Two things you can't hide from your yoga teacher.

Through the teaching of yoga towards different students, we want to collect as much information as possible from a student in the shortest period-- so as to better understand their actual conditions.

Most of the time, we depends on verbal and visual observations. 

To be very open with the range of students i've encountered, large percentage stands to the area of           " very self- conscious"--- which very few of them are open to their health conditions, their beginner level of practice and to their weaknesses in the class.

I'm not saying that they are lying or hiding it deliberately. Usually its a habitual low level of self awareness that they didn't even realize it.  

Thus, they don't mentioned it, consciously behaved in a conditioned manner throughout the practice--- portraying a "tough" expressions or expressionlessly that they are "alright".

But in most time, which is not the case.

There are two things students can't hide from yoga teachers:

Your breathing pattern don't lie.

However the students try to control their facial expressions, or their body movements--- their irregularity of the breaths leaks out the cat in the bag. Whether you are holding your breathing, or making too much effort in your breath--- your teacher knows it all, just by walking past you.

Because, you can't pretend to be relax till your breaths say so.

A touch says it all.

I love being touch and adjust by teachers during the practice.
Its like an information exchange within that few seconds of contact. A touch determined the decision for me to stay or leave.

I love touching my students too, its a non-verbal yet very accurate way to know and understand their bodies & conditions. The reflex responses is so spontaneous that usually display their real underlying problems ( them.. unknowingly, us.. knowing everything).

Each twitch, each softening and each tension from their muscles--- tell us a lot about them, which can be very useful for both the teacher & students.

Yoga teaching has made me realized not to take things as face- value--- till i experience it myself. 

In the modern society, people habitually tend to hide their real self, and present an "ideal" image of themselves to the peers. And one day, they lost themselves too, for the sake of being too conscious of how people view them. 

When students appear on the yoga mat, there are many things they do not know about themselves in the reality condition. They only recognize themselves in the " ideal" state of self- creation in their little fantasy. So when coming into this practice, some could not handle seeing their own truth. 

Students of the younger age appear to be more open to changes, and let loose to allow whatever the practice has got to offer--- thus making better progression. 

Students of maturity tends to hold back a lot of tension and present a great fear of releasing. 

Which also is a reflection of their mental state of learning--- rigidity. Very much because of years of conditioning from work & peers, they habitually want to take control of every inch of their muscles-- creating more tension.

I've no judgement of anyone, but this place a good observation study for me how we can slowly loose our real selves unconsciously, in the period of us trying to fit into the society through the creation of another pseudo of ourselves. 

Just a little more of everything.

.... As we shed the skin of a kid into running the life of an adult...

i have to agree that it can be quite tiring at times. 

The period when we learn how to pick up responsibility, but

nobody taught us how to put in down. 

.... Ridiculously how we are supposed to follow rules....

yet putting an expectation for out-of- the- box mindset.

The contradiction environment we are living in,

can really tear us apart.

... While being pressured to live in dualities...

We need a little more of every other things.

We need a little more love for ourselves,

and a little more appreciations towards others.

.. a little more silence within us,

and a little more humanity around us.

 .. a little more time of nothingness,

and a little more open to perspectives.

.. a little more sweetness to the morning air,

and a little more of peaceful night sleeps.

..a little more of smiles & eyebrows lifts,

and a little more of uncontrollable laughters. 

..a little more of courage for our dreams,

and a little more faith in the universe.

..a little more strength to move through bad times,

and a little more compassion for yourself.

..a little more deep breaths,

and a little more lightness in our footsteps.

... a little bit more of everything, 

and a little more of happiness everyday. 

Doing the thing you THINK you cannot do!

There come some transitions in the yoga practice that requires one important ingredient: Courage. 

 I come across students, whom already acquired a good level of physical strength, yet not able to transit 
smoothly into he next pose. While they are technically capable, most of the time mentally handicapped--- even in myself. 

Most of the time, the mind had already decided the outcome-- and thus the physical will fulfill the message. When we allow time for fear to set into the mind, we cannot accomplish many things. 

However, when repeatedly learn to bring our focus to the outcome first, the mind will automatically work its way to it. 

And all this, happens in a blink! 

All we need, is a sudden gush of courage, and tell yourself--- Just go!

