tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22963476948433493742023-11-16T07:23:32.893-08:00TransformationsIt started as a concept....a vision...a dream for a different way of life. I was wired and tired. My life was filled with stress, fear, drama, illness and work, work and more work. I longed for a more peaceful life...something happier, more meaningful...enriched by love, connection and a sense of peace. As time passed, I slowly made some changes and then one day, I just knew that whatever happened in the future.... it had to include a Yoga lifestyle. This is a record of my journey...Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-11274328848196775832011-10-13T08:07:00.000-07:002011-10-13T08:07:45.303-07:00Just Release the Physicality<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j-gZXSFWmev82YtoHy93zpDwfLYaz_GcP0aNGqWoqKYvdWK9X82KaXQJDHzQ11OMSnI78PZptu7ZsHjEwr6hCESAzF7m70Xg3NSkK9aajz0R6ftRiKpzH46JR4nM7-OBD1uuTGqEdWaM/s1600/339057_10150382403052220_22433917219_7911244_1041509070_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j-gZXSFWmev82YtoHy93zpDwfLYaz_GcP0aNGqWoqKYvdWK9X82KaXQJDHzQ11OMSnI78PZptu7ZsHjEwr6hCESAzF7m70Xg3NSkK9aajz0R6ftRiKpzH46JR4nM7-OBD1uuTGqEdWaM/s320/339057_10150382403052220_22433917219_7911244_1041509070_o.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm back! Today, I feel motivated to write thanks to Oprah's amazing new Lifeclass series on her new OWN network and Website. Weeknights, Oprah has a "Lifeclass" TV show which is then continued live, online via Facebook. So amazing! I don't have a TV but I have watched the livestream class on Facebook and I am hooked! Monday night's discussion was about the <i>False Power of the Ego</i> with Eckhart Tolle, Tuesday night's discussion was about<i> Letting go of Anger</i> with Iyanla Vanzant and last night's was "You are What you Believe with Cheryl Richardson. All have been powerful and inspiring. I can't wait for the next class.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A month ago I was meditating and an impression came forward that I should share my struggle with letting go of my attachment to physical things and places (Kelowna). I haven't been able to write about it because I just could not articulate my experience yet. When I went to Bikram Teacher Training, I did not set out to "give up" the material for some higher spirituality. I really just wanted to do the yoga! To go to Teacher Training I had to leave my job. To get the teaching experience I had to leave my home in Kelowna. When I started this journey of self realization over five years ago, it was all just to get through the clutter of my mind. It seems that for me to hear my own inner voice, I had to let go of attachments to things one by one. Let go of this....okay now I hear a bit better....let go of that....okay, I feel a little bit more at peace. I think I'm getting closer. Bit by bit, step by step my life has shifted. I'm starting to feel like a yogi! I never started out thinking it was something I had to or needed to do. So when I found myself here in Ottawa, my finances drained....teaching yoga...not having a place of my own...feeling disconnected....I started to struggle.</span><br />
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</span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A month ago I was inspired by an Oprah program I found online in which she interviewed Hollywood movie director Tom Shadyac about his new <i>Documentary I Am. </i>That show really started to wake me up and started a shift. I connected strongly to what he was saying (and can't wait to see the film.) Yet, I still found it hard to talk about. I was experiencing similar realizations but not feeling confident in where it was all going. (Here is a link to the article on Oprah's website: <a href="http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Tom-Shadyac-From-Millionaire-to-Mobile-Home/1">Tom Shadyac From Millionaire to Mobile Home</a>)</span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, during Tuesday night's Lifeclass (I LOVE Oprah), Iyanla talked about what is most often under our anger is fear and hurt. She said that often we get angry and scared when we lose things...people, relationships, houses, cars, jobs, money. She talked about her anger having lost her daughter and her own realization that she was attached to the physical form of her daughter. In her heart she knew that her daughter's spirit would always be with her and that they would never be apart and that opened the door to her healing. S</span>he shared how she had to release her attachment to the physicality of her daughter and other things in her life. In that moment, she came across the computer screen like she was <i>speaking directly to me</i> she said "Just release the physicality." Wow! I am still experiencing the power of that today.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My life has evolved in a direction that I would never have expected. I have let go of things bit by bit...not all at once...yet at times, my mind still struggles to keep up with it all. My future is completely open and unknown to me. Letting go of a concept of what my life was or should be and all of the physical things that went along with has been a challenge. Slowly, and with lots of yoga to help with the process...my attachments have diminished. As Iyanla recommends....when I sit with the fear or hurt and just invite it in and just <i>feel</i> it, we find the truth. I realized that mine is based on the belief that somehow my things, my life will keep me safe and protect me from pain/discomfort/death ....any negative experience you can think up. When I question my beliefs behind the fear, I see that they are false. Last night, listening to the program the words "Just release the physicality" pierced right through my heart and into my soul. </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week I feel lighter and happier than I have in a long time. I could write and write about how then Cheryl Richardson's Lifeclass provided amazing advice about <i>changing</i> your underlying beliefs. Wow! Too perfect! I am so excited about how this will help me with teaching and practicing Bikram Yoga, too...just release the physicality! So brilliant! I will save that for another time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste Oprah!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colleen</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-47863167373563153812011-09-11T19:26:00.000-07:002011-09-12T17:33:16.490-07:00Advice for Teacher Trainees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXA3SkZ_WcsbX9mmKrZiqRLfAOK-2w-4a3512-6yYX34dzYXfA-Z3DAOfAli49JbM3-aS1igGC5iQ1uR3G36lMGHoxaTY5RUyCp0lqeLkD6ugkfqfQUMjYqdrofDfS6Vvn84fWjZN2VHK1/s1600/fall2011poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXA3SkZ_WcsbX9mmKrZiqRLfAOK-2w-4a3512-6yYX34dzYXfA-Z3DAOfAli49JbM3-aS1igGC5iQ1uR3G36lMGHoxaTY5RUyCp0lqeLkD6ugkfqfQUMjYqdrofDfS6Vvn84fWjZN2VHK1/s200/fall2011poster.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this post is for anyone that might be reading this blog and thinking they want to go to teacher training...or are going this fall 2011. Everyone else, tune in next week....because this will likely be quite boring for you. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a student, (Stacey) who is going to teacher training this fall, come by our studio to take class. She lives in Kelowna, BC and is just home in Ottawa for the week visiting family before she heads off to training for 9 weeks. We were all so excited to see her and hear news from Kelowna. (Yes...I still miss Kelowna) Hearing about Stacey's plans for teacher training, spurred the usual conversation about "advice" for teacher training from all of us teachers....what to do, what not to do...all of us piping in with our stories and opinions. Poor Stacey! So much advice. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This got me thinking....what would be good advice for someone heading off to teacher training? When I ponder it and sit with the thought...I don't come up with that much, really. Everyone is so different and people have such vastly different experiences, it is hard to say </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is the thing you should or shouldn't do. What was important to me...probably won't be important to anyone else. But.... I can't help myself. If you read my earlier posts, you will notice that I was not one of those people who LOVED teacher training. I struggled through and sometimes really wanted to just go home. Yet, I still feel the need to share a few things that were important to me and may or may not be important to anyone else....</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Colleen's Advice for Teacher Training:</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) If you haven't already started studying your dialogue....do it NOW! Even on the plane to LA is not too late. It really helps to have as much of the dialogue started before going as possible. I am not a big advocate of "know your <i>whole</i> dialogue before you go" (those people just annoyed me at teacher training)...but I certainly was glad that I had started some of it before I went to training. It takes quite a bit of the pressure off. For me learning is a layered thing. So getting in the first layer...as much as possible (not perfect...just the first layer) really helped.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) Don't worry about the yoga. Most people going to training are young and have fabulous practices....so the yoga is the least of their worries. You will probably really enjoy the yoga. Just don't expect your postures to "improve" dramatically at training. For some people this did happen, but for many (including me) they actually felt their practice got a bit worse before it got better. Teacher training is about becoming a good teacher not a "super yogi". Once you are home, you will likely notice the biggest changes then. Of course... unless you're older like me...then maybe worry a little bit about the yoga. I wish I had done more "training" before I went.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) Find really positive, smiley, fun people to hang out with. Stay away from negative or crazy people. If the friends you have made are lots of fun at first...but sometime during training they fall off the deep end and turn into miserable, neurotic, dialogue obsessed, Bikram-hating cynics...just walk away. You don't have to say anything....just sit with someone new during lecture. Training is hard enough all on its own. You don't need anyone else pulling you down. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) Dialogue is important, but don't let it take all of the joy out of your training. Remember....you can keep studying when you get home. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5) On the other hand...dialogue is important so study your dialogue. Especially as you get to week 5,6,7....things really start flying by quickly (we did 3 postures in a day at one point!) so be sure to set aside some time on the weekends to study ahead! The weekends go by quickly so carve out a little time with a friend to study. You'll thank me later.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6) RE: Studying dialogue - find one or two people max! Any more and you waste too much time listening and helping other people. I know this sounds harsh...but true. There is very little "free" time at training, so study time is a premium. Study on your own first (whatever works for you) then meet up with a friend and do <i>Line by Line.</i> <i>By far the fastest, best method.</i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7) Late nights and long lectures can take a toll on your body and your mind. Find time for little naps, healthy food and time alone to rest and recover. If JC Colins is floating around the Radisson LAX giving massages, definitely book one! They are amazing and so worth the money. (She offers a great discount for students)</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8) Finally....the packing list. I posted my original packing list back in April and then went back and revised it after training with my notes in orange. If you're packing....this may be helpful:</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><ul><li>Passport - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Obvious...and if you're Canadian, don't tell the immigration people you're going to training or a yoga course or anything like that!! <b>Just say you're going on holiday</b>. Trust me! Two teachers from my old studio were turned away by US immigration.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Electrolytes - Critical when you're sweating it out in 2 hot classes a day </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Mostly used Rajashree's recommendation: Water, Lemon, Sea Salt & Honey. Soooo good! Loved it!!)</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vitamins/Hemp Seeds/Healthy Skin Greens - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did not </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">take one vitamin during training. Used all of my hemp seeds and healthy skin greens in my morning breakfast shake.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mini Cuisinart Blender (for my morning breakfast shakes) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So happy I brought this with me. Used it almost every day! A magic bullet would work well too.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stainless Steel Water Bottles (2) - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Worth it to invest in a good one that keeps your water cold during class. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Laptop (cables/cords) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy I had it but the internet sucks at the hotel. Could only get on early in the mornings or mid-day on weekends when everyone was out. Heard some people purchased their own and I think it would be worth it. </span></span></span></li>
<li>Ipod/iphone & Earbuds</li>
<li>Camera / extra batteries</li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Journals/note books/fun pens </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Keep a journal every day. You will be surprised afterwards at what you wrote. Just take a few minutes at the end of each day to record your thoughts, experiences, inspirations, favourite teachers. So much happens each day it is hard to remember unless you write it down.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Destiny Cards - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wrote about these in my blog. So great to have but not something I am recommending to others necessarily. Obviously this is a person packing item...not for everyone </span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mala Beads </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Another very personal packing item. Not suggesting this for everyone</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reiki and Mantra Books - just in case I need them </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Did not use these - absolutely no extra time or energy to look at books)</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meditation Chair (Backjack) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Used it every day in posture clinic. Many people were envious! Worth hauling that around the airports.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hot Yoga gear - everything I own - about 7 outfits - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember NO GREEN <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Also, you will need a "coverup" of some sort for after class. You cannot go on the elevators in just your sweaty yoga gear.</span></span></b></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lulu Capris/yoga pants </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tank Tops, Skorts & Jackets for posture clinics -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> For clinics, you have to dress in your "teaching outfit". For most people this is capris/shorts and a tank top. You cannot wear regular clothing so make sure you have enough to wear every day (Mon-Fri) Again, n</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">othing GREEN</span></span></b></span></span></li>
