It’s the end of week 2 and I am amazed at the wealth of information that we
have covered during this short period of time. Not only have we been working
hard to build up our stamina, build strength and increase our flexibility, but we
also learned Sanskrit words and broken down yoga poses step by step.
During theory we discussed Pranayama’s, Dosha’s, Kriyas and more. I have
always been interested in these topics and I am so happy that we are
covering all aspects of Yoga, from its roots to all its branches. The wealth of
knowledge that is being shared with us is overwhelming in the best way!
After some challenging phases in my life, I am grateful to have explored the
benefits of meditation and I have practiced meditation for some years now.
Some days I would meditate for just 5 minutes and some days for over 30
minutes. Either way, I would always feel a big difference in my mood and this
would be reflected into my entire day. When washing my hands, for example,
I would mindfully practice to really feel the sensation of water running on my
hands as opposed to being caught up in a thread of thought and passively
washing my hands. I have learnt to not identify with my thoughts and simply
be the observer. There are of course times when life gets busy and in this fast
paced society, I find that a guided meditation helps to ground me.
I am so happy that meditation is included in the YTT at Yoga Mandala. Every
morning we start with Ujjayi breathing and meditation, which helps to relax my
body and brings me to the present moment.
Then, the hard work starts! I don’t think that I have worked out or sweat this
much in years! Our teacher Jessica knows exactly at which moment she can
push us harder and when to show us some mercy. Her years of experience in
yoga but also as a teacher are clearly reflected in her lessons every day.
I am feeling a lot more balanced as I walk and a lot stronger too. I am starting
to feel muscle groups being activated that probably haven’t been activated in
years! The muscle aches are real, but these are only growing pains. Let’s see
what the upcoming 3 weeks have in store.
Tiara
200HR YTT May’21 Weekday