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Alignment tips for your home yoga practice - Part 1

2/12/2019

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We all practice yoga because we want to do something good for ourselves – for the body, mind, and spirit. When we attend a class, or a retreat, we practice in the presence of a (hopefully) knowledgeable and well intentional teacher who can guide us in our practice and make sure that we get benefit from it in one way or another.

Classes, workshops and retreats are wonderful ways to learn about yoga and connect to a wider yoga community and hopefully after some time of attending, you gather enough knowledge and inspiration to start your self practice.
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Many of the guests in my retreats say they would love to start practicing on their own, but they are afraid that they will do more harm then good because all the detailed yoga cues are so many they seem impossible to remember. If this above statement is what has been going through your mind, I have some good news for you: You don’t have to remember all of them. For start, it’s enough to understand some basic principles of alignment and you can be sure that your home practice won’t end up doing more harm than good.
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ALIGNMENT IN YOGA

While it’s not easy to talk about alignment to somebody whom you cannot see, I would still like you to have in mind some universal alignment principles which will ensure safe and beneficial practice for most of the bodies.

Follow them as suggestions, not as rules. Experiment with them and see which ones work well for you and which ones you wish to set aside.

​When practicing alone, or in a class, you should never feel pain, especially around your joints: there is no such a thing as “good pain”.

On the other hand, don’t use the above suggestion as an excuse to become lazy. Put in some effort, work your muscles, but always try to stay within the balance of effort and ease.

I encourage you to always ask yourself these two questions:
  1. Can I breath comfortably into the belly?
  2. Do I feel spacious in my body? (as opposed to “crunched”)
If the answer to both questions is YES, congratulations – you are doing great! If the answer is NO, try to back off a little bit and see how you can allow your breath to flow more smoothly and how you can feel the sense of ease and spaciousness in the body. 
​FEET & ANKLES
In all of the standing yoga poses, your feet form your base. And if your base isn’t solid and supportive, the above structure will experience some instability. To make a strong and stable base, try doing these things:
  1. Actively press your feet into the floor, and try to distribute the pressure evenly between your inner and outer foot
  2. Keep your arches active. If you aren’t sure what this means, or how to accomplish this, try doing the following exercise:
Press your heel and the ball of your foot actively into the ground, and raise your toes. Do you notice the difference in your arch when your toes are up and then they are down? You can probably notice that your arch lifts when the toes are up. Try to keep this activation in the arch when your toes are down by pressing your big toe strongly into the ground.
      3. Elongate your inner ankle and your outer ankle equally. This cue is very much connected to the activation of your arch, as an active arch will somewhat prevent the collapsing of the inner ankle. Still, consciously try to move your inner ankles upwards and towards the outer ankle at the same time. If just reading this doesn’t make any sense, try doing it – it will for sure be more clear. 
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KNEES
Building your pose from the ground up, let’s have a look at the knees:
  1. Don’t hyperextend your knees, especially in weight bearing positions. Always keep a micro bend in the knees and keep the back of your knees soft.
  2. Always try to have the center of your kneecap point in the same direction as the center of your foot. This cue is especially important to follow in the asymmetrical standing poses (warriors, triangle, lunges, etc.)
As I said, it is very hard to speak about alignment without actually seeing the practitioner, so don't take the second cue as written in stone. It will be beneficial for the majority, but if you are feeling any discomfort or torque in the knees, see how you can best adjust your feet to alleviate that discomfort. Sometimes the best thing to do is not to think too much about it and just let the body find its way.
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HIPS
I will give a few cues which apply to standing poses, and particularly asymmetrical ones
  1. Try to suck in your thigh bones deeper into your hip sockets, at the same time creating the feeling of your thigh muscles gripping around your bones
  2. Never hang in your hips (or any other joint), but always keep some engagement around the joints. This is especially relevant for lunge variations, where we sometimes feel that the closer the pelvis is to the floor the more benefit we get.
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Next time you step on your mat, try to remember these things and experiment with them in your practice. See if they help you feeling more space, more stability, and more integrity in your body. I’ll share more alignment tips for the upper body in the next blog post, so stay tuned.

​I am looking forward to reading your thoughts, comments, and questions.
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5 Reasons You Should Choose a Yoga Retreat Over A Regular Holiday

4/3/2018

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​How many times a month do you think to yourself: I need a holiday! 
I totally believe that you do. Juggling your work, social life, family, self care, etc. and doing all that in a city environment, which is already stressful without all of those extra factors... Woo, damn right, you need a holiday!

