American food court and sattvic food...

Landed in Atlanta and I am on the hunt for food! I have to admit that my vegan plan worked not out in the plane. But as I am or was still in transit it does not count, does it?

So check out the Atlanta food court the official last temptation before the pure Ashram food :). And what do I eat hummus and fruit salad.....

Bye snow, hello travelling!

Despite the cold weather we started in time, even they had to defrost the plane. I love the logistics at the airport and that everything is running so smoothly. Basically you simply have to wait and move and move and wait and you arrive after a couple of hours  in a whole other world.

Ice, snow and -5 C and I am wearing Birkenstock

I won't wear winter shoes to  the airport! NO I won't and I did not change my opinion after I saw the snow in front of my door at 05:30 a.m. in the morning.

After all it is only little over 10 minutes walk to the train station, than a 30 minutes train ride and I will be at the airport lets see how it works out.

Arrived with warm AND dry feet. I think will wear this new outfit more often. And maybe I will even manage to set a new trend :)

These pics proof why a dog cannot go to the Ashram

She even can't do a proper Savasana. So I brought her to the dog Hotel today. Bye bye Luna! Enjoy your vacation :-)

Sneak preview. Check out my exclusive single room.

Let me introduce my luxury single room. No there is neither bathroom nor the toilet included but I have my own walls, as long as no wind takes my tent away. Tested it at home, so everything should work.

Mission accomplished :-). Bags are packed but WHY did I pack my mat?

So my bags are packed. But I made a mistake and packed my mat. Now I have to practice two days on another one. I just realized that I am very attached to my mat.

Should a Yogi be attached on the Yoga mat? I guess not...

How to find your shoes in 100 pairs?

During my last Ashram visit I spend a lot of time to find my shoes again. Even when your shoes are unique to you it is hard to spot them in a sea of sandals and flip flops. So I decided to wear "German" Birkenstock, even they are black the sole is pink. Lets see if my plan works out.

What else? Of course books.....

I think I will bring 4 kg of books. So I am happy that my bathing cloths are light. Hopefully I will need them as well.

What to bring to the Ashram? Packing has begun...

Basically it comes down to Yoga cloths, Yoga cloths, Yoga cloths and did I mention Yoga cloth? But there is a huge difference between Yoga cloths...

Becoming a Yoga teacher really messed up my life. This is my resume after one year.

Becoming a Yoga teacher really messed up my life. This is my resume after one year. I wanted a change, I got a makeover instead. Was this what I wanted?

And it comes down to this:

1. There are no weekends anymore.
2. 90 % of the supermarket shelves have become empty.
3. No clothes fit anymore.
4. I work more than 65 hours a week.
5. I don't wear shoes.
6. I am official over wired.

You might wonder if there is still life and yes there is.

1.
Since the Ashram my inner clock is working like a Swiss made one but without a day timer for Saturdays and Sundays. Who had that idea? Every morning I get up at the same time and if I don't, my body starts to stretch in bed and drags me on my math. Sometimes I don't know how I came there. So no late nights and no long sleeps. And please don't talk to me before my sun salutations :).

2.
Where has all the food gone? All of a sudden I stopped counting calories but instead I became very aware of what I ate  and the impact that the food on my body had, not only physically but mentally as well. When you see the food as what really is neither a sorrow killer nor a legal drug nor a supplement for life but a nourishment for your body, then you become aware of the ingredients and most of the food vanishes from your plate. And a whole new world opens. There are so many great things to eat out there so that the sift to vegetarian and now even vegan is an exiting every day journey. Ever tried a green smoothie? And yes you still can go to Starbucks they have a vegan chai tea with soy milk, and there a even vegan hot dogs and  burgers out there. The only obstacle left with that, is the energy level you get from that. The only thing missing to my happiness is a vegan chocolate cake so please share a recipe. 

3.
Losing weight without sweating is possible. Yoga balanced my weight beautifully with all the Asanas for the glands and the inner organs and the best thing is my muscles do not ache as with the gym before. So all my clothes are to big now and there was and still is a lot of shopping going on. But who does not love shopping.