<li>Flip Flops, sandals, running shoes <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">- any comfortable shoe for walking to the grocery store and ocassionally the beach!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"></span>Bathing Suits!! </li>
<li>Jeans, T-Shirts, Jacket </li>
<li>Cosmetics & blow dryer <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">(Yes...I used them and was happy I brought them along)</span></li>
<li>PJs</li>
<li>Dress for Graduation (and all accessories)</li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lug Travel blanket/pillow </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Loved it! Took it to lecture every night. So many uses! Supported my lower back in lectures and posture clinics, kept me warm during late night lectures/movies...used it nearly every day. </span></span></span></li>
</ul></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*I was going to buy a rice maker or grill for cooking but decided to wait until I get to LA and see what is available at the hotel...and from other students (maybe they will share). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My roommate brought a microwave!! Lucky me! We also bought a kettle that doubled as an egg cooker and veggie steamer. Was too tired to do any serious cooking.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would add: </span></u></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ear plugs</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (just trust me! You'll want these. I was lucky, a friend gave me a pair...great during movies that are too loud, trying to study dialogue and people are talking around you, roommates may snore at night, etc.)</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) More comfy clothes for lectures and movie nights.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) Plate, a good knife for cooking and a few containers for leftovers.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) Drying rack for wet yoga clothes...we bought this once in LA </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5) Yoga mat spray - disinfectant</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6) Small first aid kit - Tylenol, Advil, Gravol, bandaids, antibiotic ointment, etc.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7) Air purifier or something to take humidity out of the room!! </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8) Foot stool for lectures. I bought one once in LA and loved it during the long lectures.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Go with the flow...enjoy the ride...take each day as it comes and don't get attached to your thoughts! I can't predict how it will be for you. You may love it or hate it. If you find yourself hating it...try to remember why you wanted to take this journey. Whatever happens...don't worry too much about it. You will feel differently later. Often "later" is the same day.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Finally, remember...the real work happens once you're home. I wish someone would have told me beforehand. I still remember totally falling apart once I was home and the fabulous Courtney Rodd....Bikram teacher extraodinaire...saying "Didn't anyone tell you that you would be like a little baby when you got out?" No, Courtney....no one told me. Thank you! So, I'm telling all of you now....<i>You will be like a little baby when you get out!!</i> So, go home if you can. Get some much needed rest, love and TLC from your family. Sleep lots and cuddle.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Namaste,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Colleen</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4e2800; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-52400446019755542462011-09-05T15:47:00.000-07:002011-09-06T13:10:28.254-07:00Share the Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://paulocoelhoblog.com/images/e-cards/card-35-low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://paulocoelhoblog.com/images/e-cards/card-35-low.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I feel that a small shift has happened...a settling in. It seems that I have relaxed into life a little bit more. It did not happen without some work. I been asking myself a question over and over. "What am I doing this for?" It is good to bring myself back to centre and remember how I got here and what motivated the shift. I have also recommitted to doing my daily mantra meditations, writing in my journal, yoga practice (as often as possible), reading positive and supportive books and more time spent in nature. Slowly, I am beginning to feel a shift happen. More peace and love. In particular, I feel a pull toward more and more meditation time. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5T0fgynyoV-QbACf5-64xhReEGGQczB9Y8PeOYsdu0fpLfFiYqZoH4Yv_XSQgMEHihXZFDcBlpXFr5aK_JAC1XOhHQzxByXE6XQ95QO21KY6UjSuRXLVBW-K_JSW4R843xYbh9EYNaae/s1600/252581_224647160910133_224644370910412_601961_8121528_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5T0fgynyoV-QbACf5-64xhReEGGQczB9Y8PeOYsdu0fpLfFiYqZoH4Yv_XSQgMEHihXZFDcBlpXFr5aK_JAC1XOhHQzxByXE6XQ95QO21KY6UjSuRXLVBW-K_JSW4R843xYbh9EYNaae/s200/252581_224647160910133_224644370910412_601961_8121528_n.jpg" width="81" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past week was a lighter week. Yahoo! A little more laughter and smiles all around. I discovered a new Bikram Yoga blog <a href="http://itsapartynotapicnic.tumblr.com/">"It's a Party Not a Picnic"</a> by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alison O’Connor - </span></strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">writer, comedian, performer and generally obsessed Bikram yogini living in New York City. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So much fun!! I discovered her blog via an article floating around the Bikram yoga gang on Facebook. It was an article she wrote as advice for those thinking about trying their <i>first</i> Bikram Yoga class. (Here is a link to the the article: </span><a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/08/twenty-tips-for-your-first-bikram-yoga-class/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twenty Tips for Your First Bikram Yoga Class</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ) So funny and <i>true -</i> at the same time! Take a moment to read it. It's worth it. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway....Alison is hilarious...especially if you share the same obsession with Bikram yoga (and don't mind a bit of swearing.) If you are not obsessed with Bikram yoga, then you might not get it and will probably find it all a bit strange. ;-)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where this is all leading to....I spent some time the other day reading through her older posts...laughing and talking out loud to her (wishing she could hear me though my computer) I came across a funny post about John Salvatore guest teaching at her studio. Loved it! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, I totally related to all of her comments about the class because John taught at my teacher training this past spring. (</span><a href="http://colleen-transformations.blogspot.com/2011/05/week-4-lessons-in-love-and-healing.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week4 Lessons in Love and Healing</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) I am <i>still</i> telling people about his absolutely fab class! Other than Bikram (and maybe Rajashree and Emmy)....John Salvatore teaches, by far, THE BEST Bikram class ever!! It was such a great class that I went straight to my room to write down as many of the inspirational things that he said in class... that I could remember, that is...because I was totally exhausted!! LOL Later, I tried to reflect on why I loved his class so much? Besides the humour and entertainment aspect of his teaching, I think it was the passion and love he brought to the room. Obviously, I am not John Salvatore and could never mimic or copy his class....so how could I bring something of the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">essence</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> of what he does to my own teaching? Hmmmm....the only thing I could think of was LOVE. That was the overwhelming feeling when he walked in the room. LOVE We really felt that he loved us, loved Bikram yoga, loved teaching, and loved life. So, this got me thinking again. How can I share that kind of love in my class?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know, Bikram says that you cannot love anyone else until you learn to love yourself. This is the magic of the yoga! Slowly, over time, the yoga helps you love yourself, little by little. I feel it too. It has helped me love myself. So, I continue to work on my own practice and share that love with others. Before I walk into a class to teach, I think for just a second...why am I doing this? What do I want to create in class today? Love, Love, Love. Let the students know that I love Bikram yoga...I love myself... and I love them too. All of them. The best that I can do, is help them love themselves more and more and more. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A narrow focus is a good thing. Keep it simple. LOVE. Share the love.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colleen</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This post is dedicated to Mackenzie who first taught me about </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">unconditional, pure</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> love. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cBCtYf2lLT1Hz872cf0ScObgYNNLCiHllNSikoYxbjFPmqcDAsDLjajpHKPON6EMdHHHOgSDtxMEQqqDSTJFsWA3XZolFBenxSeT0FQtEwH0W6aDTTqua5TGnUMoX4o2Q-3T5x1MDBKL/s1600/8828_142051618424_503913424_2413223_2009366_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cBCtYf2lLT1Hz872cf0ScObgYNNLCiHllNSikoYxbjFPmqcDAsDLjajpHKPON6EMdHHHOgSDtxMEQqqDSTJFsWA3XZolFBenxSeT0FQtEwH0W6aDTTqua5TGnUMoX4o2Q-3T5x1MDBKL/s320/8828_142051618424_503913424_2413223_2009366_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Mackenzie (May 1998 - Sept 2009)</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-46946854792988137412011-08-25T07:50:00.000-07:002011-08-25T07:55:51.040-07:00Be Here, Now<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven't posted much lately. Mostly because I can't think what to write about. All of my own experiences seem so jumbled at the surface that I keep waiting for things to "sink in" more before I write. Maybe then I will know what to say. On the other hand,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I keep getting messages to "share myself"and requests to continue writing this blog. This always surprises me....the idea that people want to read about my experiences. To me, my life is rather ordinary and often mixed up...or messed up, depending on your outlook on things. I have taken a zigzag path through most of my life. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Teaching Update:</span></b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEk2aeHyXaLDV-hQtQYaNynlPj2acKkE-OFlokr20fmOM-2f7X9O5MckIWYo3WZTQnPE2pxRa7bckWYf-ufkv8anhFZOCJxHLPr6i4q9VzDPkN1i80GV1T-awDVJZJB2T7W4b4Rx4DkNuX/s1600/IMG_0136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEk2aeHyXaLDV-hQtQYaNynlPj2acKkE-OFlokr20fmOM-2f7X9O5MckIWYo3WZTQnPE2pxRa7bckWYf-ufkv8anhFZOCJxHLPr6i4q9VzDPkN1i80GV1T-awDVJZJB2T7W4b4Rx4DkNuX/s200/IMG_0136.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am teaching about 8 classes a week. I am also working desk hours at the studio Monday to Friday. When combined, I am working about 36 hrs a week...which is pretty much full time hours. One very big "perk" of the job is that I get to bring little Baci to work with me! I am getting in about 4 classes a week for myself. I prefer to take class 5 or 6 times a week, but sometimes my teaching and work schedule make it too difficult. Being a new teacher, I still find teaching a challenge. On days when I teach a double and work desk hours in between, I find it is too much to practice as well. Perhaps, eventually in the future, as I become more comfortable with teaching, I will be able to do that. For now, I just go home and rest.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm taking a break from studying my dialogue as well. I read it over every now and then, but I've let go of the more serious studying of the dialogue for a while. Instead, I am focusing on being really present in the room during class and keeping the energy and command up while teaching. Sometimes my teaching can get a bit "soft" so I am working on my voice and providing the right energy to pull people through class. As Bikram says, "A dead battery cannot jump start another dead battery." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since completing Teacher Training, almost every day has been a mental challenge for me. I never imagined this outcome! I really thought that Teacher Training would be so enlightening, invigorating, transformative and energizing that I would come out just "knowing" what to do next. I would be ready to forge ahead into my yoga life and my studies. Instead I feel uncertain...questioning...a bit lost. For me, I have come up against another zig or zag...I'm not sure which. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Lesson:</span></span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHXRXbfb7w96q5gy-X8nQBdDomonZQuy8G7asQU8wZE7opwU0-Sb_SgsshHiQGd8wa0VbiJGyKp-BxzqGOnshueS4sDsobMSp1Mmre6DQprv5dQHkJTyJ5YJ-BPXCfsNxvl43od7qBs9H/s1600/168614_1819217361933_1285124654_32052709_4346781_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHXRXbfb7w96q5gy-X8nQBdDomonZQuy8G7asQU8wZE7opwU0-Sb_SgsshHiQGd8wa0VbiJGyKp-BxzqGOnshueS4sDsobMSp1Mmre6DQprv5dQHkJTyJ5YJ-BPXCfsNxvl43od7qBs9H/s200/168614_1819217361933_1285124654_32052709_4346781_n.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lesson that is unfolding is to work on staying present in the moment, every day. Not getting ahead of myself, thinking and worrying about the future. Just allowing each day to unfold and to be really in the moment that I'm in instead of worry about tomorrow or next month or next year. It is a really bad habit/pattern that I have developed of always thinking about what is next....the next thing I should be doing or preparing to do. Instead, I believe this time is unfolding to help me "just be" here, right now. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right now, I am here to teach, learn and live yoga. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have time and space to read, meditate, write in my journal and learn more about all aspects of yoga (there are 8 limbs of yoga). Such a special time, really.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> What an amazing opportunity! Getting up every morning, doing my meditation, walking to the studio, opening up the facility, getting the room ready, welcoming everyone as they come in and then teaching them 90 min of real, authentic, hot yoga is the most rewarding experience. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everything in life feels better when we help others. Bikram himself said this at teacher training. This is what his guru taught him. When we make other people happy....when we serve and help others...that is where our true happiness lies...we become happy. Whenever I feel myself getting caught up in concerns about my future, I try to bring myself back to this over and over. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste, </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colleen</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beautiful <b>Marlon McGann</b> came to Ottawa and taught a couple of amazing classes for us. Marlon is a senior teacher who worked side by side with Bikram at Head Quarters for over 25 years. For the first time since being home from Teach Training, I felt joy practicing again. Thank you, Marlon.</span><br />
