I am in Yoga bliss. Actually, I am in Bali bliss. Last year I was in Ubud for two weeks and I missed the majesty that is this place. This year.......I am here.
I took two yoga classes today and also did my own practice early this morning. Combined, it comes out to 5 hours of yoga. Just the right amount for a great day!! Two days ago I taught my first class here and twenty minutes into class I was overwhelmed with joy and just felt, "Yes! this is what I am meant to do!" My students were all avid yogis. They were interested in what I was teaching. They asked questions when they didn't get it. And they all had a relatively decent ability. I had two other teachers in the class. They were humble, not egoistic, listened to what I said and all expressed appreciation. It was such a fulfilling class.
And today, I took a vinyasa class, sweat my ass off, went and did three bodywork sessions and then took an Iyengar class. The Iyengar teacher holds a relatively high certification and he was NOWHERE near the level of understanding and command that Manouso is. I feel even more grateful to have Manouso as my teacher now.
Ubud is amazing! From the outside, it is just another small touristy city. From the inside, it is FILLED with organic restaurants, fresh vegetable juices, three amazing yoga shala's (one that I am teaching at), really beautiful people and a really high consciousness. At any moment you can sit down for a meal and meet your new best friend. I really like it here. It feels right.
Tomorrow and Monday I get to teach again. I'm super excited. Opportunities are abound. I've even been asked to come to Tokyo and do bodywork with two different dance groups. I hope to make it happen in the next year. The people receiving my work are so grateful! The combination of Body Tuning and NKT are blowing these yogis minds. And their blown minds and undying appreciation is the greatest nourishment for my soul.
I guess I am still coming back to America on the 7th of June. Responsibilities and such. But this life is grand. It suits me well. I look forward to coming back......And to my next two weeks here! AUM
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Your Left Hip Is Not Tight
I have made it to Bali and right now I am sitting on my couch in the house I am renting in Ubud. I had no idea what I was stepping into when I agreed to this, but I am seriously in a little slice of paradise. Surrounded by rice paddies and coconut trees, I have a private pool, living room, huge bedroom, huge outdoor bathroom, full kitchen with blender and wheat grass juicer, and yes.....the hammock is up. I seriously couldn't be happier.
Tomorrow I will teach my first public yoga class overseas. And as that legendary Khazikstani once said, "I very excite!" The weather is warm and there is a nice breeze in the air. I may not be able to leave.
There is something magical about practicing yoga in foreign lands. I always feel like I am living my purpose when I am doing this. Today's practice was especially sweet, overlooking the rice paddies and egrits in the fields. Towards the end of the practice, I entered into Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon pose). This is a pose that has always been much easier on my right side than my left, but today when I practiced it, instead of trying to get my left hip to release, which I have done for 15 years now with very little success, I started opening my right psoas instead. The results were magical. My left hip released, my lower back lengthened and I hit the pose like I have never done in my life. Full right angle with my left leg, extended and lifted thorax, puffy chest like the king pigeon. It was very very insightful.
Things are so often not quite what they seem. We get stuck, we only see one way out, and often it feels like we are a hamster in a cage. I know this has been my experience a lot, especially when I get negative and start beating myself up. But there's always different perspectives and different avenues for insight. We just have to be open to them.
Enjoy your lives, people! Celebrate the beauty you experience and when you suffer, feel stuck, etc., remember to soften, listen to your body, be courageous......There is truly a great wisdom there.
Tomorrow I will teach my first public yoga class overseas. And as that legendary Khazikstani once said, "I very excite!" The weather is warm and there is a nice breeze in the air. I may not be able to leave.
There is something magical about practicing yoga in foreign lands. I always feel like I am living my purpose when I am doing this. Today's practice was especially sweet, overlooking the rice paddies and egrits in the fields. Towards the end of the practice, I entered into Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon pose). This is a pose that has always been much easier on my right side than my left, but today when I practiced it, instead of trying to get my left hip to release, which I have done for 15 years now with very little success, I started opening my right psoas instead. The results were magical. My left hip released, my lower back lengthened and I hit the pose like I have never done in my life. Full right angle with my left leg, extended and lifted thorax, puffy chest like the king pigeon. It was very very insightful.
Things are so often not quite what they seem. We get stuck, we only see one way out, and often it feels like we are a hamster in a cage. I know this has been my experience a lot, especially when I get negative and start beating myself up. But there's always different perspectives and different avenues for insight. We just have to be open to them.
Enjoy your lives, people! Celebrate the beauty you experience and when you suffer, feel stuck, etc., remember to soften, listen to your body, be courageous......There is truly a great wisdom there.
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