What a ride these last two weeks have been! I can't believe there's only two more weeks to go. These last few days have been focused on Patanjali's Suttras. Patanjali was the forefather of a book with four chapters (100 suttras) that illustrated the goals of yoga, the practices, the attainment of powers and the states of liberation. He practiced classical yoga which sees the universal truth and who we are as two separate levels of being. We only learned the key suttras in chapters 1 and 2 so far. Anusara yoga views the suttras through a tantric view where there is a totality that we are all connected.
My favourite one is in chapter 1.33 maitri karuna mudita upekshanam
This mantra deals with the relationships we keep and I feel that it is a beautiful way in which we should keep our relationships with all people. Maitri friendliness, as a student, we respect our teachers and the work they have done to earn the seat as teacher. Karuna, compassion, as a teacher we should be compassionate to our students for their works and dedication. Mudita, celebration, we should always celebrate our friends' and others' happiness with love. Even when you don't feel like it, the more you practice this the more you truly do and will celebrate with pure love. Upkeshanam, neutrality, equality, always look for the good in everyone but sometimes their energies won't match yours. Don't react but stay neutral and let them be. (Like those people with their umbrellas combined with tunnel vision)
My personal relationships have become filled with a renewed love, with a deeper understanding about why I practice yoga and I also believe in the philosophy. Ciaran took me out for a beautiful dinner last night. Sharon was so sweet to have ordered and surprised me with two new lululemon racer backs that they don't have in Hong Kong! I can't wait to sweat it out today! I also had my very dear friend Derek Szeto come to Hong Kong just to see me (and a little bit of HK). I felt so engulfed in love yesterday! I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn with the help of my teachers and my Kula sisters and brothers.
Yesterday we watched a movie on Ram Dass called Fierce Grace. I encourage you all to watch it! There are so many cool elements in the movie and also a lot of moving ones that make you realise, Life Is So So So So So So So Good!
I am going to enjoy my day in practice and with my friend in town and step away from sitting in front of the screen. So I leave you with this... If someone you loved died a tragic death today, could you still see the good?
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
206 Bones and 7 People
As promised I will reveal my top 7 to you in this entry... These top 7 people have made this list because they are the ones who I turn to when something goes awry, celebrations and are always there when I need them the most and even there when I don't. These seven are the seven who are my constant, my inner wheel, my personal Kula and family, they have been supportive through this journey into a refined, me!
BUT FIRST, I'd like to share the massive revelation that I had today in practice.
I woke up Day 2 Week 2 for my teacher training and I was irritated as I had accumulated a dozen mosquito bites at lunch yesterday, I bruised two of my toes from kicking the bed out of clumsiness, I was tired from sleeping late. I was not in my usual way until I saw my teacher Lawrence and remembered that last night I went to my first Kirtin session. Kirtin is a type of yoga where we chant mantras with music and when we leave, the vibrations of the sounds stay within us. Seeing Lawerence woke me up completely, I remembered how I felt when I walked out of the studio last night. My whole body was pulsing and that is something that resided within me all the time. All I had to do was draw into it and open up to grace from there. As soon as I hit the mat, I was alive, I was free and I had one of THE BEST practices ever!
This week we are learning about the anatomy of the body. We are lucky to have Dr. Damien Mouellic (Osteopath) with us. I have to say, it is NOT easy, but it IS very interesting to learn about our bones, our muscles, our ligaments and how the function of our body can relate to the way we breathe and feel during, before and after practice. As a patient today, Dr. Mouellic re aligned my left wrist at the lunate bone, as I had popped it the wrong way in the 4 minute headstand yesterday. I felt so much better after and I did five handstands today! In our practicum, I felt how my core muscles really engaged, with my tailbone tucked and lumbar spine down to the floor made it harder to breathe (hahaha!). I also felt that by lifting the rib cage made my diaphgram expand more, causing more flow of breath with ease! Did you know that if you are female and you can feel your ovulation, your hips could be too tight?!
