Time Heals & Strengthens

Life is transforming and for me, it's time along with patience and full awareness I have been able to see the physical spiritual and emotional changes taking place.  Maybe not each day, but once in a while, I learn to realise, if I face my fear, I deal with the challenges a lot better rather than avoiding the issues.  That's the beauty of yoga, it takes years of practice to come into any pose without compromising any particular part of the body.

As a teacher, I'm still refining my asanas, finding which part of the muscles I can actively engage to maximise my full potential in each pose.  But there's a fine moment where I need to ask myself this,"Am I pushing my body beyond it's limit? To which part of my pose do I put a stop so I don't hurt myself? Do I find this  pose therapeutic for my mind and body? Who am I proving myself to? Is my ego hurting me?"

But it's amazing to see each time when I practice, my poses feels better and stronger, not because I'm pushing myself to 'get there' but rather I'm working with my breaths and the 'lines of energy' that exudes our of my body axis.  Imagination and visualisation is powerful.

I even have to admit, even after years of practice, there are times when I get aches in places where it frustrates and annoys me as a yoga teacher.  But I'm honest with myself, I try to find a 'way' to 'free' the part I find stuck.  All of us have unique bodies, different make.  I find a map to 'freedom' in my pose when I practice.  And even if I don't find the answer, I let time do the work and be my healer.  Like in life, even when someone or something else hurts me, I give myself time to calm my anger.  And when I've turned calm, I reason my hurt with love and grace.  I find my importance to find peace not only in myself but in the people around me, cause if I can't peace in others, how are we ever going to create a better world to live in, right?

Easyoga apparels in Brunei

Finally, 'easyoga' brands are now selling in Brunei at Ref Station Sports shop in Kiulap.  Look for the sports station at block A, shophouse number 9, ground floor.  I queried with whom I assume is the owner Angie Chan, and she's hoping to get next stock of yoga mats by the end of the month.  But do check her place out, she just shipped in a box of yoga apparels.  Good thing we don't have to lug the premium mats back from overseas anymore! 

A break from blogging......just for a while......

I haven't been filling the blog for a few weeks, and the truth is I feel like I'm having a mental block with blogging.  I guess my blogger 'time out' has also given 'me' time to do other things like reading books that I should have read months ago, cleaning out my oversized wardrobe, writing emails to distant friends, watching my favourite movies, e.t.c

My latest yoga news was doing Vincent Tam's workshop.

It was intense.  The flow sequences he creates in each workshop is enough to make one lose weight in just less than two days.  It was interesting to see arm balancing poses he did, it was done with poise and steadiness.  Honest truth, I ached as much as the students when the workshops were over. His inversions are not for the 'light hearted'.

Guiding Wan Ching into Handstand.

Besides sweating out in yogasanas, it was really nice to get all dressed up in an evening dress (which I haven't done do in a long, long, long time) to Pete's company annual dinner at the Empire theatre.  The table settings were nice and I was pretty impressed with the stage show performed by local talents.  Had this 6 or 7 year old kid playing the violin accompanied by Lily Chiam from Expression Music.  This kid was super talented, she was the mini version of Vanessa Mae.  In any case, I was busy stuffing my face with cakes from the buffet table.  Yup, after 6 hours of Vincent's hard core yoga, I needed sweets to boost my energy level.

 

P.S Grey's Anatomy is all tears, tears, tears for Season 6.  You really need a box of tissues for the first 3 episodes at least.  ..........sigh..........George O Malley...so unfair.....

Such a gifted kid

This kid has gone from Mayurasana to Urdhva Dhanurasana to all sorts of arm balances.........Very gifted!!!

Cute little baby dancing to Beyonce.....

Nurses Can Be Heroes Too

I have finally found another set of hospital drama series, except that this time, it's about nurses.  Finally!!! Name:- Hawthorne.  It's real, interesting and just as good as another tv series.  It starts Jada Pinkett Smith (Will Smith's wife) and my other favourite actor Michael Vartan.  I love the fact Hawthorne view patients care from nurses point of view from hospital bedside crisis, to how nurses are generally treated by patients and doctors, the good and the bad, the pressure of following hospital protocols even when it may not apply equally to every patient, the decisions made by nurses to whether doctors decision may sometimes be questionable and do you say it out loud or just keep it under the raps? When is it the 'right' time or situation to judge or decide if you can over ride a doctor's decision, and to do so, do we approach another doctor and ask their point of view? Would that undermine the first doctor's ability, accountability and his reputation?.....It also shows nurses from a fallible situation when they are caught in under pressure during emergency situations, but who does the responsibility fall to, the doctor, nurses, management.....? The show addresses when nurses face issues of feeling 'adequate' as just caregivers and not to feel 'inadequate' if they are less of a medical professional in a day's work.

