Yoga Teacher Training in India - Week 3

After three weeks of intense yoga teacher training things came up for me literally and metaphorically. I feel that I have grown more this week than I thought possible. I got sick and for anyone traveling anywhere in India, I recommend taking a probiotic, oil of oregano and a wellness formula daily. Emotions come up while traveling in India and it truly is a beautiful healing process. If we don’t ever look at any of the old energy we are holding onto we can’t heal it. I will be the first to admit that it does not always feel good to look at your old beliefs and emotions. But the journey to enlightenment is all about shining light on old beliefs that no longer work, as hard as it may feel at times, so I am truly grateful for this experience. Deep healing was the intention that I set for this training; and you know what they say, ask and you shall receive.

The weather cooled off and it began to rain this week and I feel that the plants are happy; it is lush and green here. Between animals and human companions, I don’t ever feel lonely. It is a much more simple life here than I am used to in the west as everything feels more natural and real, nothing feels hidden as you truly see everything.

My highlight of this week was meditating on the Ganges River; locals call the holy river the Ganga. Our teacher Krishna told us to observe the flow of the river and allow it to take our thoughts. The Ganga river is so powerful and I could feel the energy and flow of the river saying let go, let go, let go.

We continued our teaching practice of Ashtanga Vinyasa. I memorized sun salutations Suryanamaskara A & B in Sanskrit, which was a goal of mine.

During our theory classes, we discussed many benefits of pranayama- breathing exercises. Pranayama increases the alkaline nature of the blood and decreases acidity. Pranayama teaches you how to manipulate your breathing and improves the awareness of breath. The purpose of pranayama is breath regulation with creates mind regulation to reduce fluctuations of the mind. When your mind is distracted it can be your worst enemy but if it is focused it will become your best friend. You are not your thoughts but the awareness of the thoughts themselves.

Yoga emphasizes nasal breathing which has many positive health effects: it generates more oxygen for the brain, it is cleaner, and it regulates air temperature. Nasal breathing is a natural vaccination.

Pranayama and asana prepare the human body to understand existence.

We were told that yoga is the combination of learning how to sit, how to stand, how to walk, how to breathe, how to think, and how not to think. We practice yoga to expand our awareness of consciousness to create a better perception of life. Awareness is how you see consciousness. Consciousness is everything.  Awareness creates a heightened perception of infinite consciousness. When you understand that we are all One with infinite consciousness you are able to create better relationships with yourself and others. Happiness comes from seeing life as it is.

A human being is different than the roller coaster that is life. Our true innermost core never changes, that is pure consciousness. We are the being behind the life experience.

Roshan said that there are two main questions that humans ask in life and every other question relates back to these two questions:

1.       Why am I living
2.       How should I live?

      We practice yoga to gain an understanding of what life is, to increase our focus and to learn how to live from a more effortless nature in our everyday lives.

We are now halfway through the training but the journey continues. My goal is to stay present and allow each moment to bring me closer to love and truth.