Yoga experts offer stress solutions to credit crunch

With the credit crunch starting to hit every business and massive fuel bills shocking every household; anxiety, stress and sleepless nights are on the increase for many. So what can we do?

International Dru Yoga and meditation teacher Jane Clapham said that “to get through the tough times ahead we need to develop coping methods for dealing with stress. Yoga and meditation have been proved to be effective in combating stress”.

In a survey of people who regularly do Dru Yoga, 89% said they can now reduce and control stress levels, 91% gained peace of mind by overcoming negative thinking while 86% enjoyed increased energy levels.

Dru Yoga is one of the largest Yoga Schools in the UK, and also offers free taster workshops around the country. For details and bookings visit www.druworldwide.com.

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Dru Yoga helpful for financial worries

Ms Clapham said that “doing Dru Yoga is the perfect solution to anxiety, stress and insomnia. This graceful flowing style is accessible for everyone – I recommend a weekend yoga holiday or meditation retreat to completely relax and revitalise body and mind.”

Stress-busting Dru Yoga holidays and meditation retreats are held all year round in beautiful Snowdonia, which is just over 3 hours away from London by train. A weekend all-inclusive yoga holiday costs from £290.

Dru Yoga is one of the most popular Yoga Schools in Britain, and also offers yoga classes and workshops around the world. For details and bookings visit www.druworldwide.com.

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The question you must ask any potential yoga teacher

Is your teacher qualified?

Make sure that your teacher has a current qualification, and is registered with the Yoga Alliance, Independent Yoga Network or the British Wheel of Yoga. This may seem obvious, but some

teachers out there have bogus qualifications. Also ask if they do regular training to keep their yoga education up to date. Good yoga teachers will do a couple of continued training courses a year to keep their knowledge current. If your teacher is from Dru Yoga, then check that they’re on the Dru Professional Network, which ensures that they keep their CPD current.

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You should ask your yoga teacher - is there an emphasis on safety?

Safety is crucial in a yoga class– many people get injured every year from over stretching when they haven’t adequately prepared. Does your yoga teacher offer modifications and contra-indications to each posture? Do they do enough warm-ups and cool-downs? Is there an adequate period of relaxation at the end of the class? Dru Yoga is a particularly safe form of yoga, and is especially good for people with back problems. Please check that your teacher is on the Dru Professional Network which makes sure that they keep their yoga training up to date.

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Does your yoga teacher walk their talk?

Yoga is more than an occasional hobby. It’s a way to unite body, mind and soul. To be a good yoga teacher, daily practice is crucial – your teacher should enjoy what they teach - or else you won’t! Dru yoga teachers are known for loving what they do. They should also be approachable and get on well with their students. In the ancient tradition of yoga, the relationship between teacher and student was one of the most important – and it’s true today as well. As one Dru Yoga student said: A great yoga teacher can draw you in from wherever you are - stressed, moody, fed up, sad, exhilerated or whatever else you might be feeling- and take you to a place of peace inside yourself.

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Is your yoga class conveniently located?

If you’re going to get to your Dru yoga class, rain or shine, then choose a location that’s realistic. I’ve seen so many students attending classes enthusiastically at the beginning of September, only to decide that it’s just too far when the cold, dark nights set in. After all, the benefits of Dru Yoga are huge. As one yoga student commented recently: A good yoga teacher encourages you to reconnect to the awareness of your body and work within its limitations at all times. To conclude, I suggest that you try different styles of yoga until you find one that suits you. The benefits of attending a regular class are enormous. Find out more at www.druworldwide.com

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Yoga classes seem to be available at every gym, leisure centre and village hall. But how can you tell the difference between your hatha and bikram, Dru and Iyengar? I suggest that you try different styles of yoga until you find one that suits you. The benefits of attending yoga classes regularly are huge. As one yoga student said:

‘I’ve lost over a stone in the last 6 weeks through doing Dru Yoga. I do the flowing, graceful Sun Sequence at a Dru Yoga class and at home, and it seems to balance my body and take away the edge of my hunger. When I do Dru Yoga I can feel my body’s natural intelligence kicking in.’

