Preeti: Awareness and Asana
In my experience during YTT, an asana becomes an asana when it touches various muscles of the body and when one becomes aware and conscious as to which muscles need to be exactly engaged. It is like participation of the entire body with intelligent action towards performing an asana. The asana becomes the Dhyana itself. In my understanding, there are many poses in YOGA that are categorized under Beginner Pose and an Advanced Pose. A general difference between the two categories can be understood as that in a Beginner pose a person has time to adjust and raise awareness of themselves. The instructions are more to bring awareness and attention towards parts of the body like adjusting the hands, legs, toes and fingers. Whereas when the person delves into performing Advanced Poses, it’s more an introspective phase when one looks within themselves concentrating on the organs or bones or nerves like kidney, spine, diaphragm, an asana is meant to benefit. The more subtle and introspective way an asana is performed, makes it more penetrative. In a Beginner pose the person has time to make adjustments whereas in an advanced pose, that involve more contortion of the body, the person may not be able to hold the pose for long. Therefore, the difference between the Beginner Pose and Advanced Pose is not how complicated the pose is, however it is about how meditatively and with more awareness the pose is performed. Preeti RYT200 Aug’20 Weekend
Simran: Creating A Safe Space
We’re now in the middle of our YTT and every week, I think back to what Jessica told us within the first 10 minutes of our very first YTT session. That yoga is like a knife. You can use it to cut fruits to sustain yourself, or you can use it to stab yourself. I struggle with anxiety around a lot of things – success, exams, performance, keeping up. Theoretically, I understand and believe that everyone’s body is different and so fitness comes differently to all of us. But I’ve spent years trying different types of exercises, group classes, gyms, routines and challenges to attempt to mould my body to be more like those that I see around me. The intimate nature of a yoga studio made me realise very quickly that not only did I look very different from most of the other girls in class but that I had a very different body shape from them as well. I also realised, with a pang of dismay, that I lacked a lot of strength comparatively. So I thought signing up for YTT would mean that I would be able to learn to develop my own sequences that I could do from the comforts of my home – away from everything that makes me feel like I don’t fit in. Hearing Jessica give that analogy of yoga as a knife really rings true for me because while I turned to YTT as a form of protection, I very quickly made it a knife that stabbed me. A few weeks ago, I overdid it during my home practice on a Monday and hurt both shoulders, both elbows, both knees and both ankles. All I wanted was to master the chaturanga NOW because it seemed like everyone else could do it, so why not me?! I didn’t listen to my body. I didn’t stop when I felt twinges of pain. I just wanted to fit into what I thought was the true yoga community. It was a painful lesson. Alexis advised me against practicing for a few days and it made me feel like I had let myself down. Not because I wasn’t practicing due to the pain, but because I had forgotten the very reason why I signed up for YTT – to create a safe space for myself. Instead, I went ahead and did the opposite. It shocked me into the realisation that all along, I was the only one hurting myself by overdoing anything fitness-related which then led to a recurring pattern of injuring myself over the years. Since then, one of the biggest things I’ve taken away from my YTT weekends so far is to maintain a constant awareness of my body. What am I engaging? What am I stretching? Are my hips aligned? Are my shoulders aligned? Am I pressing all four corners of my feet into the ground? Am I pushing too hard? Am I too lax? It took me hurting multiple major joints to realise that the safest space for me to create is within myself. As long as I remember that, my journey as a yogi will truly be all about progression and never about perfection. I’ll eventually be able to do that chaturanga, but I’m not going to place a time limit on that endeavour any longer. Simran RYT200 Aug’20 Weekend
Preeti: Getting to know oneself better
“Yoga is not about getting to know the postures. It is about getting to know yourself ” – Gary Kraftsow With the continuous practice of Asanas and Pranayama, the two important limbs out of the 8 limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga), I am getting to know myself more. I am getting to use the latent energies of my body both physical and spiritual more. This definitely seems a new and a desired phase in my life. The way we are groomed during our weekend classes sets the tone for the whole week where I feel encouraged to self practice, keeping in mind the details being taught in the class. The intensive Asana practice during the weekend draws the mind and body into Tapas, another limb of Yoga, which means burning of impurities. There is a lot to learn and explore various dimensions of Yoga. It’s a deep study, science and knowledge. But the way to achieve is gradually and with patience. It is indeed a journey that requires self observation, discipline and awareness. Preeti RYT200 Aug’20 Weekend