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</span></div>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-18226882662374005912011-08-04T07:08:00.000-07:002011-08-06T05:22:32.630-07:00It's All in Your Head<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesV9zHFi-iwr7F_iposm2-_gEv_cKNDVjuVEpC1jL6I79-G0im-zOO2J8no2ieJuQIStD2lPoMILvufz5kNOh_pMCGWiQehPSa3kKeuvfx3cmPqRjKMwzQuCvbDomYJ1PHajR2tETdwHI/s1600/227706_10150192549474379_833894378_6710133_3169356_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesV9zHFi-iwr7F_iposm2-_gEv_cKNDVjuVEpC1jL6I79-G0im-zOO2J8no2ieJuQIStD2lPoMILvufz5kNOh_pMCGWiQehPSa3kKeuvfx3cmPqRjKMwzQuCvbDomYJ1PHajR2tETdwHI/s320/227706_10150192549474379_833894378_6710133_3169356_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay...are you ready for this one? I've had a powerful moment of realization that all of my problems, difficulties, frustrations, and bad moods...are due to my own thinking. Nothing more...nothing less. Hmmmmm. That's a tough one. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, I've heard other people say this before....Byron Katie, Michael Singer, Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer....but until now, it was something I read about but hadn't honestly understood and believed whole heartedly myself. It couldn't really <i>all </i>be in <i>my head</i>! Some of it must really be about someone or something else. Right?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was in class the other day and feeling pretty irritated by basically <i>everything.</i> My body hurt so I was frustrated that I was given this tight, totally inflexible body. "I want one of those beautiful flexible bodies that can do a gorgeous Standing Bow or Standing Head to Knee!!!" "I want strong knees so I can do Toe Stand again!" Then I started getting irritated at the environment in the room...one minute it was too hot the next minute not hot enough...when would she turn on the fans. I'm sure you can guess what came next...the teacher. She was irritating me with all of her "motivational" and "educational" talks during class! I did not want to hear it! Okay...now that's when I realized...it was all ME. I know that every single teacher at Bikram Yoga Ottawa loves Bikram yoga, loves teaching and really loves helping the students....so if I was irritated...it was my own fault. Now in the past, I would normally just try to block out the thoughts....resist them, or have a conversation with myself about why my thoughts were wrong....etc. But this time it was different. Right there in the middle of class, it occurred to me that I was uncomfortable (and of course, I was supposed to be...this is Bikram Yoga after all) and my mind was trying hard to find a solution or <i>a way out</i> or anything other than facing the fact that my body was uncomfortable in that moment! It was so simple! So I settled down and recognized that every time an irritated thought came into my head it was just my brain trying to sort out this environment I was in. I didn't need to listen to it. I just lovingly noticed what it was doing and brushed it aside. Focus on the posture, focus on my breath, and focus on myself in the mirror. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also had the realization that this was a perfect example of what happens in my own life as well. When I am in an uncomfortable or unusual circumstance that doesn't feel "good" to me, my mind rushes around trying to blame someone (usually myself) or something in an effort to make the feeling go away. Moving to Ottawa has given my mind plenty of opportunities to be "uncomfortable" so you can imagine what's been going on inside my head! LOL </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSYIlu6VS1563zov_UXwv0C511hrDz6fTi8jTuH3sWPVklZheD_nmkhO5SfkivB_-gSiGyP7WYvY4Ko2fBIVH4qmnk13LpwwM6CnIWUtQT0UaHcJBoV9mb8IrmMazeAclEd5wdvoqiEyA/s1600/267340_10150280174377429_692052428_8976811_3009676_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSYIlu6VS1563zov_UXwv0C511hrDz6fTi8jTuH3sWPVklZheD_nmkhO5SfkivB_-gSiGyP7WYvY4Ko2fBIVH4qmnk13LpwwM6CnIWUtQT0UaHcJBoV9mb8IrmMazeAclEd5wdvoqiEyA/s200/267340_10150280174377429_692052428_8976811_3009676_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just one moment in Bikram yoga allowed me to see this. It was a there in a flash but so profound. You can read about it and people can tell you about it, but for me, until I actually "experience" it for myself, it is not truly understood. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This morning I was listening to a CD by Michael Singer. Michael is a yogi who wrote the book <b>"The Untethered Soul"</b> which is one of my top 10 recommended books. In the series of CD's, Michael gives a lecture on the book and the major themes. (He is not reading from the book) This morning I randomly listened to one of the CDs in which he talked about going through the stuff that is hard for us, that makes us uncomfortable, that irritates us....because that's where our next area of growth or breakthrough lies. These are areas where we are blocked. It is our work to "unblock" those areas. It is not our purpose to stay protected and comfortable in a little cocoon. By reaching out to experience those areas of our lives that are uncomfortable...is how we reach to the next level of our own journey toward transcendence and peace. This helped me so much. It was a direct correlation to the experience I had in yoga. It helped me remember that all of this "stuff" that I am going through right now is good! It is the stuff I need to work on. I don't need to get all caught up in the story in my head or try to resist it or run away from it. So cool. Thank you Michael Singer!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend that you give it it a try. If it is not the right time for you, that's okay too. But, you'll never know unless you give it a try.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/home/search/?keywords=untethered%20soul&pageSize=12">Chapters - Untethered Soul</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Untethered-Soul-Journey-Beyond-Yourself/dp/1572245379/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312463556&sr=8-1">Amazon.com - Untethered Soul</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm off to the studio to do some work, take a class and then teach a class later on this evening. What a life.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colleen</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-31782458421522985762011-07-31T17:10:00.000-07:002011-07-31T17:12:05.526-07:00Ottawa Canada....this is Bikram Yoga!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWWI7pdegNzKFtOTYk8ZnFMHL1QhfG0pYcNwE911k7kTxZ4m3bnVFULB2rY3ZZmzZ6s87BXU8vlxrJi9xIrERejLPXUHSgIcWeknz1u5dnGroAMTquysD0FUpRaAnHnfh9HHXQbP3UsTy/s1600/11-07-27+PHY+Bikram05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWWI7pdegNzKFtOTYk8ZnFMHL1QhfG0pYcNwE911k7kTxZ4m3bnVFULB2rY3ZZmzZ6s87BXU8vlxrJi9xIrERejLPXUHSgIcWeknz1u5dnGroAMTquysD0FUpRaAnHnfh9HHXQbP3UsTy/s320/11-07-27+PHY+Bikram05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">470 people doing Bikram Yoga at Parliament Hill, Ottawa Canada. I wonder if the Prime Minister was watching?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been in Ottawa for one month working as a full time Bikram Yoga teacher. So incredible! Sometimes, I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">can't believe it myself. This past week was very exciting for us at Bikram Yoga Ottawa. We were invited to participate in </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parliament Hill Yoga. </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parliament Hill Yoga is an event sponsored and coordinated by Lululemon (Rideau Centre store). Every Wednesday during the summer months, Lululemon coordinates a noon hour yoga class on the lawn in front of Parliament Hill. It is a free event for the many downtown government/office workers and well as visitors/tourists. People are invited to bring a yoga mat, find a place on the lawn and join in! No experience necessary. Just a smile and some sunscreen! It is a really great community event.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUMqNNIpelTZ63u3q2idImA4gkwzXBs3NcF6zP3LWkmYWmwWL2NlQzOtBcvb9CbsLMn3uFhsANeGYaBxgRT52pBKA6D_56GsSt0M9JEz6YhFJOTiXgigykWdsHr3IDfexXrKEZGOBxrch/s1600/11-07-27+PHY+Bikram06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUMqNNIpelTZ63u3q2idImA4gkwzXBs3NcF6zP3LWkmYWmwWL2NlQzOtBcvb9CbsLMn3uFhsANeGYaBxgRT52pBKA6D_56GsSt0M9JEz6YhFJOTiXgigykWdsHr3IDfexXrKEZGOBxrch/s200/11-07-27+PHY+Bikram06.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past Wednesday, was Bikram Yoga Ottawa's first time teaching at the event and we had 470 people participate!! The weather was perfect. It was warm (27C), sunny with a slight breeze. Claire and Wendy taught the class, while our Work-share staff demonstrated the postures up at the front of the lawn. Some of our most dedicated students came and set mats up in the front row as "student demonstrators"...so that the many, many "newbies" could watch them as well. My role was to walk around quietly, helping people in the back rows and farthest corners of the lawn who might have a difficult time seeing the demonstrators. Even with a good sound system, there were times it was hard for them to hear instructions. I also kept an eye out for anyone that may not be feeling well or getting a bit too much sun. It was a real team effort! I just loved it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was a first time for us, so we have many ideas on how to do an even bigger and better event next year. Thanks to Bill Juliette our sound guy and photographer who helped us out on short notice! Of course, Lululemon Rideau Centre deserves tremendous credit for putting together such an incredible summer program.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a link to the photos on our Facebook page. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.191738970887790.49786.122449304483424&type=1">BYO Facebook</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being a Bikram Yoga teacher is an amazing experience. I realize that most people would question my enthusiasm. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes I ask myself how I got here. Why did I jump into the unknown of this completely different way of life? I still can't answer the question. It is a work in progress. There are many days that I wake up questioning it myself. But, the rewards are many and the sacrifices are few. Most of the stress comes when I imagine a hardship still to come in the future...something that hasn't even happened! If I bring myself back to the present moment and ask myself "Am I okay right now?"...the answer is a resounding YES. So, I'll worry about that future problem if and when it ever comes my way. For now, back to the present....and lots of Bikram yoga.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colleen</span><br />
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</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-34942774714953942372011-07-15T16:45:00.000-07:002011-07-16T04:23:25.023-07:00Sometimes Happiness Sometimes Sadness - Part II<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnl9FKXUv-sygsApnaU1jldFAgnph5m3Af9O-H4E-w8VPeaO5ifITG7j1u7Zz68vo-ij8wggzlVj8rHMCLNprv82KXHG4s5dzZug6T25YngdoBFTPgUk9MpDe63hSL4KgpVvSD1rObdCo/s1600/IMG_0162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnl9FKXUv-sygsApnaU1jldFAgnph5m3Af9O-H4E-w8VPeaO5ifITG7j1u7Zz68vo-ij8wggzlVj8rHMCLNprv82KXHG4s5dzZug6T25YngdoBFTPgUk9MpDe63hSL4KgpVvSD1rObdCo/s200/IMG_0162.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bikram Yoga Ottawa is just steps away from this corner<br />
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</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been struggling to write this blog since finishing Bikram Teacher Training. I'm not sure why...I just did not feel motivated to write at all. What could I possibly write about and who would want to read it? Lots of people are interested in Bikram Teacher Training. I understand that...but the day to day life of being a teacher and a person struggling to find a new way of life....not so exciting. But, friends encouraged me to keep writing because perhaps someone else is thinking about making a big life change and would be supported or inspired or something. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the past three weeks here in Ottawa, I have been unsettled and frustrated. I just can't seem to accept where I am and what I am doing. I feel so much resistance. Resistance against the city, my choices, everything. Then, a realization came to me. Moving to Ottawa feels just like a continuation of Teacher Training. I didn't expect this...but it is. I am all over the place emotionally. Happy one minute; really down the next. Energized and passionate about yoga....then tired, sad and utterly lost about everything else. My dear friend and spiritual life coach, Lori Pinnell said. "Didn't they tell you...the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">real</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> work begins </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">after</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> teacher training." This is when we are challenged to implement the learning. A time of living the work. Teacher training was a tough experience, so if I am to start living the hard work of training....this is going to be interesting!! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">I Love Bikram Yoga!</span></span></b> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oVBqRCyXSmolhXU_Fl98hyLfJWKbYNJcHezzLJOPMABSIN12BufRZZdJgLum_nGN5GrSpZAIRjkfT5VdXCvWdYbCE3YCPjV8DrssZuJzGfxS07BYggpHUzsl1T76zvAZnQnAWockS2lq/s1600/IMG_0167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oVBqRCyXSmolhXU_Fl98hyLfJWKbYNJcHezzLJOPMABSIN12BufRZZdJgLum_nGN5GrSpZAIRjkfT5VdXCvWdYbCE3YCPjV8DrssZuJzGfxS07BYggpHUzsl1T76zvAZnQnAWockS2lq/s200/IMG_0167.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I LOVE teaching Bikram yoga! It is truly an amazing experience. I never imagined it would be this great</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Just being in the yoga room teaching is a healing experience. It gives me that same light, calm, peaceful, slightly tired feeling I have after practising for 90 min. The "after glow" is very similar.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best part is watching the students!! They work so hard...sometimes being totally focussed and connected (mind, body, spirit) - so inspiring. Sometimes they are struggling, frustrated, grunting, sighing, fanning themselves....talking to themselves in their head. I can totally relate to it all and want to tell them it will be okay...."don't worry, honey." I can almost hear the conversation going on inside their heads ("I want to get out of here....it is too hot...this teacher is so annoying...I have so much work to do when I get home...my back hurts, I hate Triangle Pose, it is too hot....I can't breath!" etc., etc.) After Teacher Training, I am <i>much</i> more sympathetic to how they are feeling and what they are experiencing. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most gratifying aspect of the teaching is when people want to talk about the yoga, or a breakthrough they had in class or simply ask questions. I love the sharing. I want to hear stories about how other people came to Bikram Yoga and hear the passion in their voices. I also enjoy reassuring people that whatever they are experiencing is <i>completely</i> normal and it is good for them! I try to encourage people not to resist, fight or judge it. Just observe and accept whatever is happening each day. Easy to say...not easy to do.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Easy to say...Not easy to do</span></b></span> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKcNIb-7q6PoFvYbsWrqpqhKnyUQvbyTlu07__Vva0cR_9j0nz9FD7oUO5Y0KDrKgt8jAcfo4ULOz8WXEBd_Ohs92Hr0M94LA7ar78ZSHrR67uHDEfZngvZnF_aLhb1OJc5cXYvT37A9k/s1600/IMG_0159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKcNIb-7q6PoFvYbsWrqpqhKnyUQvbyTlu07__Vva0cR_9j0nz9FD7oUO5Y0KDrKgt8jAcfo4ULOz8WXEBd_Ohs92Hr0M94LA7ar78ZSHrR67uHDEfZngvZnF_aLhb1OJc5cXYvT37A9k/s200/IMG_0159.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sparks Street, Ottawa</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been telling myself the same advice. Don't resist, fight or judge. Just observe and accept life each day. Trust. Hmmm, well easy to say....