BEGINNER YOGA INSPIRATIONS

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Hi lovely people!

It’s my last week here working at Woerthersee as a guest teacher, during this month I have learned so much about what people need in their bodies. A lot of people come in for one to one consulting because they may feel it is another way just like massage to open up the body’s energy channel and to know more about their bodies, really.

I’ve narrowed down a few points why people turned to yoga:

  • Seeking kindness to their body as a contrast to group sports/exercises as they age (golf, tennis and others)
  • Seeking emotional stability – gaining a sense of control of their life by learning how to meditate.
  • Hyper mobility and inflexibility all at the same time in different parts of the body, another words, seeking balance.
  • Feeling overwhelm in class – lessen the need to feel self-conscious.
  • Wanting to be as fit as they once were – increase of confidence.

I’ve created this Beginner 30 minute Yoga Sequence that you can just do at home, it’s a bit of everything: moving with breaths, standing postures to build stamina and flexibility in the hips, back and abdomen strengthening, gentle twist and a sweet Savasana.

Please have a mat and a chair with you. *All postures are written in English as well as in Sanskrit.

Part I – We will learn standing postures such as first and second warrior, learning the difference between close and open hip standing postures; correct arm rotation as you take the arms overhead and modification of sun salutations.

Part II- We will go over wide legged forward fold, twist, back and core strengtheners. Very gentle supine twist and a release to full stillness.

Now, this being said, yoga certain isn’t the only way. It may done more harm than good when performed without proper guidance. Often the students realized a lot of the tension that’s held in the body comes completely from the emotional aspect, they have either not been aware of that or simple are not ready to let go. In order for the body to open up or gain strength, there will be resistance in the mind, often it is this resistance that creates the tension in the body.

This is exactly the biggest differentiation of yoga and other forms of exercises if you ask me, it’s all about the breath that brings us into a deeper layer of awareness. It goes way beyond the superficial layers of our bodies. The poses may seem it’s just stretchy, but only those who felt the power of the breath and linkages of poses know the real difference. If you are just stretching, you just might as well be in the gym! So make sure you breath naturally in and out as you practice.

I hope you all had a great Summer Solstice. Summer has finally arrived. Woohoo!

With Bright Light,

Paye Tina

YOGA AROUND LAKE WOERTH

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The weather has been quite unpredictable lately, it has been more rain these days than the first week. Last night there was a big thunder shower, it even hailed at some point. The storm came and went, came and went.

Last weekend we had friends from Vienna came to visit us, they were a family of 5, two of the girls whom I adore very much. We went for a hike from our place all the way up to the Pyramid Tower of Woerther See. The supposedly 90 minute hike turned out to be more than two hours to get up there after we realized we made the wrong turn, we made a big detour. Nonetheless the efforts, we did came across beautiful scenaries along the way. This was was so serene and beautiful, it’s called Trattnig.

The water color changes day to day, sometimes it’s turquoise, some times blue, some parts you see are green. It has such a mediterranean touch to it.

After having lunch at the top. We went up to the observatory station in the Tower, the view was just… breathtaking!

The hike down was quicker but still some distance. It was a proper work out. The weather was also very generous to us, it managed to stay sunny and warm throughout! After the hike, we had to go a dip into the lake. We just had to! Of course, I had to warm up my jump a bit before going in.

It’s not that impressive, I know. Teehee!

Now that I’ve actually stay in Austria for more than week, not as tourist or similar sort, I really feel Austria is a underrated country. The local cuisine and Austrian food in general have so much to offer, the nature is very similar to Switzerland and the price is fairy reasonable. Lake Woerth has definitely made to the top list of what I love about Austria.

Over my off days, we went to the Hotel Balance on the other side of the lake and enjoyed their wellness spa. This hotel was slightly over the hill, it does have a very good view of the lake. After that, we had a nice local Austrian food at the restaurant in the hotel.

I had their local desserts which is a crepes with Nutella, oh dear lord. That was a bit rich!

My busiest day this week is Saturday and Sunday. I normally start my weekends at 615AM. To get going with the day, I usually prepare Blood Building Bowl inspired by My New Roots. It gives a great start of the day so I can teach a great morning session.

