B L O G

Music usually have an effect on us, certain tunes come on and we feel something move within us. it makes us want to jump, doze off, cry etc.   I’ve learnt that the frequency and vibrations in sounds activates certain parts of our body. When people chant in yoga, it’s actually the repetition of a certain sound to wake a certain part of your body. I’ve always thought it is religious!   No wonder music makes us feel, because scientifically, the combination of the different frequencies and vibrations creates a certain rhythm  and that ‘activates’ certain parts of our body.   My wonderful teacher, Jessica, talked about singing bowls and very graciously took hers out and played for us. Aesthetically, it’s as pretty as can be, made of crystal and crystal produces the truest sound.   The way she held the mallet, the delicate movements, slow and luring, the mallet went around the bowl and very gently, the bowl emitted these haunting sounds. It was like a dance, I was enchanted.   I wasn’t affected by the sounds but some of my YTT mates felt tightness in the chest, and some felt a headache came on. I was fascinated.   I read somewhere that silence helps us think and music helps us feel. Perhaps a pretty great class would be one with silence, sounds, and movements combined. Mind, heart and body, all in one   Tannie 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course Weekday’22

Ah. Ribs. I never imagined it will be a word i hear often in yoga. BBQ Baby back ribs, honey spare ribs, bak kut teh, hit me with it anytime of the day. Pull in your ribs, Expand and contract your ribs, tuck your ribs in, my mind goes blank.   How do I bring in my ribs? I have never met my ribs before. Are my ribs in now? I think they are, but no they are not. Oh ribs, how I hate you, but only because I don’t know you, and I oh so need you, I want to love you. Without you, i can’t do any poses properly, without you, i definitely won’t be able to progress to more challenging poses.   I’m going to try to get to know you. I’m going to place my palms gently on you, feel you expand and contract, register the sensation, and try to remember the sensation of moving you.   It is going to take some time, I’ve been alerted to your existence and importance, i acknowledge you and i will get to know you. Tannie 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course Weekday’22

We were asked to talk about our strengths and weaknesses today. My first thought was, crap! i’m weak all over, inside out. where do I even begin? My body is weak, there are so many postures I’m struggling with due to the lack of muscles and training. My mind is weak, I lack determination to keep pushing. My heart is weak, thoughts of giving up have surfaced one too many times.   Every so often, I looked around at my fellow YTT mates trying a pose over and over again, eyes turning red and patches of perspiration stained their clothes, I sit on my mat, done after a few tries, I may once in awhile push myself to attempt a couple times, then I allow myself to think of how lazy I am, wondering why am I not as motivated as the rest of them?  Why am I so weak? I continue to just sit there, observing everyone, allowing these thoughts to consume me , and not doing anything.   When it came to my turn to speak,  hearing about others’ frequent exchanges with frustration, I said my weakness is I’m weak everywhere and I’m not frustrated. My lack of frustration may indicate my lack of determination, focus, and motivation. How am I ever going to progress, perhaps one day find myself capable enough to teach?   One of the most determined hardworking person I know in class, who also happened to be right next mat to me for this course, spoke up and said my presence brought her calm. what!!?   What I deemed as laziness and lack of determination, brought calm & comfort to someone else’s frustration, reminded the next person to slow down. Hmm. I can’t believe it, my heart ache slightly. Thank you, you tall slender beautiful soul.   This shift in perspective opened up my eyes. I need to learn to use different words.   My strengths are I’m able to be gentle with myself, i’m able to go easy on myself. I may not be working the hardest, but i’m working bit by bit at a time. I do not need to kick up to the wall,  but i can do bunny hops with one leg up, and i’m going to keep on practicing.   I’m late, and I’m slow. but hey, this is not a race.   Tannie 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course Weekday’22