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The move to Ottawa has been hard for me. Everything is so different. The city, the "East," my daily schedule...everything is upside down. It all feels so different from BC. I do not feel at home. Some days, just walking the city streets feels so disconnecting. I've been in Ottawa for weeks now. Still feel like I'm visiting.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know that it is <i>not</i> the city. It is the fact that I have left everything that is familiar about my life. The structure and pressure of a corporate job. I have worked so hard for so many years that it feels strange not to get up every morning and do just that...."work hard"!! I almost don't know what to do with myself! Learning to relax is not easy. Years of programming has to be de-programmed...and it takes time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is also the fear of letting go of the perceived security of it all, too. The regular paycheque, benefits, pension, prestige...free wine! Some days it feels like I'm free falling. The fear of it all just overwhelms me. I worry that I've made poor choices. I know that sometimes I am just plain tired. Whenever I am tired, fear and doubt creep in. Claire has encouraged me to accept that I am tired and rest more. She has been such a good friend...allowing me to be low energy and sad sometimes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I try to be present and not push away the experiences. I am trying to develop trust in myself too. Lori reminded me that I can choose how I want to be an any moment. I thought about it and I believe that it cannot be by suppression. Whatever is going on in us has to be transformed. Yoga, meditation, mantras, nature, helpful books, gurus, guides. The list is quite long. We have to choose to <i>use</i> these things.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, joy, peace and acceptance. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. Today I came across this quote on Facebook. So timely.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances. ~Victor Frankl</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWxwDzqPS2XYBZDCn4WsF_0wKxTUsfNDulLjyY9QeuLT7nL4rfBtGpdVy7ykGBy68PSDnpEQdxi4rjXkG5m1dSOZKfPGEnoF-MUqhUdluzKWEtapsUFHuVjC2WLfy71Ku9V7nqfaqSYiL/s1600/IMG_0176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWxwDzqPS2XYBZDCn4WsF_0wKxTUsfNDulLjyY9QeuLT7nL4rfBtGpdVy7ykGBy68PSDnpEQdxi4rjXkG5m1dSOZKfPGEnoF-MUqhUdluzKWEtapsUFHuVjC2WLfy71Ku9V7nqfaqSYiL/s320/IMG_0176.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSmdgenqLsairUNj_JWyDHrVuVoTwU9MHFA93duNuiGoWHYlVgZ8gm266FGt6Z5ahmujbTFivymJ-iyn9rMXSCxtSRD_lDFjbuOv36_k1xpPU9Y3LVpP-e0SKnexkQHJktu1cXtWupn6rt/s1600/IMG_0175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSmdgenqLsairUNj_JWyDHrVuVoTwU9MHFA93duNuiGoWHYlVgZ8gm266FGt6Z5ahmujbTFivymJ-iyn9rMXSCxtSRD_lDFjbuOv36_k1xpPU9Y3LVpP-e0SKnexkQHJktu1cXtWupn6rt/s200/IMG_0175.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Kids tagging a wall at the "dog park" by my place</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-26204079926064595202011-06-30T10:14:00.000-07:002011-06-30T18:20:41.141-07:00Hello Ottawa!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Farewell Beautiful Kelowna!</span></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Goodbye Kelowna!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been a while since my last update. The last week and a half has been a bit of a blur. I arrived in Kelowna safely and was welcomed home with such love from my little dog Baci. This immediately made me sooo happy!! I then set about packing up my condo, organizing things with the movers, car shippers, cable company, etc. I also tried to get in a few visits with some of my friends in Kelowna. Thank you, Krista for hosting a little get together with some of my closest friends to say goodbye. I was already pretty tired from the 9 week training program, so I was in a fog most of the week. Still, it was good to be home, in my own bed and back with the company of good friends. Kelowna is such a beautiful city and in the warm, sunny days of June it is <i>absolutely stunning</i>! It was so hard for me to say goodbye to a place that I love so much and that really feels like home to me. I have become attached! I LOVE Kelowna...it is so hard to leave!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last day in our condo</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am always amazed when life has a way of working things out for me. I was pretty stressed about moving and <i>flying with Baci.</i> I was so worried about how he would be on the plane, and adjusting to a new apt, new city, new routine. I feel so blessed that Courtney Rodd was there to help... like a little angel from heaven!! Courtney is a Bikram Yoga Teacher from the Kelowna studio has been coming to Ottawa to help teach classes for Claire. Courtney is also a WestJet Flight Attendant (handy!). As fate would have it, Courtney was on the same flight to Ottawa and we were able to sit together!! She was such a blessing to me...keeping my mind off Baci and reassuring me that everything would be fine. Of course, everything <i>was</i> fine. Baci made it to Ottawa safe and sound. No trauma. Courtney also stayed at Claire's apt and was a delight to be around. It was so great to have her helping us out. (Claire is so busy with the studio and trying to help me get settled!) Her bright, energetic personality and quirky sense of humour were just what Claire and I needed to help buffer the stress of the move. I was so tired by this point that I didn't have a lot of "buffer" left in me. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With Claire after my first class</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Teaching My First Class</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both Claire and Courtney encouraged me to teach my first class <i>as soon as possible</i>. I was really resisting this because I was so tired, and because I didn't feel ready yet! I just didn't feel like myself. With all packing and moving, I hadn't been studying my dialogue and I was getting worried that I had forgotten it all!! They both reassured me that I had not forgotten the dialogue but I didn't really believe them. We did a couple of practice sessions in the studio which really helped me recall the words and get used to being in the room, on the podium. So, on Tuesday, June 28 at 4:00pm I taught my first ever Bikram Yoga Class!! Yahoo!! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was basically a blur for me. I remember that it was hard!...which is what I expected. Talking for 90 minutes is a long time. It requires so much concentration, energy and lung power! But, there were also moments of divine intervention/inspiration...when words just came flowing out of my mouth with passion and energy. I had little flashes of joy at the magic of it. It felt so so inspiring to see the students working hard and focusing on the yoga. I was amazed at their beautiful postures. Really inspiring. Of course there were also moments when they were looking at me with miserable faces...like "Are you serious?! You're killing us! This is hard!" One of the things about being a new teacher is that "ad-libbing" or making changes during class does not come easily. I only know how to teach the postures using the <i>dialogue</i> from Bikram. The problem with that, is that it makes for long, hard postures...and a long, hard class! (I have to learn to talk faster!) I could see people were struggling at times...I almost wanted to say "I'm sorry, I know this is too hard, but it the only way I can do it right now!" Some of them came back to my next class, so I guess they were okay.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was relieved that Courtney and Claire were right in front of me during the class...giving me cues as to what should come next when I had that "deer in the headlights....OMG I forget what comes next" look on my face. I said a couple of funny things and I went a little too long...but that is to be expected. It will take time to get the flow of things. In fact, Bikram says that it takes 10 years to become a real yoga teacher. Until then, I think of myself as a teacher in training. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now, I am just trying to get myself settled into Ottawa. I'm still waiting for my car and all of my stuff to arrive. In the meantime, I continue to teach classes (each one is getting better) and get to know the city a bit better. I am so lucky to have a best friend who cares and supports me so much. Claire has been kind enough to let me and Baci move in with her...so we already have a place to stay. Now, I have to get trained at the studio (front desk stuff) and keep studying my dialogue for teaching!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, that's it for today. Off for a walk with Baci and some study time before I teach the 4:00pm class today.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Front Desk at Bikram Yoga Ottawa</span></td></tr>
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</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-54286258301975438592011-06-20T11:04:00.000-07:002011-06-20T11:08:21.244-07:00My Name is Colleen. I AM your Yoga Teacher!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPePkEtL8MFim5V07AqNhJHVzCUcHYaSDpdzyeGA7bmADjMl6HBRUJm9ob6yHoxeBQui_SyX0sYf2hzoqNbu6eAXHSfcfd58ELgCzE92Dv-YwOHVowYhM8xhpeVXMmddYDbgzFMJFEWgv/s1600/249543_10150202228861394_662791393_7635728_5585237_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPePkEtL8MFim5V07AqNhJHVzCUcHYaSDpdzyeGA7bmADjMl6HBRUJm9ob6yHoxeBQui_SyX0sYf2hzoqNbu6eAXHSfcfd58ELgCzE92Dv-YwOHVowYhM8xhpeVXMmddYDbgzFMJFEWgv/s320/249543_10150202228861394_662791393_7635728_5585237_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am sitting at the Vancouver Airport waiting for my connecting flight home to Kelowna. It is hard to believe that nine weeks of Bikram Teacher Training are finally over! As I sit here, I am reflecting on the experience and trying to think of what I might share. I know it will take time to process. To sum up the experience, I would say that Bikram wants his teachers to be an example of "bullet proof, fire proof, wind proof, water proof, sex proof, money proof, emotion proof..." <i>tough</i> yogis. He is trying to show us </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">how the discipline of yoga </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">can transform a group of "junk bodies, screw loose brains and lost souls" into true human beings.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The final two weeks of training were extremely difficult for me. I struggled mentally to stay in the process and not fall in to a negative state of mind. The days got longer and harder...our final week we were getting only 3-5 hours sleep each night, lectures were long and tedious. Two nights this week, we were up until 4:30am and as usual expected back in the yoga room by 8:00am. Our last day of training, Bikram kept us up until 2:30am! What a way to end the training. I have to admit that I was slipping. I was getting more and more tired...more and more ready to go home! It was hard for me to find even one positive thing to say. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday we were in lecture from 11:30 am until 6:00pm. Our last yoga class of training finally started at 7:00pm (2 hours late) As I walked in the hot room exhausted and frustrated...just wanting it all to be over...I heard a voice calling my name. If she hadn't called my name, I would have walked right past my friend Claire Cameron who came from Ottawa to surprise me! Oh, such pure joy! I was so excited to see a familiar, loving face! I couldn't believe it...my best friend! A true, best friend. As I write this, my eyes are watering with tears of appreciation and love....that someone would come so far to support me in my journey...I am so humbled.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I practiced my final yoga class of Teacher Training along side Claire Cameron and my dear roommate Brittany Milove. They carried me through the 90 min class and literally, lifted me up in full locust (I wish I had a picture of that!) Such love and support. The room was a crazy energy of exhaustion, excitement and anticipation. Everyone so anxious to complete this last class...95 classes in 9 weeks! But, that was not the end of training. A quick shower and back in the lecture hall at 10:30pm for Bikram's final lecture that would go until 2:30am. Right until the very end he would challenge our beliefs, our limitations, our expectations...always pushing us.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">GRADUATION DAY! YAHOO!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FdKywXjdW-2jjvo9g8n5ZaskjdtMYoEjht9xmNUuPOiM6K_9dDHwR4xdKREPZihZPGFbj6SVsvpBckLi1JFrO8wzmzT6aZesbJWdbAEnhXBbHkBmNnuYhQTz8qeXekDARW6dsTtaLqOS/s1600/251337_10150205843666829_719901828_7478323_5128155_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FdKywXjdW-2jjvo9g8n5ZaskjdtMYoEjht9xmNUuPOiM6K_9dDHwR4xdKREPZihZPGFbj6SVsvpBckLi1JFrO8wzmzT6aZesbJWdbAEnhXBbHkBmNnuYhQTz8qeXekDARW6dsTtaLqOS/s200/251337_10150205843666829_719901828_7478323_5128155_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group 8 - Graduation Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't remember much about graduation day. I woke up so tired I felt like I had a hangover. I think I went to coffee with Claire and then got ready for the graduation ceremony. I remember that I felt like crap. I was bloated, swollen, puffy, spaced out and cranky....not what I was hoping for my graduation pictures. It was so great to see everyone dressed in beautiful clothes with happy, smiling faces!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It will take some time to process everything I've learned during the 9 weeks of Teacher Training. I know that already I miss my fellow trainees...Group 8...the best group in Spring 2011 training; my study partner Emma Hicks; my roommate Brittany Milove and my best friends, lecture support group....Jane Ashton and Katrina Cooke. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHzvfAjrpyr-I9qF6hwUClmUyK0fZ6axQkLyfqy1FFxPc6psLT9PUCAA9deyexjJZBwH424BLPSfkIk-yIfuPGstNMADOwKTMtZqTZH65Iq5aAf4yx5r7LEDymQS0VBertg7YAwa8eLMM/s1600/IMG_1611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHzvfAjrpyr-I9qF6hwUClmUyK0fZ6axQkLyfqy1FFxPc6psLT9PUCAA9deyexjJZBwH424BLPSfkIk-yIfuPGstNMADOwKTMtZqTZH65Iq5aAf4yx5r7LEDymQS0VBertg7YAwa8eLMM/s200/IMG_1611.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brittany Milove, my roommate</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma, a true friend...taking care of my hair</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you to everyone who sent loving words of encouragement to me over these past nine weeks. You could not imagine how those emails helped me during so many difficult times. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I head home to Kelowna, I begin a new challenge. I am packing up my life and moving to Ottawa, Ontario to work for my friend Claire at Bikram Yoga Ottawa. I will teach my <i>first ever,</i> Bikram Yoga Class there next week. I'll write again...as I start the next chapter of the journey...life as a new Bikram Yoga Teacher.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With love and gratitude....namaste.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colleen</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodbye Radisson LAX</td></tr>
