MEDITATE and witness its magic

In February 2013, I went for a meditation course.

This interest was triggered by a course I attended a year before on the Law of Attraction. In the course I was told that meditation is very powerful tool in practising the law of attraction.

Coincidently, my yoga teacher informed us that she was starting a short course on Meditation made Simple. Being new to meditation, I thought it is fantastic for a newbie like me.

I wanted something I can grasp and understand.

It was a 4 day course on Saturdays in the afternoon for 3 hours each.

The course can be seen in 2 stages:

1) First stage, how to use meditation for Gratitude and contentment.

2) Meditation as a way to achieve what you need, using a mantra(the thing that you want more in your life eg love, focus, wealth, happiness etc

Its seem simple enough.

We practiced the methods taught and after each practice, I do feel its impact.

For eg for stage one, if you are angry at somebody or feel uneasiness, close your eyes for just 30 seconds and feel and visualize how this person had made you happy. After practicing a few times a day, your mind and emotions will live that moment and see how your present emotions will revisit that moment. You will then work within yourself to reachieve that happy moment. The change starts with you and when you meet the person, you are a better centred person and that is infectious.

I find the second stage mind blowing, by practicing it, my life has changed so much.

Before the course I was aimless about what I wanted to centre on. I felt that after being a full time mother and coming back home to Singapore, I was slowly losing the centred me. Sometimes it upsets me. I realise I must do something about it.

There are a few things that I wished I had  more of. I wanted to be able to focus, I wanted yoga buddies. I used to go to the studio, practiced and come home. It felt lonely.  Nobody among my friends has a strong interest  in yoga. And I wish I could improve my practice.

Before attending this course, I told the teacher that I had attended a course on Law of Attraction.She told me this Meditation course, is much bigger than that. Then, I did not understand what she meant. Now I do.

Whatever I wished for in my heart is answered since then. When I pray, I use my meditation to communicate with God and I am so greatful that all my prayers are answered.

What the teacher said is true.

Since completing the Meditation made Simple course, I have attended and completed a 200hr YOGA teacher training course which is recognised by YOGA ALLIANCE, USA. I am now attending my advance 500 hr Yoga teacher training course. I have many yoga buddies whom I can bounce ideas about asanas, progress or just life.

They say your friends at each stage of your life is a reflection of what you are at that time. I am at my YOGA stage now. I am 46 years old. I feel so blessed to be able to delve into my yoga with the support of people I love, particularly my husband.

Below is my graduation photo for MEDITATION MADE Easy course.

Tripod headstand from Bakasana

It took me several falls and tumbles before I could do a headstand. And the day when my legs were directly above my head, my heart soared!

I have achieved the impossible!...at least for me. I have classmates who could do it at the first try. It was not perfect but hey you just want to see your legs up there. 

Initially like everybody else, i used the wall. It may have helped when you were just trying to get your legs up but it did not help me to balance.

So I decided to go to the middle of the mat, bring legs up at first just at the hips. That was not easy too. There was once I tried for 1 hour without success.

But that did not deter me. I was determine more than ever.

I have had sore backs from falling, painful knuckles from locking my fingers too hard and not able to unlock when I fall. There was a time, when I thought it might just be impossible for me.

Then one day when I was about to bring my legs around my hips, I decided to challenge myself a little by little and slowly I realised that I could do it. Initially it was a count of 3 then 5 then 10 and now I realise I can do to the count of 50.

What I have learnt here is that practice is everything and never give up.

So now I am trying the tripod stand.

Initially it was impossible to bring my legs up as the centre of balance is different from the basic headstand.

Miraculously after reading Light of Yoga yesterday, I suddenly find my legs above, in the tripod headstand. I shall practice till I can do it confidently. Then I will proceed to other inversions.

I am so excited!

Watch below my favourite Yogini and teacher, Kino Mcgregor, showing how tripod headstand from bakasana should be done...

http://youtu.be/MO_9yRrhaUQ

Of coccygeous and levitari ani.

