A Short Time

Its been a few weeks since I published my last "real" blog. In the back of my mind there is this nagging voice, calling me lazy. Maybe the voice is right, but for the past week I have been searching for something meaningful to share. Lots of quick ideas have been bouncing around in my head, but nothing I could easily elaborate on.

I want these blogs to have meaning, and direction. I want them to help, inspire and educate people.

Eventually, this may take me in the direction of a video blog, or maybe I will just share written Asanas with photos, but I need to remain focused on the now.

In just a few weeks, I have learned many personal lessons:

I went without a real Asana practice for 3 days, and the negative effects of this were extremely aparent to me by the beginning of the 2nd day. I was tired, stiff, felt off balance mentally and physically just to name a few observations.

I hadn't drank in a long time and I had a few alcoholic beverages at over the weekend apparently my new pure body no longer has a tolerance for alcohol after having only a few drinks my stomach was in knots. I'll stick to the occasional glass of wine if anything at all.

I did my first hour long Asana the practice in complete silence. I shoved earplugs into my ears and listened to my breath alone. It was truly wonderful. Each breath cleansing my body.

Never, in my life have I been a spiritual person, but there is something unexplainable growing in my practices. Its a connection between something higher, and myself. I feel it. My mind, body, and "it" are swirling together. By the end of my practice I am filled with "good vibrations," complete relaxation, and clarity. Balanced. Complete. Free. Strong words that still don't do justice to the way I feel.

This journey is full of endless lessons and rewards. The only real question is, "what's next?" I am looking forward to many great discoveries along the way... life really is about the journey.

Dinner

Modification of the following recipe:

The Very Popular…Moni’s Quinoa Mac N’ Cheese | MoniMeals

Sitting at the Edge of My Mat

Sitting on my ankles at the edge of my mat. I breathe in, drawing a slow, controlled, breath through my nose. Exhale. My breath continues, steadily, bringing life to my muscles with my movements.

I move into Balasana, bringing my shoulders down towards floor. In this posture I humbly bow down, promising to give respect my body throughout my practice.

The next inhalation carries me to my knees. Before I am able to form a thought, I am arched backwards into Ustrasana, lifting blissfully, grateful for the multiple openings in my body. This pose is so liberating, that I continue enjoying it for several breaths, stretching deeper, and deeper.

Eventually, I feel the urge to continue further down to the floor towards Kapotāsana, a pose I have been working towards for a quite a while. Lately I have been coming very close and can see undeniable proof that, with reasonable effort, anything can be accomplished. Today, the Pigeon is my friend. Almost there, I can grasp my toes with the tips of my fingers. I stay reaching, respectively, towards this boundary, smiling because I know this one will be mine soon

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I make my way out, stopping to revisit Ustrasana on my way into Cat and Cow. Flexing up and down, relaxing and releasing, with my breath.

As I sink through Kumbhakasana, flowing into Chaturanga Dandasana, I realize the Sanskrit pose names are dancing along in my head, mirroring my movements, replacing all other thoughts. 

I hold myself just inches off the floor, for a breath or two, before finally lifting into Downward Facing Dog, rolling over my toes on the way into the posture. Downward Dog, or Adho Mukha Svanasana, still comes to mind in plain English. It always feels so welcoming, like a friend saying, "Hello, welcome home. Its good to see you!" I move through several variations, stretching my legs, chest, and shoulders, before jumping my legs up for a forward fold. 

I squish my ear-buds firmly into my ears so that they don't fall out during the next sequence. The calm, acoustic, harmony helps to keep the tempo of my breath.

I close my eyes, lost both in music and in breath, allowing myself to plunge further into Uttanasana, before continuing on with several Sun Salutations.

For the next hour I find myself lost in a twisting, winding, free flowing, dance, moving in complete relaxation from one posture to the next.  

Before I know it, I am sinking from Halasana  into Savasana, listening to the last minutes of a captivating melody. A woman is singing, her voice radiant  in a foreign tongue, and though I do not understand her words, my body is singing right along with her, joyfully. 

Teachers

Being a teacher doesn't mean spending thousands of dollars on a fancy education. Being a teacher can be as simple as being a positive role model, and setting a good example.

Teachers must also not forget to be learners, because no matter how much you know, learning is endless. All of us are students in life, learning lessons every day.

Teaching is a wonderful way for us to give something positive back.All of us can be teachers. Just imagine how amazing the world could be if we had more teachers?

I have had the privilege of knowing some amazing teachers who have inspired and encouraged me in many unique ways.

Thank you to all those amazing teachers, who have helped to shape who I am.

Inspiration for your weekend

Happy Friday something to think about over the weekend.

"All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives."

Dalai Lama

Different

Recently a lot of people have been commenting that there is something different about me. Most of them are not sure what has changed. Maybe its my hair, or that I am no longer caking my face over with pounds of makeup, but maybe there is more to it than that. I do feel different,  but for some reason it still surprises me that other people can tell is well.

Before changing my lifestyle I was:

• chronically tired - sometimes drinking a pot of coffee or more in an 8 hour work day
• in love with candy and junk food
• anxious and easily over excited
• I stressed out over  stupid little things, that usually worked themselves out anyway
• obsessed with climbing the corporate ladder
• I had the tendency to worry over people pleasing 

Now:

• I have plenty of energy and stay up 2 hours later everyday, and have no need for coffee
• eating all natural organic foods, and no longer like the taset of junk food - fruit is candy
• I am calm, collected, clear, and enjoy to going with the flow
• I stop and think before I get stressed out over things quickly realizing things will be okay
• I wouldn't mind getting a raise are climbing up the ladder at work but I'm content where I am now.
• I don't feel like I have to prove myself to anyone

These lists really could go one and on. 

Just a few encouraging observations, that I thought I would share.

If you are thinking about taking the plunge into a deep yoga study and practice, what is stopping you? Just go for it. Its worth it. YOU are worth it!

Before you know it you will be reflecting on the positive changes yoga gas helped you to bring into your life.

Acro Dreams

I started Yoga because I wanted to have a good foundation for Partner Acrobatics. This is me and one of my closest friends, Tyrone Chuang, in April 2011. It was the first time I did Acro in front of a large audience. The intense one month long, last minute practice prompted me to take my yoga to the next level.

I was very pleased with this video at the time, but still saw room for improvement.

I am posting this because marks a major turning point in my life.  Hopefully I can get something more current up soon.

Journey to What is Natural

Today I would like to share a great quote.  The first time I came across this one I thought it was one of the cheesiest, but things change.  Now I recall it with fondness, and it might even be one of my favorites.

"You cannot do yoga.  Yoga is your natural state.  What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state". 

- Sharon Gannon (a founder of Jivamukti Yoga)

I don't even know how to explain it, this might be one of the truest quotes I've ever come across regarding yoga.

The yoga exercises  referred to in the quote are asanas, which you can do, but after practicing yoga as a whole, it becomes who you are, feeling natural, and then there is this realization, that its the way you were meant to be all along, or at least that is the best interpretation I can give. Even that sounds a little silly to me.

Like many things I have learned in my studies, this quote is just extremely difficult for me to explain. I'm not sure yoga is something you can explain, especially to somebody who's not there.

People tried explain lots of things to me early on in my yoga journey that, at the time, made almost no sense, but now, in reflection, I am finding that I understand completely.

The journey for knowledge is endless, and ever growing.