Category: Yoga

Categories
Yoga

To Yoga Therapy Teacher Training Weekends

Yoga Philosophy to set the foundation, month one and then now, this month two is all about the body, the physical body with a review of Skeletal System with Tianna Meriage-Reiter DPT, PT, PYT… She is wonderful.  If you are in East Bay area, she would be your go-to Yoga Therapist.  In fact, I would even commute if it were not for the fact that I should be able to treat myself – smile.  All this should be a review of my previous training but sadly… reminded how much I had forgotten.  Review, review, review …

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IMG_2431_02IMG_2429_01IMG_2443_02IMG_2457_02IMG_2477My classmates are soooo cute – and refreshing they are not wearing hip hugging, show all your curves yoga wear but rather …in protest … a onesie!  for comfort and easy mobility and keeping toasty warm this cooooold rainy weekend. A wise choice of yoga wear fashion at times. Isn’t yoga about minimizing external distractions and turning inward to cultivate awareness , quiet the fluctuations of the mind to meet the inner- know-er.  Isn’t it about body-mind awareness in rediscovering that distilled lucidity?  A mirror and body conscious apparel steers you right off our intention to be mind-conscious, if you are the self-conscious, judgmental, highly critical observant type.  But rather if the mirror is all about helping you gain appreciation (not vanity) and acceptance (not self-criticism); or used to awaken (not ignore and delude) and motivate (not self-bash) for betterment – then – no harm.

It’s  “therapeutic” to be with them as we learn all the things that can go wrong with our body, our vessel … unless we approach our practice with sense of humility and respect. We must take good care – Our intentions are pure – we want to bring about relief and healing, approaching our clients with a sense of “ahimsa” – compassion and … again, humility. That is, upon learning all there is to learn and there is so much to learn about our mind and body – we are rather complex.  I would love to forge alliance with the other healthcare professionals, work with them in tandem,  to bring about if not end of suffering, at the very least, alleviation of their suffering.  With tweaked body AND mind, wouldn’t it be nice to just forget about it all and be freed from struggles ?  Yoga Therapy skillfully applied may help.

IMG_2458It’s quite a labyrinth, us humans.  Our body is a cosmic miracle in itself and then there’s the … mind.  It’s a pretty compact container packed full of so many elements that can either promote or hinder health depending on how we use it and then care for it.  So … let’s practice till we get it.

My path towards 800 hrs. Yoga Therapist goes on and on … it’s quite a journey, stopping along the way to  hydrate and nourish our souls …

Categories
Beautiful People Beautiful Rituals Yoga

What’s therapeutic …

I mentioned in the morning yoga class about this – benefit of “OM’ing or chanting – why the sounds can be therapeutic other than for just love of music – well, okay, it’s not even music – sounds – pure sounds, YOUR sounds that creates ripples, vibrations that fills the space —> consciousness. If you can talk, you can make a sound – it does not matter if you can sing or not.  Have you ever been to a Japanese funeral or a temple – there’s a droning buzz created by monks reciting a sutra, mantra … chanting and the air is calm but with quiet … energy.  It’s a BUZZ – a natural high… that stimulates the sense of balance in your ears, your brain …snap crackle and pop! That kind of “clearing” aids our meditation practice.  It “clears” the air as it does your brain fuzz.  In Japan, It is believed to instill supernatural mystic powers …

There’s a well written article to read, rather than merely listening to me muttering (actually doing it:) incessantly about the benefits of meditation (check out this link to Forbes article written by Alice G. Walton, on this fascinating subject) .  Our ancestors designed yoga practice (In places like Japan, yoga landed around 1000 years ago but it did not spread like in the US as a fitness model – now it is) so that we can settle our body first, then mind and that leads to a spiritual awakening.  As for yoga, the following is a good summary:

Here it is.

& interesting what Cate Blanchett shares in an article,  “Cate Blanchett on Wellness” on The Cut dated October 20, 2015

My general health advice is: It’s all about divesting yourself of all these things that we think we need but we don’t. We’re in the process of moving house, and it’s a real gift, in a way, because you shed and you give things to other people. …I would love to find the place where I find the time to exercise because it’s important to have those little rituals and routines throughout the day since days pass so quickly. Someone will say, “What did you do yesterday?” and you really have to think because we don’t in-build those moments to sit down.(my “yoga class”:) My next step is meditation. …I have this very dear friend, one of the best actors in Australia, and he started to meditate a few years ago. I told him I was worried about that because don’t you need to have that slight tension in your body to be onstage? Don’t you need to have a hunger? And he said it actually allows it to be there more. The fact that he said that, I thought, okay, I’ll give it a go.