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The perfect yoga for you! With apparently endless choices available – how will you know which is the perfect yoga class for your body type, aims and spiritual preferences? Here are a few tips to help you decide!

What’s the right style of yoga for you?

Take a moment to think about why you’re thinking of starting a yoga class. Is it to reduce stress or anxiety? Get toned and lean? Sort out your painful pain? Still your thoughts? Get in touch with your inner goddess? Each yoga school, from Dru to Kundalini to Bikram to Hatha, has a different focus - some are more physically demanding, others are based on philosophy, while others focus more on meditation and chanting.

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Dru Yoga

Dru Yoga, one of the largest yoga training schools in the UK, was founded over 30 years ago and now has yoga training courses and retreats worklwide. Dru’s moves are flowing and emphasise being accessible to people of all fitness levels, especially those with back pain or stress, as research has shown that it’s effective to counter workplace stress. Based on flowing movements, the emphasis is upon creating a supple spine, to free the energy within the body.

Ideal – for all levels of fitness, if you want a deeper approach to health and happiness

Sweat rating - 2

Peace of mind rating – 5

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Dru Yoga Dance

This is a more upbeat and physically demanding form of Dru Yoga. It takes flowing Dru Yoga sequences, created by Chris Barrington, Annie Jones and colleagues, and puts them to great

music creating a great sense of wellbeing, and a good physical workout. A regular practice of Dru Yoga Dance improves your flexibility, muscle tone and core stability as well as improving your concentration.

Ideal - if you like Dru’s gentle flow but want to be more challenged physically

Sweat rating – 4

Peace of mind rating – 3

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Hatha

Hatha yoga is the generic term for any sort of yoga practise which involves a combination of postures, controlled breathing, and some kind of concentration and relaxation. It will likely be a slow-paced stretching class and is a good place to learn basic poses, relaxation techniques, and become comfortable with yoga. Most Hatha Yoga classes in the UK are taught by teachers trained by the British Wheel of Yoga.

Ideal – if you want a safe yoga class in your village hall

Sweat rating - 2

Peace of mind rating - 4

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In the Head and Heart Solutions, produced by Dru UK, you’ll experience a Dru Meditation home study programme, including a 9 stage progressive series of Dru Meditations which lead you into a deep state of inner peace and stillness. Mansukh’s Body Awareness meditation is a powerful yet short technique for relaxing body and mind together. It begins with making yourself comfortable in a chair with your spine upright and shoes off. Mansukh then invites you to imagine yourself in a quiet that you love, for example a sunny beach, mountain or cool forest glade. One you feel settled you begin to rotate and contract your feet and ankles, moving up to calves, thighs and hips. These deceivingly simple techniques are ancient in origin and have produced results for thousands of years.

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Mansukh Patel learned these Dru Meditations from his teachers and parents and have kept them true to their original style. Mansukh explains that the golden rule to all Meditation success is to keep a regular practice going on a daily basis. The Head and Heart Solutions home

study programmes aims to make this easy for the Dru Meditation practitioner by providing 9 progressive meditations and encourages you to practice at the same time each day and preferably in the same place eg a quiet spare room in your house. Then you’ll find the benefits of Dru meditation can become yours!

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Mansukh’s body awareness Dru meditation invites you to move up the body, relaxing each part in turn and keeping a rhythmic pattern to the practice. By the time you reach the head and neck you will experience a deep inner calm and a more peaceful mind. Mansukh Patel, who mentors people in meditation techniques worldwide, suggests that this meditation is especially good for people who hold physical tension and find it hard to relax before sleep. Dru Meditations have the added benefit of creating a sharper mind as your concentration prowess increases.

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Studies have shown that regular meditation reduces blood pressure and in a key ingredient in preventing and reversing heart disease. Dr Dean Ornish a cardiologist in USA teaches meditation as part of his 5 stage plan to a healthy heart. He has revolutionised the medical field with his ground breaking research studies and insurance companies throughout America and the world encourage the use of meditation to prevent disease. Through the Head and Heart Solutions home study programme, Mansukh Patel has made meditation available to everyone. Also in the programme to will find guidelines to health and wellbeing at every level and are a fascinating read.

