X-training, yoga and missing the word of the day

Hashtag hashtag and more hashtag.
Missed the instagram word of the day challenge for today didn't I?

Never mind. I have something on my mind which relates directly to yoga.

We speak in yoga about the difference between the breath infused movement of yoga and normal exercise as if they were two different things. Maybe we need to differentiate yoga from other movements using different criteria. I just discovered on the weekend that barre, a fusion of ballet, pilates and supposedly yoga, uses the breath in tune with movement. Which means ballet must also use the breath in tune with movement. And pilates, well, that's already part and parcel of it.

Yes, I have begun cross-training. Out of vanity. Totally. It does not improve my yoga practice, it only helps my muscle tone. Now that I know how to move energy around in my body I have learnt that I have to work harder at engaging my muscles, which is where cross training comes in. Barre is my gateway to ballet or contemporary dance, which are two disciplines of movement I want to start pursuing, in order to enrich my life. Aha! So here is where yoga comes in.

Yoga is not just a set of movements. Yoga is a way of living. It is a spiritual practice, which does not require you to believe in a particular god necessarily but to understand a world view. It is from this standpoint that I can say: I will pursue ballet and physical theatre not just to become a better writer, but to become a better person. What???? Yep. Because it is only by disciplining the self and the mind that we can learn to discipline that most unruly organ: the tongue.

There is a saying in Spanish "el pez por la boca muere". Fish die through their mouths. So do humans. If we can learn to control what we say and how we say it, we have learnt to influence others positively, which in turn creates harmony and therefore makes us better people.

Yoga Intensives: the Journey

After a long period of silence and less practice, I have decided that blogging could actually be the answer to my lack of motivation in these intensives.

To bring you all back up to date, after leaving Guatemala and Red Yoga, I came back to Australia, where I have decided to undertake yoga teacher training in the style which is closest to my heart: anusara.

So it is the wake of this decision that I will begin journaling for your pleasure, the travails of opening my heart again and my mind so I be the finger pointing at the moon.

I am a month late into the instagram challenge my teacher started at Shri Yoga studios. So I will start with the word INSPIRE and how it relates to my journey in yoga.

Just a few random thoughts will kick off the process:

Yoga inspires me to be a better person.

Yoga inspires me to be generous.

My teachers inspire me to practice.

Practising inspires me to seek alignment with the universal.

Which in turn makes me wish to inspire others.

Despite moments of lacking motivation to practise, I feel inspired to at least do a couple of asanas because of the way I shift internally. It is this interior peace that also inspires me to dream, to plan, to envision a new life for myself. 

Gracias a Melissa y a Leslie por sustituir a Patricia

Melissa nos ha estado dando clases la semana pasada y esta, el viernes de la semana pasada y el dia de ayer, sustituyendo a Patricia que ha estado fuera.

Muchas gracias a Melissa por su colaboracion.

Tambien queremos agredecerle a Leslie su dedicacion como profesora ya que ha estado sustituyendo a Patricia los dias que ella estuvo fuera del pais, aun cuando le fue inconveniente.

Patricia ya esta de regreso en Xela y lista para dar clases esta semana. Los esperamos con Leslie de Martes a Viernes, a las 6:30 de la tarde.

No yoga classes this Saturday

Hi Peeps

Shanti is cancelling this Saturday because there is an event at Cafe RED happening, so save your strength for Tuesday, when she rocks your world with Shivananda yoga at 6:30 pm.

I hope I am back from Lanquin in time, so I too can partake in Shanti's class.

Have fun and remember... if you are feeling stressed you can always rest with your legs up the wall...

Asana focus for the week this Friday

Hey Peeps

Those of you who have neck and shoulder problems prepare to work on those this Friday. We will be working on shoulder openers.

Clases de Yoga en Julio

Ya estamos a mediados de Julio y nuestro horario sigue igual gente. Así que no se pierdan de nuestras clases de yoga los Martes, Miércoles y Viernes de 6:30 a 8 de la noche y los Sábados de 3 a 4:30 de la tarde.

Los Martes y Sábados Shanti nos inspira con Shivananda yoga.

Los Miércoles Gianluca nos saca el jugo con una mezcla de Ashtanga y Iyengar.

Los Viernes Patricia nos ayuda a relajarnos del trajín de la semana con yoga restorativa.

Las clases cuestan Q20 por clase ó también pueden comprar el paquete mensual de Q120 ó las 4 clases prepagadas for Q70.

Estamos a sus órdenes y los esperamos con mucho gusto en Cafe RED, Quetzaltenango.

Yoga teacher changes for this week

Hey peeps

You know how Shanti leads classes on Saturdays? Well, she is taking a bit of a break and Patricia is taking her Saturday class instead from 3 to 4:30 pm.

Do not fret. Prepare yourself for trying out Iyengar and Anusara influenced sequences, with a bit more activity than on Friday nights.

Don't worry about mats and props. We got it all. You just bring your perky self and we'll take care of the rest.