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Beautiful People

Olympics watching after … Yoga

Teaching (I’m just a Sherpa to hold space for safety and guiding along their journey) Sunday yoga at 4:15 is so well timed.  It’s that time dedicated to dealing with the reality of weekend coming to an end and preparing for the start of the week, Monday tomorrow.  Monday to some is dreaded, for some, it’s welcomed, for some, it’s an ambivalence that fluctuates from week to week.  For 75 minutes, purely for self-care, those thoughts, to-do lists, the plans and schedules are left off the mat.  Came home to very light family dinner and to watch figure skating & ice dancing.  Beautiful.

Yuzuru Hanyu to watch out for … Men’s Gold Medalist from 4 years trying to hang on despite a serious right ankle not tendon but ligament injury rumored  … So superhuman that all these skaters (okay, only a few) are nailing quad spins  – I mean, how is that humanly possible without the wear and tear on your joints.  As I thought this, it turns out, it’s very very tough.   It is said when they land on ice after the high jump spins, they sustain 4, 5x their body weight impact.  So imagine, 500+ lbs onto your hips, knees and ankles.  Plus those joints need flexibility (yes, synovial fluids can’t dry up! Can’t be dry and brittle for those smooth graceful fluid movements) as well as the strength.

It is understandable that his passion takes a toll over the years so I suppose, age 23 would be considered a “senior” in such an intense world.   Still, it is crazy that he is made to feel like he’s over the hill after age 20.  Age 23 is quite the senior apparently when the “senior” division starts out at age 15 or younger.  When you see him falling and getting up over and over again – 60 times during one practice (NHK documentar), it’s no longer just about your mind and your will.  Your body may just not cooperate anymore.

So there’s a suspense waiting his appearance as he had gone into hiding, out of public eyes after his last injury that got him hobbling on crutches. Is he all fixed?

In wonder and anticipation all the more, Olympics is inspiring. Especially when you see someone who overcomes limitations and challenges.  Which I hope he does.

If you thought yogis are contortionist, this tops any yogi.  Amazing skater…there’s balance, speed, flexibility, strength, grace and breathtaking … beauty.  Beauty of that very moment.  He has since sustained an ankle injury speculated due to punishing practice to perfect quad spins that took a toll on his body.

& here in Gassho or Anjali mudra … under the biggest pressure, he seems to always carry that air of that special … calm. Intensely focused but … relaxed in a sense of truly embodying his body and mind. He’s in his own bubble of zen … and every hand movement is a choreographed and intentional mudra, if not the whole body.

I’ve read that he practices something likened to yoga to strengthen his mental resilience more than for the physical benefits – and … it shows.

 

 

 

By 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:)