SATSANG WITH TEACHER PAVLOS HASSANAGAS

ON THE OCCASION OF GURU PURNIMA – DAY OF SPIRITUAL TEACHERS

7 July 2009, Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

 

Guru Purnima is traditionally celebrated on the first full moon (purnima) in July as the Day of spiritual teachers (Gurus). One way to celebrate this day is with a Satsang (“reunion with the truth”), which is an opportunity for the disciples to ask their teacher related to the spiritual development.   

 

32^nd INTERNATIONAL YOGA SEMINAR

with Teacher Pavlos Hassanagas

SPIRITUALITY, US AND THE UNIVERSE

3-5 July 2009, Struga, h. Makpetrol

  

Practitioners from Yoga Federation of Macedonia and guests from Algeria

participated at the seminar

LECTURE ON YOGA AND AYURVEDA

for the Teaching staff of Yoga Federation of Macedonia

Dr.Vikram Chauhan, M.A in Ayurvedic Pharmacology

28 June 2009, Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

 

 

 

The lecture focused on the following subjects: basic concepts of Ayurveda, relation of Yoga and Ayurveda, Yoga as therapy, Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali… 

TEACHING SEMINAR

Held by yoga professors Vanco Taseski and Stevan Milik  

31 May 2009, Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

 

LECTURE

AYURVEDA - ART OF BEING

Dr.Vikram Chauhan, M.A in Ayurvedic Pharmacology

28 April 2009, Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

 

 

SEMINAR WITH TEACHER PAVLOS HASSANAGAS

SPIRITUAL LIBERATION AND ITS LIMITATIONS
29 March 2009, Veles

 

"The Universe has given us infinite Freedom. The problem is what we do with it. Did we ever manage to understand what freedom is? Do we ask ourselves

why is it given to us and what is Nature’s aim in  giving us freedom?!"

  

 

"Is the image that we have of freedom the right one? What is the nature of freedom and of its limitations that separate us from it? Do we really want

to be free? Do we have fear more from freedom or from its limitations?

These are just few  of the “big” question we should all think about

and that are worth investigating…”

 

  

Over 70 practitioners from all centers of Yoga Federation of Macedonia participated at the seminar

NAMASTE
IMPRESSIONS FROM A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY IN NEPAL  
Jasmina Kantardzieva, journalist
27 March 2009, Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

   

TEACHING SEMINAR

GRADATION IN TEACHING YOGA

TEACHING METHODS for ADVANCE YOGA COURSES

25 January 2009, Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

 

 

The seminar was held by yoga professors

Vanco Taseski and Stevan Milik

SEMINARS WITH TEACHER PAVLOS HASSANAGAS
FROM BHAYA TO NIRBHAYA AND BEYOND...
- Fear and the Path to Liberation -
20-21 December 2008, Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

 

 “Bravery is not the opposite of fear - bravery is the way we face fear.

We should learn to live in the present, here and now.

We should ask our self more often: Who am I? and What is our relation with God?  It is good to remember death in an awakening manner and it’s very important

to learn how to pray. We should also learn how to give and to become aware

of the power of love. And meditation is principal method that brings us back

to our source where all fear stops.”

 

 

Due to the significant interest, the seminar was organized in two days. Both seminars were visited by over 100 practitioners from Yoga Federation of Macedonia. 
 

Since these seminars were a continuation of the seminar held in October in Veles, the Teacher focused on general and specific fears, and how we cope with them.      

 

 

The Teacher pointed out that our feeling of separateness from the whole is the basic reason for the existence of fear and the source of all our big or small fears. He also emphasized the substantial importance of becoming aware of our connection with the whole as a path to absolute liberation from fear. 

„How long have we been  separated? As long as we are separate, me and the whole, me and you, me and all that exists beyond the limitations of my mind,

until then we will feel fear. As long as I don’t know where I come from, until then I will feel fear. As long as I don’t know that I am a result of a spiritual evolution, thru many lives, until then I will feel fear. As long as I don’t know where I am

and what is going on, I will feel fear. As long as I don’t know who I am,

what I am, until then I will feel fear. As long as I don’t find out where am I going, what my purpose is, what is expected from me and what I should do,

until then I will feel fear.”

 

During the seminar, the Teacher promoted Martina Samarova, his direct disciple, to a teaching rank.

 

SEMINAR WITH TEACHER PAVLOS HASSANAGAS

On occasion of 15 years Veles Yoga Society

BHAYA – ON FEAR, ITS PROFANE AND SPIRITUAL NATURE

AND THE PATh TO liberation - a YOGic PERSPECTIVE

18 October 2008, Veles

 

“Fear has penetrated us as dust in a very complicated mechanism.

