I’m writing this article as a practitioner and not a teacher and it has been a long time coming. Not because I haven’t wanted to put pen to paper. In fact, I’ve started a few times but didn’t finish. Life has simply gotten in the way.
Since moving to Sydney nearly three years ago, I have found it extremely difficult to step off the roller coaster of life. It has consumed me. I have not been able to even wind down the windows and smell the sea breeze.
Flight of fight mode
As you know from my previous articles on being a yoga teacher and yoga is for everyone, I had not found time to practice yoga nor had I found a studio and teacher that was right for me. Yes, I know… Excuses excuses! Of course, there is always time to roll out your mat, find a bit of grass or a sliver of beach and breath back into that delicious space that yoga offers. I admit that I haven’t allowed myself the time or energy to do what is so important to me.
Everything else has come first. Kids, husband, dogs, chores… even the fish! This, I have noticed, brought about a change in me as a person. My anxiety levels were increasing and I always felt like I was living in flight or fight. Not good I know but I’m sure a lot of you can relate to this.
False sense of security
When I left Singapore my yoga practice was an integral part of my daily routine and it certainly changed my life. Not having that regular practice when we moved has been challenging in so many ways.
I led myself into a false sense of security, assuming that when we up and moved, our life would be the same. Of course it was completely opposite! Time has been poor and I was getting stressed trying to find a studio and a teacher. I needed to put the brakes on for while and concentrate on building a life and a home for my family. This in turn let yoga slowly drift away from me.
Long walks and the breath
After a while I began taking long walks, slowing down and starting to take things in. I began to sense the same feeling which I had when I was on my mat. Yoga was back with me. No, not on the mat yet. But in the breath.
I had always known that yoga is all about the breath. But even always being able to get on my mat didn’t allow me the opportunity to explore it in different ways. I never really had to use yoga in a way that was part of me and my lifestyle unless I was physically in a studio or on my mat. So for now, the long walks were working, it was like a moving meditation and I used long walks as my yoga practice.
A bit of advice and a discovery
One day I decided to take the long rushed drive to a yoga class and teacher that I loved. I wanted to ask him for some help and advice on finding a local teacher for me. He, in turn, put me in touch with another teacher on Facebook… yes the power of social media! I followed his advice and tried his recommended local studio and teacher. They were only five minutes away from where I lived! The studio’s name was The Yoga and Health Collective in Mona Vale and the teacher I was to see was Yolande Hyde.
At first, I wasn’t honestly sure if I wanted to go. I had tried so many teachers and studios that didn’t work for me and I was becoming quite apprehensive. However, I decided to bite the bullet and walk into Yolande’s 90-minute class on a Saturday morning. I was so nervous about rolling my mat back out and my lack of physical practice that I nearly walked out!
The rest I can tell you is history! At the end of class, I came out literally not knowing which direction to walk. That was it. It had taken over two years but I had walked into where I needed to be. The practice was complete. Yolande was amazing and I had found my Asana practice in Sydney.
Yolande and The Yoga and Health Collective ticked all the boxes and more. While my practice isn’t where I would like it to be yet, it’s certainly a work in progress and probably very different to where it was 3 years ago. Let me reiterate – that’s not a bad thing. Change is good and yoga offers you the knowledge to understand where and what your body needs. This is life. And life will always change so it’s so important to listen and go with it.
I certainly need yoga in my life.
Yoga has changed my life and will always be a lifelong partner to me. But like so many things, change can be challenging. Accepting change and adapting isn’t always easy and how you deal with it is paramount to your overall health and wellbeing.
Essentially exceeding your usual limits.
I was asked this question a little while ago: “Is the impulse towards transcendence intrinsic in human life? Is it intrinsic in my life?”
Here is my answer: Is transcendence nature or nurture? Is it something deep within our psyche or something that has been taught through family and our upbringing (whether that be religious or not)? Have we been taught that we will transcend into a higher power or place depending on the type of person we perceive ourselves to be? Or is it in the opinion of others and their perception of whether or not we are a good person.
Have we through modern day life and materialism moved away from that which manifests deep within us? If we took everything away and stripped us all totally of our egos, we are naturally all the same. The impulse towards transcendence is intrinsic to human life, albeit a hidden force. If we take away materialism and look at ourselves deep within, removing the physical body, we are left with a spirit. A consciousness.
If we take away modern day science and look more into metaphysics, ultimately pertaining to what is there? What is it like? We may be able to ascertain whether transcendence is indeed intrinsic.
What it means for me
So given all this, yes, I do believe that transcendence is intrinsic to my life. From having a physiological fitness background and being a non-believer of yoga. Experiencing the benefits first hand, both physiological, psychological and emotionally with the effect it has had on me. I believe there is a hidden force within me that is much more than my physical being.
If I had been asked this question 10 years ago it would have been a very different answer… What about you? Cause for thought? Or a question to bring up over a glass of wine or coffee?
Don’t give up
All I can say is whatever it is in life that makes you happy, makes you complete and causes you such joy that you literally don’t know what direction to walk in (because you are so elated) then go for it! Don’t give up! And if, like me, it’s yoga, then get back on your mat and find that happy place again.
Our move to Sydney has been both challenging and rewarding. Now I can say that it’s slowly becoming home.