I also broke my veggie diet yesterday as I had a few chats with different yogis and their eating habits. I was feeling fatigued from my moon cycle, studies and practice, so I went and shared fish curry and chicken curry with kasmiri nann, with Ciaran. I didn't over eat as I still wanted to maintain this vegg diet as closely as possible til the end of the training. (That said, I just baked for my class as the last batch didn't turn out well. Eggs. Butter. A must still at this point) I learned that in the tantric method of yoga, we can enjoy life, but we should always remember to give thanks first, for the nutrients mother nature is giving us. for the opportunity to live.
My day got better... I spoke to my mother on the phone during our morning break and I explained to her what I was learning in my course, anatomy, opening to grace, being grateful, being at peace. Her response was, "I am so proud of my kids. I am so proud of you, I love you and I hope you have a great day...don't cry!" Her acceptance and love for my journey carried me through the rest of the day into an emotional study session. It was one of the most empowering feelings to hear from your mother, I love you and go get 'em as an adult. I am so blessed to have my mother with me on this journey now! So with that, I give you the top seven.
knowing yourself is your greatest tool in any situation, to have clarity of mind and body, to do what is right for the greater good.
1. My Mother. She is the greatest woman in my life. This woman is incredibley strong despite her sweet exterior and child like laugh. She has taught me how to be an independent-domestic-giving-open person. I send her my love in practice everyday.
2. My Brother. This man raised me. So much of my child hood and adult life has been a result of his leadership and music. He is logical, creative, honest, loving, musical, athletic, stubborn, funny.
3. Donna Kwan. This woman has been my best friend, my beautiful sister, since the age of diaperville. She is intelligent, strong-willed, driven, published, detail-oriented, domestic.
4. My Father. This man has a big heart, though sometimes he forgets about his inner wheel, it's because he's so confident that they will undeniable always be there... and we are! He is charitable, bookworm, honest, passively emotional, stubborn, loves his family.
5. Ciaran Hussey. This man has been my biggest cheerleader and the one I have been sharing my life with. He is open minded, honest, forgiving, generous, loving, athletic, handsome! Ta se mo cri agus is ebhem liom thu galore!
6. Annabelle Hsu. This young woman is my cousin, she has been with me my whole life despite the miles between us. She is incredibley intelligent, creative, funny, clumsy, spirited, kind. She has taught me to never lose that lighter side to life when it gets stressful.
7... You. You are the one who is supporting me. You are the one who is taking the time to share with me this journey. You are the one who is most likely; dependable, creative, open minded, honest, loving and love me back no matter what. Thank you!
In closing, I hope that we will all live into our fullest potential starting within ourselves, to see ourselves as worthy for the best this one body has to offer us. We should optimize it to its full potential by leading healthy lives, eating right, aligning right and patiently watching the seeds of our work blossom. From there, we can share with more people we love to live to their optimal blueprints.
BUT FIRST, I'd like to share the massive revelation that I had today in practice.
I woke up Day 2 Week 2 for my teacher training and I was irritated as I had accumulated a dozen mosquito bites at lunch yesterday, I bruised two of my toes from kicking the bed out of clumsiness, I was tired from sleeping late. I was not in my usual way until I saw my teacher Lawrence and remembered that last night I went to my first Kirtin session. Kirtin is a type of yoga where we chant mantras with music and when we leave, the vibrations of the sounds stay within us. Seeing Lawerence woke me up completely, I remembered how I felt when I walked out of the studio last night. My whole body was pulsing and that is something that resided within me all the time. All I had to do was draw into it and open up to grace from there. As soon as I hit the mat, I was alive, I was free and I had one of THE BEST practices ever!
