Style: Teacher Training
Teachers: Mark Laham, Louise Sattler, Todd Lavictoire
Studio: Greco

Today is my last with my group of yoga teachers-in-training. My trip to Bali unfortunately overlaps the last weekend of the 80-hour teacher training segment. I feel like I've grown with these students and three teachers. I've been influenced by their insights and shared contemplation, their humor and confidence. Goodbyes are always hard. My experience with Mark, Louise and Todd has been amazing. These teachers come from three completely different angles, three totally unique perspectives on yoga, but all three visions come together cohesively and create a superb learning experience. Until our paths cross again I wish those amazing people the best life has to offer. I'm incredibly grateful for the in-depth training I've received. The attention to detail has been exceptional and I couldn't have asked for more. I have no doubt that their training program will only improve over time.

My bitter-sweet last day began with various pranayama techniques. Breathing is said to be the single most important aspect of yoga and that point is reiterated over and over again. We started with Kapalabhati breathing. Also known as skull shining or the breath of fire, Kapalabhati is a technique used specifically for cleansing. This style is deliberately fast and focused on the abdomen. The breath is short, rapid and strong, working to eliminate carbon dioxide gas. Intake of fresh oxygen enriches the blood and renews the body tissues. On top of that, the constant up and down movements of the diaphragm stimulates the stomach, liver and pancreas. The next technique we learned is called Bhastrika breathing, or the bellows breath. Referring to it as "yoga-coffee", Todd explained how this breath wakes up and energizes the body, supersaturating it with oxygen. Caution should be used when experimenting with Bhastrika. Forced breathing can induce relaxation and revitalization, but could induce dizziness, drowsiness and loss of consciousness if practiced improperly or in excess. It's essentially a controlled hyperventilation. After an initial head rush and slight side-stitch, a sparkling clarity arose, focused on my face and head. As I settled into deep breathing with a mantra I felt anchored to the moment. The final technique we worked on is known as Nadi Shodhana or Anulom Vilom. Described as a balancing breath, this technique is the alternate nostril breathing first introduced to me at the Sivananda Ashram. The lingering effects of this practice are serenity, a calm, an entrance to a quiet void. After the breathing patterns I feel myself secure and attached to the present, utterly grounded. Later with Louise we studied the anatomy and dynamics of breathing, providing a western view of the ancient techniques. This perspective complimented and extended her teachings from yesterday when we looked deeper into the human anatomy. We explored in detail the hips, knees, ankles and feet in yoga. I have to admit, anatomy slightly freaks me out. As much as it intrigues me, I find it kind of shocking to see the blatant mechanics of the body. It really is a machine. Studying the way the joints and ligaments function and interact, the way the skeletal structures come together and the precarious placement of the bones, I can't help but realize the intricacy of our bodies. It's fragile yet magnificent, brittle but capable of such astounding physical feats. To wrap things up, we studied different techniques of Thai massage. Working with partners, we practiced making adjustments and alignments. According to Louise, the study of Thai massage is important, if not essential to becoming a quality yoga teacher. It teaches how to touch people, to make posture modifications as safely as possible.

The last day of my training couldn't have come to a better end. Taking our yoga mats out to a nearby park, we practiced Yin outside under the comforting rays of the sun. The ecstasy of outdoor yoga is hard to describe and probably harder to understand by the uninitiated. Today was a stark contrast with the solitude of Friday's sunrise yoga. With tulips in full bloom, a steady stream of pedestrians flowed by as we practiced on the grass. The subtle elements of voyeurism soon disappeared as I was overcome by the simple pleasure of the wind on my skin. I'm ready.

Style: Teacher Training
Teachers: Mark Laham, Louise Sattler, Todd Lavictoire
Studio: Greco

Thoughts create. Like attracts like. That which is like is unto itself drawn. The human brain is a transmitter and a receiver. What you are focused on most of the time is what you draw into your life experience.

What if your mind creates the world around you? Are you aware of your thoughts? Is there any precision to your thinking, or are you firing random thought-forms out in every direction? Are you the master of your mind or are you its slave? What are you paying attention to? What is your focus? Where is your Drishti?