The same things applies towards many decisions we make in our life.

Recently, i've heard many of my friends around me changing working environment, stepping out of the usual routine to execute their dreams, and who are looking into moving to another stage of their career options. 

I love hearing them making changes, and explore into the unexpected. Because going into the unknown that makes us more alive--- and more courageous.

There's always nothing to lose, because no matter what the outcome is--- we walk through those doors a better person, we learnt something useful. 

A life of appreciations, how's that?

One of the longest and strongest relationship i am in till today is with my personal practice of yoga.

Like many other relationships, this has become my closest and most private friend--- that many times, sailing through heaps of vulnerability with it--- that also makes the relationship getting stronger and stronger each time.

Putting aside the factor of highly challenging physical aspects of the practice, over the years it had taught me so much. Lessons of wordless language--- mostly by observation and experiential. And this, time plays a huge part of it.

Time reveals everything, how true is this. 
Though my daily practice hasn't have much drastic changes, I felt like i've been through waves of evolution within me. I learn to let time unfold what life has to offer, and see things, situations and people in many layers.

Detachement, a big word that has been with me as long as i've been in the practice. What i once understood as, was actually not it should be. As my practice progress, i progress mentally too.

And this, takes time for the experience to fall into place.

Letting go, is probably one of the most difficult word to understand--- forget about even trying to explain it in words. 

As Sri Pattabhi Jois famous quote : Practice, practice, practice and all is coming.
Sometimes, too much words may just hinder the learning process.
One learns the zest of yoga by experience it personally--- therefore the lesson is complete only within each of us.

One of the biggest part of the practice i've learn in recent years is living a life of appreciations. 
I first learn to appreciate myself for making the effort and time into my daily practice. 

Thus i too appreciate the overall health that allows me operate my days and making my dreams come true.

From the seed of appreciation i planted in myself, it slowly grows towards me being grateful for the people who has always been around me--- even the taxi that decided to pick me up whenever i flight along the street.

The last part was probably the slowest, that i extend my appreciation towards situations that got me upset.
In my most difficult times, it take me long long time to make peace with myself and once the wisdom of appreciation sets in, the knots and grasps released and flew away by itself.

Now, i've got more space to contain the better things in life.:)

A short note of Spring: You are never the same person again, ever!

Happy Chinese New Year dearest folks!

Loving how the few gloomy weather had drastically bloomed into Spring on the first day of lunar year. The sun and the warmth, with the gentle wind blowing across the land.

While Shirly too had started going to The Yoga Shala for morning practice with me, its been great for both of us to learn from a common teacher again!

Having the extra morning coffee time to share our thoughts and ideas is a privilege. I guess as the years sail by, we learnt how to priorities and straddle our schedule between teaching and learning---

Thinking back, it was funny how both of us slumped down on the chair all burnt out; or not knowing what to do with too much extra free time. I'm glad that we have been looking out for each other-- so we at least are walking towards a more balanced schedule.

In the recent last few mornings, while having a discussion on how the scene in the yoga industry has move so fast-- which at the same time many practitioners are getting confuse with what the market is offering right now. That has been viewed as a huge fat pie, and everyone trying to get a slice -- particularly towards the flourishing teacher training courses.

Who has been around for long, and who are the opportunist--- the line was pretty clear. While the focus of the practice is moving from spiritually purpose to commercial reasons. 

Innocent deers are lured into this big trendy cave, banging all around the wall... long enough to realized: what they thought was not what it appear to be. Coming out of the cave, more lost.

The more we are expose to the many other versions of true knowledge, the more confusion we experience within--- but, there will come a point of clarity one day. 

                                                                                                                                                               


If we dig long and deep enough, that our hunger for pure knowledge lasted long enough till the impurities to sink down to bottom.

It may seems like we are going one big round, and coming back to the same spot. But to me, this is a necessary process.
 
Shirly mentioned that: Every thing that we have been through, even the smallest sweat, we come out of it, never a same person again. 

Never a lesson would be well learn, until one go through the hassle of learning it himself.

Every door we walk through, even its the same door... but every time we walk through again, we are another person of ourselves.

i've come to realize that we can't really spoon feed a person if one do not know how to open his mouth. Till the hunger is experience, one will naturally open his mouth and feed himself.