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Through the Head and Heart Solutions home study programme, Mansukh Patel has made meditation available to everyone. Also in the programme to will find guidelines to health and wellbeing at every level and are a fascinating read. The Head and Heart Solutions programme is both written and read onto CD format, creating an accelerated learning format. Mansukh recently taught this body awareness Dru meditation technique to a large group of people at a seminar with the whole audience expressing their benefits as both relaxing and revitalising. In short it can be of benefit to the individual and to groups, simply by playing the CD in your group!

For more information on Dru Meditation, the Head and Heart Solutions home study programme and Mansukh Patel please contact www.druworldwide.com

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The twisting cat – a brilliant posture to practice if you need to clear back pain, balance and tone the hips. In their CD ‘Easing Back Pain’ osteoptahs Mansukh Patel and Coby Langford use it to reduce back pain and restore balance to posture. I followed their programme for the advised 6 week period and subsequently taught it to both Dru Yoga students and in my personal mentoring sessions. TD came to me for personal Dru Mentoring with lower back pain that she

had been experiencing for several years. She found it difficult walking for long periods of time, could not bend forwards too far and was in constant discomfort. A big disadvantage for a secretary in a busy office. What she needed was a simple movement plan that would diminish pain and help her re-establish her one love – walking.

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As Mansukh Patel and Coby Langford explain, the standing and twisting cats stretch out the muscles either side of the spine known as the erector spinae and help deliver water and nutrients to that area. In this way tension is eased in the muscles that should be doing the job of helping the body to move rather than stay still. TD came back each week to practice the programme of Dru Yoga movements.

After a week she had started to feel her back easing up. After 3 weeks her hips started to become more balanced, and after 4 weeks she came back and said “I am walking totally differently. I never knew this would help a problem I have had for years, and I have lost 2 inches around my hips!”

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Some days you just want to stay in bed and hope the world forgets you exist. Joshna Patel Dru yoga teacher in Midlands recognises the reaction when clients come to her with these symptoms. As a Dru Yoga teacher she has been able to shed light on the pathways which can overcome this.

Imagine the hustle and bustle of city life, when its cold and grey and damp. How do you change the way you feel? Dru yoga has a whole network full of techniques so much to offer such as movements, breathwork, meditation, sequences and positive affirmation. It’s the Dru positive affirmation that we are going go home into. Its called: the attitude to gratitude.

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Joshna Patel says what if instead of wallowing in our misery we all choose to focus on everything that we are grateful for in our lives. Such as being valued by a dear friend, or the memory of a colleagues’s face when she receives a surprise birthday cake at work.

As science now proving, feeling grateful can actually make us healthier. Joshna Patel adds that practising gratitude, acknowledging the blessings in our lives and making it a point to recognise the good things can change us positively.

Joshna Patel had found that power of gratitude enables us to sleep better and exercise more and we feel more optimistic, feeling more alert and active. Simple Dru techniques like this can bring health and wellbeing to all.

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Joshna Patel also adds that others around you will start recognising it in you too. They will notice people with more joy, energy and that you are becoming more optimistic. People will start going out their way in helping others.

A Dru Yoga client had shared a story about a lady who had lost her son in an accident. Each day, for two weeks someone used to leave a small gift on their doorstep. It brought so much gratitude to the family knowing that someone was there keeping a look out for them and thinking of them. They never did find out who that person was.

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What do we do with the science of gratitude in our lives asks Joshna Patel? The power of gratitude takes only few minutes of the day, but it requires effort, consistency and an open mind, with dedication. One can develop it by referring to some of the Dru Yoga Products such as Believe in Yourself by Mansukh Patel, or the book, The Dance between Joy and Pain Mansukh Patel and Rita Goswami – which has been a Dru bestseller for many years. Believe in Yourself – The power to change your life is with you right now. Mansukh Patel’s book unfolds helpful ideas on how to take a leading role in your life and make it exactly how you want it to be.

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The Dance Between Joy and Pain

Rita Goswami and Mansukh Patel

There are many books on the market today that promise personal change, transformation, or total health, but this classic beats them all in its comprehensive breadth and practicality. The Dance between joy and pain describes a whole range of emotional situations that we all experience regularly and shows us how we can take charge of our emotions in any situation and turn any situation to our advantage.