4.
Remember as a child you had this huge energy when you played or had your own little project. I discovered that energy source again. So I still have my "normal job" but also my yoga studio and now a fusion with an artist for an yoga and art project named yogarten. And the funny thing is I have more energy than before. There is this fire in me to share Yoga that helps me keep going and also that inner stillness that keeps me grounded.

5.
When you walked barefoot over 4 weeks you never want to wear shoes again. And guess what I don't. I have a great variety of woollen socks now that I am wearing in the office. I just have shoes for the street and when guests come. I am now the official alien at work but with the happiest feet ever.

6.
When you smile and sing in public without any reason then there is something wrong with you. Yoga gives me a happy feeling and even when I am down I am happy in a way. When you don't admit that life sucks then you are strange. Peers and co works even asked if I changed or took any medication :).

Would I do it again? No, I would have done it even sooner :)
Honestly becoming a Yoga teacher is the best thing that could have happened to me. The students that are coming to the classes are the nicest people and teaching does not feel one second as work. My new found passion fuels me everyday.

So lets go for Advanced Yoga Teacher Training and lets see if my life can be turned around one degree more. I invite you to join me on my journey. And as long as you are sending good vibes for an Internet connection in the Ashram there shall be a regular blog...

Time to say goodbye

Leaving the Ashram feels like leaving home! It was such an amazing time learning all about Yoga with the most amazing and friendly people from all over the world. And there was a lot of hugging going on. But thanks to the new media we can stay in touch and watch each others progress.

Sometimes I think I could have just stayed in the Ashram forever. But it is not the time, it is time to go out and spread the joy and happiness Yoga brings every day to my life with my students.

Diploma time!

Without knowing the outcome of our exams, we put on the uniforms and go to Sat Sang as usual. Excitement, pleasure and a little bit of sadness is in the air. The last Sat Sang as the TTC group....

We chanted as usual the daily chant and than every teacher chanted his or hers favourite chant, what a treat! And than the moment has come. They called every student and handed out the diploma. I did it, I passed with a very good! Many exams I passed before but this is the most important and special one for me!

Let the feast begin

The last dinner was the best dinner! We had the special Kerala dish which is normally only served after the Monsoon time. The food is served on a banana leaf and consists of different curries, chutneys and sweets. All tastes are included sweet, sour, spicy and bitter. This evening nobody was quite during dinner and we all cheered and chattered happily without knowing the outcome of the exams! That's what I call living in the moment.....

The day of the written exam

Today we got up as usual and our sat sang and morning meditation as usual. At 08:00 o' clock the exam started. The good new was that we had breakfast!! So three meals a day, first time this happend in the Ashram :-).

So we check in with our TTC Roll number of course and started writing our exam on the floor for 3,5 hours :-). After the exam I realised that this exam is just the beginning, I learned so much during this 4 weeks and I want to learn more. Yoga will be a lifelong study in theory and in practise and I am looking forward for it. I am more than happy to share my knowledge with everyone who is interested.

The outcome of the exam should be told in the evening. So we spend the day waiting or practising our patience...

Study Friday, tomorrow 3,5h written exams

This Friday, and sadly the last Friday,  was dedicated to the brain! As the exam is tomorrow I started studying directly at 0800 h in the morning after sat sang. First I went to the lake, then to temple. There were basically only food interruptions. My friend and studying colleague Stuti joined me after breakfast and we studied sperately but together.

As we were allowed to leave the Ashram we decided to have our Tea Break out side at our favourite Tea Bar. At 1000 pm in the evening we called it a day and let our brain rest with sleeping. So tomorrow is the day!

We Yogis know how to party

On the last official study day the Ashram organised a traditional band directly after Sat Sang. See what happens....And we danced

Meet Janaki

During the first week we where told that we could choose our own Mantra and get an Initiation. The Man(to think) tra (free or protect) is used in meditation and for protection. The mantra is chosen either for a special purpose or because the sound appeals to you. As I found my self singing the Mantra Om Namo Narayanaya I decided that the mantra found me without knowing the meaning... Later I found out that it is the Mantra for inner and outer peace and also for world peace. Works for me!