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</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-59152213659507417602011-06-13T07:46:00.000-07:002011-06-20T15:55:23.336-07:00Week 8 - Almost there....<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbQrWN4hCJ-3LpCOPFMAhbET5poMzELHA_wlGRAQQJR3ZK-_isguvKLgCz36VgpBaO_bSWl1xqzA5jAwF72JSjQaA2j4KzWAa1Ni68TjIBvSK89Fv_8oruBkPnBimsRukc2NK9aua_eD0/s1600/IMG_0109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbQrWN4hCJ-3LpCOPFMAhbET5poMzELHA_wlGRAQQJR3ZK-_isguvKLgCz36VgpBaO_bSWl1xqzA5jAwF72JSjQaA2j4KzWAa1Ni68TjIBvSK89Fv_8oruBkPnBimsRukc2NK9aua_eD0/s320/IMG_0109.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My study partner and new friend, Emma. Coffee and dialogue on Sunday morning.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7foMJd5fDgb8LyhfLdy09sy_LxLsjUZ8XVbPuwrDPbU3Fff7aMzJ62pAfHWrAPpd-Kmgy5nGZMg_fAaGA7aP6JswpoM-eCIVY73ZiPbqbvs3miaLUpvu0CaVejAljLHyFtD9E8xI0OBe/s1600/IMG_1506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7foMJd5fDgb8LyhfLdy09sy_LxLsjUZ8XVbPuwrDPbU3Fff7aMzJ62pAfHWrAPpd-Kmgy5nGZMg_fAaGA7aP6JswpoM-eCIVY73ZiPbqbvs3miaLUpvu0CaVejAljLHyFtD9E8xI0OBe/s320/IMG_1506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before class with Kat and Jane</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkh25I82HcOzEr6oSxcqsnm2GETC1L9mQkT7O4BaUkZtpNLCUZIE_Cbip50vHonpn6aDrom3tLoMfKS4N-8Mc4gFPxSK0RIkPBxUDwXUm0usP25u-bret59WD5-JLCb3uSfKchV5EGzVHL/s1600/IMG_1561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkh25I82HcOzEr6oSxcqsnm2GETC1L9mQkT7O4BaUkZtpNLCUZIE_Cbip50vHonpn6aDrom3tLoMfKS4N-8Mc4gFPxSK0RIkPBxUDwXUm0usP25u-bret59WD5-JLCb3uSfKchV5EGzVHL/s320/IMG_1561.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a super HOT class</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friday night and class is over! Smiling, happy faces!<br />
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</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've just had some technical problems with my blog and lost almost everything I wrote over the weekend. I now have to get ready for the morning yoga class, so I don't have time to re-write it. I guess it wasn't meant to be shared. So, I've just attached a few photos, and the little bit of writing that wasn't lost. I will write again later in the week if I have a few spare moments.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Excerpt from the blog writing that wasn't lost....</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Path of the Soul Destiny Cards</span></b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ErNwXvY3J9bozj_qk0pWZcFe2rTjeUMqnloNaLNgZ0c_r8v6LrKKRYz-oDiBqJIRvwsXJA9lw5Yj-pNvpUKNUZiGiD2xcMAZBemkpH07agt91OSi6KC1t3SRvyy0h_q4wrhSJJD80oq6/s1600/IMG_1564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ErNwXvY3J9bozj_qk0pWZcFe2rTjeUMqnloNaLNgZ0c_r8v6LrKKRYz-oDiBqJIRvwsXJA9lw5Yj-pNvpUKNUZiGiD2xcMAZBemkpH07agt91OSi6KC1t3SRvyy0h_q4wrhSJJD80oq6/s320/IMG_1564.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the last minute before leaving home, I felt inspired to put my Path of the Soul Destiny Cards in my suitcase. I thought that I may need an uplifting message at some point during the training. Little did I know at the time, how great the cards would be for not only myself but so many trainees as well. It started one day during a 15min break midway through posture clinic. I thought I would quietly do a card reading for my friend Emma as a fun break from the postures. I didn't think anyone would even notice, but the cards were like a magnet! People started gathering around to see what they were and one by one people were asking me to do a card reading for them. Obviously we didn't have a lot of time, so silently throughout the last half of the clinic, I would let people pull a card and then let them read their own message in the booklet. It was just what everyone needed! I was so thrilled to see people's faces light up or sometimes a little tear would come to their eyes as a message touched them in a special way. Almost everyone wanted to write down the message in their journal. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have now taken to caring the cards with me <i>every day. </i>Whenever we have a few spare minutes, I do a card reading for someone nearby. I usually don't even have mention the cards. People either come up and ask me, or people will see me doing it for another person and ask if they can sit in. It has been a great way to meet so many wonderful people here. What is particularly interesting, is that although there are 44 cards in the deck, people pick the same 4 or 5 cards over and over again. It is as though we all need to hear a similar message of encouragement. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you can imagine, when you live in such close proximity to so many people for nine weeks...sharing the ups and downs...everyone missing their families back home... we become close in a very short period of time. There is lots of love here! I feel blessed to have met so many wonderful people from around the world. We now how friends and a place to work or just visit worldwide. So exciting! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so happy to be starting the last week of training. Only four more days of classes and lectures!! Graduation is on Friday! Yahooo!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLWKaQN1__XrsigH9cZmncoOpsLrexGUwx9n-NItoD0tLj_msJEk2ThWvM0meG_lC4k6SqgJm6Lh9MsJTGD7Jh71aRs8cLKHH4Fi0XToaG9hI6dgi3bIXHHQwK8zzzImD1rxri5lfsvb2/s1600/IMG_1550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLWKaQN1__XrsigH9cZmncoOpsLrexGUwx9n-NItoD0tLj_msJEk2ThWvM0meG_lC4k6SqgJm6Lh9MsJTGD7Jh71aRs8cLKHH4Fi0XToaG9hI6dgi3bIXHHQwK8zzzImD1rxri5lfsvb2/s320/IMG_1550.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group 8 out for dinner. I think we had the BEST group at Teacher Training!</td></tr>
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</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-74309940904135415702011-06-05T23:19:00.000-07:002011-06-06T07:31:09.495-07:00Week 7 - Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOEPpDkH5IBj8JosIFpmt2sNwYx_Vqlp1KzY4bsDgP25QErU9Ycgu8UNbtIdwcsMrLsssZc0Azxbxyncw9-7XFnbaGZpTBQ0zyilVyaCkxEIf6U67kMLaHFax6KG8Z2HPEQQCxAKh33cY/s1600/IMG_1502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOEPpDkH5IBj8JosIFpmt2sNwYx_Vqlp1KzY4bsDgP25QErU9Ycgu8UNbtIdwcsMrLsssZc0Azxbxyncw9-7XFnbaGZpTBQ0zyilVyaCkxEIf6U67kMLaHFax6KG8Z2HPEQQCxAKh33cY/s320/IMG_1502.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Waiting for Posture Clinic to Start...</span></div></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9tlQepR6CybMJpZsZtvSR79a8WGAt8DXYcuiYcqr9KHzp0HIvDZWxNvILexX7cK9mwkWJvlPMT07TA4ILtE5JrzSatnFKtHLsVbx4n8-dqXbuMXoEIIDCIozZka3hQTgPlkOuKlOhq8D/s1600/IMG_0060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9tlQepR6CybMJpZsZtvSR79a8WGAt8DXYcuiYcqr9KHzp0HIvDZWxNvILexX7cK9mwkWJvlPMT07TA4ILtE5JrzSatnFKtHLsVbx4n8-dqXbuMXoEIIDCIozZka3hQTgPlkOuKlOhq8D/s200/IMG_0060.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="149" /></span></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week we wrapped up the last of our Posture/Dialogue Clinics. We've all worked hard to memorize each of the 26 postures and have been given some really great feedback on our teaching style. Everyone improved so much over the past month. It is really inspiring to see people struggle - pushing themselves outside their comfort zone to be the best possible teacher. In posture clinics, we focus on one posture at a time. Now we have just 2 weeks to work on putting them all together before we teach our first class! Wow, it still seems a bit scary to think that in only a few weeks, I'll be standing up in front of a class and leading them through 90 minutes of Bikram Hot Yoga!!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wrapping up the posture clinics this week, you could feel a sense of relief and lightness in the groups. Like all things here, though...while one thing gets better, something else gets a lot harder. This week, Bikram was back lecturing, which means late, later and <i>super late</i> nights! <i>And</i>, longer, harder yoga classes!! Thursday we were up until 4:30am and then back in the hot yoga room at 8:00am...lecture/clinic all day and then another <i>incredibly </i>tough, hot class at 5:00pm - the toughest class so far!! I feel proud that I just stayed in the room the whole 2 hours. It was that hot and hard. For most of us, Friday was the most challenging day of training so far. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Bollywood Night!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAAMBp_NHCHqfDkUy2OU0_ZhIKs9yPUMWvLUMNsI6yZlz8FVR6rgMrSHpmQEKcpd5EesO-XBAmF0Iv4YmSrvU0_iWjuVvpTy53o8SosecVRl-KLpXY0KI45D9hHiEM4uxuu-t523hyphenhyphenYrB/s1600/KabhiKhushiKabhiGham_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAAMBp_NHCHqfDkUy2OU0_ZhIKs9yPUMWvLUMNsI6yZlz8FVR6rgMrSHpmQEKcpd5EesO-XBAmF0Iv4YmSrvU0_iWjuVvpTy53o8SosecVRl-KLpXY0KI45D9hHiEM4uxuu-t523hyphenhyphenYrB/s200/KabhiKhushiKabhiGham_Poster.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="126" /></span></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Movie night again this week. Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. I'm not sure what it is about these Bollywood movies, but I LOVE them! So despite the late night, I was able to watch the whole movie (all 3+hrs) without falling asleep. Bikram wants us to understand a bit about the culture in India. In this particular movie, he wanted us to learn about the family values in India - about the tradition of marriage, role of parents, respect for elders, and the strong bond among generations. Bikram often comments that we do not know how to take care of our elders...that we abandon them in "homes" without respect. This movie was a story of a family torn apart and reunited again. It shows the love of parents for their children and in return, love of children toward their parents and for the family unit. Love, dedication and forgiveness.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><u>Self-Realization Fellowship Centre</u></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWNGYmDa6t-hSYYvMJ99vUQdxFjPHGXa5bps6haLYcDjoDmKN7k_rUa-RuEbejxOuyPFKjMnZTBNgQlmE2PzV-dzjY5c4-mLNcp0Wna_s-F7-oHfAKKae_sKhnnIX85kyrH-VZ6N6WGAN/s1600/IMG_1530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWNGYmDa6t-hSYYvMJ99vUQdxFjPHGXa5bps6haLYcDjoDmKN7k_rUa-RuEbejxOuyPFKjMnZTBNgQlmE2PzV-dzjY5c4-mLNcp0Wna_s-F7-oHfAKKae_sKhnnIX85kyrH-VZ6N6WGAN/s200/IMG_1530.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="140" /></span></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me, the highlight of the week was our trip to the Paramahansa Yoganada's Self-Realization Fellowhship Center. (http://www.yogananda-srf.org) It is such a beautiful, peaceful place. A much needed retreat from the training.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICvES1FGVjT6hUFS_peG4k3WXiX-UgCQ9J8lOMud2feFXS9oyjEjwIB7yTc3AVeVFCUC6blBCOEm_tMw_wAJ2QzGPveqvZdfcee6vjPJ3nQKUTMjAwshbRmM3eeTrTZpQx02ufRY0BGBP/s1600/IMG_1528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICvES1FGVjT6hUFS_peG4k3WXiX-UgCQ9J8lOMud2feFXS9oyjEjwIB7yTc3AVeVFCUC6blBCOEm_tMw_wAJ2QzGPveqvZdfcee6vjPJ3nQKUTMjAwshbRmM3eeTrTZpQx02ufRY0BGBP/s200/IMG_1528.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">View of the temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paramahansa Yoganada was the older brother of Bishnu Ghosh (Bikram's Guru), so this centre is part of the Bikram Yoga lineage. It was interesting to see the spiritual side of Bikram yoga. In a typical Bikram </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">class, a student would not have exposure to spiritual teaching or the broader yoga philosophy. We are so lucky to have this opportunity here in LA. The centre is a very special place. It embraces all religions and shows the oneness and harmony of Christianity and Yoga...of East and West. The Self-Realization Fellowship offers teaching in meditation, retreats, inspirational services and individual counselling from monks & nuns. There are over 500 temples, retreats and meditation centres around the worldwide.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are now on the home stretch. Just two more weeks of training. Every week here brings on a new challenge and there are always many surprises, opportunities for self analysis and growth. I expect this week to bring on the heat - classes will likely get a lot tougher (although that is hard to imagine). At the same time, friendships are growing and bonds between us all are growing. Everyone has encountered a personal challenge whether it be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. Whatever the crisis, we support each other and help each other make it through another day. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just like the movie, life here at training is "Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste,</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colleen</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-35899456503147982672011-05-30T06:56:00.000-07:002011-05-30T19:55:01.588-07:00Week 6 - A Breakthrough<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvH_sWLU5o1dyU3MLKww0dNUwdYavoWJCuiMdYiNmWX-h5FA7aj8t6LBylZyRCd-15uaNH4-3tuqkoiJdLZ_pXx5PkifOxaed4T6xfVXOAtUtvBzjjkZRWugi15C4IFwGlU1Uy4VtgVIfO/s1600/227466_10150169900728094_628223093_6609181_7741525_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvH_sWLU5o1dyU3MLKww0dNUwdYavoWJCuiMdYiNmWX-h5FA7aj8t6LBylZyRCd-15uaNH4-3tuqkoiJdLZ_pXx5PkifOxaed4T6xfVXOAtUtvBzjjkZRWugi15C4IFwGlU1Uy4VtgVIfO/s320/227466_10150169900728094_628223093_6609181_7741525_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Savasana</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So many days I could not imagine making it through to week 6, but here I am...about to start week 7!! Unless you are here, experiencing the craziness of this amazing training, it is hard to understand. So many ups and downs, not only each week, but within each <i>day</i>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week, I had my official breakdown day....or...what I prefer to call my breakthrough day! Years of fear, insecurity, worry, hurt, etc. combined here with fatigue, tension, a relentless schedule, lots of deep yoga... </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so many emotions had built up to a point where I just could not hold it together anymore. With the support from my friend (and visiting Bikram teacher) Deb Small, I had a good letting go cry. What Oprah calls, the big, ugly cry. Not just a gentle tear, running down the cheek. No, this was the big, ugly cry...uncontrollable. I cried on Deb's shoulder, in front of lots of people! I cried on and off most of the day. Even while eating dinner....tears would just spontaneously roll down my face. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, for most of us, it is not easy to cry. We have been conditioned to believe that crying is a sign of weakness and that as adults we simply should not cry - especially not in public. So, I was resisting it so much. Once I finally let it out, along with all of the emotions wrapped up with the tears (fear, sadness, old hurts, disappointment, etc.)....I felt</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>so</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">much better. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next morning I was very tired in yoga class, but as the day went on I slowly felt better and better. I felt great the rest of the week. It was as though a burden had been lifted. Sometimes in the moment, it is hard to understand the nuances of what has just happened. I'm sure as time goes on, more will be revealed. Right now, it feels like a lightness has been uncovered. I was able to make it through the next few days of posture clinics without tension or anxiety. I had a new freedom from worry and it felt great! For those of you who know me, it may be an understatement to say that I think a lot. I am always in my head. So this experience was a tremendous release. Really wonderful. If you're holding back a meltdown, I highly recommend just letting go.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You're Not Sick, You're Scared</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had only two lectures all week. Our lectures were given by Jon Burras, a body worker, yogi and wholistic healer. Jon talked about the impact of stress on our lives. He spoke about the keys to healthy aging and why most of us age prematurely and end up in disease. Jon believes that we live in a perpetual state of stress caused by "imagined beliefs" and that this is the primary cause of illness. In his opinion, illness starts in the mind, when we believe imagined, fear based, scenarios like, "if I'm late, I'll die" or "if I lose my money, something tragic will happen" "if I'm not good, people won't love me" or "if I don't do this or that, people will see me as weak"....all these imagined thoughts, keep our bodies in a perpetual "fight or flight" response. Even those of us who work out regularly and are considered "fit" are still in a perpetual fear state. What we really need in life is to learn to <i>relax - </i>to turn off our stress response that is running 24/7. He also spoke about the importance of fascia (connective tissue) in the body and how it integrates our whole physiology. He believes that fascia is where pain from both physical and emotional injuries are stored in the body. By working with our fascia through yoga or other body treatments, we can release stored pain and stress. He explained that this is why yoga is such a powerful healer. No other exercise moves fascia (releasing old pain and fear) and helps us learn to relax, like yoga. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amazingly, his messages came at the same time of my breakthrough. I have to say that after this week, I really understand what he is saying. Learn to relax, enjoy the moment you are in, stop resisting, take breaks, release old wounds, practise yoga...oh, yes, and one more...don't believe the thoughts in your head... these are the keys to true wellness, health and peace.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYvHP_tb-SPQJVcVKsoLKsRtkYg93zN3QycHZSDKCXBTKfH3dKdZyx9Hhwx1hJ3BED7n-onmP2y9EULGqjyM7iKhVMtm0HWWoJ_7Xji-zdBqzuxJ-KrHpgZAhtusQpZp4I9ecFXIYDSUc/s1600/IMG_1475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYvHP_tb-SPQJVcVKsoLKsRtkYg93zN3QycHZSDKCXBTKfH3dKdZyx9Hhwx1hJ3BED7n-onmP2y9EULGqjyM7iKhVMtm0HWWoJ_7Xji-zdBqzuxJ-KrHpgZAhtusQpZp4I9ecFXIYDSUc/s200/IMG_1475.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel room living...</td></tr>
