My Christmas Wish for You

According to Wikipedia Christianity is the largest (has the most adherents) in the world followed by Islam and the Hinduism.

Until the recent advent of terrorist attacks it was probably also the most hated, the history of the Christian church is filled with greed, murder, lust, domination. It is also filled with unparalleled acts of compassion, love and personal sacrifice for others.

So in the darkness there is light and in the light there is darkness. The Chinese recognizes this with their yin/yang symbol, as on the dark side this is a touch of light and vice versa.

My husband and I always talk about "fallen" heroes those men and women who seemed on this path of greatness and then were sidelined by their humanness, perhaps they had an affair or embezzled some money. Now we no longer revere them and question their integrity from the beginning. I personally find this childish, I like to call it the Clark Kent syndrome, only those who live a squeaky clean life can be our heroes it is part of the brain washing of our culture.

The Christian church gets this really bad rap, yes it has a shady history, yes maybe the bible was destroyed and rewritten...yes I know, you have read this book that proves Jesus married Mary Magdalene. Yes I know you read this other book that proved the Catholic Church amended the original bible in order to control the people.

But in the end we just don't know, nothing can be proven 100%, most of the books we read are just well researched and yet unproven theories.

You could call this my rant, I love Christmas. Christian or not it is a great holiday. We can celebrate the birth of Jesus if we are religious, or we can celebrate what his birth represented. It represented Hope for a people who were suppressed by the High Priests, high taxes and more. People who were dominated and controlled. The birth of Jesus brought Hope to these people. Hope is one of the most important things we need. People without hope do desperate things including committing suicide..

Recently I read a quote which said " you can live about 3 days without water, 2 or 3 weeks without food and not a second without hope". I loved this quote, because I remember in my life the times I had almost given up on Hope, and those dark thoughts that came up.

Christmas ends the year and begins the new year, and each new year brings fresh hope. We set resolutions, hoping to quit smoking, lose weight, be happier. We hope that our kids lives will get straightened out, our husbands will find a job, our financial difficulties will be over. We hope to marry and have children, we hope for our children to find partners and be happy. We hope our husband will quit drinking, we hope our wife will be finally happy with us.

Hope is a beautiful thing, it makes new starts in life and can bring about huge changes. Yoga gives many people hope that they can live a life not quite so stressed and tired, that maybe there is a way out of this chaos we live in.

I would not particularity call myself Christian, I am more of a spiritual person, I do however love Christianity and all it represents. I love Christmas and enjoy spending time with my family, buying gifts within my means and just celebrating the season of Hope with all those around me.

I hope that you do not attach yourself to what you believe the perfect Christmas should be like and that you live in the moment. It is only in the present moment that we can truly feel blessed.

So with this, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, enjoy the season and I hope for you all that you continue to find more peace of mind, wisdom and compassion for yourself and others.

Merry Christmas,

Love and Namaste,

Sheree

My Yoga Practice

The study of yoga is a life long study (or perhaps a many life long study), understanding consciousness and terms like illusion (maya) can be read in a book. But are better to be experienced.

Some would say Samadhi is the ultimate merging with the universe or god, some would claim that Samadhi are those times when we feel bliss and perfect contentment with our lives.

Currently there is a debate on what came first, yoga or Hinduism, and if it was Hinduism, should we not honor that fact in our teaching of yoga.

Debate, debate, debate, just like in religion scholars argue over this or that, did the egg or the chicken come first. Books, blogs and articles are written, honestly, most of them make me want to scream, thank God I practice yoga. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a scholar to have to research and try to prove theories, from book learning, I wonder if the mind of a scholar every settles.

One of my favorite expressions is "would you rather be right or be happy", and I believe that sometimes happiness comes from not over analyzing and just living in the day. while I appreciate the work of scholars and love to read books on yoga, at the end of the day, I learn from my personal practice. I believe that yoga has to be experienced to fully understand it's benefits.

Yoga is a science, yes it can be proven that it works. Ancient yogi's tested postures, breathing exercises and meditation techniques for hours/weeks/days and years and then passed on what they had learned. For example if you hold pada hastasana for 3 hours and 48 minutes each day at some point you will reach glimpses of Samadhi. I could go on and on listing the benefits of asanas (postures) each has been proven to have a specific result (s). I have not yet done this pose for this length of time and probably never will, but have heard from people that did have this discipline, that yes, Samadhi can be reached in this manner.

Almost every week someone mentions to me about how happy I am, this always makes me smile because I have as much happening in my mind and my life as the next person. I have the stresses of marriage, running a business, and more. I am happy because I practice yoga and in those times of stress, I reach for my yoga mat or a spiritual book or a phone to call my spiritual director.

I have never practiced yoga to exercise many do, and that's great, but for me it has always been a spiritual practice, my mat is my prayer rug and I go to it with reverence, each time I practice yoga I set my intention, and it is always the same, I want to let go of Sheree (the ego) and let the universe make me a better person, I try focus on the prana and not my surroundings. Year after year, class after class I set the same intention, make me kinder, more patient and more loving to the people in my life, help me create union in my life. Slowly, slowly over the years I have become a little more patient and a little more loving.

From this practice comes my experience, yes yoga can settle the mind, yes yoga can heal the central nervous system, yes yoga can bring peace and love to your life, when you practice.

For me my journey to a more loving person has been valleys and hills, sometimes I am in bliss other times I am the old Sheree, full of fear that leads to envy, guilt, anger and more. I usually realize the old Sheree has resurfaced when I feel separation from family and friends.

One of my shortcomings in my inability to forgive myself, I have made huge errors in judgement in my life and have been able to let them go yet one of the recent ones plays on my mind. Falling short of the high ideals I had set for myself has caused me great guilt, I know in time I will reach a better place but in the meantime I hope that this inability to forgive does not translate into my relationships with people. We sometimes find it hard to forgive others when we cannot forgive ourselves.

On the other hand this lapse shall we say in judgement has made me more compassionate towards others, it was my spirutal director who pointed this out. So with darkness there is light, and our experiences can make us a better person, if we learn from them.

I am very much a tantric yogini by the way, my thoughts and experiences have shown me that this place we call earth can be the source of love and bliss, I choose to make the experience called "my life" a journey into love. One day I will pass on hopefully to greater planes and more bliss, but for now I love the life I have.

On Relationships

Today I had coffee with a friend and we chatted a bit about our husbands, the stuff we love about them and the stuff that drives us nuts, it was a good release and a chance to laugh at ourselves.

