Goa - episode 2

Day 1-2
So here’s a first day of my winter in the sunshine…. Being in a place where I have the luxury of space, time and freedom. Freedom to follow whatever path I choose, time to let go and wholly absorb another culture, lifestyle and yoga, and finally the luxury of being able to do all this, in my own time. It does still feel extremely surreal – not just being here, sat in a lovely little cottage surrounded by durian trees, palms and other exotic plants, as well as a disused skate park now home to frogs, monkeys and cows, but that’s another story.

So it’s surreal to be back in Goa, Anjuna, Brahmani Yoga, rolling my mat out next to familiar faces and knowing most of the people from either London or Goa. It’s a strange little world, which keeps changing and yet stays bizarrely similar year after year. The difference for me, returning here this season, is that I’m no longer a teacher trainee, I no longer have the stress of writing essays or showing up at 7 am everyday – I still do, simply because I love early mornings and the quiet, fresh cycle into the yoga shala. The dogs have been an issue at dawn though – I’m sure they recognise new faces cause they really barked and growled this morning. They usually sleep daytime and howl at night, so by morning they get pretty hungry and aggressive. Plus they smell fresh blood. That’s my view anyway.

So I’m back in Anjuna for the season – the ‘season’ meaning 5/6 months- and my days will be divided between yoga practice, assisting in classes and doing some PA/PR work for the centre. I reckon that’s enough to keep me busy and yet not too much to stress me out. A fairly good balance for now. I hope.

The fact that I’m writing all this does show that I’m on a fairly productive, ‘London’ mode, and that I still feel the need to report back to others. Reporting is good though – especially as it’s taken me over 24 hours to switch my laptop on, and I haven’t been online for much time either! People say it takes at least a week to totally switch off, so I’m doing fairly well after a day.

So I’m on day 2 and I have my house nearly decked out, with some help from my fussy, german, ex-fashion designer neighbour, my local phone’s just about working, and I’ve already managed to borrow a bike. It’s nice being away, I’m still buzzing from the excitement and the overwhelming number of friendly faces around. But whether life really is better in Goa is something that I’ll soon find out….

moon days - again

Moon days



Most yoga practitioners these days seem to be familiar with the need to avoid doing yoga on full or new moon days. This ritual habit of avoiding so called "moon days" derives from Pattabi Jois’ Ashtanga Yoga system, which states that the body may be exposed to increased risks of injury at either extremes of the lunar cycle.

On a personal level, I’ve always been somewhat sceptical on the effects of the moon cycle on people’s health and wellbeing – perhaps as a resistance to my mother’s continuing belief that our moods and feelings are deeply affected by the lunar cycle. When growing up, I was told that a dark moon would equate to low energy levels, grumpiness, whilst a full moon led to high energy levels – and frequently arguments with my father - the moon would justify any changes in my father’s attitude, and hers to some extent. So when it came to yoga, especially when I started practicing Asthanga, I was initially wary about any ‘moon day’ theory.

However, after some research – and much practice- I soon noticed some variations in my body on particular days. The theory is that because the body is made of 70% water, it is affected in the same way by the moon as oceans and tides. In fact, the lunar cycle is determined by the moon’s relative position to the sun. Full moons occur when they are in opposition and new moons when they are in conjunction, and both sun and moon exercise a gravitational pull on the earth.

Tim Miller, a long term Asthangi and the first American certified to teach by Pattabhi Jois, very accurately points out in his reserach on moon days:
“The full moon energy corresponds to the end of inhalation when the force of prana is greatest. This is an expansive, upward moving force that makes us feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded. The Upanishads state that the main prana lives in the head. During the full moon we tend to be more headstrong. The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.”

So ultimately, according to this theory, the best time to practice would be in the middle of the lunar cycle, when prana is more balanced.

According to the Asthanga Yoga system, one should not practice on those days, as the body is more vulnerable to injury -either through tiredness/lack of energy or too much of it and a risk of over exertion . Traditionally it was also a way to give oneself a rest – Asthanga being a strong, physically demanding practice.
In other forms of Yoga, moon days are not always respected but usually acknowledged as times of fluctuating energy, unsettled moods and hence not ideal for strong physical practices.

I have often been surprised by the lack of knowledge people have on moon days. Even though I’m hardly experienced myself, I believe that being committed to a sound practice should lead to a deeper understanding and listening of one’s body. Recently, I woke up on a morning following a dark moon feeling lethargic, slow, scattered and unmotivated. At the same time I respect that my body needs this day of rest, slowness and ease. Moon days can be seen as honouring nature, and thereby one’s relationship with the surrounding word.

