Last year we have David Swenson, and this year we've Kino Macgregor in Singapore. Great for the ashtangis here!
Those where the days when I only get to hear them in podcast, watch them on YouTube and read about them on Yoga Journals. Being able to learn in person, is amazing!
Alright, Kino is probably not only me, but many people's idol. Besides the super-packed studio for her workshops, I prefer the morning Mysore practice-- where it's keep to a maximum of 15 people at any one time.
As we learn new techniques, there are areas we need to re-look into, and re-conditioning of the muscles, to have a more effective practice.
First two days was great, coming to the third day, the area of soreness is spreading.
Amazingly, i started to feel some teeny weeny muscles, there probably has been sleeping for a long time. And now, could not help but to feel the aching each time I move.
The back bends or drop back is a killer. The intensity of the back bends purged out half of my energy. When that last few strong exhales, I sprang up and the only thought was "i need a cup of chai...!"
Just like how iPhone runs out of battery that fast, and need a recharge.
30 April 2012
22 April 2012
Proclaim to reclaim: Fear & Power
I saw this line by Robin Sharma: We reclaim our power by doing what we fear.
Sometimes i think fear is this really irritating, that knows itself as a powerless little creature. In order for it to feel powerful by making others feel smaller. Not because fear has gain any power, it just that it mange to make others feel powerless.
When we choose to ignore fear, hide it or at least keep out of our sight--- fear doesn't seems to go away by itself. It appears in different forms, creeps into us with different approaches, in different situations--- throughout changes.
As we travel through days and time of our life events, fear touch us in various ways. Like a bully in the school--- sometimes they punch us in the face, or even being verbal and mentally abusive. Fears are like the bullies, they make themselves feel "powerful" only through putting their fear into others.
I can be fear-less towards many things, and i am too fear of many. I tried to ignore, or keep far away from me, that i don't even have a chance to accidentally touch it. But, it doesn't go away any further from me either. The biggest fear is when it run after me, at point when i'm not even ready to handle it.
Suffering in silence does no good to anyone. Shouting into the fear does.
Step into the seed of ego and burst it like a balloon, as it vanish into the thin air.
Fighting fear is like muay thai-ing with the bully--- shout, fight, struggle, cry and bleed over it, never stop struggling to breathe the lightness of freedom.
Instead of doing things out of fear, why not--- do to dismiss that fear?
Sometimes i think fear is this really irritating, that knows itself as a powerless little creature. In order for it to feel powerful by making others feel smaller. Not because fear has gain any power, it just that it mange to make others feel powerless.
When we choose to ignore fear, hide it or at least keep out of our sight--- fear doesn't seems to go away by itself. It appears in different forms, creeps into us with different approaches, in different situations--- throughout changes.
As we travel through days and time of our life events, fear touch us in various ways. Like a bully in the school--- sometimes they punch us in the face, or even being verbal and mentally abusive. Fears are like the bullies, they make themselves feel "powerful" only through putting their fear into others.
I can be fear-less towards many things, and i am too fear of many. I tried to ignore, or keep far away from me, that i don't even have a chance to accidentally touch it. But, it doesn't go away any further from me either. The biggest fear is when it run after me, at point when i'm not even ready to handle it.
Suffering in silence does no good to anyone. Shouting into the fear does.
Step into the seed of ego and burst it like a balloon, as it vanish into the thin air.
Fighting fear is like muay thai-ing with the bully--- shout, fight, struggle, cry and bleed over it, never stop struggling to breathe the lightness of freedom.
Instead of doing things out of fear, why not--- do to dismiss that fear?
16 April 2012
Yoga teaching: The Mix and Match
It's always so interesting to hear how students trying to describe their experience, of that connection with themselves. Loss of words, usually the case. But that's a good thing, so long as they are smiling.
I was having a class with this client, the most active pregnant lady i've seen--- happy, cheery and chirpy. Given her growing belly, she always request for a more dynamic practice. She didn't like slow stretches and long breathing.
Once, bothered by her work, her mood was rock- bottom--- stress has taken over her sleeping hours. While walking up the stairs, giving her some time to pour out her troubles; i was thinking of what can i offer to make her feel better. So at least she can get a good sleep in the night.
Instead of giving her favorites challenging physical movements, she was led into a long long breathing practice and followed by a long relaxation. She smiled, for getting a good rest even in that short time; that even the thoughts were still running in her head, but she catches none of those. But she had found a solution to her work problem.
Ironically, the thing we do not prefer to do, are something can really come into use when thought they are not of use. Sometimes, i thought, being a teacher to a student, at that period of time, what can i offer to make them a better person?
Yoga offers so many methods, scientifically, to counter the possible problems that can happen in this universe. Picking those methods from what i have collected and learnt, and matching to the problems that arises.
Giving what's good for them instead of feeding what's nice for them.
I was having a class with this client, the most active pregnant lady i've seen--- happy, cheery and chirpy. Given her growing belly, she always request for a more dynamic practice. She didn't like slow stretches and long breathing.
