Don't get stuck in life - you were born to grow, to move, to shine!

​When I first started yoga (back in 1999!!) I had no idea of its power.  I was completely clueless to the fact that it was going to 'change my life'.  It certainly changed my hamstrings and hips- being a exercise addict it was a 'yin' to match up with my 'yang' lifestyle..... i.e.,...  I never stopped- in body and in mind (thats the 'Yang' bit), and really my life (my poor burnt out body and monkey mind) totally lacked any stillness, safety or nurturing - the 'Yin' bit.  

It was all go, all burn, all 'doing'.  Very attached to the outcome,  the results and performance,the clothes had to look that way, I felt confident this way.  The truth being beneath all 'that'I knew there was more, I wanted to find this- 'be more' but didn't quite know how to get there....

This feeling grew stronger. I started to notice that my new found friend 'Yin' was going to become my best buddy.  It was all about balance and  I realised I was lacking that.  Yoga helped me get some balance. Some real confidence in who I was. 

 fought it though. Something still kept getting in my way and trying to separate me and my long lost friend 'Yin'.  This was the 'Ego'.  Fearing change.  Newness.  Pushing me outside of the norm.  The usual way of thinking and being.  My habits - the only way I knew....until now. Change was on the horizon, alot more than I ever knew....

I enrolled to become a teacher.  It wasn't even within my reach to be a teacher. No way!  I could hardly do the round robin at a team meeting never mind about standing and talking about yoga and teaching people the anatomy of the tree pose!  My thoughts soon changed. Confidence was seeping through like bright sunshine beaming through thick clouds.  OMG where was all this coming from.  What had I buried down inside and shut a door on.  I never thought (my 'belief') that I was capable of learning a subject to vast, feeling at such a deep level, articulating it, writing essays, sharing and feeling good about who I was becoming!.  Who was this person emerging?  I had dreams that I felt I could let surface. They were crazy but I didn't rule them out.  It was a 'I could...' attitude, then became 'I can' ' I am' mantra for life.

I began to realise that life had vast opportunities - and they all had my name on them if I wanted them too.  
I was re-desigining  myself.  I respected my past and had to let it go, what I thought about my abilities as a person had to go, they were far too damaging for my growth.  I knew things had to change.  I had to, and yoga started planted those seeds and I watered them through my study and comittment.

I didn't have to lack in confidence anymore.  I had something to be really proud of.  I was me, unique without worrying about what anyone else thought.  I never wanted to be a sheep anyhow.   What had I done for all those years.??!!  Yoga was like opening a new door into a new exciting world - I felt free from the inside.  Small wings emerged and I was on my path to learning how to fly! higher than ever before!

​I think Yoga is underestimated.  Its focus can be very much on all the physical 'poses', bodies twisted and upside down, looking all slender  in cool yoga clothing, skin on show, and perfect. NO this IS NOT YOGA! fact.
Thats only because its not sold to us in that way -  or we may only pick up on the bits we want to, the elements that appeal to us.
​
Well  yoga has it all.  In a one hour class  we can bend, move, breathe, stretch, let go, be kind, think positive,  I love self development.  I love all the great healers and speakers out there that inspire me every day, but I have to give gratitude to the wisdom of Yoga.  This is where your journey to the real, freedom  can be found.   Beyond the down faced dog there is pain, upset, doubt, fear.  Yoga  helps us become calmer and more peaceful.  We can that cultivate the capacity to see things as they truly are.  Our attitude can soften a little as create ourselves some head space.    We become aware.  Aware of ourselves, our actions, our thoughts, our world.  If we work on ourselves we are of better service to the world.......

Namaste