Spring 2014-What is Yoga? Why do I practice yoga or wish to practice?, Where does it come from, Why is there so many yoga Style and methods? Is it a momentary fashion activity? Is it fitness, Is it a religion, what are we talking about when we say I DO YOGA? So many questions my students, my family, friends, relatives and stranger asked me and so many misunderstanding and confusion related to the meaning of Yoga.
Let's think about this whole telling story!
At 33, I finally decided to write a definition of Yoga and create through my writing and my telling an education board and readings reference for anyone who want to join in their own Nangpa Yatra Yoga. For this purpose, I will also share some quotations from teachers, masters, and so on, which are still inspiring me.
I started my journey in Yoga, at my very first breath, when i was born. I want to tell you about my inward journey in Yoga. It was like a big revolution inside me, while i was coming from a country where the revolution had concretely occurred. I realized that we have all at some point a re-evolution to honor and experience.
I grew up in a French Country, where I did my education in a Catholic school. Religion for me was not really clear, I was not catholic. I was coming from the Zoroastriansculture, a very ancient Persian Spiritual Philosophy which ideas influenced Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But what I only remember from my catholic study time, were those beautiful mosaics, from where the sun came out, spreading its warm reflection on my face. At 11 years old,Jesus seams really a friendly guy, and I still believe it. When I got 20, my cousin gave me the book RUMI, as known as Jalal Al-Din Mohammad RUMI. The book was a bunch of Persian poems written in English, stories about Love...kind of mystic Love...This book stays in my library for 7 years, till I get mature enough to get back to it. My attention finally step in the famous Tibetan book Known as “the Book of living and Dying” from Sogyal Rinpoche, I was 23 years old. It takes me, few year to finish it. Frankly who wants to read about death???
I always wanted to learn about the Truth. Why we are here, what’s the point of all this. Why some of us stay alive and others even young ones have to die? So many why(s)! In 2009, I lost one of my best girl friend, she died from a cancer at 32 years old. Then in 2012, my childhood best friend, lost her mum in a car accident. (May they all be in peace and in light). She recently lost also her dad from a kidney cancer. (May he be surrounded by Love).
So suddenly life could end! Like that. What is all this about?
Later, after completing a bachelor in Psychology in 2004, I jumped in an Art-therapy program, much more exciting and very practical studies which I loved! At that time my secret dream was to be a contemporary dancer. At 24 it was still possible? Need to be more flexible, right?
So it’s how I met my teacher David Flewelling in a dance internship. He was a professional Dancer graduated from BC. He was also my dear first Yoga teacher, and my first inspiration. I was literally in Love for Dance. At that moment, I was seeing Dance like an inward pilgrimage, like my Sundays to the church. I was devoted to it. My Yoga journey started when I decided to follow my teacher classes. After letting go my career as a Mental Health Consultant, I devoted my self to Yoga, by completing 200h training with my teacher’s teacher Hart Lazer. A beautiful inspiration came out from this connexion and from all the continuing education I did with Hart. I was not expecting that, be a Yoga teacher, I was only 29 years old. I wanted to be a dancer!! What do I know about inverted poses and Pranayama, and all those crazy acrobatics postures that we see in Indian Yoga Books? But was it really the point to be a Teacher. I assure you not. Like Hart, used to say: “Why are you here? Why did you wake up at 4.30am or something to be sitting here at 6am to follow this class!?”What are you expecting from yoga and from this practice?
Yoga is a Journey, starting from your very first breath, your very first light, laugh, joy, and movement expression, very first excitement in contact with nature, the very first radiation of Love. It’s also the very last breath, very last moment, of the so called illusionary end of life. I’m honored to feel the grace of teaching, at each single OM I sing, “I” is not there anymore, but We are...and it feels so great to “be One with”!