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</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-77222763388163830192011-05-23T07:04:00.000-07:002011-05-28T16:09:00.844-07:00Week 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi520h-Gj9h528cnhpJehjom797VO5Nawm2IZKrFUBAa4NTJHclcrJtVl4XZ33pxy8BzPyUYSom-XYic_6sO1RGRA_6fpNsvzREIpu2Pr-8LMnU-a1KzdXe79qdQEJnMllca7Pil64gjfhX/s1600/224943_10150169901118094_628223093_6609197_4948579_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi520h-Gj9h528cnhpJehjom797VO5Nawm2IZKrFUBAa4NTJHclcrJtVl4XZ33pxy8BzPyUYSom-XYic_6sO1RGRA_6fpNsvzREIpu2Pr-8LMnU-a1KzdXe79qdQEJnMllca7Pil64gjfhX/s320/224943_10150169901118094_628223093_6609197_4948579_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, Week 5 was a tough one, so this will be short post today. This past week we moved </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">very</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> quickly through our posture/dialogue clinics. Friday, we did three postures in one day! The pressure is on to learn as many as possible this weekend, in preparation for the week ahead. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've heard that Week 5 is a hard week, generally. We are at the halfway point and we are all tired. Last Monday was especially hard for me...probably the hardest day so far both mentally and physically. I just wanted to go home. I felt so "over" all of this yoga training! Here's a snapshot of what it was like to be in my head:</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"Why did I think this yoga was so amazing? These people are really strange. I can't stand being with so many people any more. I need more sleep. I'm so sore. I'm too old for this. I want to go home. I miss Baci! You can't go home now. You spent a lot of money on this program. You have to at least finish it.... besides, you quit your job. You can't go back. Oh ya, I quit my job! Oh no, I don't know my dialogue for tomorrow! This is too hard. How am I going to learn it all! I'm so behind already...."</span> etc, etc, etc</span></i></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That was Monday. I made a point of writing in my journal every day in an attempt to settle myself and drop the negative self-talk. I kept reminding myself to let go of the anxiety. Just let it go. You don't need it. Gradually, I started to feel better. By Thursday morning it was almost gone. It popped up again today and I observed that it is at it's worst when I am really tired. So, tonight I need to go to bed early.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLl25hiL7XKRIzba0r7VTg4WeKtTADTywanlscfO1_lC6lIyYVaWa7rbXvR41zUqUdrtxQVB1nZiVqkfbwgad518jH8ez6uAoIY9TVK02FZFt6EiBZBBLbd6eJIJ9IAmJB2G3JWyFsyVq/s1600/229592_223119267715053_100000509444691_909325_1536791_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLl25hiL7XKRIzba0r7VTg4WeKtTADTywanlscfO1_lC6lIyYVaWa7rbXvR41zUqUdrtxQVB1nZiVqkfbwgad518jH8ez6uAoIY9TVK02FZFt6EiBZBBLbd6eJIJ9IAmJB2G3JWyFsyVq/s200/229592_223119267715053_100000509444691_909325_1536791_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmy Cleaves with students after yoga class</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The highlight of this week was our lecture from Emmy Cleaves. As I mentioned before, Emmy is Bikram's most senior teacher. She is 86 years old and looks better than most 70 year olds. She is an inspiration. She taught two really tough yoga classes this week and gave a lecture on Thursday afternoon. Her lecture focused on physiology and yoga. It was so great. I could listen to her all day! She explained the principle of "Lock the Knee" in Bikram yoga and how to do it properly (without damaging the knees). She spent quite a bit of time on how our lifestyle damages our bodies. Sitting, in particular, is the main problem. From young age, our children sit for hours and hours at school and then at home in front of the TV or computers. As we move on in life, we get office jobs, drive around in cars and watch more TV. She explained how this damages the spine and impacts the whole body. This is why so many people find the yoga painful. In yoga, we are retraining and reversing years and years of poor posture, muscle atrophy and negative patterning in the body. The good news is that Emmy believes it can be improved and, in some cases, reversed. It takes hard work....but it can be done.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This part is for all of my Bikram Yoga friends out there. Squeeze your butt more and harder during class!!! During Emmy's and Bikram's classes this week, there was a theme that came through..."Squeeze the Glutes!" Emmy explained how all of our sitting has caused our largest muscle, the gluteus muscles to become extremely weak. To safely execute most of the postures, you need to really squeeze your glutes. Bikram demonstrated his squeezing abilities (It was pretty funny. You had to be there.) and told us that we have to squeeze them really tight during Pranayama Breathing and Half Moon. He said that no one was squeezing tight enough! Similarily, in Emmy's classes this week. She focussed on squeezing the butt, especially in Backbending, Standing Bow and Balancing Stick. Over and over this week....Keep your butt tight! Squeeze your Glutes. So, for all of my Bikram Yoga Friends....to quote Emmy, "you have to bring mindfulness to your butt and squeeze it" more during class. Try it and let me know how you make out.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier this year, my dear friend Eva gave me a book called Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing your Soul by Melody Beattie. One of the messages this week was to not be afraid of making mistakes. When I was feeling particularly low, these words were so helpful. Thank you, Eva.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MufAQLwlUW3F4j1Nz8qceRAxtc_c_uP4oXbfWS-heFAu65tgufT5Oz6iYzfSQ9I-85bJfUzNeF32ehATh9n_gNUnwPi13-o4AvgABbJHIYTIUtcqScqPDZ57238aoTTBdcrn9iZRx4di/s1600/IMG_1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MufAQLwlUW3F4j1Nz8qceRAxtc_c_uP4oXbfWS-heFAu65tgufT5Oz6iYzfSQ9I-85bJfUzNeF32ehATh9n_gNUnwPi13-o4AvgABbJHIYTIUtcqScqPDZ57238aoTTBdcrn9iZRx4di/s200/IMG_1472.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inspiration corner in my room</td></tr>
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</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-1616759693687399072011-05-15T11:12:00.000-07:002011-05-15T11:20:36.131-07:00Week 4 - Lessons in Love and Healing<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"This is Where the Magic Happens"</span></span></b></span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtgSqR8NsKYczUOLQ8ldLI97ZxRLBV8KXgZOa9u8bgOcE827TUdKz3xoRawmRMcwks1i_yvw9eipli260WU87BKFt2c_NNaZfFGKAc1C72crmyB2kAY9HacdDQj_L8MGCiCjo3xgAsoJg/s1600/227772_10150171647089102_517584101_6931882_8046719_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtgSqR8NsKYczUOLQ8ldLI97ZxRLBV8KXgZOa9u8bgOcE827TUdKz3xoRawmRMcwks1i_yvw9eipli260WU87BKFt2c_NNaZfFGKAc1C72crmyB2kAY9HacdDQj_L8MGCiCjo3xgAsoJg/s200/227772_10150171647089102_517584101_6931882_8046719_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Hot Yoga Room - Look at the Chandeliers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Healing Yoga</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is hard to believe that I have been living in this hotel, doing this intense training, for a </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">month! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> Many days I have felt homesick and sad. A month is a long time to be away from home. I miss my little dog, Baci! </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I am starting to feel tired and my body is reminding me of it every day! There are also wonderful moments, new friendships and new lessons learned.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rajashree (Bikram's wife) says that Week 4 is the time when all of the stored emotions come out and old injuries surface in the body. Well, was she ever right! I have felt like crying almost every day. In one yoga class, she asked how many people have cried in class? "Is there crying?" (My hand went up...along with about half of the room.) "Good!" She says, "Let the crying come out. It is good for you. This is stored pain from the past." The she asked how many people feel anger during the yoga? At least a third of the room raised a hand. "This is good" she says. For most people, it is hard to understand how anger or crying in yoga class would be a good thing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rajashree was right about old injuries, as well. Working 20 years in an office, at a desk job has taken a toll on my neck, shoulders and hips. This past week, my shoulders have been really bothering me. It feels like there is a hot poker in my left shoulder blade all day! One class, the pain was so intense, that I had to sit out the postures that require lifting your arms up in front of the body or over head. (This is almost the whole class!) Emmy Cleaves told us that the "Stress Monkey" likes to sit on the shoulders. So, I knew that this was not an injury. I was experiencing years of old stress (and maybe a little new stress). Although I knew that I didn't have to worry about it...it still bothered me every day this week. The pain felt real (and still does) to me; my muscles were tight, tight, tight! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I mentioned earlier, Bikram has been away for a couple of weeks. He returned to teach one class on Thursday. I was concerned, because my shoulder was at its worst that morning. How was I going to make it through <i>a Bikram </i>class? There was no way that I could just lie down or not lift my arms in Bikram's class! (I have heard him shout and yell at students from the podium. I did not want that to be me!) Just class started, a thought came into my mind: "Bikram would heal my shoulders and I would be fine." I'm not sure where this thought came from, but it transformed me in the moment. This was just emotional/mental pain...not an injury, so it could be released through yoga. Amazingly, we started the breathing exercise (which all week had been so painful) and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't feel any pain at all</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. It seemed that there was only one point of focus from Bikram. "Lift the chest." Over and over...."Lift the chest!" No pain in my shoulders. I completed the whole class...</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no pain</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. It was one of our hottest classes, too. Students were leaving the room and visiting teachers were dropping like flies...everyone was dying from the heat. I didn't feel a thing. I felt great. I was free of pain. I had a great class. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things like this are very hard to explain. How does a middle aged woman with a tight, stiff body and chronic shoulder pain make it through a HOT Bikram class, while amazing yogi's all around...with beautiful, young, strong, flexible bodies...just collapse under the heat? Was this Bikram's Yogic healing power or was it my mind believing and letting go? Maybe a bit of both? A wonderful experience either way. Don't get attached to the pain. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(The pain returned in the evening lecture...but not as intense as before. Just a dull ache now. I feel that I can ignore it...let it go...it will pass or not.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lessons in Love</span></span></b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkAAv3ZG22x75C_ITZauWo7Hy9mRKtHSHLGV4a3RZFc1jvx5TTfr2gJxqybLoGg4tMUEWkpRpp0UxGyF47S20QijxepzP6Ysv6U8hdvvZYwDRWgNGyHXpbpmcdT9c8qLmZKoAyplr4Zyi/s1600/230879_221375377889442_100000509444691_896463_4589043_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkAAv3ZG22x75C_ITZauWo7Hy9mRKtHSHLGV4a3RZFc1jvx5TTfr2gJxqybLoGg4tMUEWkpRpp0UxGyF47S20QijxepzP6Ysv6U8hdvvZYwDRWgNGyHXpbpmcdT9c8qLmZKoAyplr4Zyi/s200/230879_221375377889442_100000509444691_896463_4589043_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Salvatore</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each week, I experience so many wonderful lessons that it is hard to share them all. I try to pick just one or two of the most important to me each week. This week, another important moment was again in the hot room! The magic always happens in the yoga room! We had an amazing visiting teacher, John Salvatore. John is famous in the Bikram world and on Broadway. He owns his own Bikram yoga studio in New York City and is currently starring the in the Broadway musical "Jersey Boys" in Las Vegas. He flew in for a day and taught a fabulous class for us. Other than Bikram, I would have to say that John is the best teacher I have ever had! An inspiration! He started our class by talking to us about love...about sharing love with each other in class and throughout the day...supporting each other with love. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That very morning, I was feeling quite annoyed with everyone. I was especially annoyed with the guy beside me in class. While I went out of the room for a minute, he moved my mat! I came back and my mat was in a completely different place. (This was not the first time this had happened) He moved it so that he could have a better spot in front of the mirror. Now, I had the spot with the cracks in the mirror and my mat was about two inches away from my neighbour. Then, John Salvatore came in the room with his speech about love and this amazing, energetic, funny, inspirational class. About half way through class, I looked over at the guy beside me and our eyes met in the mirror. My anger was transformed. I felt totally different about him. The anger disappeared and I felt so much love for him. How could I ever have been mad at him for moving my mat? It seemed so crazy. Everything changed in that moment. We smiled at each other and I felt love for him. I felt so much love for everyone in the room. Thoughts are powerful. Transform your thoughts and you'll transform your life.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am watching our many guest teachers and thinking about what kind of teacher I will be. One thing I know for sure....I want to be a teacher that teaches from a place of love. I want to remind everyone to be kind to themselves, to learn to love themselves and from there...they can love everyone around them.