A Tarot Read

Today I got a thought(and-action)-provoking tarot read from Na Som.

I won’t actually share much of it today. I’m sure they will come back later.

Just enjoy the beautiful images for now : )

 

 

Good night

All Feet Are Created Equal (or are they?)

I hadn’t carefully looked at my yoga mat before. Using it almost every day, I know that the surface has been rubbed off in some areas. I smile knowing that. It is like a proof of my constant practice. An obvious evidence of my strong, flexible and thorough practice. A certificate of my diligent self.

However, yesterday when I thought I would admire the traces of my training on the mat, I was surprise to see this:

 

 

What?

Rub-offs, traces or scratches from hard-core practice I gladly accept. But this, this…

This is an in-your-face evidence of an imbalance practice!

Imbalance? Not me!

 

Now I don’t know what to do. I know you may think,

“Simple, just transfer more weight to the left foot up to the balance point.”

It is true that equal distribution of feet will bring the practice into the fine middle line. But think about it: if from this point on my two feet take equal weight, there will be more toe nail digging in the left side but there still be half of that on the right side. And if any mundane individual sees the still unequal rubs on my mat, they will judge ME!

On a more serious note, that got me curious if the effects of imbalance practice up until yesterday still remains inside the body. Should I focus more on the left now to make up for the time that already passed? Should I switch to the other side until the chemicals and the goodies in the body become even, and THEN I start the balance practice?

 

WWPD

What would Patanjali do?

 

Thai Massage

Today I enjoyed the luxury of being where cheap labor and traditional Thai massage heritage meet. In the heart of the city still exists  100-baht massage.

 

 

Being both a certified masseuse and a faithful customer to Thai massage, I will now use the authority to write as to what makes a good masseur/masseuse.

We won’t talk about the atmosphere or any marketing material since that is not as interesting as: how a person can effectively transfer their energy into another person’s body to have a soothing phenomenon.

From personal (exchanging massages with friends) and professional (paying people to touch me) experiences, a masseur/masseuse gives the best experiences when he or she does the following;

Open Your Wide Eyes

Some likes it harder and some likes it softer. If they don’t say, how do you guess? Look at the client’s body and judge what is the massage that would be just perfect for them. From the way their muscles hold to the bones to how their body response to your touch can be all the keys you need!

Listen

Maybe you make a small talk before the massage session, maybe you overhear them talk to someone. Your ears can pick up all the hints of their preferred massage. Even more importantly, listen to the breath and apply positive pressure to the right spots when they breathe out. You will notice how your touch magically relaxes them.

Pace it Just Right!

You are basically controlling their breaths by controlling the pressure applied to their ribcage or other parts of the body. The slower you go, the slower they breathe. The slower the breathe, the more relaxed they feel. May you choose to energize them, speed up your thumbs. How fast or slow you go can give a new definition to what you do!

Study

Be it books that give you more knowledge or massage sessions you give to your friends, partner or your family. Learn through these different ways from written texts to the feedback you get. Collect the data what pleases who. The more you know, the better healer you are!

Having written up to now, I realize that much, if not all, of the advice can be very well use to teach yoga. I will shut my know-it-all self and work on becoming a better teacher now. I’ll just say to myself…

Step 1,

Open your wide eyes

Posture = Energy Efficiency

Have you ever wished you had more energy?

So have I. It would be nice to use the extra energy to do things you wish you could be doing instead of resting, and here is how:

As Newton and all of us know, the gravity pulls us toward the center of the earth. The force is exerted through the body in a straight line. That is why it is considered a good standing posture when the body landmarks– the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and ears– are lined up.

A good posture is that allows the body to maintain the pose against gravity with the minimal effort. The more the body is ‘out of the line’, the more energy is utilized to resist the gravitational force.

Poor posture, there fore, equals a waste of vital energy

That is why in yoga we emphasize the importance of tadasana or mountain pose. If you have a good posture before you mobilize, the movements will be a great deal more effective and efficient.

Look for ‘the body landmarks’ and line them up with the gravity, and you will have a jump start and a longer way before you reach ‘the finish line’.

 

Acrobatic Skills Do Come in Handy

Yesterday We were enjoying the AcoYoga jam as usual when something unusual came near.