Everybody can use a Mantra without being initiated. The Initiation is a ceremony  which strengthen the relationship to the Mantra.

So this morning we were asked to go at 6 o'clock in the temple with our offerings. I had a beautiful banana leave with two oranges and two bananas and some flowers. Swamije made the initiation for each Mantra. As I was the only person with this Mantra I had a private Initiation. We sang it together and later he put Ash, Sandalwood paste and Kumkum on my forehead. There are no words to describe the ceremony it was the most special moment!

After the Initiation we received our spiritual names. Mine is Janaki meaning tenderness, compassionate mother. I love it!

Kids Yoga

At the time where we usually practise our own Asanas we were told to get instructions for the Kids Yoga class. We got instructions all right and guess what happened? As we got pregnant for the pregnancy class we became kids, divided in 20 people we did all the Asanas but in a totally different way. Our teacher gave the instructions as we were kids!!!

Imagine 200 people laughing and doing Asanas as children. So we repeated in the sitting forward stretch, I am sandwich with peanut butter, in the butterfly we said we are beautiful butterflies flying to the sky, the plough was used to play piano, the leg raises to drive an air bicycle. And for the sun salutation he had the most beautiful story which connect all the postures. We had soooooo much fun. I never laughed so hard during a Yoga class before and enjoyed myself during exercise. And NO there are no pics, but you are all invited to join my first adult child class!

Pregnancy Yoga

How to teach a pregnancy class? Everything you want to teach you must experience first! So let's get pregnant ;-).

We practised every Asana in the pregnancy option. We had a lot of fun and learned how different the body behaves even with only one pillow.

My first students.

Guess which one I got the fourth and longest and I was really excited.
Here is a picture of the group, me as the teacher in Uniform! This is the reason I actually came,  I enjoyed it soooooooo much you cannot imagine. After the class I felt never better in my life!

After Puja party

All dressed up for the Puja! What can you do afterwards? Of course have the Ashram Cocktail. Drinking water. Meet you at the bar...

Puja

Priests came to Ashram in order to have a Puja. The 'Puja' or Worship of the gods consists of a range of ritual offerings and prayers. The Ashram choose the end of the third week for this ritual in order to have a personal purification. So we chanted, prayed and sang a Mantra. After this everybody throw a piece of wood in the fire in order to burn a bad habit for the purification. It was really magical!

We were allowed to dress out self's up, so no Uniforms!!!! Everybody looked so pretty and neat. This was the first time we have seen each other really dressed up. It was like on a prom night we had much fun and all got a little purer.

Teaching has begun!

After practising our own Asanas and have been taught how to teach the postures, it is our turn to start teaching. So we were divided in small groups. We had to teach each other all the 4 basic classes.

Greetings from the class room and the break.

Back in school, except we neither have chairs nor tables  =).

A trip to the jungle

This Friday, which is our free day, we had the opportunity to join a trip to the jungle. We hiked for over one hour through an amazing forest and ended the  journey on a beautiful waterfall. The friendly staff made a bonfire and cooked us tea and lunch. The sun is warm, the air is clear and the smell of the fire is really nice. After the Kriya everyone is happy to relax and we have finally time to talk. And of course everybody went for a swim :-D.

Meditation

Sitting still with a deep, slow breath calms the mind. Meditation is one of the five points of Yoga and as challenging and important as the Asanas!

Second week of TTC is over

So the second week is over. We learned to teach the four Sivanada classes and practised a lot on our own Asanas as well. We also had our chanting classes and philosophy class. Time was used very well.

Next week we will start to teach each other in small groups. I love to teach that's what I came here for. We will learn a lot from each other as everybody is different. So wish me luck!

Also meet our new friend who came with us from the mountains. He leads now a spiritual live and even joins Samije for the philosophy lectures, hoping for a higher rebirth :-).

Kriyas

I am not able to describe it, so google it. It was an amazing experience! And no there could be no pictures taken imagine 200 people doing it.

