My Yoga Practice---Y12SR Workshop, U.K

Yoga at the boiler house in Bury St Edmunds

2-5/ April/2015

It was the first time ever Y12SR had a space holders workshop in U.K. When Jacqui told me about it, I was pretty excited. I would love to explore more about how to integrate yoga and 12 step program. I understood there were similarities between them, when I started leaning about more and more about yoga.

At the same time, I was very nervous...

I applied for my place and paid my fees, since that point onwards, I felt a bit apprehensive. Why? Because, that means we all needed to explore ourselves, going deeper... But I knew that if that happened, it would be the safest place and plenty tools to deal with. 

On the first day, I met my new friends. Spending 4days with people I'd never met (I knew a few of them), I was a bit nervous, but at the end of 4th day, I felt like we had good bond between us. Felt like we went through lot (emotionally) together.

This workshop really made me look at things I'd never really looked at before (didn't come up when I did step work), and tools to deal with. I finally could accept and let go, and feels like lighter now. Moreover, I felt like I got to know myself EVEN better!

The workshop was hard work but fun. One of ladies from Thetford (Dreakkie!) made some beautiful broth for our lunch, she even brought some breads too. Thank you very much!!! OMG, it was fab! Home made broth, I hadn't tasted such lovely soup for long time, last one I had was Marcus's mum's. 

Yummy vegetable broth, "It's got everything in it!"

Drekkie stirring her soup

I went for seconds, of course!

Easter cake was also brought in! Yum Yum

I don't have many female friends, so I was very pleased to get to know those ladies. I said both Nikki (founder of Y12SR) and Jacqui, felt like I was given friends!

Participants were from all over the U.K, about 10 of us ( 9 ladies plus 1 male). Nikki came from U.S.A to hold the workshop. I really enjoyed attending it, thanks to Nikki and Jacqui organising.

Group photo

Me and Nikki

Drekkie & Nikki

I am now looking forward to hold Y12SR class somewhere in the country! Oh, I need to get qualified first yet. I did this course initially to support my recovery. And I feel I have a good foundation of recovery, I now would like to give back by sharing yoga with other recovering addicts or even non addicts. 

Jacqui said they are planning to hold another workshop next year for those missed this one...

Long Weekend & Yummy nik-naks in St Guilhem-le-Desert

14-21/March/2015

we went to South of France for our short break. I really needed that. Chilling out in the medieval village in France, how romantic.

We went there before, Marcus went there many times, he took his mum there, his clients there for qi-gong retreats. Sure, it's wonderful place to do some qi gong and yoga.

One evening, I couldn't sleep, woke up in the middle of the night. So I went down stairs and did some yoga and qi going for an hour or so... I slept o.k after that.

What excites me the most visiting another country is; food. I love my food. and shopping from a health food shop. There in France, where we visited, there was a very nice health food shop. As usual, we did some trips there to purchase our favo food. And I bought some souvenires ( Sugar free vegan chocolate. No sweetener either. It was espresso flavour and delish!) for my yoga teacher, Marcus's mum, and myself. Yum Yum.

This 100% buckwheat pasta tubes were yummy, we had them a few nights during our stay. Why can't we have them here in England? Flakes were for our breakfast, we had them with soya yogurt and fruits. 

We always keep our food fairly healthy. Until I see pastries! I love my cakes and pastries, when I'm in France, I want to eat yummy pastries. why not? At the end of the day, they do the best of French Patisseries. 

I didn't eat as many as I normally do, as I started feeling in my body when I do wheat and sugar, getting old???

I love the rustic pastries, nothing beats home made!

While we were in the village, we found a little shop selling home made cookies and cup cakes. Looked very nice, I could not resist so, on our last day there, I finally purchased after looking at them almost everyday.... And it was worth it, worth itching my back and pain in my foot, yummy cookies.

The lady in the shop told me they were called packet de cookie (I'm pretty sure my spelling is incorrect!). In olden days, pilgrimages ate those cookies. Very French, baked till brown. I love how they bake. So as Italians! 

Oh, one more thing I ate and absolutely loved was pistachio nougat. OMG, it was more delish than what I expected. Took me a few days but I ate all. Yum Yum.

Can't wait go on another holiday!

My Yoga Practice---Breathing is wonderful

Met some fun people in France!

6/6/2015

I've been really busy at work. When I came back from work, I felt so tired, all I wanted to do was snuggle into my bed and watch youtube. Even that, about 20mins in watching some vids, I fell asleep... woke up in the middle of the night wondering what time it was, whether morning or slept through to following day... My evenings were like this for last 3 weeks or so, being a little pissed off (I need to be assertive to say NO) completing lots of paperwork.... (but I'm a workaholic...sad...)

Some evenings, I missed my yoga practice. Too tired to go out again and that's where home practice comes in. I used to do lots of home practice with youtube vids, but these days, I'm too either lazy or destructed by "other things" ie; "oh, I need a cup of tea", "I just noticed it's a bit dusty, need to clean it NOW".... that kinda thing... When I do home practice, Every other poses seem like, child pose. "Oh, let me rest here again, need to breath, expand on my lower back..."

I just don't challenge enough to myself anymore. I get a bit board of youtube vids to be honest, so I started making up my own sequence or what we do in our Yoda (wise like Yoda)'s class. And it's working for me when I'm in the mood to do home practice. That was one of MANY reasons why I love going to classes/yoga studio, practising in group environment encourage me to slow down and focus on where I am on my mat.

When I don't go to classes as often as I normally do, (also due to my tendinitis, my local Chinese doctor also confirmed it for me...) really feel in my body. I went 2 restorative yoga class by Siobhan (she's also my Yoda) and felt good. Yoga practice gives me space to breath.

Yesterday I was walking with my client in the town, and I did deep breath. And felt so light from inside and outside, then realised I had such a busy morning (I hadn't stopped), it was like I forgot to breath till then. I saw what I was doing (in my head, all jobs I did, all the thing I did that morning), and it was as if; I wasn't breathing, run, run, and more running!  I felt so good when I breathed that morning. Amazing feeling as if everything shifted. Then I realised how wonderful breathing was. That changed all again about how I see "life".

It happened before. It was due to my tendinitis again, before our practice in my Yoda's class, we were chatting about injuries. I told her when I engaged on core on my left side, I didn't feel weight on my wrist much. I could push and use my finger tips etc. Then my Yoda asked me "Is it only left side?" I wondered what she meant? So, this in my head, we began practising. Soon I realised if I really focus on my core (again) weight seem to lift (still hard but feel lighter) and hold better. Also not lot heavy weight on my both wrists. That change everything all aspects of my life. I told Yoda that night. It may sound a bit dramatic, but it was revolutionary for me.

I persevere with what all yoga teachers say about core and breathing. I feel like I finally have started to grasp what they mean.

Then this makes me wonder.. it is really practising, practising and more practising. And I just believe in myself I will get there (where?) in the end....

Again, I just need to keep going......