Last Friday drew the end of the pre and post natal yoga module.

It was an interesting course. Apart from Rose whom I completed my  200hr TTC course with, I knew nobody.

Though we all started as strangers, I made some good yoga buddies here.

There was Jasmine who completed her 200 hr in India. She is now teaching. She has created her own company and she's just born to do some poses like King Pigeon. 

There was Ruba who completed her 500 hr  last Friday and also has a Hot Yoga teacher's certificate.

This group of ladies are truly amazing. I got so much energy when I go for these classes and I am just so inspired by them.

Even the teacher who is plus size has so much energy and dedication. She is from New York and is residing here. Having managed bi- polar, she has s gift of kindness to all the students.

On the last day, for beng such attentive and good students, she gave each of us a fertility bracelet. How apt.

So one module down for the 500 hr TTC and 4 more to go.

The next one will be in March. Am looking forward to that one.

I just love to learn and discover!

Pre-natal day 4

Today was rather slow and not exciting as yesterday.

We learned about post partum, depression and all that.

I felt it was rather dark.

But I take whatever I can from this module.

But I do learn a lot of how to make the yoga experience a wonderful one for pre and post natal mothers.

Pre-natal day 3

Today we did the whole pre-natal sequence, teaching.

It was fun but the most exciting part was when Paalu joined and lectured on
the cycle of life.

We learned the Upanishad's explanation of how life was created.

I was baffled, because its very similar to the Islamic explanation of how life is created.

It was a hugh point to have Paalu teaching us the philosophy part of it.

Day2 pre- natal Yoga

Today we went deeper into understanding our cervical bone abd the deep 6 muscles. How this very important hip bone prepares our body for final performance of birthing and delivery.

Its female body is just so amazing and strong.

We had to teach warming up. My partner was Rose. We decided that I start the sequence standing up:

1) activate from the base cakra to release  energy for the expectant mum and baby

2) i started wirh Tadasana to find the balance which is so important for pregnant woman.

This was the sequence

-Tadasana- for balance

-Ankle rotation- to strengthen the stretching ligaments so it becomes strong with weight gain

- knee Rotation- to keep the knees and ligaments strong

- shoulder rotation to release stress

- bring shoulder up to the face, inhsle and release exhale with the 'Ha'. A breathing technic for birthing

- rose continued with seated poses. 

- neck rotation with hand on left ear and stretch neck to the right snd reversed on the other si

- neck exercise looking up, down to the chest and the sides

- ended with variation on cat cow pose with a 'Ha'

Ok tomorrow teaching full sequence..

Pre-Natal yoga

On Monday, my pre-natal specialised advance 500hr TTC started.

Pre-natal is so slow compared to my normal Astanga practice. Its like heaven and earth.

But that is pre-natal for expectant mother. Where relaxed, gentle movement and preparation towards delivery is the aim.

I learned a few things:

1) No hand binding poses
2) No inversions
3) No scorpions.

As balance is very important for expenctant mothers, all asanas have to take this into consideration.

Using of props is also essential.

This YOga module is different but it was informative.

Saturday Night YOga

On Saturdays, I am on mummy duty from morning to evening, sending my kids for art lessons, tuition and swimming lessons. So there was no ME time.

Then I realised that my younger daughter had swimming for endorphins and my elder daughter went roller blading with her friend, so both of them had the feel good hormones released.

What about mummy? Mummy badly needed one. My husband was out of town and I was feeling rather low and needed that pick me up feeling.

I had to go YOGA!!

And on a Saturday Night, YOga I did. I made my way to the yoga studio, just in time for my HOT YOGA.

Something I really needed.

It was just one hour, but an hour which did wonders to me :-)

Massage and YOga

When your muscles are tired?

What would be wonderful?

A massage of course.

Apart from being a qualified YOga teacher, I am also a certified body and aroma therapist with double diploma from the International Therapy Examination Council, UK(ITEC) and the SPacademy, Singapore.

