It's been nearly two months since the Anusara Yoga TT ended. I have been quickly, quietly studying on my own and trying to set up a program for atheletes.
I have to say it has not been an easy process but it has definitely been worthwhile and over and over the universe has surprised me with opportunities and meetings with the right people and the right time. It was as if I literally said out loud, "I need a blue apple" and BOOM, the next day, there'd be someone with a blue apple. I don't believe in coincidences, I believe that it's all a part of knowing you're on the right path. Living out Sva Dharma. Currently, I'm teaching from home to a handful of people who are athletes and non, with and without injuries and studying their progress, emotions and injuries. It's great to have friends who are willing to suffer, sweat and stay in poses for me to align, adjust and appreciate their forms. THANK YOU!
So I am just awaiting now for that one last email to say YAY to mats and we can finally start some yoga classes for well deserving athletes, who with better alignment, will play a better game!
Life in general since training has been great and I have continued to practice 4-5 days a week in the studio and at home. It is so important to keep going back and re reading all the material I've learned. It's beginning to be sticky as I teach it to others. In three weeks time I will be heading to Singapore, a little in the red, but well worth it to take some time out of HK and a therapy training!
This past month a great leader in Canada fell ill and passed away, Jack Layton not only fought for an equal and one world, he had humour and left us with this...
My Dear Friends,
Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.
R.I.P. Jack Layton
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The end is only the beginning
The final week of training definitely flew by as we were all feeling emotions roller coaster their way through our veins. Kula brothers and sisters were going to be leaving, one announced her pregnancy to the group (hurray!) and some of us were unsure what we were going to do with this training once it finished.
Our second last day (Saturday the 9th) was one of the most freeing practices I have ever had to date and it was like dancing through our asanas. It was also the most emotional of all days as we ended Jerry and Sarah shared some beautiful music at the end of the day, bringing us to tears. Music, mantras, Kirtin yoga can have such a profound effect on the inner body and you become more balanced and aware of your surrounding. The last day was a fun filled three hour practice followed by our graduation ceremony, photos and 10 of us watching the sunset at South Bay.
So the real yoga is beginning now, as we step back into our "old lives" before teacher training. One thing that I am happy to say is that I have been sticking with my old routine of daily practice and now I can offer help in class when we do partner work with more confidence, knowing that whoever I am helping will be safe. On the everyday yoga, I am becoming more aware to my emotions as they arise without letting them take over and staying in the vibration "spanda" of life.
Today I had the pleasure of practicing for the first time with Ciaran and with Teacher Lawrence. I was also pleasantly surprised to see my friend Pea join the studio and take her fourth yoga class. It was such a fun class that I was on (and still am) a high and buzz! I was partnered up with a student today that gave me a taste of what it's really like to teacher yoga to non-yoga-teacher-trainee students. Challenging!!! But also a great way to learn how to refine my own teaching language at the same time. She got up into a forearm balance (even if her legs were draped over my shoulders and her head, shoulders, arms were all splaying out below her)... I just brought her down and focused on the foundation... always go back to the foundation.
I am back to work now but hopefully I will be able to share my knowledge with sports teams and athletes who want to learn how to align their body, muscles and energy to attain their full potential. On the other hand, I am going to take my next training for children's yoga. Children are a reminder that we are all born yogis and in our asana, we can have vibrant bodies, sharp minds and soft hearts and have fun! I am back to work and so happy to be with my little students again as they bring me light everyday that I am with them and I am so humbled to be able to share knowledge with them and watch them succeed and grow, mentally and physically.
Today's lesson from class: Upeksha to have an elevated view, to be able to see what we need more or less of without becoming too attached to it. I needed more organic energy today in my poses and when I did, I opened to the full expressions of my poses.
Thank you to everyone who has been a supporter along the way of my journey on this path and for following the blog! I will keep updating weekly, sharing what I've been learning and what I have learned. I hope you will keep reading and leave me any questions or comments.
Our second last day (Saturday the 9th) was one of the most freeing practices I have ever had to date and it was like dancing through our asanas. It was also the most emotional of all days as we ended Jerry and Sarah shared some beautiful music at the end of the day, bringing us to tears. Music, mantras, Kirtin yoga can have such a profound effect on the inner body and you become more balanced and aware of your surrounding. The last day was a fun filled three hour practice followed by our graduation ceremony, photos and 10 of us watching the sunset at South Bay.
So the real yoga is beginning now, as we step back into our "old lives" before teacher training. One thing that I am happy to say is that I have been sticking with my old routine of daily practice and now I can offer help in class when we do partner work with more confidence, knowing that whoever I am helping will be safe. On the everyday yoga, I am becoming more aware to my emotions as they arise without letting them take over and staying in the vibration "spanda" of life.