Actually, even more than a holiday, you might need a yoga retreat. Here are 5 reasons why I think you should consider going on a yoga retreat in stead of a regular holiday.  

1. LONG LASTING BENEFITS
Taking time off in any format is in itself invigorating and refreshing. But once those 10 days of your holiday are over, you are back to your same old daily routine. And if you repeat the same steps in your life, you will always get the same results. 
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Going on a yoga retreat will definitely have a more long lasting benefits in your life. You will come back home with a new set of tools that will help you lead a more conscious, more productive and more fulfilling life.
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You'll have a different lifestyle during the retreat, which might inspire you to make changes in your regular life. These changes can be very simple - spending more time in nature, having a social media detox, or sticking to your simple yoga or meditation routine. But these small day-to-day choices we make are actually the biggest factors in how much we can enjoy life.

2. REALLY TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF
Did you ever have that feeling that you needed a holiday to recover from your holiday during which you spent most of your time planning, trying not to miss out on anything, researching where to go and what to do and then trying to balance all that with the preferences of your travel companion(s)?

Retreats offer you the opportunity to take a whole week and fully attend to your needs. There is enough time to reflect, journal, finish that book, or just spend time alone and enjoy the silence. Whatever it is that recharges your batteries the most, a retreat will offer you a supportive environment for that. 
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3. YOGA AND MEDIATION PRACTICE
No matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned yogi, your yoga and meditation practice will for sure benefit from  the daily routine during the retreat. Dedicating yourself to it consistently is very helpful in creating or strengthening your own sustainable personal yoga practice. 

Most retreats offer two yoga classes a day, which will do wanders for your strength, flexibility, body awareness, focus and your self-discipline.
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Also, retreats offer the opportunity not only to do yoga and meditation with guidance, but to learn new principles, get a new point of view and maybe discover some completely new aspects to these disciplines. ​
As you dig deeper and start discovering how much there is to yoga that you actually never thought about, you will get inspired to learn and then apply that knowledge further, always keeping your attitude fresh and curious. ​

4. HOLISTIC (SELF-CARE) PACKAGE
Your well-being is directly related to what you consume - but not only through food. All the sounds, images, thoughts, movements that you "consume" during your day become the building blocks of your body-mind system. 
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In a yoga retreat, the activities are planned in a way to be varied and enjoyable. The natural setting of being far away from urban distraction, city lights and perpetual noise is conducive to your practice and your over-all well being.  A retreat is nourishing both for your body and your soul.​​​
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5. FINDING YOUR TRIBE
I am often asked if retreats are suitable for solo travelers. While at the same time, the vast majority of guests are solo travelers. And those that you most probably share many of your interests with.

The atmosphere at a yoga retreat makes it easy to connect to each other in meaningful ways through sharing your love of yoga or nature, learning together, and also through creating a shared safe space in which everybody is free to express themselves and simply be who they are without being judged.
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Retreats are places where you will for sure meet  inspiring like-minded people and create some long lasting friendships.
I hope this inspires  you to make that decision about booking your fist yoga retreat. 
If you've already attended yoga retreats, please share your reasons for participating and also what you feel you have gained from your retreat.

My Yogic Adventure offers a variety of retreats in Europe and Asia to suit everybody's budget. You can see the complete list of our retreats here
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Shiva's Cosmic Dance

