Yoga is Beyond Asanas

Many years before YTT:

I was first exposed to yoga in around year 2005. My sister and I used to follow a yoga VCD and practised at home occasionally. I learned my sun salutation sequence there. Searched youtube just now and I found the similar Youtube video.

When I came to Singapore few years ago, I happened to know that there was a Hatha yoga class in community centre nearby, so I listened to my heart and joined it. Teacher Santhi was the first teacher in my yoga journey. Friday nights were so relaxed after her class. I learnt my first shoulderstand with her, using the wall as support. I can still remember that great feeling after upside down.

Then, I moved to other place and join another yoga studio. I learnt more about vinyasa flow there. I realized that yoga is free style and we can practice with different sequences without limitation.

 

Few months before YTT:

I wanted to explore more on myself therefore I reduce the frequency of visiting yoga studio. I practiced at least 3 times per week at home and noticed my body changed slowly.

I started to lift into headstand with my boyfriend’s help. Then, I explored few ways to enter headstand and finally found my body worked well with tuck headstand. I felt heavy on the crown of my head and shoulder during headstand but I know it will be better with practice.

Phone timer is my best companion. I challenged myself to hold navasana for 2 mins using timer. At first, my legs and abs trembled like crazy even with bent knees. After some time, it got better and I can straighten my knees. I felt this pose helped to build my core strength during headstand.

My right wrist started to feel painful since not holding chaturanga in correct position. Therefore, I started searching online for tips and apply to my practice.  Don’t rush, learn from mistake and we will be stronger.

I know I’m getting serious on my yoga practice so I invested in a quality yoga mat, blocks and strap. And then, every plan should come with an action. I signed up for YTT to learn yoga in a safer manner and to advance my practice as well as teaching.

 

During and After YTT:

I look forward to my weekend as I will have all the sweat, eye-opening knowledge and joy. We are taught not only on asanas and anatomy, but also on how we want to live our life? Through meditation, we can be more focused and find the answer within ourselves. Maybe I cannot get all the answers now but I believe the day will come after practicing consistently, just like how we train our body physically.

Before this, I seldom do pranayama. However, I can feel the power of Nadi Shodana now. Feel so calm even after practicing for 10 mins only every morning.

We are also asked to be disciplined since we need to study and practice daily to prepare our body and mind for weekend training. Today, Master Paalu asked what will you do on the weekend after Nov 12? The answer is simple: Keep practicing. 200hr is just the beginning.

Teaching can be so fulfilling when you can guide people to practice with you! This bring back the memory of me teaching kids ten years ago.

I really appreciate my teachers, Master Paalu, Master Wei Ling and my classmates to be with me throughout this yoga journey, not to forget my supportive special one. I learnt discipline, patience, acceptance, to have faith in myself.  Somehow I think all the things I learnt from YTT are applicable to my life.

As I am reading blog posts from my friends, I have a thought of clicking like button on all the posts that they wrote. It is such a great idea to setup this platform to let us share our thoughts and views about all kind of things around us. From this YTT, we understand that Yoga is not only about asanas, it is way beyond that. 

 

Namaste~

 

 

Su Yan ^.^

YTT200 Sept Weekend 2017