The techniques that Rita Goswami and Mansukh Patel have provided are all based on the practices of Dru Yoga, which is well-known for its accessibility to all and its heart-based approach.

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In this book, the Dru Yoga practices are chosen for their ease and effectiveness. The central technique of the book is The Salutations to the Four Directions, which contains a method for

changing any negative emotional habit into a positive one, and there are many simple visualisations and short meditations that you can apply in a minute or two in any situation.

Whether you have never done any yoga before, or indeed whether you are a Dru Yoga Teacher, The Dance between Joy and Pain is a timeless classic and Rita Goswami and Mansukh Patel have provided a book that will be read and used for many years to come.

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The Secret Power of Light - The Remarkable Story of the World Peace Flame by Dr Mansukh Patel

This amazing book is part autobiography, and part manual of personal change. It documents the personal search and revelations that came to Mansukh Patel throughout his extraordinary early life. The theme running through the book is the transforming power that light has on many levels. Mansukh Patel talks about the necessity of regular exposure to light for health at every level, from the physical through to the most subtle. He shows us that by the application of some very simple practices you can experience an awakening to your true humanity.

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The techniques described in The Secret Power of Light draw on skills that the young Mansukh and his university friends were given by his father. These skills include practical applications of Dru Yoga Techniques, the famous Gayatri Mantra, Dru Meditation techniques, and the story of the World Peace Flame, which was inaugurated in July 1999 and is steadily becoming known world-wide. Mansukh describes how seven flames were lit on five different continents and the heart-warming story of unity showing how the flames were transported by military Air Forces from different countries around the world.

The Secret Power of Light has the feeling of an epic, unfinished story. As Mansukh says in one of his diary entries:

“Many invisible forces are uniting to help me at this time, guiding and directing my thoughts and actions. These forces are always there, constantly directing us towards the very highest truth. It is as though the whole creation is designed to bring each one of us to self-realisation: everything in fact is conspiring to help us become awake…”

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I would recommend The Secret Power of Light to anyone who wants to learn about how the power of light can radically shift your consciousness into a place of positivity, creativity, and awakened empowerment. Mansukh Patel has created a masterpiece that will be read again and again for many years to come.

Books and DVD’s that you will also be interested in: Dru Yoga by Annie Jones, Anita Goswami, and Chris Barrington

Dru Yoga (DVD) lead by Mansukh Patel (osteopath) and Coby Langford (osteopath)

The Dance between Joy and Pain by Dr Mansukh Patel and Rita Goswami RGN.

The Flame that Transforms by Savitri MacCuish, Mansukh Patel, and Andrew Wells

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Top yoga cures for winter blues

Just in case all the rain and cold are getting to you – fear not. Yoga still works even if you’re having to battle with torrential rain, gales and storms. Believe me – all of us at the Dru Yoga centre in Snowdonia have been practising in the last few weeks! We’re come up with our top tips which keep us happy even when it’s raining. We hope you like them too.

Warm pyjamas. On a cold winter’s night there’s really nothing like putting your nightwear on a radiator before you slip into bed with your hot water bottle. Some luxuries are quite simple!

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Fight off the winter blues with Dru Meditation!

A favourite here is Dru Meditation. Just a few minutes of silent sitting daily, using Dru meditation techniques, makes us feel glad to be alive. Take a meditation retreat, or create one in your home. Clear a space, light a candle and gaze at the flame without blinking for as long as possible. Then close your eyes and focus on your breathing for five minutes. Stretch gently and open to eyes to a brighter day!

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One way to avoid depression this winter is to Visualise being Australian. Out in Australia, rain is seen in quite a different way than it is here. That’s pretty understandable as they hardly get any! When I was out there teaching Dru Meditation holidays last spring, much of the country was in severe drought, and any drops of rain were greeting with celebration. I’ve found that just changing my attitude to the wet stuff can make life a little brighter. And of course, Dru Yoga holidays are in green and beautiful Wales, so it pays to enjoy the rain!

