HICK ! HICK!!

I had an early yoga session today and for some odd reason, I started having hiccups at the end bit of the session. It just won't stop. It was even harder to give out the instructions without adding the hiccups to it. Lucky me, it was time to relax in Shavasana. I laid down with the students and I took slow deep breaths, trying to keep calm at the same time. To my utmost surprise, it worked!!! The deep breaths were so relaxing as well, I felt so light and good.

Well, I went thru' Wiki How on hiccups. And some of the suggestions they had in it was absurd. Here are the 'How to stop hiccups?' in Wiki How.

1)Stand on Your Head Method

Gargle warm salt water for 30 seconds
Perform a handstand next to a wall (to prevent falling over)
Recite the alphabet backwards, while retaining a small amount of gargle-water in your mouth.
Enjoy hiccup-free condition.

2)Peanut Butter Method

Get a tablespoon of peanut butter.
Swallow the whole spoonful immediately, don't chew it or get it all slobbery. Please make sure you are not allergic to peanuts before attempting this, and be careful not to choke while using this method

3)Pencil Method

Fill a glass up with room temperature water.
Hold a pencil horizontally with your lips, keeping your mouth slightly open.
Drink the water with the pencil in your mouth. The air will flow differently into your mouth, causing the hiccups to stop.



4)Ear Method

Drink a normal-sized gulp of water, but don't swallow! Leave the water in your mouth. Pull down both your earlobes.
Tilt your head back.
Swallow.



5)Look Up Method

Pour a glass of any beverage and place it in front of you.
Wait for a hiccup to come.
Once you hiccup, drink the beverage while looking up. Don't look down until you've emptied the glass.

Okay, this one I learned from an ol' friend at work. She asked one of the girls who just couldn't stop hiccuping for nearly half an hour or so. She tore a small bit of toilet tissue paper and asked our friend to damp it with her own saliva. Then she got the poor girl to stick the tissued saliva between the eyebrows. Did it work? Yes, surprisingly, it did. I don't know whether it's just the psychological part playing the remedy or it was somehow connected to the saliva in the tissue. Go figure!

Friends and Family

My weekly om is this. Go With The Flow

Daily Om on the 29th August, 2008 was to synchronise with life. To see the bigger picture and to understand that our lives are filled with both positive and negative events. Once we can recognize that one event is neither more desirable nor better than the other – they all have an overall purpose in our lives, then we are truly ready to listen to the messages the universe gives us.

I think of the times when things just when completely out of control and seemed unending with tragedies and disasters. It may seemed I didn't deserve the situation
at that time. But when I look at the whole entire scenario again, I imagined what it be like if it didn't happened and where I'd be after.

For instance, I took a resignation to my nursing career at the beginning of this year. I was under a lot of immense pressure to work overtime 12 hours a day. Management at that time was laying a lot of medical responsiblities on nurses. To top it off, I was laughed at by people for wanting to change my career. They didn't understand why I would place my nursing career aside to become a yoga teacher. I probably asked myself that a million times. 3 years of university, 9 years of nursing experiences was a lot to release and let go.

I thought it through sleepless nights. I knew I wanted to do more than being in a 'hospital' environment. I felt I wanted to travel and share more of myself to 'something'. I wasn't prepared to work in an environment where nurses were suppress in thoughts, words and actions (My previous workplace was just about that). I wanted much more than nodding heads, ' Yes, mam' ' and 'Yes, Sir', . I wanted to say ' Yes, world'. So, I took a deep breath and handed in my resignation letter.

Starting out as a yoga teacher wasn't easy. Raised eyebrows and mockeries came along with the new found career. I carried on, following my own dreams. Hoping for the best.

Now, with a studio I can see my past career as a nurse has not been discarded aside as a yoga teacher. I feel I have more insight to students past medical history and their physical limits.

The bigger picture was it didn't started off easy to become a yoga teacher. But the previous workplace with low staff morale played a part in my decision making. If it wasn't there I wouldn't have thought too much to change my career. The initiation to take courage in becoming a yoga teacher has only made me stronger in person.

So, yes, even events that might not at first seem to be related to each other are indicators that the universe is working with, not against, us. This idea of synchronicity, then, means that we have to trust there is more to our lives than what we experience on a physical level.

A Nurse & Dear Friend

2 years back, Carol and I started out in ICU at the same time. We both went through a lot and was at the point of 'quitting' when the pressure amounted too much. We made a 'pact', not to quit till two years later. Just shortly after 2 years and abit, I left ICU. Four months after my resignation, Carol called me yesterday saying she too left our previous workplace and was heading back to the Phillipines. Felt really sad she was leaving Brunei. But I guess, that's part of life, to move on. Will miss her lots.

The Yoga Manifesto

There will be no correct clothes
There will be no proper payment
There will be no right answers
No glorified teachers
No ego no script no pedestals
No you're not good enough or rich enough
This yoga is for everyone
This sweating and breathing and becoming
This knowing glowing feeling
Is for the big small weak and strong
Able and crazy
Brothers sisters grandmothers
This mighty and meek
Bones that creek
Those who seek
This power is for everyone
Yoga to the people
All bodies rise


Yoga + Joyful Living Nov-Dec 2007

Shivers down my spine

Watched Untraceable last night with Pete after our late night dinner. It stars Diane Lane as an FBI investigating a website on which victims are subjected to fatal ordeals involving cement, sulphuric acid and lawnmowers. The more people click on the site, the faster the victim dies. The film was slow in the beginning, Pete's eyes were already half close by that time. It got interesting half an hour later and the story reveals the killer's identity within 45 minutes. The film was interesting but the killings were grotesque. I felt sick in the tummy again. Such imagination with the killings, it sent shivers down my spine. The film didn't interest Pete, he was fast asleep before the film ended. So I guess besides the gross parts, the film is watcheble.

Yoginis at Seraphina

Had a nice day today with the students. Morning started off with Sun Salutation with Zana. It was refreshing to start at 6.30am, sun rays coming through the windows. We flowed with all the warrior and balancing poses. I think it’s not so much about how long we hold the poses that makes yoga enjoyable. It’s the friendship and the company you keep as both teacher and students. I love the flow of Sun Salutation even if I have done it a 100 times in one week. Perhaps Zana feels the same way too, she has such focus and endless energy to hold the pose. I like her grace when she does it.

