Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand August / September 2015 - Art & Education Issue | Page 39

Health & Wellness
to thrive! I learned many important
lessons over six weeks of the training.

receiving oxygen as my chest, belly,
and lower back expand. This practice
allowed me sleep better and better
each night, after years of insomnia.
THERE WERE HEARTI learned that self-care is crucial for
OPENING LESSONS.
progress. I had neglected my body,
The most important lesson I learned
forgetting that it needs my love and
is that I can relax in the state of
gentleness. I had tolerated my own
tension through breathing. Because
inaction and excuses for not giving
I had recently stopped smoking, the
it unconditional care and attention.
pranayamas were extremely difficult
I was the typical all talk, no action
at the beginning. Though I struggled
character whom no one trusted
with shallow lung capacity, I allowed
anymore, including myself. In some
myself full self-compassion to take
ways, I didn’t believe I would ever get
my time and follow my own breath.
out of the funk of being unhealthy,
Then I became a breathing junkie.
flaunting my apathy towards a
Now I love feeling that my cells are
healthy lifestyle with youthful vanity.
Nonetheless, deep down in my soul,
I knew I needed to make sweeping
changes.
Jivani yoga teacher training gifted
me with some tools to practice
self-care. I started tongue scraping
everyday, and now I can’t go a day
without it. I use a neti pot for nasal
wash every other day to clear out my
sinuses. And I discovered that skin
brushing may be one of the most
exuberating tickles you can give
your body. I started appreciating
my morning routine a lot more,
too. I learned that though I may not
own a physical home, my body is
my home and I must take care of it.
Surpassing my previous concept of
self-respect, this notion taught me
self-responsibility with unconditional
gentleness and compassion.
It took time for me to settle into
the course and let go of the pain of
my broken heart. But once I did, I
was able to focus on what truly
feeds my soul: poetry and
meaningful encounters.
I courageously
em braced the twists
and turns of life and
You are not only
accepted that there
meant to be alive
will be no security
for me for a while. I
but also to thrive!
left to Koh Phangan
with no intention of
returning to Bangkok
but with every intention
to start writing again.
My heart opened to healing
through meaningful conversations,
encouragements, friendships, and
sisterhood—and I started to connect
with myself by returning to poetry.
I learned to stop coaching
and preaching to people and

to start conversing via NonViolent Communication. NVC is a
communication style that comes
from the heart with the intention to
build deeper connection. I learned
that people are hungry to break
free and bond with each other, the
divine; NVC is how we can reach this
level of connection.
I changed my attitude about
food. I have always loved food, but
now I believe in fasting as a form
of meditation. I fasted for six days
during the training, and it was
during these days that I truly let
go of mental weight, heartache,
and burden. Something shifted
inside that made me feel powerful,
capable, focused, and determined.
In the past, I was spiritually
rebellious and reluctant to change.
I had wanted to shine, but I kept
doing things that I didn’t want and
not doing things that I did want
to do. The yoga training helped
me connect to my gut instinct and
take control over my life. After
the course, I ignored the millions
of voices in my head saying that
I should go back to Bangkok and
make Bangkok Lyrical Lunacy
successful, or get a job teaching
kids yoga, or at least have a home
base and get an apartment. Instead,
I tuned into my soul and let life
flow. I decided to take a job on
the island, and I now work at the
Sanctuary Resort Thailand.
I’ve changed the chattering of my
inner critic to a monologue filled with
love and compassion, transforming
a demon voice into a voice of light.
With the guidance, love, and respect
of my peers and teachers, I learned
to inhale with courage and exhale
with complete trust with every
decision. And I know now that if you
embrace the unknown in its totality,
unexpected beauty will assure you
that the only path in life is the path
that you take.
Jivani Yoga taught me to take a
chance on myself, that I’m doing
great, and that I must choose never
to hide the radiance of my inner sun
but to let it shine! I teach meditation
once a week and love every moment
of it. The ocean is my swimming
pool, and the beach is my front yard.
I can’t complain. Things are looking
beautiful. I’m falling in love with life,
my art, and myself every single day.

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