If the contents of your mind determine your external experience, than might there be greater benefits to meditation than initially meets the eye? If your thoughts are physical and they manufacture your life, it might be in your best interest to guide your focus to settle on thought patterns and visualizations that feel good. Thoughts are real, tangible, measurable quantum particles in the air, a frequency you sent out. Without intention we tend to stray with no meaning or direction. With it, all the forces of the Universe can align to make the seemingly impossible, possible. The trick is to know what you want. Most people spend most of their time and energy focusing on what they don't want and don't like. Humans usually get caught up beating the drum of negativity, never using their preferences to narrow down their perfect life experience. With that said, sometimes figuring out what you don't want helps to specify what you do want. It's a fine line of separation with an overlap of borders, but after all, aren't most things in life? The power of belief is real and beliefs will get challenged.

A working definition of intention is to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, to aim. The real challenge is to know what you want. So, what do I want? It's a tough question. If my thoughts and emotions design the world around me, what am I feeling on a regular basis? What are my overriding thoughts? Well, sometimes I feel overwhelmed, uncertain and indecisive. I feel lack, I feel unstable and incapable. I feel fear and I feel powerless. I know what I don't want. I don't want to be a slave to a schedule, to be a faker, to rely on anything or to be dependant on anyone. I don't want to be trapped or stuck in repetition, to ever stop learning. I'm scared of having no freedom. I'm on a perpetual search, although I don't know what I'm looking for or how to prepare.

All is not lost. There is hope. It's been said that in the creation of reality, one positive thought is more powerful than an army of negative thoughts. Thoughts consisting of love and hope move faster, have more agility, spread farther and out-maneuver anything else. Above and beyond the gloom and doom, there exists something else. Overall I feel hopeful, I feel excited and I feel prepared. I feel passionate, adventurous, open and free. I'm happy. I know I want the freedom to be spontaneous, to be real and authentic. I want to provide for myself and to be abundant. I want to travel. I want to learn forever, to embody freedom and to feel joy. And I will. And I do.

My consciousness has drawn my life experience into visible light. I expect the contents of my soul to display themselves in the world around me. I know that I'm waiting for myself in Bali and I can't wait for our reunion.

Style: Teacher Training
Teachers: Mark Laham, Louise Sattler, Todd Lavictoire
Studio: Greco

Gratitude, the most powerful energy in the known Universe? Today's teacher training was all about the energies of forgiveness and gratitude. Class began with Mark leading us through a discourse on the effect of appreciation and how that energy affects our lives. We talked about different philosophical theories, considering for a moment that "God" or "Life" or "Source" or "the Universe" or whatever you want to call it is actually an all-encompassing, impersonal electromagnetic field that responds to the vibration of thought. Our discussions were absolutely intriguing. Through years of curiosity and wondering about the bigger questions life has to offer, my own personal views have lined up more and more with concepts such as these and I found everything easy to relate to. I feel strongly that thoughts create, that you are the creator of your own reality, that a law of attraction exists and so on. Eventually we came to a point in our discussions where we paused to write down things we felt grateful for, elements of our own lives where we felt appreciation. As I centered myself and pressed my pen into my journal, letting the ink seep into the paper, I teleported inside myself. What am I honestly grateful for? I feel unbelievably grateful for a loving family and quality friends who surround me, simultaneously willing to allow and challenge me as I walk my path, seeking whatever it is that I'm after. The relationships in my life are so special, so sacred. I feel gratitude for an evolving awareness, for a deepening understanding of life. I feel appreciation for this gorgeous weather and for this gorgeous planet. I feel gratitude for the freedom of choice, for both physicality and infinity, for nature, for replenishing soil and for the magic of creation. As I picked up speed and got on a roll, I began to realize just how much I have to be grateful for. There is so much love in my life and I feel utterly blessed.