Then came afternoon session with the beginners. I had Mei King and Sidah. It was good to run through in details on the poses. I got to work them through the ones they weren’t too sure about. We also got to look through Iyenger’s Light On Yoga. Telling them about the 8 limbs of yoga, and how it all relates to ourselves outside the class. It was a good chit chat before and during the session. I should call it Little Tea Time Yoga !

I decided to go full steam ahead with the 5.30pm session with the Intermediates. They did a lot of balances and poses that works with the heart chakra. I think I was the one that was puffed out cause I had my words all jumbled after 30 minutes. My brain, I think, was a little steam train trying to keep up with pace the students were doing.

Ahhhh, now I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Hmmm, maybe Pete will prepare a nice breakfast on Sunday….you think? …………Sigh

Warriors and Princesses

(Stardust 2008)


Warriors and Princesses,
Heroes and Villains,
Fairies and Trolls
They’re stories of us all
Precious in a moment
To courage and bravery in the next
From moments of magic spells
To ugly tales of gore, misery
And broken bridges


Wizards and Witches
Saints and Unsung Heroes
Kings and Jesters
They’re stories of us all
Wishing and Wanting
Saving and Sacrificing
Battling and Conquering
Till tis’ very day

Unsung heroes
Like you and me
Journeyed thru’ all our lives
As Kings and Queens
Of our own fairytales
To venture into life’s mystery
Fated by our own destiny

Live ! as you would in
Dreams of legends and tales
Of yesterday and not so long ago

Live ! Our sacred journey awaits
Not so far away
So, come live and fight
Love, cry and laugh
Give me your story
And we can both tell
Our true adventure
Our dream
Our world

Crystals Workshop At Seraphina Health Studio, Brunei

Crystals Workshop
Venue at Seraphina Health & Fitness Center
Date : 7th September 2008
Time : 2 to 3.15 pm
Fees : $15
Conducted by Ms E.Chin




Gemstones unlike any other ornaments have been used time and again for crystal healing. The ancient Egyptians used them and continues to use them in Ayurvedic medicine which is the traditional medicine in India. The subtle energy vibrations of the crystals have powerful healing effects.

The chakras are vortices of energy through which the Universal Life Force is channelled and transmitted. They resonate at different frequencies, which we, in the physical dimension, associate with different colours. Crystals work on the same principle. They oscillate to a natural healing frequency that is activated by the power of the mind. Crystals are compatible tools with which to harmonize and balance the chakras.

For example, rose quartz is the most powerful for dealing with affairs of the heart. It opens up the heart for both giving and receiving love. It soothes negative influences. This stone is good for dealing with issues on an emotional level. A stone from the heart and for the heart. It helps one to be able to love themselves. A good stone for dealing with a "broken heart." The rose quartz is also good for helping one to release childhood traumas, neglect, lack of love, self-esteem. The best stone for opening the 4th chakra.

Would you like to know more about chakra balancing? Have you got crystals in your possession you like to make full use of?

Get to know more about crystals with Ms E.Chin. Limited spaces available. Book your seats early to avoid disappointment. For further information, please call Elaine at 8846848.


( Ref : L. Simpson, Chakra Healing and C.S Arewa Way Of Chakras)

Mirror mirror on the Wall, who are you ?

"What about The Mummy?" hoping Pete would say yes to it. Unfortunately, we turned up too late for the show. We missed it. "What about Mirrors?" Pete asked. I looked over at the 'Mirrors' poster by the ticket counter. I didn't like the ghostly look and said no immediately. "Oh come on. I bet it won't be that scary. Besides, we always watch too many 'mushy' movies. Please, pwetty pweez....." Sigh, I agreed.

First part of the movie showed a guy running away from 'something' and only a few minutes later, he stood in front of several mirrors, talking to 'them' apologetically , without no reason, he started slashing his throat with such self brutal intentions, it was so grotesque.

Kiefer Sutherland plays Ben Carson, he takes up a night time security job in a burnt down building that used to be a luxurious department store. Night time approaches and Ben experiences horrific events with the mirrors. It follow him wherever he went, including his sister's appartment, his family home and his car. Wherever there was a reflection, the 'mirror' took possession of the person's spirit or will to self inflict or kill. The deaths were horrible. Ben's sister died a horrible death, I won't want to describe it in my blogsite cause I already felt like 'throwing up' when I was watching it through closed fingers.

The movie traces the history of the building and the demonic souls in the mirrors. It didn't have a satisfying ending but overall it scared the crap out of me. Ya, nearly poo poo in my pants.

I guess I don't have strong gut to watch this type of horror movies. When it was over, I think I looked as pale as a sheet.

" Pete, we are going home in one car!" (Pete and I drove separate cars, he met me at the studio after my teaching session)

Pete looked at me as if I was out of my mind ( I think I was) "Jac, it's only a film"

"I don't care. I am not looking in my back view mirror, it's midnight and it's a long way back home to Muara!!! Otherwise, we just have to camp out at the studio!"

"What? Look, I will drive right behind you where you can see me. If anything happens, pull over and I'll be there." says Pete.

"No,if something appears in my backview mirror, it'll be too late for you to save me. No, we stay at the studio and go back home in the morning, in BROAD DAY LIGHT!"

Pete gave in and we camped out. He had a sore back the next morning, and he has vouched not to make me watch another horror movie if it meant having to sleep rough.

It'll be a while till I see another horror movie again. Hmmmm, when's Mamma Mia showing??

If you like to know more about the film, Wikipedia has a website for it at http://en.wikipedia.org.wiki/Mirrors_(film)

Hoorah, Sunday's here.......

Today's beginners class was fun. There were six of us, so, I got to concentrate more on their postures. The flow was consistent and the students kept up with it. It was a series of chair pose with balancing poses incorporated. All of the students had good focus and their stamina was good. Their breathing techniques were strong and slowly but surely they are getting used to schronising their breaths with each movement.

Hmm, wonder what movie I should watch tonight...there is The Mummy......miss having popcorn.

Hoorah, Sunday tomorrow and going to have a nice relaxing day.....ahhhhhhhh........I think I will a nice ice mango milkshake.......

Surya Yoga At Sea

Surya Yoga At Sea
Borneo Island

21st September 2008
Feeling weary and tired? Need a short break? Come join us for a day at the beach. Practice Hatha Vinyasa Flow in a calm and serene manner with mother nature. Breathe in fresh air and step your movements on soft sands.

Take this opportunity to know other yogi's and yogini's. Have a picnic with us after the yoga session. Each yogi and yogini will be asked to bring a wholesome and healthy 'dish'.

Fun and games included. So, don't miss out Surya Yoga at Sea. Book your place early to avoid disappoinment.

