The last 2 weeks I had the chance to enjoy another yoga teacher training in the sacred valley with Kalpana Radhika Yoga. We shared space in a wounderful reatreat center called Yoga Mandala, just 10 minutes by car from Calca, Cousco, Peru. Usually here are all sorts of different programs like cleansing, fasting, meditation and yoga. We had the space for us alone and the bright yoga shalla was filled, day in day out, with our presence.
In a few days from now I am going to leave this place with a stronger physical and mental practice and also confidence that keeps me going on my mystical path of yoga. You might want to know where it actually ends. Well, the path of yoga aims for liberation and absorption into complete oneness. Egh? This sounds probably very mystical to you and normally in the west this comes from a lack of knowlegde in indian history and philosophy. I have to admit that I really do not know everything and I am still in the process of learning. To learn what our true nature is.What I am sure about is that our true nature does not depend on material things like houses, cars, cloths, phones and so on. Honestly those things are nice to have, they allow us to have a comfortable and enjoyable life. But what happens after. We can’t carry those things along. They would even fit in a coffin with our body. Thus those things are temporary, we are not.
From there it goes on and there are different ways to attain this absolute goal socalled „liberation“. For example practice the eight limbs of yoga: Ethical obervation, self observation, physical postures, control ones breath, control ones senses, concentration, meditation and finally complete absorption into oneness (=Samadhi). Then again a contradiction to what I just described, is that yogis shouldn’t be too attached to reach this goal. So what is the point then? Mhm...good question. It’s probably the path itself. Like you would read on some cheesy postcards „THE WAY IS THE GOAL“.
Eventhough the time here was great there are things I have to work on. My yoga teachings are coming along quite solid. But still I have to pay attention on the flow in my sequence and I have to learn articulating all postures without getting a short breath and finally without actually doing them all. By doing so I have more time to focus on my students and for example adjust them in the postures. I am confident. I will get there. My journey is going on. So my next stop will be another reatreat center/ ashram here in the sacred valley called Inbound Yoga School. They run retreats, teacher trainings and have a volunteer program in which I can take part. Hopefully at some point I am able to guide some students and share my practice with them.
Before that happens I still have to pass the exam here in this course and I can’t wait to celebrate our fire ceremony. Talk to you in a bit and keep your head up.
Warmly, your Adrian