Q? As a beginner, do you recommend a public class?
A.
I would recommend going to public class to get to know different styles and teachers that are available locally. See what works for you and what doesn’t. Notice your own judgment and habits, and find a consistent practice that you can go to. Get to know your body like your best friend. If you find public class overwhelming and difficult to keep up, private lesson can be very beneficial for understanding the practice.
Q? What is a common mistake/impression people have on practicing yoga?
A.
People in general, including myself at times, tend to overlook the sacred essence behind this practice. We assume by practicing yoga, problems in life should automatically go away like clicking the delete button. The truth is, it isn’t all that simple. You can be balancing in a lotus handstand and still be a very unethical person. How much you can do does not correlate or justify what kind of person you are; this is a very common misconception. The real yoga happens when we bring our awareness to practice at any given moment in life.
Q? What tips would you give to beginners?
A.
1. Trust your own process. The process can be overwhelming in the beginning, such as which style you ought to practice or how often should you practice, and so It is important to be able to trust your process, trusting that you will find the right teacher and like-minded people who will support you.
2. Reach out. Explore your local yoga communities, you can get to know different yoga styles. Talk to people, go to different classes, find the right teacher that facilitate you to go forward. Get involved, join events and workshops. It is all part of the yoga fun!
3. Don’t give up. Like everything, yoga practice itself takes patience, perseverance, and a strong will. Another thing is to honor your body, for example, you are feel the need to take a break versus to give up easily because you feel discouraged. Which brings to the next point…
4. Set realistic goals. If you never practice yoga before, it is unlikely that you’ll practice yoga four times a week. Instead of setting your goal unattainably high, set your goal to practice once a week. Set yourself up for success! Not only you’ll feel great with what your accomplished, it is also much more effective and meets where you are at.
Q? What do you love about this practice?
A.
1. Practicing yoga requires our presence. It is our expression of energy. It requires our total There is no fooling around — It is you and yourself; you and your breath, body, and mind. Presence is a state of mind when one is relaxed yet very focused. As one cultivates presence, one becomes disciplined to say yes to certain things and the courage to stray away from distracting thoughts or emotions that come your way. Thus, the power of choice lies in your hand.
2. It’s like creating art. Drawing awareness inwardly creates a profound way to experience the inner landscape. It’s always a curve. Yoga practice is personal. I am not the first one and certainly not the last one to say this. First, one may doubt if this is the right thing. Everything is a little chaotic when attempting to turn awareness inward. Resistance comes up, there are judgmentsabout ourselves, old patterns of thinking patterns arise. Then there’s a point where you start to enjoy it, it’s that bad. Finally, you start to really like it. The practice is just like the process of a creation. It starts with uncertainty, chaos, endless doubts and thoughts, then when you can finally let go, it is just flow. We can use this practice, as metaphor of everyday life, what lies in this wisdom is really profound.
3. It is a gateway. A lot of people often say, “I am not flexible” or “I cannot do y” Such an implication is much easier when limiting ourselves based on our own conditioning – “I am not good at it therefore I won’t even bother to try.” Part of it is the society we live in, the image of yoga has become using the body to perform a certain pose. It’s great to be able to do an advance pose — with the correct alignment and awareness. The fine line lies in between letting the ego takes over the body versus using the body to understand the experience. This is also what intimidates beginners the most because they assume it’s about the pose. Yoga is similar to any other spiritual practice, Tai-Chi, Chi-Gong or mandala drawing. It’s simply a vehicle to transport us to a different experience, and it should be available for everyone.
Q? What style of yoga do you teach?
A.
I teach both Hatha, Vinyasa and Prenatal and Yin yoga.
Q? Are you currently accepting clients?
A.
Yes, I am accepting clients for private lessons, both locally and via Skype
Q? Do you practice daily?
A.
Depending on the day, some days are asana-oriented, other days may be a seated meditation, simple relaxation or journaling. The “practice” for me has grown from having a physical practice at home to a ritual – a space to tune in, whether that means writing, doodling, meditation, or doing a yin practice. I see the practice as more of a way to reconnect with my life intentions, resets my body and understanding my own process. This inner resource and resilience (your own insights or findings) built from practices can only come from yourself..
Q? Do you practice other forms of meditation?
A.
Other forms of meditation I practice are Yoga Nidra, chanting, Kriya yoga and seated meditation. They are helpful and can remedy what I need for the moment. For example, yoga nidra is a conscious deep relaxation, it is a great reset after a long exhausting day. Kriya is great to energize and cleanse the aura and the energetic field if I feel sluggish. Chanting brings tranquility in the mind and allows the voice to shine through. A seated meditation is great for thoughts-observation and relaxation.
Q? What are some important values which define you as a person?
A.
1. Build open and honest relationship
2. Playfulness
3. Integrity
Q? What are some daily rituals you stick to which have positive influence on your life?
A.
Rhythm is very important for me. Going to bed early and having a good night sleep determines how well I carry my next day. Meals are important so I stay nourish with healthy food choices. Also, I allow at least one hour before I start and end the day so I have enough time to start and unwind.