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Posts Tagged ‘soul’

Teachers are just like everyone else

October 31, 2013 By Kat

Today I wish to share with you the post re-blogged above written by a fellow Bikram Yoga teacher. Reading it last week all I could do was nod and say so true. There is so much more to teaching this yoga than standing on the podium & reciting the dialogue. It’s a huge wake up call when you’re fresh out of training as the more seasoned teachers make it look so easy! Looking back now I really should have been more compassionate towards some of my teachers, I just wasn’t ready to recognise this.

Don’t worry this isn’t going to turn into a pity party for yoga teachers. More like recognition to how much I was stuck in my head rather than leading from my heart. Back before I was a teacher doing my practice I’d often notice other students with the wrong grip in standing bow or rabbit, knees flying open wider than 6 inches in floor bow whilst rocking back & fourth on their bellies. Why wasn’t the teacher helping them I’d think? Why aren’t they correcting them? They are doing it wrong, they’ll get hurt, sort them out do your job!

Number one I should have been focusing on my practice, my own eyes in the mirror, the eyes of my best teacher. Number two I should have trusted that my teacher knew best & they were doing they job 100%. They were probably putting out a more serious fire on the opposite side of the room. Even more so they were allowing the students to discover for themselves what the yoga is all about rather than being constantly nagged or have everything handed to them on a plate.

I’m happy to acknowledge these judgements I gave & realise I wasn’t seeing the other side of the reflection back then. It also shows how much I have been healed from my yoga practice & spiritual journey.

About a year ago I taught a class that had four fellow teachers in the room. At one point every single one was on their knees. Before I would have thought ‘they’re not leading a very good example, aren’t they bulletproof yoga gods?’ Now I think ‘good rest up, you’re in the room you are healing.’ Just like any other student in the room how do I know my colleague isn’t going through some immense trauma, having a bad day or recovering from an illness? They’ve probably been in the hot room for three hours already this class makes it four & a half. That’s a lot of sweating & energy. Aren’t they are allowed to be whacked?!

Every teacher is an individual. Yes we teach the same structured class but we all bring our own flare to it. How we hold & create the space in the room is different too. One teacher might be super comfortable constantly walking around the room giving corrections up close. Others may hold the space stronger by calling a name from the front of the room so everyone can hear & be part of that correction. How one teacher conducts their class is unique & special to them. They use their strengths to bring out the best in the students. If I start mimicking another teachers style because a few students have commented how much they like the way that teacher teaches it’s not authentic to me. I’ll give it a go but chances are it may turn into one hot mess. My class is constantly evolving & changing I’m so open to this. These changes need to come from within me first for it to flow, not from feeling pressured from external sources. How boring if every teacher taught the same way?

It does take a lot of energy to teach a class. What ever is going on in my life I have to leave it behind so I can be fully present for my students. I have methods I use to protect myself from getting too drained. However it is hard to switch off. Just like the post below says just because the class has finished doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about it. Especially if a student had a question I didn’t know the answer for, an injury or illness that needs some more research to help me understand fully. We are all students & are constantly learning from each other. I find it hard to just walk away when I lock the studio door.

Students pop into my head at random times. I’m blessed to have an amazing support network of fellow teachers with whom I can check in with when I’m unsure. I look into alternative therapies that will compliment the yoga practice if I feel a challenge needs some extra attention. I love going the extra mile for students I feel it is part of my job as a teacher.

My problem with this is when I get too involved I forget to step back into my own room. I always say yoga is not just a 90-minute exercise class. It is a method of healing. As a healer as well I have great interest in this side of things. However I compromise my own healing if I don’t disconnect. Recently this has been more apparent. The warning signs started to show. Feeling tired, unfocused, starting to think of students during my own practice. That is my time for my self-nurturing. Yes I’m happy to do the extra work but I need to set scheduled times for it. When I step back into my room then it’s my time, I shut the door & be in my space. That way I can best serve all involved. Please don’t get offended if you see me at the studio when I’m not teaching & I scurry away not wanting to chat, I’m just taking a little me time.

I hope this has helped shine a light on the other side of the fence.

