MIND FLOW YOGA

A 10-week, 75-hour Journey to Embody Wonder and the Sublime

OVERVIEW

Its not only about a

bendy body

its about a

Bendy Being

- Dr. Raphael Jay Adjani

ABOUT

MIND FLOW YOGA is an exploration of Being.

it synthesizes ancient insightful concepts with contemporary ideas and practices in a seamless flow, to experience Wonder and the Sublime

This FLOW is a creative existential practice. It is a system of that integrates

• Yogic Practices: Body Posture (Asana), Breath Work (Pranayama), and Meditation (Samadhi)

• Philosophy and practice of South Asian Dance rooted in The Natya Shastra, the first treatise on art and dance as a existential practice

• Playful improvisation that is scientifically evidenced to increase cognition, imagination and creativity

• The force of the natural world where we are moved and danced by the flows of wind and water.

In MIND FLOW YOGA our movement and dance is a sculpting of space and time. Here one finds stillness in movement and movement in stillness

The FLOW, supported by existential study, invites you to then experience Wonder and the Sublime in daily life moments; and an exploration of embodying this Wonder as your essential quality of Being.

WHAT SETS MIND FLOW YOGA APART

This program embraces both practice and theory, blending history, philosophy, art and science into a holistic and non-dogmatic approach.

It is based on over 55 years of practical and theoretical research including my doctoral thesis:

Toward a Deep Ecology of Art, Technology and Being

MIND FLOW YOGA’’s approach emphasizes the importance of personal exploration and the fluid nature of understanding.  By framing foundational concepts as tools rather than absolute truths, the program encourages a flexible and individualized approach.

It acknowledges the impermanence and complexity of the world, suggesting that individuals benefit more from cultivating their own inner guidance—an anchor for stability and a compass for direction—than from adhering strictly to external or fixed systems of belief. This approach fosters adaptability, self-awareness, and personal growth.

MIND FLOW YOGA encourages:

• Personal exploration of meaningful, ethical living in a chaotic world

• Insights into Yogic and dance philosophy, Zen art, Sufi rituals, and more

• Practical tools to enhance creativity, movement, mindfulness, and well-being

OFFERED TO

• Individuals: One-on-one, personalized training ($1000 for the 10-week program)

• Organizations: Tailored programs for:

  • Universities and educational institutions

  • Yoga and meditation centers

  • Art and dance studios

  • Clinics addressing mental health, addiction, trauma, and violence

  • Wellness centers focusing on identity exploration

  • Community and activist groups

Programs can be adapted for in-person or online delivery to suit existing curricula, courses, and goals.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Practice

Engage in fluid, strengthening movements blending Yoga Asanas (e.g., Sun Salutation, all the Warrior poses, Goddess, Tree, Mountain, Upward and Downward Facing Dogs ) with improvisational sacred dance.

Supported by restorative Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra.

Theory

Explore foundational concepts such as:

• The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: All Yoga practices prepare for meditation

• The Natya Shastra: Dance as existential practice

• Zen and Sufi art rituals that unify philosophy and movement

• Contemporary dance-theater innovations by Pina Bausch and Tatsumi Hijikata

• Scientific research on play, creativity, and psychosomatic health

• Neuroscience, Biology, Pharmacology, Physics, Medicine, Psychology, exploring the inter-connection of body, brain, mind and world around us

• Deep Ecology’s non-human centered interconnection with water and all things

• Yogic philosophy of Dharma from The Bhagavad Gita: living with purpose

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

• 75 Hours Total: 15 contact hours + 60 guided private practice hours

• Weekly Sessions: One 90-minute session with daily practice of one hour (formal practice, study, and integration into daily life).

RESOURCES

• Tailored guidance in one-on-one sessions

• Online tools and practices for support

• Follow-up sessions to maintain and deepen your practice.

Start Anytime: Flexible scheduling based on mutual availability.

ACCESSIBLITY

• Open to beginners and experienced practitioners alike.

• Practices can be adapted for physical disabilities.

