Day 7 - Salutate to the Sun
I cannot believe we are one week in, only two weeks to go!! It seems to have gone so quickly. I think we are all feeling the burn now, sore muscles and tired brains are beginning to take a toll on our energy levels. However, I am getting used to the pattern of our daily routine and the early mornings are tough but not killer. The meditation is still extremely challenging but Im pushing through the pins and needles and wandering thoughts, after all this is yoga practice, not yoga perfect!! I heard one of the teachers say that and I really wanted to steal it haha! So 14 days left and I can almost think about the "afterlife" now, life after the course. Before it was 3 looming and exciting weeks which I couldn't see past but now Im starting to think of the future, jetting off to Miami for music work next month with my awesomely talented "homie" K Bizz, Andrew and I moving into our new apartment in London, seeing mum and my boys……Im missing them sooooo much!! I think my mum would love this course, I wish so much she was here with me. After all, its thanks to her that I even got in to yoga. Well at least she will have a free yoga teacher at her beck and call upon my return!
How weird is this, she literally just called me when I was typing that!!! Wow the cosmic power of the universe! I didn't realise how much I missed her. I feel like everyone else's life is on pause because I'm so far removed from everything, but life is moving on quickly without me. I want to be in so many places at once, Mum was in Portugal and Andrew is in Dubai and it looks like so much fun. I just have to breathe and know that I am doing this for me, I wouldn't change being here for anything because i think its doing wonders for my inner self and mental strength as well as my physical yoga practice. And in the long run, that will only benefit my relationship with life and with the important people in it. After all I have the rest of my life with the people I love, God willing!
Today we only did 2 hours of philosophy after a gruelling 2 hour yoga class focusing on forward bends which I quite enjoyed as Im nice and flexible in the hamstrings. Then we concentrated a lot more on anatomy in the afternoon and learning about the body. I really wish I had concentrated more in biology when I was at school at this point, although I find it so interesting. Im almost shocked at the fact that I have all these muscles and bones in my body and yet am completely ignorant about their names and importance, and how I can look after them and keep them healthy! Isn't it just ridiculous when you put it like that? We had to analyse each others' poses and its amazing to see the differences in every unique body. What I love about the rule of yoga, is that there are no rules. Whatever works for your body is right for you, as long as you are still challenging yourself in the poses. Eeeeek I can't wait to teach!!
The one thing I am beyond surprised at is that I am not missing alcohol!!! I did have a little daydream about a nice class of white wine in the sunshine but it was fleeting. I got over my chicken dream and bizarrely the thought of a big juicy rare steak is not turning me on in the slightest. We watched a video about the effects of eating animal products and meat and my goodness was it eye-opening. Studies done globally all show that eating meat produce and fast food is seriously detrimental to our health. This documentary also said that there are over 9 billion cows (there are only 7 billion humans on the entire earth) specifically being bred for consumption and taking up space and money that could feed all the world's starving children. Also, a pretty funny fact; cow farts are lethal to the atmosphere because they are mainly methane gas, so the more cows bred and fed incorrectly, the more pollution and damage to the ozone layer!! Not to mention the effects cutting back eating meat and dairy has on cholesterol, cancer and heart disease. I hate to preach but doesn't it all seem a bit simple? Studies have PROVEN that people live longer and healthier lives by eating more veggies and less animal produce. Im not saying for a second that I will never eat meat or dairy again, but it has made me think twice and I wonder what my eating habits are doing to my internal body.
On another note though, we got to do some sunbathing on the terrace during lunch today whilst studying the names of all the bones in our body and I'm finally getting a tan wooohooo!
I also haven't yet mentioned the cleaning rota we have here. Every night 4 of us have to take turns to wash the dishes and clean up. I think its a great idea as yoga is all about humility, not taking things for granted and believe me after cleaning up that kitchen I felt truly humbled and knackered. I did learn what a colinder was though (a sieve) and had a great conversation with the chef who only speaks french and spanish. So I stumbled through some embarrassingly bad french (especially considering I dated a frenchie for 3 years!!!) and managed to finally spit out the words. "le manger c'etait delicieux"! To which he replied "merci" and proceeded to talk in very fast french about his daughters who apparently look very similar to me as his wife is Indian, well I think that is what he said! Oh well!
Anyhow…land of zzzz is calling especially with 6am meditation tomorrow. Must get a hold of my thoughts and let them go…..I'll keep trying….and trying…..and trying whilst longing for the ting of the bell ha!
Namaste xxxx