Marriage or any relationship is never easy it has its ups and downs and twists and turns. Don't for a second think this was a "bitch" session, it was two women talking through stuff. At the end of our chat my friend thanked me for giving her a new perspective, and since we usually give others the advice we need, I was helped too.

Years ago I heard that it is the qualities you love in a man when you first meet or start dating, that will later drive you nuts. This popped into my head during my coffee chat and I found myself laughing on the way home at just how true this statement is.

There is stuff of course you can't blog about and I am so very careful never to write anything that would embarrass my husband, I have been married twice and had a long term relationship from High School into my mid twenties... I have been in a relationship since I was 18.

So I thought it would be fun to take the things I liked about these men when we first met and translate them into the things that eventually drove me nuts. I want it to be clearly understood that this is done in fun as in the end I know that the problem is always with me and not them.

So here goes.

What I liked What drove me nuts

He was high energy and fun He woke up like the Ever Ready bunny and never slowed down, I wanted to pull his battery out

He was great in bed All he ever wanted was sex

He was neat He drove me nuts about being neat, he talked about it c constantly, nagged me daily.

He was charming He was charming other women behind my back

He was a great talker He talked non stop and dominated every conversation

He bought me great gifts These gifts were tied into his guilt over the other women

He was handsome He knew it and was always trying to get me to improve my appearance.

He was a hard worker He worked constantly and I never saw him

He wasn't as neat as the last guy He is so messy

He was fun at Parties He drank too much and the party never seemed to end

This list is in no way meant to beat up on these men they were great guys who I loved and still remember with great fondness, I just find it hilarious that the very things that attracted me to them were the very things that became so frustrating.

I know that there were many things about me that drove them nuts and I hope that they can have a good laugh about these things and think of me as fondly as I think of them. These men were some of my greatest teachers they held up the looking glass of life and forced me to look at who I really was. I will be forever grateful for the time they shared with me and the amazing memories of love that we shared.

I was told recently by a psychic that I would have one more love in my life and that it would be the greatest love of all. I find that hard to believe because I experienced great love in all these relationships. If someone gave me the chance to go into my past and choose differently I would still choose these men because they have been a part of forming who I am today and today I am very happy.

Can I be average ?

I have been working on a new post for weeks now, based on love and a book I am reading, it never seems to be quite right, at times I re-read and I think it sounds preachy or too emotional. So I keep re saving it and going back to it later.

But this new topic keeps coming to mind today.

It started like this. Last week I called my Spiritual Director, I needed to purge my mind. Confession is so good for the soul....

During our conversation he stopped talking,which is rare for him , and out of the silence came his thoughts..he said "can you accept being average". At the time I just listened as he explained his thoughts, he shared with me that his spiritual director had asked him that question a few weeks ago and it had popped into his mind while listening to me. He shared a bit on his life and we went on to talk about other topics.

But a seed had been planted and soon it began to germinate...in my mind. Can I be average ? Could I run a race and be happy with an average time, could I get an average mark on a test and be okay with it ? What if my looks were average or my yoga studio. Can I just blend in and not crave attention.

The answer is no NO NO No, I would have a really hard time with being average..I am being honest very honest. Maybe I am average and I don't really see it but I am a striver, I try for top marks, I work hard, very hard trying to improve myself and my business. I am an out there personality, outgoing, fun and love to laugh and carry on with my friends.

My spiritual director suggested that being average meant accepting a simple life and I am not so sure I agree with him...I have a simple life...a husband, some dogs and a business, I don't have much drama in my life but it is busy..I love my life.

I need to think more about this average thing, it wouldn't be popping into my mind if there wasn't something for me to learn here.

My sister used to always tell me I was type A, I have always disagreed with her, type A's don't take naps I would tell her, yet, generally I take naps so I can do more or because I have done too much. Yesterday someone else told me I was type A. A type A yoga teacher ? Is this a contradiction ?

So I question myself one more time, in this spiritual journey, when, why and where do I crave attention, am I happy for other people when their stars are shining more brightly than mine ? I will examine this in myself and if I find that truly I am like that I will begin the journey of unwinding some of these things, I will look for the root of this type of behaviour and learn more more about myself.

I love finding out these things about myself because they limit my freedom, they are fear based and so therefore create separation, and the goal of yoga is union.

Spiritual freedom in an inward journey, it is not necessarily found in churches and yoga studios, although it is sometimes in these place that we are nudged. Spirituall freedom comes through self reflection and then change based on the new knowledge you have found.

My Take on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day occurs has occured on the second Monday in October since 1959, is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although the original act of Parliament references God and the holiday is celebrated in churches, the holiday is also celebrated in a secular manner.

On January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed:

“ A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed … to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October"

Canadian Thanksgiving is a celebration of the Harvest and an opportunity to
give thanks to God for the blessings of the year and the harvest. While I am
far from a farmer (I did grow tomato plants once). It is a very special day
for me because I have lived 2 lives, many years ago a door opened for me and
I was given a second chance an opportunity to make up for some really bad
choices that had led me to a time in my life in which I was very unhappy.



This door at first seemed like a life sentence to boredom. Slowly very
slowly I began to make better choices, make up for past mistakes and learn
to listen to that inner voice that always guides me gently and in the right
direction. Sometimes I felt nervous, I was sure who I would become without
all the old habits and crutches. It was during these times that I started to
find a faith in a God or a Cosmic Energy that I could call on for courage.
And trust me I needed a lot of courage, I was gripped with fear as a young
woman.



I remember one day that inner voice told me to study yoga, the voices in my
head went mad with laughter, they told me I was "too old", "too inflexible"
and just "too plain and fat" to ever become a yoga teacher. Teaching yoga
was for the young and very good looking. The inner voice was steady and
strong though and with the help of this amazing nun who at the time was my
spiritual director I began my yoga studies.



I never intended to teach, it began as a personal quest to learn more and
to deepen my spiritual life. One day another amazing Catholic nun who was my
good friend, asked me to sub a yoga class for the regular teacher who was
heading away for 3 weeks. My inner voice told me to say yes, so I did.
Immediately the monkeys in my mind started leaping about chattering "are you
crazy" "no one is going to like you" " you aren't ready to teach", again I
put the monkeys to bed long enough to get through those 3 first classes, I
was nervous as hell and almost ran out of poses I taught them sooo fast.