• As THE FLOW can be mentally challenging, those with certain mental health conditions should consult a doctor to ensure suitability.

CERTIFICATION

A certificate of completion will be provided upon successfully attending all sessions. This can be used for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

TESTIMONIAL

A Journey of Transformation

Raphael swiftly combines

Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga Asanas

and carves a path

taking you slowly to a trance-like meditative state,

connecting you to somewhat strangers in the room

with vibrant energy and positive ambiance

as you experience

fluid, gentle, strengthening bodily movements

that allow you structured freedom

to explore your range of motion and creativity.

- Mairi, Yoga Teacher, New York, USA

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM OF MIND FLOW YOGA

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed Description with these sections:-

• BEING AND MIND FLOW YOGA

• PLAYFULNESS AND MIND FLOW YOGA

• DANCE AND ART OF MIND FLOW YOGA

• PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE AND THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL

• BUDDHIST AND YOGIC PSYCHOLOGY IN MIND FLOW YOGA

• WIDER SCIENCE AND MIND FLOW YOGA

• EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS FOR MIND FLOW YOGA

• RAPHAEL’S AUTO-ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH UNDERPINNING MIND FLOW YOGA

• A YOGA TEACHER’S EXPERIENCE OF MIND FLOW YOGA

SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILS

BEING AND MIND FLOW YOGA

I am not doing Yoga

I am becoming Yoga

Dance Life

Life as Art

- Dr. Raphael Jay Adjani

MIND FLOW YOGA is a transformative approach to yoga that integrates the wisdom of ancient philosophies with modern practices to support living authentically and fully in an ever-changing, imperfect world.

I created MIND FLOW YOGA to be not is not solely about physical flexibility but about cultivating a “Bendy Being” — a harmonious connection between body, brain, mind, the world around us and soul.

KEY PRINCIPLES OF MIND FLOW YOGA

LIVING DHARMA

Rooted in the teachings of The Bhagavad Gita, MIND FLOW YOGA emphasizes living one’s dharma—your sacred vocation or purpose—aligned with your core values and your deepest universal needs.

This journey encourages deeper self-awareness, fulfillment, and becoming a better friend to your body, being, and the surrounding world.

Your body is waiting for you

to be its friend

— Dr. Raphael Jay Adjani

BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY

Drawing from Buddhist philosophy and psychology, this meditative flow cultivates:

1. Sati (Mindfulness): Fully inhabiting the present moment.

2. Metta (Kindfulness): Nurturing friendliness toward your body and being.

3. Karuna (Compassion): Extending care and understanding to yourself and others.

4. Pratityasamudpada (Interconnection): Recognizing the dynamic relational web of existence.

THE BODY AS A PLACE OF RESEARCH

MIND FLOW YOGA views the body as a sacred space—not a tool to be exploited but a site of tenderness, learning, and connection.

Through reflective and self-guided movement, the practice fosters physical awareness, emotional balance, and harmony with the world.

The body, wherever it is,

is the location of

research and learning

- Dr. Raphael Jay Adjani

AUTOETHNOGRAPHY: RESEARCHING OUR BEING

In MIND FLOW YOGA, this body-based research becomes “autoethnography”. The “auto” is our essential being that is always in relationship to our culture: “ethno”

Autoethnography is a blend of art and science where self-exploration connects with social and natural worlds. This reflective inquiry honors the full spectrum of human experience.

CREATIVITY, ABSURDITY AND PLAY

Inspired by choreographer Tatsumi Hijikata’s philosophy, the practice honors the darker, absurd, and shadowy aspects of self. It incorporates Playfulness, which is essential for adults and children alike, stimulating neuroplasticity and creative flexibility.

Through playful self-expression, you create your own unique “dance,”: playing with the pre-constructed forms: the asanas.

Are you ready to honor the dark side, the shadows, the absurd?

TESTIMONIAL

A Journey of Transformation

I had a magic experience in Raphael’s class…

At first, I was reluctant to move,

but as I connected breath with movement,

my body felt energized,

my skin vibrated,

and my mind entered bliss

— Lucy, Massage Therapist, Brazil

Through this deeply personal yet universally relevant practice, you are invited to explore your authentic being, reconnect with your body, and engage with the world in a meaningful way.

