Dear friend of Arkadia, You are warmly invited to “Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice & Philosophy” by Wambui Njuguna on Thursday 30.6 at 6pm. Wambui will kindly offer an introduction on ashtanga yoga and present some simple breathing and meditation exercises. The talk will be English and you are invited to ask all the questions you please. You are most welcome! Warm regards, Ian www.arkadiabookshop.fi –Entrance is free and green tea will be offered. A donation of €2 (or more!) to fund the event is suggested and would be most welcome.Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice & Philosophy Yoga. The name alone conjures up a variety of images as this subject is omnipresent in some shape and form throughout the world. It is a billion dollar industry and with the range yoga styles to choose from, some headlined with celebrity-endorsed teachers, how does one know which style is authentic, based in solid tradition which has withstood the test of time and which is a glamorous fad? How can someone, curious to learn, tell the difference between cleverly-packaged, fashionable teachings and what goes beyond the hype? Yoga is one of the six main philosophical schools in India. It is a practice and philosophy that aims at developing humanity’s physical, psychological and spiritual health and well-being. Simply put, yoga is a way to purify the body and mind from blockages, and to activate the physical and mental renewal processes’ that lead to freedom and happiness. The discussion will be an introduction to Ashtanga yoga with some time reserved for Q &A. I will present the ideas behind this yoga practice as well as talk about the meaning of the word Ashtanga. There will also be a practical aspect to the evening, where the audience can participate in some simple breathing exercises in order to get a sense of the practice. Wambui NjugunaI was born in Kenya and moved to the United States as a child. I have studied various forms of dance and martial arts, such as ballet, modern dance, capoeira and samba. In 2008, I was introduced to Ashtanga Yoga while working as an English Language instructor in the Middle East. In 2009, I took my first trip to study in Mysore, India, which is considered the Mecca of Ashtanga yoga and have made annual trips since then. I moved to Helsinki in 2010 and have been working with Petri Räisänen and Astanga Jooga Helsinki, teaching and learning this ancient tradition.