1/23/2018

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India is such a place that at any moment in time and space if you look around you, you are bound to find at least one depiction of the Divine in one of the countless forms. I find the image of Shiva as Nataraja - the Lord of Dance - to be one of the most compelling ways in which the Divine is worshiped in India. So, I'd like to share with you the story of Nataraja and explore some of its symbolic meaning in this blog post.
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THE GROUND
If you've heard anything about the Hindu gods, you've heard that there are three "main" ones: Brahma - the Creator of the world, Vishnu - the Preserver of the world, and Shiva - the Destroyer of the world. And you might have wandered why on earth would you worship a destroyer. To understand this, the first question to be asked is: what does Shiva destroy?
He destroys 'maya' - illusion. Hinduism and Buddhism describe the entire material reality as 'maya' - illusion. The most important thing to understand, which is at the same time the things that gets misunderstood most often, is that 'maya' doesn't mean that the physical world does not exist, but that it does not exist IN THE WAY WE PERCEIVE IT TO BE. It does not exist as an independent entity, objective and self-contained, but as a construct dependant on personal prejudices and cultural norms, in which everything is interdependent.  So, as Devdutt Pattanaik (I wholeheartedly recommend all of his books) suggests, a better way to understand 'maya' is construction, not illusion. So, Shiva doesn't destroy, he deconstructs. And he does it by dancing!
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​THE FIRE
Once, Shiva was strolling through a forest naked, when he came across a couple of renunciates about to preform the sacred fire ritual. They got disturbed by his presence, and as they didn't realize who this shabby-looking man was, they wanted to take their revenge. Through their supernatural powers, they created a tiger out of fire. Shiva showed no fear, he slayed it with his bare hands, skinned it and wore its hide around his waist.
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The tiger is the symbol of untamed wild Nature, which Shiva neither fears, nor tries to change, but simply acts in accordance with the present moment. Tiger is sometimes seen as the representation of lust and desire, or generally of the "lower" animal instincts and nature. On the other hand, tiger is also an illusion - remember, he was summoned from fire by the enunciates. So, through the act of subduing it, Shiva embodies fearlessness, control over desires, and freedom from illusion.

Then, the renunciates created a cobra. But Shiva simply picked it up and wrapped it around his neck. It stood still - alert and observant.

The snake is often seen as representing the ego – both can be deadly if not handled well. Shiva, however, knows how to handle it - with ease. The cobra rests alert around his neck, but doesn’t move. The alert, but still cobra is a reminder of the state of awareness in deep meditation, where one is aware of everything in their surroundings, but still chooses not to act.

Finally, the renunciates invoked a demon, but with a ferocious jump, Shiva trampled him breaking his back.
The demon is Apasmara, the one who causes forgetfulness and ignorance. He caused us humans to forget our true naure – that we are all One, interconnected with one another and the world. That the world is ‘maya’ a provisional construct without any objective qualities. That we exist beyond the materiality of our bodies.

At this point, the renunciates realized that this man wasn't just an ordinary fellow. They froze in fear and anticipation. 
Shiva wasn't interested in revenge, but in teaching them. 
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THE FLUIDITY

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To transmit the knowledge, he began to dance. Not to talk. Not to sing. But dance! Because the nature of Dance is the nature of the Universe. 
In order to call something a dance, it must be constatly changing, flowing. There is nothing static, nothing permanant about it, just like there is nothing permanent in the whole Universe, including the Universe itself!

The dance occupies and changes through both time and space, at the same time taking always and only the present moment. Once a dance starts, there’s no pausing, no rewinding, no asking for clarifications, it continues relentlessly and if we wish to understand what it is about, our best bet it to anchor the attention in the present moment. Sounds a little bit like life? 

Taken literally, dance makes no sense, it's just a bunch of arms and legs moving around (and Shiva has more than two pairs), but if you know how to observe carefully and wih an open heart – you come to realize that there is order and meaning behind the randomness. Sometimes illusive, sometimes obvious – but everpresent. 
Shiva danced, accompanied only by the sound of his rattle drum. Clad in tiger’s hide, with a cobra coiled around his neck and with each step trampling and stomping on the back of Apasmara, the demon of forgetfulness. He moved with grace and strength, fluidity and sharpness of moves, comforting and frightening at the same time. The audience was in awe.
And then, as the culmination of the performance, he stopped. Most of the Nataraja depictions cathch this moment of stillness. 
THE AIR

​He’s standing firmly on his right leg. The right leg represents spiritual reality, which is the only way through which we can confidently feel the ground beneath us. It is through anchoring in our spiritual world that we defeat the demon of forgetfulness, and Shiva’s right foot on the back of Apasmara is a reminder of that. 

His left food is suspended in midair - circling but always striving towards the right side of his body. The left stands for the physical reality, which is ever-changing and always in motion, but also always striving towards the more subtle realms. Because the spiritual base is strong and stable, the physical side can explore its end reach. 

