Week-end 5

Holy cow is all I can say!  Bramacharya - for some this is celibacy for the rest of us this is living life in moderation.  Can't we all use a little bit of moderation.  I find it quite humorous that this practice was discussed and suggested to us in our 6 month long teacher training right at the time with the Solstice and Christmas celebrations are about to begin.  I am sure that as far as the facilitators are concerned this is just the natural evolution of where we are with the yamas and niyamas - however is it a coincidence - I think not.  So bramacharya/moderation it is an ideal that we should all strive to do everything in moderation, eat, drink, shop, have sex, watch TV, exercise and the list goes on.  The reality is that most of us do not do this we eat too much, drink too much, sleep too little, watch too much TV and don't exercise enough.  Baby steps right!  I am going to strive over this very festive season to eat in moderation.  I will still enjoy, I will still sample but I will not have 18 cookies when all I really need is one, because really the next 17 never taste as good as the first one did!!!

Another concept that I love is "Now is the time for Yoga" it is the first of the Yoga Sutras.  I love it.  Live in the now man.  The past is the past, the future is not hear yet.  Yoga is not just asana it is a way of life.  Once you have tried it all, failed or succeeded, loved or not - Now is the time.  Not yesterday, not tomorrow, not in an hour but Now!  How powerful is that!

We did lots and lots of back bends and body, heart and soul opening postures.  I especially found this interesting as it has been mentioned several times in this course that you can learn a lot about yourself.  I was practicing an upward bow - it's the bridge you probably haven't done since you were five - one of my teachers was demonstrating how you can have the student hold your ankles and I did this.  I felt so afraid that I was going to push her over.  I blurted out - I feel strange relying on you....  this is evident in my life in many ways.  So through learning more ways to teach the upward bow, I learned that I have a blockage in my life.  A heart opening posture opened my heart and mind to realization.  I am not stopping here and I hope to learn more, about my body, my mind, my limits and my frustrations - bring it on because "Now Is the Time for Yoga"!!!

Shanti Om
Jenni