I think the only thing I would say about nursing chief officer is I wish and hope clinical nursing officers (directors and chief) would be as compassionate as Hawthorne.  She's passionate and skillful.  In my previous nursing career, I have met only one that was like the ' Hawthorne'.  She didn't hide behind paperworks, desk meetings and coffee breaks....she got her hands 'dirty' and was out there in the trenches with the rest of the clinical nurses......she didn't let the documentation and meetings bog her down and away from clinical work.

Hawthorne.......watch it........The nurses version of Grey's Anatomy

Slow Sunday " A Simple Solution To Global Warming"

Have been sitting out in the garden reading Guardian online, came across this article, written by Satish Kumar, about how we could cut our carbon emissions by literally taking a Sunday off spending time with family and engage ourselves in home leisures by doing some writing, painting, walking, gardening, e.t.c.  He suggested closing supermarkets, department stores and petrol stations for the chosen day of the week, in doing so, we reduce our mobility to bare essentials.  If you think about it, there will be no great hardship in cutting down non essential and non urgent use of fossil fuels for one day.

I  guess if  you do need to travel, we could rethink about the 'necessity' part of it.  And if there are errands to do, could we possibly leave it for the Monday and make a habit out of it? And if there's a dire need to perform the errand, could we ask ourselves why?  Of course there must be certain things that can't be help like taking a sick child to the clinic or having to drive over to a family for a visit.  But could we dedicate a Sunday every week and treat it as a day of rest and renewal.  I think it's a great idea and it can be done if we put our minds and deepest of intentions to help the world.  A small movement in every individual is a collaboration to make this a better place to live in.

 A part of the article from The Guardian....................

"The 10:10 movement supported by the Guardian is a wonderful way to empower ordinary people to participate in the great movement of mitigating global warming. We cannot wait until governments are enlightened enough to legislate and cap the carbon emissions. Matters are urgent. We have to act now, without any delay. The power of public opinion and citizen action will have a strong impact on the climate conference taking place in Copenhagen.

One thing we can easily do to achieve this goal: we can declare Sunday to be a fossil fuel-free day or a low-carbon day or at least an energy-saving day. We can start this week, this month or in 2010. We can start individually and collectively. The long journey to cut carbon dioxide emissions can start in the here and now.

Global warming or climate change is only a symptom of our deep-seated desire to consume, consume and consume. The external problem of carbon emissions is connected with the internal problem of desire. If we stay in the rat-race 24 hours, seven days a week, we are bound to pollute our inner space as well as the outer space. Speed is the curse of modern civilisation. The solution to global warming is simple: slow down. Slow is beautiful. Even if we cannot slow down every day, at least slow down on Sunday. If you are a Christian then Slow Sunday should be natural to you, if you are a Muslim make Friday your low-carbon day, if you are Jewish then Saturday can be your day to save energy, if you follow a secular way of life then choose your own carbon-free day. At least on Sunday we can be citizens rather than consumers."

Guinness World Record 2010

Lee Redmond & Melvin Boothe from US

         Longest Fingernails (8 to 9 meters) (...Ewwwww :p)

Veronica Torr, New Zealand, Fastest Hurdle With Swim Fins (Cool!)

100 meters in 19.278 seconds

Most Pierced Woman, Elaine Davidson, 4225 Piercings..(Ouch!)

Shortest Mobile Living Adult is He Ping Ping from China (74.61cm)  ...(He looks soooooo small!)

Oldest Guy at 115 years old revered monk, Luang Phu Supha, Thailand

 

World's Largest Pie Fight, in front of ABC Studio, New York ( What a waste of food! :p)

 

Tallest Man, Sultan Kosen from Turkey at 8ft 1in ( Aiyayayai!!!)

A Simple Shift In Attitude

"Live the life you want to live, be the person you want to remember, make decisions, make mistakes, if you fall, at least you tried"

 

 Today's a good day, sat out in the garden with a good book, did a few rounds of 'surya namaskara' with 'shantala' music in the background.  Each movement was set with the best of intention from the heart, to free the tightness in my legs and in my back was 'shri'.  It was much easier to immerse into the practice with the sun shining bright into the open space around me and cool breeze on my skin.  I was just in sheer bliss.  More importantly, as I commit into the asanas, I am saying my blessings to the universe and to God himself for the little moments I had 'on' and 'off' the mat.  Life is good, even circumstances takes you away from the goodness.  It is so true when someone says to you," Life is no more or less than what you make out of it."  