As the afternoon passed by we did more exercises about appreciation, studying and analyzing ways in which we block or diminish gratitude, its effect on our experience and ways in which we could shift our energy, allowing for more positivity. All this work led into our first practice of the day. I should have known Mark had a trick up his sleeve. The idea for this posture work was to hold various poses for extended periods of time. As we held each pose for much longer then usual, sensations would definitely arise, feelings one could label as uncomfortable or, um, painful. The goal was to create and hold on to a feeling of gratitude in these moments, to feel happy and appreciative when things began to feel unbearable. Through one challenging and extended position after another, I felt my body reacting more and more. Time bled away and stretched out in all directions. As the torment spread through my body, I reminded myself that it was nothing more then electrical signals interpreted by my brain. Okay, that didn't work so well... they still felt pretty damn real in the moment. As things got more intense, I turned inward and tried to summon feelings from deep inside. Even though it was hard at the moment and things were getting even more difficult, I locked my mind onto some fleeting fragments of appreciation. I felt thankful that my body was able to meet my demands, that I have the health and vitality to do what I'm doing. I also know that afterwards the benefits of these postures are always apparent. I started to literally thank my muscles for their hard work, thanking the struggle for its gifts, thanking my lungs for drawing in life-giving air. I thanked my connective tissue for softening, I thanked my bones for their stability. I eventually found myself thanking the pain and unbearability I was feeling and I thanked it truthfully from the bottom of my heart. The more grateful I felt, the more power and strength seemed to be given back to me. I felt newfound energy in the poses, an inner support and a confidence that I would indeed make it thorough the process unscathed. I believed in myself. In the end, as the dust settled, we all agreed that it was one of the most challenging practices of our lives, but also one of the most rewarding.

Today's training was slightly shortened because it happens to be Easter Sunday, but we used our time to the fullest. We ended the day studying the energy of forgiveness. After another lengthy and nourishing conversation, we went into a guided meditation which focused on the energy of forgiveness. The technique we used is a healing process from the Hawaiian tradition known as Ho'o Pono Pono. Awakening back into the room twenty minutes later, I felt a lightness that was hard to describe. Heading home to spend the evening with close friends and family, I felt such an intense appreciation for my life. It's simple. I felt happy.

Style: Teacher Training
Teachers: Mark Laham, Louise Sattler, Todd Lavictoire
Studio: Greco

It's been so long. Actually, it's only been two weeks, but the space-time continuum must be shifting because I feel like I've been away from my teacher training for a lot longer. Nevertheless, today I'm back in my element for another 8-hour intensive, the third weekend in the first 80-hour module of Mark, Louise and Todd's training program. As soon as we got settled we plunged right in, studying the 8 limbs of yoga in detail. Not only is the subject matter absolutely fascinating, Todd's teaching style fully consumed my attention and again I felt myself absorbing the information, processing and internalizing it. Next we moved on to the 5 paths of yoga. Jnana yoga is the path of knowledge or wisdom. Essentially it's the use of the mind to transcend the mind. Knowledge in this sense is not necessarily a collection of data, but is more so the study of scripture and information, then synthesizing that into the light of personal experience. Bhakti yoga is the path of devotion or love, referring to emotional connections made in life, to family, friends, a teacher and so on. Karma yoga is the path of selfless service, to serve humanity without attachment or expectation. It literally translates to "union through action". Kriya yoga is the path of technique and it's the main reason we're all at this teacher training. It's the method of preparing the body for meditation by practicing asana, or posture. Essentially it's the physical aspect of yoga, and often here in the west the word "yoga" is usually referring to this path. Finally there is Raja yoga, or Royal yoga. This path is basically a fusion of the previous 4 paths, incorporating them into one cohesive whole.

After a few hours of study and analysis we moved on to the practice itself. Today's focus was on twists. A twisting practice works out the parasympathetic nervous system, helping with digestion, pacifying all the Ayurvedic energies of Kapha, Pitta and Vatta, as well as focusing on the third, second, fifth and sixth chakras. By the end I felt like a wet towel that had been wrung out by a world championship wrestler, and I was more then ready for lunch.