The lower right hand is raised in Abhaya mudra, which literally means: fear not. The lower left arm is in Thegaja Hasta (elephant trunk), which is to remind us of Ganseha, the elphant-head God, who is worshiped as the remover of obstacles, among other things. So, what Shiva is communicating through his hand gestures is: don’t worry, I’ll lead the way.
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In one of his upper arms he’s holding a drum. The beating of this drum is the rhythm that he’s dancing to, but also it’s the rhythm of the never ending cycle of creation and the destruction of the universe. His upper left arm is holding a flame, symbolizing purification. The whole scene is happening within the circle of fire, which is again symbolizing the cyclical nature of the universe. The fire is emanating from and returning into Shiva’s foot, re-establishing his role as the prime mover of all existence.

While all the symbolism behind this common depiction of Shiva helps us understand this story on a deeper level, the most important thing to realize is that Shiva’s dance of creation and de(con)struction takes place nowhere else but in our own hearts, in our own Self. In our daily lives we are constantly engaging in a dance with our egos, our desires, our story of who we are, and who the other is. And moment to moment, breath to breath, we are deciding who leads the dance. When we understand that Shiva dances within ourselves, it becomes the dance of transformation.
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How to Start and Keep Your Home Yoga Practice

4/16/2017

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​No matter if you’ve been practicing yoga for a while, or you’ve recently joined your first yoga class, it’s essential that you start developing your home yoga practice. Those moments when you are alone with your body and your breath are at least as important as attending a regular yoga class. So, I’d like to share a few tips with you how to start and keep your home yoga practice.
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​1. SET THE TIME
​If you decide that today you will do some yoga at some point of your day, chances are you’ll keep delaying that time until you realize that the day has passed and then you firmly decide that you will do some yoga tomorrow at some point. Will you? We already know the answer. Instead, better set the specific time and treat it as a date. Well, essentially, it is a date – with yourself.
2. BE REALISTIC
​How busy are you in your day? How realistic is it to say that you will be disciplined enough to practice 40 minutes every day? How about 30? 15? 5? Like in so many other aspects of a yoga class, more is not necessarily better. It’s the commitment and the consistency that will prove to be the biggest change makers, not the number of minutes you spend on your mat. To begin with, better go with less.
3. BE CREATIVE
I’m of the opinion that the biggest benefit from practicing asanas (yoga postures) doesn’t come because those shapes have some mystical powers, but because in yoga class, we are always invited to slow down and deepen our breath, to observe our body, and to move mindfully. So, if your reason for not practicing at home is that you can’t remember how to properly execute any of the traditional asanas, then simply don’t do them. It’ll be enough to do the simplest of moves keeping your attention on the breath, and synchronizing it with your movements. Try to listen to your body. In which way is it inviting you to move?
4. TAKE IT OFF THE MAT
For me, yoga is about finding freedom. But if we confine yoga to the one square meter of the mat, how can that be freedom? You can do yoga anywhere, and by saying this I’m not inviting you to try and put your leg behind your head while waiting at the traffic light. (Actually, I’m explicitly inviting you to never do this, but that is another subject.)Wherever you are, you can always turn your attention to your breath. You can always reach your arms up and stretch with an inhale, and soften your body with an exhale. You can always notice how you are standing or sitting. Is your posture symmetrical? Is it comfortable? You can always feel your feet on the ground and be aware of the way they touch the ground when you walk.
​Sounds simple and doable, right?

The day is full of these “yoga and mindfulness windows” inviting us to look inside. We just need to notice them.

Good luck with developing your personal practice!
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Heaven is Myth, Nepal is Real

3/27/2017

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I had a choice. Pay hundreds of pounds on a part for my car which it may or may not need, or go on an adventure.

I choose the latter. I choose well.

Autumn in the UK is both beautiful and dark, damp and miserable. It’s the perfect time to throw caution to the wind, fill up the rucksack and head for the hills.
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I browsed the internet, with a half-baked intent: Somewhere far away and exotic, but affordable (please and thank you universe). My eyes kept being pulled to these words:
8 days Yoga, Meditation and Hiking in Nepal”.​
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​Oh, that sounded just right – rest and relaxation with some hiking added to the adrenalin mix for good measure. Too good to miss.

So, go for it. Check out flights, book annual leave, figure out the finances – it’s do-able.

It’s done. It only took a few clicks.

