Yoga Teacher Training in Brazil/Brasil

Dear Yoga friends,

It is the 20th day of our Yoga Teacher Training Course, here in the lush green mountains of Brazil/Brasil. And everyday is a long day filled with mental and physical yoga techniques. The students are going through a deep transformation at all the levels of their personality. It is a profound experience, living here up on the mountains, meditating and practicing, listening to philosophy and eating a healthy diet. It is a wonderful challenge, to bring a powerful and long lasting change. And it is in process :-)

From left to right: Jeenal, Cindy, Alice, Maria, Karine, Mariana, Damian & Daniel
Sitting: Luciana, Marli and Ana

All the participants have finished with their Yoga lesson plans and presentations. They have also experienced taking a 20 mins yogic relaxation class. Yesterday, Damian was the last but not the least to conduct his class on relaxation techniques. His words flowed like a soothing river, with so much serenity, with many colors and emotions, and everyone felt at ease. When a students find solace and satisfaction in sharing their deep expressions of the very essence of their being, I feel so much at peace and my trust and love in spreading this higher education of life grows even more. I felt gratitude, and I asked him "Do you feel content?"

It is a nice feeling, of peace, of kindness, when we know that we can be of help to someone. When we can make others smile, when we can uplift someones life. And this is YOGA!

Damian concluded the class with a sweet poem on Yoga, which I would like to share here:

Blossoming -

by Janet Arnold-Grych from The Poetry of Yoga Volume 2 (page 41)

In the beginning,

With each unraveling of the mat,

We are anxious to add to our garden,

To gather the beautiful buds,

And coax each asana to open quickly.

Feet in the dirt we stand,

Sometimes for the first time,

Connecting earth to muscle and muscle to sky,

The energy of an immense lineage

Pulsing with promise.

But as the poses settle,

As we settle,

We find that yoga’s true gift is not about more

But less.

The outline of the poses remain the same.

Yet when the space between is fed,

When ease replaces expectation,

When patience replaces petals,

We find that the asanas are no longer

About holding on,

But letting go.

And in that release,

Without judgment or force to impede,

Breath floods in,

Releasing the mind and freeing the heart.

Through yoga,

We find

That core of serene nothingness,

And learn that in letting go,

We gain everything.

What a beautiful poem, indeed! Isn't it?

We wish all our students the very best for their Yoga exam which is coming soon. But life itself is a test, and our best wishes will always remain with them. All our students are so special for us. Thank you so much everyone of you!

Namaste! OM Shanti!
Jeenal