This is a video I did for my yoga teacher course on massaging those tired muscles. Hope you will get something out of it.

WHY I home practice?

On  Friday when I work up my body felt the effects of the last few days of vinyasa.

It was sore but yet I felt alive and strong.

I initialy planned to go for Mysore self practice, but decided to do home practice instead.

There is something about home practice. Its just you and the mat. Nothing to get your attention away.

The instructions come from you.

But this was not easy for me before I learnt Astanga Yoga.

I also wondered how do people do home practice? How do they sequence their poses?

Do they follow magazine? Plan before?

That was always tough for me.

Then 1.5 years ago I met a celebrity yoga teacher from Malaysia, Ninie Ahmad, she told me that only astanga yoga has a definite sequence. That was new to me then.

Then I thought if the sequences are definite, wouldn't that make alone practice easier?

I went through the internet to check the sequence.

WOW!! not easy to remember. But I found the poses very challenging. Most I have never attempted.

I also wondered how people can memorize the sequence?

I stored that wish in the memory bank.

They say if you have INTENTION, your subliminal has ways of making it happen.

Now 1.5 years later, I am so happy I can do the sequence including the "can I ever do it!" headstand.

And this I managed at a ripe age of 46!!

Nothing is impossible if you practice.

Anyway that is Mount Fuji in the background.

We had planned to go to Japan and Mt Fuji was one of the destination I had planned.

I love taking photos with yoga poses during my holidays.

And I wanted to be able to do the headstand with Mt Fuji. Well its a little of vanity there. Hey! I am a woman. So I practiced very hard for it. And when I was finally able to do the headstand it was  OMG!!

This photo makes me very proud of my accomplishment.

It also tells me that nothing is impossible.

MEDITATION

1.5hr of Vinyasa it is today. Sweat dripped. challenged and persevered.

Heard today,

"The HIGHEST form of YOGA is Meditation 
 and not difficult ASANAS."

When you practice YOGA, you stay within yourself and not let your mind wonder. When you are doing YOga correctly, you are in meditation. Your mind stays centred and does not leave your body. You do not daydream. You do not look at others.

When you do YOGA, its not a competition. You do not want to outdo others. If you do that you are depriving yourself of the gift of the moment.

Feeling centred and within yourself, you will realise that you can execute poses better as you feel your body, the joints and the muscles. Its really a beautiful experience.

Next time when you YOGA, be within and try not to look at the mirror in front of you and at others.

Feel your body.

Enjoy!

Yoga is infinite

The beauty of YOga is that you never stop learning and discovering yourself.

Though I have completed by 200hr TTC, I still go for regular classes and push myself.

In yoga you may be a teacher,  but while teaching, you are also a student as in the process you learn from your students.

Being a full time mum, I am glad I have a passion.

Something which anchors me. Something which keeps my mind alert.

Practicing asanas and stretching myself both mentally and physically humbles me, as you always want to improve your asanas, make it better and graceful.

I love my YOGA.

Invigorating Vinyasa

Today I attended Vinyasa class with one of my favourite teachers. Its my first class with her in 2014.
Its really a powerful class, breaking sweat and muscles feeling spent after.

In yoga class I always feel like I am in meditation. Always concentrating, not letting thoughts enter my mind. Not looking at others, the mirror but looking internally within me.

Today we did this pose and I feel I am feeling stronger.

You will be mine!

Durian and YOga are not friends

This morning I went for Hot YOga at 9.45am.

The night before I had Durian Party with my friend. Never ate so much durians for such a long time. Durian eating is a community activity.  Eating alone is no fun. You got to have company tasting the soft flesh of the delicious durian. So I ate and ate.

Today at practice, I can feel the difference in my body.

It feels a little rough.

For the past few practices I went, I could feel the smoothness in pose execution. Today is a different story. Though I could execute the poses, it does not feel so shiok(satisfied).

