... at least until AFTER my first week with Edward Clark and the Tripsichore 500 Hours Teacher Training Course, which will start in (yikes!) 12 days' time.
A slip in the bathroom back in February, which resulted in a slightly sprained thumb and a swollen ligament in my wrist, which I thought had healed, reared its ugly (and painful) head last week, when I upped the ante on my practice of arm balances and Adho Mukha Vrksasana while attempting to lift up from Bakasana to Adho Mukha Vrksasana.
Wearing a wrist guard to teach Monday's Vinyasa Flow class at Journey Within brought not only many questions from the concerned practitioners (who probably had the illusion that teachers are walking examples of good health, perfectly toned bodies and heaven forbid, vegans!), but also a nagging pain when I demonstrated Urdhva Dhanurasana.
"Bloody hell" was the first thing that came to my mind when I got home that night. I mean, who needs pain, especially at a crucial time like this? But hang on.... 'crucial' to my ambitions and time-lined aspirations or 'crucial' to a lesson waiting to be learnt and life's test to pass with a curve ball thrown in?
"Ahimsa" was the second thing that set in, after the mild bout of frustration dissipated. As I looked past the physical limitation, I am grateful that it is indeed ONLY physical and surely, temporary. I am reminded that nothing is permanent, and with care, caution and non-violence, I will heal and be strong again.
Rolling out my mat this morning after 2 days of rest, I intuitively practised whatever that came to mind. No prepped Vinyasa sequence, no theme, no affirmation. I cut myself some slack and preferred the modified asanas as opposed to the stronger, final versions I usually practise. I put aside my little "Vinyasa Bible" of hand-drawn stick figures and notes, and just flowed with what felt right at the moment.
And that's basically what yoga is about anyway. It's not about feeling frustrated about not perfecting handstand or holding in the Crow Pose for a minute. I mean, isn't that what got me into this mess in the first place?
Being a teacher and a yoga practitioner, it is just as important to give, as it is to self-nurture. If you can't practice what you preach, you bring hypocrisy to the mat, when it should be Satya. And to bring truth to life on and off the mat, you begin by accepting the Self and tuning inward to what the Self really needs.
Once you subscribe to what the Universe provides for you... desserts with cherry toppings, curve-balls, hiccups and all, you'll slowly learn to accept that the Universe does provide what you need for THAT very moment... and along with it, the lesson that you need to learn. Kind of like a "buy one, free one" deal at the supermarket.
But hey, isn't life like that?
OM and much healing love.
xx
A slip in the bathroom back in February, which resulted in a slightly sprained thumb and a swollen ligament in my wrist, which I thought had healed, reared its ugly (and painful) head last week, when I upped the ante on my practice of arm balances and Adho Mukha Vrksasana while attempting to lift up from Bakasana to Adho Mukha Vrksasana.
Wearing a wrist guard to teach Monday's Vinyasa Flow class at Journey Within brought not only many questions from the concerned practitioners (who probably had the illusion that teachers are walking examples of good health, perfectly toned bodies and heaven forbid, vegans!), but also a nagging pain when I demonstrated Urdhva Dhanurasana.
"Bloody hell" was the first thing that came to my mind when I got home that night. I mean, who needs pain, especially at a crucial time like this? But hang on.... 'crucial' to my ambitions and time-lined aspirations or 'crucial' to a lesson waiting to be learnt and life's test to pass with a curve ball thrown in?
"Ahimsa" was the second thing that set in, after the mild bout of frustration dissipated. As I looked past the physical limitation, I am grateful that it is indeed ONLY physical and surely, temporary. I am reminded that nothing is permanent, and with care, caution and non-violence, I will heal and be strong again.
Rolling out my mat this morning after 2 days of rest, I intuitively practised whatever that came to mind. No prepped Vinyasa sequence, no theme, no affirmation. I cut myself some slack and preferred the modified asanas as opposed to the stronger, final versions I usually practise. I put aside my little "Vinyasa Bible" of hand-drawn stick figures and notes, and just flowed with what felt right at the moment.
Yoga teacher Jason Crandell once said and I quote, "the asanas aren't the practice, the asanas are the context. The practice is the observation of what's unfolding".
And that's basically what yoga is about anyway. It's not about feeling frustrated about not perfecting handstand or holding in the Crow Pose for a minute. I mean, isn't that what got me into this mess in the first place?
Being a teacher and a yoga practitioner, it is just as important to give, as it is to self-nurture. If you can't practice what you preach, you bring hypocrisy to the mat, when it should be Satya. And to bring truth to life on and off the mat, you begin by accepting the Self and tuning inward to what the Self really needs.
Once you subscribe to what the Universe provides for you... desserts with cherry toppings, curve-balls, hiccups and all, you'll slowly learn to accept that the Universe does provide what you need for THAT very moment... and along with it, the lesson that you need to learn. Kind of like a "buy one, free one" deal at the supermarket.
But hey, isn't life like that?
OM and much healing love.
xx