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning for an early class, I would feel reluctant to get out of bed.  All I want to do is just stay in bed.  But I shift my 'attitude' to feel more 'awake' and 'alive', and for some odd reason, I would feel better. I think there are sometimes situations that affects me beyond my control, and it's easy to think life is 'against' me.  It could be someone else has had an unfortunate day and being caught in the same arena with them, I had to bear the grunt of it too.  I find it's important to remind myself, situations 'stay' and 'go', everything else is temporary, nothing is permanent.  Everything and everyone is on its way to somewhere.  Getting caught in other people circumstances can sometimes leave us emotionally drained, but I think it's definitely important to realise we all have choices.  Do we choose freedom and make the best of what life has to offer?  Do we live in the moment and if we live today as if there's no tomorrow, are we already happy?

Sometimes when you try and help others to recognize the abundance in life even in the worse of circumstance, others may not see your 'way' as yet.  But you can excuse yourself, go for a walk, breathe in the 'moment' and feel the blessings in life.  The simple sense of 'relief' is a blessing in disguise already.

I find that it helps looking from a child's perspective, making everything simple as much as possible.  The mind is too 'old' when everything is seen from a pessimistic point of view, it's only when you adopt an optimistic, non-judgmental and hopeful mind set, life would seem grandeur than expected.

It's when we've been blessed with the ability to take the circumstances handed to us and turning it into something great that we live in abundance. 

Why wait? What's your 'moment' for today?

Does it feel 'Shri' to you? (Rozana Yunos)

I attended a yoga workshop today by Jac Fang and she shared with us Anusara yoga which she had learned from her immersion in Bali not too long ago. I really enjoy having Jac as my (if possession was ever at all possible!) yoga teacher because she has helped me believe in my body's capabilities and I will be one of those who will burn that myth into the ground about fat people not being flexible. Your flexibility as I discovered has nothing to do with your shape or size. I am pretty flexible that I can touch the ground with my hands and it will not hurt the back of my legs as I stretch bending forward.

For me, yoga is a practice whereby it helps raise awareness to our bodies. Every single move and pose in which we position our bodies into has a purpose. Just as every type of food we eat has a purpose too and being on this programme helps bring awareness to your body and what you put inside to fuel it.

What I discovered in today's workshop was how to engage our muscles fully in order to completely experience how powerful the body really is. I could feel my muscles really working its best and although it felt awkward in the beginning in doing some of the moves, I could see improvements in the way I did lunges, the plank, downward dog and also the cobra pose. Even standing up with my arms stretched up to the sky felt different today. It was as if I was truly surrendering myself to what the universe has to offer. And I always remember that in life, we must embrace the good and the bad for how we can appreciate the good if we do not know what the bad feels like or looks like. Engaging the muscles I relate to engaging ourselves in the life that we have. Life is so short to let it slip past us and for us to dwell in thoughts that do not serve us.

What I learned was an important question. "Does it feel 'shri' to you?" Meaning - does it feel comfortable to you? Does it feel good for you? All this time, when I have done yoga I have always wanted to achieve "perfection" but really how do you define perfection and who's definition do you have in the first place? When Jac asked the question, does it feel 'shri' to you? I thought, I do not have to "force" my body into positions in which I am uncomfortable or that my mind tells me that I am less than. It is about doing what is best for me without judgement and comparison to others and making sure I enjoy the process as I go along. After all, life is meant to be made up of discoveries!

I link this to the weight loss adventure I am currently on. I ask myself, does it feel 'shri' for me? And so far, after a week into it, I would give a resounding YES! I feel a lot lighter, some of my clothes are not as tight as before and even though it is the fasting month, I do have a good level of energy in the morning. I really am beginning to feel the 'shri-ness' of doing this. And while I smell food on the dinner table of things I cannot eat (I will literally pick up the bowl and bring it to my nose!) and comment that they look really tasty, I do not regret embarking on this adventure at all!

Just as with yoga, everything that we do requires constant practice and always remembering to take action. So I hope in the next few days to engage my muscles in the privacy of my own bedroom and feel how 'shri' it is doing these poses. I take comfort in knowing that I am taking steps everyday to create a better body and a better life for me.[Photo] Thank you Jac for today's workshop. And thank you for always being a caring, compassionate, passionate and empowering teacher

(Thank you Zana, for sharing your 'light' on yoga...)