For more enquiries, call Jac at 00 673 8133860

Oh Phweeez, let me through.........

*Pic from Vince Crain Octane Art*


Okay, if I catch his eyes, he might just let me pass. *#%!! 'Kay, no probs. Maybe next car will give way. Come on...look over here.' Ah huh, she's looking over here and yup, yup, I think I can go........ *#%!!!

Trying to join a traffic to go somewhere is a nightmare. I have learnt to drive like a crazy female when attempting to either cut lane or being partially blind when edging my car in between two others to join the traffic queque. Actually, I do become selectively blind when cutting others on the road. I can manage to see at the far 'corner' of my biddy eyes, a fist from another car wavering at me but I pretend I have only one eyed vision for the road ahead.

It's a real nightmare just driving in Brunei. Parking spaces are limited, so risk it being scratched or towed away (if that did ever take place at all in Brunei) or being fined for leaving it in the middle of nowhere.

What about 5 parking spaces available just a block away and me insisting on Pete to squeeze a 'mission impossible' parking space close to the supermarket entrance. "Why don't I just drive thru' the shop? Will that be easier for you?" says the man. " Can you? Shampoo section please. Need the 2 in 1 Loreal conditioner. Tha!"

We complain we don't ever walk enough, but bruneians will drive round a building 10 times to get as close to the front door, even if there are car park spaces just 20 feet away.

'You think if I pout my lips and blink my eyelids, he let me thru'?'.....'You look like Nemo the fish.'says my friend.......Sigh

Nurses and doctors

"CRASH in Bed 2!!! Get the crash trolley now!!!!". Everyone's heart races to the max, and only nurses are to be found at the scene. "No heart rate. Start CPR!!" So, with me close by, I initiated the cardiac massage. Another nurse rushes off to beep the doctor on call, while another is pumping air via the Ambu Bag(Respiratory Bag with Oxygen Filled). A few other nurses co ordinating the drips and pumps that's infusing into the patient. Within a few minutes of cardiac massage, my arms are already getting tired but there's no way to stop the massage when there's a life at risk. The cardiac massage are quick in counts of 2 pumps in less than a second.

The doctor arrives, patient still hasn't 'woken' up. One doctor available. That's it. No junior doctors, no consultants, just one, uno.....doctor at the scene. So, all nurses present would just have to play the part of junior doctors at hands.

The pressure to revive the patient is unbelievable. My colleague helps the doctor to put on his theatre gown in preparation for invasive procedure. The patient being intubated and all, still hasn't got a heart beat. " CHARGE!!!.....CLEAR ...EVERYONE STAND BACK !!!" Patient given a defibrillator shock by one of the nurses.

Still no heartbeat, and I'm still pumping away. " ATROPINE....NOW!!" says the doc. "CHARGE AGAIN!!!! ...CLEAR...I SAID ....CLEAR!" Everyone stands back this time, and a second shock is delivered.
.......A rhythm on the cardiac monitor, ...."Somebody, check the pulse.."

All I can think of is the patient's family. 'Please let him live'

"Pulse present. Stop cardiac massage. Get the family here" ..Even when the heart has started pumping, patient's blood pressure still low and unstable. The mess is terrible around the patient's bed. Floor covered in spilt blood and other fluids. A disaster area, a fall would be inevitable. All nurses are still runnning like loose chickens to either prepare more drips, trolleys for more invasive procedures or documenting the whole series of minute event on the charts.

This has been the scene at the previous hospital where I worked as an intensive cardiac nurse. It was always one minute to the other, having to revive and stabilize patients. But the adrenaline rush kept everyone going. My problem working there was not the stress that came along with the job, it was more of how the doctors and management treated us.

It didn't matter if you stood on your feet for 12 hours, working non stop, having probably less than an hour break. It was management thinking all nurses under them should work 'round the clock' and still be underpaid. Funny how they will manage to tell the nurses there weren't money for bonuses or extra pay rise in salary. And yet, brand new equipments (non medical) or office furnitures or new designs of nurses uniforms will be purchased shortly after the statement.

It's not so much of money that nurses are after, just gratitute and appreciation would suffice. Problem is, nurses in South East Asia, I feel, are still undervalued and certainly in this country, not well respected.

I read in the papers about promoting nurses education. I do hope it takes place pro actively. I have rarely found a doctor around here, respecting a nurse for what she is. It still frustrates me how doctors and other specialists disrespect and verbally abuse their nurses. And the sad thing is, they get away with it.

I used to work in St Mary's in London Paddington and have worked with top great cardiac surgeons. It was such pleasure to work with them. They talked on the same 'par' with us and have always listened in to nurses decisions and opinions. We even called them by their first names regardless of our status as junior or senior nurses.

If there were anytime of nurses not having breaks, doctors would have chipped in money to get us burgers and drinks for lunch or dinner. Well, just count on your bottom dollars the doctors here will be asking why are you even taking a lunch break.

Not all doctors are that bad. But they are very rare to find 'here'. Their bedside manners are definitely something to improve on.

I guess if managers of hospitals can take priority in giving their full support to their nurses, doctors would probably follow the lead. In return, the nurses would have to find their voices when addressing medical issues or opinions to doctors without fear of retaliation.

There is a strong 'Who's to blame?' culture among nurses here, rather than 'looking' into why and how the incident took place. Pointing fingers still plays a big part in the medical professions here in hospitals and until they can move forward from the blame culture, no profession is going to learn from what they already do know. If nurses stay submissive to doctors and doctors still retain their 'ego' mindsets, only the patient has so much to lose from a system that's still in it's victorian days.

Rain Flies

Getting up at 4.45am everyday is so hard. (Getting ready for yoga session at 6.30am) I have to set my alarm clock to four different times, five minutes interval, just in case I missed out on the first one with my 'volcano' snoring. Ya, Pete has to turn me on my side countless times. Haven't worked so far, he has resolute to place his pillow over his head. Worse comes to worse, out he goes to the guest room!

I can hardly open my eyes while I'm brushing my teeth. The worse thing is having to find what to wear in the dark. I have the small lamp switched on but doesn't help cause I still feel un-color co-ordinated. Wait! No, the worse thing is the house has a burglar alarm when you head downstairs. If you trigger it off, the alarm goes off and you have literally woken up half of Brunei. The only way you can go pass the super dupper alarm is doing a James Bond move. Ya, seriously. How? Slap yourself against the wall and quickly walk sideways towards the alarm in less than 10 seconds. I have me training myself for the upcoming film Spiderman 4.