Upon return Louise took over the class and we delved further into the anatomy of the spine. We studied the various intricacies of the spinal cord, learning the effect of different postures on skeletal structure. Next we delved back into the yoga sūtras of Patañjali. We focused on the third and twelfth from book one, drawing a deeper look at the meanings behind the ancient words. We also made some thirty-day commitments. The first was a promise to solidify a daily affirmation. This will be done by choosing a Yin style posture every day and repeating an internal mantra, over and over again for about five undisturbed minutes. I chose the mantra that "all the answers are within me". Resurfacing back into reality afterward, I felt a sense of calm, a sense that my journey doesn't need to take me far and wide because all that I seek is close to home. I don't need to find and outside authority to obtain clarity and understanding. The answers to any questions I have and more that will arise as time goes on can be found within my own being.

Our other thirty-day commitment was to create a list of all the things we had always wanted to do, but never actually got around to doing. Of that list we had to choose one, then do it everyday for thirty days, for fifteen minutes each day. From all the things in my list, I chose to cultivate a daily meditation practice. It's something I've always intended to do, but in the chaos of everyday life I find it surprisingly difficult to stop the world and take some time to quiet my mind and chill. I mean, I do it every now and then, but it's far from a practice that I do very often. Today was the first day. I closed my eyes and traveled inward, focusing on my breathing. As the time passed, my mind did what it usually does - drifts off into some storyline or another and gets tangled up in the thought process. Every time it did, I gently reminded it to return to focus on my breathing. Eventually the most peculiar thing began to happen. I felt something stirring inside me. It started with a lighthearted, happy energy. After that I started to get the sense of an inner space, a growing vastness within myself. Just as soon as it began the fifteen minutes were up and we were all brought back to the room. Saying our goodbyes until we meet again tomorrow, I gathered my things and climbed back into my car. I leave today with a firm resolve to take the time everyday, just a short fifteen minutes, to stop and turn my focus inward. It has been said that meditation is the practice of slowing and directing the mind to a single point or purpose, to slow the momentum of thought and eventually abide in our real nature. I'm into it.

Style: Teacher Training
Teachers: Mark Laham, Louise Sattler, Todd Lavictoire
Studio: Greco

I’m in my car on the highway under the stars, distancing myself from Ottawa as Montreal rises in the eastern horizon. Sipping mint tea, I find my consciousness drifting into reflection as I make my way through the last eight hours in reverse order. The day ended with an open discussion on the sūtras of Patañjali. Different students had different translations of the sūtras with commentary from various perspectives. The author of my copy comes from the Buddhist tradition. There were also translations from a Christian perspective, another author from a Hindu point of view, and so on. As the discussion progressed, we drew comparisons from the different schools of thought. We seemed to gain an even deeper clarity on the ancient writings. By the end of our conversations I felt a growing satisfaction along with a humble realization. When a plethora of uniquely different minds come at any given subject from a variety of angles, the potential for a much greater, more encompassing understanding manifests itself. The more one closes off new perspectives, the more one misses the point altogether.

Our group discussion had begun with a sparkling energy after a long, drawn out day, largely due to the yoga practice that preceded it. The posture-refining sequence was focused solely on balancing poses. We practiced leg balancing, arm balancing, and a host of other grueling asanas. My saving grace throughout was my Drishti, my focused attention or gaze. When the eyes remain locked on a precise target unflinchingly, the mind gains a calm stillness and new-found balance takes over the physical body. Again, today I felt my progress taking leaps and bounds, continuing its fascinating evolution.

Immediately before the posture work was a long, intriguing discussion led by Todd. He presented concepts that were brand new to me, and I felt the information absorbing itself into my psyche. He touched on Freud’s pleasure principal, Viktor Frankl’s will to meaning, Nietzsche’s will to power, and Frawley’s insights on prana. We returned briefly to the Doshas; Pitta, Kapha and Vata. Finally we explored the five Vayus; Apana, Samana, Prana, Udana and Vyana. Before lunch, Todd led us through the first asana sequence of the day, returning to more back-bending, mirroring the work of the previous day. By the end I felt like I was standing taller than I ever have, with a greater range of motion than I’ve ever experienced, and I felt waves of grateful appreciation wash over me, thanking the Universe for the health I’ve been bestowed with.