This week we are learning about the anatomy of the body. We are lucky to have Dr. Damien Mouellic (Osteopath) with us. I have to say, it is NOT easy, but it IS very interesting to learn about our bones, our muscles, our ligaments and how the function of our body can relate to the way we breathe and feel during, before and after practice. As a patient today, Dr. Mouellic re aligned my left wrist at the lunate bone, as I had popped it the wrong way in the 4 minute headstand yesterday. I felt so much better after and I did five handstands today! In our practicum, I felt how my core muscles really engaged, with my tailbone tucked and lumbar spine down to the floor made it harder to breathe (hahaha!). I also felt that by lifting the rib cage made my diaphgram expand more, causing more flow of breath with ease! Did you know that if you are female and you can feel your ovulation, your hips could be too tight?!
I also broke my veggie diet yesterday as I had a few chats with different yogis and their eating habits. I was feeling fatigued from my moon cycle, studies and practice, so I went and shared fish curry and chicken curry with kasmiri nann, with Ciaran. I didn't over eat as I still wanted to maintain this vegg diet as closely as possible til the end of the training. (That said, I just baked for my class as the last batch didn't turn out well. Eggs. Butter. A must still at this point) I learned that in the tantric method of yoga, we can enjoy life, but we should always remember to give thanks first, for the nutrients mother nature is giving us. for the opportunity to live.
My day got better... I spoke to my mother on the phone during our morning break and I explained to her what I was learning in my course, anatomy, opening to grace, being grateful, being at peace. Her response was, "I am so proud of my kids. I am so proud of you, I love you and I hope you have a great day...don't cry!" Her acceptance and love for my journey carried me through the rest of the day into an emotional study session. It was one of the most empowering feelings to hear from your mother, I love you and go get 'em as an adult. I am so blessed to have my mother with me on this journey now! So with that, I give you the top seven.
knowing yourself is your greatest tool in any situation, to have clarity of mind and body, to do what is right for the greater good.
1. My Mother. She is the greatest woman in my life. This woman is incredibley strong despite her sweet exterior and child like laugh. She has taught me how to be an independent-domestic-giving-open person. I send her my love in practice everyday.
2. My Brother. This man raised me. So much of my child hood and adult life has been a result of his leadership and music. He is logical, creative, honest, loving, musical, athletic, stubborn, funny.
3. Donna Kwan. This woman has been my best friend, my beautiful sister, since the age of diaperville. She is intelligent, strong-willed, driven, published, detail-oriented, domestic.
4. My Father. This man has a big heart, though sometimes he forgets about his inner wheel, it's because he's so confident that they will undeniable always be there... and we are! He is charitable, bookworm, honest, passively emotional, stubborn, loves his family.
5. Ciaran Hussey. This man has been my biggest cheerleader and the one I have been sharing my life with. He is open minded, honest, forgiving, generous, loving, athletic, handsome! Ta se mo cri agus is ebhem liom thu galore!
6. Annabelle Hsu. This young woman is my cousin, she has been with me my whole life despite the miles between us. She is incredibley intelligent, creative, funny, clumsy, spirited, kind. She has taught me to never lose that lighter side to life when it gets stressful.
7... You. You are the one who is supporting me. You are the one who is taking the time to share with me this journey. You are the one who is most likely; dependable, creative, open minded, honest, loving and love me back no matter what. Thank you!
In closing, I hope that we will all live into our fullest potential starting within ourselves, to see ourselves as worthy for the best this one body has to offer us. We should optimize it to its full potential by leading healthy lives, eating right, aligning right and patiently watching the seeds of our work blossom. From there, we can share with more people we love to live to their optimal blueprints.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
One week in
Lo Kah Sa Ma Sta Shu Khino Bha Van Tu
May all beings everywhere be happy and free. May the thoughts and actions of my own life contribute to that happiness and to that freedom.
It only seemed appropriate to open this entry with one of my favourite mantras as we have been singing them everyday.
So we have just finished week one and it went by so much faster than I had anticipated. We had today off and was let go an 1.5 hours early last night. I went for a two hour massage to recharge my physical body, ate a delicious dinner with my favourite man and had two cheeky glasses of wine with my beautiful flate mate. I enjoyed within reason to relax and surround myself by good company.