By sheer coincidence I’d arrived at the beginning of Diwali. At the airports, complete strangers wished me a Happy Diwali. It felt like Christmas Eve, and that warm glow-worm of delight filled my belly. It was Diwali – imagine that. Festival of Light! Four flights removed and now I was on the edge of another world – it felt oddly ethereal, as I took in the panorama of the Annapurna range.
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My destination was the Shivalaya Yoga and Meditation Centre at Lake Begnas. The little town of Begnas is about a half hour taxi ride from Pokhara – and oh my, what a ride! I was a complete novice to the Nepali road experience, ‘sans seat belts’ and so my heart leapt into my mouth – once, twice, thrice! ‘I’m a survivor right. What could possibly go wrong?’ and nothing did, that was the joy of it.
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​I’m dropped off at the edge of Lake Begnas. The taxi driver points – “up there” – to a stunning looking edge of forever place. I could have taken the steps, but that would have been too easy – I took the trek less travelled, which as it turned out, was much more interesting and yes, entertaining.
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Each stranger I asked “Shivalaya Yoga?” and each friendly face – from small child to ancient octogenarian – points “Up there”.
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​A giant gold-gilted Shiva in meditative state welcomes me silently. Just one more push – almost there, like giving birth (keep breathing, focus on your breath) - put one foot in front of the other – a few more steps and alas! The warmest welcome from the coolest people, sitting chillin’ beneath the thatch.
Now, to reverse a bit, on the flight from Delhi to Kathmandu I got my first ever sight of the Himalayas. I was overwhelmed by the majesty of their crowns and thought I might cry it was so beautiful. On the little, low flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara I saw the Annapurna range for the first time, and was filled with that wonderful child-like sense of wonder – but the best was yet to come.

​When I got my first view from Shivalaya across Lake Begnas, the pure-white peaks beyond the rice-terraced hills, I got chills. The purity of light, the way it seemed to stream and cascade from the heavens; the sunsets and sunrises casting cool, delicate shades – pink, orange, blue and purple hues draped across those snowy peaks – if this don’t make your soul soar, nothing will. Just go with it – move with it, breathe, fill the lungs, chill, laugh, cry if the mountains move you to do so. It’s ok. Everything is ok – it’s my first day, and I am filled with an overwhelming sense of peace and well-being – and we haven’t even started the retreat yet!

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I meet Marija – the wonderful woman of myyogicadventure.com.

She is a force of nature, and a beautiful human being. She could not have been more helpful. I am a day early – but she arranged a room for the extra night, meals, and even a couple of extra classes to kick start the experience.

Her smile stretches from ear to ear, her lilting accent a delight to hear, and her light and love radiate magnetically. I feel in safe hands and wonderful company. Most of all, Marija does not take herself too seriously – she has an enigmatic sense of humour. She’s funny and she laughs a lot. She is a joy-maker. I could not have chosen better – all by chance, by sheer luck and good fortune, I am here at Shivalaya, Begnas, Nepal, far from Belfast and the hum-drum rain-sodden streets.
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​The retreat proper starts on 1st November 2015. We are a small group – but we bond as if by magic. Michelle from England, Steffi from Stuttgart, later Alice arrives from Pokhara. Other yogis and travellers come and go from the centre – it feels as if the whole globe is represented. We are a multi-cultural crew; chatting, storytelling, adventures and experiences – long leisurely breakfasts, delicious dinners with entertaining company, watching those sun sets seep into star-lit nights. Hawks swoop, eagles soar, fruit bats loop the loop. 
My new room is perfect. Ganesh is on my door for good fortune and protection. My room steps out onto the view, with abundance of jungle foliage below and beyond – a Shiva tree, its fruit ripe for the picking, a reminder of this perfect earth, and its endless giving and forgiving.