Love K xx

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The Big Clear out has begun

October 24, 2013 By Kat

Monday this week saw Mercury go into Retrograde. It will stay this way till 10^th November. What does that mean for us? It can be a mix up period where we receive strong messages on what is good for us in our life. Retrogrades are all about clear communication. They assist us to speak out our truth & get things clear. It’s a great period & nothing to be afraid of.

The weeks leading up to retro I found I was clearing out my physically space without even realising it. What started as a quick vacuum in my healing room turned into a major overhaul. There was so much rubbish lurking in my drawers. Things I was holding on too ‘just in case.’ I filled bags with stuff that really didn’t need to be there. I created so much space I actually ended up moving a whole three-drawer unit out to another room.

The rest of the house got a good going over too. Couches we’d been given that had been sat in the shed for weeks finally made their way inside. Furniture was rearranged into different spots that gave the space a whole new feel.

Three weeks before the Mercury Retrograde is the time our theme for this period comes to light. It’s like setting an intention, what needs to be worked on. We’re asked to take note of recurring themes or situation in this time. If similar issues are presenting to you over & over this will form the basis of our Retro theme. For me it is very clear I need to learn to let go.

I’ve mentioned this before in other posts. I need to clear out old energy and not be holding onto things that no longer serve. I’ve worked on this lesson before. I will keep working on it till I close the loop for good. Letting situations wash through me & not holding onto that energy, old and new.

When something comes up & it bugs me I need to deal straight away. Acknowledge why it has caused a reaction in me, see it from the other side of the mirror & then take action. Understanding from both sides of the coin is very important. If a person is involved standing in their shoes for a while assists in bringing clarity. If I need to speak up & say I disagree with the situation, as it is not in my best interest then I will. In some cases it’s just my head taking over & once I listen to my heart for guidance I can understand fully why it was presented.

Most importantly I shall not hold on. I will let things wash through me like water in a stream. That way I stay focused on the present moment & above all clear of dense energy. Children are so good at this. We can learn a lot from them. Every day is so new & exciting, what happened yesterday has gone, they move on.

Here in the Southern Hemisphere it’s spring. What a great time to get things started. Planting our seeds for the next six months or so. This period is amazing for making plans and getting the ball rolling. Living too our best every day. Why wait? What we start now we will see come into bloom in a few months time.

Don’t get too hung up on details though. The universe has a great way of delivering what is good for us in a way we might not recognise at first. An Angel Tarot card springs to mind here, The Five of Water. Three cups are spilled over in the image but two are full. Crying over spilt milk. Focusing on the spilt cups, the negative, means you may miss the two full cups that are right there too, full of opportunity.

The energy this week is fast. Things are moving & changing rapidly. This is a great test for those ‘A Types’ that love to be in control, as they will be tested. It’s time to flow & go with it. During this period details are not set in stone. It’s a great time to experiment with an idea without being locked in tight. Be prepared for chops & changes…

Have you got a theme for Mercury Retrograde? Think back to 1^st October & what was occurring for you. I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below.

Love K xx

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Gratitude to an amazing man

October 17, 2013 By Kat

It’s not often I get all smooshy and sentimental but today I am. Living on the other side of the world to my entire family & the close knit friends I grew up with it is days like this I like to give gratitude to those physically close to me. Today I give thanks to my partner.

He is the main reason why I decided to stay in Australia & leave my loved one’s behind in the UK. I’m not a huge believer in Soul Mates or Twin Flames. I feel that relationship is ‘within’ us already. We need to be our own Soul Mate first and then we can fully welcome another into our energy field. Maybe I’m just saying that because I’m a ‘smug married’ as Bridget Jones would say. We’re actually not the married part, as I’m super comfortable being a de facto. Also I feel if you do meet that one person who completes your jigsaw you never question ‘are they my Soul Mate’ as you just know, no need to question.

Today we are celebrating my partner’s birthday. He’s taken the day off so we can spend time together & he can do what he loves to do, dig in his garden surrounded by his feather kids. (The chooks)

Looking back over the seven years together we’ve been through a lot. Like all relationships there are ups and down’s. Lot’s of happy times & travel adventures have been had. He’s been super supportive of my life choices, which I’m truly grateful for.

