The Land of Smiles

AYBKK - Bangkok, Thailand

With the director and head teacher of AYBKK, Boohchu Tanti

So much love!

The first time I traveled to Thailand was back in 2007 after a long 4 month stay in Mysore, India. My first stop was Bangkok and like many places what struck be about the city was its smell. Not really a bad smell but a very distinct one. One that is unique to the city all its own. Smells often bring nostalgia and this was no different. I had an interesting time there and can't say it was all that great due to the company I was with. I stayed for a month in Bangkok, traveling north to Chiang Mai and then south to the beaches. I left Thailand rather broken due to circumstances that arose there. An experience I will never forget.

I returned briefly over New Years in 2009, and made my third trip back in early December. It was kind of a full circle moment. This time arriving because I was invited to teach a workshop and within that I was able to reflect on how much has changed since my first time in Thailand. To see, feel and experience a greater strength within than I had before. That the pain I felt my first time when leaving, which was so profoundly deep, I nearly cried the entire trip home to the U.S. I am reminded how everything is transitory, even pain. And that somehow what I experienced then was a good thing in the larger scope of my life. It is always hard to see that when in the mist of it, but undoubtedly this is true. These experiences help us to empty out to then have something greater fill us up inside.

This past December I felt so much love. A beauty and a enthusiasm that is distinctly Thai. The amazing thing about feeling at home inside is that you then start to feel at home everywhere and that love doesn't cease. What I am realizing is what I have been searching for lives deep within my heart. At every moment and within every breath.

When teaching I'm not afraid to say, hey, I'm just trying to figure all this stuff out too, but I am here for you and let's ride this out and see where we land and we will do it together. Teaching can be rather terrifying for me because often I feel there is so much more for me to learn and I feel as if I will never know enough but then I remember that simply holding space for others is enough because I would rather be an open vessel for something more to work through me.

Unspeakable gratitude is all I can express. To have years ago made the scary leap to live the life I knew I was meant to live. Nothing about it has been easy, and thank God it wasn't, because we must burn. Burning bright has to endue the heat of discomfort. We must step into reality that has great plans for us, and that goes far beyond what we can imagine.

YHWH

I AM

Costa Rica Ashtanga Yoga Retreat 21 February - 1 March 2015

This will be the first time I will be teaching a retreat with my partner, David Fredriksson who is an excellent teacher in his own right. We make a great team! We love to connect with our students at a level that goes deeper than simply teaching asanas. Once we embrace a student of this practice we do it for real and we do it wholeheartedly. Being student's ourselves we never loose sight of how important the process is and how small steps make big changes in the long run. No matter what level of experience you find yourself in, we breath love and acceptance for people of all backgrounds, no matter the limitation, no matter how little or how much you know, making it an experience that leads to the beauty of what's inside. Join us for 9 days in the beautiful setting of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. Deepen your practice and deepen your connection to nature. An unbeatable combination.

For more information: click here

For booking inquiries contact: retreat@yogayama.se

Keep Digging Your Well

Work. Keep digging your well.

Don't think about getting off from work. 

Water is there somewhere.

Submit to daily practice. 

Your loyalty to that

Is a ring at the door. 

Keep knocking, and the joy inside

Will eventually open a window

and look out to see who's there."

-Rumi

Wanderer

For those who have a little bit of wanderlust.

Ashtanga Yoga Workshop in Bangkok, Thailand

What:     Ashtanga Yoga Weekend Workshop with Laruga Glaser
Where:   Ashtanga Yoga Center of Bangkok, Thailand
When:    12 - 14 December 2014

The Program

Friday
12 December

7:00 - 9:00    Led Primary Series
12:00 - 2:30  Arm Balance with Power and Grace

Saturday
13 December

Intermediate Series in Detail
8:00 - 10:30  1st half
1:00 - 3:30    2nd half

Sunday
14 December

8:00 - 10:00   Led Primary Series
1:00 - 3:30     The Art of Ashtanga Yoga


For more information and booking email: contact@aybkk.com

Budapest

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of visiting the young and thriving Ashtanga yoga community at Bandha Works in Budapest, Hungary, and what a community it was! Enthusiastic, thirsty to learn, this community was formed only a year ago and the energy and unity they created within the year was truly inspirational to witness as well as experience. I loved every minute of my contact with the students and left deeply touched by their willingness and sincerity to dive into the heart of the practice with both feet! It warmed my heart. It energized my teaching. There's no doubt that heart of the student enlivens the heart of the teacher, and the learning goes both ways!

As a city I can't say enough about the beauty and history that is Budapest. The architecture, the history, the people! Everyone speaks of Paris, London, and Rome when planning to visit Europe but if you have the opportunity I would definitely put Budapest on the list!

Geneva

At the beginning of November I had the pleasure of traveling to Geneva, Switzerland to lead an Ashtanga yoga workshop there. One cannot deny one of the benefits of this work is visiting fascinating new places and meeting generous and warm hearted people and Geneva was no different. A beautiful city nestled between two mountain ranges, on a clear day you can see Mount Blanc in the distance, the highest peak of the Alps. The city is clean, affluent and surprisingly diverse, with more than 50% of its inhabitants being foreign. A french speaking city, whereas other parts of Switzerland are German speaking, I couldn't help but enjoy hearing french being spoken. Ooo la la!

The quality of life is high in Geneva and I was pleasantly surprised at how well mixed various cultures and races mixed together. It was very refreshing to see. The bonds we forge with others shouldn't always be defined by what makes us comfortable but also by what wakes us up to see another perspective, another way of life. Travel teaches me so much and it is also amazing to see this represented in some of the places I have the sincere privilege to visit.

Highlights from Mark Robberds' Workshop

At the end of October we had the pleasure of hosting Mark Robberds at Yogayama here in Stockholm. Mark was magic! He transmutes the practice in a way that is both beautiful, thought provoking and inspiring merging our connection to the heart. More and more, this is where I'm driving at in my own reflections. If it doesn't open our hearts and minds, then what's the point? 

To follow more of what Mark is up to in the world you can find him at www.markrobberds.com