Shortly after that I began teaching part time, the first class no one showed
up, the second class one person showed up, the 3rd class no one showed up,
on the fourth class I sat there in this little cabin on the grounds of
Manresa, a Jesuit Renewal Centre, and looked up to the ceiling and said to
God, maybe I was wrong I wasn't meant to teach, I can't keep showing up, if
no one comes tonight, I will take it as a sign, sadly I blew out the candles
and locked up. As I pulled my car out of this long dark driveway a minivan
with 5 women in it pulled up and asked me where the yoga class was, they
were lost. I backed up, opened the door and relit the candles. These women
continued to be my students for a number or years and brought friends. I
became a yoga teacher.



Today as you all know I own a Yoga studio, I teach many classes, certify
teachers and continue to be a student of yoga. My trip to Thailand was
another "big change" for me, so big in fact that the monkeys in my mind were
still chattering at me while I was lined up to get on the plane. This trip
changed me so profoundly I can't even begin to explain. I will return to
Thailand for at least 2 more trips.



So what does this have to do with Thanksgiving ? Today I feel that I have a
full harvest in my life, I have really good friends, a great and very
supportive family, my parents are alive and we have good relationships, a
husband who loves me, kids and grandchildren. As well I have this amazing
business and a sense of community I have never felt before. Truly this
year's harvest has been plentiful and I thank God for giving me courage
throughout the years to create beautiful garden of people in my life.



My thanks to you for being a part of my Havest,

Reaching the 4th

I am a runner, recently I have been back to doing longer runs 15k or more, in a desperate attempt to train for a 1/2 marathon that I am no where near ready to run.

But anyways, I love running, I love running long distances even better then short distances, I love to run slow and get into this steady foot fall and breathing pattern, it just feels calming. I do listen to music but my playlist is carefully selected for positive messages and inspiration. I am careful about what I put into my mind as garbage in means garbage out.

Recently there comes this point in my run where I no longer feel the separation between what we could call my energy and the energy all around me. This used to happen all the time but slowly I lost it.

It began like this, last week I read that St. Francis of Assisi asked a fruit tree to explain God to him and the fruit tree instantly blossomed. Hmmm I thought while I am far from a saint I must give this a try. So on Rosalind Rd I stopped and asked the Goldenrod to explain God to me. Nothing happened.

I started running again and in the next moment a gaggle of Canadian Geese flew up from the same field that the Goldenrod shared, they seemed so close and so magnificent almost like I had never seen Canadian Geese before....I was in awe of not only their beauty, grace and strength but of the colours of the sky around them...in that moment I seemed to be frozen in time, I felt this incredible sense of peace. I continued running and slowly this sense of bliss dissipated and soon I was noticing my sore legs again. Again this Sunday without asking I had a very similar experience this time it started with Chickadees.

To explain it better here is a cut and paste from Osho's book onMeditation

You might not think of running as a meditation, but runners sometimes have felt a tremendous experience of meditation. And they were surprised, because they were not looking for it – who thinks that a runner is going to experience God? But it has happened. And now, more and more, running is becoming a new kind of meditation. It can happen when running.

If you have ever been a runner, if you have ever enjoyed running in the early morning when the air is fresh and young and the whole world is coming back from sleep, awakening – you were running and your body was functioning beautifully, the fresh air, the new world born again out of the darkness of the night, everything singing all around, you were feeling so alive. . . A moment comes when the runner disappears, and there is only running. The body, mind and soul start functioning together, suddenly an inner orgasm is released.

Runners have sometimes come accidentally on the experience of the fourth, turiya,* although they will miss it – they will think it was just because of running that they enjoyed the moment: that it was a beautiful day, the body was healthy and the world was beautiful, and it was just a certain mood. They will not take note of it – but if they do take note of it, my own observation is that a runner can come close to meditation more easily than anybody else.

Jogging can be of immense help, swimming can be of immense help. All these things have to be transformed into meditations.

Drop the old ideas of meditations – that just sitting underneath a tree in a yoga posture is meditation. That is only one of the ways, and it may be suitable for a few people but it is not suitable for all. For a small child it is not meditation, it is torture. For a young man who is alive and vibrant it is repression, it is not meditation.

Start running in the morning on the road. Start with half a mile and then one mile and come eventually to at least three miles. While running use the whole body; don’t run as if you are in a straitjacket. Run like a small child, using the whole body – hands and feet – and run. Breathe deeply and from the belly. Then sit under a tree, rest, perspire and let the cool breeze come; feel peaceful. This will help very deeply.

Sometimes just stand on the earth without shoes and feel the coolness, the softness, the warmth. Whatsoever the earth is ready to give in that moment, just feel it and let it flow through you. And allow your energy to flow into the earth. Be connected with the earth.

If you are connected with the earth, you are connected with life. If you are connected with the earth, you are connected with your body. If you are connected with the earth, you will become very sensitive and centered – that’s what is needed.

Never become an expert in running: remain an amateur so that alertness may be kept. If you feel sometimes that running has become automatic, drop it; try swimming. If that becomes automatic then try dancing. The point to remember is that movement is just a situation to create awareness. While it creates awareness it is good. If it stops creating awareness, then it is no more of any use; change to another movement where you will have to be alert again. Never allow any activity to become automatic.

I can only add to this that I am so grateful that I am able to run again strong and free. And whether or not I am able to run or walk this upcoming 1/2 marathon, I hope that I am able to take pleasure in the day and the event, sharing energy with all who participate.

My Yogic Journey

The past week has been a blur, we have been busy at the studio as well, the Durham Yoga Festival is Sunday, this is a charity event that I organize each year...and yet I feel great, in fact I feel better than I have in years, many years.

It all started with some drinking of bodily fluids, no need to keep talking about it but I noticed the difference within 3 or 4 days. Then last week I signed up for a 21 day Vegan Kickstart and wow, the energy I have right now is unbelievable and I am starting to enjoy the lighter feeling I have.

I remember years ago my stepfather saying that the real reason to be vegetarian was because it was a finer energy. We are all energy that vibrates and the more plant based and raw you eat the better.

So why would we want this finer energy ? To make a difficult explanation easy...we want it to connect better with the energy of the universe. So lower dense energy such as that of the lower 3 chakras is very connected to fear, living for attachments to things (and people), greed, all the things that limit our freedom.

For example the more things we want the harder we have to work to pay for them, the less personal freedom we have as we are tied to our debt and jobs.

The higher chakras are more about your spiritually, your connection to the divine, your wisdom, insight and ability to love (real love not the needy grasping stuff). With this can come a better sense of connectedness and more. ( writing on this topic is just too deep, I am keeping this very very high level).