Today I went with one of my Kula sisters' Keesha to a one hour practice with my teacher Lawrence P. After practice, he helped Keesha and I to learn some of the mantras better with his soulful guitar skills. The sanskrit language is so beautiful in that every syllable vibrates a different chakra in your body. I could really feel myself in this vibration today when we just got into our little jam session in the studio. It was one of the nicest treats to recharge and prepare again for week two.
This past week we really found out how the five universal principles of Anusara Yoga can help the flow of prana (breath) in your body if you apply them! Here is a condensed version of what they are:
1- Open to Grace - believe that you are worthy of being and living to your most divine self.
2- Muscle Energy - the drawing in of all your muscles to be stable
3- Inner Spiral - creating a space in your pelvis and allowing your kidneys to open up in your low back
4- Outer Spiral - creating an ability to expand and balance out the inner spiral
5- Organic Energy - The expansion of your creative self out in your practice
We have been given a lot of information this week and the on thing that is sticking out in my mind right now is, our Optimal Blueprint, meaning finding the ultimate physical alignment for your best health. It is NOT easy, but it is definitely worth and the feeling of satisfaction is something you can savour everyday.
Interesting Fact: If you do a back bend without applying these principles, you could be bending from your T12 bone instead of your pelvic region and this can cause your kidneys to contract. The effect is, you get a quick boost of adrenaline and feel great in your practice but hit a low and feel tired very soon after your shower.
In our Kula of 32, we have been practicing teaching every day and Patrick posed a very funny situation to us early in the week, as a teacher he said, "think of explaining yoga to your 90 something granny" that is how you have to see your class. Well as luck had it, my granny called me and I had to try to explain to her yoga, in cantonese and not get too frustrated that I couldn't find all the right words to share it. This is something to work on too, articulating what yoga means to me in cantonese to share it with other people in my life.
Well, the laundry is back and I've just finished making and eating dinner. I'm currently baking lots of chocolate oatmeal banana muffins for my class tomorrow and I hope they turn out okay as I ran out of some ingreidents and had to get creative!
If you're following and reading my blog, I want to say THANK YOU and Namaste (Which means: I bow to the most divine in you.)
Final thought, they say you are the mean of the 7 closest people to you. If this is true and I had all of you, my near, dear, new or far friend, in a room together to list my top five qualities, what would they be? I'll reveal my top 7 in the next entry and their top 5 qualities that I find in them. ^_____^
May all beings everywhere be happy and free. May the thoughts and actions of my own life contribute to that happiness and to that freedom.
It only seemed appropriate to open this entry with one of my favourite mantras as we have been singing them everyday.
So we have just finished week one and it went by so much faster than I had anticipated. We had today off and was let go an 1.5 hours early last night. I went for a two hour massage to recharge my physical body, ate a delicious dinner with my favourite man and had two cheeky glasses of wine with my beautiful flate mate. I enjoyed within reason to relax and surround myself by good company.
Today I went with one of my Kula sisters' Keesha to a one hour practice with my teacher Lawrence P. After practice, he helped Keesha and I to learn some of the mantras better with his soulful guitar skills. The sanskrit language is so beautiful in that every syllable vibrates a different chakra in your body. I could really feel myself in this vibration today when we just got into our little jam session in the studio. It was one of the nicest treats to recharge and prepare again for week two.
This past week we really found out how the five universal principles of Anusara Yoga can help the flow of prana (breath) in your body if you apply them! Here is a condensed version of what they are:
1- Open to Grace - believe that you are worthy of being and living to your most divine self.
2- Muscle Energy - the drawing in of all your muscles to be stable
3- Inner Spiral - creating a space in your pelvis and allowing your kidneys to open up in your low back
4- Outer Spiral - creating an ability to expand and balance out the inner spiral
5- Organic Energy - The expansion of your creative self out in your practice
We have been given a lot of information this week and the on thing that is sticking out in my mind right now is, our Optimal Blueprint, meaning finding the ultimate physical alignment for your best health. It is NOT easy, but it is definitely worth and the feeling of satisfaction is something you can savour everyday.
