Personal Interests - Flavio Cotrim Pinheiro

Home

Contact
Information

Resume

Personal
Interests

Sustainability

E-mail me

Personal Interests

Yoga

What is Yoga?

The classical text Yoga Sutra written by Patanjali defines Yoga as 'chitta vrtti nirodhah.'
"This may be translated as the restraint (nirodhah) of mental (vrtti) modifications (vrtti) or as suppression (nirodhah) of the fluctuations (vrtti) of consciousness (chitta)." (B.K.S. Iyengar in Light on Yoga, page 20)

The Practice

There are many Yoga practices. Here I mention two that I am most familiar with: the classical Ashtánga Yoga and the Ashtánga Vinyása Yoga.

A classical Ashtánga Yoga practice consists of eight ("ashta") parts ("anga"). Usually the practice is structured in the following manner:

1. Yama (5 universal rules of conduct)

Ahimsá (non-violence)
Satya (truth)
Asteya (non-stealing)
Brahmacharya (continence)
Aparigraha (non-coveting)

2. Niyama (5 rules of conduct for individual discipline)

Shaucha (purity)
Santosha (contentment)
Tapas (austerity)
Swádhyáya (self-study)
Íshwara Pranidhána (faith)

3. Ásana (posture)
4. Pranáyáma (control of the breathing)
5. Pratyáhára (control of the senses)
6. Dháraná (concentration)
7. Dhyána (meditation)
8. Samádhi (enstasis)

The Ashtánga Vinyása Yoga consists of fixed ásana sequences - alternating static postures with sun salutations. The practice also requires appropriate breathing (ujjayí breathing) and bandhas (contractions of the lower abdomen, perineum and rectum) throughout the practice.

Yoga Websites

BRAZIL

Portal do Yoga - http://www.yoga.pro.br/
Only Portuguese version available. This web-portal is one of the best websites on Yoga. It has links to several articles on Yoga and provides information about workshops, instructors and schools in Brazil.

USA

Yoga Research and Education Center - http://www.yrec.org/
The Yoga Research and Education Center was created by George Feuerstein, a well regarded scholar dedicated to the study of the Yoga tradition.

The BKS Iyengar Yoga in Boston - http://www.yoganow.net/
This school is under the orientation of Patricia Walden, one of the most respected students of BKS Iyengar in the US.

Baron Baptiste, Power Yoga Online - http://www.baptistepoweryoga.com/
Baron Baptiste is one of the most popular Power Yoga instructors in the US. Power Yoga is a blend of the classical Ashtanga Yoga (Iyengar Yoga) and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. For those interested in intensive body practice, Baron offers one of the best experiences in Boston. This site is for Baron's school in Cambridge, MA.

INDIA

Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute

Website of Ashtanga Vinyása Yoga school run by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India

B.K.S. Iyengar official home page
B.K.S. Iyengar is a world famous teacher of the classical Ashtanga Yoga. He resides in Pune, India.

Yoga Books

Light on Yoga (Yoga Dipika)
by B.K.S. Iyengar. Schocken Books, New York, 1966.
This book offers a concise introduction on Yoga theory and, for most of the remaining of the book, the author describes how to perform ásanas. This is one of the best books for those interested in taking Yoga seriously. At the end of the book a challenging course is proposed for the most disciplined ones.

The Tree of Yoga
by B.K.S. Iyengar. Shambala Publications, Boston, 1988.
Iyengar talks about health, life, and his experience as a Yoga teacher. He also shares with the reader his most poetic interpretations of the Yoga practice.

Yôga Prático - Yôga Sádhana (only Portuguese version available)
by Pedro Kupfer. Fundação Dharma, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil, 1998.
This book provides guidance for practice of various yoga techniques, including pranáyáma, trátaka, yôganidrá, and mantra.

Swimming

Cooking

When I cook I like to use only fresh ingredients.
Please no garlic powder nor dried herbs.

Also vegetarian meals are a lot more interesting to make and they present a much more diverse range of flavors.

Last, but not least, I find them delicious and more fulfilling and challenging.

Recipes

"Flavorful" Eggplant

time to prepare: 15 minutes

one eggplant
one or two onions
coriander seeds
olive oil
salt

1) Crush coriander seeds into a fine powder.
2) Cut the onion(s) into small pieces. Cut eggplant into small pieces and keep it separate from onion(s).
3) On a deep frying pan pour plenty of olive oil. Add onions and wait until onions turn golden.
4) Add the powder of coriander seeds.
5) Add eggplant and cover the pan. Don't worry if the eggplant burns a little on the bottom of the pan. Add salt to taste
6) Mix everything every other minute until eggplant becomes soft.

Once the eggplant is soft just serve and enjoy it.

Pinheiro family's guacamole

time to prepare: 10 minutes

one big (Brazilian) avocado or two small (American) avocados
one or two garlic cloves
one lime
olive oil
salt

1) Put avocado, garlic and lime juice in a blender. Add a little olive oil and salt to taste.
2) Turn blender on and off intermittently, mixing everything when the blender is off. Add water little by little until the mix becomes a smooth paste.
3) Add pepper, tomato or serve as it is.

This is great as a salad dressing!

Links

Indian Vegetarian Recipes - Great Indian vegetarian recipes here!
Ethiopian Vegetarian Recipes - Try this! Ethiopian food is delicious!
International Vegetarian Union - Organization that promotes vegetarianism worldwide. There are great recipes here too!

Books

1,000 Vegetarian Recipes
Diet for a Small Planet
Recipes for a Small Planet
Taste Divine: Indian Vegetarian Cooking - The Natural Way