Behind every action we take, behind every thought we have, behind every word

we utter fear lays  hidden…The first step is to discover the nature of fear and to get close to it, instead of run away from or towards it.”

 

The seminar was held in the Municipality of Veles.  

Over 120 practitioners from Yoga Federation of Macedonia participated.

The Teacher spoke on what fear is, how it manifests, how long it exists in us,

what we fear from, why we feel fear and how we feel fear…

“…We enter life with fear coiled inside us. The day we are born we experience the first fear

and that's when all begins. Then as we grow, we grow in fear… All the fears that

we will experience will determine the way we will react in the future.”

Ignorance (Avidya) about our true nature is the main cause of all fears. The Teacher emphasized the Kleshas (inner sub-conscious or conscious limitations for spiritual development) and the importance of their surpassing as the path to liberation from fear.

“…It does not matter how we are when we are healthy, it matters how we are in sickness.

It does not matter how we are when we are happy, it matters how we are when we are in adversity. It does not matter how we are in wealth, it matters how we are in poverty.

 It does not matter how we are when in false security, but how we are in fear….

The moments of weakness are the measure of man.” 

         Professor Stevan Milik spoke                       Congratulations for the anniversary to

         of his experience in facing                           Anastazija Terzijeva-Ilieva, President of      

         the fear of death                                         Veles Yoga Society, from other

                                                                           societies in the Yoga Federation

“... Fear is a great teacher. It can teach us everything.

If we only knew how to listen. Every moment is a lecture.

We can cope with the fear and overcome it.

In that way we overcome a part of ourselves...”

TEACHING SEMINAR

Correct performance of Vyayama, Asanas and Bandhas

27 September 2008, Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

The seminar was conducted for the junior teaching staff in Yoga Federation of Macedonia. It was held by yoga instructors Anastazija Terzijeva-Ilieva, Vesna Petrovska and Olivera Mitrevska Veljkovic, and by yoga professor Vanco Taseski.

GURU PURNIMA

Day of spiritual teachers

18 July 2008

Guru Purnima is celebrated on the day of full moon (poornima) in July. On the night on 18 July members of all centers in Yoga Federation of Macedonia, joined a group meditation, dedicated to the spiritual connection with our Teacher. Usually on this day students show respect and appreciation of their Teacher in direct contact or through meditation. This day also presents a possibility for each student to make a retrospective review of his/hers spiritual progress.

31^st INTERNATIONAL YOGA SEMINAR

with Teacher Pavlos K. Hassanagas

ON LOVE - BETWEEN MYTHS AND THE TRUTH

27-29 June 2008, Struga

 

 

About 70 practitioners from Yoga Federation of Macedonia participated, as well as guests from Germany, New Zealand and USA.

 

The lectures of the Teacher initiated the following questions: What is love? Is it a feeling, thought, idea, a concept? Why do we love? Do we know how to love? How should we love? Do we think about love while it lasts or we start to ask when it disappears? Do we know how to give and receive love?

  

“Yoga is love. Life is love. Whether we are conscious of it or not, love is the most important thing that exists in and around us. The world exists because of love.

 Life exists because of love”

  

“Love is programmed inside us. We are created to love. But the understanding and the way how we should do it are not defined in advance. We should discover them.”

 

“We have a need for love stronger than a need for air… From our love it depends how alive we are. When you don’t love, you just think that you are alive. Only biological functions are working. It is another thing to Live. It is another thing to Be. We can live with water, with food, but real life begins when we have love. We start to die in the moment when we do not love anymore.”

 

The program of the seminar included lectures, satsangs, workshops, morning hatha yoga classes and evening meditations.

LECTURE IN OHRID

Professor Vancho Taseski held a lecture titled “With yoga against tension and stress and towards better health” for the employees of kindergarten “Jasna Risteska” in Ohrid on 7 May. Yoga classes for the employees of the kindergarten are held twice a week.

SEMINARS WITH TEACHER PAVLOS K. HASSANAGAS

 

  

Teaching seminar, 29 March 2008

SATYA & ASATYA – Ethical Problems in Teaching Yoga

Integral Yoga Center, Skopje

 

“…Yoga is the path of searching for the truth. This path should be traveled with small steps. We should start with small truths. They will bring us to the final truth…”

 

The Teacher accented the importance and responsibility of each teaching staff member in the process of teaching and learning yoga. The problem with satya (truthfulness) and asatya (lie), the importance of facing and resolving this problem, and how viveka (discrimination) can become an element of education of the students - those were the essential questions that were analyzed by the Teacher and the teaching staff of the Yoga Federation.