With my eyes locked on the hypnotic highway as I continue to drive under the moonlight, my mind has time-traveled hour-by-hour through the day, arriving back where it all began. The morning started with Mark handing us papers to fill out. As I received mine, my gaze drifted across the pages. The title read Intention – Attention – Action, followed by the instruction to “think about something I’ve wanted to achieve for a while, possibly a long-term dream or intention.” At first I stared blinkingly, at a loss for words. The initial writers-block held my hand frozen in mid-air, but as my pen hit the paper it seemed to take on a life of its own, scribbling itself nearly illegibly across the pages. I’ve had various long-term dreams and intentions over the course of my life, most having vanished, unfulfilled. There is one that has been around for longer than the rest, one that has remained with me to this day. Its utter simplicity makes it surprisingly difficult to put into words. I want to live a substantial, sustainable, natural and healthy life in perpetual balance with nature and the environment. I want to organize my priorities, living for what matters, for friends, family, happiness. I want to make a difference, to have a significant and meaningful impact on the world. I want to be a revolutionary, a visionary, to awaken my consciousness and help others to wake up.

The next step on the page was to determine a “good story”, i.e. an excuse that I’ve allowed myself to believe for not achieving this intention, to find the limiting belief I’ve clung to. Again my pen automatically and furiously hits the page in a blur. I’ve told myself that society is ignorant, fast-asleep and uninterested in waking up. We’re satisfied and we don’t want to change. People have already made up their minds, locked them and thrown away the keys. People in positions of supreme power manipulate the world and lie to our faces, patiently implementing a never-ending array of population-control brainwashing techniques. We’re too far gone and the damage is irreversible. I pause to take in a breath, then dive back in, allowing myself to get more personal. I don’t have the strength inside me to make a significant difference. My voice will never be heard. I’m utterly powerless and I will never amount to anything. Wow. All this, and I’m only getting started.

The questions continue and I try to keep up with them. Where did this belief come from? How has it limited my life in the past? How will this belief limit me five to ten years into my future? What will I lose as a result? Maybe it came from so-called “evidence” in the world around me, our history, our constant ignorance and inability to love each other, from my parents and my perception of their own inabilities and limitations, from the bloodstained conscience of Mankind. In effect, maybe I’ve been frozen, lacking the ability to leap, locked in place by outside opinion. This belief has kept me following orders, standing obediently in line, compliantly living for others. Perhaps I’ve listened to outside authority at every angle, ignoring my own inner guidance. I’ve been influenced to keep my mouth shut and nod in agreement, and all of this has been self-imposed. Five or ten years down the road I’ll be stuck doing what I’m told, wasting away for a paycheque. Never living authentically, I’ll be a carbon-copy of the “acceptable” human being. I’ll lose my inspiration, my lust for life, my passion, my originality, my own unique nature. In short, I’ll lose my soul. I will fake my way through everything, ending up a mind-controlled liar, a dry, depressed shell of a man. In the end I’ll be a broken conformist like everyone else, and then I’ll die. Again, wow. Where is this coming from?

Next I’m asked why I must absolutely change this belief now. That’s simple. I need to change this belief so I can live a life worth living. Because I care. I want to live every day at my maximum potential. Finally, the last question. How. How can I change this limiting belief? We’re asked to write an all-encompassing statement, an anchor, an over-riding mantra to instill and solidify deep within our consciousness. Great. Now how the hell am I supposed to do that? Nothing is coming to mind. My pen has come to a screeching halt, abandoning me at the very end. I close my eyes, draw in a deep breath and hold it, then feel my hand scribble down one last short sentence. I let out my exhale and slowly open my eyes. I stare back at the words on the page.

I am an ascended master.

What..? What is that supposed to mean? I feel my brow get furrowed as I look back at the paper. Is that egotistical? Tyrannical? Is it madness? Insanity? Am I just another lost kid with a Messiah-complex? I shut my binder and try to forget it happened, and soon after I disappear into the rest of the day’s activities.