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM OF MIND FLOW YOGA

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PLAYFULNESS AND MIND FLOW YOGA

Play

shapes  the brain,

opens the imagination,

enhances creativity

and

revitalizes the Soul

- Groundbreaking Play Researcher Professor Stuart Brown

PLAYFULNESS AND MIND FLOW YOGA: THE ART OF LIVING RICHLY

At the heart of MIND FLOW YOGA lies the spirit of Playfulness, an essential yet often neglected aspect of life.

Informed by Stuart Brown’s groundbreaking research, play is shown to be a catalyst for brain development, creativity, and soul renewal—qualities vital for adults and children alike.

We can and need to play right through life. We need to cultivate Playfulness.

I bring to Yoga many things, including my experience as a play therapist.

THE ROLE OF PLAY IN MIND FLOW YOGA

Through playful movement, exploration, and creativity, MIND FLOW YOGA goes beyond conventional yoga practices. It encourages participants to engage in a fantastic voyage of self-discovery, one where outcomes are secondary to the process of exploration.

It’s not about

touching your toes:

it’s about

the fantastic voyage,

the discovery:

what and how you see on the way down.

It’s about the Play

— Dr. Raphael Jay Adjani

WHY ADULTS NEED PLAY

All children are born artists.

The problem happens when they grow up

- Artist Pablo Picasso

In a world that often equates adulthood with seriousness, play serves as a powerful tool to:

• Foster neuroplasticity for mental agility

• Unlock imagination for innovative thinking

• Cultivate creative flexibility for solving life’s challenges

• Rejuvenate the soul for emotional and spiritual balance

As Picasso observed, “All children are born artists. The problem happens when they grow up.”

MIND FLOW YOGA helps reclaim this inherent artistry by nurturing the playful, creative spirit within.

PLAY WITH ABANDON, PLAY WITHOUT OUTCOME

Play as adults with Abandon.

Play without Outcome.

Allow your Self to be Moved

- Dr. Raphael Jay Adjani

In MIND FLOW YOGA you are invited to:

• Let Go of Expectations: Play is not about achieving goals but about being present and curious.

• Rediscover Wonder: Approach life and movement with childlike curiosity.

• Allow Yourself to Be Moved: Surrender to the flow of body and breath, letting play guide your practice.

THE POWER OF THE PLAYFUL JOURNEY

By infusing yoga with the essence of play, MIND FLOW YOGA creates a space where you can explore your inner and outer worlds with joy, lightness, and authenticity.

It is not about rigid poses or perfection but about celebrating the journey itself—where the act of discovery is as profound as the discoveries themselves.

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

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THE ART AND DANCE OF MIND FLOW YOGA

I am not interested in

how the Dancer moves

but

what moves the Dancer

- Pioneering Choreographer Pina Bausch

AN ARTLESS ART

The Dance and Art of MIND FLOW is understood not simply a practice, but as an existential philosophical “Way”: the Way of MIND FLOW YOGA.

This is inspired as above-mentioned by:

• The philosophy and aesthetics of The Natya Shastra, perhaps the first known treatise on art in general, and dance-theater specifically, as a philosophical practice

• The contemporary expressionist dance-theater of:

• Butoh, specifically the ideas of Tatsumi Hijikata

• Choreographer Pina Bausch

• Sufi Dance

• Zen Buddhist artistic practices such as:

• KIntsugi ceramic art practice

• Shigajiku interactive relational painting and poetry

• Noh dance-theater

• Sado: “the Way of Tea” known in the West as The “Japanese Tea Ceremony”.  The art here is as much in daily life as in formal creative practice.

The Art here is Art-less.

The Natya Shastra evokes that ‘There is no other knowledge no other learning, no other art, not even yoga or action that is not found in Dance’.

How is this Dance?

It is being Danced not dancing.

