Namaste

A few months ago, I was at a family BBQ. As we greeted each other and talked casually in the back yard, the usual, "How are you? How's work?" conversations began to take place. I was telling everyone that I had recently put in my two week's notice and talked of my travel plans and how I was going to do a yoga teacher training program in the summer before leaving the country. I remember someone making the comment, "Wow... No work, and yoga? I wanna do that... just stretch all day..." Even though I know they were kidding, and even though I did manage a giggle, I couldn't help but be a little bit offended...

A few days ago, I sent in my take-home final exam for the YogaWorks Teacher Training program, marking the last item of completion for my 200-hour certification. Wee! I believe this picture was from the day we took our in-class exam, and probably part of why we look so cheery.

It's hard to really put words to it, but teacher training was a uniquely amazing experience that I will never regret. If you get me into a conversation about it, I'm sure I could go on about it forever... about the individuals I met, and things I learned... You can call me a hippie-- I don't care! It had been a while since I could remember finding myself surrounded by so many authentic and determined people, coming from distinctly different paths, but all working towards the same thing.

The Costa Mesa studio became like our second home. It's somewhat surreal now to think about how we would all be there practicing in Studio C at 7AM, how we would break for sunlight on the patio during lunch and see the cosmetology students all dressed in black also on their lunch break, spend the rest of our hours sitting on the floor for philosophy lectures, watch posture labs and body adjustments, make brave attempts to learn Sanskrit, run through practice teaching sessions with each other, listen to guest speakers... As much as it exhausted me, I do miss those four weeks spent learning with everyone. We were blessed with truly inspirational instructors, Kori and Casey; their wisdom and spirit molded our development.

 

Among the things I learned, here are a few things worth sharing:

* Yoga is the cessation of fluctuations of the mind.
That's right-- contrary to popular belief, yoga is not just "stretching all day." Although, especially in the West, it has sometimes come to be more about the physical aspect, it's meant to be a connection of the mind, body and soul. Learning to quiet the mind and live in the present moment is a true practice of yoga.

* Most disease is caused by stress in the body.
In our body, the sympathetic nervous system responds to stress in the following ways:
- blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension increase
- blood flows away from the vital organs and into the muscles in the arms and legs
- digestive system function is inhibited
- fertility and growth are inhibited
- immune system is weakened
This type of bodily response enables us to escape situations of danger, like... if you were being chased by a tiger! (Just an example...) It was meant to react this way only in emergency situations, like if you were being chased by a tiger! Unfortunately, many people's lifestyles cause their body to be reacting to stress all of the time. Especially in America, people are always on-the-go, working overtime, winking for sleep, worrying about the future, partying the troubles away... Imagine your body constantly functioning as listed above. It becomes more obvious why people are so sick and unhealthy. Take care of yourself! Eat mindfully and with gratitude. Sleep well. Exercise. Breathe. Relax. Love. Make time for your own health. You'll thank yourself for it.

* Surrender.
Our instructor Kori was diagnosed with a chronic pain disorder at the age of 25. Today, several years later, she still looks like she's 25, and has managed to rid herself of the disease and pain that she was supposed to live with for the rest of her life. She told us that things started to change for her when she finally accepted her condition and stopped trying to fight it. Sometimes it's not until we fully acknowledge and submit to the reality of something that its presence in our life ceases to exist as a problem.

I'm positive that I was meant to share my learning with all who care to listen. Going through with the program, among other things, I learned a lot about myself. Being with these people, I've never felt more confident about recent decisions I've made for my life. Of course, we ended with a great grad party, courtesy of Megan. Delicious food, sweet drinks, fire spinning, hoop dancing, and belly dancing... No joke! This was one serious party! I miss you all. Namaste: The light within me honors the light within you =)

  

And I couldn't write this post without saying: I am eternally grateful for my dear Shannon, who I met in the Fall of 2007 and worked with for 3 weeks before I decided that Sales wasn't for me. She was the one who invited me to take my first yoga class. At the time, I had no idea how much I would get into it in the future. When she completed her 200-hour teacher training last summer, I was inspired to do it as well. Despite how short-lived our span of everyday contact with each other was, Shannon and I became close and still keep in touch, even though she's moved coast to coast across the US a couple of times since we met in the Bay Area. As we knew they would some day, our paths crossed again in LA this summer while I was doing my training and she was pursuing a theatre program. I hope you become famous. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Summertime... in the OC

