One of the best talks I have heard in a long time.
Strength For Yoga with Purple Valley Yoga Retreat Center
28.3.16
I filmed a strength building series at Purple Valley Yoga Retreat Center. Of course this isn't used to replace the yoga practice but only to help fill gaps in our process of building more refined strength. Hope you enjoy!
Stockholm Easter Weekend
Last weekend was one of the few weekends I had off, kind of. I still taught class on Sunday but had Friday and Saturday off so it's all good. Today, Monday, Swedes have off as well but we continued on with Mysore class today. I've been traveling a lot over the weekends but since it was Easter weekend it was a great opportunity to slow down and enjoy the beautiful city I live in. With the weather slowly turning and the light coming back it does Stockholm justice.
Believe it or not it has been 6 years since I have been living here and I still suck a Swedish, haha. Well, I guess it isn't so funny. I need to work on that somehow. It has been on my mind. However, finding the time to study is another issue. Right now a little daily is gonna have to do it. One problem is we don't have television which is one good way of learning the language beyond the normal flash cards, reading and conventional study. Another, is the times I have attempted to speak Swedish I get one of two responses: One being, "Huh?" And the other, "Lol. That's cute." I don't speak Swedish to be cute. So the motivation to speak is rather low for this native English speaker. I know. Excuses, excuses.
With that being said I should bush up on my Spanish because I am headed to Barcelona on Wednesday! I did study that in school and the language is definitely part of the cultural fabric of the U.S. but I don't think I will have enough to get by. I also hear in Spain the accent is rather different. In a way I want to be good at languages and in another I feel so overwhelmed by it.
Instead of longer daylight I wish there were simply more hours in a day.
One of Stockholm's Unique Tunnelbanna Stations
At Rosendal's Trädgård
Time Lapse Primary Series at Purple Valley - Goa, India
27.3.16
A fun time lapse of Primary Series at our retreat at Purple Valley back in January.
... And a Mysore class too!
Prague
Prague! Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful city for the first time. With already a number of fist time visits this year I have to say Prague is another special city that is sometimes missed for those who tour Europe from abroad. Put it on your list. I wouldn't miss it.
Most importantly, I was there to teach an Ashtanga yoga workshop to an awesome bunch in a spectacular venue. The picture below shows the ceiling of where the event was held. I'm a big fan of architecture and design so I took an active interest and had to snap the shot. However, what was going on down below was even better. The energy and attentive interest from the yoga community here was amazing. I left so grateful for the experience.
Thank you Prague!
Amsterdam
Amsterdam Ashtangis
Backbending Techniques
The second weekend of March I had the pleasure of teaching an Ashtanga yoga workshop in Amsterdam at the beautiful Conservatorium Hotel. I had such a lovely time with this enthusiastic and vibrant group of Ashtanga yoga practitioners in the beautiful setting of the city. This was my first time visiting Amsterdam and I loved every bit of it. With a huge biking culture, much like Copenhagen, there are many meandering streets with quaint shops and cafes. I simply loved it. There is more of an alternative vibe, for instance versus Stockholm which has its own different kind of charm.
I also had the pleasure of having a number of people who I have seen elsewhere such as my retreats or workshops from other countries come to this workshop. This is the special part of doing this work is running into people who have become dear friends. I always count my blessings in this regard.
Thank you Amsterdam!
Afternoon Tea
Amsterdam Canals
Tea with David
Dhanurasana Demonstration
Today I Rise
25.3.16
Today I Rise
When I'm tired of all the things around me in my life, I rise
When only the negative aura surrounds me and tries to put me down, I rise
When there's no one there for me even on the worst days, I rise
When there are bullies at school talking bad about me, I rise
When I've lost the family and people I love, I rise
When I am trying to reach my goal in my life and I fail at times, I rise
When I got fake friends, they lie to me and put me down, I rise
When I'm struggling with my family with the bills and our expenses, I rise
When I hear fighting, cussing, swearing cursing at home, I rise
When I'm heartbroken from a love, I rise
When there are traumatic things that happen to me, I rise
When I get abandoned by people who I thought loved me, I rise
When there are no good influence and only evil around me, I rise
When I'm on the street with no food or shelter, I rise
When I'm in a life or death situation, I rise
When someone I love has a chronic disease I stay strong for them and I rise
When the devil tries to put me down in the worst possible ways, I rise
I rise and stay strong because God helps me rise!!
Are you strong enough to rise?
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape of Good Hope
View of Cape Town from Robben Island
Nelson Mandela's Prison Cell
Cape Town
Enjoying the Sunset
The last two weeks of February I had the honor of being invited to teach both in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. My first trip to the country, I arrived free of expectation but definitely with a sense of curiosity. Unfortunately, soon after I landed in Johannesburg I came down with the flu. Ugh. What an experience. It was the first time in a long time I had ever gotten that sick. The timing was awful but I made the best of it and thankfully my host Claire made sure I was as comfortable as possible. It was a heavy mixture of body aches, fever, cough, congestion, fatigue and digestive distress. When it rains it pours. Which besides being sick I had the opportunity to sit in on a few strong thunderstorms. Since moving to Sweden I've obviously experienced loads of rain but it doesn't thunderstorm here. Something I've missed being from the midwest of the USA. So, I didn't really have the opportunity or the motivation to take pictures while in Johannesburg. However, I truly enjoyed the Ashtanga Yoga community there. They were absolutely lovely.
My second week in South Africa was spent in Cape Town. After recovering from the flu I felt much better by the time I arrived, thankfully. It is much easier to take in the landscape when feeling yourself and in that regard, well this was a place you have to soak in. The scenery is stunning!