So, off I go, in my car to the studio. You think everything else will run in smoothly after. Kinda. If it had rain the night before, guess what, the so called 'Chui Bang'( Rain Flies?) from the road lamps will hit your screen, leaving big white blotches of their leftovers on your windscreen. 'Splat here, splat there'
I feel sorry for those insects. I think, why they probably have a small 'wanted' picture of me in their insect world, stating to look out for a crazy woman driver from Kapok.

By the time I get to the studio, ya, you guess it, my car looks more like 20 pigeons have pooed all over it.

Sigh, the joy of waking up 'that' early........................................So, if you see my car covered in white, you'll know it's not the new polka white trend you think I maybe setting.

Poor Rain Flies................

Sanskrit Names for Yoga Postures (Asanas)

"What did she say? Virabudrudasa wot?? Is she speaking english?" said one of my student to another. Then we all broke up laughing. Yup, I get that all the time. It's not that there aren't terms of the yoga postures in English. There is. I just respect the yoga postures in it's origin of the Sanskrit names.

Look at it this way, the fasting month is coming up and am sure all the locals are preparing nice cakes, biscuits and all assortments. Now, Kueh Mor or Kueh Lapis wouldn't sound just as nice as saying The White Round Balls ( okay, that sounds a bit off, but you know what I mean) or The Layer Cake (Didn't we have a movie on that title with Brad Pitt in it?) Okay, see what I mean? It just doesn't sound the same at all. They sound more delicious and scrumptious in their own names, triggering the memory of Kueh Mor sweetness, melting away in the mouth.

So, listen guys, I am quite happy to say both the yoga postures in English and Sanskrit, but for the enthuasiast, there's a brilliant website that explains the sanskrit names in english. And here it is if you clicked onto http://www.harley.com/yoga/index.html

Yoga May Help Heart Failure Patients

Yoga May Help Heart Failure Patients
Heart Failure Patients Taking Yoga Classes Improved Inflammation Levels, Quality of Life
By AUDREY GRAYSON and DAN CHILDS
ABC News Medical Unit
Nov. 6, 2007—


At a meeting where new drug combinations and cutting-edge heart treatments are usually the discussion du jour, one researcher presented new findings on how a 5,000-year-old approach to health may hold special benefits for today's heart failure patients.

Lead researcher Dr. Bobby Khan and colleagues at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta studied the addition of an eight-week course of yoga to standard medical therapy in a group of 19 heart failure patients to see if such a regimen would be safe and beneficial.

They found that yoga was not only safe but appeared to improve patients' ability to exercise, lower levels of inflammation, as well as improve overall quality of life.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association scientific sessions in Orlando. Fla., Monday.

"With heart failure, which is becoming the more and more prevalent condition we're facing as our population gets older, the morbidity and mortality still remain very high, even with all the advances in medical therapy," said Khan, assistant professor of medicine at Emory's division of cardiology.

"This basically means we have to have some other aspects [of treatment] -- maybe nonmedical with some benefits in mortality, but especially in quality of life, because heart failure is difficult to live with."

Dr. Srinivas Murali, director of cardiovascular medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Penn., said yoga does indeed hold promise as such a nonmedical treatment -- particularly since it offers an easy inroad into a healthier lifestyle as well.

"Anybody can do yoga with the proper training and instruction," said Murali, who was not involved with the research. "It's cheap, you can do it at home, and you don't have to join a club to do it."

Khan added that the nature of yoga therapy makes it an ideal entree into physical fitness for heart failure patients.

"Exercise is good in all populations ... but care has to be given to these patients, and you can't have them go from a sedentary lifestyle to heavy exercise," he said. "Yoga is an easier transition to improve overall exercise capacity as patients progress.


The Head-Heart Connection
But aside from the regimen's physical effects, yoga proponents have long maintained that the art's effects on the mind also lead to measurable health benefits.

Scientifically speaking, the link remains unclear, though research has pointed to yoga's benefits in terms of overall quality of life. In a study published last month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that the breast cancer patients assigned to a yoga regimen showed improvements in quality of life, greater emotional, social and spiritual well-being, and less distress.

And while there exists no evidence that yoga can help treat tumors or heal hearts, Murali said the positive effects of the regimen on the mind should not be discounted.

"Connection between the mind and body is a huge part of yoga, and we're only scratching the surface with respect to mind on health and disease," he said.

"So there is a link there, and I'm not sure that it's been systematically studied and we understand all the details of that relationship. But I think that I would look at yoga as having not only a physical benefit, but if it helps you relax your mind and do other things beyond direct physical benefit, then that will further augment its role in someone with [heart-related] disabilities, such as heart failure."

Khan noted that at least for the heart failure patients involved in the study, the mental benefits of the exercise system were clear.

"There was considerable improvement in their overall ability to do well," he said. "[They had] improved moods and felt better, with not as much depression. ... They slept better, they were more energetic."


Findings Still Preliminary
Khan admitted that the study was preliminary and that more data would be needed before recommendations could be made. Early next year, he said, he hopes to begin a longer study looking at the benefits of yoga on about 100 patients.

But he noted that the findings, at least for now, are promising.

"The early reports show benefits from action," he said. "We need more patients in a follow-up study, and I would like to do a longer follow-up period -- have them continue therapy and then look at other types of analyses. Not only just blood markers but also some imaging and objective analyses on exercise tolerance and improvement."

Murali agreed.

"I think there is a definite connection between a patient's mental health and their physical health, which is why yoga might have major benefit for heart failure patients," he said. "It stresses that connection between the mind and the body."


Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

http://www.abcnews.go.com

Yoga For Back Pain

My previous job as an ICU nurse required a lot of manual handling. At the worst, we would have lift a patient off the floor to bed during an emergency rescue. Patient's weight when unconscious is always ten times heavier. Inevitably, I suffered from lower back pain. However, constant yoga practice has helped strengthen my back immensely and have suffered little since then.

Here are some of the yoga poses that helps:-

Majariasana - Cat Pose
Pawanmuktasana - Wind Relieving Pose
Shavasana - Corpse Pose
Ardha Matsyendrasana - Half Spinal Twist
Malasana - Sage Pose
Triyaka Tadasana - Swaying Tree Pose
Matsyasana - Fish Pose
Uttanasana - Standing Forward Bend
Shalabasana - Locust Pose

For more details on the poses :- http://www.yogajournal.com

Moms & Babes In Brunei (Pre and Post Natal Care)

(Photo from Labor of Love, By Catherine Guthrie in Yoga Journal)



Individualised coaching for empowered birth

Preparing for Labour and Birth with Elaine Chin

An opportunity to work with Elaine-the aim of this course is to give you a thorough understanding of what may happen during labour and birth and all the practical guidance you need. This will include active labour and birth positions, breathing, massage,yoga postures and using a birth ball.