As the wonderful choreographer Pina Bausch expressed: I am not interested in how the dancer moves but what moves the dancer. While the geometry and line of asanas interest me it is what is more about being moved.

Surrendering to being Moved.

One can be Moved by air.

One can be Moved by water.

One can be Moved by inner impulses.

In Movement one finds Stillness.

In Stillness one finds Movement.

In such Movement one may experience sublime, enlightening moments.

Technical knowledge

is not enough.

One must transcend technique

so that

the art becomes an artless art

growing out of the unconscious

- Zen Master Daisetz Suzuki

Influenced by Zen and Zen inspired practice, I move away from technique and individualized expression. Surrendering to being Moved by the forces of Nature and the world around me. Ultimately there is a sense of non-separation and inter-relationship.

The Ancient Japanese had no word for the World that was separate from the human body. It is a world-in-relation.

Perhaps here one can sense a universe in motion.

A universe in FLOW.

A YOGA IN UNIVERSAL MOTION

The ancient Japanese had no wo

rd for “world” separate from the human body, reflecting a profound understanding of interdependence.

MIND FLOW YOGA embraces this worldview, inviting practitioners to sense the universe as:

• Relational: a dance where every action influences and is influenced by the whole

• Eternal Flow: A continual motion, a cycle of becoming and being

In this way, MIND FLOW YOGA is not merely a practice but a way of life—a dance of surrender, connection, and awakening to the beauty of being.

Are you ready to step into the flow?

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM OF MIND FLOW YOGA

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THE ESSENCE OF PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE AND MIND FLOW YOGA

The contemporary pathological roots of modern society

may rest upon

modern man’s neglect of the harmony

between his natural being and his social being.

Between living and let-aliveness

- Psychiatrist and Pioneer of Psychosomatic Medicine, Dr. Yujiro Ikemi

THERAPEUTIC YOGA

The concept behind MIND FLOW YOGA beautifully integrates the principles of psychosomatic medicine, existential philosophy, and ecological awareness.

It extends the practice of Yoga into a therapeutic modality grounded in what is called the Biopsychosoclal Model or the Bio-Psycho-Socio-Ecological Matrix, which views human existence not in isolation but as an interconnected web of relationships—body to mind, self to society, and individual to the natural world.

Drawing inspiration from Dr. Yujiro Ikemi, a pioneer in psychosomatic medicine, MIND FLOW YOGA harnesses the harmony between natural and social being. Ikemi’s work, which blended yoga, martial arts, and meditation, underscores the power of mind-body practices in treating both physical ailments

MIND FLOW YOGA t is a somatic medicine, more fully explained in my PSYCHOTHERAPY page.

TESTIMONIAL

Healing My Body

Raphael took me on a guided journey of

coming back into my body

to healing the wound that in an absurd and unrealistic way

had disconnected me from

my most closest physical manifestation

- Mairi, Yoga Teacher, Georgia and New York, USA, excerpt of Testimonial

RELATIONAL BEING

The Bio-Psycho-Socio-Ecological Matrix conceives the human not as individuated bodies but a Being that comes into actualization through relationship of body, brain and the world around us.

Some Japanese Buddhist schools talk about the relationship between body and nature being “two but not two”.

The Mind here is a Relational Being.

MIND FLOW YOGA’s Deep Ecological approach helps us to more profoundly sense the non-human centered inter-connection and relationship of body, mind and wider world. In MIND FLOW YOGA, we not only move but are moved.

This is the “Oneness” and “Union”: the root meaning of the word Yoga. The connection with the natural world, particularly the sky and ocean.

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM OF MIND FLOW YOGA

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BLUE KIND

Supporting the understanding of Deep Ecology and Psychosomatic Medicine is the conception that beyond Human Kind we are a Blue Kind.

We originated in water. Our bodies are largely water. We cannot survive without water, and we may find meaning in connection with water.

We know from the Blue Mind research of Wallace J. Nichols that connection with Water and with the color blue produces mildly meditative effects, tranquility and peacefulness: what he calls a Blue Mindfulness, a Blue Mind.