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9I-0YypxCQuyxJP53Rjp9QXoZDb5u96DKJirWdYF7pm_bWiIYjklna6Z82BopeQ85yoPch5lNg3KKvaWJXJgL-GLDrlENr5m4qqY2fUMvDaia4eM_dqoyoNC-4Kecne9rJIH-yN3PdTml/s1600/227065_10150171644199102_517584101_6931815_7009567_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9I-0YypxCQuyxJP53Rjp9QXoZDb5u96DKJirWdYF7pm_bWiIYjklna6Z82BopeQ85yoPch5lNg3KKvaWJXJgL-GLDrlENr5m4qqY2fUMvDaia4eM_dqoyoNC-4Kecne9rJIH-yN3PdTml/s200/227065_10150171644199102_517584101_6931815_7009567_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My New Friends: Kat and Jane, from the UK</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today will be a day of studying for me. There is a lot of pressure during the week to memorize the dialogue. I want to make sure that I don't start the week behind in things. We also have our Anatomy final tomorrow morning. I am so happy that Anatomy is almost over! (I did okay on our last test, so I have more confidence about tomorrow's exam.) I'm hoping today will be a nice sunny day so that I can sit outside and study. One thing that is nice about being in LA is the weather! Gorgeous weather.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much Love....Namaste</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-67226363651052393832011-05-08T18:21:00.000-07:002011-05-08T19:26:35.988-07:00Week 3<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeINOTm67xNjwMQTzyi378V5c2HsQFZTbLkk-kN4kfUaIH5pTpwkexHR0qtUjUaLynCYGfIybgq3PExKtdJmLkYE1q2QpKeprMU15RtS6R2U8hjRMo6zAbBoqhBzYwuSp8Jd4xNiPHD6J/s1600/IMG_0049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeINOTm67xNjwMQTzyi378V5c2HsQFZTbLkk-kN4kfUaIH5pTpwkexHR0qtUjUaLynCYGfIybgq3PExKtdJmLkYE1q2QpKeprMU15RtS6R2U8hjRMo6zAbBoqhBzYwuSp8Jd4xNiPHD6J/s200/IMG_0049.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A special visitor, Pepper, came to our Posture Clinic this week. </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Posture Clinics</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are now in full swing which means this week was all about Posture Clinics. Each day we split up into smaller groups (about 40 people in a group) and practiced teaching a posture. This meant that we had to have the Bikram dialogue for at least one posture memorized each day. This week we did Back Bending, Hands to Feet, Awkward (3 parts), Eagle and Standing Head to Knee poses. For most people, this is a lot to memorize - especially when so fatigued and working within such <i>very</i> tight schedules. The only time to work on the memorization is early in the morning before our first yoga class or on our meal breaks. Needless to say, it is quite stressful for most of us.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wednesday was a tough day for me. I woke up feeling quite anxious because I had to do "Awkward Pose" and I was having trouble keeping the second and third parts straight in my mind. I kept mixing things up. On top of this, our schedule kept changing this week. I was very anxious that I wasn't going to be at the right place at the right time. I was so distracted that I forgot to sign in for yoga class! For those of you who don't know about Bikram teacher training, it is run like a bootcamp. Lots of rules. One rule is that if you miss a class or are late or forget to sign in <i>before</i> class....you have to do a "make up" hot yoga class on Saturday. (Back to back to our regularly scheduled Saturday morning class)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was really upset when I realized what I had done. All I could think about was how <i>bad</i> that Saturday class was going to be because I was already so tired. I was pretty ticked at myself. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, when I got into my posture clinic that evening, I found out that I was in the classroom that requires us to do dialogue from up on stage using a headset microphone! This is so much harder and added to the stress of saying a posture I wasn't comfortable with yet. I wanted to cry. But, I just pulled myself up and got up there and did it. It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. I was big bundle of nerves. When we finally got to bed that night I was exhausted. I couldn't imagine how I was going to make it through 6 more weeks of this training.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next morning, I was surprisingly calm. I realized that I had caused <i>all</i> of my own pain and had exhausted <i>myself</i>. By worrying about what might happen later in the day (and imagining it to be much worse than it actually was) I was not paying attention to the present moment. In this calmer state, I could see that by imagining the worst about what "might" happen, I messed up the present moment. I also created mental stress for myself that wasn't necessary. So, I have decided that I will do my best to accept each day for what it is and not worry about the next class or the next day or the next posture. Just be present and stay with the moment, as it is right now. When it feels bad to me or I feel myself getting anxious, I will just watch and observe how my body is reacting. No judgement, just observe. Stay in the moment.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Anatomy Lectures</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our lectures this week have been focussed on Anatomy. Not my favourite subject. I understand that as yoga teachers, we need to have a good understanding of the body and how it works...but I can't say that I enjoy learning it. (Did I mention that I have a degree in English Literature?) Oh...the time passes so </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">slowly</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and I have such a hard time listening! I have to admit that we have an excellent teacher, Dr. Preddy, who is an ER doctor and a professor. He is very entertaining and has a talent for making complex information accessible for us non-medical people. Still, I will be happy when we are done with the Anatomy section of the training. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Yoga Training </span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieS29pQqLDx5ipP1y9WzZrTTcvsA3S6A73sp67cln7hJLIl__ZJ93bIAB50PG0ykb0jaGGfNMHuCoUgiznoacfkCygbiERVEJFaKnCKZnb9X50ebjn8S8-iuEXy24pVSY5lhvA9AhPphyphenhyphenM/s1600/IMG_0038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieS29pQqLDx5ipP1y9WzZrTTcvsA3S6A73sp67cln7hJLIl__ZJ93bIAB50PG0ykb0jaGGfNMHuCoUgiznoacfkCygbiERVEJFaKnCKZnb9X50ebjn8S8-iuEXy24pVSY5lhvA9AhPphyphenhyphenM/s200/IMG_0038.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking 11 yoga classes a week </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(12 this week for me!)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, plus doing more postures during our clinics is having a big impact on everyone's body. Lots of aches and pains. Most people have reported having strange food/drink cravings. If you were vegetarian before, you now crave meat. Some people now can't eat meat. Random cravings for olives, pickles, chips...anything salty has been widely reported. The most popular craving is for Coke or Sprite. I have been craving Sprite! Those of you who know me well, know that I almost never drink pop. I can't remember the last time I had a Sprite (maybe in High School). Suddenly, all I can think about during Anatomy lecture is having a Sprite... almost every day. So funny! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am also becoming more like Bikram, who says that he eats only once a day. Bikram says that yoga feeds the body more energy than food. I have to say, that after three weeks of this training, I agree. Most days, I usually have a smoothy (protein shake) after the morning class and then one meal after our evening yoga class. In between, I just nibble on trail mix or a granola bar when I have a spare moment. Strangely, I am fine eating this way. So, as long as I feel okay...I'll keep going with it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a wonderful lecture on "Pain" from Emmy Cleaves this week. I loved it! So interesting. She talked about pain and typical pains that are experienced in yoga. She talked about the difference between discomfort or stretching sensation and <i>true</i> pain ("pain, pain" as she calls it) which is warning that an injury may happen. She also touched on psychological pain and self induced, stress pain that manifests in the body...most often in the back. (Boy, can I relate to that this week!!) I could have listened to her lecture all day! I hope we hear more from Emmy again.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Bikram's absence, we have had his wife, Rajashree teaching our evening hot yoga classes. Although they are still challenging, they are lovely. She has such a sweet, kind and loving approach to teaching yoga. So different from Bikram! You can feel her love when she comes in the room and she shares such compassion for everyone who is missing home and their families. She also reassures everyone that the struggles we are going through are normal and tries to help us us "let go". She encourages us to use our minds differently...to see the positive instead of the negative. So lovely.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to wrap up for this week. My roommate Brittany is helping me study for our Anatomy test tomorrow, so I have to sign off now. Brittany says that it is going to be fun! Hmmm, I'm not so sure.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much love to everyone. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Namaste. </span><br />
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</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-82858742264327975672011-04-30T22:59:00.000-07:002011-05-01T21:39:05.985-07:00Week 2 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week 2 and we're picking up the pace a bit. Our days are very long and yet do not </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">feel</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> long to me. We sign in for yoga at 8:00am and the days usually go until 12:30 am or later. This week we had another fun movie night with Bikram that went until 3:30am (a great Hindi movie called Jodhaa Akbar). I am sleeping about half as much as normal. The long days and demanding schedules are meant to help us discover that we have much more power and energy inside us than we ever imagined possible. Several times this week, Bikram quoted his guru (Bishnu Ghosh) stating that yoga reveals the "latent forces, hidden power" in each of us. So, whenever we are struggling with lack of sleep or fatigue, we are to remember this and try to discover that energy hidden within us. I did experience a hint of that on Wednesday. With only 3 hours of sleep, I was able to have two fabulous yoga classes and sit for hours and hours listening to people recite Half Moon dialogue and then Bikram's evening lecture until 12:30am...without feeling tired. I felt so light and peaceful. It was really an amazing experience. This of course, did not last, but it is inspiring to know that there is the possibility of something more powerful inside you.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday evening it was my turn to say the "Half Moon Pose" dialogue to Bikram. I was nervous and excited at the same time. Moments before going up on stage I started to really sweat....all over. I got up on stage, introduced myself and then said the dialogue...word for word. It felt like a flash...and then it was over. At the end, Bikram just looked at me, smiled and gave me the two thumbs up (literally). That was it. He didn't say anything to me. Just a smile and approval. Although it would have been nice to have a few words from Bikram, I took his response as a positive thing. </span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bad</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before going to training, teachers told me to expect that my body would "go through things" during the 9 weeks. Doing 2 hot yoga classes a day has a profound impact on the body. (In just two weeks, I have already completed 21 classes!) So, my first physical reaction to all the yoga was a day of feeling </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">really</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> sick (flu-like symptoms). Then came the random sweats. They would hit me at the strangest times... at all times of day or night for about 3-4 days. Just sweat, sweat, sweat. Then as fast as they came...they were gone. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other difficult thing this week has been getting used to being with 430+ people </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all of the time</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Just moving that many people up and down elevators in the hotel is a feat in itself. You can't image what the elevators are like after a hot yoga class!!! Just try to picture a crowd of hot, sweaty people pushing into an elevator like sardines. (All trying to get to their rooms as fast as possible to grab a shower and a bite to eat before our next lecture.) We manage to cram at least 15 sweaty people in at once. Even at that rate, it takes a long time, so people get crazy about the elevators. </span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Ugly</span></span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I woke up Tuesday morning and had a strange rash/welt/giant red blotch on my face...origin unknown. Most likely due to sweaty yoga mats and towels. Ugh!! Everyone says to just "trust the process." Well, easy to say when it is not on your face! Luckily, just like the random sweating...it went away as quickly as it came. Whew!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bikram is now gone away on business for two weeks. We will miss him. He brings so much energy and vitality to our yoga classes and lectures. His lectures are fun and light-hearted...filled with crazy stories of famous athletes, world leaders and movie stars. They are <i>also</i> packed full of ancient yoga knowledge and profound insights. As I look over my notes from the week I am amazed at the depth of the teaching he has shared with us. I feel so honoured. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next week, we break into small groups and start the posture clinics. Evening lectures will be taught by visiting experts and Bikram's senior teachers. Looking forward to see what these next few weeks will bring....</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-30970763163184232012011-04-24T18:29:00.000-07:002011-05-01T21:42:56.621-07:00Week 1<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow! What a week. So exciting, challenging, crazy, fun and exhausting! It is really hard to put down in words...the range of emotions and experiences in just one week. I am spending the weekend trying to recover and build some energy for the next week.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ten hot yoga classes this week. Many of which were more than 90 minutes. (Bikram finishes the class when he's ready.) Bikram's classes are the best classes. He just fills the room with his energy and you can soak it up. I love them. I'm also a little scared of them because he expects so much and demands that people work hard...110%! He calls it his "torture chamber" and he's not far off. There are days it does feel like torture. But as Bikram says, we all came willingly to do this because we know it works.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">HALF MOON POSE</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main focus this week was on the first posture in the series, Half Moon Pose. One by one, each student has to go up on stage in front of Bikram and say the dialogue to him while three students act as your students and do the posture. Once you have said your dialogue, you become a student demonstrator. The main purpose is for Bikram to get to know his students. His perceptions are <i>very</i> deep and go much beyond the surface of saying dialogue. He gives little corrections or words of praise, but the main purpose is for Bikram to get to know each one of us. All 430! Obviously, this process takes days. I have been sitting, waiting patiently for my turn. There is no clear system for how people get on the list...sometimes just being in the right seat at the right time. I believe this is part of the process....