 

“One truth is enough for it self. One lie is not enough for itself. There is always a need to be supported by another lie... and another…and so on without end...”

 

Seminar for the practitioners, 30 March 2008

SATYA AND ASATYA

The path of Viveka in distinguishing and understanding the lie and the truth

Multi Business Center, Skopje Fair

 

“…Viveka is the ability of the mind to distinguish not just good from bad, important from unimportant,  but also to distinguishing the lie from the truth, since how can we know what is good if we do not  know the truth about the good itself...”

 

Why shouldn’t we lie? What happens when we lie, and what happens when we tell the truth? What is the truth worth? What is the difference between organic and theoretical truth?  Why does the lie have the power of negativity? - Those were part of the questions discussed by the Teacher.

The seminar retained its dynamics from the beginning until the end.  Through examples from everyday life in facing lies and the truth, the different shades and levels in their distinguishing, the Teacher brought the subject closer to all participants.

 

“…We are witnesses of the truth because we participate in each act in life… Even when we tell lies there is one part of us that knows the whole truth. It is a question of time when the truth will want to come out on the surface causing a turmoil within us, no matter this is a “small” or “large” lie, a half-lie or a half-truth. The choice is ours -  whether we would prefer the lie or the truth…”

LECTURE IN STIP  

  

The lecture “Yoga- Path to perfect health” was held in Stip on 15 March

in the City Library. The lecturer was Blagoja Gjorgjieski, MD, yoga instructor

and physiatrist.  

ACTIVITIES IN  2007

 

TEACHING SEMINARS

 

Seminar with the Teacher

On 29 December in Skopje, Teacher Pavlos K. Hasanagass held a seminar for the teaching staff of Yoga Federation of Macedonia that also marked the beginning of work of the new Integral Yoga Center in Skopje. The seminar was a continuation of the prior one. The teaching teams from each Yoga Society presented and analyzed concepts for different types of specialized and therapeutic programs (prenatal/postnatal, children, teenagers, seniors, managers, asthma and other lung diseases, scoliosis and other spine deformities).

During the seminar, Martina Samarova from Radovish, who has been practicing yoga in Athens with teacher Pavlos, was initiated in the process of teacher training.  

 

Seminar with the professors

On 24 November in Skopje, the teaching staff of Yoga Federation of Macedonia participated at a seminar held by yoga professors Vanco Taseski and Stevan Milic. The seminar, organized as a workshop, was dedicated to the process of preparing programs for yoga courses and developing a structural analysis of the programs.

SEMINAR WITH THE TEACHER

VIVEKA - The path of the mind from delusion to differentiation

23 December, Prilep

 

Teacher Pavlos K. Hassanagas spoke about the education of the mind to develop its ability to differentiate and recognize real values. This is a process in which one gets a complete insight, an unconditional and undistorted perception of phenomenons inside him and around him.

It is very important to know that this philosophical concept has a very practical dimension – each of us in every moment of life is faced with a choice to be made, and an ability of proper and efficient judgment is of crucial importance. Through discussion with the participants and examples, the Teacher accented exactly this aspect of Viveka. 

SEMINARS ON PRANAYAMA & PRANAMAYA KOSHA 

On 18 November in Strumica, and on 30 November in Veles, yoga professor Vanco Taseski held a lecture for the practitioners from Strumica Yoga Section and Veles Yoga Society. The seminars were divided in two parts. In the first part participants were introduced to the theory of Pranayama and improved practice of yoga breathing techniques.In the second part, professor Taseski  spoke on Pranamaya kosha, the energy system of man, on its subtle structure and the connection of this system with yoga practice.    

NEW YOGA SECTIONS IN KAVADARCI AND BOGDANCI

Last autumn two new yoga sections began working as part of Yoga Federation of Macedonia.  Upon request of citizens from Kavadarci, the first two-month yoga course was held by instructor Anastazija Terzijeva-Ilieva. The experiences of practitioners were positive, and further activities on this section are planned for spring. 

Part of the practitioners who have visited classes Gevgelija Yoga Section, have shown interest for courses in Bogdanci. The work of this section started with a public lecture on What is Yoga and what Yoga might give to us, held by professor Vanco Taseski. The classes are held by Ljuba Petkova.