And the same goes for growing vegetables or planting trees – biodynamic farmers respect the moon cycles, while most serious gardeners will acknowledge that the moon does have some effect on the ways plants grow.

So without being utterly superstitious or a new age hippy, I would recommend everyone reads up on moon days and observe the effects – and you might even surprise yourself!



Forthcoming moon days:


Friday 18th July

Friday 1st August
Saturday 16th August
Saturday 30th August

Monday 15th September
Monday 29th September

Tuesday 14th October
Tuesday 28th October

Wednesday 12th November
Thursday 27th November

Friday 12th December
Saturday 27thDecember

For further information: http://www.ashtangayogacenter.com/index.html

Moon days

Moon days... They're a big thing in Asthanga Yoga and people have always asked me why are you not meant to practice on moon days? And exactly what does it mean? And I have always mumbled an answer along the lines of 'it's a time of the month when energy levels are either high or low, which could interfere with your practice and very often your body will be more sensitive, and practicing yoga at that time could hence cause injuries'. Well I know that's not an accurate answer at all, but I've found it hard to describe exactly why and what they are. Here's my easy answer- Tim Miller's website, with a nice list of the upcoming moon days for the year:
http://www.ashtangayogacenter.com/moon.html

Final days

Final days, ups and downs, rain and sunshine

An auspicious combination of a full moon, the start of a week long celebration of Holi, Easter and the first storm of the season, provided a beautiful backdrop for the final days on the course. A liberating thunderstorm cleared away the tearful air and brought some much needed coolness to what had been the hottest week so far. A few more degrees and all of us would have been dropping like flies. The last few classes were already lacking energy and enthusiasm, minds had already left the classroom and drifted to other locations beyond the Shala and far away from Goa. Tears and emotions had already started pouring out as the grand finale of the course neared even closer. It's funny how intense and close knit retreats like these bring out deep seated emotions out of most people.

And I can't believe that's already it – 320 hours of intensive learning, training and practicing are over. It's been such an intense, fascinating, full-on few weeks, months, and now I'm done, I'm officially a yoga teacher –or am I? Right now, I simply own the certificate – a worthy one indeed- but these last 2 months haven't quite sunk in yet. The closing ceremony was a beautiful one – and we celebrated in a hybrid Indo-western way – a last group Pranayama practice, followed by breakfast and a philosophy class to round up our thoughts and knowledge on yoga. After handing us the certificates, we thanked our teachers with gifts and cards – in a very loosely themed Indian fashion.

So what next? Where is everyone off to? Will we all be teaching, assisting, or setting off for yet more learning? Right now, half my classmates are probably roasting on the beach (hours in the classroom doesn't exactly do much for the tan) an the other half have left or are on their way out.... It's somewhat sad to see people leave after such an intense, close time together and yet I feel many of us have made a bond, a mini network of like-minded people, who may very well become lifelong friends, who knows? Only time will tell what everyone will make of yoga in a few years' time.

As for me, I'm not baking on the beach, nor packing up to leave, but simply enjoying some time off from early morning sessions, homework and tight schedules. I've decided to spend a few weeks in the area to enjoy Goa at its quietest, work a few shifts in the shop (in exchange for free classes and some extra socialising), do a bit of admin work for the Yoga centre (not quite karma yoga, but when I can give something back, I love doing it), whilst also keeping up my practice and most importantly have a holiday!

Week 5 and 6

Teaching Panic

Days are getting hotter, study hours longer and the classes just get harder. After a few weeks of fairly 'passive' studying, listening, reading, sitting in lectures, trying to get a grasp on different aspects of yoga anatomy, philosophy and technique, we're now shifting towards a more dynamic and challenging part -the actual teaching. Because that's what this course is all about. Learning theory is fascinating (and there's so much more I want to learn), but it wouldn't really make much sense without practice.