I have a double bed, cosy cushions, a bedside table, a desk and chair, an en suite with toilet and shower. It’s simple but tastefully done. I could not want for more.
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The days start early – but we retire early, relaxed and exonerated from each wonderful day – just the right mix of full on activity and time to relax and check in with the self.
​Morning yoga – might start at 6am, or 7 or 8am depending on the day’s agenda – takes place in a beautiful covered but open air studio – overlooking the lakes and mountains. Marija teaches traditional Hatha, with an emphasis on alignment – and her classes are a perfect blend of gentle poses to the advanced – but each individual encouraged to go with their own pace and ability. As someone with a daily home practice, who makes a class whenever I can or when I can afford to do so, I’m by far the least advanced of the group – but I don’t feel disadvantaged or discouraged in any way (which has been the case occasionally at classes – one of the reasons I have preferred to practice at home in the past).
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​On day one we are in for a surprise. It is the special family day of Diwali, and all of us visitors are invited fully into the family gathering. Shivalaya is a family run yoga and meditation centre and the husband and wife team and their staff are so helpful and kind (fulfilling my endless demands for more Tulsi tea). There is a feast for all – and the food on this day and every day throughout the retreat is bountiful and beautiful. Spoilt rotten, as we’d say at home. All vegetarian and adjusted for vegans if and as required – the food is wholesome, nourishing and utterly delicious. 
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That night, people from the neighbouring area are celebrating Diwali. We end up ‘partying’ and dancing into the night. The partying continues for a few more evenings – the following night a large speaker is carried up the steps, and young women in traditional Nepali costume dance as if there’s no tomorrow. The grace, dignity and beauty of these people know no bounds. Being here during Diwali has enhanced the entire, excellent experience.

​For November, the weather is wonderful - warm mornings, hot afternoons, cool evenings.
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​For hiking, we need to leave early to ensure we have plenty of time for our yoga and meditation classes each morning and evening. The longest hike I did was around seven to eight hours – it was steep, I persevered, but when we got to the top – the panoramic views were breath taking, the air was clean and clear. I felt my lungs fill with a joy I wished I could capture forever. It was noon – and this was for me, the high of the whole time in Nepal, I cannot find the words to describe the beauty and the exhilaration, sense of accomplishment and freedom. On the way down, Marija and Dom (a highly experienced yogi and traveller) had arranged for us all to stop for lunch with a Nepali family for Dal bhat – a traditional Nepali dish, most welcoming for a pack of hungry hikers.
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​Other highlights included a boat trip on the lake, day trip to explore Pokhara, short hikes, chillin’ and chatting in mountain cafes, or precious time rocking in a hammock.
Eight days of heaven, bliss, and an all-embracing wonderful experience.
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I get the bus to Kathmandu. It’s also an experience – stunning views, a lovely lunch included and a few hairy moments (so I just looked up, didn’t look down). I booked myself into a hotel in Kathmandu – America had gone to the polls, and by breakfast time, I realised I was back in the real world, a real world that had changed overnight. I wished, wanted to go back up the mountain, but it was time to fly back west.

I’d only tasted Nepal, yet I wanted to drink it all in. I made wishes and tossed them out there in the hope that some fly-by fairy godmother might notice.

I fly back to London for a few days – then touch down in Belfast midnight, 12th November. Rain batters the apron, I get the chills. I look forward to the day when I go back up the Nepali hills, and stretch on through this life via a thousand more amazing yoga, meditation and hiking retreats. Bring it on!
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Namaste!

Julie Williams-Nash
19th November 2016 
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Things as Beautiful

5/16/2016

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Since our earliest age we are being taught that there is right and wrong, and we should know them apart.
There is good and bad, and we deserve only the former.
There is ugly and beautiful, and we should always strive for the latter.

Every moment of every day, we are making a judgment whether we like something or not, be it a meal, a TV program, the weather outside, the information we have just received, the noises we hear around us. Somehow we think that the more like boxes we tick next to the countless events of every day, the happier we will be. We believe that all we need to do is work hard to one day finally achieve the situation in which every single thing that has happened to us has the quality of ‘‘I-like-it’’. Should any ‘’I-don’t-like-it’’ events or situations arise, we need to immediately start finding ways how to remove them.

Simple and logical, someone might say.
(Hm!), someone else might raise an eyebrow and think ‘’or is it really?’’
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In light of these thoughts on man-made dualistic concepts, I am sharing with you a few verses by Lao Tzu, a 6th century BC poet and philosopher from China. The verses are taken from his famous work Tao Te Ching, a body of mystical writing which forms an important basis of Daoism.

I hope you'll understand the poem. Whether you'll like it is far less important. ;)

Things as Beautiful


When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.
Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.
Therefore the Master
acts without doing anything
and teaches without saying anything.
Things arise and she lets them come;
things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn’t possess,
acts but doesn’t expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.

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Please Call Me by My True Names

5/9/2016

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Sometimes the moment I open my eyes I feel that I am being bombed by so many examples of craziness, suffering, ruthlessness, negativity... And all of that seems to be floating around continuously in my country, as well as globally. It makes me feel angry. Sad. Frustrated. Helpless. ... And judgmental. Very judgmental.