Interesting Fact: If you do a back bend without applying these principles, you could be bending from your T12 bone instead of your pelvic region and this can cause your kidneys to contract. The effect is, you get a quick boost of adrenaline and feel great in your practice but hit a low and feel tired very soon after your shower.
In our Kula of 32, we have been practicing teaching every day and Patrick posed a very funny situation to us early in the week, as a teacher he said, "think of explaining yoga to your 90 something granny" that is how you have to see your class. Well as luck had it, my granny called me and I had to try to explain to her yoga, in cantonese and not get too frustrated that I couldn't find all the right words to share it. This is something to work on too, articulating what yoga means to me in cantonese to share it with other people in my life.
Well, the laundry is back and I've just finished making and eating dinner. I'm currently baking lots of chocolate oatmeal banana muffins for my class tomorrow and I hope they turn out okay as I ran out of some ingreidents and had to get creative!
If you're following and reading my blog, I want to say THANK YOU and Namaste (Which means: I bow to the most divine in you.)
Final thought, they say you are the mean of the 7 closest people to you. If this is true and I had all of you, my near, dear, new or far friend, in a room together to list my top five qualities, what would they be? I'll reveal my top 7 in the next entry and their top 5 qualities that I find in them. ^_____^
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Philosophy, Practice, Pain, Patience
Today when I woke up, I felt excited to get on the mat and be with my Kula. But once I got on that mat, I felt stiff in my hamstrings and a moment of, "Oh no!" came over me. During our debrief it was good to know that reminents of Michael Jackson's, "You are not alone" was shared by all! When you open yourself mentally to grace (to life, to freedom) you will physically open. I promise!
I'd like to take a moment to rewind and share a few yoga facts with you:
- Yoga is a harmony, a union of your individual self (which makes you unique) and the universal self (the source from where we ALL come from) pretty cool, huh?
- Yoga was established about 1600 years ago as a formal tradition.
- There are more people practicing yoga in the entire world than in India.
- Though Classical and Advaita Vedanta yoga existed before, we now practice a form of yoga known as Tantra
- Tantra yoga (Tan= Expand, Tra=an instrument) is to expand ourselves, to integrating everything together so that we can look for the good.
The class during lecture and discussion was very philosophical today with questions like, "Why was yoga not made into a religion?", "Why don't we practice Classical yoga?", "If we have to have faith, is yoga then not a religion?".... I can't get into or discuss this yet as, it all depends. (I should also note that when you don't know the answer, It All Depends, is the right answer)
Let's look at the physical pratice we learned today. Our focus was on Muscle Energy today, Muscle energy is when you draw your muscles from the outside into one of the three focal points in your body, it is a movement of out to in. We learned to refine the four poses, Tadasana, Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana and Virabradrasana II (Hope I spelt all those right). The biggest learning and struggle today was finding the sacrum and arching it to create a curve in the lower back. Not to be confused with arching your kidney and T12 bone in the back, which in the long term can do the opposite of opening you. This will take patience and practice to get it. The good was that I could keep my arms in the right form during this exercise AND I managed to get through all the crazy things we did with the block today and it was FUN!
To teach yoga is to share knowlegde, it is to observe your students and refine their poses with simple, accurate instructions. I never realised how difficult and how much preparation went into it, until today! So without the use of my notes, I am going to write up a TRY THIS for you, if you're up for it!
Try This: Tadasana (Mountain Pose: looks easy. It isn't!)
Stand with your feet parallel
Aligning the base of your second toe to the centre of your ankle
Ground your feet heavy into the ground as if you have roots that stretch into the earth you stand on
Keep your legs straight
Imagine your leg muscles pulling up and tight like you're putting on really tight, tights.
Inhale and draw your Chest and shoulders up to your ears and back until your shoulder blades are flat on your back (it may feel funny but THIS is opening. It pushes your heart forward, open!)
Arch your lower back to also help with opening
Now put your palms together in a prayer in front of your heart.