Release Your Inner Blue

- Dr. Raphael Jay Adjani

Alongside Sati/ MindfulnessI focus also on Metta, Kindfulness practice that brings caring and friendliness to the body and world around the body.

I call this BLUE KINDFULNESS and BLUE KIND.

BLUE KIND therefore is both meditative practice and essential quality of Being.

Are you ready to release your Inner Blue?

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This is my skill

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YOGA NIDRA: RE-WIRE THE BRAIN

MIND FLOW YOGA incorporates a quality of Stillness. It embodies “Non-Doing”, “Pause”, “Rest”, “Space”, “Space-Time” and “Emptiness”: all translated in Japanese as Ma.

It utilizes rest and restorative processes such as Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Indian Head and Facial Meditative Massage.

Yoga Nidra is a NSDR Non-Sleep Deep Rest activity, that is scientifically evidenced to re-wire the brain, enable deep rest, better sleep, insight and creativity.

TESTIMONIAL

Mindful Yoga

MIND FLOW YOGA is an amazing space

for those who are looking to experience Yoga in

a deeper, more mindful level

Raphael is an incredible teacher

with a wide experience in Meditation

which translates in a very beautiful class.

I definitely recommend everyone to take this journey with them 

- Juliana, Class Participant, Colombia

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This is my skill

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BUDDHIST AND YOGIC PSYCHOLOGY IN MIND FLOW YOGA

Empty your Mind

Be Formless

Shapeless

Like Water

Be Water My Friend

- Martial Artist and Film Actor Bruce Lee

I explore the  concepts of The Yoga Sutras and The Bhagavad Gita with psychological emphasis.

In MIND FLOW YOGA, The Buddha is understood not as a religious figure but as perhaps the first psychologist and psychotherapist. They were investigating the healthy creative integration of body, including Central Nervous System, with the world around it. 

The God Krishna, in his dialogue with the warrior Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita, is understood as an inner therapist.

The Yoga Sutras explains that all the practices of Yoga - such as asanas, pranayama, diet, ethical conduct - are a bodily preparation for Meditation practice.

Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained

by

cultivating friendliness toward the happy,

compassion for the unhappy,

delight in the virtuous

and

indifference toward the wicked

- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

The purpose of MEDITATION is to see more clearly our most authentic being, our oneness with all things, and our Dharma: living our “sacred vocation”, as explained in The Bhagavad Gita.

Living our Dharma is simply living authentically as may be possible, attuned to deepest universal need and our personal core values.

The secular MEDITATION of MIND FLOW YOGA, as above-mentioned, draws on four states of being and practice explored in Buddhist Philosophy and Psychology:-

• Sati: fully inhabiting the present moment, globally known as Mindfulness

• Metta, which I call Kindfulness: becoming a better friend to my body and being

• Karuna: Compassion for self and others

• Pratityasamudpada, the dynamic inter-connection of all things, where the sense of “I” is a “relational being”

MIND FLOW YOGA is a somatic process that activates energy throughout the body with the understanding that Yogic Chakra energy centers exist at the cellular level throughout the body. It is “a body full of mind”. Intelligence, as contemporary science teaches us,  takes place at the cellular level.

MIND FLOW YOGA understands this “body full of mind” as always in relation to the space around it. I discuss this further in the  WIDER SCIENCE section below.

Krishna says:

‘Arjuna, I am the taste of pure water

And the radiance of the sun and moon.

I am the sacred word

And the sound heard in air,

And the courage of human beings.

I am the sweet fragrance in the earth and

The radiance of fire;

I am the life in every creature

And the striving of the spiritual aspirant’

- The Bhagavad Gita

Founded in: the BioPsychoSocial Model of Psychosomatic Medicine, wider Science, and Philosophy, the “Mind” here is understood as a “Relational Being”.

See my MEDITATION and RETREATS pages to understand more about this mindfully meditative approach to Yoga and the Body.

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THE WIDER SCIENCE AND MIND FLOW YOGA

Your mind is in every cell of your body

- Pharmacologist Candace Pert

MIND FlOW YOGA could be understood as a classical inter-disciplinary Tantric Practice and Research for Contemporary Times.

