After the cool, green mountains I found myself on a tropical beach, with a bunch of cool Ashtanga yogis. And where's Ashtanga, there's always Finns too. So I was able to speak my native language again after a couple of months break.
Ashtanga Lanka is a yoga center located on a southern beach, with beautiful garden where colorful flowers are blooming, squirrels, bright green lizards and birds are hopping around, together with some occasional monkeys. What a place!
I thought I started my Ashtanga practice slowly. But my anxious mind wanted me to do more than my body was able to do. I burst into tears in a middle of my practice when I felt the pain in my lower back, so strong that I couldn't move. I cried out my frustration and disappointment. I was angry at myself, why haven't I kept up the practice to keep my muscles strong. I also felt sad, wondering if this is it, I have to give up Ashtanga and do something else instead.
Strong pain killers, day off, resting, talks with other yogis and plenty of delicious Sri Lankan food made me feel better. I am taking this experience as an opportunity to learn. I want to listen to my body and keep to
Ahimsa... Find my inner teacher. I don't know yet how I will or will I not continue Ashtanga asana practice in some form. But I trust that everything happens for a reason.
 |
| Zen out, sisters and brothers! |
 |
| How can these toes ever fit into office shoes again? |
 |
| No yoga practice on Full Moon days |
 |
| Fresh coconut to start the day |
 |
| Casey Palmer, our Ashtanga teacher from Oregon, US |
8 comments:
Varo selkää:/ Mä oon käynyt nyt säännöllisesti Bikram-joogassa ja jättänyt astangan. Siellä on paljon ihmisiä, jotka on tullut sinne juuri selkäongelmien takia. Ootko kokeillut?:) Terkkuja suomesta!
T: Pia T.
Yes I have heard good things about Bikram yoga, but unfortunately we don't have that in Turku... :-( I wrote this comment in English because I just heard about Bikram from Arleigh who might follow this... We have hot yoga in Turku but that is a different thing indeed...!
Seija, sounds to me as if you already are in contact with your inner teacher, you do understand why the pain comes when you challenge your self to much....My experience is that if you do this practise with awearness and lots of patience it will build you up on the inside (remember the breathing and the contact with the muscles on the inside, the talk we had at the pool in Koh Mak!), but it takes time and regular practise!! Don´t be in a hurry and don´t do to much, build it up! Love & Light, Petra!
Voisko ne jalat pukea pehmeisiin villasukkiin siellä toimistossa? Ihanat korallit.
Rouva Pioni: voisikohan varata asiakkaillekin omat villikset... se voisi tuoda uudenlaista sävyä keskusteluihin.. :-)
Petra: I surely remember our talk by the pool on Koh Mak Island. And I try to keep that in my mind even when not doing the practice, but when walking etc Thank you for reminding me about this simple, important thing! But patience... where can I buy that? I am not sure if I can deal with the pain that seems to come every time when I do Ashtanga. At least I feel now that I need to do something else before starting again, to have my muscles strong for the practice. Right now, when. I am traveling in this extremely hot climate, I do just some streching and small moves... Trying to remember our discussion...
Yksi lisäsyy tulla helsinkiin;) Eli Bikram:) Tervetuloa kylään:)
Ehdottomasti tulen coach surffaamaan Hesaan!
Post a Comment