Feel the body. What does it say? We are this incredibly unique life enclosed by flesh and bone and neural pathways whizzing across endless grids and with each turn the mind unfolds into different sensations, different thoughts and different emotions. In this body we practice yoga and a part of this practice is yoga asana, "simulating the challenges of life, the ups and especially the downs that the mind considers such a threat to its integrity, and shows us that we don't have to fight in order to win. We just have to keep showing up and fearlessly look experience straight in the eye." - Shy Sayar.
I'm already half way through my teacher training course. Time has flown. Everyday I get up at sunrise and wander out of my small bungalow that I'm not only sharing with my good friend Hazel but also with our friendly gecko who yesterday got himself into a fight. He lost both front feet, his tail and has a gash across his side. Now he seems to be quietly dying behind my camera case. His impending death means we'll have even more "not so friendly" visitors in our bungalow, who already frequently cause a pre-bedtime adrenalin frenzy of hysterical arm flapping and trying to weigh up how deadly the animal is and whether that justifies us killing it.
My teacher training consists of morning asana practice and meditation, anatomy, philosophy and studying the yoga sutras, plus some yoga play time consisting of acro yoga, shadow yoga and couples yoga. It has been intense, mentally, emotionally, physically but I am loving each and every minute of it. Everyday my understanding of yogic practices allows me to live more freely, more conciously and be ever more present by delving deeper into a sense of our interconnectedness. The thought that soon I will be able to bring some of what I have learnt to Forest Row and hopefully some other beautiful places across the globe, fills me with so much joy and so much gratitude. 'We all inquire into yoga. Yoga happens in the resolution of consciousness. Through yoga, consciousness can become aware of its interdependence.' In Matthew Remsi's translation of Patanjali's yoga sutras.