Classical Tantra, around 1,500 years ago, was a meeting ground of the best understandings at that time of Science including mathematics, art, psychology and philosophy.

MIND FlOW YOGA, is infused with ground-breaking insights of modern science.

Alongside the above-mentioned Psychosomatic Medicine of Yujiro Ikemi, it engages with other ground-breaking research:

• Candace Pert’s Pharmacology focusing on emotion and intelligence at the cellular level. It elucidates the intimate connection between the mind and body; of how emotions and thoughts directly influence health and wellbeing

• Biologist Lynn Margulis’ discovery of Symbiogenesis, which provides understanding of our genesis, our coming into being, as one where there is a symbiotic relationship between our bodies and organism living in our bodies

• The Gaia Theory of Chemist James Lovelock that conceives Earth as single self-regulating entity

• Field Theory in Physics: understands all things in the Universe existing in dynamic relationship

• The non-human centered Deep Ecology of Joanna Macy that understands the equal sacredness of all things in inter-connection

• Autoethnography where one connects personal experiences to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings

This research helps us better understand the:

• Symbiotic inter-connection of all things

• Therapeutic benefits of somatic and relational processes

• Potential of a Deep Ecological creative process

• Concept of Relational Being

The aim of research is no longer

an understanding of atoms

and their movements ‘in themselves’,

i.e.

Independently of the formulation of experimental problems.

From the very start we are involved in the argument

between nature and man in which science plays only a part,

so that the common division of the world into

subject and object,

inner world and outer world,

body and soul,

is no longer adequate and leads us into difficulties.

Thus even in science

the object of research

is no longer nature

but man’s investigation of nature.

-  Eminent Physicist Werner Heisenberg

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

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EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS FOR MIND FLOW YOGA

MIND FLOW YOGA also gives space for theory and reflection.

In an academic and certification context it can also be assessed with formal aims, objectives and evaluation.

It is an inter-disciplinary practice, incorporating classical Yogic thinking, Buddhist Psychology, Existential Philosophy, discoveries of Modern Science, Dance and Art.

MIND FLOW YOGA can be shared through one one-off sessions of varying durations in diverse contexts.

In universities it can engage with a range of academic fields including:-

• Art

• Dance

• Theater

• Psychosomatic Medicine and Health

• Psychology

• Psychotherapy

• Education

• South Asian Studies

• Contemplative Studies

• Philosophy

• Autoethnography and Anthropology

• Inter-Disciplinary Studies

• Wider Mental Health and Wellness contexts

The MIND FLOW YOGA 10-week Program is based on the 75-minute flow.  In other contexts, I can utilize the other versions of 120 / 90 / 75 minutes duration.

Moreover, each version can can be adapted to diverse education, creative and health care contexts.

TESTIMONIAL

Working with Masters Creative Arts Students

Raphael has a way of

immediately making people

feel at ease with the present.

Feelings and thoughts are validated in that moment.

This made it possible for communication and engagement to flow.

The students valued Raphael's demystification of

quite complex philosophical ideas.

They were able to examine their everyday experiences

and

appreciate the art of simplicity and conviviality

in a present and authentic way

- Dr Daniel Somerville Senior Lecturer, University of Worcester,

commenting on Raphael’s playshops with his masters students

Would you like to expand your education program?

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RAPHAEL’S AUTOETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH UNDERPINNING MIND FLOW YOGA

OVERVIEW

It is better

To live your own destiny imperfectly

than to live

an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection

- The Bhagavad Gita

The creation of MIND FLOW YOGA  embodies  a lifetime of rigorous research: academic, personal and creative.

At core of this research is the nature and quality of Being.

It is a notion of Relational Non-Anthropocentric Being of which the human body is one element.

The originality of this ongoing research is an investigation that is as eclectic as it is iconoclastic as it is inter-disciplinary. Research publications such as my doctoral thesis:

Toward a Deep Ecology of Art, Technology and Being, embodies this.

