of Realization". And in Tibetan they also use the term "VAJRA GHITI" or "indestructible truth in song". There is even a sacred text that talks about a certain stage of enlightenment where "IT IS AS THOUGH ALL THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE UNIVERSE WERE BEING PLAYED SIMULTANEOUSLY". This was actually written by the most realized Buddha of the three times. In India they chant musically. They also do not applaud after sacred music. In my experience that increased the potency of the music that you just heard ten fold. Wisdom is spontaneous. And so is live music. Look at the instrument before it is played. There is nothing. When played there is everything. Then when put down, nothing again. This also guides us towards the minds nature. At its most fundamental level, just humming or listening to music removes energy blockages so we can see things as they actually are. And it is also a lot of fun. It's a shame that Cape Bretoner's are not into music that much .:)

10/06/2025

WHAT IS "TRADITIONAL YOGA" (compared to western fitness yoga) ? . .
So Traditional Yoga started over 10,000 years ago, and without judgement, western fitness yoga borrowed the name. Traditional Yoga has EIGHT LIMBS, each with a primary and secondary meaning. So it is in effect a 16 piece pie. Physical practice is 1/16th of the full view of Traditional Yoga. In Traditional Yoga we use all 16 pieces of the pie, and the physical practice is secondary. . .
THE PHYSICAL PRACTICE and PRANAYAM (breathing techniques), are simply preparatory practices for the main event of MEDITATION. The physical practice is a set series, and while some postures are omitted, the series stays the same. This is how it was practiced in India, so we can see the natures of the posture to the subtlest level. Which in turn will show us our minds nature to the subtlest level. As my Indian Yoga Master collegue Yogiji Yogendra Mishra always spoke . . . "the sequence for humans is PHYSICAL PRACTICE, PRANAYAM, and MEDITATION". . .
Historically and Traditionally, Physical Practice and Meditation were in union. Today here in the west, most people who practice physical yoga do not meditate, and most people who meditate do not practice physical yoga. I aspire to reunite these elements on the path of awakening to its original form. . .
Traditional Yoga is not for everybody. About 20% who seek out Yoga can actually relate to Traditional Yoga. I say this all without judgement of course. When you are ready, the Traditional full view of Yoga will be there, if you want it .:)

09/22/2025

As the air cools down, we get more oxygen in each breath. As we oxygenate more after the hot months, our patience returns, and we come back to our normal selves. . .
One thing to watch out for in the Fall though . . . It is in our genetic make up for us to historically do more work in the fall to survive the winter. Cut wood, harvest, repair shelter etc. In these times though, we simply turn the thermostat up, and keep going to the grocery store. But the energy is still there, and it can get us in trouble doing unnecessary activity to burn that energy. Our mind may fabricate something that has to be done, when nothing has to be done. Meditation will help you see this .🙂 . .
I used to host a Yoga TV show in HRM for 9 years (144 episodes). It was called "the path of yoga". Here is some behind the scenes footage that a guest shot (thanks TJ) > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM6qVpB1W8o . .
And some pics of those fun times .:)