What kind of people (I say people here, but let's be honest in my mental chatter I will probably use the word idiots, at the very least) can vote for this party? What kind of people can harm other human beings for no apparent reasons? What kind of people can fear everything and everyone which doesn't come from their nation and religion? The list of questions goes on and on. But merely asking these questions and resenting all of those people changes nothing.

I read something by Eckhart Tolle recently, which really spoke to me deeply:


If her past were your past, her pain your pain, her level of consciousness your level of consciousness, you would think and act exactly as she does. With this realization comes forgiveness, compassion and peace.
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A wall somewhere in Kathmandu
Violence and judgments can result only in more violence and judgments. You can't plant an apple tree and hope for peaches, right? I mean, this approach hasn't really worked for humanity thus far, and I'd say several thousands of years is a fair trial period.

I remembered a poem by Thich Nhat Hanh I once saw, posted on a notice board in a meditation center and I wanted to share it here. It explains everything I want to say far more elegantly and beautifully.
Please Call Me by My True Names

I have a poem for you. This poem is about three of us.
The first is a twelve-year-old girl, one of the boat
people crossing the Gulf of Siam. She was raped by a
sea pirate, and after that she threw herself into the
sea. The second person is the sea pirate, who was born
in a remote village in Thailand. And the third person
is me. I was very angry, of course. But I could not take
sides against the sea pirate. If I could have, it would
have been easier, but I couldn't. I realized that if I
had been born in his village and had lived a similar life
- economic, educational, and so on - it is likely that I
would now be that sea pirate. So it is not easy to take
sides. Out of suffering, I wrote this poem. It is called
"Please Call Me by My True Names," because I have many names,
and when you call me by any of them, I have to say, "Yes."


Don't say that I will depart tomorrow --
even today I am still arriving.


Look deeply: every second I am arriving
to be a bud on a Spring branch,
to be a tiny bird, with still-fragile wings,
learning to sing in my new nest,
to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower,
to be a jewel hiding itself in a stone.


I still arrive, in order to laugh and to cry,
to fear and to hope.


The rhythm of my heart is the birth and death
of all that is alive.


I am the mayfly metamorphosing
on the surface of the river.
And I am the bird
that swoops down to swallow the mayfly.


I am the frog swimming happily
in the clear water of a pond.
And I am the grass-snake
that silently feeds itself on the frog.


I am the child in Uganda, all skin and bones,
my legs as thin as bamboo sticks.
And I am the arms merchant,
selling deadly weapons to Uganda.


I am the twelve-year-old girl,
refugee on a small boat,
who throws herself into the ocean
after being raped by a sea pirate.
And I am the pirate,
my heart not yet capable
of seeing and loving.


I am a member of the politburo,
with plenty of power in my hands.
And I am the man who has to pay
his "debt of blood" to my people
dying slowly in a forced-labor camp.


My joy is like Spring, so warm
it makes flowers bloom all over the Earth.
My pain is like a river of tears,
so vast it fills the four oceans.


Please call me by my true names,
so I can hear all my cries and my laughter at once,
so I can see that my joy and pain are one.


Please call me by my true names,
so I can wake up,
and so the door of my heart
can be left open,
the door of compassion.

Remember to be kind today. Especially to those who know how to push your  buttons.  :)
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Impermanence

4/25/2016

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Exactly one year ago, I was in Nepal, teaching yoga at a few places around Kathmandu.

It was Saturday, we went to the Farmer’s market. We bought avocados and goat cheese. And some really good home-made bread. Maybe some cookies as well. We were on our way to a picnic to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

But then with no warning, no countdown, no one to be held responsible – the earthquake happened.

I had classes to teach, friends to meet, places to see, a plane to India to board. To say the least, Mother Earth cared little for my plans, or anyone else’s.

It shook us all down to our very cores. Friends were out of reach. Friends lost houses. Friends lost their family members. Friends lost their lives. Friends showed up for each other. Friends helped to whomever they could and as much as they could.


Picture
We all know that nothing lasts forever, including ourselves. We know it, but we don’t live that knowledge - the fact slips our mind often. The earthquake showed us exactly how fragile we are, reminding us that the most precious thing we have – our lives – are so easily lost. It showed us what Impermanence really means.