Today I had the pleasure of practicing for the first time with Ciaran and with Teacher Lawrence. I was also pleasantly surprised to see my friend Pea join the studio and take her fourth yoga class. It was such a fun class that I was on (and still am) a high and buzz! I was partnered up with a student today that gave me a taste of what it's really like to teacher yoga to non-yoga-teacher-trainee students. Challenging!!! But also a great way to learn how to refine my own teaching language at the same time. She got up into a forearm balance (even if her legs were draped over my shoulders and her head, shoulders, arms were all splaying out below her)... I just brought her down and focused on the foundation... always go back to the foundation.
I am back to work now but hopefully I will be able to share my knowledge with sports teams and athletes who want to learn how to align their body, muscles and energy to attain their full potential. On the other hand, I am going to take my next training for children's yoga. Children are a reminder that we are all born yogis and in our asana, we can have vibrant bodies, sharp minds and soft hearts and have fun! I am back to work and so happy to be with my little students again as they bring me light everyday that I am with them and I am so humbled to be able to share knowledge with them and watch them succeed and grow, mentally and physically.
Today's lesson from class: Upeksha to have an elevated view, to be able to see what we need more or less of without becoming too attached to it. I needed more organic energy today in my poses and when I did, I opened to the full expressions of my poses.
Thank you to everyone who has been a supporter along the way of my journey on this path and for following the blog! I will keep updating weekly, sharing what I've been learning and what I have learned. I hope you will keep reading and leave me any questions or comments.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
God gives us the ingredients, we do the cooking!
This week's theme really dug deep into the core of the soul. It's always easier in a class setting, surrounded by 33 other yogis to say yes and stay positive. But when you leave the safety of your studio, that's when the real test comes!
We were asked what things we did outside of our inner lives that simply made the world a better place or rather, Hong Kong an even better place to live in. I shared that when it rains, often when I have time (usually going home) I offer my umbrella to a stranger and walk them to where they need to go so they can stay dry. I hope my small gesture will make you feel a little lighter next time the rain warnings arise. Getting angry at the person who knocked their umbrella on you doesn't make you feel good, so, why not think of the rain as a beautiful time to splash around in the city, share the experience with a complete stranger! The effect is obvious, they feel grateful for your help and you feel good that you could help and wanted to. That's the key, you don't always want to do what's right, but you should...at the very least, try.
Dharma, Arta, Kama, Moksha reveal the cycle of life we are all embarking on. (Sometimes, we take the wrong turns, that's all). Dharma is the path of nature, our duties in our occupations to fulfil these in order to obtain Arta (wealth, resources, material things. Naturally, from having resources, we can obtain Kama or pleasure and fulfil our sensory desires (a car, a home, an ice cream, music, the scent of popcorn just opened from the microwave). Finally from fulfiling these sensory desires, we gain Moksha, freedom! However, I find that we often fall off the track from our dharmic path. It's a mortal fulfilment to work towards a material good, but we shouldn't forget that there is also an eternal fulfilment if we can liberate those around us in our freedom and achievments.
We started our disection of the Bhagavad Gita this week too. I found it very useful to know the history of where it came from. Although it started from a Hindu religion (breaking off into buddhism and jainism), the Gita shouldn't be recognized as a religious text. It is a beautifully written metaphor about the battles we all have within ourselves everyday. If we realize and really live into how beautiful the divine or God (from a spiritual point) can be, we will start to live with a fuller heart and lighter take on life. It is a lot easier said than done! After lecture this week we had a shorter lunch as we were having a shorter day. I was meant to meet Ciaran and his family and my friend Jay for lunch, after calling and calling and not getting through, I went to the restaurant to look for them only to find a big line of people and a full restaurant with no one I was looking for in sight. In my rush, the feeling of my inner self going into a fluster, I took a minute after meeting Ciaran and his family to remind myself that THIS MOMENT IS THE TEST...taking a deep breath as I walked ahead I told myself that I still had 45 minutes to enjoy the lunch and though I couldn't stay as long as I hoped, I still had the time. I thoroughly enjoyed it too because I had forgotten to bring breakfast that day. Imagine if I stayed flustered and anxious during lunch, it wouldn't have been enjoyable for me or for my beloved guests!
We all have the ability to control how we react, how we feel and how we want to live this life. God gave us the ingredients to do it, all we have to do is figure out how to put it together to make something delicious!
