Wellington Satyananda Yoga Teacher Tyag Fenton
It is my pleasure to introduce the second of my profiles of Wellington Yoga Teachers.
I found Tyag and his Satyananda classes through a retreat I booked for, but was unable to attend. It was enough to get me on his mailing list though, and when I saw a Bhakti Yoga night advertised in my inbox, I was intrigued, and went along.
Bhakti Yoga is the Yoga of Devotion.
It’s all about the heart, and includes kirtan and mantra and music. Never much one for singing, it was a whole new world for me, but I was smitten from the very first opening chant – one we do 108 times.
And there was Tyag, perched in easy pose, his knees effortlessly lying flat to the floor, playing the guitar and using his prayer beads to count out the 108 rounds. His presence is both light and open, and it’s rare to see him without a smile.
Since that night I’ve attending a few of his classes, including the monthly yoga philosophy sessions where he takes us deeper into the teachings of yoga using a mix of pranayama, asana, meditation and discourse. Just being around Tyag gives me hope for our world – he’s passionate about his practice and loves sharing yoga with those around him.
1. What style of yoga do you practice and where do you teach?
I have been initiated and trained in the Satyananda Yoga system, founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. It aims to harmonize all levels of life through practical means, incorporating both a traditional and scientific understanding of the human structure and its purpose. It is basically an integrated approach which presents Yoga in its broadest possible context, which then allows the practitioner to imbibe what is most applicable to them.
I teach weekly yoga classes at the Theosophical Society Hall in Wellington and at Lifestyle Gym, Lower Hutt. Once a month I run a 2 hour Micro Seminar on a selected topic of Yoga and Tantra, covering both theoretical and practical aspects and I also run a monthly Mantra Yoga and Kirtan session at Te Aro Astanga Yoga in Left bank.
2. How did you come to yoga?
In a sense my grandmother, mother and aunt each influenced me to follow a Yogic path. My grandmother was part of a Yoga tradition in Chile since the 1950s. While mum was out protesting, my grandma and aunt would be at home chanting the Bhagavad Gita and meditating! My aunt is now a devotee of Sai Baba and my mum has dabbled in nearly everything from Reiki to Transcendental Meditation to Art of Living.
For me, reading ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ by Paramahansa Yogananda was a pivotal point. The arrival of this book coincided with a growing dissatisfaction of my outer life and an emerging inner awareness; a Yogic lifestyle began to unfold.
After a stint living at Anahata Yoga Retreat in Golden Bay the next logical stop was to go to the source, to India! I completed a postgraduate Diploma in Yoga Psychology at Bihar Yoga Bharati and have since then spent another 2 odd years undergoing ashram training.
3. When did the yoga bug really get you?
Experiencing ashram life, no doubt about it. While I was living at Bihar Yoga Bharati, the world’s first Yoga University, which doubles as an ashram, I got bitten. Good too!
It is an inspirational place which is based on spiritual evolution, where the virtues of simple living, selfless service and the development of a Yogic attitude are imbibed rather than taught or preached.
One’s perspective on everyday life, the sacred and the mundane is reorientated, often is subtle ways – I am still unfolding the layers. For me, my understanding of Yoga and its practice evolved as I experienced the utterly practical, holistic highness of Yoga….in everyday life.
Cleaning toilets, cutting vegetables, chanting mantra, whatever, wherever. It was a classic ‘before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water; after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water’ scenario. Exploding the idea of a ‘practice’, restricted to a space and a time, asana was suddenly accompanied by a growing list of Sanskrit words!
I was surrounded by opportunities to practice. The concepts, and more importantly the experiences of Karma Yoga (to work with awareness) and Bhakti Yoga (yoga for the heart) altered my inner understanding of Yoga irrevocably. Good times!
4. How has yoga transformed your life?
In the ultimate analysis perhaps a more pertinent question would be “On what aspect of my life has Yoga not transformed/shed its light?” Sorry, shouldn’t answer a question with a question 
5. What is your home practice like?
First up I always do Jala Neti, cleansing of the nasal passages with warm saline water. I generally do some maintenance asana, some pranayama before meditation which consists of one mala (108 repetitions) of the mantra my guru gave me. Then I work with a specific meditation practice which may involve chakras, prana, visualisation or Kriyas etc. Chanting and mantra are a constant feature of my practice. I enjoy kirtan, the singing of mantra with music, as part of Bhakti Yoga.