Preeti: Yoga-Key to Self-Discipline and Mindfulness
What really happens when we are completely occupied in our daily chores. Take a few seconds and think? Well, the very foremost thing that comes to my mind is before ending up a task in hand, we already have a list of another chores that we have planned to complete throughout the day. I would call it a cluttered mind running to finish multiple tasks without really acknowledging and realizing the beauty and essence of them. Our body is full of energy to achieve the goal of the day which is to bring those daily tasks to conclusion. Isn’t it mentally and physically draining? Incorporating YOGA in our daily lives not only initiates self-discipline but it teaches how to be mindful of what one is doing at a given point of time. The wholesome Yoga routine that includes right practice of Pranayam and Physical Asanas awakens the body and soul in a way that helps in streamlining the body’s energy and gradually one proceeds to imbibe self discipline and mindfulness. The practice of Yoga manoeuvres the human body, mind and soul in such a way that one feels controlled of ones actions and thereby slowly reflecting on our physiological, mental and emotional state. Preeti RYT200 AUg’20 Weekend
Preeti: Journey so far
So the day came when we had to take our first class. To be honest, I had butterflies in my stomach a night before and had instructions running in my mind the whole time. But we all finally did it. Yes! Such a different experience it was while taking the class. There is so much to learn and so much to be aware of and adopt so many practices to take the class. As the time is passing, we are getting to know each other better. Everyone is so unique and beautiful in their own way. Our practice sessions together and our turns to take the community class together with an objective to get more confident and well versed with instructions is making us know each other better. I simply love the time when we all do warm up together and l look forward to what’s in store for the day in terms of learning new asanas and new techniques of teaching. Preeti RYT200 Aug’20 Weekend
Preeti: Groping the purpose of life!
What is it beyond being a professional in corporate, a mother, a wife, a daughter and a friend. These were the questions I kept asking myself for long. When I left my corporate career for a good reason to raise my daughter, I always got strong bouts to go back to work. I had my own days of sobbing…SERIOUSLY!! I looked at women getting dressed in the morning to hit the work station at 8 am, going for business travels and all I could see was just myself into them. Days passed by and like other stay home moms, I got completely engrossed in building my home, taking complete care of my daughter, signing up for her activities, cooking her favorite food, taking charge of my family’s likes and dislikes. But, in all this course, there was a big void in my life which was my worst enemy mentally. It gave sleepless nights, it led me to just think and think. Mentally I got tired. What was it which did not make me feel complete?. I asked myself. It was my strong desire to do something for myself, something that would give me my own identity. Something that I can own 100%. The only thing that gave me peace was dance and exercise. My husband, who’s indeed my best friend consoled me each time. He asked me to introspect and ask myself what is it that gives me immense happiness. It was then my efforts to “Grope the purpose of my life” started. I told him, I like when I discus and learn about good health, fitness, something to do with healing, both physically and mentally, for myself and for others. I expressed my wish to do something for myself to one of my very favourite Vietnamese friends in Bangkok. She knew me as an individual and had an idea about my skills and commitment. It was then she mentioned to me about learning Yoga. That was it! I started thinking in that direction. Started my own home practice by watching videos and attending a few community classes. As a saying goes, if you are really committed to achieve something the whole universe conspires to help you reach there. My husband got transferred to Singapore and I started looking for the right academy to take my Yoga knowledge and practice to the next level. After visiting few academies and meeting their faculty, I finally met Jessica and Alexis at Yoga Mandala. The very first meeting was so convincing. I felt positive vibes standing in the academy. It took me no time to decide on the place I wanted to pursue my YTT. Here I am now, doing my YTT from Yoga Mandala and hopefully getting closer to the purpose of my life of being a good practioner myself and a Yoga teacher. Preeti RYT 200 Aug’20 Weekend