Elaine will also incorporate the principles and benefits of an active birth combined,if necessary, with the use of complementary therapies and/or medical interventions such as an epidural.

The antenatal consultation will enable you to understand how birth physiology works, so that you can approach your birth with confidence and a positive attitude. You will also be well informed about all your pain relief options and encouraged to keep an open mind, ready to make empowered decisions that are best for you and your baby.

The partner's role is a constant theme and a useful leaflet is provided.

This course is tailored to individual needs of weekly classes, sessions to be arranged mutually.

Preparing for Labour and Birth
Cost : $ 80 per session (1 hour each)

Please call Elaine for doula services.

Early booking is essential to avoid disappointment.
Please contact Elaine at 00 673 8846848

Book of Love by Peter Gabriel

I knew this song from the movie Shall we dance. It's a really sweet movie starring Susan Sarandon and Richard Gere.

The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing
It's full of charts and facts and figures and instructions for dancing
But I
I love it when you read to me
And you
You can read me anything
The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb
But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything
The book of love is long and boring
And written very long ago
It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes
And things we're all too young to know
But I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
You ought to give me wedding rings

Positive Healing

"Everything that happens in your mind is reflected in your body," says T.K.V Desikachar.



Meditation is something very alien to me even as a yoga teacher. I haven't quite got used to the idea of being able to sit more than 15 minutes without feeling sleepy or restless. So, today, I decided to look up on it. There's a meditation book by Jack Kornfield call ' Meditation for beginners'. In it, he encourages the reader to focus their attention back onto their breaths should their thoughts interfere with their meditation.

I have used 'Ujayi' breaths as my point of concentration. However, I still encounter thoughts slipping into my head. Worse still is when I feel tired or having a 'personal crisis'. I just feel more restless inside.

I then came across an article by Carol Krucoff. In it she talks about Desichakar, how he believed meditation acts as the way medicine does, transforming the mind's agitation to peace.

Yoga's true power lies in its ability to harness the mind for healing and spiritual development. Meditation can also result in extraodinary powers, called artharta. One fine example is when Desikachar's father, Krishnamacharya stopped his heartbeat and breath for several minutes with no adverse effects. Krisnamacharya died in 1989 at age 100.

However, not everyone is prepared for meditation, especially if your mind is very distracted. When your mind is agitated, try asana and breathing practices to bring the body and mind into stillness.

Desichakar's practice of meditation to positive healing is to actually fill the mind with an object of inquiry. You can meditate on virtually anything: a natural object, such as the sun or moon, a flower, tree or mountain - or on a person, sound deity, even a color. Or focus on the body or breath. The main idea is to choose an object that is both appealing and healing: " The key is transforming the mind in a positive way, so healing happens. Because whatever happens in the mind, happens in the whole system"

Do remember if you choose an object of healing, it comes from the heart rather than the intellectual mind. Another point to remember is, instead of letting disturbing thoughts whip your body and mind into tension and despair, you can choose to substitute positive thoughts that will bring peace and calm.

Also, you don't need to spend an hour to do meditation. Something I have always thought you had to. Instead, just 5 minutes will do. As you feel the benefits of meditation, you will gradually make time to do more.

So, here's my journey with positive healing.

You chose your dreams

You chose your dreams
for the journeys they'd inspire, and you knew
when you chose them that there'd be obstacles,
dark days, and knuckleheads who'd stand in
your way. They're part and parcel of where
you're headed, and they don't just go away

So when you face your next challenge, welcome it.
Rise up, don't back down. See it as a stepping-stone,
not a wall; a valley, not an abyss. And before you know it,
as one is conquered after another, the journey will be complete,
and the joy of manifesting your dream will pale in comparison
to the satisfaction of your persevering, overcoming and breaking through


Don't you see these are the days, right now,
mid adventure, that will mean the most to you
once your dreams come true?

Enjoy.

Stay healthy with anti aging food

Visited www.wholeliving.com and found some stuffs about anti aging food. Here are some you may already be taking as part of your daily intake. And they are :-

Tomatoes - It contains lycopene,an anti oxidant that helps maintain youthful skin texture and may reduce some risk of cancer (especially prostate, lung and stomach cancers) and heart disease.

Olive Oil - It is rich in anti oxidants and anti inflammatory monounsaturated fat. Again, it lowers the rate of cardiovascular disease.

Nuts - Varieties such as almonds and walnuts contain a generous helping of healthy fats, vitamins and protein that benefit cardiovascular and brain health. Nuts are also high in compounds that ease inflammation.

Red Grapes - Contains anti oxidants call resvaratrol, it has anti inflammatory and anti coagulant properties, which may explain why red wine and purple grape juice also promote heart health.

Fish - It has Omega 3 in it and helps combat inflammation in the body. It also reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease and stroke.


Ginger contains anti inflammatory compounds that reduces the risk of age related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Plus anti oxidant substances found in onions and garlic can protect against heart disease and diabetes.

Using yoga blocks

Lately I have been using the yoga blocks to realign students posture. When I first learnt half moon pose, I balanced well on my standing foot, but I would tilt slightly towards the floor. Instead I teach the students to use the blocks while doing ardha chandrasana. This helps them from straining their lower back to carry their upper half of the back should they tilt forward.




Lord of the dance or Natarajasana, one of my favourite yoga poses, helps open the chest and hips. I like it personally cause it makes me feel 'light'.

Natural Home Cleaning

Natural Home Cleaning
Date: July 24, 2007
Written by: Amanda Denz (From Kashi e-article)


Everyone loves a clean, sparkling, fresh-smelling home. But when you look at your shiny bathtub after a good scrub, it’s possible — depending on what type of cleaner you use — that you are inhaling harmful pollutants left over from that scrubbing agent. Studies by the Environmental Protection Agency have shown that levels of pollutants inside the home are easily two to five times higher than levels outdoors. Many home cleaning products greatly contribute to lowering air quality in the home. They can also leave compounds floating in the indoor air long after your cleaning spree has ended.

Conventional cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can also be harmful to the environment. When you clean your kitchen sink and rinse that harsh solvent down the drain, where does it go? Choosing environmentally friendly alternatives not only keeps your home a healthy place for your family, but it also helps the earth.