Most students have already set their foundations in their own daily yoga practice, style and approach, and I can see that everyone views an feels yoga in a different way and will end up teaching it (if at all) in a distinct, individual manner. But for most of us teacher trainees, standing up in front o a class, talking through postures, explaining the movement, the breath, the flow, the technique, in a concise, clear and pleasant manner is no easy feat. Just when I was starting to get comfortable with my adjustments technique, happily 'squishing' fellow students and people from the drop in centre, into paschimottanasana, down dog and most of the key postures, newer, bigger challenges are being thrown my way. Teaching is daunting for most of us -more for some than for others- and also involves being confident in one's own practice. However, being thrown to the front of a class, having all eyes looking towards you waiting for instructions, also feels somewhat empowering. For someone like me who's never taught any form of class before, it could be much worse. My fears of mumbling, being confused and unclear weren't justified, and I found myself projecting my voice to the back of the shala quite well (though with a conscious effort) and it did all make sense in the end!
Mind over matter. It can be stressful, daunting, but also so much fun when it goes well. All along, I never thought about the practical side of teaching and how stressful it might be for everyone. I was apprehensive about the 5 am wake up calls (which I turned out to quite enjoy), the daily hour long pranayama sessions, anatomy and philosophy lectures, the physical strain of the daily exercise and yoga practice, but I seem to have sailed through most of this, and the part I was the least concerned about – teaching technique- is by far the hardest. That's also where lies the success of a great teacher- make your students feel at ease, relaxed, and yet be safe when adjusting them an teaching postures.Know the meaning of yoga. Keep up a firm personal practice and keep on learning. But mot importantly, create an environment which feels unique and special for class. No 2 teachers follow the same style, energy or routine, and each teacher will offer something unique to students -whether it's great adjustments, a relaxing practice, a soft, kind, gentle approach, a soothing voice, a fun dynamic class, a strict methodical approach, here's a style out there for everyone. And hopefully I'll soon find mine....

Nearly half way through!

Weeks 3 & 4 – keeping the energy going....

It's week 4 already and most students' energy levels are sinking. I've seen tears, sulking, snapping, some weirdnesss and near breakdowns, but all in all, most people are in pretty good form. Hard times are inevitable on an intense course like this and you have to expect some strange behaviour.

With the challenges of the first few weeks behind me, I am keeping -more or less- sane and I think I'm ready to face new ones. I am now happily bouncing out of bed for the early morning wake up calls. So far, we have three 6 am pranayama sessions and three 7 am starts each week. This means my alarm is set for either 5 or 6 am most days. It's much easier than expected and I'm even starting to enjoy getting up at the crack of dawn, when the rest of Goa is still asleep – even the dogs seem to have their moment of rest and lay off the howling for a couple of hours before sunrise. After a shot of bee pollen and my dose of spirulina and chaiwanprash (my new ayurvedic superfood), I spring out of the room, ready to face another day of yoga practice and lessons.
I'm also now the proud owner (albeit temporarily) of a vintage 1950s Raleigh bicycle, which I've been pedaling around town and to class. Its a great way to get around flat-as-a-pancake Anjuna, but the hills of Parra, the nearby village where most of my classes are now shifting, aren't an easy ride. I struggle uphill and try to hop on classmates' scooters when I can. However, early morning starts bring me to discover a brand new world: the bicycle milk wallah, sleepy roadside dogs and homeless people emerging from the gutter. It also highlights Goa from a whole different perspective and puts me in a positive mood to start the day – most days.

So I've overcome my fears of getting up at 5 and having to sleep so early (with no tv or internet to distract me, early nights aren't that hard). The food is far better than I could have hoped - we're spoilt for choice here: I now have the options of healthy salad/tofu/soup joints, indian veg (with a few Tibetan momos thrown in), market snacks, supermarket shopping or market stalls for fresh fruit and veg, which could potentially be prepared the ayurvedic way (new cookbook allowing). So far, I've only explored options 1-3 and I'm amazed by the variety. But with all the morning practices, it's been mostly a 2 meal a day affair so far – brunch an early dinner – with lots of fruits/snacks/chai thrown in between. It's a fairly healthy lifestyle I reckon.
So week 3 started in a dynamic, upbeat fashion. Physically, I'm feeling energized, my flexibility has improved and my understanding of yoga as a whole is increasing. This could be the first few steps in a long journey of learning. The anatomy classes are fascinating- there's only so much you can cover in 9 hours a week, but knowing how the body works, from organs to the bones, muscles and systems, really does make a huge difference. Getting in and out of postures, knowing how it affects structure, alignment etc is a technique in itself and is just as important as the posture itself. Anatomy is such a wide subject but even the most basic bits of knowledge I've piked up from the classes feel so valuable. I need to keep reading, learning and putting all this into practice. It may seem obvious to many, but the spine is essentially the 'brain' of the body – yet we constantly forget to look after it: hence the importance of good posture, avoiding unnecessary pressure, tension and brutal movements, especially on the lower parts of the spine (lumbar and sacrum) as they are the least mobile parts of the back. Anatomy is also a key part of the adjustments process – or 'how to give good adjustments without putting pressure on the wrong area and sending students into the A&E'!