Now, reflecting back on it, alone on the highway in the solitary, silent confines of my car, it starts to make more sense to me. I don’t know if it’s a message from my higher self, or just from me in the here and now. Regardless, I’m starting to understand. Maybe I already am everything I’m striving to become. Maybe I can live authentically under any circumstance. I’m already there and now I choose to live it. The Universe will cater to me, unfolding around me with precision and positive energy. I’m untouchable, powerful and infinite. I reside beyond all time and space. I Am.

Style: Teacher Training
Teachers: Mark Laham, Louise Sattler, Todd Lavictoire
Studio: Greco

Where do I begin? The third day of teacher training was so filled with a wealth of information, I could write ten blog posts on today alone. The first half of the day was spent breaking down and examining the power and effect of emotions. We discussed the way that neuropeptides in the brain communicate information between molecules. When different emotions are felt in the body, different chemicals are released in the brain, whether it be happiness or sadness, depression or joy. Like a drug addict, these receptors get hooked on these emotions and begin to crave a fix. If you constantly think depressive or pessimistic thoughts, feelings you may not consciously enjoy, your brain is giving the cells the chemicals they desire. The more practiced you are in those lines of thought, the more your brain desires those biochemicals. People, once out of balance, have a tendency to focus on things that bring them and keep them more out of balance. The trick is to consciously choose your thoughts with awareness, altering the craving of the various neurones and changing their preferences. Over time you can train your brain to thirst for positive emotion.

Further on in the presentation we touched on the teachings of Abraham-Hicks. We studied their concept of letting go, releasing the oars of resistance and choosing the thoughts that allow you to effortlessly travel downstream as opposed to constantly struggling upstream, fighting the continually flowing current of life. They speak on the concept of vibration, that thoughts create, and the effect of throwing your power on external circumstances. The wisdom in their teachings echoes that which is taught in ancient texts and scripts, brought with new understanding and a modern perspective. I could write a few pages on these concepts alone. After a long and fascinating look at the brain and its various functions, Todd takes over for a yoga practice. Today the focus was on back-bends, working the spine in many different ways. I made a leap in progress with my handstand. Todd made some interesting points - it isn't the strength that stops me from being in a handstand, it's in my mind. I have to get used to functioning with the world upside down. Back-bends are known to release emotion, and there were a few moments when I felt flashes of panic overtaking me. When I found myself in these situations, I locked my consciousness onto my breath, deepening and fully releasing, and the feeling quickly dissipated.

After lunch Louise took over the teachings, introducing Dr. Caroline Myss. Her work is incredibly interesting, forming an intelligent bridge between Western and Eastern medicine. We have seven energy centres which coincide with our seven endocrine glands. We studied the human anatomy in relation with the Chakra systems. We then proceeded to study our own anatomy, measuring various asymmetries in our skeletal structures and alignment. We studied the spine, the curvature of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, the fused vertebrae of the sacrum and coccyx. I'm finding the study of anatomy is allowing me to visualize yoga postures in completely new ways. To end the day, Louise brought the class through a thirty minute sonic-meditation designed by Dr. Myss, explaining where to place our internal focus at various points. As we deepen into oblivion I slowly sink into myself, my consciousness lets go and I disappear into an endless infinity, evaporating and loosing all concept of time and space.

Style: Teacher Training
Teachers: Mark Laham, Louise Sattler, Todd Lavictoire
Studio: Greco

At home with a warm, weary buzz from sixteen hours of yoga exploration, I'm at ease. The weekend disappeared in a flash. Today was an extension of yesterday, its next natural progression. The three instructors delved deeper into the initial subjects, expanding on ideas and refining concepts. I'm starting to get to know my fellow yogis-in-training. In a vibrationally based Universe we magnetically attract our own experiences and circumstances, along with the people and places we come in contact with. Everyone here is open-minded, expressive and friendly. The atmosphere is comfortable and casual, everyone displaying an interest to learn and a willingness to share. The study of yoga has been stringing together various schools of thought I've been personally discovering over the years, providing a missing link that is beginning to encapsulate everything I've come to understand.