He didn’t mind the times I disappeared for a month at a time for work or overseas to visit my family. Then I left for the States for ten weeks to qualify as a yoga teacher. That lead me to working random hours & sometimes we used to go a few days without actually seeing each other to talk too. It’s the way we roll & it works. Giving each other the space to follow our passions.

Now in my new venture he’s just as supportive. From day one he was a willing volunteer for my healing practice. I do feel bad as he now misses out on sessions to make room for my other clients. This is something that needs to be changed. Today he will receive his much over due session.

There is always a worry that when one partner discovers their ‘spiritual journey’ they may no longer be aligned with those around them. From experience I have lost friends through this process. It does happen & it is normal. I have been careful not to force or push too hard my new way of thinking on my partner. It’s awesome he’s happily followed along on his own accord. Just being in someones presence can be influential. He’s taken an interest in crystals, had his spirit guide drawn & received a past life healing. Reading up on metaphysics and meditation is now a new area he’s venturing into.

My gift to him this year is very different from previous years. I have given him a hand made Reiki infused Mala bracelet of Agate, Onyx & Amber. I also had my Mentor record him his very own Personal Journey MP3. These gifts reflect how much we have grown together & have respect for each other’s lives. I appreciate the love & support he has given me. Happy birthday gorgeous.

Love K xx

The Power of Manifesting – Part One

October 8, 2013 By Kat

If you’ve read any sort of metaphysical text you will have come across the word ‘manifest.’ Manifest means to ‘reveal’ or ‘to be evidence of.’ Manifesting is a way of making things happen in the physical world by holding the intention of it becoming real from within i.e. in the invisible world. Our physical worlds are the creation of pulling our ‘inner’ thoughts through to make them reality.

Originally this post was going in a different direction with an already structured layout. However the universe had different plans. It’s a big subject to cover & I feel two shorter pieces will be more appropriate now.

This past year I have really started to understand the power of manifesting. One of my favourite ‘manifesting tools’ is one I learned from Doreen Virtues book ‘The Lightworkers Way.’ Doreen firmly believes “nothing is truly lost under the eye’s of God*” (*Insert who ever you wish here, I use the Universe.) Once I started using this mantra & truly believing in it the magic started to happen.

That magic is happening right now, literally five minutes ago something amazing happened. When I thought I’d share this mantra a few examples came to mind. I grabbed an old notebook to look up some references I knew I’d written down & to my amazement an oracle card I was gifted fell out. I thought I’d lost this card to the point I thought I’d thrown it away in an old envelope. Yes there was rummaging through rubbish bags to no avail. I so strongly believed in Doreen’s mantra that nothing is truly lost I was a little sad when the card didn’t turn up in the bin bags.

I still held the intention strongly the card was not lost. It would turn up & be returned to me when it was ready. Three months later here it is again & it has been in arms reach on my bookcase all this time! It’s actually the card I wrote about it this post here. I feel I was so attached & had handed over all my power to it I was strangling it’s energy. Therefore it could not serve me properly until I let it go. Now I’ve detached my power & responsibility has been handed back to me. The card is back to assist me.

Magical real life examples happening as I write, love it.

Another example was when my partner lost his crystal pendant one evening in the garden. I’ve mentioned before we live on a farm so our ‘back garden’ isn’t the average size. He was gutted. There was such a vast space to cover to try to find the crystal it was literally a needle in a haystack situation.

I told him the mantra above. I think he was a little skeptical but went with it. Three days later when he was out mowing the grass he kicked something with his toe. It was his pendant, it had been returned to him.

If something does leave you for a while don’t think of your treasure as ‘lost’ keep the vision in your minds eye you still have it close by. See yourself with it, holding it & cherishing it. Then by setting the intention firmly in your mind that you will be reunited simply trust that you will be. What you put out to the universe you will receive back.

Welcome to the world of manifesting.

Sadly it won’t help you win the lotto. Manifesting doesn’t work if it is ego based or not for you higher good. Often our intentions are manifested in ways we may not realise at first, as we are too focused on a specific outcome.

I will say though from my experience the more you trust and work with the universal energy the quicker things do manifest. They are not always good or positive either if you’re not careful. This is powerful stuff, which leads me nicely into part two of this post coming next Tuesday… ‘Manifesting from a negative place.’

Love K xx

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