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To practise with Equanimity

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View Video via Instagram: @elizabethch33k Viparita Chakrasana TicTocs (walkover) This may look fairly easy, but the mind hurdles I had to go through to get to this point was quite a struggle! This is one of the most challenging things I’ve learned to do, for I had no problem throwing myself forward, but to come back over seemed nearly impossible at the beginning. It is like literally jumping into the unknown. Not knowing where my legs are from the ground or if my arms would have enough strength to prevent me from falling.... I could barely lift both feet off the ground more than an inch, and so after the initial excitement wore off, what then followed was a whirlwind of emotions ranging from fear, doubt, frustration, anger, impatience, pain and exhaustion.... I spent weeks expending all my energy...because for some reason, I just HAD to get it.  “You need time”, Acharya would often say. And I would think...I don’t have time for patience! I wanted it now..
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Importance of asanas and pranayama in gaining emotional balance

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My personal experience. When practicing yoga, the matt becomes a mirror. Reflecting yourself as who you are in that moment. Showing how every day is different, every time you step on the mat your body and mind is in a different state constantly changes with all the influences of what is fed into the body and mind continuously, moment to moment, day by day. Intensively practising at Atmavikasa, and it seems that there is no where to hide, no distractions or ways to avoid seeing yourself everyday. The days are structured, the diet is clean, mind fed with yoga philosophy and the practise under the strict attention of Acharya Venkatesh. Yoga has helped me in discovering my strengths and weakenesses both physically and mentally. Most of the time its the discomforting parts of myself that pinches the ego and makes me recoil. But learning to move through various pains on the mat, has helped me a lot in moving through the uncomfortable situations in life. When Archarya tal
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Backbending Fusion Intensive

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"Love is a skill- perhaps the toughest and hence, also the most beautiful. Just like your back bending practice, it takes you first through excitement, then pain, then through a lot of fear.... But, if you manage to remain consistent despite all that pain and exhaustion, it will bring immense strength, confidence and contentment to the heart.... All great things are difficult.." -Yogacharya Venkatesha I am a backbend enthusiast and gifted with a naturally flexible spine...so when this backbend fusion course came up, I knew I would be in my element. So much excitement to begin with, so eager to bend..that with even this I had very quickly learned was a disturbance to my practise. Excitement loses the focus, and loss of focus causes loss of stability. Suddenly I am reminded that backbending is a serious practise, and what Acharya teaches in this course is a series of backbending techniques aimed to increase flexibility in the body, proper alignments and strengthen
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Barefoot Walking

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The Benefits of Walking Barefoot During this yoga therapist training, we are encouraged to walk at least 30 minutes to everyday, barefoot. This doesn't trouble me at all, for as soon as I am in a place of warmer climate, my feet love to be in contact with the earth and until recently, I had no idea just how many benefits there are.  Living in a colder climate with mainly concrete paths has made the majority of my past year been with wearing shoes and this is the case for many people. Shoes are great for protecting feet against harsh climates and terrains, plus they certainly finish off any outfit. I'm not going to put them down on their practicality for they are certainly useful, however the idea of walking barefoot has become far less and our connection to nature decreases with this modern living, shoe-promoting culture. Walking everyday barefoot for 30 minutes will help strengthen the ankles, feet and toes again, resulting in better posture, balance and stabili
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SunGazing

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SUNGAZING Sun gazing is a practise in which you stare directly at the sun at certain lengths and times of the day. This method if practised regularly, is said to bring physical, mental and spiritual healing into ones life. All I knew up until now is that the sun makes me feel great and provides vitamin D. Little did I know how the sun literally shines light on so many benefits for the human body, health and mind. After all, it is the ultimate source of all energy and without this gigantic burning ball in the sky, all life would cease to exist.  First of all I'd like to say that I am born and bred in England, probably one of the coldest, greyest and wetted places on this earth. I had spent the majority of this previous summer wearing a rain jacket and a woolly hat. So when the sun shines through this heavy blanket of cloud, I am extremely grateful for its presence! I turn my face up towards the sun, feeling its embrace and warmth as it soaks into my skin, the gold lig
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You Are What You Eat Banana's ...and their benefits! I have currently just started my yoga therapist training at Atmavikasa in Mysore, India...and they are absolutely bananas about bananas!! At first I thought that perhaps it was just because India is abundant with fresh, ripe fruit and bananas are the simple staple for any diet and a great fruit carb for keeping up the energy for practising yoga.  Later I learned they are more than just a simple healthy snack, not just by research but by my own experience. It is recommended for us to eat 4 big bananas (or 10 small bananas) after our morning practise, before we eat anything else. And why stop there? Eat bananas all day if you want to! In fact, just only eat bananas, dream about bananas, and perhaps one day you might just look like one. And that is certainly not a bad thing, for here are just a few health benefits I have researched: Firstly, these brightly coloured, sunshine nourished fruits are packed wi
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