 THAT’S what I mean.  You don’t have to book formal sessions; you don’t have to sit Zazen although an experienced  “guide” is always helpful so that you can be relieved of that “monkey mind” by simply following the guide until you get  handed off to your own inner-guide; and also that you NOT fall asleep both in your feet (ouch – blood clots – lol) or brain waves-wise .  Incorporate the meditation practice into your yoga practice …THAT to me is the ritual. Yes, you can do it 5 am in the morning alone BUT group yoga class – the energy is sweet.  That’s why I go to a group yoga class even though yes, sure, I can be alone and do it in the confines of one’s own home.  ( which btw also has its benefits if there’s no dog begging for walks, others knocking on the door, phones ringing , ping goes the phone, distractions, distractions) BUT Something about being with fellow humans – the quiet vibes, the energy – the aura we bask in each others’ light – so we can all shine brighter, all “lit up”.  Never forget we are tribal creatures.  We seek out inter-connectedness because before our arrival to this live this life, we all came from one bright source of light.

Off to the Lake and the Mountains to frolic in the snow:)  Bundling up!

May you all have a wonderful Easter – whether Christian or not, does not matter.  May we all celebrate Light from Darkness.

 

Categories
Healthy Living Yoga

Tat Tvam Asi

IMG_8270_smallMaster Srivatsa Ramaswami’s workshop …the entire class laughed when I asked him “how can you keep track of the breath count.”(it was pretty complex 3×8 L&R and so on – ) He looked at me matter of fact-ly (probably had an internal eye roll) -then smiled and replied – That’s why I’m the teacher, you know – been doing it for a long time. Right. Other than for TKV Desikachar, not too many student can say that he directly studied with Krishnamurthi, and that, for over 30 years. A living legend… We are so lucky to be in his presence. A master-teacher emeritus, with so much knowledge and skills he shares with such humble fatherly manner. Sweet.
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“Tat Tvam Asi”
How is yoga philosophy applied in Yoga Therapy … homework and assignments that I actually enjoy doing !

The Self – in its original, pure, primordial state – is a manifestation of the Ultimate Reality and is the source and origin of all phenomena. Our seemingly single separate experience is actually inter-connected to the whole experience of Oneness.

What does this have anything to do with Yoga Therapy …

People may wonder why I am so into yoga therapeutics – it’s because I have been so helped by yoga first hand.   There was a time tight and stiff neck and shoulders was a norm; routine bouts of headaches; routine digestive problems … on very little sleep to get so much done.  Of course lack of self care can lead to a serious health issue but as serious as it was, with surgery – western fix and eastern self-care, recovered. Especially, with yoga therapy, fine today. In a way, I see the unforgiving lifestyle that paved the way for malaise to find lodging in my body and then healing from it as a blessing – that it could have been even more serious BUT because it wasn’t, it taught me a lesson and since then, I have been interested in integrative holistic and alternative medicine. It’s a bit too late to look into becoming a doctor at my ripe age (& I hate the sight of blood) so I am taking up studies of yoga as a healing modality one can incorporate at ANY age or condition.

Its as though the divine had given me a chance to make right the wrong and allow a soulful journey to return home as a repentant prodigal daughter. That un-welcomed guest who took up lodging in my body, allowed me to take a break, allowed me to backtrack my steps and deconstruct what lead to my suffering. (it is said that pain is inevitable; suffering is a choice:) Then it was a lesson of Gratitude for certain people in our lives who brought me the homemade healing nourishment everyday; Gratitude for the family who did their best to support; and Gratitude for this practice of yoga to overcome fear and face myself squarely to really reflect. The wisdom of healing abides within each of us and all of us are capable of tapping into that power within. We are the ultimate source of our own healing, never forgetting that we are all inter-connected manifestation of the Higher Ultimate Consciousness.
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It was fun showing my mom yoga moves in Tokyo last month. She still wants to learn – no one is ever too old to learn. She was one of the best students I ever had for her eagerness and receptiveness, openness to learn and practice. She’s a rather cute senior:) I deeply respect her because she’s all about self-care (I too learned some techniques from her) so that she may better care for others – or at this point in her life she says – I don’t want to be a burden to my children and others. Don’t worry mom – it’s not a burden. It’s Joy:) Not the sparkly type but nevertheless, JOY to see you overcome hip surgery, subsequent rehabilitation whilst dealing with various assault of aging. Hope you continue your meditation practice so that your grey matter remains intact. That way you can still recognize me for who I am no matter how old you (I) get.

We are all invited to learn from the inner wisdom embedded in our being like dirt-covered unpolished gems. They were passed down from our fore-bearers before us, our collective ancestors …and it is our dharma to discover the buried treasures – and to polish them and to bring out the brilliance to be cherished in reverence.