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Surya namaskar. The ancient yogis really knew a thing or two about winter. We find that a good flowing Dru yoga sun sequence blows away all those winter cobwebs, brings a wonderful sense of energy and positivity to even the darkest morning. If you don’t know all the movements, get to a Dru Yoga class near you! And fast! Or you could do a Cleopatra. Nourish your skin and your soul with a warm milky bath. Add 1 tablespoon runny honey and a cup of milk to a running bath then lie back and listen to some relaxing music. There are some great CDs around these days – find one you love at the Dru Yoga online shop.

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To stave off winter depression with Dru Yoga, try a Barley grass smoothie. Sometimes a boost of nutrients can really help our mood – try our favourite: blend one banana, 3 tablespoons organic bio yogurt, ½ glass fruit juice, 1 teaspoon dru barley grass powder, 1 teaspoon omega oils. This also is great for the skin, fantastic for improving mood and contains nearly 3 portions of fruit and vegetables! Or why not Plan an uplifting Dru Yoga or meditation retreat. In the dark, cold winter months, somehow just planning such a holiday can be an uplifting experience. Make a list of what’s important to you in your perfect yoga or meditation break - and affirm that you’ll find the perfect environment for you. Then get check out druworldwide.com for more details!

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A Dru Yoga tip to keep you happy all day long, is to have a good breakfast. It might sound like something your Mum might say, but having a substantial meal first thing really does make life seem much better. Our favourite here at the Dru Yoga centre is millet or oat porridge with tahini and honey. Put it on to soak the night before and it’ll cook really quickly in the morning. Another option is to work with the power of Laughter. Get the endorphins flowing with our favourite funny movies – here at Dru we’re still debating the best list, but it must include The Man Who Knew Too Little, Groundhog Day, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Airplane. And it tones up the abdominal muscles better than sit-ups!

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A Call To Action

If ever you are looking for a way to contribute to humanity’s cause and whether it be from the comfort of your own home or to travel and help a humanitarian aid project, the book, A Call To Action by Dr Mansukh Patel, Savitri MacCuish and Andrew Wells will give you many ideas and insights into how you can get involved individually or as part of a team.

Inspired by the seven laws of society which Mahatma Gandhi drew up, A Call To Action takes you through each of these laws and shows us how we can resolve the crisis endemic in society. Most importantly, in Mansukh’s introduction he shows how they can lead us to the conclusion that we, as individuals, already have all the strengths we need to overcome even the toughest crisis.

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In the first law of the book ‘A Call to Action’, Mansukh Patel explains that this refers to our human propensity to desire things that are not in our best interests. A society that has learned to find pleasure in ways of thinking and being that support and uphold life will sustain itself into the foreseeable future. We arrive at this through pure motives. This is in the realm of media, entertainment and leisure.

With examples of actions and drawing from a vast pool of self help techniques such as Dru Yoga, Dru Mediation and Dru Dance, Mansukh, Andrew and Savitri give a myriad of ways in which we can add to life at the same time as gaining a great deal of pleasure along the way.

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In the book ‘A Call to Action’ the second law is Knowledge Without Character. Mansukh, Savitri & Andrew point out the disastrous consequences of having knowledge without the morality and maturity to use it wisely. You would never give a gun to a child, or entrust a life-and-death decision to someone who was less than a statesman.

With examples of actions and drawing from a vast pool of self help techniques such as Dru Yoga, Dru Meditation and Dru Dance, Mansukh, Andrew and Savitri give a myriad of ways in which we can add to life at the same time as gaining a great deal of pleasure along the way.

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In the fourth law, of Patel, MacCuish and Well’s book, ‘A Call to Action’, examines Politics Without Principles. Mansukh, Savitri & Andrew point out the ruinous consequences of a political process that has no faith in the innate potential of human nature. It directs us to discrimination and awareness of unity.

With examples of personal and global actions and drawing from a vast pool of self help techniques such as Dru Yoga and Dru Meditation, Mansukh, Andrew and Savitri give a myriad of ways in which we can add to life at the same time as gaining a great deal of pleasure along the way.

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The Internalising Breath, in the Peace Formula by Dr Mansukh Patel is one of the fastest and most profound methods for finding peace in a minute. The doctors surgeries and hospital waiting rooms are full of people with illnesses and disorders which are largely stress related. Pick up any book from the complementary health section or indeed, many of the professional medical journals and you will find reams on research which has proven that a large percentage of ill health is caused by stress. So how to address this? First and foremost, as pointed out by Mansukh Patel in the Peace Formula, it is not a difficult and lengthy process.