I learnt something about my body today. While it is no surprising I feel like that since durian is acidic. I think it is rajasic and also perhaps tamasic food group. Thus the sluggish feel.

Hope to make it to vinyasa tomorrow. Will see what the body whispers to me as I had beef noodle(kway teow today).

Hand Balancing

Today I went for POwer Yoga.

Once I would pant at power yoga. But now I leant something about my body.

Its stronger and my stamina is better.

Bakasana and other balancing poses are happening. Thanks to practice and practice and practice

Simple Tips to help to Arm Balancing Postures and Push-up positions:

• have the palms flat on the floor but grip with your finger tips
• press more on the inside (thumb-side) of the palms for better force transfer from the forearms to the wrists
• squeeze the heel of the palm inwards (as if trying to turn the palm out) in order to stabilise the elbow
• tighten the underarm muscles by pressing the arm pits in the direction they are pointing
• generally bring the shoulders over the over the finger tips (for most arm balances)
• spread the shoulder blades and lengthen the skin between the shoulder blades in the upper back
• push the sitting bones and lower trunk toward the same direction the navel is pointing until the front of the abdomen becomes firm without sucking the navel to the spine
• breathe into the firm abdomen to give you relaxed inner power that can be maintained for a long time without stress
• don’t do anything that feels painful or is potentially dangerous for you

Misconception about Yoga

A month ago there was a riot by some South Asian foreign workers in Singapore.

Within 3 hours law enforces managed to take control of the situation. Many people came up with theories on why this happened? Given that there has been NO riot in Singapore for the past 42years. And this riot was not from Singaporeans but a few foreign workers.

 Some said these workers were frustrated, some felt they needed more activities to fill their weekend.They do not work on Sundays. So YOGA and MEDITATION were offered to them. From the photos and videos I see, I can see that these workers who took part are flexible. I am not surprised if they practiced back in India.

 While one writer felt that what these workers need is not YOga and Meditation but some fair at work policy which is fair. But how much do you know about YOga and Meditation to dismiss yoga and meditation. They say that in Hollywood many movie stars do YOga and meditation because they have everything.

 So YOga and Meditation is sidelined as something for the rich and those who have already arrived. I think the writer has obviously not tried yoga and meditation to understand that wealth does not equate happiness.

 The more you practice the philosophy of yoga, you begin to appreciate what you have.
LESS IS MORE! You appreciate the little things in life like being able to BREATHE and your HEALTH.

 These foreign workers have certainly braved a lot of hardship back home and has taken a hefty loan to be here. With back breaking job from MOnday to Sunday, missing family back home and the thought of repaying their loan, I think YOGA and MEDITATION is the perfect offering as it teaches one to be calm and be at peace with oneself.

 Maybe the writer should try it before condemning..AHIMSA.(non-violence)

I found YOGA in California not India

The year 2005 was very significant to me for 3 things.
1) I got a new job in broadcasting
2) I met my husband
3) I met YOGA at a gym. It was California Fitness Gym.

Being a dancer in the university I thought I was flexible. That thought was humbled when I realised that there are so many postures I cannot do, simple postures which require flexibility. That was when I was awakened about how inflexible I was.

I would be in awe of people who could do pachimottanasana(seated forward bend, with the forehead touching the knees).

I remember approaching two girls after a class and complimenting them, I thought that posture was unreachable.

Then, I attended YOga classes once a week.

But though I was not as flexible, I benefited a lot from the therapeutic and spiritual aspect of yoga. I felt peaceful. I benefitted from yoga's even breathing.

I remember that after each class, I felt emotionally stronger. Nothing could anger or hurt me.

It was something very VALUABLE.

For 10 years I practiced yoga more as a recreation than passion. As a result my progress was minimal.

But I always loved yoga. My progress accelerated only after I came back to Singapore at the age of 46.

My body is stronger and is able to do things I could only dream of when I was much younger and also as a child.

So who says your body stiffen up as you age? I smell an excuse...