Easy alternatives

Buying eco-friendly home cleaning products is one way to solve these problems. Another idea is to use kitchen items already in your cupboards for home cleaning. There are an astonishing number of simple, easy, and affordable ways that basic home ingredients like baking soda, lemon, vinegar, and essential oils can be used to clean, disinfect, and deodorize your home.

Baking soda. It’ a natural cleanser, deodorizer, and scrubbing agent.
Liquid soap. Mix a concentrated, eco-friendly liquid soap with other ingredients to form homemade cleaners.

Vinegar. Use it to remove grease, wax, dirt, and mildew. White distilled vinegar is usually better because cider vinegar can stain some surfaces.
Isopropyl alcohol. Pour a little on a cotton ball or paper towel to disinfect doorknobs, telephones, countertops, or any other surface (aside from wood, which it dries out).

Essential oils. Tea tree, eucalyptus, and lavender oils can all disinfect as well as add a pleasant smell to your homemade cleaners.
Lemon juice. A cleaning agent on its own, it can also add a nice, clean smell to your homemade cleaners.

The recipes

All-purpose mildly abrasive cleanser. Baking soda, liquid soap, and an essential oil of your choice — tea tree, eucalyptus, or lavender —are a great team because of their disinfecting properties and combined scent. Use a generous amount of baking soda and mix in the liquid soap until you have a smooth pastelike consistency. Add a few drops of the essential oil and scrub away at your bathtub, sink, or toilet. If mold or mildew is present pretreat the area with hydrogen peroxide, and if there is grease use vinegar.

Nontoxic furniture polish. A combination of oil and vinegar works to extract dirt from furniture as well as moisturize and protect wood. Olive oil and jojoba oil are good choices, and white distilled vinegar is best because apple cider vinegar can stain. A ratio of 1 part oil to 2 parts vinegar will work, and can be adjusted depending on the finish of the wood.

Chemical-free oven cleaner. Who wants to put a rough chemical solvent in the same oven in which they will later bake food? A great alternative to conventional oven cleaners is baking soda and water. Cover the bottom of the oven with baking soda and then spray with water. Leave the mixture overnight and then spoon it out in the morning. It's that simple! Add a little lemon to the water for a fresh scent.
Keep your home’ air clean

Once you start experimenting with the ingredients above you’ll be amazed by how effective they are.

http://www.kashi.com

3 Days 2 Nights Yoga Retreat

Yoga Retreat in Langkawi

This is an opportunity to have fun, do yoga with our tirisula yoga masters, detox and relax. Wanna join in?


Langkawi, Malaysia

26 to 28 Sept 2008



Workshop Highlights:
§ Ashtanga Vinyasa Workshop

§ Aqua Yogaerobics Workshop

§ Introduction to Numerology Workshop

§ Daily Asanas and Pranayama practice, including Sunrise Yoga

§ Kids Yoga Games session

§ Meditation


Retreat Outings:

§ Langkawi Cable Car, Gunung Matchinchang

§ Seven Wells Waterfall/Durian Perringin Waterfall

§ Beaches





Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of Malaysia's Kedah state, but are adjacent to the Thai border.



Pulau Langkawi's landscape is painted with marbled mountains, vast paddy fields and rural villages, miles and miles of white sandy beaches, secret caves, and pockets of virgin rainforests dating back millions of years.

Sheltered by the mountainous backbone of Peninsular Malaysia, Langkawi escapes the northeastern winter monsoon entirely and enjoys sunny skies in winter when the eastern provinces are flooded. Coupled with natural white sand beaches, lush jungle foliage and craggy mountain peaks - the island was at one time touted as "Malaysia's best-kept secret".

You will experience doing yoga with a group of yoga enthusiasts in natural surroundings. This is a value-for-money retreat with packed yoga and activities during this 3 days 2 nights program. One Fitness has been organizing Yoga Retreats for the past 3 years and the responses were overwhelming. Next page shows the itinerary of the retreat.

One of the main activities is the cable car ride. Take an exhilarating ride on the Langkawi Cable Car up the escarpment on Mount Machincang and over ancient rainforests. Sit back in awe, take in one of the world’s steepest incline rides at 42° and be enthralled by the spectacular scenery as it unfolds on this unique L-shaped route. Langkawi cable Car has the world’s longest free span for a single rope cable car at 950 metres.



Cost:
SGD 350 or MYR 800 (early birds registration by 1 July 08)

SGD 400 or MYR 920 (closing date 15 Aug 08)

This includes all Yoga programs and workshops as listed above, plus accommodation, food (2 breakfast, 1 lunch and 2 dinner), entrance fee to cable car and transportation within Langkawi from start till the end of the program. Price excludes transportation to/fro Langkawi, insurance, room service, additional food and beverages and personal expenses.

For additional info, please visit www.tirisulayoga.com

Partnering Yogis

White Food

Hospital foods aren't the best among catered foods unless you have bribed the chefs with a nice gift. I used to work in the NHS hospitals in UK and even then, I have always thought the food they served the patients were pretty bland. I guess the tastes of food doesn't matter as much if you aren't fussy. But when you aren't feeling well, the last thing you liked to see is pale,boiled, tasteless food. Paper coasters anyone?

I know, I should be grateful for what I have. I do. Just that I don't really understand the concept of giving patients bland food. My previous managers always told me we have to feed the patients healthily. Hmmmm, feed? I think it's more like us serving them the tray and them looking at the tray first then at the nurses saying,.......'You are kidding me right?' And sure enough, 70 % of the time, the patients hardly eats any of the food served. You think, 'it's okay, they can bring their own food'. Well, depends on hospital policies. The previous ones I worked with says no, you can't. Unless it's permitted by doctors. And of course, because doctors have to promote hospital food, they will say," Eat the hospital food, it's good for you." ..........Patient raises one eyebrow and says," You eat it and see if you can digest it."

My opinion is you cannot change someone's eating habit in just one day or a few days stay at the hospital. All of us are usually fussy with our food. Usually. So, instead of the patients being malnourished and appetite loss, why don't hospitals serve food that patients can still eat without having to feel someone has passed them the 'xerox paper' meal.

What I think is pretty nonsensiscal is when fruits are weighted out for each meal. Huh? One time, they served a tray of rice porridge, big enough for two people to consume and a handful of boiled chicken (no salt, no pepper) and a small plate of 3 pieces of watermelon ( the size that fits a 12 year old hand) with two pieces of grapes.