07/21/2025

THE YOGIC SIGNIFICANCE OF CAPE BRETON
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CAPE BRETON HAS THE MOST SACRED YOGA AND DHARMA SITE IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
Did you know that there is a place in the Cape Breton Highlands that is the most sacred Yogic and Dharmic site in the western hemisphere ? It is the Ingonish River Valley. It used to be the “Smokey Ridge Campground” up until the late 80’s. In Indo-Tibetan circles it is called the Kalapa Valley, or the capitol of Shambhala. It is like where the Buddha attained enlightenment and the sacred Ganges River combined in how sacred it is. Literally it is the capitol of Shangri-La. A novel in the 1930’s changed the name of Shambhala to Shangri-La. And the Flintstones called it Shangri La De Da (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uik8UB_wpq4) 😊
It is bigger and beyond the current owner (Sakyong Mipham's estate), with his dethronement from the Shambhala Lineage due to his toxic activity. Bigger than that. Beyond that. It is there to help everybody and anybody awaken. I have taken Tibetan Vajryana Masters and Indian Senior Yoga and Meditation Masters to the Ingonish River Valley to guide them, and they all say the same thing. This IS Kalapa! Like even they were skeptical until they experienced it. They all said that “the energy is like the Himalayas” too. (They do not even talk to each other by the way.) And when they crossed the causeway, they were all taken by the exceptionally more potent uplifting energy.
We all know this energy, because this is our home. We grew up here. Some enlightened masters from Tibet have requested that some of their remains be buried in the Ingonish River Valley. The Seventeenth Karmapa now has personal property near Baddeck. In Restricted Tibetan Vajryana conversations and teachings, the Ingonish River Valley and Cape Breton is referred to as a “Pure Land ”. A Pure Land is a physical place, or a place in a non-physical realm, that has extremely high conditions and energy to facilitate enlightenment. A “Central Land ” of Yoga and Dharma is a geographical area that is the home to a lineage in Yoga or Dharma. The traditional Central Lands have been India, Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, Thailand, and Zen in the rest of Asia. There is one more place in the world, and that is Nova Scotia. Called the “Central Land of Kalapa”, solely because of the existence of the Ingonish River Valley and it’s energy.
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PERSONAL PRACTICE ITEM AND DNA OF THE MOST POWERFUL BUDDHA IS HERE IN NOVA SCOTIA
We have all heard of “The Buddha”. His statue is in most people’s gardens nowadays. He is even an element of interior and exterior design. Each spring there is an entire aisle in Winners at the Mayflower Mall filled with dozens of statues of this very same Buddha. Technically he is just one of many Buddhas, and he is called Shakyumuni or Siddhartha. He lived 2600 years ago. He prophesized that in a thousand years “. . . one would come who is even greater than myself.”. He came in the 8th century, and he walked this earth. He was the most powerful Buddha of the three times. His name is Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche. One of his partners was the most powerful female Buddha of the three times, and her name is Yesche Tsogyal. She is called the Supreme Wisdom Dakini. Kind of the ultimate power couple eh ! 😊 And it is partially on parallel with Indian Yoga’s Shiva-Shakti.
You need to be seated for this next part . . . Padmasambhava’s personal practice item, and his DNA (bones or relics) are here in Nova Scotia. In Christian lineages, this is like saying Jesus’ bones and personal item are in a humidity controlled vault in Nova Scotia. Padmasambhava, the most powerful Buddha of the three times, his bones and personal practice item (phurba three-sided knife) are in Nova Scotia because of the energy of the Ingonish River Valley.
Sounds likes bulls**t I know. I have seen and felt (not touched) some of these sacred items with my own eyes (and third eye 😊). There are a few other famous Buddha’s items in the same vault. Naropa’s skull bone is here too (of the “Yogas of Naropa”). Here is a link to some pictures of all of these items > https://shambhalatimes.org/.../the-surmang-relics-part.../ If the link does not work, simply search “Surmang Relics”. Shambhala Global does not own these items, they are simply in the care of the Shambhala Archives. Surmang was the Trungpa Kagyu Lineage monastery in Tibet where the artifacts were kept for centuries. Chyogyam Trungpa had them on his person when he fled his soon to be destroyed Surmang Monastary on April 23rd, 1959. And for ten months he and his group mountaineered over the Himalayan passes to the freedom of India.
There is much much more to this history and how it relates to us here, but I will stop there. Most of the few hundred Buddhists that moved here in the 1980’s are aware of all of this. And unfortunately to my experience, they do not really share the information with locals.
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MORE
The Indian Yoga Masters have a prophesy. The Tibetan Vajryana Masters have the Gaesar Prophesy. The Mi’kmaq and First Nations people of Canada have a prophesy a well. These prophesies are all hundreds of years old. They overlap with each other perfectly. With different names of course. They all prophesize Nova Scotia as being a sanctuary in a dark age. And they all prophesize a Buddha manifesting here.
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I have met many many people who have had dreams for many years of a place. When they visited here, they realized that this is the place of their dreams. If you have immigrated here, the above reasons may be the primary reasons why .:)
HERE IS A VIDEO ON THE BLESSED KALAPA VALLEY (*And if you go to the video host "Vritti Vlogger", you can see three more Kalapa Valley videos) >
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpB-3zhLlHk

Kalapa is perfectionAll music by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com/)song titles: At Rest; Meditation Impromptu 02; Himalayan Atmosphere.Twitter http://bi...