Other things such as astral travel, and connecting with souls from other planes also rely on a finer energy. Did you know that Helen Keller could hold her hand above a flower and tell you what type of flower it was, she was so connected to energy partially due to the fact that she couldn't see, hear or speak, but also because she was a very spiritual woman.

It's not a coincidence that this has popped into my mind as last night in bed I was reading in my current book (The Energy of Prayer). That prayers to understand this connection as less selfish then prayers for things for ourselves even if we are praying for good things for others and ourselves. Another example, we pray for our husband to stop his drinking, but these prayers often come from selfishness, we really want him to stop drinking because of the way he affects the almighty ME. The prayer is not out of compassion for him. But praying to understand the connectedness opens us up to greater wisdom and can lead us to real love which means no attachments and no conditions. I only love you when you are sober, I only love you when you remember my birthday, I did this for you so I expect you to do this for me. Loving in this manner is very difficult, as it is an emotional roller coaster ride and is not in the end a true compassionate love.

So to tie it all back together, with this finer energy I have been feeling since eating vegan, with it has come a sense of peace and connectedness that I wasn't feeling before, it is hard to explain but I am really into my teaching and just wanting to be where ever I am at the time. I have been waiting to try some stuff I was taught in Thailand such as astral travel and I have a feeling this vegan diet is going to help. I am also going to change the way I pray...I really want to understand the connection better.

Since I have lost most of the weight I wanted to, just maybe 4 to 7lbs to go, I am going to focus my Blog on my journey into practicing yogic philosophy.

So that I can share from my personal experience not from a book.

Namaste

How to Drink Urine

I am coming out of the closet I have drank my own urine....only twice so I am not an expert but I can give you some advice. (I start again tomorrow).

Firstly if someone tells you it that urine has no taste they are lying, it has a taste, a most peculiar taste, that I can't describe, it is not yummy like chocolate, it is not as disgusting as Oil of Oregano, somewhere between the two is the taste of urine.

It is thicker then you would expect almost velvety....not as thick as gravy mixed with cornstarch but thicker then water.

It is not dirty, if fact it contains nutrients your body needs and wants. We Yogi's do not recommend eating feces...that is dirty...so just in case you thought why not make a meal out of your next bowel movement, forget it...that is just gross.

I find it help full to just drink it up fast, like a shooter, I have actually drank worst tasting alchohol.Once in Greece while , on my honeymoon with my first husband, a bartender gave me a drink of home brew made from Artichokes, I couldn't swallow it I had to rush to the bathroom and spit it out. This may have been the first time I wasted alcohol but that is another blog. Urine is not as bad as Artichoke home brew.

It is warm, not hot, but mildly warm...did I mention it is smooth like velvet and kind of sticky, have your touthbrush handy and perhaps mouthwash.

Don't think about it, do the research and then just drink it fast.

While in Thailand I met this guy named Peter, a 30ish American guy from Colorado, he was travelling the Eastern countries studying yoga and meditation, Peter was cute, boyish, very down to earth and he made a ton of sense. He shared with me that he was hesitant to drink urine, but what convinced him was that the people in his group who were drinking urine were clear skinned, bright eyed and that this change occured very quickly. As the last hold out of his group, Peter began to drink his urine and with in must a few days felt amazing. Hearing this from Peter made me think maybe I should just open my mind to the possiblity.

On Being 50 Soon

Seems like these days many of my friends are younger than me, actually quite a bit younger...so I have begun to feel like it may be my duty share with them what to expect when you start getting close to 50.

1) Random face hairs appear....not just on your chin and mustache, weird thick hairs that start to grow out of your nose, cheeks and neck...and generally because you need glasses for the fine print you don't see them until you are in the car and without your tweezers...meaning you are spending the rest of the day wondering how many people are watching them vibrate as you speak.

2) 10:00pm is late...chin dropping, tongue hanging out in front of the TV....late

3) cellulite is not just limited to your bottom and thighs over the years it creeps out towards your ankles and arms...if you are as lucky as I am, your younger friends swear that they can't see it (thanks Misty).

4) sex....while sex is still great...when you want it....and when you can stay up late enough to have it and when all your facial hairs have been removed

5) being told you look good for your age starts to feel okay...the first time it happens it is a shocker, you want to scream what age ? Its like the first time the kid at the meat counter called you Mame and you looked behind you to see if your mother was standing there.

6) I recently had someone describe a friend of mine as an older woman....I thought HEY she is the same age as me.

7) you really REALLY start to look like your parents.... I am a blend of both my parents...my fathers legs...my Mom's..(not saying she reads my Blog).

8) everyone starts to look young to you...you wonder if all those Moms in the grocery store are really old enough to have kids....you wonder if you looked that young when your kids were born.

9) 60+ year old men start to flirt with you and you flirt back....okay maybe not you but I have a "thing" for older men love them.....I married one actually

10) age spots start to crowd out the freckles......

11) everything you do shows on your face the next day...sigh your period of "bounce back" grace is well gone.

12) you start to emphasize with turkeys as you watch you neck resemble one...sigh...

13) and weird but true while all this is happening you thank God you are not 30 or 40 any more

The funniest Moment

In Thailand I was taught many ancient health techniques, natural remedies for curing just about any disease. Some were yoga poses that tune and energize the Chakras. Chakras are energy wheels that govern certain areas of the bodies, organs, skin and even emotions.

Some were the drinking of bodily fluids such as urine, blood and even sperm. Definitely not for the squeamish. At first some of the information seemed ridiculous....I had to keep a very open mind. Some I swore I would never do, some I thought hmmm maybe. Along with the drinking of bodily fluids there was the daily vomiting to clean toxins from your stomach, tongue scrapping and more.

Most evenings I would talk with my husband on Skpe and I would share with him the content of the lectures, we would discuss the merits of each, or even how disgusting we felt they were....some we had a good laugh over others we thought maybe we would try them.

So.... fast forward to yesterday, I am home, working in my studio when in walks a mother with her 2 children to sign up for classes. The youngest of the 2 girls was a 7 year old full of spunk and very talkative. She bombarded me with questions.....the final one being.....

ARE YOU THE LADY THAT DRANK HER PEE IN THAILAND ?

I am a fast thinker and it is rare that I am caught off guard but....I must say....this floored me....so much for my private conversations with my husband......I had a good laugh over this one.