Walking is meditation

This morning a great surprise awaited us. We had our silent walk to the temple way up the hill. The view and the walk were breathtaking :-) 

A free Friday

Every Friday we have a free day and are allowed to go on. So some of us gathered together and went to Varkala. A beautiful and sacred beach. Wonderful!

Daily routine

Our daily programme is now a routine and the first week is over

05h20 Bell
06h00 Satsang
07h30 Tea
08h00 Asana teaching class
10h00 Brunch
11h00 Karma Yoga cleaning
11h45 Homework collecting
12h00 Chanting lessons
13h30 Tea
14h00 Philosophy and theorie lessons
16h00 Asanas for us
18h00 Dinner
20h00 Satsang
22h30 lights out

And to be honest I love it. You might say that there is no time but there is. There is always time for homework, a chat with the other students. The attitude is fantastic there is no tension despite of the 208 people who are attending the TTC.

First full training day

Today which means, the 7th January, was first full teacher training day. We received a lot information about asanas, chanting and philosophy behind Yoga. And of course we got homework too =). The day is filled except nearly an hour between dinner and satsang. But during this time you have to do your homework or wash your cloths. I like to have a busy day which is filled with full filling tasks.

We also received our Karma Yoga task.  There were many different tasks, like tea serving, food serving, emptying the bins, helping in the Health Hut or Boutique and of course there is cleaning the dorms. Guess what I got. Dorm cleaning, right!
And guess what will be cleaning for the two days. The bathrooms including shower, toilet and bins.

Aarati and morning satsang

This morning a big surprise awaited us. A priest was in the Ashram to perform a ritual to honour Ganesha. Ganesha is the Elephant god who will take obstacles away. It was really impressive and the air was full of energy so that you could touch it. I think we all in the TTC will need Ganesha during this course sooner or later. At the end of the ritual we received coconut water and some sweet curry, if can call it so.

Induction

Nearly 180 people attending the TTC. Last night were getting the uniforms, today is the first day. I am really happy and excited!

At the Ashram or what I have signed for

The total journey took a little bit more than fourteen hours from Germany to India. The flight was good and I could even sleep a little. As soon as I felt the warm air and smelled it after getting out of the plane I felt at home.
Here are some pics of the journey.

After two times Yoga vacation in India I decided not only to make Yoga part of my life in daily practice but give the joy and positive effects of Yoga to others.

So I signed in to the Yoga Teacher Training.

The Agenda is the following

05h20 wake up bell
06h00 Satsang (Group meditation, chanting, talk)
07h30 Tea Time
08h00 Asana Class
10h00 Vegetarian Meal
11h00 Karma Yoga
12h30 Coaching Class
01h30 Tea Time
02h00 Lecture
03h30 Asana Class
06h00 Vegetarian Meal
08h00 Satsang
10h30 lights out

Luckily there is some free time between the meal and the Satsang so that I can send my blog from time to time. So ten minutes to light out.... Goodnight

My I introduce my room.

First taste of India - Dahl for lunch yummi

The crew in Saris (at least the females :-) ), friendly smiles and Dahl ( Lentil curry) for lunch and an incredible sunset. Life is good. I feel like on vacation already!

At the Airport

Baggage checked in! Now already at the gate, the Ashram is only 14 h away. I am so happy to come again to Kerala, it is truly Gods own country. I simply love the people, the nature and the happy chaos.
The flight will go nonstop to Sri Lanka and from there to Trivandrum.

Sivananda Ashram I am coming.

Things you need

Yogamath
Uniform which will I receive there, I orderd Large, lets see if it fits
Towels
T-Shirts
Long trowsers, 30 degress that will be fun...

The bag for the Yoga Math is a present from my dear friend Jutta. She made it herself. :-) :-) 

And all fits in this back pack 

New Year - New Moon - New Path

Finally 2014 has come. In two days I will be on the plane to India, Trivandrum. There I will visit the Sivananda Ashram and attend the Yoga Teacher Training. I have waited 2 years to do this. And now I have to admit that I am rather scared and excited. But to be in the now I try to enjoy the last ours in Paris, near the Pantheon. This is the view from the Cafe, where I am writing.