YOGOM inspired by Gyetrul Jigme Rinpoche … Brilliant!

This yoga/meditation provides a gentle, subtle and in-depth exploration of one’s body in connection with the mind. One can say that it is the best prelude for the practices recommended by Our Masters: practise it as much as you like!

A knee a little too stretched, a foot not well-placed, the pelvis slightly tilted…. nothing escapes the watchful eye of François. He helps us to progress, to refine our sensations, to discover the harmony in our postures without ever forcing, tightening or tensing. Is there a small pain, an unpleasant point manifesting in the knees, the shoulder blades, the back, the quadriceps? We need to become mindful and to be aware of whatever happens. “We need to find the right effort, that will allow us to maintain a relaxed posture without forcing,” explains François. Because one of our problems is that we tend to force our movements and this is a serious obstacle in our progress to having an awareness of our body in relation to our mind.

During the session, we work naturally with the breath in association with the movements and the postures. We also attempt several series of exercises which focus only on the breath, when we concentrate in particular on the circulation of air as we inhale and exhale. The breath is fundamental because it is directly connected to the emotions, to the vital aspect of the flow of the blood and to the rhythm of the heart. The breath is fundamental in order to clear the subtle channels. The breath is life; it is the heart of everything. It is not necessary to specify that after these exercises, the sequences of meditation will become intense and deep. We remember then what Gyétrul Jigmé Rinpoché taught us about shine meditation: “When we inhale we can feel the air entering and penetrating the deepest part of ourselves even and we are able to establish the connection between body and mind simply by being aware. There is nothing to do and everything is completely opened. We can simply be – be present-in this opening “.

At the end of the seminar, we exchanged our experiences: “It is the third time for me to participate in a yogom session and each time I notice that there is a physical improvement, in particular in regard to my joints. Even so, I still continue to practice yoga regularly. ” … “After my first seminar last year, my osteopath immediately noticed progress although I had not mentioned anything about doing yogom.” … “This session brought a big relief in my back, shoulders and hips and I feel more flexible.” “The theoretical explanations regarding what takes place in the various postures are very interesting and enlightening.” … “I feel a very strong link between the yogom and the meditation we do with Rinpoche.“…. “One has the the impression of discovering simultaneously the beauty and the kindness of one’s body.

Following this intense session, some of us wanted us to know more about François. He is a long-time student of Jigme Rinpoche and he trained in Kundalini Yoga with Yogi Bajan for around ten years.  He then took a special course for the training of teachers of yoga, encouraged by Gerard Arnaud, the founder of of the FFY (French Federation of Yoga). François is now a certified teacher and he has been awarded the diploma of the FFY which demonstrates that he has completed five hundred hours of advanced training. (This diploma is recognized by the American Federation of Yoga and authorizes those who have received it to teach Hatha and Vinyasa yoga as well as Pranayama and meditation in all English-speaking countries). François teaches regularly within the framework of the FFY where he has been in charge of leading conferences for the last ten years, in particular in regard to yoga and the philosophy of yoga. In 2013, “Allo Docteur” (Hello Doctor) a medical program broadcast on France 5 and led by Marina Carrère d’ Encausse and Dr Michel Cimès, called on to him to take part and to speak about the method of using the breath in yoga during a broadcast on the theme of ‘Breath and its Benefits’.

For several years now, Rinpoche has had the vision of his students learning yogom and he requested François to be in charge of teaching it to the Ripa students. Rinpoche considered that it would help his students to be very comfortable in their bodies before they entered the practices of Ngöndro. The creation of this technique required two and a half years working together with Rinpoche. It is also at the request of Our Master that the practice of yogom is now open for anyone who wishes to learn it and not only for the students of Ripa. Slowly but surely, Gyetrul Jigme Rinpoche’s vision is being realised and other sessions will be organized in 2015. So the next time there is a session on yogom, do not hesitate to participate!

Yours Sincerely in the Dharma

The team of the International Center of Ripa

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