<i>to let go of trying to control things.</i> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For some students, nerves take over and what was once memorized, is suddenly gone as they feel the gaze of Bikram (and 400+ people watching). Some get up and say the dialogue with ease and grace. I have now heard Half Moon over 200 times. It is now ingrained in my memory. It is a fabulous opportunity to see students from around the world and to listen to Bikram's colourful anecdotes. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been surprised how kind Bikram is with people. He is different than he is in the "torture chamber" where he yells and swears at people. Here it is all "little bit more energy, sweetheart", etc. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This training has attracted people from all over the world! France, Mexico, Ireland, Denmark, Argentina, Chile, Japan, Taiwan, Netherlands, Lebanon, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Czech Republic, Turkey, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Czech Republic, Russia, South Africa, Tasmania, Columbia, Bulgaria, Spain, Scotland, Austria, Chile, all over the USA and of course Canada. There are many students from BC (mostly Vancouver), which Bikram says is </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">his</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> province (because of the initials and the many studios there). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had our first Bollywood night! This is a thing of legend at Teacher Training. Bikram <i>loves</i> Bollywood movies and wants to share his culture with us. Our Wednesday night lecture ended at 12:00 midnight and then Bikram said "time for movies!!" In disbelief, we then settled in to watch the movie until 3:45am!! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needless to say, getting up for class after only 3 hours sleep was really tough. To top it off, we had our morning class with Emmy Cleaves. Emmy is Bikram's most senior teacher and a legend, herself. She is a force of nature! I loved my first class with Emmy and look forward to more. Emmy's focus was on precision and alignment in postures. There is so much to learn from her.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am excited about the week to come. To make it through this training, I have to take it one moment at a time. Learning to let go is the lesson. As Bikram says..."kill yourself." To me this means kill the ego. It appears that Bikram does this by killing us physically first. </span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-49707330310309525022011-04-18T19:56:00.000-07:002011-04-18T20:13:32.239-07:00Bikram Teacher Training - Spring 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm here! Arrived in LA on Sunday and then took the airport shuttle over to the LAX Radisson. Spent most of the day standing in various unbelievably long lines waiting, waiting, waiting (along with 430 other students) to register, get our room keys, find our luggage, get a seat for orientation, etc. I realized quickly that I would have to shift my expectations...or rather, leave all expectations behind in order to make it through this process.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were moments in the day when I felt sad about leaving home, nervous about what I would encounter here and questioning if I had made the right decisions. This, I am told, is totally normal and will happen throughout the training. So the emotions bubble up here and there but I try to just feel them and then let them pass.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Already, I have met many wonderful people, including my great roommate, Brittany Milove (also known as BLove). I feel so blessed to have her for my roommate. She is very bright, easy going about "room stuff" and positive! I'm looking forward to getting to know her better as the weeks go on.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today we had our first orientation session with Bikram! As you would guess, he was full of passion, energy and enthusiasm for this life changing yoga and rather blunt about the way he runs this training! Our mission: Listen to the rules; give it 110% <i>all of the time</i> and have fun. Either you're in all the way for the nine weeks... or you're out. You choose.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">OUR FIRST BIKRAM CLASS!!!!!</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also had our first class in the world's largest Hot Yoga Room. The hotel converted the Grand Ballroom into our yoga studio for the nine weeks. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OMG!!!! It was HOT!! Thank goodness they told us to be in the yoga room 30 min before class. It think it took the entire 30 min to settle down the panic I was feeling inside. I have never been in a room so hot. I managed to stay in the room but believe me it was not easy. Several people had to be carried out of the room by staff. I think I managed about half of the postures. It was CRAZY hot in there. Today it is hard to imagine 2 classes like that a day for nine weeks. Everyone says they take it easy on you the first week! If that's easy...hard is going to be really scary. This is one time in my life when I can say that you have to just take it one moment, one breath at a time. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>***Our class was filmed for the Today Show. I'm not sure when it will air on TV but keep your eyes open for it.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've been told by Bikram and staff that it is best to immerse yourself in the yoga training and not get caught up with facebook and emails and what's happening back home. Just focus on this experience. So, I have turned off my cell phone and plan to update this blog whenever it feels right...no particular schedule. (Given the class we had tonight...no promises on anything!) It will likely be on Sundays when we have our "day off" from training.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a picture of little Baci "helping" me pack. You can see he was not very happy about me leaving. </span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6Kk3n-qtsFZih9IEeo7HjNa1F4NqUUt3XJSWT6FEvXfZ_p970-gblL2XNXHShEmgW2e5GWfEuOdCx1gM9rH5OZgzcimVYAJy-Qho6FgLjP3G3E5K6W9fdkLZgn88anSTEtnXiIsZYByv/s1600/IMG_1459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6Kk3n-qtsFZih9IEeo7HjNa1F4NqUUt3XJSWT6FEvXfZ_p970-gblL2XNXHShEmgW2e5GWfEuOdCx1gM9rH5OZgzcimVYAJy-Qho6FgLjP3G3E5K6W9fdkLZgn88anSTEtnXiIsZYByv/s320/IMG_1459.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-31814488899242423992011-04-12T22:47:00.000-07:002011-07-18T19:05:26.779-07:004 Days and Counting....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSZMK739MBvAqvZsJM8PjJsR9jL-cwFirH4MKD0YE7OquG0bXJ61Jtx4rMqH-HjdhPtXOj8AMfp4_eYo761TIUzHIz0SYtb6usyd8mSmq1wa8lsYCzQDiOX7UfYT0tZ6AtR_Wb3nyFm1A/s1600/Spring2011web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSZMK739MBvAqvZsJM8PjJsR9jL-cwFirH4MKD0YE7OquG0bXJ61Jtx4rMqH-HjdhPtXOj8AMfp4_eYo761TIUzHIz0SYtb6usyd8mSmq1wa8lsYCzQDiOX7UfYT0tZ6AtR_Wb3nyFm1A/s320/Spring2011web.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Only 4 days and counting until Bikram Teacher Training! I have been packing, organizing, packing....getting my apartment ready for Tina and Zoe to move in (they will be taking care of little Baci). At the same time...I'm trying to make sure I have everything in order by Saturday. Banking, taxes, emails, still need to find a place to store my car, hair appointment, goodbye dinners and most importantly...<i>what to pack for nine weeks away!</i> I've decided to take a minimalist approach...thanks to the great advice from my friend Claire. So, as much for myself, as for anyone who may want to go to Teacher Training in the future...</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The List: </span>Notes in Orange were added after training.</span></b></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Passport</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electrolytes - Critical when you're sweating it out in 2 hot classes a day <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">(Mostly used Rajashree's recommendation: Water, Lemon, Sea Salt & Honey.)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vitamins/Hemp Seeds/Healthy Skin Greens </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mini Cuisinart Blender (for my morning breakfast shakes) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">So happy I brought this with me. Used it almost every day!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stainless Steel Water Bottles (2) - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Worth it to invest in a good one that keeps your water cold during class. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laptop (cables/cords)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ipod/iphone & Earbuds</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Camera / extra batteries</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Journals/note books/fun pens</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Destiny Cards - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Wrote about these in my blog. So great to have but not something I am recommending to others necessarily</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mala Beads </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reiki and Mantra Books - just in case I need them <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">(Did not use these - absolutely no extra time or energy to look at books)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meditation Chair (Backjack) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Used it every day in posture clinic. Many people were envious! Worth hauling that around the airports.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hot Yoga gear - everything I own - about 7 outfits - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Remember NO GREEN</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lulu Capris/yoga pants </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tank Tops, Skorts & Jackets for posture clinics - <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Nothing GREEN</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Flip Flops, sandals, running shoes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bathing Suits!! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jeans, T-Shirts, Jacket </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cosmetics</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PJs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dress for Graduation (and all accessories)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*I was going to buy a rice maker or grill for cooking but decided to wait until I get to LA and see what is available at the hotel...and from other students (maybe they will share). <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">My roommate brought a microwave!! Lucky me! We also bought a kettle that doubled as an egg cooker and veggie steamer. Was too tired to do any serious cooking.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><u>I would add: </u></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">1) <b>Ear plugs</b> (just trust me! You'll want these. I was lucky, a friend gave me a pair...great during movies that are too loud, trying to study dialogue and people are talking around you, roommates may snore at night, etc.)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">2) More comfy clothes for lectures and movie nights.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">3) Plate, a good knife for cooking and a few containers for leftovers.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">4) Drying rack for wet yoga clothes...we bought this once in LA </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">5) Yoga mat spray - disinfectant</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">6) Small first aid kit - Tylenol, Advil, Gravol, bandaids, antibiotic ointment, etc.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's hard not to let nerves kick in. I am excited about the adventure ahead yet feeling that I need to have everything ready before I go. Of course, all of this is mixed in with the emotions of having just left my job and many special friends. I realize that this means I am moving toward a new way of life...leaving behind the security and comfort of what I had. For today, I'm just trying to keep my heart open, my mind quiet and remember to breathe.</span>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296347694843349374.post-50561657296211395752011-04-10T20:12:00.000-07:002011-04-12T21:21:22.173-07:00The Journey Begins<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Friday was my last day at work. Did I really just leave my management job with a great company....to go to yoga teacher training???</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The day was filled with mixed emotions. I was happy and excited to be beginning my new journey. Yet at the same time, I felt <i>so sad</i> to be leaving the people that I work with each day...some I consider to be close personal friends. It was an overwhelming day of well-wishes, generous gifts and kind goodbyes. I came home exhausted from all of the attention....still trying to process the decision I had just made.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the past 5 years I have been working in Human Resources for Andrew Peller Limited. Most recently, I was responsible for HR for Western Canada and have been based in Kelowna, BC CANADA. The job was a demanding one and often filled with great trials and challenges. To maintain myself in the role required long hours and left little time for the things I was longing for in my life. Although I love helping people, I was feeling disconnected, tired and burned out.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The decision to leave evolved slowly over time, as I made changes in my life...little bit, little bit, little bit at a time. The big shift started with my first Bikram Yoga class back in the fall of 2008 (which quickly became one of my greatest passions). Soon after, a visit to my very first Spiritual Life Coach, Debra Kine, (<a href="http://www.innerdwelling.com/">Inner Dwelling</a>), a remarkable woman who helped me see my way through the pain and fear I had been living in...to a place of healing. Along the way there have been many, many wonderful friends and many books that became my teachers as well (see my list of favourite books). And then, most recently, my second Spiritual Life Coach, Lori Pinnell (<a href="http://www.innerworksconsulting.com/">InnerWorks Consulting</a>) who helped me take it to the next level and to take responsibility for being my full, true self. And so...one morning...I woke up and just <i>knew</i> in my soul that it was time to make a change.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First step was my application to <b>Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Spring 2011. </b>When my application was accepted, I gave my one month notice to the company that I was resigning. Now, the day has come and I am officially resigned from my job. The journey begins....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some wonderful going away cards and gifts from my co-workers: </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsdh6WhP0VUEgKaTmvbwyjrbDHadUqCs1vYzjH2CPRAqaSLMmnRs_svM9jTUb8a2wIRiCzB-mPPiUtudSBrgaiXkmOBW-fVNPW2O_OCfhf1ds8MK04PpLc9pehD5YXY8zYd27a2vHsg7O/s1600/IMG_1443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsdh6WhP0VUEgKaTmvbwyjrbDHadUqCs1vYzjH2CPRAqaSLMmnRs_svM9jTUb8a2wIRiCzB-mPPiUtudSBrgaiXkmOBW-fVNPW2O_OCfhf1ds8MK04PpLc9pehD5YXY8zYd27a2vHsg7O/s320/IMG_1443.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04895281070117999438noreply@blogger.com0