Once, bothered by her work, her mood was rock- bottom--- stress has taken over her sleeping hours. While walking up the stairs, giving her some time to pour out her troubles; i was thinking of what can i offer to make her feel better. So at least she can get a good sleep in the night.
Instead of giving her favorites challenging physical movements, she was led into a long long breathing practice and followed by a long relaxation. She smiled, for getting a good rest even in that short time; that even the thoughts were still running in her head, but she catches none of those. But she had found a solution to her work problem.
Ironically, the thing we do not prefer to do, are something can really come into use when thought they are not of use. Sometimes, i thought, being a teacher to a student, at that period of time, what can i offer to make them a better person?
Yoga offers so many methods, scientifically, to counter the possible problems that can happen in this universe. Picking those methods from what i have collected and learnt, and matching to the problems that arises.
Giving what's good for them instead of feeding what's nice for them.
12 April 2012
Dissolution brings Solution
Recently, there was this interesting incident...
As i stepped out of the lift, a boy on his bicycle was coming from a short distance towards my direction. He would have time to slow down and stop, or at least a sudden brake before hitting into me. Nope, he did not. When i saw him staring at me, as his face turned into a fearful loss, i waited for him and stopped his bicycle with my hand--- giving him a " jammed brake". I could have shunned off, but i'm pretty sure he's going to crash the wall. But decided not to offer him such a treatment!;)
This would not have happen, if the boy change his direction to the next path earlier on--- he would have ride pass me. Thankfully if not for him, i would not have learnt a little lesson myself:)!
We meet some hurdles, problems, blockages, challenges, walls that block us from moving on... in fact many. Depend on how we wish to view them. For my years of growing, i am learning not to ignore those walls.
Instead, i'm starting to acknowledge their presence. Learning to give glances at the negative that arises, and divert my sight to what can offer a better deals to me. Many times, we want to stare at the problem too long, giving attention to the wrong places, till we get fearful and loss when the problem actually bang hard into our face (like that boy on the bicycle).
Problems arise because answers exist first. But the answers do not lie in the problem, they lie in the questions we are asking. These questions ( self- inquiry) dissolute the layers of doubts, till we pull down the last layer of the veil, and that the solutions lie beyond the problem.
As i stepped out of the lift, a boy on his bicycle was coming from a short distance towards my direction. He would have time to slow down and stop, or at least a sudden brake before hitting into me. Nope, he did not. When i saw him staring at me, as his face turned into a fearful loss, i waited for him and stopped his bicycle with my hand--- giving him a " jammed brake". I could have shunned off, but i'm pretty sure he's going to crash the wall. But decided not to offer him such a treatment!;)
This would not have happen, if the boy change his direction to the next path earlier on--- he would have ride pass me. Thankfully if not for him, i would not have learnt a little lesson myself:)!
We meet some hurdles, problems, blockages, challenges, walls that block us from moving on... in fact many. Depend on how we wish to view them. For my years of growing, i am learning not to ignore those walls.
Instead, i'm starting to acknowledge their presence. Learning to give glances at the negative that arises, and divert my sight to what can offer a better deals to me. Many times, we want to stare at the problem too long, giving attention to the wrong places, till we get fearful and loss when the problem actually bang hard into our face (like that boy on the bicycle).
Problems arise because answers exist first. But the answers do not lie in the problem, they lie in the questions we are asking. These questions ( self- inquiry) dissolute the layers of doubts, till we pull down the last layer of the veil, and that the solutions lie beyond the problem.
05 April 2012
The art of duality
Have you ever get caught into these situations where we eventually... Actually are slapping our own cheeks all the time?
The reason to do something, is the reason we don't do it.
Why the stop of doing something, is the same as when the start of doing it.
The thought of saying 'no' is the same as saying 'yes'. The decision for an entry is indifference for the exit.
Has the reason or intention change? No. Nothing has change, but us listening too much to our mind of analysis.
That's the arts of duality. Beautiful isn't it. It made us contradict ourselves so much that without even us realising it.
Moving to the point equilibrium, removes all dualities. Stay firmness in centered-ness, with the seed of the soul reside.
There are many who likes to swing of the pendulum, to them this is the colour of life. First they love it... Then they stress about it... And later they hate it. Oh! That's another duality in action!
The reason to do something, is the reason we don't do it.
Why the stop of doing something, is the same as when the start of doing it.
The thought of saying 'no' is the same as saying 'yes'. The decision for an entry is indifference for the exit.
Has the reason or intention change? No. Nothing has change, but us listening too much to our mind of analysis.
That's the arts of duality. Beautiful isn't it. It made us contradict ourselves so much that without even us realising it.
Moving to the point equilibrium, removes all dualities. Stay firmness in centered-ness, with the seed of the soul reside.
There are many who likes to swing of the pendulum, to them this is the colour of life. First they love it... Then they stress about it... And later they hate it. Oh! That's another duality in action!
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