Hummmm, fructose of fruits compared to complex carbohydrates of rice porridge.

The vicious circle involves patient losing muscle weight because of appetite loss. But when the patients return home, they eat the usual food like nasi lemak or other kuih. Back to patient's old regime of 'not so good' nutrition. The hospital defeats the true purpose of healing the patient in the first place.

Suggestion....why don't they just educate patients properly on food 'do's and don't's '? Rather than forcing what I call 'white food' to patients?

So, ........

Beijing Olympics 2008

Sat and watched the recorded tape of Beijing Olympics 2008 with my family and all I can say is ..........Wow! Very impressive. It truly was amazing. Would have loved to be in the crowd to see it live. Everything in it was detailed down to their hairstlyes. How long would it have taken them to prepare? The dances were schronised, the movements were cheographed well and the drums in the music background were fantastic.

I think the final part where the athelete ran along side the walls to light up the olympic torch was a brilliant idea.

So many themes well displayed and expressed through the dancers and the paintings. I like the part where they displayed different faces of children. The significance of the universe, the different cultures to pass on, and to build a better future for the children of the world.

All in all, they have really done a good job for the official opening .....Bravo!

Bought & Forgotten

Have you bought clothes you imagine yourself wearing for a certain occasion? And that certain occasion would be that ‘ maybe’ or ‘ just in case’ days? I am that person, buying clothes for occasions I imagine in my head, thinking it will happen sometime soon. Could be a nice top for a dinner party or a dress for a formal dinner. Problem is, I don’t attend that many party dinners to begin with. So, over the last few years or more, I have collected a wardrobe of clothes either once worn or just kept for the sake of it.

Some of it would be clothes I use to fit in and now has shrunk. Okay, stop laughing! I do think the water in Brunei shrink clothes. So, I had it in my head that I will try shrink to get back into those impossible waist 26” skirts!

It just occurred to me I have no use for any of the clothes other than looking at them. I mean, yes, even though I may be dreamy about fitting back into my wedding dress again, I am realistic that my body changes with each year passing by. Must be that birthday feeling arising again. I am okay with just letting go of clothes I hardly wore and giving it away to friends. Hopefully, they will wear it more than I ever did.

It feels good to see spaces in my wardrobe now and being able to just choose out of just a few instead of a hundred. It sounds zen doesn’t it?

Here's a few tips on decluttering your wardrobe....

1)If there's a particular item has not been used or worn in the past year, well, what are you waiting for? Give it to somebody else who might want it. Don't go tearing it up to shreds as a 'tampoh' or ' wet cloth' for your dinner table!

2)If you have worn it only once and it's gone out of fashion, again, what are you waiting for? Give, give, give to your 'pingyou' or your dearest friends! Pass it on.

3)K, next...don't go buying clothes that looks so similar to all your other tops. Then you'll have a tendency to stand in front of your wardrobe for 2 hours deciding which color you like for the day. Next time you buy clothes, just buy one unique item you like.

4) Don't start wearing your nice 'froo froo' dress at home just because you can't let go of it. Reasons for not letting go of that party dress..erm, let me see..is it the first dress your husband said you look great in? If he doesn't remember you in it or the Brunei water has shrink it..........PASS IT ON

Right, time for me to go home and revisit that wardrobe of mine.........

How to get baby soft skin

Being a yoga teacher, I practice with the students four to five times a day. I have dry skin, no matter how much lotion I slab on my 'brillo pad' skin, it still stays dry. Because of the way I rub my feet across the yoga mat when I do different poses, my skin under my feet tends to slowly peel off. (Yes, I do hope you are not reading this while eating your meal. Lucky you, I haven't gone full into details.) I think wearing slippers all the time doesn't help. Didn't get much of the 'Frodo' feet when I was in UK. Guess it was because I was wearing socks all the time for most of the year.

My feet therapy now involves paying a visit to Shiatzen Spa, get the foor spa done and have a feet pampered by a professional. Ahhhhh, that for me, is my treat for the week. I do try and exfoliate my feet when I return home. And yes, I moisturise my feet now with butter shea ( I ice skate on my wooden floor) and wear socks to bed.

Yoga students with me at Seraphina will have notice I love my handiplasters on my big toes. Ya, I should have a private account with Johnson band aids.

Anyhow, here are some stuff I found from wikihow, have a look through and see if it helps you if dry skin is your problem too.

1)Cleanse your skin once a day with soap free body wash, water, and a soft sponge.

2)MOST important step- Ex-fo-li-ate! Exfoliate once week or once a fortnight if you have sensitive skin. It will remove dead skin cells, dirt and oil and will leave your skin baby soft! You can do this with an exfoliating puff, exfoliating shower gloves or with an exfoliating scrub. (store bought or hand made)

3)Pat dry with a big fluffy towel. Don't rub or scrub - this damages your skin and also creates wrinkles later on in life.

4)Apply lotion, cream or body oil before you leave the steam-filled bathroom. This is the best time to moisturize your skin because your pores are still open and your skin is still moist.

5)Wear sunblock if you're going to step outside of your house. One of the reasons babies have such soft skin is that they haven't been exposed to the harmful effects of UV rays

Tips

For particularly rough dry areas such as feet & elbows slather on some lotion or body oil before you go to bed, when you wake up they will feel a whole lot better.

Drink half your weight in ounces of water every day. For example, if you weigh 140 lbs, you should drink 70 ounces of water every day, this will keep your skin hydrated from the inside out.

Take a daily multivitamin to help your skin fight off damage and wrinkles.

Gentle, ph balanced,soap free body wash is best for your skin, soap can be very drying & contains a lot of chemicals that can damage skin cells.

Add a handful of sugar (brown sugar works best) to your favorite lotion and mix. Rub it into your dry skin and then towel it off.

Brazillian women have some of the smoothest, sexiest skin in the world, whilst at the beach they will often get a hand full of sand & rub it over their thighs, elbows & bum cheeks to exfoliate.

Try a milk & honey bath for a luxurious way to baby soft skin, run yourself a warm bath, add about half a litre of milk, about 3 tablespoons of honey (this is not enough to make you sticky) and break open a vitamin e capsule into the water.


*Tips are extracted from www.wikihow.com*

The third limb is asana (Ashtanga Yoga, Practice & Philosophy, Gregor Maehle)

As the Yoga Sutra explains,"every thought, emotion, and experience leaves a subconscious imprint (samskara) in the mind. These imprints determine who we will be in the future. According to the Brhad Aranyaka Upanishad, as long as liberation is not achieved, the soul, like a caterpillar that draws itself from one blade of grass over to the next, will, by the force of its impressions in this life, reach out and draw itself over to a new body in a new life.