Finding time to write and reflect on the course isn't easy either, but as the weeks fly past, keeping an online record of all this really does feel therapeutic – it's a technology filled, materialistic escape from the spiritual and mental world of yoga!

Road Rage....

Or the incessant honking and beeping....

I've been on my Indian bike for just over a week now and I am fully feeling the road rage.
Walking around isn't easy either, you're just at the bottom end of the road chain – it goes this way: cows, trucks, buses, vans, cars, auto-rickshaws, motorbikes/scooters, push bikes, pedestrians and the gutter. I wish I could be a cow. Lie on a road all day and watch the crazy world going by me. Being worshiped, respected, occasionally fed or moved. Life's not bad in India for cow.

Being on a bike does, however lead you to see the countryside from a different angle. Yes, it does get hot and sticky during the day, you can't really go too far (and steep hills are out of bounds, especially if you're riding a vintage single speed like me) and you do get the the odd stares (and dirty beeps) from stunned locals. Cycling in India is the poor man's mode of transport. Old men, stick thin sun scorched workers and schoolchildren are the only real bike users around here. Anything else is just deemed odd – why would anyone in their right mind and with enough money consider any form of strenuous exercise when buses, cars and mopeds are easy ways around? Physical activity is certainly one of those cultural divides India and many other countries have with the western world. For me, cycling is a wonderful way to get around, no matter which country I am in. It brings you one notch closer to the surrounding world, in a similar way to walking but in a more efficient, faster manner. You wouldn't cover huge distances on Indian roads, but a bicycle is definitely a great way to get around -and it's possibly safer than a moped.
So what's crazy about Indian roads? Everything. So far I've been attacked by dogs (they're harmless but do give you a fright), beeped at constantly by car/bus/lorry/scooter drivers (that's the rule around here – make yourself heard: 'watch out I am here, beep beep'), I've been shouted at, stared at (not much difference from London then) and jeered at by silly school kids. Oh and did I mention the snotty glare from a cow or two on the way? They rule the roads so why not. They're allowed to sit on their fat bums and cause traffic chaos.

I hope I can keep the cycling up in the next few weeks – most of my classes are moving to a more remote retreat up a long hill, so time will tell whether I'll be able to face the climb each morning at 5.30 am!

Week 2 Reminders

Key reminders for week 2:

• Look after your back: the spine is so delicate and holds the key to a healthy body.

• Learn about your body type: without necessarily having to follow Ayurvedic principles, one should try to understand how their body works. What and how we eat affects our health, and this varies according to each individuals' bodily structure, personality and age.

• Eat well: following the above, food maintains us alive, so keeping our body healthy means eating according to one's body type (constitution), regularly, lightly, and calmly.

• Breathe (again) : one reminder I'll need to include each week!

Week 2

week2 – soaking it all in...

Second week on the course and I feel I'm only just starting to get into the swing of things and easing into a different rhythm and pace. Now I understand why we were asked to arrive at least a few days – if not a week- early. It takes the system time to adjust to the environment, food, time change, weather and local lifestyle, especially when coming from a busy city like London. I consider myself fairly flexible -or more appropriately, adaptable- and having traveled in Asia before, India didn't come across as much of a culture shock. Having said that, Goa is hardly a fair representation of India – with hoards of backpackers and package tourists, it's more of an Asian Ibiza.
Luckily tucked away a few kilometres from the beach, in a peaceful garden (peaceful for Indian standards, if you remove the background car horns, animal howls and occasional drilling), the Brahmani Yoga centre, where most of my classes are being taught during the first few weeks, is a fairly idyllic pace to study.

The one other aspect I have found truly fascinating so far, apart from each person's individual practice, is the unique path everyone has chosen. Needless to say, each of the other 12 students come from various backgrounds (from both a cultural and yoga perspective), but each person also appears to have quite different expectations of the course – why they chose to enroll, what they hope to get out of it, what they plan to do next etc. Some have very clear paths and the near future (ie. post course) all mapped out. Others (like me) are willing to let go and take things each step at a time, not quite knowing what my happen next. I haven't even started thinking about what I might do after the training – apart from keeping up my practice of course, whilst hopefully assisting and eventually teaching. I don't want to think about it too much either – the whole point for me is to take a step back from my unnecessarily busy life and focus on something completely different, and which I am passionately committed to. Where it will lead me, who knows. The outcome can only be a positive one – unless I get struck with the inevitable Delhi belly syndrome! I wouldn't go as far as saying it'll be life changing but let's hope I do take this all in and experience life in a new, eye-opening way.