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Correct breathing is a good way of focussing and is one of the most valuable tools of meditation. Incorrect breathing can create stress and agitation within the body. Many disciplines have discovered that specific rations of the in and out breath can be used to create very precise changes in our consciousness.

Through using the power of breath with affirmation Dr Patel uses this exercise to bring you to a state of peace and calm in a matter of minutes. The method simply involves altering the length of the outbreath by pausing during it and taking that moment to silently say the affirmation before exhaling again. This can be built this up over a number of days or weeks.

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Your personal Peace Formula by Dr Mansukh Patel is one of the most comprehensive self help books on the market today. Written at the culmination of an 18 month around the world seminar tour, Mansukh Patel gives Dru Meditation and Dru Yoga techniques for surviving and succeeding in this busy world.

A common expression that is bandied around today in all sectors of society is to have …’not enough time at the end of my day’. Have you ever found yourself in this position? According to a large percentage of the magazines on the newsagents shelves, from lifestyle to business – humanity is running fast to find a solution to the ever increasing demands made upon them to achieve more in less time and to enjoy at the same time. We only have to look at the number of books there are on how to survive this onslaught of technology and the increasing demands it makes on us to learn in order to keep up with the latest to see that this way of being is missing one vital component – you!

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In the Peace Formula Mansukh takes you on a journey which is both revealing and practical in terms of understanding our connection with ourselves and one another but also with our environment.

Mansukh Patel’s Peace Formula is compiled from all the ideas and techniques shared on this journey in many different settings and cultures. It is simple, clear and direct and leaves you in no doubt that it is possible for you to re-orientate your life in a peaceful way and discover the truth and strength that are already a part of you.

View reviews on the Peace Formula and other Dru Yoga and Dru Meditation resources.

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The Dru Bhagavad Gita ( new completed edition of Walking with the Bhagavad Gita), is composed by Mansukh Patel, John Jones, Savitri MacCuish and Chris Barrington as a companion for every days life. It contains daily commentaries and suggestions for practical application. It is compiled in such a way as to demonstrate exactly how to apply the Bhagavad Gita in daily life.

Mansukh Patel says in his preface: My own journey with the Bhagavad Gita has been a very personal one. To Mansukh it is not just a book or scripture, but a living being that speaks as a friend and calls out to him as a child and comforts him as a mother.

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If there is one book Mansukh Patel never wants to be separated from, it is the Gita. Consequently he takes it with him wherever he goes on all his travels around the world. “It is essential to me as my own breath and not a day goes by when I do not use her wisdom to guide me.” Mansukh says.

Each of the eighteen chapters of the Gita are intricately linked one to another. Each one takes us systematically from the lowest point a human being can experience - a state of hopelessness, helplessness and utter dejection, epitomized by Arjuna's despondency in chapter one, to the very highest clarity and freedom elucidated in chapter eighteen when Arjuna declares that his delusion is completely gone and his mind clear.

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Each chapter of the Dru Bhagavad Gita holds a unique lesson, enabling us to take a fresher look at who we are, who God is, what creation is composed of and the relationship between the three. The Gita is taking a very practical look at the very real conflicts that beset our lives and tells us exactly how to solve them. It helps us to realize that all the so-called suffering caused by fear, death, ageing, illusions and attachment, are not really problems at all when seen from the perspective of truth. In return, the Gita offers unconditional love, joy, truth, peace and authentic contentment.

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In chapter one of the Dru Bhagavad Gita, we find Arjuna experiencing the very lowest state of despondency and dejection. At this point Krishna just listens to him. In chapter two Arjuna, overwhelmed by the pain he feels, realizes he cannot overcome it on his own and is forced to ask the Lord for his help. Krishna then gives him the immortal knowledge that starts to lift him out of his dejection. Arjuna cannot accept it at first, of course, because it is too far above his understanding. In chapter three Krishna starts again by teaching Arjuna about the secret of action. Arjuna becomes confused by this new information but Krishna reassures him that there is no confusion. We are born to act in life and it is not in our nature to renounce action.