A few insights this week (as my friend Jenny would call it, bumper sticker style)
We all have setbacks in life, in all areas imaginable, but if we recognize them and fight through them with grace, it will set us up for a greater comeback!
Be sensitive with others hearts, be open with yours and maybe we can all begin to connect a little deeper and we can stop feeling alone. Afterall, aren't we all connected to the same source?
If you let the single sesame seed on your salad plate ruin your entire meal, you'd miss out on the fresh crisp greens, sweet tomatoes, cooling cucumbers and the person sitting in front of you who was waiting to tell you how much they love you. In another context, if you let one major setback drive you to sign divorce papers, did you forget about the love you shared and invested in for years that made your children, your family?
Can you observe the moment you're in right now and celebrate it fully or can you only celebrate the biblical moments of life?
That's all for now, as I embark on the last week of teacher training with an amazing group of people. They have become my family and I am so greatful for the opportunity to share our deepest thoughts, insights and learn with them. Shine from within and it will shine out! I promise!
We were asked what things we did outside of our inner lives that simply made the world a better place or rather, Hong Kong an even better place to live in. I shared that when it rains, often when I have time (usually going home) I offer my umbrella to a stranger and walk them to where they need to go so they can stay dry. I hope my small gesture will make you feel a little lighter next time the rain warnings arise. Getting angry at the person who knocked their umbrella on you doesn't make you feel good, so, why not think of the rain as a beautiful time to splash around in the city, share the experience with a complete stranger! The effect is obvious, they feel grateful for your help and you feel good that you could help and wanted to. That's the key, you don't always want to do what's right, but you should...at the very least, try.
Dharma, Arta, Kama, Moksha reveal the cycle of life we are all embarking on. (Sometimes, we take the wrong turns, that's all). Dharma is the path of nature, our duties in our occupations to fulfil these in order to obtain Arta (wealth, resources, material things. Naturally, from having resources, we can obtain Kama or pleasure and fulfil our sensory desires (a car, a home, an ice cream, music, the scent of popcorn just opened from the microwave). Finally from fulfiling these sensory desires, we gain Moksha, freedom! However, I find that we often fall off the track from our dharmic path. It's a mortal fulfilment to work towards a material good, but we shouldn't forget that there is also an eternal fulfilment if we can liberate those around us in our freedom and achievments.
We started our disection of the Bhagavad Gita this week too. I found it very useful to know the history of where it came from. Although it started from a Hindu religion (breaking off into buddhism and jainism), the Gita shouldn't be recognized as a religious text. It is a beautifully written metaphor about the battles we all have within ourselves everyday. If we realize and really live into how beautiful the divine or God (from a spiritual point) can be, we will start to live with a fuller heart and lighter take on life. It is a lot easier said than done! After lecture this week we had a shorter lunch as we were having a shorter day. I was meant to meet Ciaran and his family and my friend Jay for lunch, after calling and calling and not getting through, I went to the restaurant to look for them only to find a big line of people and a full restaurant with no one I was looking for in sight. In my rush, the feeling of my inner self going into a fluster, I took a minute after meeting Ciaran and his family to remind myself that THIS MOMENT IS THE TEST...taking a deep breath as I walked ahead I told myself that I still had 45 minutes to enjoy the lunch and though I couldn't stay as long as I hoped, I still had the time. I thoroughly enjoyed it too because I had forgotten to bring breakfast that day. Imagine if I stayed flustered and anxious during lunch, it wouldn't have been enjoyable for me or for my beloved guests!
We all have the ability to control how we react, how we feel and how we want to live this life. God gave us the ingredients to do it, all we have to do is figure out how to put it together to make something delicious!
A few insights this week (as my friend Jenny would call it, bumper sticker style)
We all have setbacks in life, in all areas imaginable, but if we recognize them and fight through them with grace, it will set us up for a greater comeback!
Be sensitive with others hearts, be open with yours and maybe we can all begin to connect a little deeper and we can stop feeling alone. Afterall, aren't we all connected to the same source?
If you let the single sesame seed on your salad plate ruin your entire meal, you'd miss out on the fresh crisp greens, sweet tomatoes, cooling cucumbers and the person sitting in front of you who was waiting to tell you how much they love you. In another context, if you let one major setback drive you to sign divorce papers, did you forget about the love you shared and invested in for years that made your children, your family?
Can you observe the moment you're in right now and celebrate it fully or can you only celebrate the biblical moments of life?
That's all for now, as I embark on the last week of teacher training with an amazing group of people. They have become my family and I am so greatful for the opportunity to share our deepest thoughts, insights and learn with them. Shine from within and it will shine out! I promise!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Half way there, with presents!
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?
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?
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!
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