How did it go? Could you follow these and did they make sense? Let me know!
Time to study, wash up and have another spectacular sleep and wake up to life!
I'd like to take a moment to rewind and share a few yoga facts with you:
- Yoga is a harmony, a union of your individual self (which makes you unique) and the universal self (the source from where we ALL come from) pretty cool, huh?
- Yoga was established about 1600 years ago as a formal tradition.
- There are more people practicing yoga in the entire world than in India.
- Though Classical and Advaita Vedanta yoga existed before, we now practice a form of yoga known as Tantra
- Tantra yoga (Tan= Expand, Tra=an instrument) is to expand ourselves, to integrating everything together so that we can look for the good.
The class during lecture and discussion was very philosophical today with questions like, "Why was yoga not made into a religion?", "Why don't we practice Classical yoga?", "If we have to have faith, is yoga then not a religion?".... I can't get into or discuss this yet as, it all depends. (I should also note that when you don't know the answer, It All Depends, is the right answer)
Let's look at the physical pratice we learned today. Our focus was on Muscle Energy today, Muscle energy is when you draw your muscles from the outside into one of the three focal points in your body, it is a movement of out to in. We learned to refine the four poses, Tadasana, Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana and Virabradrasana II (Hope I spelt all those right). The biggest learning and struggle today was finding the sacrum and arching it to create a curve in the lower back. Not to be confused with arching your kidney and T12 bone in the back, which in the long term can do the opposite of opening you. This will take patience and practice to get it. The good was that I could keep my arms in the right form during this exercise AND I managed to get through all the crazy things we did with the block today and it was FUN!
To teach yoga is to share knowlegde, it is to observe your students and refine their poses with simple, accurate instructions. I never realised how difficult and how much preparation went into it, until today! So without the use of my notes, I am going to write up a TRY THIS for you, if you're up for it!
Try This: Tadasana (Mountain Pose: looks easy. It isn't!)
Stand with your feet parallel
Aligning the base of your second toe to the centre of your ankle
Ground your feet heavy into the ground as if you have roots that stretch into the earth you stand on
Keep your legs straight
Imagine your leg muscles pulling up and tight like you're putting on really tight, tights.
Inhale and draw your Chest and shoulders up to your ears and back until your shoulder blades are flat on your back (it may feel funny but THIS is opening. It pushes your heart forward, open!)
Arch your lower back to also help with opening
Now put your palms together in a prayer in front of your heart.
How did it go? Could you follow these and did they make sense? Let me know!
Time to study, wash up and have another spectacular sleep and wake up to life!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Day One, an entry had to be done!
Going to school on the first day is always a little nerve wrecking. When you don't have your mommy to help pack your lunches, snacks, clothes, books and water bottle, it can be extra over whelming.
Lucky for me, my mom trained me well to organize myself. Unluckily, that initial anxiousness of "are my yoga pants on right? Did I read the right books? Will my classmates like me?" can never be fully avoided.
From 7-9 there were about 80 sisters and brothers practicing yoga together and it was such a great energy over looking the HK Island skyline and a bright rainbow outside our window. This can be summarized into my favourite lesson learned today, Auspiciousness- a synchronicity of a series of things all happening at once, in harmony.
After an hour break in the morning session, 32 of us trainee teachers grouped back together to learn, my second favourite thing today. In the practice of Anusara Yoga, we form a Kula "a family within the community. we all have the same underlying understanding of why we are practicing" I'll never tell what this is, you'll have to take a class or two to find out. Better yet, DO IT! I am a member at Pure Yoga Hong Kong which currently has one of the world's most experienced Anusra Yoga Teachers and other yoga teachers that are all equally knowledgeable in different studies of yoga, compassionate and friendly! So you don't have to be afraid, just step onto a mat and give it a go!