It showed us that every breath we take matters so much as if it was the last. Because it could easily be.
As the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake, during a mental earthquake inside of me, I promised myself that I would celebrate each day, no matter what it brings. That I will appreciate every feeling, as feeling means I am alive. That I will take care of the people around me, no matter who they are. That I will make every moment worth being your last.

Honestly, sometimes I forget to live the knowledge of impermanence and take myself and my plans too seriously. It’s ok, I am just a human. I am still learning.  :)

Sending love to Nepal and concluding with a few lines by Buddha and a photo from Bhaktapur taken before the earthquake:


Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:


a star at dawn,

a bubble in a stream;

a flash of lightning in a summer cloud,

a flickering lamp,

a phantom

and a  dream.



Picture
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Step by step

4/22/2016

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Over the past few weeks, I shared with you some short but effective practices of bringing yourselves back into the present moment, using the tools that you always have at your disposal – your breath and your body.

This Friday, I am hoping to inspire you to try the practice of walking meditation. Or if you wish to call it mindful walking. If you are the type who claims for themselves that that they can’t possibly sit calmly in one place longer than three minutes at the time, then walking meditation can be a wonderful place to start your meditation practice. 



"The earth is so beautiful. We are beautiful also. We can allow ourselves to walk mindfully, touching the earth, our wonderful mother, with each step. We don’t need to wish our friends, “Peace be with you.” Peace is already with them. We only need to help them cultivate the habit of touching peace in each moment."

Thich Nhat Hanh


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Start by choosing a place for your practice. It can really be anywhere inside or outside, but if possible to choose, I suggest you going into nature. You can decide to practice walking meditation on a log stroll, or you can choose to do it in your back yard or even if your room, walking repeatedly between points A and B.

The most important thing to understand is that your walk has no other purpose, no ending goal, other than being aware of the joy of mindful movement.

As you are actually not going anywhere, there is no place for rush or impatience in your steps. Go slowly, as slowly as possible. Dedicate at least 15 - 20 minutes to your practice.

Start by becoming aware of your feet moving. Left foot lifting, right foot touching the ground. Right foot lifting, left foot touching the ground.

Notice the transfer of your body weight, first the heel touches the ground, then the rest of the foot rolls down following it. Same with lifting – the heel lifts first, leaving the body weight on the balls of your foot and the toes are the one to make the last contact.


Doing a walking meditation barefoot is a whole different experience – so many different changing sensations to experience at the soles of our feet. So many subtleties! You can place your attention only at one part of your foot, or you can let it glide from heels, to arches, to toes and back. Examine the ground with the soles of your feet. Notice the different sensations as you the surface on which you are walking changes. Notice the change of sensations even when you are stepping on the same surface! That is the nature of everything - it changes, no matter what. Observe this change at the soles of your feet.

Don’t let the moments of the first and last contact of your foot with the ground get unnoticed. Focus on the point where your heel first touches the ground lightly, with almost no body weight… then the point of contact getting bigger and bigger, until that millisecond when your entire foot is firmly on the ground. Try to catch that moment, to be fully aware of it, and then the next moment in which your body weight goes onto your feet balls before your toes leave the ground.

Imagine that you are watching a slow-motion video of your feet touching the ground, appreciating its stability with every step.

Let your mind completely rest on your feet. If thought come, acknowledge them and let them pass. Do not entertain them. Go back to the simple movement of your feet.

Go back to the simple joy of every step.

P.S. For an inspiring read about walking meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh, follow the link below:

http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Thich_Nhat_Hanh_A_Guide_to_Walking_Meditation.htm

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The Peace of Wild Things

4/18/2016

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Whenever I feel frustrated, agitated, purposeless, sad, angry, scared, worried, jealous, alone, abandoned, uncertain, hopeless... I go and find a big tree. The bigger the better. The older the better. The rougher the bark the better.
I let my bare feet feel the ground, I sit under the tree and lean against its roughness. I sit with the tree and try to just be.

More often than not, things fall back into place.

It the photo is one of those trees. I ''found'' this one in Sri Lanka and it taught me that when you choose to grow in unconventional ways, the results can be magical!

This Monday I wanted to share with you a poem by Wendell Berry, an inspiring contemporary American poet and environmentalist.
The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.


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