“Jump! Jump!”

“I can’t see!”

A group of school kids lost a hacky sack up in the palm tree and, of course, none among them was tall enough to see where the treasure was to be found.

As any sensible AcroYogini would do, Paulina calmly got on Mark’s shoulders and do the fireman’s job.

 

Hacky Sack, come out, come out. Wherever you are.

 

and just as any inspiring wave does, it creates another…

 

“Higher! Higher!”

 

Keep in mind that all these ridiculously awesome scenes had a grand background of classical music. I was expecting some goddess to manifest and lend her divine hands to the humanity in need, any minute now.

Oh, life

 

I am Now Certified by the Grace of Yoga Elements Studio

 

After the 260 hours translating and I-don’t-know-how-many hours of study and contemplation on the material, I finally passed the test and became certified by the grace of Yoga Elements Studio. This is my first certificate that is legitimate with Yoga Alliance. What is Yoga Alliance, anyway? Aren’t we all?

 

^ The famous Adrian Cox           ^ The famous me

 

Woohoo! There’s the proof.

A certificate is a bit of a burden to carry, though.

I may have to get a tattoo or a microchip, instead.

 

Show Business

“Don’t tell me. Show me!”

That was what Sandy, my Creative Writing teacher used to say.

If you want to tell that a character is embarrassed, you paint a flush of rosy color on her face.

If you want to say a character is fashionable, you echo the sound of her heels on the wooden floor.

Not until the recent Teacher Training Course with Adrian, I realized another depth of the statement. He was advocating something similar, in a different context. He repeats many a time:

“The most powerful message a teacher can convey is congruency.“

Reflecting back to the time when we stayed in Chiang Rai with Ajarn Chandej, the beloved Tai Ji teacher always preaches much of a muchness. The absolute teaching methodology he upholds is

Teaching by being

If you want to say you are a caring teacher, go around and adjust all your students with love and compassion.

If you want to say you are a knowledgeable teacher, then study diligently, analyze and integrate the material into your classes.

If you want to say you are a meditator, go into a meditative state when you guide students in.

As Sandy said,

 

“Don’t tell me, show me!”

Just Chant

I was thinking this: the more desperate we are, the more we tend to be ready to take in easy answers. A hungry warrior who has been on a long, laborious journey would eat just about anything he/she could find. The easier to chew, the better.

“Which pose is good for back pain?”

Wow, what a loaded question!

For some people, if they can’t get a magic pill from a modern doctor, they turn to seek the same thing from a shaman. A shaman may be more willing to be scientifically incorrect and promise the seeker a miraculous spell.

The miraculous spell is to be recited 108 times a day and the magic will surely work!

Wow, what a loaded solution.

Imagine what has to change in order for a person to chant a spell 108 times a day. It is not merely the repetition of hubbub, but a lifestyle change altogether.

Want to get rid of all the problems you had?

Just chant ‘jib’ 108 times. It is the pure sound of birds will naturally take you back to your natural state because you weren’t supposed to leave it.

 

jib, jib, jib, jib, jib, jib, jib, jib…

 

 

 

My Soon-to-be-Published Yoga Book

Yesterday I visited the publisher and my generous editor at Matichon Publishing.

It was narcissistically  exciting to see my name printed next to the page number.

 

 

I look like an author there, an author!

I will let you know when it comes in the bookstores.

 

Looking back at the beginning phase of the book. It was a challenge to get the engine started. I remember many a time watching this humorous youtube by this guy named Lev.

 

 

Now if you would excuse me, I have to go finish the last bit of the best yoga book ever

no actually, just the best book ever.

 

p’ Nukky’s Birthday

Today is a very special day for our lovely Nukky: her birthday! She is one of the helpful staff at Yoga Elements. And I’d like to dedicate this post to her.

Nukky and her Birthday cake home-baked by Gracious Gate

 

Today we gathered to commemorate the birth of a determined snake (Chinese year). Seeing everyone squat down in the small space behind the counter reminded me how warm the studio is. I feel thankful to be working here with all these wonderful people. Thank you, lovely you.

 

Oh, youtube told me it would like to dedicate this game to her, too.

 

 

(Admit it, you once were an addict to the snake game, weren’t you?)