6. When people ask you, “What is Yoga?”, what do you say?
Yoga is a way of living, of being, with awareness which consciously evolves head, heart and hands. It is a path which can help us discover and awaken our full potential, positively influencing our Selves and the entire environment, bringing fulfillment to our lives.
7. What can people expect from one of your classes?
An approach which is integrated, inclusive and conducive to the expansion of awareness.
By this I mean an experience which connects body and breath, breath and mind, mind and presence, within the understanding and grasp of the practitioner. A typical Satyananda Yoga class is taught through verbal instruction only ie. the teacher does not practice the poses as they instruct. The emphasise is not only asana, but also pranayama (breathing techniques which manipulate prana around the body), Satyananda Yoga Nidra (a simple yet powerful relaxation practice) and meditation.
In this way, creating an integrated, holistic experience of Yoga, we move from the gross experiences to the subtle. Modifications are always given allowing everybody to be included and have access to the practices. This takes into account injuries, contra-indications and other impediments, an element I find disappointingly lacking in many yoga classes today. The use of the breath to move the body and the ensuing state of presence created allows practitioners to literally expand their sense of awareness, of presence. This opens access to the flow of prana and unlocking body armour, frozen emotions which can then move, to heal.
8. What do you love most about teaching yoga?
Ego-dectomy. I get to watch my ego get big and bloated with all the compliments, critisicms, rushes of prana, the peaceful faces, the flustered faces, the stillness come and go, then I observe the subsequent ‘ego-dectomy’ when I realize I am not the doer. For this reason teaching Yoga is part of my spiritual practice. I am grateful for my guru.
9. What do you wish everybody knew about yoga?
Lots of things! But a couple of important points do come to mind.
- That Yoga is accessible to everybody. The beauty of Yoga is that practices, attitudes or lifestyle changes can be chosen according to the needs and ambitions of the individual. In time one realises that ultimately Yoga is a lifestyle, a way of being, a quality of consciousness. Every aspect of life can be made more conscious, hence the applicability of Yoga. A science as old and tested as Yoga opens infinite avenues of choice.
- The depth of the effects of practice. With the advent of the increasingly accepted holistic view, we know we are more than the physical body. So in this light, teachers and practitioners can be applying a more enlightened understanding to Yoga. Sure the physical effects are a logical starting point, however we can go deeper, following the trajectory from gross to subtle.
How has my mind reacted? What is the quality of my awareness here? Is there silence and do I notice? Where is the prana going to? Which chakra is activated? What is my purpose? Why does this asana/pranayama etc exist? What is its purpose?
I believe we can never go too deep, only too fast.
10. What role do you see yoga playing in our world?
“Yoga is not an ancient myth buried in oblivion. It is the most valuable inheritance of the present. It is the essential need of today and the culture of tomorrow.” Swami Satyananda
11. Anything else you’d like to say?
If you have yet to experience the Yoga of Sound, using music, mantra and the voice, I invite you to come and experience this aspect of Yoga. It helps release and express emotions as well as still the mind, allowing positive impressions to be made upon it. There are no dogmas, nothing to believe in, all that is required is an open mind and heart.
12. And finally, how do people find you?
Check out my website – Yoga for Freedom.
About Kara-Leah Grant
Hari om!
Thank you so much for this informative, reader-friendly article.
I am new to Tyag’s classes – a grandmother in her mid 50′s who has tried yoga a few times on and off over the years. This feels different – I am accepted and welcomed in to these classes, even though I am not that supple (yet). I have been going to Tyag’s classes for less than 2 months and have been inspired to arrange my busy business life which sees me travel most weeks, so I can practice more. I feel better for it, and inspired.
It was great to learn more of the journey of our teacher. And it just goes to show – when you are ready, the teacher will appear. Just be open to the fact that s/he may look like your grandchildren and have the wisdom of the ancients.
Kia ora ra. Hariata
Hello Hariata,
Your comment warmed my soul. It’s so awesome to hear people’s experiences when they come to a yoga class, and it’s even better when they feel so welcomed.
I too love Tyag’s classes – he has such depth to his teaching. I love what you say about being open to wisdom as you never know where it will come from – so true so true.