This means that the body we have today is nothing but the accumulation of our past thoughts, emotions, and actions. In fact, our body is crystalliqed history of our past thoughts. This needs to be deeply understood and contemplated. It means that asana is the method that releases us from past conditioning, stored in the body , to arrive in the present moment.

How do past emotions, thoughts and impressions manifest in the body? Some students of yoga experience a lot of anger on commencing forward bending. This is due to past anger having been stored in the hamstrings. If we consciously let got of the anger, the emotion will disappear. If not, it will surface in some other form, possibly as an act of aggression or as a chronic disease. Emotional pain is stored in the chest, where it functions like armor, hardening around the heart. This armor may be dissolved in backbending. If we let go of the armor, a feeling of tremendous relief will result, sometimes accompanied by crying.

Extreme stiffness can be related to mental rigidity or the inability to let oneself be transported into unknown situations. Extreme flexibility, on the other hand, can be related to the inability to take a position in life and to set boundaries. In this case, asana practice needs to be more strength based, to create a balance and to learn to resist being stretched to inappropriate places. Asana invites us to acknowledge the past and let it go. This will in turn bring us into the present moment and allow us to let go of limiting concepts such as who we think we are.

To hold and release

The yoga students that I have met and am teaching have motivated me to find ways of improving myself as a yoga teacher. I love seeing the smiles on their faces when they reap the benefits off each pose. More so when they find their inner and outer strength to maintain poses they have found difficult to manage before. With their consistent practice and perseverance, it is always nice to see their hard work 'paying off'.

My challenge is when I meet a student who's pretty much low in self esteem and confidence. And then to change their way of thoughts from 'cannot' to 'can' is something the individual can only do for themselves. But when a student faces her challenge with courage, subconsciously or consciously, I know he/she will continue to discover her other hidden qualities he/she did not know existed.

The strength to maintain Warrior 1,2 and 3 is powerful. To stay focus and to hold the pose for a period of time takes endurance, willpower and determination. And when you release it, it is that moment of freedom from the pose that feels exhilarating. To let go of the pose is not to amid the defeat, but to feel the wonders of surrendering without resistance to changes. Like in life, we endure things, we persist, we fight to survive challenges then comes the moment where you just have to let go of the issues or situation you have been caught in. Having to surrender your emotions and feel it's okay to just 'go with the flow'. Let whatever the situation be to take its course without having to 'direct it' the way you would want it to be.

I remind my students each pose they do carries a different story each time they practice. You can only wear the issues 'on your sleeves' for however long, but know this, it is always more exhilarating and joyful to be free of your issues even for a day or more.

Seeing The Bigger Picture ( The Daily Om, Madisyn Taylor)

August 5, 2008
Seeing The Bigger Picture
Together On Earth
Seeing an image of the planet Earth taken from space inspires awe in many of us, since we can clearly see the connectedness of all of us who live upon this planet. We have created imaginary boundaries, sectioning ourselves into countries and states, forgetting that in reality we are all living together, breathing the same air, drinking from the same water, eating food grown from the same earth. We share everything on this planet, whether we are conscious of it or not, with other people, and those people are our brothers and sisters. Keeping a photograph or painting of the planet Earth in a prominent place in our homes can be a positive way to remember our interconnectedness.

Meditating on the fact that any sense of separation we have from one another is truly an illusion, we will naturally begin to make more conscious choices in our daily lives. The simple act of preparing food, or determining how to dispose of our refuse, can be done with the consciousness that whatever we do will affect all our brothers and sisters, no matter how far away they live, as well as the planet herself. When we foster this kind of awareness in ourselves out of a feeling of awe, it becomes easier to be conscious than to fall back into old habits of thinking of ourselves as separate.

When we contemplate the earth in her wholeness, we attune ourselves to the truth of the bigger picture, which is the Earth, and all of us, every one of us, living on her body. We are connected to one another in the most intimate way, because we literally share our living space. As more people become aware of the reality of our interdependency, things will shift in a positive direction, and much of the discord that we see now will give way to a more cooperative, loving conscious. This is happening already, so as our consciousness grows, we can join with the many other minds working to live in the spirit of togetherness.

Dharma धर्मं

Seane Corn used the word 'dharma' in most of her workshops. I wasn't entirely sure the real meaning behind it, until I read the Bhagavad Gita, a version written by Eknath Easwaran.

The word dharma means many things, but its underlying sense is " that which supports", from the rood dhri, to support, hold up, or bear. Generally, dharma implies support from within: the essense of a thing, its virtue, that which makes it what it is.

Dharma means the essential order of things, an integrity and harmony in the universe and the affairs of life that cannot be disturbed without courting chaos. Thus it means rightness, justice, goodness, purpose rather than chance.

There is an ancient Sanskrit epigram, Ahimsa parama dharma; the highest dharma is ahimsa, non violence, universal love for all living creatures; for every kind of violence is a violation of dharma, the fundamental law of the unity of life.

Notes From The Universe

There is no greater love than kindness

A smile, a compliment, encouragement
and compassion belong in the arsenal of every
Time~Space Adventure

Today, may you crush, kill, and destroy the fears you encounter, in others and in yourself

En Garde

Passion & Compassion

It was good to be back in Singapore. I was there to attend some yoga workshops in Pure Yoga studio, hosted by Seane Corn herself. Her workshops was very focussed on compassion and understanding for others as well as bringing awareness to yourself and chakra balancing. Her workshops brought awareness into how we treat ourselves, people around us and the environment.

Seane Corn became a Youth AID's first National Yoga Ambassador. A few years back, she has launched the campaign Off The Mat, Into the World, with all proceeds going to Youth AIDS.

" I found my purpose by going straight into what scared me. Whatever brings you to the mat-alcoholism, abuse, divorce- will be the place from where you'll serve."- Seane Corn (Yoga & Joyful Living, Jan - Feb 2008)

Corn stressed a lot on approaching social activism from love rather than anger. Her workshops also focussed on making healthier choices for ourselves and the world, detoxifying our bodies, clearing emotional blocks, like resentment, with the spiritual practice of forgiveness.

She also believed to start your love and charity in those closes to you first. Rather looking for the causes in your life at home before you head out.

All in all, it was such an uplifting experience to be in her workshop, and yes, would definitely return back whenever the opportunity arises again.