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The Dru Bhagavad Gita continues by explaining that by acting in the wrong way, attachment is created and in chapters four and five Krishna explains that freedom comes to us by acting in the right way with wisdom and free from selfish desire, renouncing the fruits of actions.

In order for Arjuna to implement this he needs to learn to control his mind and senses and in chapter six Krishna, who knows that ones state of mind determines the quality of action begins to instruct him in the art of meditation, giving him practical techniques and methods. Now Arjuna can do something practical instead of just absorbing philosophy. Having taken him this far, Krishna decides to give Arjuna a glimpse of His divine power and who He,(Krishna) is, in a small preview of chapter eleven, and how to see His world from a different perspective in chapter seven.

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In this part of the Dru Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna's ego has to die, as well as his belief in his own mortality. Krishna explains the nature of death in chapter eight in detail, because Arjuna is still so connected to his physical existence and his pride. He still thinks of himself as a separate being and by listening to Krishna explaining the nature of death, he understands his mortality and begins to awaken to his immortality and oneness.

By chapter nine Arjuna is ready to receive Krishna's 'Royal Knowledge’ that was impossible before, because such sacred knowledge is hindered by the ego/body consciousness and mind consciousness and can only be received by the soul.

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Krishna gives Arjuna the knowledge of the cosmic vision in chapter ten to enable him to work with the Royal Knowledge and to be able to actually experience his cosmic form in chapter

eleven. Arjuna is ready for divine sight, because now he has more faith after having seen the vision. This is very important and significant to the ability to receive sacred wisdom. By chapter twelve of the Dru Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna has become a true seeker and now all the knowledge that is to follow is able to settle into a perfect place inside him.

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From chapters thirteen to eighteen of the Bhagavad Gita, explained by Chris Barrington, Mansukh Patel and the Dru team, the very highest, esoteric knowledge is revealed to Arjuna about the Field and the Knower of the Field, the Gunas, the Unmanifested Oneness (Purushottama Yoga), Divine Faith and True Renunciation, helping him to complete his transition from a state of despondency to one of the highest divinity and the glorious moment where Arjuna says, 'O Krishna, all my illusions have been destroyed. I have received the highest and noblest wisdom by your divine Grace. I am full of faith, firm in my conviction and will act according to Your will.' According to Mansukh Patel, this is the journey of the seeker after truth.

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The Dru Bhagavad Gita is an ancient rhyme containing secrets of humanity and correct living that strengthen with the age of time as being a manual for living.

Its hidden pointers secreted within its verses have created wonder and excitement to translators and poets inspired by its texts for centuries.

Unfortunately many of the traditional Gitas’ mystery remains hidden due to its contextually remote language and obscure grammar as its migrates from its Eastern location and distant philosophy to the West.

We are lucky to have a number of translations over the centuries that give back to us the thoughts of ancient sages, which great minds have used in latter times to inspire the great works and deeds of humanity.

The Mahatma Ghandi delves into the gita to, “find a verse …… to smile amidst the overwhelming tragedies”.

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The Dru Bhagavad Gita is not just another offering added to the pile. It is arrayed in a fascinating light. The first section offers the storyline of the heroes from the Kurukshetra war. Arjuna the warrior archer of the Pandava family questions the basis for going to battle against an elite and formidable foe, mirroring our own dilemma to fight or leave alone. Centuries later Hamlet

would torture himself with the same question ‘to be or not to be’. It seems a timeless challenge not just kings and generals to their last breath continue to ask.

In the Dru Bhagavad Gita we are party to eavesdropping on the source of the storyline that holds us captivated as it has done for nearly a thousand years.

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What is special and unique about this book is the fact that it is written not as gripping story of the values of good and evil, justice and redemption, which it is, nor just a concise glossary of characters within an epic poem, which it is, but it offers an extra feature I have not seen anywhere else.

The true mettle of a transliterator of ancient text can not just be measured by the understanding of the passages, nor a teacherly quality of putting over to us those qualities through the mist of time, but by asking us questions on the subject in a modern context. The Dru version of the Gita throws you into the midst of the battle itself.