Reminders of the week

Key reminders of the week:

practice, practice, practice : '... and all will come'. Old words but full of truth.

breathe : this is what our body is made for and keeps us alive

rest: work, effort and dedication make no sense if they are not balanced out with moments of stillness and reflection.

have fun too: play around with postures, sequences, try out new things

Week 1 – first steps in goa and straight into yoga

With a lingering jet lag, I'm still in bit of daze - Goa is really gorgeous and resembles nothing like the India I know so far. The whole trip feels surreal, and there's a dream like sensation floating in the air. The reality hasn't quite sunk in yet and I doubt it will for another few days at least. The location is amazing – fresh, luscious, tropical, welcoming and very unlike the India I've seen before. I am watching with amazement the world go by, hoards of foreigners -tourists and locals- on mopeds, clogging up the roads and making themselves seen and heard. The population here seems to consist mainly of sun burnt topless men with overgrown hair and beards, scantily clad beach babes and seasonal 'yoga-goans'....
But I'm not exactly here on on exotic holiday. I've flown all the way to Goa, India, to embark on an intensive 2 months, 300 hr, 6 days a week yoga teacher training course.

Whether I'll emerge a more committed practitioner, wanting to take things one step further is something I'll soon find out. The teacher is Rachel Hull, an Australian woman living in Bali and with a background of Asthanga, Hatha and Vinyasa yoga, she began to create her own Vinyasa flow style, which essentially consists of a flowing, creative practice – both dynamic and adapted to each person's level and experience. Many postures and sequences derive from Asthanga yoga, which I thoroughly enjoy and currently practice. Rachel, however, broke out of the Asthanga 'mould' and came up with a more freestyle, creative approach to the whole yogic practice, whilst also deriving much of her knowledge from Ayurveda, something which I'll also learn about in greater depth.

As a matter of fact, 'freestyle' was very much something I experienced for the first time this morning in our 'open self practice' class – a mixture of students, teachers and trainees, doing their own moves , their own yogic practice. Being used the the strict Asthanga sequence, this definitely brought an an interesting perspective to things. The feeling was definitely different.

Still very much tired from the traveling, long haul flight and finding my feet, I've been thrown into this course at the deep end. Luckily the first day consisted of a chilled out tea with yummy cakes, healthy snacks (and not so healthy ones too) as well as seriously spicy chai. However the timetable isn't quite as laid back as I had hoped. The first week starts at an 'easy' 7.30 am, with self practice classes; from week 2, 6 am will be the usual routine... Sunday is the only day off and we'll still be expected to study – simply reading and absorbing everything. It's the kind of mental and physical discipline one does need to become dedicated yoga practitioner and definitely one of the first steps to being able to teach is a structured, serious practice.

More yoga stuff to follow.... With the course being so intense, the few moments of freedom and quietness have so far been saved for resting and reading....

http://www.shaktispirit.com/

new year resolutions...

New Year.... Again.. I don't usually make any resolutions and this year's no different. The only decisions - rather than resolutions- I have made are to keep up my yoga practice, keep on trying to lead a healthy lifestyle -whilst remaining fairly sociable- oh, and try to lay off the chocolate for a bit. The latter shouldn't be too hard, giving I'll be setting off to India for a few months - and India's not exactly renowned for its good chocolate. Yoga, yes, food, yes, but not chocolate. The climate just isn't appropriate. And I'm not one of these people who will just ingurgitate any kind of chocolate - because I am fussy and it just has to be dark. Over 70% if possible. One of the reasons why I've been over-indulging with the stuff lately is that I've been spoilt with a varied, delicious, supply of dark chocolate of all kinds, from pure dark, to fruity, coffee infused, vegan, single estate, spicy - you name it, I've most probably tried it.
Right,so that's one thing off my list - for a few months at least. Perhaps I'll even call it a long lent (I'm back after Easter, so all is allowed then).
Of course, and most crucially, as part of my 'plan',is my long break from work, to embark on a yoga teacher training course in India. Well, skip the teacher bit, as that part hasn't quite sinked in. I'll be immersing myself on a 2month long journey -or should I venture into saying lifelong??- to learn about yoga in more depth. Because that's one thing that I most definitely love practicing. Something which I feel has changed my life, has spread off my mat and infused into my lifestyle,my habits and those around me - but not in a narrow-minded, obsessive way.
We'll see where this all leads me. I have an exciting,positively charged year ahead. The pre-new year, post xmas stress and anguish has so far been left aside and I am resolved to spending a lovely 2008, in tip top shape (hopefully!), and keep this positive streak going....