Who am I ? Why am I here ? These are the questions we are told to ask ourselves, there are even signs in the bathrooms with these questions. I am coming home soon and have a great deal of mixed feelings. I know I will return to Koh Phangon and this amazing yoga community, I have found my place here and I love it.

The last week has been a blurr of activity...classes, lectures, and more. Saturday was our final ceremony, it was an emotional day for me. I had this

overwhelming sense of gratitude for where I am today. My journey has not been easy so far but looking back I wouldn't change much...so many lessons learned.

Last week there was a quote on the white board in our class this quote made me cry.... it was.

This place where you are. God circled on a map for you....Haqiz

I had many reasons for coming here, some I shared some were private, all those reasons have been fulfilled I hope that upon my return this new knowledge about who I am will change me for the better.

There have been so many good times here, walking with Steph to hear the Swami speak, learning to ride a motor bike, overcoming my fears, sitting up late talking about yoga, heading to the food market in Ton Sala for local food and flair.

Saturday night was our graduation ceremony, we received our certificates, a blessing from Swami and we all had a chance to entertain. I sang a devotional song in Sanskrit with 2 other people and it was amazing. I have never sung before in a small group and people later asked me how long I had been singing. I told them about 3 hours and they were amazed, secretly I sing all the time and love it. And truthfully I have always had this secret desire to be a rock star...so this was my debut LOL.

I am leaving in 2 hours, I stay tonight in Bangkok and then fly to Hong Kong to catch my flight home. How nice it is to have a place to call home and people looking forward to my return. Perhaps that is the biggest blessing.

Week 3

I have now completed week 3 of this program, I love it here most days, but there is the odd moment that I feel a bit homesick but soon someone or something captures my interest.

I ran 7k on Saturday in the middle of the day and wow, running in Thailand is rare and almost stupid, after my run it took a full dip in the pool to stop the sweat from pouring out of every sweat gland in my body. People here don't run, only the odd tourist, in fact the locals move at this very slow pace and never seem to be in a hurry, tropical climates seems to do this to people.

We are only off one day a week and I am tired by the end of the week, it is hot here and humid everyday, even after it rains. Today I am off and I went to a 2 hour Ashtanga yoga class it was led by this beautiful Yogini from Spain who has the voice of an angel, I thought it wouldn't be hard because of her gentle spirit, but it was hard, very hard, but it was just what I needed to burn off monkey mind

Each week I get a little more accustomed to life on this island, I am bartering better with the taxi drivers to get the best price, I however still feel like vomiting once I get out of the taxi's, I wonder if they drive faster if you are the only passenger which means they are making peanuts, or, if this is just their way. The taxi's here are like pickup trucks with benches and and roof and sides, you get thrown around if you don't hold on tight..hence the desire to vomit.


I have attended two lectures with the Swami this week both were great, he is why I am here so I try to attend anything he is presenting, this on top of school can make for a long day.


My butt is sore, from sitting, and sitting and sitting on cement floors. I think I lost some of my padding on it too LOL. I have lost 10lbs now....I am pleased I was hoping to lose weight and have been able to avoid junk foods I am eating vegetarian and drinking tons of water, it has been just over 2 weeks since my last coffee, I inadvertently gave up coffee as it was a no no on the detox, I then decided just to stay off it while I was here. I look great, the weight loss and the rest combined shows on my face as more relaxed.


The lecture I loved this week was on Karma, given by the Swami, he said Karma can be defined as Action and Reaction, it is a law of the universe, not something dished out by a loving or punishing God. Every thing we do will cause a good or bad reaction, he said our actions are like a pendulum you swing it out and it will come back, either in the next moment (see Misty you are right), the next year, in 40 years or the next lifetime. I will be on the look out for the knock in the back of the head...sigh..from the return of the pendulum. He also said that it is our Karma good or bad that keeps us coming back life after life and he said there are only 2 ways to rid ourselves of Karma, one is to detach from the results of our actions and the other is to consecrate all our actions to God. Only by living in this manner can we hope to break the cycles of rebirth.


I am getting used to Swami's presentation style now, it is blunt, complicated and he speaks as if he is yelling, but he is very soft and warm in person, his love for the people here shows easily on his face. It is easy to see he has helped a many people, his program is transformational. Many people end of on the island for the party atmosphere, are drug use is widespread and stumble into yoga class only to find a new way of life that is more freedom then any party could every give you. Drugs, alcohol and parties are widespread, in fact in some bars you can order Magic Mushroom shakes.

After tonight I only have 6 more classes, time now seems to be going fast, as I am 3/4 of the way through the program. I have learned lots and also reconnected with Hatha Yoga, it is not a popular style but it is my first love in yoga, a quiet meditative practice is a balance to my busy life and the running.

Today while I was walking to a yoga class and young girl from Los Angeles offered me a ride on the back of her motorbike, her name is Sarah, and she said to me that in order to get the most from this program you need to surrender and forget everything that you know. In that moment I realised that I needed to surrender, it is not easy coming here with a ton of yoga experience and being told that I am ignorant or treated in a manner that suggests we new students know nothing. However, it is not meant in that way they are just saying that the door is opening and wait until it opens more. There is clearly a distinction in levels here, level one students are the tadpoles in the pond, and each level you move up seems to bring you more recognition. With the Swami being the big frog on the lily pad.

Being away has given me clear insight into my life and how great it really is. What an awesome experience it is to step out and look into your own life and feel such gratitude for your family and friends.

Namaste,

Here at Agama we have come together for a common interest or pursuit, the love or the desire to know more about yoga. So I am in my element, I love yoga. Underneath this seems to be something deeper, many of the people faced personal bottoms at home and just packed up and left. Over and over again I meet someone who, in whatever country they are from, either worked too much, lost a relationship or felt unconnected. Several sold all their belongings and have been travelling through south east Asia for many months, as nomadic spiritual seekers. Agama is roots of sorts, a month long program where friendships are made. Others are like me here for a rest and some yoga. But like many people it was personal crisis many years ago that brought me to my knees and then to yoga, so I understand their search.



Each day is full there are 2 yoga classes lasting anywhere from 2 to 2 1/2 hours, postures are held for 4 to 6 minutes each, sometimes the class includes a music meditation, this is my favorite, I love the lightness that seem to permeate my body during these meditations. Evenings are lectures lasting about 1 1/2 to 3 hours. After that we gather to eat and talk.