Blessings,
KL
The truth is that all European and Australian Swamis are not really teaching Yoga. They are teaching HINDUISM! So there is great difference between those two!. Specially all Swamis from the Satyananda Yoga tradition. A tradition that in reality, takes YOU to Hinduism, directly!! They say that they Know, or teach Yoga, but the truth is that they are trying to change peoples religion!!Specially the Cristian!!SO SPEAK THE TRUTH. SAY, I’m a Hindu-monk(Swami), and i teach also Yoga. Hinduism, is using YOGA as a TROJAN HORSE, ???? PEOPLES MINDS, SO TO MAKE THEM DEVOTEES OF krisna and Kali.!!This is the reality!
Hello
I go to his classes also and i think they are awesome! I really like how he makes it accessable to everybody so everyone can work at thier own levels and get the most out of the yoga class.
I definatly recommend his classes!
Peace.
Tash
Hey Andreas,
It’s interesting to hear your perspective of Tyag’s classes – I’m not sure if you’ve experienced his teaching, or just Satyananda Yoga in general? Judging from your comment, this is something that’s got quite an emotive charge for you. You really care about it, and believe deeply that yoga taught in this manner is doing so in order to promote Hinduism. I’m curious as to why you’ve had this experience – it’s so different to what I’ve experienced in Tyag’s classes.
Hey Tash,
Thanks for your comment – I love Tyag’s classes too! Especially his Bhaki Yoga sessions every month at Te Aro Astanaga. Absolutely awesome!
Blessings,
KL
…….peace!!! !What type of peace!! !Dear Tash………no peace!!! There is an unspoken war. going on…for centuries now!!!
I don’t have any personal-feeling about the reffering..person!
The point is…. what you Do! Yoga…or preparation to become!! a Devotee!!!!! You must understand the difference!!
Drags…. also make you feel good, make you feel nice. but you end -up to loose your self! ….you end up at the end of life!!! feeling good is not the criteria!!! Or the –subject!
-Now lets say another truth!!
When you are using –Yoga(science)- which-does not belong to you(yoga does belong to Hinduism)- and slowly slowly, step by step by introducing your class and participants into chanting -matras- by kirtan(religious chands)- by performing rituals….you end up in the end…to following Hinduism, Hindu. Deities & Gods, …what is this….Yoga or a religion!!what type of yoga is this?!
When you say, come i will teach you Yoga!!!and slowly..slowly, i put you into the HINDUISM,,,religion?? is this correct!-No is not!
for example Buddhist-monks, they say, im Buddhist and i can also teach Yoga, but im a buddist, if you like buddism…that’s a different -scenario-.
So Why all those Swamis all this..people afraid to say Yes i belong to this RELIGION and i Teach also Yoga…Why they afraid to say to everyone their truth beleifs!!!
Is that correct?
?? it not!! When you encrypt your TRUE FACE! THIS IS AN ELEMENT OF =WAR=! Camouflaz !!so to -confuse your enemy-!!.. .
SATYA(TRUTHFULNESS) is the 2-nd code in the yoga-code(Yamas)! So how it is possible to learn Yoga, or anything, from someone or all those, who violate this –basic principle-!
—we leave today in times, where and when, false and fake, drops, down, will live in times where the –masks- fall! And people want the –truth- to appear and prevail!
And the truth is that all those who call themselves, Swamis,all around Europe and Australia, must,….i call them and I challenge them!! To turn to their –classes- to their students and their devotees!! To say the truth! To have the carriage to admit and acknowledge. Their teachings and their religion!
I challenge all those wearing –Geru-Robes- all those dress up like …so to reveal their true face…. to the world and say the truth!
I challenge also those –who- call themselves –Gurus- in India, or where else to acknowledge- their religion, worldwide and have the strength to reveal to their – devotees and students and say: I belong to Hinduism, and all those I, have being teaching you all this time they belong to my religion! Not to Yoga!
thanks for the hospitality!
Andreas,
Fan of the Malaysian government by chance? and wow, so liberal with exclamations, loads of caps and absolute statements…mmmm maybe you need some Yoga Nidra.
Anyway I can see and feel that you have failed to understand the difference between Yoga and Hinduism. That yogic practices have been incorporated into Hinduism does confuse people and ignorance regarding the birth of Yoga only exacerbates this. You must be understanding the perspective from which Yoga was born because it is from this viewpoint that Satyananda Yoga emerges. Consider that Yoga has no single founder, nor is there a primary text or time period marking its beginning. This is because Yoga has come from the need of humanity to discover its deeper aspects. Call this the spiritual dimension, the soul, the Self, the superconscious or whatever you like. Here Satyananda Yoga offers practices to experience the progressively subtle levels of experience according to the students needs.
