Love - "Prema"

I spotted a woman's tattoo on her foot today, it looked like this...

...Beautiful!

Truth - "Sat" (in Sanskirt)

What is Truth?

Well according to the Dictionary truth is: 

“3. a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like

  4. the state or character of being true.

  5. actuality or actual existence.

  7. honesty; Integrity; truthfulness

10. accuracy, as of position or adjustment.”

The last few classes I have attended the instructors have presented “Truth” as the moto for the class.  

Tonights class had me thinking about it a little more.  For truth to come, honesty needs to be walking along side. This honesty needs to be to both yourself and towards others.  With truth and honest, freedom will arrive.

Have you ever noticed when you have been keeping a secret or a thought to yourself or even away from yourself, a denial, you feel heavy inside?  But when you finally admit to it and allow the truth to come forward, there is always relief?  That is the freedom being provided.

If we could always be honest and truthful, think how light we all would feel!  It would feel maybe as though we were floating through our lives with ease.

Its funny thinking about this. I always think of excuses as to why I might not be completely honest. Although I strive to always be truthful, sometimes I catch myself not always being so to myself and I know it doesn’t give me freedom, but I can’t always be ready to let everything go. I don’t always feel strong enough.

The other part of being true and honest is through your actions and with your life.  To be true to yourself you need to treat your body as though it was a sanctuary. Keep yourself healthy, keep your mind happy and strong, keep your eyes open and your heart warm.  By doing this you will also feel the best you can be, and by this you will hold the strength to be honest in your life and follow your heart so that you can keep truth in your life.

Is there one thing that you can let go of and allow truth and honesty in? 

AcroYoga

I think how people come to different styles of yoga is always different but the one thing that can be uniform is a passion that is discovered, which is what makes them come back for more.  Jaqui Wan from London was hosting a AcroYoga Workshop this past weekend at Moksana in Victoria. Jaqui mentioned that she uniformly hears from people that the reason they fall in love with Acro Yoga is its playfulness and the excitement that builds up inside when practicing, while still being very relaxing.  This I would say is true, Acro Yoga allows for everyone’s inner child to be freed and without fail it brings a whole new dimension of possibilities for your everyday practice.  I don’t know that Acro Yoga would fit everyones individual personality but I do believe that everyone can benefit from a bit of Acro Yoga in their practice.

I am a rag doll, I can be touched, I can be bent (if physically permitting), and I am always willing to try something.  And the beautiful thing with Acro Yoga is that if you have the correct balance it really is not difficult.  So truly the only thing that should hold people back is a nervousness of touching others.  If you asked me a year ago I probably would have said that yoga happens on the mat only and my mat is my sanctuary; my own personal bubble.  But I love it when an instructor comes and moves me to where I should be or when there is a body worker to come and give my back a quick massage (that has to be the best! although a bit distracting cause all I can think is when will it be my turn!!!).

The other beautiful thing with AcroYoga, which I really felt I benefited from, is that by having another person doing the pose literally with you, the deepness of the pose really goes that much further!  You get to places you might not have gotten to without that bit of assistance.

AcroYoga began in 2004 in San Francisco by Jenny and Jason, originally being called ContactYoga.  It was not until April 2005 that it was named AcroYoga.  To date there are upwards of 120 Certified AcroYoga Teachers worldwide, with none in Canada.  Emelia Fedy who was assisting our class at Moksana in Victoria, has just been accepted to do her 200 hours to become an instructor through Jenny and James’s school.  She will become our resident BC instructor, but more specifically Vancouver.  I am extremely excited for her and will be keeping an eye out for her classes late this fall or winter.   (so excited!)

Similar to Anusara Training to become a certified instructor you need to have accumulated so much experience and have attended certain workshops or conferences before being allowed to take the training.  for now I will not aspire to become an instructor in AcroYoga but I will continue it has a hobby until maybe one day I will add it to my repertoire of teachables, of course once I am a certified instructor!

If their is anyone out there who is looking for a willing partner drop me a line.  I’m working on my Boyfriend, but he’s just not biting the bait! 


Next Step, get the pose guide and DVD!

Contact Partner Yoga

Today my partner and I had the pleasure to experience Contact Partner Yoga.  I am half bendy and very willing and well simply put this was my partner’s first yoga class, not including my attempts to have him “stretch” with me.  The class was held at the Yyoga Yaletown location with Chris Brandt and Marita Wieser from SOL Yoga Center (http://www.solyogaadventures.com/home).

I felt that this would be a great way to introduce yoga to Mark while also taking the benefit of cementing trust in our relationship while getting a bit of touchy feely-ness out of it too. There was a very nice progression of poses.  We started simply with our backs against each other and then progressing to some arm wrap shoulder opening and then some co-ordinating twists and push up chair poses.  Then the first trust exercise.  

Simple really, they had us stand back to back with our legs a bit wider then our hips, adjusting width according to height.  Then we were to reach back and grab onto each others hips, bend over, then one hand at a time attach between our legs (left to left hand).  Once this part is settled and balance is found, each party can lean back and feel the stretch in the shoulders and the hamstrings, its great!  When ready reverse actions to get back up.

Shortly after this we began the flying poses.  What a ride!  I’m not even going to try to explain this to you for fear you might try it without someone to spot you.  Mark and I had issues with these, partially due to arms not being steady and legs not getting straight.  I would say though I made a good base!  

The final flying pose they had us try was a reverse flying pose.  You balance on your bases feet while they hold onto your ankles and lift you up. The first time Mark literally bucked me off and I nearly fell onto the couple behind us!  Then Chris came and spotted me and helped Mark get proper alignment in the pose and I got up there and it was such a splendid feeling.

The final most relaxing and giving part of the workshop was the massaging we gave to our partners starting at the feel and legs then the shoulders and head.  What a treat!

I would say for 20 dollars a person this was an excellent experience and one I wouldn’t mind exploring a bit more with my partner, but also with someone who might know a bit more then me or at least someone comfortable at yoga and enjoys a bit of contact. Any takers?

I would check them out, they host regular workshops both family and partner at their home studio in Whiterock. In the city though there is a contact family workshop on May 9th and a contact partner workshop on May 30th at Semperviva. Also June 9 Yyoga Yaletown will host them for another workshop.  Find a friend, convince a partner, or even ask me, I would be happy to join you on your journey!

Namaste

Doga - The next generation of Yogis

I stumbled across this on YouTube last night, a cross between crazy and sheer genius... I just don't know.