After 4 weeks of early mornings, amazing yoga, brain stretching learning and a bit of fun on the side I am now a qualified yoga teacher. I'm so happy that I decided to take the course and go for it. Not one regret at all. I can't wait to teach my first class – possibly some yoga for thai boxing with the guys at the camp here tomorrow!
So what have I been doing... My daily schedule was to be up at 6.30 to start class at 7. Each morning we had 2 to 2.5 hours of yoga, breathing and meditation. shakti, our teacher took the classes for the first couple of days but after that we thrown in the deep end. Every other day I had to teach part of the class. It started off with just having to learn one asana (posture) but as the days went by we had to build up with the transitions and longer sequences of teaching (with the rest of the class being our students). All of it being continually assessed for knowing the right instructions, teaching safely, knowing the physical and esoteric benefits, hands on adjustment and just having presence as a teacher.
(Sunrise - my walk to class each morning )
(Morning Class)
From 11 until 2 we have a class, either philosophy, history, learning asanas in detail or looking at the more spiritual side of yoga. Lots of discussion about energy! The whole pace of the practice is a lot more meditative than what I have been doing recently and it's refreshing. Something I will bring into my own teaching.
(Some of my class where we had our lectures)I have the afternoon off – although by the time I've eaten, had an hour of sun, studied and showered it's time to be back for the last session of the day. 6pm to 8pm – we continue our lectures or occasionally have watched a film. We watched the Peaceful Warrior the other day. A great film and I'd recommend watching. Then it's time for dinner – Si had generally already eaten – can't keep him waiting after his boxing training - and then bed. We both had Saturdays off but Friday nights and Saturday generally involved sleep for me – although Si was a bit more adventurous. Last Saturday we did quite a good tag team effort at partying at Guys Bar the main party place here, with Si going the 10 – 5.30am shift and me getting up to continue the dancing while the sun rose. Followed by a swim and some morning time on the beach it was a pretty perfect Saturday.
(Practising for class)
It's been an intense month though and I got quite sick mid way through the course with nausea, back ache and just slept through from about 3pm until the next morning. The next day I had horrific backache in the morning, necked some pills but shakti organised for an acupuncture session which really helped. It took a few days to be properly back on form, whether it was exhaustion, a bug or what I don't know but I'm feeling healthy and fit now.
Around the bay there's a real emphasis on looking at alternatives to Western medicine. You can get any sort of alternative therapy here and just because we label it 'alternative' in the West doesn't mean less good. In fact in the yoga we're spending quite a long time studying anatomy and the anatomical benefits of the asanas as well as looking at why people suffer with a lot of the common disorders in the west. We're very quick to medicate with drugs or suggest surgery, treating the physical body rather than looking a little bit more holistically at why we're suffering and whether we need to medicate with chemicals or not. Don't get me wrong, we can do so much with western medicine that is fantastic (and I'm certainly not throwing out my ibuprofen) but I'm definitely going to have my eyes a little bit more open to taking a more holisitic approach to my health going forward.
(Acro / Partner Yoga (not really yoga) - Si is going to work on his hamstrings :)
Simon teased in the previous blog about a lot of conversation here about energy – guilty I'm afraid. The group of other students is fantastic – we have great energy :) - but the place in general is somewhere where everyone smiles, there is no stress and people just chat and are friendly. It is a bit of escapism but hopefully we can take some of what we've experienced here away with us.
(A final (only!) evening out and guys from the course leaving the bay)
Yesterday we had a little taste of home with Tracy, a friend of mine from work, and Craig arriving on the island for a couple of days. We had a lovely dinner and it was good just to chill with some familiar faces for the evening. We actually treated ourselves to the one place serving good red meat - the first we've had since leaving home and had a gorgeous steak - but will be back to fried rice for the remaining days as steak does not come cheap out here.
So with the yoga finished I'm just taking time to be on holiday for a few days before we head to Bangkok on Monday and then fly to Sydney on Tuesday. I'm making copious notes for my future yoga website – can't wait to get it started – and I feel like wherever else we head over the next few months I've got my yoga to take with me, carry on learning, start teaching and have a whole new journey to take.
Tonight is our last Friday night here so we're aiming to do what we have failed to do so far and do a proper all nighter and see sunrise on the beach tomorrow morning. There's not much on the agenda tomorrow apart from beach so there's no excuse for me really. Party blog to follow!!
Love to all,
Charlotte x
(The whole class at the end of the course with shakti mhi our teacher)
PS - Links to our full photo set for Koh Pha Nagan below:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=199429&id=681815399&l=3b99387283
KPN 3
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=195176&id=681815399&l=8dc560c7ab
KPN 2
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=191075&id=681815399&l=536c452416
KPN 1
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