Crescent Bay, Laguna Beach

This is where I spent my summer days. Before starting my yoga teacher training program, I had about a month to chill and enjoy myself. Several days, my routine was as follows: wake up early; eat a light breakfast; take a sweaty yoga class; eat lunch; head to the beach to read, write, tan, and boogie board. I loved those days... I found this small stretch of beach near a cozy neighborhood by chance and by not effectively listening to my cousin's directions. Nonetheless, I'm glad I ended up here. This place was always crackin' by mid-day, but I oftentimes got amazing parking. I swear I'm good luck for good parking. And when I was extra lucky, I would see dolphins. Not sure why, but I love watching dolphins in the ocean =)

Fresh

I haven't had a blog since Xanga was poppin' circa 2003... I've decided to start up again for the following reasons:
1. To create a space for myself to log memories of my upcoming vagabonding adventures.
2. For friends and family, so they can look through this window to watch me as I go.
3. For general inspiration to anyone and everyone who may come across this... to pack up and leave sometime, whenever it is that you decide to make the time.

Since I'm not quite sure where to begin, it's easiest for me to start by not talking about myself, and instead about someone else. This one's for you =)

This is Ana. Don't bother trying to figure out what we're doing in this photo, for it is beyond the capacity of the average passing thought... Ana is the one who’s taken on this current travel adventure with me. It’s worth it to recognize her and how much she means to me. Ana is a free spirit. She believes that the universe conspires to help us achieve our goals. She acts upon making her dreams come true.

When we were in high school, we would pass letters to each other in 0-Period Leadership… Letters about the boys we had crushes on at the time and who we were going to the next dance with. We lent each other dresses to wear to Winter Ball and Homecoming, and sold tickets at the football games. We were always busy painting posters for the rally or planning for the Prom. We had hella school spirit, and it was probably sickening. We were never going to have sex or drink alcohol. If I could show you a photo of us in 2003, it is highly likely that it would include one or more of the following: matching big smiles; class t-shirts; formal dresses and tiaras; being dressed up in spirit of whatever Homecoming theme day it was.

Time passed. We both sought after our college educations that we worked so hard for in high school. Although we were at different universities, we managed to keep in touch here and there. We grew up a bit on our own separate paths. We both studied Business when we probably should have followed our hearts to the Humanities and Social Sciences. But it’s okay… We were lucky to travel and fall in love with idea of living the rest of our lives elsewhere, but somehow ended up at the comforts of home for a bit.

Fast forward to the more recent years… Post-college, we both landed Finance jobs in the Bay. We rescued each other from our corporate American cubicles during lunchtime for a break from trivial office duties. Hand-written letters about boys are replaced by webcam sessions, phone calls, and escapes to each others' space, during which we discuss current love interests and offer empathetic consolations for the tears that come with heartache. We give each other clothes in attempts to clear our own clutter. We revere our Resolutions with the highest hope and intent of changing our lives for the better. We sneak Coronas into the movie theatre. We show each other our latest fashion creations when the sewing machine beckons us for attention… create sweat puddles in hot yoga… find opportunities to run for a good cause… get ticketed for drinking in public while wailing to 98 Degrees’ “Invisible Man”… meet for monthly updates on our progress and how much money we saved for all plans to leave the country… I could go on and on about the good times spent together, and how we supported each other when things weren't so easy. The past 2 years with you have been the best. You’ve helped me to embrace all aspects of life and become a better person.

Maybe I like you so much because we’re so similar… Because we don’t believe we were put on this Earth to work and pay taxes. Because we could care less for job stability and the 9 to 5 when we know nothing in life is guaranteed, change is the only constant, and the world has much more to offer than being paid to slave in front of a computer screen for 40+ hours a week. Perhaps we are idealists, but we both push each other in the healthiest way to accomplish our goals and do what we love. Even though we fluctuate between being completely lost and being absolutely sure of ourselves, I'm confident that someday we’ll figure it all out.

Genuine people like you are hard to come by. I’m lucky to have you. It’s been fun glancing over and watching you grow.