Addictions, am letting you go!

Whoo! Am back!

Haven't been logging into my blog for a while since the very last post on headstand. I've been trying to juggle my schedule; receiving messages from clients returning to town, up & ready to be back on the mat! 

Been attending Hindi classes, and the homework more, and my tongue seems to tangle between English, Mandarin, Singlish, Hindi and some other dialects...

I bumped into many people, who i did not remember. Couple of previous clients i once taught them, are appearing in front of me again. The lady who was in my very first pre-natal class ( and later she gave birth, so i could not recognized her at all) who later was sitting beside me cleaning up her nails in the manicure shop--- TWICE!! The expat housewife who i thought of sending her an email, called me up on the same day.

Suddenly, i thought i was experiencing " What's comes around, goes around". Yes, and the world is indeed small; we never know who we'll be meeting on the street in any random day. That's quite a fate right?

The other some stuffs that have really been keeping me busy, rather distracted--- my various addictions! For weeks, i was addicted to the game Temple Run, addicted to Sunsilk Academy show ( introduced by my sis), addicted to a late night Korean Drama ( introduced by my mum); 

Which i feel tired in the day, and then....

addicted to Hot Chocolate ( Starbucks still makes the best Hot Chocolate!) and Peppermint Tea, phew!

I've been surfing these addictions and thought i should calm the waves soon. So, i've decided to let go of the game, and watch half the korean drama... for now. 

Come to think, that we all have all kinds of little addiction at some points of our days. And yes, all of each addiction reflects some unfulfilled issues personally, so we tag on something to at least make us feel better. Being addictive to anything, is not good... i felt that. Its the unwilling to let go, grabbing onto the comfort zone like a koala bear... eventually we'll get drained and tired. 

Other than Hot chocolate and peppermint drink in a cool weather like today, i'm bidding goodbyes to all other addictions;)

What's your addictions now?

A headstand a day, keeps the troubles away!

I fell in love with Shoulder stand ( one reason for my addiction to yoga), till i met the Headstand.
It was name as the King of all poses; one will not believe it until one experience it.

Besides the numerous benefits it offers, i am amazed by the calming effect of the pose. If anyone ask me how to release the tightness wrapping around their head and the tension behind the mask of their face--- i'll recommend the Headstand.

It was a requirement to learn the headstand in order to get certified. Whether its really important, i'm glad my teacher push us to that corner.
Like many people, the thought of getting into that inversion was never possible, never!

I fell many many times, and i learnt to pick up and try again.
I got distracted many may times, and i learnt to focus.
I panicked many many times, and i learnt to be more brave.
I got so frustrated many many times, and i learnt to be patient.

Half way through the course, i saw people flipping up-side down independently... and i was still falling everywhere. As the exam date drew nearer, i got so desperate. I read books and researched on the Youtube, woke up 10 minutes earlier every morning, to at least get use in inversion. I learnt the importance of a good foundation, ground work. Few days before the exam, i got it! Other than being excited, headstand gives me a prolong joy.

While some day can be really draining, when doubts and troubles hit like thunderstorm. The first thing i think of is Headstand. The pose has since become a counselor, a doctor, a teacher, a soulmate that i can connect with. If i have a bad sleep, and a full practice was real challenge.... i will just flip up a headstand.
Allowing the blood to fill up my mind, for at least 5 minutes or 50 breathes; and lie back down for a short relaxation ( the relaxation feel deep and short, but every time when i open my eyes, i realized one hour had passed!) . There is a gradual coolness running under my skin, the calmness in my head that makes it impossible for me to think about anything; but to just lie down and be present.

All problems root from the mind, and shall be dissolve through the mind.

Because... i was distracted.

Something occurred to me when my practice did not happen smoothly as expected, i started to doubt and question myself. The same primary series practice which i've been doing for quite a while, that i could not flick it out of my head; but for the last few weeks, i find it draggy to flow through it. Why?

I became i real blame s**t. I blamed that the drilling in the opposite void deck is too distracting, i blame that the cars along the street, i blamed the garang guni ( rag- and -bone man) should stop shouting for business, i blamed that my body is too heavy....
It was every time when i reach badha konasana Butterfly pose, i got really really distracted, and gave in to the struggle.
Once, i manage to get a quiet two hours slot for my practice; am alone at home, the windows are shut... everything should be quite fine. But no! after the same pose, i realized that the loudest distraction was my mind. Old memories did not only flow, they gushed out... and i watched how it successfully halted me to a stop.

I knew nobody was to blame for the distractions, but myself.
I was actually tired from the same old trick i trick myself into; so, i got off the mat, and went for a cold shower. I talked myself through... for whatever was appearing and happening. It sounds crazy, but i did.
Cold shower really works... try it:)!

This time, i did my practice while my sis was having her dinner. I could hear the clinking of the plates and chomping from her mouth. Hungrily yet peacefully, the practice was breezy that evening:)

Practicing yoga is like reading a worthy book, again and again. The story never change, but in every time you revisit those pages again, you learn something new, gain a different insights.

SunDay= Sunny + Day

When i was young, i always thought Sunday was the last day of the week, & Monday was the beginning of the week. Because i heard how the adults sighed with... " Oh Sunday's ending and Monday is coming..!"
I then realized that Sunday is the beginning of the week.
That sounds so much better, Sunny + Day = SunDay!

Years ago, i blew my Sunday away by tugging under the blanket, and get really lazy the whole day. Which... does made my Monday blues -...-

Have a great kick start in the first day of the week, a celebration of another on- coming week ahead! I spend my sunny time with a group of yogis; i really appreciate the effort they made to climb out of their morning lazy bone, and coming to learn something about themselves every week!

I've a friend said he Grow Fat on Sunday by eating, some exercise to get some fresh air, some catching up their sleep, some doing housework, some packing for short getaway to recharge.... It doesn't matter!
So long as.... the day Ended to Begin a better next!

Differentiate, not Separate.

The very first time when i heard this voice from a podcast, my ears were sort of attracted to it. Who is this man with such a nice voice... it's Deepak Chopra! The way he speaks makes me feels so at ease and grounded, a voice that'll get you want to listen to it more.

i was watching this interview on YouTube by Deepak Chopra, he mentioned " We differentiate, not Separate". He took the example of the function of our body DNA, which every cell is differentiated and allocated to play different roles to create a body; and any separation of the cells... a complete body would not have exists.

Many questions that i did not know i would ever inquiry appears. There are many events, ideas, people and things in our life we do not agree with, that does not runs in line with our own truth, that seems like they are functioning by themselves as a separate entity, that we never would want to deviate our own principle to join them, or having them to disturb us. But it doesn't work this way, living and non- living, every element and atom is responsible for an universe.

Our idea of wanting to separate and break away, is when cruelty and hatred starts; because we did not know how to differentiate. Rather, we draw a line and separate ourselves from those we could not agree with. And because we separate, we unconsciously behave hostility towards them.

Being able to differentiate, is learning to respect every one's presence in this whole space that we are sharing. There are times we're agreeable; eventually when we grow at a different pace, our thoughts have change, our behavior has change, our values are different, we live by different principles, because the truth we sees is not the same anymore.

We move away, from the past and travel to another space that allow us to grow. That doesn't mean we cut off and disregards the past circles. Respect, we learn how to respect different people who takes up  different role at a different time, in the different stage of life at their designated space. Take a zoom out view, we'll see that no matter where we're at, we're co- exist as part of the creation of the whole.