Yoga has always been a dip in the water for me. Somewhere to hang out with my group of girlfriends once in awhile in my early twenties. Something to keep me sort of  healthy in my thirties. I never really tried to understand it.   And then I became a mother. Motherhood made me face, me. My body is never the same again, my mind is constantly on high alert, I experience emotions I could no longer sweep under the carpet. I broke. What have I done to my life? Who am I?   I decided to start this self discovery with getting to know my physical self, there must be a reason why so many self help books recommend yoga.   I realised yoga is not an activity which helps you forget, or lose yourself in the moment. Every class begins with self examination, it’s like i’m picking up pieces of me, really looking at it, realising how some have been mishandled and some I never knew existed. The movements which comes after teaches me how to try to repair the cracked parts, and also alerted me to parts i have ignored all these time.   I’m almost forty and I’m only just starting to get to know myself. I’m late but also, there is still time.   Tannie 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course Weekday’22

My YTT journey is so so so special to me. Where do I even begin? My loveliest YTT batch mates — Kim, Jia Min, Wei Ying, Shu Yan, Shi Qi, and Mable, adding on to the ever- growing list of wonderful humans I have met in my yoga journey. Not forgetting Sue, who was unfortunately unable to complete this YTT journey together with us due to personal reasons. This one is for you, Sue. Looking back, we have really grown so much and on top of that, we even did a YTT amid a pandemic. I think we’re so damn incredible for that! It really was not easy doing this YTT with so many Covid-19 restrictions in place and I was really bummed out with some of the last-minute changes though I knew they were for the sake of keeping everyone safe. I initially wanted to keep my last blog post happy, but I came to realize that life will not always be full of ups. There will be ups and downs and I’m definitely still learning to allow myself space to feel my feelings just as they are during the downs.   My YTT journey was truly one filled with self-discovery as Jessica encouraged my individuality to shine through my own teaching. While I was previously confined by my own definition of how yoga teachers should be, I am truly grateful to say that I no longer am. I have learned to embrace my individuality as a yoga teacher, and I embody that in my teaching. Jessica is truly a very special individual, and I am beyond blessed to have had the chance to be trained by her. The life advice and teachings that she has gifted me will always be kept close to my heart, along with the memories and experiences made throughout this YTT. Thank you, Jessica! I would also like to take this chance to thank Alexis for supporting us silently and to reminisce on my first meeting with Alexis at the studio when I decided to sign up for the YTT. For patiently answering my questions and for giving me the last bit of confidence I needed to make up my mind to sign up for this YTT, thank you.   This YTT has been one hell of a ride, juggling other commitments while doing strength drills every day, learning Sanskrit, creating yoga sequences, and more. I struggled so much and yet learned so much more. If I were given a choice to turn back time, I would still choose to do this YTT all over again. Every time.   Phyllis 200HR YTT Jul’21 Weekend

It seems a little fitting to close this chapter of my yoga journey by mentioning the people in it. These are the people that continue to inspire me, make me look forward to class every weekend, and are a definitive component of my growth.   I have likened each of them to an asana.    Shiqi – Vrikshasana (Tree Pose) Stands up tall, but very grounded. Provides respite for anyone who comes her way.   Mabel – Uttana Shishosana (Extended Puppy Pose)  This is an asana we would relish in after a series of painful sequences, because it releases whatever tension we were holding prior. An asana just like Mabsy.    Kim – Astavakrasana (Eight Angle Pose) I don’t think anyone in our class can talk about Kim without mentioning her lovely arms. Just looking at her biceps inspires us all to be stronger. Of course, on a more personal level, she is one of the first people I made friends with, the both of us sitting opposite each other on the first day of class. The groundedness in her rubs off on me, and I always find myself comforted by her presence.   Jiamin – Vikasita Kamalasana (Blossoming Lotus Pose) A flower that never stops blooming, a spirit that never stops kindling.    Phyllis – Camatkarasana (Wild Thing) Shining her heart outwards for everyone, a kind being who spreads lots of good vibes.   Shuyan – Garudasana (Eagle Pose) A strong and powerful force wrapped in an elegant and compact figure.   Sue – Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand) Sue was one of the first to get into the pose; she was always fearless, taking a leap of faith every time she attempted this inversion.    Jessica – Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose) Always embracing us with her generosity, love and beauty. Jess has managed to create a fun and safe space for us.   Alexis – Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) An impenetrable fortress, silently keeping vigil and always picking up the slack whenever the chips are down.    I feel fortunate to learn with, and from, these people. Thank you Yoga Mandala.   Weiying 200HR YTT Jul’21 Weekend

