New toys, and some old favourites

I have a confession to make –  I must admit that recently I have been poo pooing yoga a little. Maybe I have not been poo pooing yoga, but more the yoga world and what it has become in the west. Little more than a physical exercise class and a whole lotta ego so it seems. After Rishikesh, I was certainly feeling disillusioned. And perhaps I have been a bit like a child who gets a new toy for Xmas, my new toy has been Tibetan Buddhism, and like the old favourite teddy that you discard for the shiny new barbie, I have perhaps let yoga go by the wayside somewhat. But one day with my yoga teacher Mark Breadner, and I am back, I am magically transported to the first time I heard Mark present “Bringing Yoga to Life” where I sat and was transfixed to his words, and it feels a little like having a cuddle with your old favourite teddy (that is the yoga, not Mark, although he is rather like a cuddly teddy, even though when I first met him I didn't think so but maybe I will save that for another day).

Day 1 of Yoga Coach training and 21 days til I am home – wow. The day has flown by but I have found myself already having some aversion to a daily blog. What was I thinking? What is the point? Who really wants to read it anyway? But I made a commitment to myself that I would, and not one to bail out on commitments lightly, I will stick to my promise and not move from the laptop til it is done. So first of all, some of you may be wondering what the hell is Yoga Coach, so I suggest you check out Mark’s website – some very cool stuff. The course I have done before, but when I knew Mark was teaching in Bali, it was an opportunity I could not pass up – 3 weeks with a teacher who for me, really embodies yoga and what it all means. Today is the easing in day, the figuring each other out time (there are 10 of us on the course) and for those who have studied with Mark before it feels like coming home, back to base. It all means different things to different people, but in essence our motivation is all the same – to live our lives to the highest potential so we can help others to do the same. I tell you, pretty cool stuff.

My own courtyard, not a bad place to be studying :)

So to be honest thoughts of home are far from my mind as I immerse myself in the language of a science that helps me learn something about myself each and every day. Skype with Coop’s (my 4 month old nephew) is getting more and more exciting as I realise in 21 sleeps I will get to cuddle the little man. Pretty excited by that, but for today, it is my favourite old teddy that has kept me occupied (that is both yoga and Mark), discussing our purpose in life and learning how we can – get this – stay in the flow. I am not sure I remember those words as being so evident last time, I am sure it is a new addition, but they are certainly appropriate given this blog and my intent of my trip....how can I stay in the flow more of the time? But like anything you hear over and over again, you hear something different each time. The words are familiar yet strangely different, but then I am perhaps different. That is one major thing I will no doubt cover in the next 3 weeks, am I different? How have I changed? Of course the first thing Mark asked me when I saw him, “So what have you learned??”  But I will save that for another day – I would love to have some wonderful words of wisdom to share, but to be honest, I can’t nail one specific thing right now. I need to ponder that some more. So 3 weeks of learning, and growing and living yoga, how awesome. 

And on a side note, not to forget Barbie (Tibetan Buddhism), I am seeing that it is kinda cool to have two favourite toys, instead of either or, I have both.