Simply because Hinduism or Buddhism or other systems of belief took on those yogic practices eneveloping them into their respective paths, it does not follow that those practices taught now lead one to those religions. That should be clear. For example teaching breath awareness and awareness of bodily sensations does not make me a Vipassana teacher/converter does it?
Well no, havn’t been changing people’s religion. Not this week anyway. I have many students that are Christian and I am quite happy they stay that way. Likewise for my Buddhist, athiest, Hindu, Judaic, New Age students.
and no I’m not a Swami. Nor am a Hindu monk. I am a Yogi. Nice to meet you;)
Om and Out
Tyag
First of all….after taking my …..Yoga nidra class, rather I prefer, Sabda-yoga, than, Ypnosis!!! Anyway,,,,I would like to say the following!!
All that was said and I will say, are inpersonal..i have nothing, ..with you as person!
So lets start from the beginning!!
-You say that you are not a Swami, but in your profile, says Sannyasin!
Excuse me if I,mm –Wrong- as far as I Know –Sannyasin, is the Hindu-religion, is someone whose is in- renunciation- of the material world, a –monk- and this term is used only in Hinduism religion. Also when you are wearing this –Geru Robes- , is what, ? a yogi-tradition! So to be a Yogi you must wear the Geru Robes!! No I don’t think so! Because the truth is that Geru robes are a very strict-tradition also of Hindu-monks!
So far there are two major –contradictions- rather confusions!!!
Confusions-created in the mind to a person that sees you with that –clothes-!
Confusions that you create in the students, that simply come to learn Yoga!
Next, when someone changes your original name, that means –initiation-.
So –initiation to what??? !!! To yoga??
So to be a yogi!! already, we have the following!!
First change your name(get initiation!) , then change your clothes(something like a monk-of some religion) and at last… in your name is the word-…..Murti-.
Excuse me also if im wrong, as far as I know –Murti- means, -Holy Icon- again in Hinduism!!
So we have the paradox fenomenon!! Your name belongs to Hinduism! Your clothes..belong to Hindu-monk-tradition, your name refers to …Hinduism! But you are not a devotee of Hinduism!!
Ok …so please tell us ..which God..you believe! Which God, you chant, in –kirtan- with your students!! Which –mantra- SatyanandaYoga – gave you to say. an preach all around!!!
Because if you chant, kali ma, Xare Krisna, Om namo Sivaya, Durga Ma, Jeya jeya Siva..Sankara!!!!! e.t.c…
And you still believe that you are a Yogi…..and not a Hindu monk! Then I give up!
So I call you tomorrow to prove it,!!!Tomorrow…. into your Yoga class, istead of all…place a pic of Christ!
Because Christ..was a true Yogi! He was the ultimate Yogi! He taught Yoga more than all the Indian Gurus, and he lived like a true Yogi!
So please, take down the Pic, of Ganesha and kali and place instead, the –Christ- foto!
Because if Christian-students come to your class and……. you put them to chant, for all the Hindu Deities!! And you say to them, -those are yogic mantras- (which im sure that you do) ……..because That is what SatyanandaYoga does!! Then You got it all wrong! and you are in the wrong-path!…….!!
First step of Yoga is Awareness,!!!!
Awareness is the major Quality, you own to Your Self..so to know what You really, represent, believe, preache, teach!!!e..t.c!
If you are not –in reality aware of what –You really are- So how to teach! What to reach!
That reminds me the words of Christ: BLIND QUIDES…THEY DO NOT ENTER THE KINDOM OF GOD..AND THEY DO NOT LET …OTHERS
….with all my Love….
Andre
from Malaisya
Wow! Somehow this dialogue has just exploded.
Tyag – great to have you come on and clarify your experience of the connection between yoga and various religions. I learned a few things, for sure.
Andreas – as I noted in my comment above, this is something that really goes deep for you.
I wonder… whether or not Satyananda seeks to promote Hinduism is irrelevant… don’t we have students have a choice as to whether or not to take it on? So does it even matter? Take it, leave it, whatever.
You make a great point about Christ, and one I’ve heard from yoga teachers before, that he was a great yogi, reminding us that yoga is a universal truth. It cuts across all organising doctrines and goes to the personal, our connection to our breath, our connection to life within, and our connection without to each other.
