Author: Kay T. Ananda

Yoga brings Joy!
Joy to your body, heart, soul and allows your mind to settle all the debris to the bottom of the lake, ripples gently subsides so that like that shining water, your lake in your mind is still and crystal clear. Only then, you can find your truth... when your mind clears and all distractions are gone, leaving you - stillness and clarity. Peace.
Dog is doing yoga all the time and brings you laughs!
Anger is borne out of fear; how do we find that fearless path of inner peace?
Why Bark when you can Wag to express your JOY Joy joy !!!???
無心でしっぽをふる喜びを表すあの子犬のようなJOYを糧に無理ない、各自のコンデイションに寄り添いながらもチャレンジ精神をとりかえす…そんなヨーガを：）
全米ヨガアライアンス公認ヨガ講師養成コース修了、リストラティブヨガ指導者認定登録、アメリカRYT500登録インストラクター、800hrsヨガセラピーIAYT今現在一瞬ThisMoment&NOWをCELEBRATEするカリフォルニア＊ライフ！

帰国子女としてニューヨーク、テヘラン、カリフォルニアと転々、いずれ東京に帰る意識で日本語高等部卒大卒後シリコンバレーにとどまる。ヨガはカリフォルニア州立、バークレー大学時代、ストレス解消に効くと教授に教わり試してみるが... 合わずジャズサイズ、ウェイトトレーニング、エアロビックスのクラスに移転の２０代、３０代、産後、過労で体調を崩し大病も治癒。死ぬかと思った～大病後、久しぶりに足を踏み入れたヨガスタジオのヨガが大学時代のスローでポーズごと器械体操ごとく、つまらなーいヨガとはまったく違い進化していた。流れる踊りの振り付け的なヨガに魅せられる。数々の流派があることを習い、数種類のスタイルを試す。ビクラム、ホット、アイヤンガー、ヴィンヤサ、アシュタンガ・パワー、などなど。数年前サンフランシスコにて、ヨガアライアンス認定インストラクター養成を経て、インストラクター証書習得。同じ年にキッズヨガインストラクター証書ゲット。リストラテイブヨガ、インストラクター認定、陰ヨガのインターン、アシスト後、陰とヴィンヤサ、レギュラーハタクラスを教える。又プライベート、セミプライベートレッスンをクライアントのニーズの合わせ、ヨガセラピストとしてセラピー集中ヨガ提供。その為に２年間のアドバンスコースに挑みｃ－IAYT証書習得！ヨガ療法士としてIAYT(国際ヨガセラピスト協会）認定のヨガセラピスト、C-IAYT(Certified-IAYT) １０年以上、ベイクラブ、ヨガスタジオ、シリコンバレー社などで子育て中週４－５回レギュラーレッスンの講師を務める。３月２０２０にあの頃は最後とは知らずの週２教えていたスタジオにてのインパーソンヨガクラスを後に…遠方介護ニーズとコロナ禍を機に当分はパブリッククラスリードからはリタイア。
自分自身が心と体の調和で得た平穏…日常の小ちゃな事に見出す喜びをヨガ愛好者のどなたとでもと共有できたらと願うばかり。ジョイを共有し、ジョイフルライフを。そう、もし犬に例えるのであれば、恐れや威嚇で吠えまくる犬ではなく、シッポふりふり笑顔で愛と喜びに満ちた心持をヨガを通しシャア。恥じる気持ち等恐れず誰でもできる自身ジョイフルヨガを肝に銘じりたい。LOVE LOVE LOVE:）Shanti Shanti Shanti:)

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Uncategorized

A baby smiles between 50-70 times a day, and a toddler approximately 600 times according to research (!)
I’m sure some of us have asked ourselves where that smile goes.
What robs us of it?

– Goldie Hawn

I had never been a fan of Goldie Hawn, having assumed she’s a ditzy frothy air-headed blonde but I think I was wrong.
Like so many things, things are not as they appear – the proverbial, “never judge a book by its cover” lesson.

Anyway, what’s the answer? It’s a multiple choice test:)

A. Stress
B. Judgement/Prejudice
C. Fear
D. Aging – hardened arteries, hardened heart.
E. None of the Above.
F. All the Above.
G. Some combo – you tell me. Oh, yes, I forgot another one, i.e., “guilt”.

Was a bit surprised with this and took notice of the opener that said the stop will be “brief’… still, impressed with Fukushima version of “Happy”… :

So A-F; Stress; Judgement; Fear; Aging process or that de-ja-vu auto-pilot mode…and maybe feelings of guilt (How could I be smiling when so and so is suffering so much) I believe that with yoga, you can address them all. I feel compelled to share that belief so we can all be more “happy” … and hope that even at times of distress or misery…even in that “mud”, we can appreciate the lotus flower blossoming like a smile.

Categories
Beautiful People Yoga

Yoga in New York:)

Took Jeffrey Villanueva’s class at NYC studio… All levels, all ages welcome? He was very patient and helped two tween kids get into a headstand while I did mine against a wall (which functions as my security blanket – yes, I’ve got it too – the fear of the “fall” – and cervical spine injury, having been rear ended in the 20’s, never been the same – treating my body with TLC) feeling a bit queazy from a subway ride right after breakfast.