My back has healed so I am really enjoying the yoga, I do however have moments of being really restless, missing the running or the more vigorous yoga, I have run here but is is difficult as it gets dark early and the mid day when we are off is incredibly hot, also we have had tons of rain.

Thursday I attended a lecture held by the Swami on the topic of death and how to prepare for death, so that you ensure your launch into another world that is pleasant. He said that there is a hell and that many people think Christians invented hell to scare people, but that hell is a part of many religious and spiritual traditions, including Shamanism. He said that only the ignorant would choose to ignore this fact. He said there were many things you could do to prepare your "launch" after death. Unfortunately he didn't give us much more.

The Swami is a great speaker and he doesn't mince words, he is a times shockingly blunt and quite arrogant, yet in dealing directly with people he is warm and loving, he is passionate about what he is teaching and I am sure that is why, he is so dramatic, he wants to get his point across. He wants you to have knowledge and to make conscious decisions and he wants you to live a full happy life. There is no doubt he his grateful for the journey yoga has taken him on.

Fridays lecture was on a Kriya, or cleansing practice, where upon waking you drink a litre or more of body temperature water and then jump around and then vomit the water out. This practice is said to balance your Dosha, clean out mucus and toxins and even create mental balance.

Next week we learn about urine therapy...I don't want to tell you more until I have had the lecture.

Last nights lecture was held by Swami about Brahmacharya or sexual continence, or how to keep your vitality and not waste it. It lead to a conversation of the benefits of either celibacy or tantric sex, tantric sex sounds like a more likely choice for me. However as with most of the Swamis lectures it was long and left us only knowing that there is much more to learn. I am considering a Tantric 1 Workshop before I leave.


So far we have been taught only 11 posture but since we hold them for so long the class lenght is 2 hours.

It is so easy to meet and get to know people here most people have come here alone and are eager to talk. I am meeting people from all over the world, this week I met a guy from Iceland, he is the first person I have every met from that country.

Sunday is our day off and the school empties as everyone rushes off to have some fun and do some shopping, I am heading to a larger town in search of Tibetan singing bowls for my husband and in search of some food that will satisfy my need for something real or even cooked or for that matter not Thai, I am craving some different flavours.

As I enter the third week they tell my body is now purified and I am about the enter into emotional purification....sigh...I hope that goes okay.

Anyone wishing to see pictures can find me on Facebook I loaded some more last night.

Agama Yoga School

So the first week of school is under my belt, it has gone fast, we are learning lots about yoga philosophy and there is a focus on the Chakras and attunement with the universe. The teachers are incredibly well read, very bright and some of them have been studying here for 6 year. Because they are so well read they bring great examples into their analogies and most are really good story tellers.





It has been tough, choosing to do the fast zapped my energy and included colemas that we a mental block for me the first few I dreaded and had to force myself to go to, they were self administered thank goodness, but the first couple were awkward and uncomfortable. The last one was a breeze I felt like a pro, I even took pictures during it. And yes much like my husband has said (on occasion), I was full of shit.



Also I hurt my back and was in tremendous pain, thank god for Ibruprofen, I was crying one night because the pain was so bad. I decided though to still attend classes and to use a chair at the back of the room and it is working out okay. Just being around the energy of all people doing yoga helps to make me feel better.







My fast ended yesterday and I am glad I did it, the experience was challenging but I had really wanted to attempt one and thought this was the perfect safe place to attempt one. I lost almost 7lbs and have tons of energy. I also have not had coffee in 4 days....and feel okay. Whether or not I return to coffee will depend on whether or not I choose to come home to my old way of life, I hope that I do make some changes, I have a good life but I was tired and I need to find more balance between work and personal time, maybe just more time away, in fact I am booking a weekend away with my husband as soon as I return, so more Kama (pleasure) in my life will be a focus for me.







Spiritual practices require discipline, as discipline is one of the Niyamas or guidelines to living with self, doing the same thing over and over again requires discipline. It also takes disciple over a number of years, one does not become enlightened at their first meditation, nor do you realize much about yourself, it takes years of going inward to even begin to understand how you tick. The question they suggest we ask is "Why am I here?"





A yoga teacher back home once confessed to me that she is so busy and stressed that she no longer does yoga, she swore me to secrecy because she is so well known. I can easily see how that could happen and hope that I can maintain balance in my life. and stay connected with yoga, meditation and prayer once I leave here.







Today I attended a Spiral Mediation which is based on the Theory of countering the Yin energy of a full moon, which is Svadistana chakra, and is partially about sex and emotions. Here on the Island they have full moon parties which are massive and are about drinking, drugs and dancing, people come to the Island just for these Rave like parties. Agama school tries to counter this energy but creating Yang energy.





At the meditation we were lined up male/female by our stars signs and then spiralled a senior teacher was at the head/middle of the spiral and energy was moving through our arms. It was a standing meditation which lasted 45 minutes, it takes discipline to move through the distractions of the mind while standing for that long, the heat was incredible I had sweat pouring down my body. Since I was holding hands any movement would have distracted the men on either side of me so I stood perfectly still. Each time my mind wandered and towards the end it wondered quite a bit I brought my concentration back to the breath and I made it through the whole meditation. It really was an incredible experience. It left me feeling amazing but unfortunately I couldn't sleep because my energy was so good.,







I am not all yoga and meditation thought I must confess, I an having a blast, the people I am meeting are interesting and from all over the world, I am learning lots and making friends I sure I will see again. Saturday night a couple from Dubai rented a pick up truck and took about 9 of us into town, we went to an open market full of portable stalls selling food, it was neat to see the generations of Thais gathered around their kiosks, young and old gathered to sell food. I had mango sticky rice which is addictive some grilled veggies with a couple of grilled prawns that were caught that day. Luckily I love spicey food because everything is served with a side of spice.





Sunday some friends of friends came out to meet me and then I rented a motor bike and headed into town for some souvenir shopping and bought Thai Fisherman pants for myself. I am still very rusty on the bike and have to laugh when elderly women zoom past me with a grandchild or two on their bikes, I just keep to the side of the road and do around 30 or 40k/hour.





It is 6:45 am the first day of my second week of school, I am excited about what this week may bring, new people arrive all the time so not only is the school interesting so is meeting all these people, most of them are travellers and all are spiritual seekers, it is not chance that we are here at Agama at the same time, there is a reason unfolding for each of us.