The physical practice today and I'm sure for the week was very basic but so necessary to learn the right alignment in the body and how to teach those alignments in our future classes. The smallest of progress is a step towards freedom and today my progress was that I held my handstand on my own for a few seconds and it was a moment of complete clarity and calmness inside. I wasn't thinking, "Am I doing this right?" I was just doing it in the SAT (the reality and the now in Sanskrit)
My intention was questioned today during the morning session with the trainee group and in this training, I hope that I will be able to bring families in Hong Kong together through the practice of Yoga, having fun and creating a more harmonious family environment. I have found a lot of children here, to be over stimulated and don't spend enough time with their parents. On the other hand, I know some very involved parents who would love to do more things with their children instead of just dropping them off.
Thanks for all the support from my beautiful friends and family around the world and my immediate friends and the two important men in my life in Hong Kong, my Dad and my supportive and unconditionally-loving Ciaran. I've just had a delicious pesto-tofu, salad and brown rice dinner made by my lovely flatmate Sharron. I've packed my lunch for tomorrow and my clothes. I need to study and then sleep like a hibernating bear...zZzZ
Lucky for me, my mom trained me well to organize myself. Unluckily, that initial anxiousness of "are my yoga pants on right? Did I read the right books? Will my classmates like me?" can never be fully avoided.
From 7-9 there were about 80 sisters and brothers practicing yoga together and it was such a great energy over looking the HK Island skyline and a bright rainbow outside our window. This can be summarized into my favourite lesson learned today, Auspiciousness- a synchronicity of a series of things all happening at once, in harmony.
After an hour break in the morning session, 32 of us trainee teachers grouped back together to learn, my second favourite thing today. In the practice of Anusara Yoga, we form a Kula "a family within the community. we all have the same underlying understanding of why we are practicing" I'll never tell what this is, you'll have to take a class or two to find out. Better yet, DO IT! I am a member at Pure Yoga Hong Kong which currently has one of the world's most experienced Anusra Yoga Teachers and other yoga teachers that are all equally knowledgeable in different studies of yoga, compassionate and friendly! So you don't have to be afraid, just step onto a mat and give it a go!
The physical practice today and I'm sure for the week was very basic but so necessary to learn the right alignment in the body and how to teach those alignments in our future classes. The smallest of progress is a step towards freedom and today my progress was that I held my handstand on my own for a few seconds and it was a moment of complete clarity and calmness inside. I wasn't thinking, "Am I doing this right?" I was just doing it in the SAT (the reality and the now in Sanskrit)
My intention was questioned today during the morning session with the trainee group and in this training, I hope that I will be able to bring families in Hong Kong together through the practice of Yoga, having fun and creating a more harmonious family environment. I have found a lot of children here, to be over stimulated and don't spend enough time with their parents. On the other hand, I know some very involved parents who would love to do more things with their children instead of just dropping them off.
Thanks for all the support from my beautiful friends and family around the world and my immediate friends and the two important men in my life in Hong Kong, my Dad and my supportive and unconditionally-loving Ciaran. I've just had a delicious pesto-tofu, salad and brown rice dinner made by my lovely flatmate Sharron. I've packed my lunch for tomorrow and my clothes. I need to study and then sleep like a hibernating bear...zZzZ
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Every journey starts with a step...
There is one day to go before I start my journey into Anusara Yoga Teacher Training at Pure Yoga with Patrick Creelman alongside my yoga teacher Lawrence P.
Over the past year or so, the physical practice of yoga has taken over my life and it made sense to take the T.T. to further and deepen my understanding of what it means. Yoga literally is to balance. But to balance life living in a city such as Hong Kong seems impossible doesn't it? Maybe, but for me, finding a balance between work, family, friends, food and yoga has become more balanced since practicing yoga. There is a calmness you find inside and it can get you through even the shittiest of days, stuck in the yellow rain, chasing taxis up and down the street. I hope that through this blog I will be able to share some knowledge of what I'm learning and to pay love forward.
