Yoga

I only had one day after Japan to repack for Byron Bay and off I went for my yoga teacher course. Something that I wanted to do for a long time. I have been toying with yoga on and off since forever. Sometimes coming to classes with my mom, joining a few at the local gym that I went to, running away if the teacher was too hippie. I even discovered yoga with Adrienne where a lot of people start. And then upon moving to Prague, I needed something to complement my running, I finally started a “regular” ashtanga practice once a week with my friend Viky and I was hooked. I loved how all of my muscles hurt the next day and I loved how much more challenging than running it was. Apart from learning Italian, running, wining and dining with my good friends and going back to nature on the weekends, this was my short four months in Prague. So when I moved to Nobby’s Beach, I was delighted to find out a yoga studio that I could literally see from my terrace and it was fantastic too! Overlooking the sea with a great instructor and from three times a week, it was suddenly five times a week and I couldn’t shut up about it either. So naturally I wanted to take it to another level and I spent a lot of time researching the best options and finally settled on Byron Yoga and I can sincerely say no regrets! It was fantastic. 

Straight away upon arrival I was put in a room with two girls my age that lived on the Gold Coast Laura and Yuna, instantly I made two new friends. It was like the old times when I used to go to Summer Camps or had slumber parties with my girlfriends. These moments are generally too rare in adulthood and I think we had a great time. The schedule was busy, having only two weeks. We started our day at 6AM with asana practice, had a wonderful sattvic breakfast most of the time eaten outside in the sun, followed by two more philosophy/health/theory classes. Lunch was mostly a social gathering, but sometimes a lot of studying, two more classes after that. Well deserved dinner and a last class of the day. That usually would be the most interesting one, singing, chanting, meditating or ancient yoga philosophy. Sometimes we managed to squeeze in a swim at the pool, some reading, acro or partner yoga, once we even went dancing to town. Although saying that, I was ready to leave as I was missing Lukas and maybe coffee too. Yoga every day, immersing myself in the practice and philosophy and eating nothing but sattvic diet for all this time must have worked wonders because we literally had  seven days together with Luky and we’ve made a baby. I didn’t think that that was the case, that’s why I was so surprised a few weeks later in Czech Republic and maybe regretting all of those gin and tonics with my good friends that I haven’t seen for such a long time. 

I have said this before and I will keep saying it, I freaking love yoga! Not just the asana practice of course but the way of life. The fact that I have learned how to breathe into my belly properly. That I have learned to turn off and only concentrate of one thing at once, maybe finding a little bit of patience in my life too. The fact that I can spread my toes, something that’s impossible for a lot of people. Of course the fact that I can now get into splits is unbelievable. It’s just so great in every way, I really do recommend it to every one. Chances are that you didn’t like the class you went to, but not every yoga is the same. From yin yoga to literally a yoga boot camp, neither of those two being my cup of tea. Teachers that make you feel like you want to run out of the class exist too unfortunately. Whatever sport you do adding yoga on top of that will only make it better. Sometimes when chanting together with a group of people and unifying our voices in a chant of om can really feel amazing. Saying that, there are still experiences that are too wild for me, like the Full Moon Dance for women, which I had to leave after about 20 minutes because I just couldn’t shout, yell, dance and pound sticks into the ground without feeling silly. I have started teaching right after my course and I have been enjoying it since. It’s funny to think that I became a yoga teacher when I became pregnant. I still feel lot more like a student of course and I still go and practice whenever I can. I have started teaching in my home town, which was fun.

One morning I was sleeping in Prague at Dominika’s and I was feeling nauseous and for the first time I thought: I think I might be pregnant. As it happens Dominika had a test and it was positive. Funny enough, the first thing I did after finding out, I went to a backbend and handstand workshop for half a day. The whole time I kept thinking omgomgomgomgomgomgomg, I probably shouldn’t be backbending, or should I? Next five tests, all positive. Some showed me a really happy cross, some just two lines. I think I tried every brand on the market. I still kept running and hand standing like nothing happened. When I arrived back on the Gold Coast, I was so lucky to get a class in that beautiful studio overlooking the sea, my studio where I have learned to practice I now got to teach. Ultimate happiness. I also joined my friend Lisa and started a mums and bubs yoga class, which is a whole different challenge. Sometimes I really feel like I have no idea what I am doing, but other times I have such a fantastic class after which people come and talk to me and tell me how great the class was and I feel so elevated. Even now at six months pregnant I still enjoy practicing every day and teaching whenever I can. Anyway, yoga is here to stay. That’s for sure. I am already looking forward to learning so much more, going to more workshops, learning more about philosophy and especially I really cannot wait to go back into “full” practice where there’s no belly to restrain me. However I cannot stress this enough, yoga while pregnant is what’s keeping me sane. Ten days in New Zealand without yoga and I had horrible pains in my back and my ribcage, two days back into the practice and it never came back. And when reading the boring pregnancy books and listening to other women, I literally have no problems and an ideal weight gain. And I would like to think that’s mostly due to yoga.