SEMINAR with teacher PAVLOS K. HASSANAGAS

on behalf of the 20^th Anniversary of Bitola Yoga Society

YOGA-Progressing from Theory to Practice

14 October 2007, Bitola

 

By practicing yoga, the human being is given the opportunity to experience and realize its own real nature. It is an incredible thing how we are able to look within ourselves and recognize our Real Nature in the background.

 

Such an opportunity was given to the citizens of Bitola 20 years ago, or at the end of year 1987, when the founding meeting of the Yoga Society- Bitola took place. Soon after this event, the very first beginners’ course in yoga started. In such a way, every other activity in this society was also initiated. Many beginners’, mid-level and advanced courses took place, along with specialized courses targeting children and pregnant women. Other activities included many introductory lessons, forums, seminars and photography exhibitions…

 

In the past, the teacher Pavlos Hassanagas conducted several seminars in the society, and for this anniversary, on the 14^th of October he conducted a one-day seminar on the topic “Yoga—progressing from theory to practice—our lives through the prism of spirituality”. In a very pleasant and relaxing setting, once more we had the opportunity to get closer to the teachings of our teacher. During these 5 hours, we had the opportunity to pause and look at life from a different perspective. He taught us about yoga beyond asanas and meditation, about fear and how to face it, about acceptance and compassion… The teacher emphasized the importance of facing the kleshas (the obstacles on the yogi’s way), especially the fear of death which is the root of all other fears. He also presented the elements of ashtanga yoga of Patanjali as simply being various kinds of techniques for facing our own selves. The seminar caused a lot of interest among the participants, especially those who met the teacher for the very first time.

 

The seminar took place in the university library “St. Kliment Ohridski”and was attended by approximately 70 practitioners from all over Macedonia.  

30^th International Yoga Seminar

with teacher P. K.HASSANAGAS

WISDOM OF THE UPANISHADS

1-3 July 2007, Struga

 

One of the most important moments in yoga is the one when the disciple meets with the teacher, listens to his/her teachings and discusses important topics for his/her own spiritual practice and individual growth. This act gains in significance when such a meeting represents a continuation of millenniums-old tradition in which all yogis from different parts of the world have participated, in different periods of the history of yoga: the conveyance of the ancient knowledge in the Upanishads. The gravity of the moment became bigger when our acquaintance with the wisdom of the Upanishads happened during the 30^th International Yoga Seminar. This absolutely corresponds to the need for previous long-term practice and achievement of a certain level of spiritual maturity as a prerequisite for studying and understanding the Upanishad. 

 

Teacher Pavlos K. Hassanagas presented the Upanishads, their structure and content in four lectures. Then, he explained their role as writings that carry on and convey the spiritual knowledge accumulated throughout thousands of years, at the same time pointing out the applicability and adjustability of the Upanishads in the spiritual practice of the contemporary yoga practicioners. Many quotations from the main Upanishads enchanted the hearts of both old and new practitioners.

 

The programme was enriched with two workshops conducted by the senior teaching staff of the Yoga Federation. The topics were in different ways connected to the basic topic of the seminar. The first workshop on the topic “OM Meditation” was an excellent opportunity for the practitioners to get acquainted with this technique, its effects and the way it is practiced. The practitioners could upgrade this experience during the meditation sessions with the teacher Pavlos. During the second workshop “The Unity of Theory and Practice”, the participants applied their knowledge acquired from seminars, literature and individual practice. Several questions that appeared during the conversations were later on discussed on the satsang with the teacher.

 

The topic of the instructors’ lecture was “Problematics of the Upanishads as a teaching subject”, at which teacher Pavlos talked about the importance of matching theory with practice and the specific ways in which the teachings of the Upanishads should continue in the future.

Public lecture by the Teacher

Spirituality and the dormant powers of man

27 June 2007, Skopje City Museum

 

This lecture was one of the events with which the Yoga Federation of Macedonia noted 35 years of teaching yoga in our country.

 

For an audience of 150 visitors the teacher spoke about the human nature and the human psychophysical capabilities, as well as their role in our spiritual growth. Such phenomena can impress almost everybody, and among ordinary people they usually cause awe and fear since they are perceived to be a result of an advanced spiritual development. However, on this lecture, the teacher explained the real approach that yoga has in respect to this issue and made some parallels with other spiritual traditions such as buddhism, hesychasm, and sufism. Besides that, some scientific researches on these phenomena were presented.

 

For the teacher, this topic is just a segment from a wider spiritual culture that is based on a more holistic understanding of man and his capacities, as well as the responsibilities that come along with such a realization. According to this, the aim of this speech was to map these capabilities and their representation as one more aspect of the unity called a human being.