Though I could embark on an endless tangent about the modern schooling and education systems, there is nothing I love more than pure learning. Having three entirely different teachers, each with their own unique approach, I'm able to absorb alternate viewpoints and study from different angles. Each uses different terminology, fortunately allowing me to take in different perspectives of the same subjects. Mark led a presentation touching on, among other things, the concept of power vs force, based on a book of the same name by David Hawkins. It spoke of the ability to read energy impulses of the body to communicate directly with the subconscious. I know, far out. Dr. Hawkins theory describes the progression from negative energy fields to the positive, leading ultimately to pure consciousness. Based on over twenty years of research, he developed a Map of Consciousness that essentially charts one's spiritual growth. Later, Louise led the group through a long Yin/Yang sequence, providing relief in the twisting and stretching, removing all tension accumulated from the hours of sitting and listening. At one point in a balancing sequence, she asked us to imagine a time in our past where we felt balanced, powerful, grounded and alive, self-assured and capable. As I shuffled through a few sacred memories, I realized my balance was securing and stabilizing, my foot growing roots through the floor toward the center of the Earth. Later in the afternoon, Todd expanded on Ayurveda and the concepts of the Doshas. At the end of the day, after a few hours of detailed posture refinement, he led us through the chanting of the Gayatri Mantra. This mantra is highly revered, based on a verse from a hymn of the Rigveda, an ancient collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. It's known as the "mother of the Vedas", and it's one of the oldest texts of any Indo-European language in existence. Luckily I recently spent a weekend at an Ashram, so I'm ready for karaoke night. There is something so foriegn and exotic about chanting a mantra, but also something appealingly comforting. After another long eight hours, I'm ready to wrap up the weekend with deep, rejuvenating sleep, entering the new week completely calibrated and fine-tuned.

Style: Teacher Training
Teachers: Mark Laham, Louise Sattler, Todd Lavictoire
Studio: Greco

I'm going to be a yoga teacher. Someday. But today, that journey has officially begun. Over the next ten weeks, every second weekend I'll be making my way through the first eighty-hour segment of Mark, Louise and Todd's teacher training program. Instantly, I feel like I'm in the right place. The first day unfolded naturally, starting with some ice-breakers and introductions. The first day of school always comes with a funny feeling. Surrounded by intriguing strangers not knowing what to expect, I'm back in the 3rd grade, the new kid in elementary school. The three teachers take turns introducing themselves and describing the overall structure of the course.

Before I know it, eight hours seem to vanish, and I'm back outside starting my car. My head is still spinning. We went more in-depth then I've been so far, breaking down different aspects and dissecting the Universe of yoga, bit by bit. Even then we only scratched the surface of what's to come. We touched on some things that were familiar to me, some that were brand new. We began the study of Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga. Described as the path to self-healing and self-actualization, Ayurveda provides the insight for each individual to create a way of life in harmony with the world of nature and our higher self. Both yoga and Ayurveda are part of one system of Vedic knowledge, a philosophy which states that the Universe is One Self, and that the key to cosmic knowledge lies within our own hearts and minds. Did I just go over your heads? Bear with me. It's a new world with new terrain, and I've only just set-off on my travels.

The day continued on, full of fascinating information. We studied different vocabulary terms, some in English and some in Sanskrit. We touched on the concept of the three Doshas, Vatta, Pitta and Kapha. We talked about anatomy, scientists, mystics, reality, illusion, consciousness, the mind-body connection, time and space. You know, the simple stuff. We talked about the conscious and subconscious minds. The ego. We talked about meditation, contemplation, focused attention. We laughed, discussed, even meditated. In our last exercise of the evening, we unrolled construction-paper over our yoga mats, then dipped our feet and hands in multi-colored paint. With dripping, slippery, painted feet, we did various standing poses, leaving colorful prints on the paper. Then we studied the markings in detail, noting imperfections, pressure points and other different observations and insights into the foundation of the poses.

After the 8 hour whirlwind I crash-land in bed, storing some energy for round two. I feel like I'm in my element. I'm a sponge, and I'm going to soak up everything I can.