The training will take place over the next three weeks and every 6th day we have a day off to recharge. The first thing I've done is change my diet. To open and become in harmony with yourself you have to cleanse. To learn compassion you can start by eating, dare I say the V word... Vegan! At first I was more concerned with the health issues that would come about but after talking with one of my teachers Joakim and my very good friend Anna, Vegans can obtain all the nutrition they need through mother nature's greens. The more raw food you eat, the less you eat because they're dense and packed with goodness. As for vitamins, the only supplement I will be taking during my training will be Spirulina. I already take one Vitamin C tablet daily. The two videos that really made an impact are wwww.meat.org which shows the ins and outs of meat farmers and how cruel they treat the meat we eat. The second video is on YouTube,
The Best Speech You Will Ever Hear. Gary Yourofsky is an advocate for veganism and preaches it like it is. He wants to turn you, but if he fails at that, I promise, you will at least become more knowledgeable in what you are eating at your sunday roast. Be warned, this video is an hour long but so informative! I've become more sensitive to the footprint I am leaving by what I eat. I can't say I will cut meat out completely for the rest of my life, but if and when I eat it, I will make sure it is 100% ethically reared. In Hong Kong, the best sources for chicken and meat come from Brazil (where they have lots of room to run and grow properly) and Australia (where regulations are strict). Remember, you ARE what you eat. Be compassionate and give thanks when you sit down at a meal.
So, this is my first step into a journey inwards, I've my ten sets of yoga gear ready to go, water bottle, vegan dumplings made in the freezer, Veggie burgers, tofu balls (thank you Sharron) and soba noodles all ready for the first five days. I can't say I'll be updating everyday but I will every 6th day when I am off and keep you all in the know of how it is going mentally, physically, spiritually.
May today bring you Music, Dance, Love and Laughter
Dee
Over the past year or so, the physical practice of yoga has taken over my life and it made sense to take the T.T. to further and deepen my understanding of what it means. Yoga literally is to balance. But to balance life living in a city such as Hong Kong seems impossible doesn't it? Maybe, but for me, finding a balance between work, family, friends, food and yoga has become more balanced since practicing yoga. There is a calmness you find inside and it can get you through even the shittiest of days, stuck in the yellow rain, chasing taxis up and down the street. I hope that through this blog I will be able to share some knowledge of what I'm learning and to pay love forward.
The training will take place over the next three weeks and every 6th day we have a day off to recharge. The first thing I've done is change my diet. To open and become in harmony with yourself you have to cleanse. To learn compassion you can start by eating, dare I say the V word... Vegan! At first I was more concerned with the health issues that would come about but after talking with one of my teachers Joakim and my very good friend Anna, Vegans can obtain all the nutrition they need through mother nature's greens. The more raw food you eat, the less you eat because they're dense and packed with goodness. As for vitamins, the only supplement I will be taking during my training will be Spirulina. I already take one Vitamin C tablet daily. The two videos that really made an impact are wwww.meat.org which shows the ins and outs of meat farmers and how cruel they treat the meat we eat. The second video is on YouTube,
The Best Speech You Will Ever Hear. Gary Yourofsky is an advocate for veganism and preaches it like it is. He wants to turn you, but if he fails at that, I promise, you will at least become more knowledgeable in what you are eating at your sunday roast. Be warned, this video is an hour long but so informative! I've become more sensitive to the footprint I am leaving by what I eat. I can't say I will cut meat out completely for the rest of my life, but if and when I eat it, I will make sure it is 100% ethically reared. In Hong Kong, the best sources for chicken and meat come from Brazil (where they have lots of room to run and grow properly) and Australia (where regulations are strict). Remember, you ARE what you eat. Be compassionate and give thanks when you sit down at a meal.
So, this is my first step into a journey inwards, I've my ten sets of yoga gear ready to go, water bottle, vegan dumplings made in the freezer, Veggie burgers, tofu balls (thank you Sharron) and soba noodles all ready for the first five days. I can't say I'll be updating everyday but I will every 6th day when I am off and keep you all in the know of how it is going mentally, physically, spiritually.
May today bring you Music, Dance, Love and Laughter
Dee
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