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Ironman 2008: With a great sense of relief I can tell you it went well. Conditions were perfect, I felt strong, everything worked and all in all it was a terrific day out, with my time of 11h19m far exceeding my expectation. After 8 months of focus I can already feel that something is missing, but I will give my poor body some time to recover before doing anything more than walking the dog. As proof that these things are insane take a look at the article link below in protest against Ironman PE – in fact an athlete who participates in a strenuous test of endurance lasting about three hours or more has an increased chance of dying during the event and for 24 hours following the activity. The athlete has more of a risk of dying after exercise than a cigarette-smoking, sedentary layabout who spends the same 24 hours drinking beer and watching TV (which is what I have planned now)! Part of what made the event special was the support of friends and family and your response to the sponsorship campaign – to all those who have generously contributed, thank you and to those who haven’t yet had a chance please note that we will close off donations at the end of the week. If you have mislaid the details you can check out:
http://www.performancezone.co.za/race4literacy/
which also has a credit card function now. Lastly I offer a somewhat less altruistic reason for your support – the fact that it is actually good for you…: “Money can’t buy you love (but it can make you happy) Money can buy happiness – when you spend it on other people, scientists have discovered. Research in Canada and the United States has suggested that, while happiness is not greatly affected by higher incomes or financial windfalls, it is significantly influenced by the amount that people give away. The more people donate to charity or buy gifts for loved ones or friends, the more likely they are to feel better about themselves.”

IronMan 2008 photos
It is with heavy heart that I let you know the outcome of legal proceedings regarding Moksha Yoga. We didn't win or lose but under a lot of pressure I chose to settle. In doing so we forgo the option of keeping the studio going because the settlement amount barely covers legal fees and the losses incurred over the last 9 months whilst the building work occurred. In a way I am really upset to not follow the principle to the end even it meant losing, but likewise (as guided by my legal team) I was made well aware that justice is a concept that resides outside of a courtroom and at the end of the day, life is not always fair. So Moksha in its present guise will pass on and who knows if and how it will arise like a Phoenix from the ashes. Tomorrow's (31st July) classes will be the last - the August debit orders have already run (they are processed a few weeks ago) but right now we will have to focus on getting out of here. I would like to thank each and every one of you for the support over the last 5 years and in particular the difficult last 9 months, it has been a privilege to share in this yogic community with you.

Love and blessings Chris and The Moksha team

In training for Marathon des Sables - 'the toughest footrace on Earth'

More photos here

In search of the other side - Chris Loker of Moksha Yoga shares his Marathon Des Sables experience

Well its back to reality after the blood (lots), sweat (tons) and tears (plenty, especially at the finish) of the 21st Marathon des Sables in Morocco. On reflection, (and I am still digesting everything so these are raw thoughts), it was much, much tougher than I anticipated. Although I was well "running" prepared and fit as possible there were so many variables to manage and control - walking more than I thought (which I had not trained for and also meant much more time out than bargained for), pack weight, heat (extreme), humidity (higher than usual), terrain (terrible), blisters, illness, hydration (a perpetual problem), living conditions, food, wind (gale force at times), sand blasting, kidney problems from taking painkillers in order to just get my feet into my shoes, hands and feet swelling up like balloons, etc, etc.

My objective was to have fun and enjoy the view but very quickly it became about survival and reaching the next checkpoint, the distance came down to the next step to the extent that on a few days I would count every step until 100 and start again. We were sweating so much that consuming between 12 and 16 litres of water a day hardly even required going to the toilet to urinate (not that there were toilets..). The desert has a stark beauty when viewed from an aeroplane or car but when you are in it it can be very scary - dry, hostile and inhospitable. The camaraderie of other competitors really helped but it is a very personal battle to complete an event like this and although there was only once when I wasn't sure if I wouldn't make it, there were many times when I questioned why and what I was doing. The highs were few and far between but very intense, particularly at the end of each stage.