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Each verse of the Dru version of the Gita, a classic yoga text, offers thoughts on the translation, then asks you to become part of the process and actually use the teachings in your daily life. It offers a modern day mantra, a new way of listening to your loved ones and colleagues, how to dedicate a day to unfold a higher prophecy, a way of relinquishing the dreaded desire of the senses and even how to ask for troubles, so you can vanquish them with aplomb. It leaves with a feeling of fulfilment, and a quest for a higher grace with a practical tool box on how to get there.

The Dru Bhagavad Gita is no half-hearted attempt at another Anglisised epic, it is a rich insight into one of the worlds highly regarded mystical treasures. It is must not just for the library, the briefcase, the office, the mantelpiece or the bedside table but a constant companion.

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The flame that transforms is a book that is cut above the rest of the transformational treatise that proliferate the complimentary shelves at the local bookstore. Contained behind its covers are over sixty stories of individuals who have had life transformational experiences due to a live flame of hope, the World Peace Flame. Lit by an idea, carried by an ongoing dream and brought to reality. Strong stuff, but so are the stories.

In 1999 the idea of bringing live flames, Olympic style, from the five continents to one place, had started to bear fruit.

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The ‘Flame that Transforms’ is packed with practical tools, affirmations and meditation exercises that were used and proved worthy of the global co-operation it gave birth to.

It takes a year of planning by the Olympic committee to transport a live lantern from mount Olympus to the games. Here, the World Peace Flame accomplished its journey in six months, and in the end seven flames were transported in total. The journey itself was an undertaking involving heads of state, military and civil aviation authorities and countless benefactors along the way. Yet that was the start for those who actually handled the flame itself and felt the power a simple symbol of truth could unfold.

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Now, the ‘World Peace Flame’ is a permanent monument established in seven countries in the world. It is a constant reminder sanctified by ALL the embassies of the world as a vital link to a world without war. This has never happened before in Earths history.

How a simple ‘candlelight of kindness’ created a pathway for politicians, technicians, men at arms and children of a new age, see a way through the mayhem and torment of the time we find ourselves living into an oasis of kindness and practical peacemaking. This book is for you and me.

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The secret power of light-The remarkable story of the World Peace Flame. By Dr Mansukh Patel.

This highly inspiring book deals with light in all its qualities. It includes a well known physical exercise, the sun sequence. Practiced by people all over the world, it is an energising and vigorous sequence that stretches the muscles beyond your usual limits. ‘The secret power of light’ by Mansukh Patel is not really a book on Dru Yoga. The pictures on page 105 show the basics of the sequence and you will need the Dru Yoga book ‘Stillness in Motion’ to really get started.

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The book is divided into three sections and gives a vivid history of the use light in different medical therapies. Mansukh Patel mentions the “Light Institute” in Denmark, which was opened by a doctor who used sunlight to treat tuberculosis patients. Scientific research also shows that

the major control centres in the body are directly stimulated by light entering via the eyes. Light has a natural frequency, which means it is vibrating at a certain wavelength. It pierces right through the body, whether you want it or not. This really is the good news. Patel explains that cells in the body who are damaged will be brought into harmonic alignment as soon as a concentrated beam of light comes in.

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So you can ask yourself why light is not used in hospitals to treat different diseases. All we use at the moment are laser beams to operate people. In this respect ‘The secret power of light’ is ahead of its time. Mansukh Patel would probably be in favour of a hospital where all the diagnostic and operating tools are instruments of light. The book gives us an insight into what light could do for us in the years to come. In the meantime we can comfortably rely on the sun sequence, which is presented by yoga schools around the world.

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In Dru Yoga a flowing style is common in all movements and very much visible in the sun sequence. People often wonder what Dru Yoga literally means. Those who have practiced yoga for a long time may know because they have probably come across it in Patanjali’s texts, the father of yoga. Dru simply refers to the pole star, which can be seen at a more or less fixed point in the sky.

All we have to do is focus on a fixed point within us, which naturally is easier said than done. But the founders of Dru Yoga, Chris Barrington, Rita Goswami, John Jones and Mansukh Patel, have developed a large number of exercises which do exactly that. Their exercises are energising for the body and will help you to start your day. Also they are gentle and easy to do, helping you to relax and understand that stillness is not as far away as we think it is.