To ensure our maximum progress during the course of YTT, we were given daily homework drills by Jess to strengthen our bodies.    This week was the first week since we first started that we hadn’t had any homework from her. Jess probably wanted to give us more time to prepare our teaching sequences, and study for our upcoming exam, I don’t know. I didn’t ask – heehee.    And somehow, it feels very natural. My body didn’t cry out for any stretches or drills. The days pass and suddenly it’s Friday and I’ve not done much yoga practice. I decided to do a few sun salutations to feel better about myself. And wow, my hamstrings grew tighter, I couldn’t bend as low as before in Uttanasana, and my limbs ached a little the day after.   It is indeed scary to know that without supervision, this may very likely be how I throw my yoga education away. With no Jess to remind us to do work, no regular meeting with mates of the same purpose, will I still want to keep up with my yoga practice? This involves a complete lifestyle change, right down to the little choices that I make daily – if I want to snooze for another 15 minutes or get a few sun salutations in to start the day. It’s beginning to sink in. To start building a conscious effort in wanting to seek betterment. No external force needed, it all starts from within.    In two weeks, we would have graduated. And this is where the real training starts. I choose to let YTT be a springboard to a healthier life, instead of letting it be just a highlight of 2021.   Weiying 200HR YTT Jul’21 Weekend

I realise how much I like to lean on things. No, seriously. As I go deeper into my yoga practice, which constantly reminds me to keep an active stretch in various parts of my body (especially the spine), I discovered for myself just how lazy my posture can be when I think no one is looking. I lean against the wash basin when I brush my teeth. I lean against the counter when I prepare my morning coffee. And when there’s nothing to lean against, I collapse into my lower back (another form of leaning too, actually). I slouch while checking my phone. I sink into one leg as I wait in line at NTUC.    I’m reminded of a question our dear friend Phyllis asked one day during class. “When should we engage our root chakra?” she asked.  “From the moment you wake up,” replied Jess.    It sounds awfully tiring at first. To squeeze various parts of your body as you go about the mundanity of life. But with regular practice I realise that it is possible for me to make it a habit, I just have to get used to it. Which is why I have started to take notice of my sloth-like body. And when I do, I make tiny adjustments to better align my body. And suddenly I become a lot more present, and I walk a little differently.    Yoga is slowly changing the way I move around, it’s seeping into the little cracks of my daily actions. I’m grateful, really. Without constantly collapsing into my body / nearby surfaces, it has helped me shift towards a healthier state of mind where I believe that I alone can ground myself, without the need for a random wall to lean against.    Weiying 200HR YTT Jul’21 Weekend

It’s no secret that exercise gives you that rosy glow, and generates endorphins that make you feel happy and look the best version of yourself. But I believe yoga is one of the few practices out there that gives you a head to toe makeover, both inside and out. I have not been doing yoga long enough to witness its profound effects, but I do have an inkling of what yoga may offer in the long run:    Redness in cheeks – forget the blusher, do inversions and forward folds. They’re bound to get your blood pumping happily from the bottom of your feet all the way to the crown of your head. That dullness in your complexion will slowly dissipate with regular practice.    Confidence – incorporate advanced poses / progressions into your daily practice. The confidence you get from surmounting these poses will give you all the confidence you need. You will begin to find a sense of grounding within yourself, believing in your own abilities and striving to scale higher mountains at each turn. And there’s nothing more attractive than someone with confidence.    Posture – Need I say more on this? So many poses in yoga reminds us to stretch the spine; we extend it, rotate it, side bend it. Definitely helps with a healthy posture.    Major detox – doing yoga without the air conditioning on is a sure fire way to get yourself dripping with sweat, bringing with it all the toxins drawn from your body, leaving you cleansed and healthy.    Yoga – one of the best makeup there ever is.   Disclaimer: The opinions stated do not represent that of Yoga Mandala, they are gathered from my experiences alone.   Weiying 200HR YTT Jul’21 Weekend