Swami Govindananda tour dates for New Zealand 2010

I’m so excited.

Swami Govindananda is coming to New Zealand, and touring up and down the country giving talks on yoga philosophy beyond the mat.

He won’t be making it to Dunedin (this time), but is coming to Queenstown, which gives me an excuse (none needed!) to hightail it up to the mountains to visit my mum and take in the talk.

Yes, it’s an eight hour round trip and I might only be able to stay one night… but some things in life are just worth doing – family, friends and yoga get togethers spring to mind.

Oh sure, it’s so easy to see announcements about up-coming yoga events and think, ‘Oh I must go to that’, and then don’t.

Too far.

Too expensive.

Too much effort.

Or life just gets in the way.

But I know from experience that when I make the decision to go, and arrange my year/month/week/day around getting to an event, I am always so stoked.

There’s nothing quite so inspiring as being in the presence of a long-time yogi.

Beyond the talk they deliver or the practice they lead, just the very quality of their being demonstrates another way to be.

It’s like being on a super-long road trip and seeing the first sign to your destination – no matter how many kilometres are left to travel, you know you’ll get there if you just stick to the road and keep following the signs.

I checked out Swami Govindananda’s website after his lovely PA Carmen got in touch with me about the coming tour, and I knew from the moment I saw his photo that this was a man I wanted to meet.

It’s like hearing a song for the first time and wanting to see that band live.

There’s an energy that attracts.

Of course, the words on the website help too

Swami Govindananda’s commitment is to help individuals and groups enhance the quality of their lives through understanding the philosophy of the great yoga practices – karma (action), gyan (wisdom) and bhakti (love/devotion).

I love it – and I want to know more. AsanaThe physical postures of Yoga, like downward dog. is one thing, but using yoga off the mat to create a different kind of life is another.

Start with wisdom, power it with love, and then take action… and what kind of world do you think we could be creating?

Or maybe are creating.

Because there are plenty of  people out there in the world who are acting with wisdom from a place of love. I’m sure many of them will make it to Swami Govindananda’s events around the country. It will be great to meet some of you!

The thing about these talks though, is that you can only go if you know about it.

So if you know of people you think might be interested… flick them this article, let them know, offer to pick them up and take them along. Make it a night out with the girlfriends. Or a night together with the blokes.

Me? I’m taking my Mum along, and maybe a friend or five.

See you there.

Swami Govindananda’s New Zealand Tour Dates

Thu May 20th 7.30-9pm: Albany Yoga Room 36 William Pickering Drive, Albany

Host/Owner – Sue (09) 415 0076 or 021 130 2932  email: albanyyoga@clear.net.nz

$20 suggested donation

Sat May 22nd 6.30-8.30pm: The Breathing Space 11 Moa Ave, Oneroa, Waiheke Is

Host – Stephanie (09) 372 4556 or 021 236 4414 email: yoga@breathingspace.co.nz

$25 towards charity

Wed May 26th 6.30-8.30pm: Waimanu, 39 McGiven Drive, RD1, New Plymouth

Host – Carolyn (06) 753 9331 email: c.j.crawford@xtra.co.nz

$20 support charity

Sat May 29th 11am-1pm: Tauranga Yoga Centre Elizabeth Street West Tauranga

Host -  Jaap Spaans (07) 543-4430 email: jakarap@xtra.co.nz

$25

Sun May 30th 4-5.30pm: Taupo Yoga 23-25 Heu Heu St Taupo

Host – Fiona Links (07) 378 3372 email: fiona@taupoyoga.co.nz

$20 support charity

Wed Jun 2nd: Yoga Room, 13 Gladstone Rd Gisborne

Host – Gill email: gilllewis@paradise.net.nz

Fri Jun 4th: Napier Body Fusion

Contact – Margaret Bruce 068445417 or 0212346543 email: bodyfusion@actrix.co.nz

Sat Jun 5th 11am-12.15pm: Synergy Fitness, 45a Hastings St, Napier

Sun Jun 6th 10-11.30am: Palmy Yoga 8 Awatea Terrace Palmerston North

Host – Kim (06) 3588 988 email: kim.penny@ihug.co.nz

$20 suggested donation

Mon Jun 7th 5.30-7pm: Wairarapa Yoga details to be confirmed

Host – Robyn (06) 377 1802 email: allyon@xtra.co.nz

$20 suggested donation

Sat Jun 12th 2pm – 4pm: Powa Centre Wellington

Host – Melissa email: melissa@myoga.co.nz

Fri Jun 18th 7-8.30pm: The Yoga Room Central Arcade, Trafalgar St, Nelson

Host – Rod (03) 545 1668 or 021 0255 6765

$20 support charity

Sun Jun 20th 2-3.30pm Yoga For You, Christchurch

19 Bunyan St Waltham Christchurch (03) 981 3228

Wed Jun 23rd 7.30-9pm: QTY Yoga Lake Hayes Pavillion

Host – Kristin (03) 441 8810 or 02102449182 email: kristin@qtyoga.com

$20 support charity

Fri Jun 25th 6-8pm: Studio Sangha 2 Industrial Lane, Queenstown

Host – Peggy Preston (03) 442 9642 email: peggy@queenstownyoga.com

$30 non-members/$20 members support charity

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