So what am I learning

I came to Thailand for many reasons, both personal and professional, some reasons I shared with people some were kept private. Most of all I needed to recharge my batteries, I felt like an old cell phone battery, you know the one that will only hold a charge for a bit. That is how I felt, I could keep up with my life but soon I would be soo tired again, I knew I needed to get off the hamster wheel for awhile. I know what brought me to this point and I am okay with the decisions I made, but I needed now to recoup from the last few years and reconnect with Sheree.

So here in Thailand I am resting, I wish I was eating but I am on a fast right now and soon I start a brown rice diet, they tell us brown rice has the perfect balance of yin/yang and ask us to experience this miracle diet that is known to cure diseases.

I am re balancing my energies, it is great, each day I feel a little stronger.

Like most yoga schools, they are claiming to be the only one that is passing on the yoga tradition correctly, this is common; like religions the different yoga lineages all feel that they are they way, here at Agama they politely say it but they still say it.

I wonder if this fear is caused by the hard times they must of faced in the early days, a Romanian Swami teaching yoga in India, it must not have made him popular. In every spiritual tradition there are people who claim that they are the way, the path and the light, I call them false prophets, people flock to them and soon find that the path is a dead end. No one person has the path for others, the path is inside us all and can only be walked alone, we must dig deep and find out who and what we are, it is not easy. Yes many people will help us along the way but in the end our path is always going to be different from some one elses.

I am grateful for what I am learning here, it is in depth and very interesting, I may return for other courses, next time with my husband. But I will never follow one person as many of the people here do, I will always be free from those types of attachments to people. I am so glad that I came here happy and with such a full life, so that I can be objective.

I think I will always look at Swami as someone who taught me for awhile but I think deep inside we all have our own swami, that will guide us. I am looking foward to the rest of the course and spending more lectures with Swami V, he is bright, charismatic and very well read.

Thailand

I am in Koh Phagnon an Island in the South China Sea off the Coast of Thailand. I am amazed that I am actually here.


The trip was great, long, and for some reason I felt calm the whole time, I have always felt like I was meant to be here.

At one junction my plane was running behind and at first I was a little concerned about missing my next flight (I took 3 flights) so I just thought to myself it will work out and told myself not to worry and as I stepped off the plane there was an airport staff member waiting for me with my name on a sign, my first reaction was fear, had something happened back home ? But Bangkok Airline had wanted to ensure I would make my next connection so they sent someone to get me, I was promptly escorted to the check in counter on this cool electric car.


Exhaustion hit on the ferry from Koh Samui to here, after 3 planes, a bus ride and a 4 hour wait for the ferry, and a gravel just in case, I was half asleep on the Ferry.

In Koh Samui on the way to the Ferry I met a couple from Dubai who filled me in on stuff, like prices, taxi's etc.. a nice couple newly married. The woman had been here last year so was an expert. In the Taxi we sat in the b0x of a truck on benches, the taxi ride felt like the longest point of the journey.


I fell into bed the first night and slept for about 10 hours. The next day suffering from Jet Lag I orientated myself with the resort and......I decided to head into town.


d I decided to rent a motor bike, something I have not really ever driven before but I figure why not ? No time like the present to learn a new skill LOL. I got a quick lesson from a guy that barely speaks English but once he sees my handling skills his eyes open wide and he cautions me many times to go slowly.....I decided not to wear a helmet, sorry guys but I just need to be me. I went so slow that I was passed by everyone including their grandmothers. Motorbikes are the most common vehicle on the road, young, old, families, everyone is on them and generally without helmets.


So into the market I headed, it was neat, an abundance of small shops and stalls, selling everything, meat, fish, clothes etc...lots of massage places and restaurants. I .picked up a few items but was really too tired to get into shopping and bartering over the prices. Next trip to town I will sharpen my bartering skills. I will rent a motorbike again do some more exploring. Sundays I am off school and will try to do some touristy type stuff. Snorkeling is high on my list.


Thailand so far is a country so different then Canada, people for sure it moves at a slower pace, although I wouldn't say I see them as more happy. It seems about the same. I have always believed that happiness is a decision not a cultural thing. Rich or poor happiness is how you perceive the world around you.

There are no road laws that I can see very few stop signs and babies being held in their mothers arms while on motorbikes...Three to a bike is common here.

On the way home I got totally lost somewhere inland, so, there I was on a motorbike in 35 degree tropical heat, I could feel my skin burning. After searching for a map, someone who could speak English well enough to guide me, and finding a store that sold sun protection, I made it to my resort and wanted to do my first yoga pose, prostrating and kissing the ground, wait that is Muslin not Hindu, oh well, I was happy to be back.

Being lost was okay as the Island is not so big, but my butt was sore and I was pretty tired. I also had to maneuver the broken roads that in some spots were covered with red sand that must come down from the hills when it rains. There are skinny dogs every where running out into the road and tons of hills.



The guy who rented me the bike seemed happy to see my alive.

After seeing how meat and fist are handled here I have no problem not eating meat.

This is really an intensitve program 3 times a day 2 hours a day the first few days are lectures, then we are taught one pose at a time. Very slowly we build up to a series of postures, taught for their spiritual, health and physcial benefits. This morning was a lecture by Swami and then 6 warming practices. This afternoon is a lecture on the Chakras and tonight another lecture on what is yoga.

Full moon parties are common here, Beach parties with tons of dancing, music and drinking and some drugs, I have been invited to one but will bow out gracefully. It is too soon and I am too tired to attend a party, especially since I don't dring and/or do drugs. And I would have to travel there and stay for several hours, I would need an escape plan and can't figure one out. I will leave the Full Moon Parties to the young people.

The food is amazing rice soup today with tofu and lemon grass, I love eating fresh well prepared food, I am trying new things and loving it. I wonder if I will lose my latte and sushi addiciton while I am here.

Best of all I am videoing calling with Frank, we have skype and are making video calls, it is really cool, I think this is good for him especially because he was left behind and I know he had some concerns. He sits there shirtless with his earphones on looking kinda grainy. I love technology. I will have my daughter download skpye too and that way i can offset some of my missing her.

As I conclude this blog it is actually day 2, I learned one more pose today and had a lecture on why do Asana's there are 2 more lectures today. I had a massage and am booking a 4 1/2 day detox including self administered colemna's, my husband has on occasion told me I was full of shit so I guess I will find out. I figure to do it early while we are not doing intense poses.

Pictures will be loaded soon...very soon.

It is lowtide and so far I sit facing the ocean for all my meals. What an amazing adventure I am sure this will be. A 50th Birthday gift to myself...I am not yet 50 but will be in 2 months. Somehow I think this will be life changing in ways I can' t imagine.