Ultimately the raising of money for Home from Home is the key consideration and although I am a little disappointed that we didn't reach our target I am very grateful to all those that have pledged monies - its great to know that the hours of pain will unlock benefits for children that really do need it. Even though we were not focussed on competing and focussed rather on completion, one can't help taking interest in your position in the race and with 20% of the competitors not making it (including some real veterans of the race) I am very happy with my position - a part of me wants to go back and try and improve upon it but that's not likely. This was out and out the hardest thing I have ever done which will translate into enormous personal growth and development I am sure but right now I just want to relax, recover and enjoy the simple, wonderful things that we never had for that week - like a bed, cold water to drink and a shower...

For those who have pledged, THANK YOU - you will be contacted directly by Home from Home to facilitate payment (or you can pay as per details below) and for anyone else that is still thinking about it, its not too late - donations will be accepted until the end of May - you can deposit directly into the following trust account:

Bank: Nedbank Account: BOE (Pty) Limited Account number: 1452028079 Branch code: 145209 Reference: Home from Home Trust - Marathon des Sables


Morocco's stunning Atlas Mountains are home to some of Africa's most dramatic landscapes and diverse wildlife. They are also extremely remote, with few roads and infrastructure, and are very difficult to navigate, let alone survive. It is in this area where one of the most arduous and punishing races takes place, the Marathon des Sables (The Marathon of Sand).

Billed as "the toughest footrace on Earth" the marathon covers 250 kilometres (equivalent to 6 back-to-back marathons) in 7 days through mountains, desert and unforgivable 45 degree C heat. Blisters, heat exhaustion and sunburn are just some of the obstacles the participants will have to battle against as well as the physical demands of running this distance. On top of this, runners must be entirely self-sufficient throughout the race and must carry all the equipment they need. The only assistance given is water at checkpoints and basic shelter at night.

Needless to say, many of the competitors don't finish. While a number of the competitors are accomplished endurance athletes, many are just normal people, from heart surgeons and ex-soldiers to plumbers and beauticians, all looking for adventure. To date only one fatality has happened during the race and one year a runner was lost in the desert for 9 days before being found alive. However, many runners have to be carried off the desert on crutches because they can no longer walk.

As part of a 5-yearly insanity programme that I am on, I will be joining 600 other entrants from over 30 countries (including SA) in trying to complete the race in April. Please don't ask me why because I honestly don't have a good reason but in an attempt to do it for a good cause I am raising money for what is an extremely worthwhile charity. Home from Home (PBO 930018003) is a Cape-based small charity that provides supported and supervised foster care for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children - making a dent in the horrific 28 500 that are abandoned in this country annually. Having been out to see some of the homes that the House mothers and children share, as well as feeling comfortable that the money raised goes to the beneficiaries rather than administrators, we have decided to try and raise enough money to build a house which will host 6 abandoned children ( www.homefromhome.org.za). A daunting figure of R 250 000 can only be achieved with generous and broad support so I appeal to all of you to consider one of the following:

1) sponsoring an amount of money per completed kilometre 2) sponsoring an amount contingent on me finishing 3) donating an amount irrespective of the race outcome

If you would like to pledge (remember it's a good cause and I will only bug you again in 5 years time) an amount, please reply via return mail chris@moksha.biz and we will contact you again at the end of April to arrange payment. Any amount over the cost of the house would go towards the running costs of that house.

If a 1000 people commit R 250 on average (or even 500 at R 500 - only R 2 a km) we can achieve the target, so if you feel inclined please feel free to forward this message on to anyone you think might be interested. In addition there are opportunities for corporates who may want to get some publicity and exposure from the event - please ask for details. Thank you in anticipation as we change the world, one child at a time.

Recently I have been doing some consulting for a Black Economic Empowerment Private Equity Fund called Equity Africa as they gear up to address a critical issue in the South African business community. More detail of their activities at www.equityafrica.com

Moksha Yoga Enterprises now offers stress-management workshops using a blend of ancient and modern techniques as an option to the more traditional drunken friday night blow off of steam. The workshops are facilitated by Chris Loker.

Look out for Polari-tea in your local Pick 'n Pay or health shop. This herbal cleansing drink is an everyday taste delight which is a mix of 7 herbs which promote good health and detoxification of today's ever-present toxins. See the link in the menu.