I knew he was an excellent teacher but I had no idea he was this kind of a practitioner… quite amazing as I recall crossing this intersection in Times Square – usually there are taxis, buses and trucks nudging close to you; roll down the window shout outs; the honking; the sirens; the congestion; the urban strife… I recall clearly what a mess of an intersection this spot is, with taxi drivers and trucks practically owning the streets with onslaught of people in Manhattan’s theater district (Broadway, Baby:) – it would take quite a courage to just do his thing like this – not getting run over by those yellow cabs rushing the pedestrians. (Note – NO MAT on the asphalt!) Instead of being run over by them, look! (Superman?) He’s flying in Times Square! I attest to the craziness of that place and it’s amazing that with focus, strength and balance, he can just be in his own elements, in his body and practice – a natural- in a chaotic surroundings far from nature. It’s just such an inspiration as this video shows the calm within the turmoil expressed through graceful movement. Sounds contradictory? Calmness within Movement? Stillness in midst of Times Square? Even if us common mortals could never get to this, it’s like watching an Olympic feat or a Wimbleton match – just something to marvel at and appreciate what the body and mind is capable of with enough training, practice and … the will.

Of course when you see something like this, you might think yoga is not for you; it’s too acrobatic – I’m not a gymnast or an acrobat – but no worries. His class is quite not like this at all – yoga is not about being able to do the wow-poses – it’s about the intention…The video just shows what HIS body, with will and dedication is capable of at this snap-shot time and serves as an inspiration of human potential. It’s to inspire you & it is not to make you think – I can’t. Not for you to give-up and shrug, “There’s no fri…n way I can do this!” While your ego may beg to differ, It’s not about that – Once awhile ago, I could not do a certain pose and was getting frustrated with myself to which my instructor said – oh, it’s okay – just know that maybe and maybe not even 1% or less in our population could do it anyway – so it’s okay not to be able to do it of course. Tender smile… THANK YOU! (looking back, it probably saved me from a knee or hip replacement surgery later on) I was about to berate my body for not being able to do it – instead of loving my body for what it can do. In Jeffery’s class, he keeps it to the level of his students, never showing off (would not have known he’s this accomplished until I looked him up wondering if he taught other classes…), always a humble warrior with very beautiful eyes reflecting a very beautiful soul within. That soul happens to be riding in a body that flies with such control and precision. In utter awe…

Categories
Beautiful Places

WONDERLUST!

Squaw valley, Lake Tahoe…

you are water
I’m water
we’re all water in different containers
that’s why it’s so easy to meet
someday we’ll evaporate together
but even after the water’s gone
we’ll probably point out to the containers
and say, “that’s me there, that one.”
we’re container minders
– Yoko Ono (Water Talk, 1967)

Volunteered at Wanderlust and then got to take 3 classes Saturday (here, me the student). Friday, assigned to “yoga rooms”? The yoga “room” assigned to me was not a room per se – it was The High Camp atop the mountain at elevation 8600ft. This yoga “room” was outdoors under a white bright tent atop Squaw Valley with heavenly view – sunny azure sky with fresh exhilarating breeze through your hair… The “room” overlooked the mountain and the valley the arial tram that brought us up. 3 completely different classes with distinctively different instructors (here, me the volunteer assistant) – each was fabulous in his or her own way. I feel lucky to really come in such close contact with some of country’s best yoga teachers and learning from them. There are so many take-aways when you learn from those who are so dedicated.

Beautiful People; Beautiful air; beautiful view… will post photos and description of classes later. Now back to elevation of maybe 40 ft. coming back from 8000 ft. The light-headed-ness, the light-heartedness – the bliss remains or at least the memory of it.

Here back in town, I already miss the crisp alpine infused air of the Sierra mountains – thin oxygen level, yes, due to the altitude but deeper richer quality of that oxygen from all those trees covered mountains … so energizing at the same time – relaxing – it’s a perfect balance where the air energizes you and at the same time, relaxes you. Highly recommended. Anyone will sleep well at night breathing and moving by that beautiful cobalt blue waters of Lake Tahoe. 4 hours drive with no traffic and in my case nearly 6 hours … due to bumper to bumper traffic at couple of bottlenecks … driving can be such a choir… but well worth the trip for yoga & nature lovers, people & tree huggers drawn to that special water of purest clarity. Purest clarity… is found in the crystalline water infused with ripples of light.

Lake Tahoe is located on the western border of Nevada and the eastern border of California. It is central to several National Forests and State Parks. It’s known for its purity and outstanding clarity. One can see objects clearly as deep as 100 feet beneath its surface. This lake has 72 miles of shoreline, with open beaches and shaded, sheltered coves alike.

Tahoe is the largest Alpine Lake in North America, and the second deepest in the United States. It is fed by 63 streams and two hot springs.

The water has a purity level of 99.9%, making it one of the cleanest natural water resources on the planet. It is 22 miles long, and 12 miles wide. The deepest point is 1645 feet, making it the sixteenth deepest lake in the world. The Lake Tahoe Basin floor is at an elevation of approximately 4580 feet.

By Michael Russell