Me, I love the chants, I love gospel, I love all types of worship, all types of religions, all types of connection, all types of showing love, all types of people – we are all expressions of consciousness, all expressions of the divine.
That we listen and seek to understand each other, seek to see through each others’ eyes is a wonderful thing.
Thank you all for joining the discussion.
Many blessings,
KL
This was an unexpected diatribe that I somehow feel moved to make my own comments on.
I’m a moonlighting Yoga teacher here in Wellington. I did my TT with Erich Schiffmann, who coined the phrase “Freedom Yoga”. Choosing him was not a coincidence. After a number of years trying various styles, I found the only way I could find a peaceful and meaningful practice was to be guided inwardly.
This is not heresy, I was simply making Yoga my own, and it was only at that point that things really started happening -like discovering my unexpected capacity as a teacher.
So I was brought up in a secular environment and these days regard myself as a “spiritual agnostic”. I’m certainly not attracted to any particular religion, big or small. More to the point, I could care less what someone else “believes in”. What is important is how they behave because of it. By our fruits will we be known.
I was amused and saddened once when a literal Christian warned me that by practicing Yoga I was worshiping false gods. Assuming I am capable of describing my own reality, I know full well that what I was actually doing was healing my body and my spirit from years of pain and abuse. I thought Love came from the outside, and if you did things that the world liked, you would be loved, and you would feel loved. But this is an illusion. It doesn’t matter how it manifests itself. I would say that it is normally that which you simply posses talent for. In my case that was being a fast runner. In the end though, I discovered I was simply not fast enough to fill the void inside of me. Yoga, as a practice, gave me the strength and insight to bring an end to the needless suffering, and to become a better person in doing so.
So with my reality shared, how on earth is it that in the eyes of another I am somehow worshiping false Gods that I don’t actually even believe in anyway?
And it is with that question that Andre touched on something quite profound. With any tradition; or system; you will necessarily find attached to it cultural artifacts. Yoga does indeed have a connection with Hinduism, although lets be clear that Yoga is not itself a religion -and if it was, I would not be practicing it, much less teaching it!
So the clothes Tyag wears and the name he chose reflects (and in a fairly obvious way) the relationship and birthplace of the practice which has had such a transformational impact on his life, and undeniably it is that of Hinduism. But does that mean it is not Yoga he teaches? Andre cannot reasonably draw that conclusion without first experiencing his class. The problem is, Andre is himself prejudice against Hinduism, and therefore any system that may have come from it (even though it is not Hinduism itself) is tainted. It is clear in his words, and I feel sad for him. The door is closed, as his position is immutable and his reality is fixed to a single position which has a basis in distrust, fear and hate.
I can show some mercy and understanding though. There are many teachers that work off the basis of absolutes, which is the root and birthplace of dogma. Religion is itself the king of Dogma, and it seeks to sell itself to the weak and vulnerable. Truly, Andre is the Pot calling the Kettle black when he claims Tyag should display a picture Christ instead of Krishna.
But to someone like me, of a secular/agnostic viewpoint, these artefact’s are irrelevant. What does Tyag as a teacher bring into my life? Is it his plan to entrap me into a specific belief system? If so, it is not his clothes or even his own personal belief system that will give me an answer to that -it is the way in which he conducts his classes. It will be in the way he connects with me as a participant.
To make my point, even a very recent (and totally secular) system like Pilate’s has tell-tale artifacts that tell us about where the system came from. I’m talking about the bizarre equipment, that in fact were simply pieces of common furniture that Joseph, in a very opportunistic and creative fashion, used to fashion his rehabilitative exercises around. I could easily say Pilates is useless because it evolved from a very limited set of equipment (maybe I harbor a hatred of beds and chairs) but I don’t know that for a fact until I’ve tried what it has to offer -and I may find it does a wonderful job of fixing my body!
Sorry for the rant, but I felt the “nub” of the issue had not been revealed, and this was my attempt to expose what was really going on here.
Peace
b
Hey Bruce,
Welcome to the discussion! Lovely to hear your perspective. It has turned into an interesting aspect of Tyag’s profile.
You bring some light to bear on further elements of the discussion, and the light is always welcome
Blessings,
KL
Just a quick note – this discussion regarding yoga and Hinduism is now closed, and I won’t be publishing any more comments on it.
Blessings,
KL
Is that jason mraz in the default picture??
Nope, that’s our Mr. Tyag in all his glory.
Smiles,
KL