This  Way is an imperfect Way, beginning in childhood

It is simply a Way with Intention and shredding of Outcome.

It is a Way that is authentic and genuine: true to one’s Being as I see it.

It is a moment-by-moment Way.

I call this:

THE DELICIOUS DELIGHT OF LIVING.

Forget about Enlightenment

Think instead of

Enlightening Moments

- Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki

MIND FLOW YOGA particularly draws on:

• Academic research such as: the doctoral thesis Towards a Deep Ecology of Art Technology and Being; and peer-reviewed publication in Leonardo: the International Journal for the Arts, Sciences and Technology

• Art works that have been internationally presented and critically acclaimed

• Expertise as an Integrative Psychotherapist utilizing Buddhist and Yogic Philosophy

• Qualification, expertise and experience as a Teacher-Trainer of Yoga, Meditation, Art and Dance-Theater, including at Goldsmiths, University of London.

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This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM OF MIND FLOW YOGA

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THE EARLY YEARS

This “Way” began as child born and brought up in a Hindu-Jain Indian family.

With my grandmother, il undertook Bhakti Yoga devotional practices.

This took place alongside action-oriented practices for the greater good: Karma Yoga, influenced by ideas of Mahatma Gandhi.

I was thinking seriously about the meaning of life and life purpose.

Despite a tough, violent upbringing I retrained through life my childlike playfulness and curiosity. This is embodied in almost everything I do.

The Way developed through engagement with Buddhism, Tantra, and fascination with the dialogue between the god Krishna as therapist and the warrior Arjuna as client in The Bhagavad Gita.  The voice of Krishna can be understood as the inner voice: the inner therapist.

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This is my skill

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ART, DANCE AND PLAY AS PHILOSOPHICAL PRACTICE

I am not interested in how the body bends

But

What bends the body

- Dr. Raphael Jay Adjani, adapting words of choreographer Pina Bausch

The Way evolved further through engagement with Philosophy of Being, alongside Art and Dance as a Philosophical practice.

This includes:-

• Classical South Asian Dance such as

  • Kathak

  • Kathakali

  • Bharata Natyam

  • Manipuri

• Noh Dance-Theater in Japan

• Contemporary Dance-Theater such as

  • Butoh

  • German Expressionist Dance

• Contemporary Performance Art / Live Art

• Film as Philosophy and Poetry, including Tarkovsky, Marker and Ozu

• Creative Writing, including Concrete Poetry

• Site-Specific Art

• Inter-active, Immersive Art, Architecture and Design, including:

  • Sado, the Way of Tea, known also as The Japanese Tea Ceremony

  • Tantric rock-cut architecture of Ellora India

  • The Water Temple of Tadao Ando

• Art and Sensibility in Japan historically

This involved study and training at University of the Arts London, the Royal College of Art and Goldsmiths University of London.

Raphael was one of the most gifted students

I had the pleasure to teach.

I cannot forget the moment

When they presented to me their final PhD artwork:

“Relationship-Place Naka-Ma”:

It was so serene

Just magic!

- Professor Toshio Watanabe, Mentor for Raphael’s research and

Former Director of TrAIN, research centre in Transnational Art Identity and Nation, University of the Arts London

The Red Version in particular of the film Relationship-Place Naka-Ma, is an exploration of space-time, interval, pause, stillness and emptiness. These can be understood as the Japanese word Ma.  

It was a dance without a visual body.

It was the autoethnographic experiencing of the Shingon Buddhist Water Temple designed by architect Tada0 Ando, on the island of Naoshima, Japan.

It was borrowing from filmmaker Andrey Tarkovsky, sculpting in space and time.

Zen pways of being particuarly inspired me, such as Sado, the way of Tea. I was deeply moved by meeting Tea master Hisashi Yamada.

The philosophy of tea involves

architecture, the garden, calligraphy, flowers, pottery and much more.

- Tea master Hisashi Yamada

I created a series of contemporary Informal Tea Ceremonies in different countries and contexts. I share this with many students such as post-graduate Live Art/Performance Art students at the University of Worcester.