Here’s the recipe:

  • 1 red beets, diced.
  • 3-4 dried plums, soaked in a cup of water overnight (or replace this with 1 ripe banana)
  • small wedge of lemon
  • handful of resberries
  • 1 tsp of vanilla
  • any additional superfood – kale powder, sesame powder etc.

Place them in a food processor, mix until smooth.

Top with different kind of berries, chia seeds, bee pollen, goji berries and some buckwheat granola. Enjoy the alkaline kind of breakfast and say byebye to white flour!

This was taken at 7 in the morning close to the FX Mayr Health Center. For some reason, everywhere you look here, there’s magnified beauty of nature and divinity.

I’ll be posting more yoga videos for beginners soon! Stay tuned!

Bright light,

Paye Tina

JUNE YOGA MONTH AT LAKE WOERTH

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Hi dear people! As many of you probably know from Facebook that I am teaching in Southern Austria this month. The first time I came to Woerthersee (In German is Wörthersee) was October last year. Thanks to social media, I participated the Instagram challenge of BryceYoga, a yoga parent, lover who are now teaching three times a year in the region of Carinthia. From there, I connected with local people who are in the wellness and health industry. Then soon after that, I received an invitation to teach here. Oh, isn’t life full! Full of adventure and surprises.

The Original FX Mayr Health Center is where I work, my off days are Mondays and Tuesday, from Wednesday to Sunday evening, I teach public and private lessons. The center specializes in cleansing, detoxing and regenerating for those who are a bit out of shape, who have burn out or any other similar matter. I also met a few elder clients who have been coming here since the 90’s. Clients normally stay approximately from 7 – 14 days with the minimum of one week

Yoga awareness is growing quickly here, and Woerthersee being the Monte Carlo of Austria, doing yoga gazing over the beauty of the Alps and the lake is definitely one of the kind. The people are also very friendly and easy going as it is more South, quite close to Slovenia and Italy. The climate is very sexy in my opinion, sunny throughout the day, and a storm or thundershower somewhere in the late afternoon. After that the sun peaks out again.

Wherever you go on the lake, it has its beautiful scenery. Everyone I talk to and know who works at the Center love working here. The environment and the team really teach me how to be a good team player. The security of the clean water, the discreteness of the staff team and the fresh air makes people so comfortable to shred their layers and fully relax here. Of course, teaching private lessons are my favorite because I can work deeply with students body. The public lessons are held at the beach dock and outside in the grass garden if no rains. Occasionally the new born furry swans and their mom and pap would visit us after the Savasana, it’s like a blessing from heaven. So, I got absolutely nothing to complain working here, only I enjoy a little too much!

I am learning a lot as I teach, knowing these people may not have experience with yoga, or they’ve been fit before and now out of shape, the classes are providing them inspiration, hope and push to stand back up again. So the postures I teach here are rather foundational, working a lot with breaths, balance and the basics. It’s been inspiring me to make The Beginner Series Yoga Videos #1 & #2, I’lll post more series as well as Tutorials and Meditation guidance each week.

Over the “weekend” we went to the Lake Sauna at Werzer’s Hotel, which is just the opposite side of the lake. After the sauna just go swim naked into the lake, of course, at the naked zone. It was indeed refreshing and relaxing. The locals said you can drink the lake water. Yes, it’s that clean!

We made a trip to the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. Gosh, it’s a difficult word to pronounce and spell. About one and half hour drive from Woerthersee, you’ll in the city. Ljubljana is surprisingly charming and artsy, I never anticipated that. We walked around the old town, ate Slovenia food (a bit similar to Italian food) then bought some fresh local fruits. Compare to Switzerland, the price was a bargain.

For dinner, we made fruit platters and just enjoy eating fruits from warmer places. The strawberries taste so sweet, the apricot is juicy and the cherries are ripe!

This is it for now, I’ll be posting again soon. Now, I am off to do what I love and do best – to teach yoga and connect with people.

Bright light,

Paye Tina