This is my man

This is my man.... it is exactly what he looks like,
I look at his face in this picture and just know he is deep in thought, worrying about this or that.

He is complicated, and deep, there are layers to who he is. He can be stubborn at times. At times even dark. And at other times he is the kindest person I know. I guess we are all layered like he is.

I find him handsome, I always have. I have loved him practically from the day I met him, I kept waiting for him to love me too. I wondered if he would ever love me the way I loved him. This past year he has become very kind and gentle with me. I guess this was a deeper layer he was waiting to show.

The story I love to tell about him is this one.

One night we were at a church meeting. At that event was a guy named Reg. Reg would come and go, he struggled in life, he was dirty and looked like he slept on the streets. Reg usually showed up when he need some money, I always gave him what I could, why not. Then I would get in the car and find out my husband had given him money too. We would laugh at how he got us both.

But this night Reg started to cough, cough like he was about to spit out his lungs.

You know the kind of cough that makes people turn away. A murmur ran through the crowd. Just then, with out saying a word, my man got up and went to the back of the room, I thought he must be going to the washroom.

Where he went was....... to get Reg a glass of water.

This is the kind of man he is, deep, caring and full of compassion for his fellow man. I think this shows in his face. He is first a man, then a father of 5, a grandfather, a stepfather to one, a friend and a husband.

He would say I am his soul mate because I drive him nuts, a soul mate is not the one you sit passively with holding hands in peace. A soul mate can push your buttons, rub your raw edges of and more.

I think he will miss me while I am gone, but I know for sure I will miss him.

All Set ?

So the question I am most asked these days is "all set for your trip" and truthfully I have been mentally set for it for ages, I met Swami V almost 5 years ago and knew then that I would one day travel to Thailand to study with him, I have never doubted this moment would come.

Spiritually I am ready too, I am exhausted...I work hard and the last several years were filled with a tremendous amount of personal stress...my soul yearns for some quiet time. The stress changed me and I needed to change but I am ready to rest now....to rejuvenate my soul....I know I deserve this trip.

I am not packed (sigh)....I am waiting for my husband to find the suitcase, he stored it somewhere and can't really remember where, but is sure it is around and he gets annoyed at me when I ask about it...I will give it one more day (maybe two) before I head to Winners to replace it.

I have half waxed....bikini line done.owwwwwwwwwwwwwww....face hair on Wednesday....sigh

My feet are done, looking pretty and ready to peak through sandals.

I am still wondering about a bathing suit, I have my one piece black, slimming one, but I am contemplating a 2 piece...after all no one I know will be around, and it will be very hot there....I have looked and looked and keeping changing my mind.


Shots and papers are in order, I almost forgot to get my Visa for Thailand...whew


A visit with my Grandmother just in case something happens either to me or to her, I needed to tell her I loved her.

I am stocking up the freezer with meat for my man...something he can BBQ...little labeled packages from the Butcher.

I have reviewed with my teachers what to look for when they walk in the studio..toilet seat down...no socks lying in the entry way...sniff the air for smells of cooking. Dogs tucked away and not licking and loving our students.

I need to buy something for the trip, I still suffer from motion sickness and there is a lot of motion on this trip.

I am considering Breathe Easy strips for the trip....I snore and am hoping these might help... I use them in an unconventional way, one on my nose 2 on my mouth to keep it from falling open LOL..these are for the plane...I have ear plugs, an eye mask and a neck pillow...I am hoping to sleep on the way to Hong Kong at least.

I need to download Skype so I can talk to my husband cheap, no doubt I will miss him and doubly no doubt he will miss me. Feel free to drop off food for him....and of course feel free to nag him on my behalf...LOL what will he do without female advice.

So I will clean the toilets and bathtubs this week and I think then I will be "all set"

My Bucket List ????

Inspired by a good friend who turned 50 a few months ago, I am creating my bucket list. At first I thought it was a morbid suggestion, my friend had a stroke a last year and so has the deep seated fear of another one.

I am not going to call it my bucket list, I am going to figure out a more positive name for it but there are a few things I have always wanted to do but never had the money/time or really wanted to be away from my kids for too long.

Now I have the time, and can probably afford some interesting things if I budget well for them.

1) Road trip to Kripalu with some Yogini's - unlike the road trips with girlfriends while in my 20's I hope to remember the entire trip.

2) Cost Rica for a yoga retreat

3) Pay off the studio mortgage - so I can travel more

4) Study at Agama in their Teacher Training program (3 months)

5) Take Teacher Training with David G at Downward Dog....master Bakasana...(
Teacher Training is just a great reason to do more yoga...)

6) Turn the Durham Yoga Festival into a weekend event....and raise a ton of money for local youth charities.

7) Travel to India...is this getting boring ? It's all about yoga and traveling

8) Visit New York City and take some classes with Dharma Mittra - okay more yoga...shop as well....

9) Run a marathon....sigh...I keep putting this one off

10) Cycle the Cabot Trail with Frank - Frank is from Cape Breton Island and this is one we both share.

11) Buy a big old house on a lake and open a retreat centre.

Sheree's Trip to Thailand

So here is part of my trip in pictures...after a 15 hour flight I arrive at the Hong Kong Airport...a world class airport in a city I would love to tour but will have to pass on this trip.


A 3 hour stopover give me just enough time to change planes...


From Hong Kong to Bangkok is just under 3 hours.

From Bangkok to Koh Samui Airport about 59 minutes. The airport in Koh Samui is billed as the most beautiful airport in the world.




If only the travel ended in this gorgeous place but from here I catch a ferry to Koh Phangan....an island in the South China Sea. To my final destination the Ananada Resort right beside the Agama school that I will be attending.





There I will stay in a bungalow over looking the pool and the water.




Upon arrival the very next day I start my studies....with Swami Vivekananda, I am studying yoga a more traditional form.

Each Day I attend 2 x 1 and 1/2 hour yoga classes/lectures and in the evening there are morelectures and films.

They take place in the Yoga Hall.

I have plans to also have some fun, maybe some diving or surfing lessons as times permits. Maybe a detox at the resort and some Thai Yoga Massage. I plan to book time with Swami V...to discuss my path, and to clear out some head stuff.

I plan on being absorbed by my studies and just enjoying this amazing opportunity to live and study yoga with no distractions.

I honour the light that is within you, it is the same light that is within me, therefore we are one (when we are both in that place LOL).

Namaste