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

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EDUCATION AND PEDAGOGY

Raphael has a way of

immediately making people feel at ease with the present.

Feelings and thoughts are validated in that moment.

This made it possible

The students valued

Raphael's demystification of quite complex philosophical ideas.

They were able to examine their everyday experiences and

appreciate the art of simplicity and conviviality

in a present and authentic way.

- Dr Daniel Somerville Senior Lecturer, University of Worcester,

The Way continued with ongoing inter-disciplinary research, including Education.

Education Methodology, Pedagogy has intersted me very early in life. It began with teaching creative art on the streets of Paris, France  to primarily children of migrants. I reflected on Sir Ken Robinson’s question: Are Schools Killing Creatiivty? as well as approaches such as that of Arno Stern. My work on the streets was discussed in a focused article in the newspaper Le Monde.  

I continued to reflect on these Parisian kids marginalization and that of my own childhood growing up in largely racist and homophobic Europe,: victim of violent racist and homophobic attacks.

I began to understand more As the researcher of Professor Robin Murray at the.Insitue of Mental Health evidences, how the very experience of living day to day in a racist society inevitably engenders mental illness.

I was just a kid until I was six

Then I became a Negro

- Comedian Richard Prior in his autobiography

This has infused by approach to teaching Yoga to BIPOC Black, Indigenous and People of Color, as well as other marginalized groups

I have incorporated my challenging experiences into creative and existential exploration. Yoga and Buddhism teach us to toward challenging experience in a kind and honest way and use them as fuel for enlightening moments. The sublime lotus flower has symbolic symbolism in parts of Asia. It is said that the lotus flower blooms most exquisitely in the muddiest of water. All our life experiences can be sublime moments of deep realization. All of the muddy waters of my life have contributed to the richness, the texture, the consciousness of MIND FLOW YOGA and what I share with others.

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM OF MIND FLOW YOGA

ARRANGE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTATION FOR BESPOKE PROGRAMS I CAN DESIGN AND TEACH FOR YOU

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A YOGA TEACHER’S EXPERIENCING OF MIND FLOW YOGA

“Your body is waiting for you

to be its friend” -

The words so kindly spoken,

still echoing in my mind,

as I recall my MIND FLOW Yoga with Raphael

What does it mean to befriend the vessel that shelters you,

safeguards you in this physical realm,

and allows you to have such an eclectic spectrum of experiences?

Why are these words so specifically relevant

to my understanding of my presence.

How disconnected am I actually from my body -

in this society that programs me to interpret it

as a machine,

as a tool,

or

as a feminine asset or an object of objectification?

Why is my shelter waiting for me to befriend it?

Have I forgotten all that it has directed me to accomplish in life?

All the times it has protected me,

gained me wisdom,

or allowed me to feel love -

the energy I so vitally regard as essential to my living.

Perhaps I have been ungrateful with the circumstance of

my vessel

that has given more

than it has taken.

Raphael took me on

a guided journey of

coming back into my body,

to healing the wound

that in an absurd and unrealistic way

had disconnected me from

my most closest physical manifestation

What a surprisingly delightful yoga!

What unexpected turns and twist into

the inner layers of myself!

As a psychotherapist

as well as certified meditation and yoga teacher-trainer,

Raphael swiftly combines

Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga Asanas

and carves a path

taking you slowly to a

trance-like meditative state,

connecting you to somewhat strangers in the room

with vibrant energy and positive ambiance

as you experience

fluid, gentle, strengthening bodily movements

that allow you structured freedom

to explore your range of

motion and creativity

Raphael, with their smooth wisdom-filled caramel voice,

takes and follows you on a very long trip that

doesn't require leaving the mat,

but will leave you with

elevated clarity and

purified introspective questions

Get yourself a ticket for this ride that continues long after leaving the yoga studio

Thank you once more!

I have found a long-lost companion

I have re-found my body, my protector, my friend

- Full Testimonial of Mairi, Yoga Teacher, New York, USA