Lessons Learned

Contrary to what I often felt over the past month, I actually did make it through the training.  I am now officially certified to teach yoga. YEA!  That last week proved to be the most grueling, yet in retrospect, most rewarding.  Reflecting a bit on it now, I think I thought I had reached my nadir at the end of the 3rd week, i.e. "I can't take it anymore!"  It was at that point that Maniji, our beloved teacher, asked us what we wanted to do during our 4pm asana(yoga)class. Most of the time we he asks that we scream, "sleep", or "swim". Actually just a break of sorts...anything.  I mean at this point we've been going full guns from 5am-11pm for 3 weeks. Scarcely time to catch our breath.   So what does he say but, "OK 108 Sun Salutations, ready inhale, exhale."  You have got to be kidding me! I thought, no way. Not this late in the day, not this late in the training. NO, NO, NO!!!!  But then as I began to surrender and got through the first 15 or 20, I started to feel good. Then after 50, I was flying. When 1 got to 108, I was ecstatic, and felt like I could go on and on and on. That's when I realized how wonderfully wise our teacher was. Not that I hadn't realized it before, but this was once again a nice confirmation.  

There are an endless amount of examples like this, where frustration turned to joy when shifting from resistance to surrender.  It happens both on and off the yoga mat.  It's why I love this practice so much. It helps me to look at my mind.  A painful process sometimes, but rewarding nonetheless. 

So now what?  Well, that's what I'm wondering. So I'm taking a few days to relax at the beach in the resort town of Varkala with some friends from the training. I plan to stay here through the weekend and then head up to Goa for some Kundalini and Iyengar yoga intensives. I figure why not get exposed to as many styles of yoga as I can while I'm here. Tentatively here is my plan for the next few months: After Goa, I want to visit a friend at an ashram just outside of Mumbai, then head east to visit Varnassi and Bodh Gaya. Next, I'm going to the International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh March 1-7, then perhaps do a bit of trekking in the Himalayas( I met  a guide during the training). Finally, I will head back south to Mysore for some Ashtanga yoga training and then do some teaching at the Sivananda Yoga Center in Madurai. That brings me to the first or middle of April when I will head back to LA...in principle. 

I am meeting some incredibly inspirational people from all over the world during this journey. So many people who are doing with their lives what they love.  As for me, I'm continuing to loosen that control grip I've held on to so tightly, and allowing the magic to happen. Truly it's just like the ad campaign states, Incredible !ndia.