SpecTHAIcular Part 2

Better Late than NEVER....

It's crazy how times flies when you come back to reality! I sincerely apologize for my long absence in my storytelling role... What can I say? I am back in my beautiful city for almost 3months now and finding that chasing time is part of my overly structured Montreal lifestyle!
Oh well! Sabai Sabai!

I have to admit I've been procrastinating writting the rest of my adventure as I would feel somewhat nostalgic afterwards... But you can't hide forever! Believe me I tried! Life has a way to bring you little popup reminders that you can't just ignore - So here I am - Stopped snoozing and getting up thanks to my numerous wakeup calls!

Chiang Mai II - Northern Style!

As you know by now (and if you got that long term memory span) -
I finished my Yoga Teacher Training in Koh Samui after one long, hard, painful, so rewarding and amazing month!
I found that I had no boundaries when I put my head, heart and soul in it! 

When I knew what I was capable of and how far I came… I thought the sky is the limit! Why not continue my journey in this beautiful ThaiLAND?!

I re-discovered my thirst for knowing… learning… wanting more and getting into the depth of everything! My spiritual curiosity was at its peak but I worked the physique and needed now to go further with this opportunity to learn the Northern Thai Massage in Chiang Mai.

Embarking in yet another self discovering journey and satisfying my curiosity for everything that Thailand could offer me! So let’s continue the story….

Naha-Nawa, say What?!

After a month immersed in a Yoga world in the "Big Island" and all my dear Yogi friends started their journey back into their life. I had the chance to make time to savor more of this Thai Culture.
I thought if I took a Thai Massage course at ITM (http://www.itmthaimassage.com/) it should be a wonderful addition to my experience that I already acquired! Plus, it couldn’t be as hard as this 200hrs training, especially hearing also it’s known as the Yoga for the Lazy people! Piece of cake, right?!

Well..... what you don’t hear is how technical & precise it actually is! Silly me! I was expecting lots of massages and learning a thing or two… 

Getting massaged by Mariki :)

Surprise, surprise! I was heading yet for another challenge; this time testing not my physical endurance but my concentration and mostly my patience!
Inhaling and exhaling was my personal touch in the course… but I’ll get to that later!

ITM Level 1 May 2012

I was very thankful that I had Michelle Lam’s anatomy class during my Yoga Teacher training. I had already a good knowledge about the human body, but the art of Northern Thai Massage uses your own body weight and specific movement to perform the massage- looks so tai chi-like but believe me it harder than it seems!

It all about moving in coordination with alignments of what you need to stretch by also getting your own light stretch while giving the massage. When you know what you’re doing it is very effortless but when you’re learning it’s pretty much awkward!

Same Same but Different

Saved by the bell? 

Classic none sense expression around these parts and heard it EVERY-SINGLE-DAY in class! Of yes testing my patience indeed! 

Ok, so let me brief you about the wonderful world of Thai Massages; there’s two kind found here in Thailand; the Northern style and Bangkok style.
Both work on energy lines, no oils and only with pressure points & stretching.

Here is the difference: the Northern Thai Massage compare to the Bangkok style is all about stretching and making the energy flow.
Bangkok style is perhaps more common but concentrates more on the pressure, which could be harder on some body (like mine).  

What an amazing feeling you get when you get massaged with the right amount of pressure and stretching the muscles to the right extend... such a beautiful art! I also heard about the healing power of touch; with my hands being always warm I knew it could be a plus! I added breath control in synchronization with my stretching; that was such a great mix! Inhale to energize your body and long exhale while you release your body to the flow and let go of your stress. Sounds nice?

Ending Happy 

Thai Massage Level II 

Thai Massage Level I

ITM students 

Even tough it was a great and strategic addition in my pursuit of quenching my thirst for knowledge of how and why… It was quite challenging for my concentration!

This is your brain on crayola

I loved the experience thanks to my fellow classmates that were a great support on those slow days in class and best help in the coloring of the book. 

Oh yes! This was the most painful of all tasks in the course; the darn coloring! We colored for hours the day before each semester; so much we felt some cells of our brains burning!

I had a blast even though I was complaining a lot… Now that I look back I wish I could just take in more; everything that ITM could offer.

I will remember their amazing Friday breakfast with their delicious sticky rice with mango!

The feet washing ritual.

The freezing air conditioning and the herbs sniffing addicted teachers! Ok ok, jokes asides; all the staff were great, some more particular than other but overall everyone made it such a precious experience for me.

ITM stretches in the Park (5points!)

I got to say one of the most hilarious moments was our warm-ups sessions before the class. Some old record playing in the background synchronized with really funny dance-like movement!


The best part was when you had to perform in a public park, which counted for 5points. I guess it was testing our commitment?

I’ve met some amazing friends while studying at ITM; people from different parts of the world and felt like long lost sisters & brothers. I am so happy that our roads crossed and hope they will meet again! While writing this piece I remember their smiles and laugh… it warms up my heart.

Coming Next…. Chiang Mai & Border Xing!

SpecTHAIcular! Part 1

Welcome to the charming Chiang Mai in north of Thailand!

Oh! But before let me brief you how I managed to get here;

When I decided to come to Thailand and do my Yoga Teacher Training, I planned to stay an extra week and spend my birthday here. Why not, right? Either be jet lagged back home or take advantage of this experience!

 

Coming Soon to a new post: Koh Tao & Bangkok

Thanks Micheal Graham for capturing the moment!

After living for a month on big island of Samui, my good friend from YTT, Nicole & I traveled to the small neighbor island of Koh Tao looking for a weekend of well deserved rest & relaxation. 

School is out for summer!!!

What I didn't know is that I would fall head over flip flops for this hidden paradise! Chill, laid back, sunny & breezy, almost no mosquitoes, surrounded by nature with an eco friendly mentality; it’s my idea of heaven! I’ll write another post on Koh Tao soon as I loved it so much - I returned later in my trip. 

Wat Pho in Bangkok with Nicole

So after this taste of perfect vacation; we headed for 1night & 2 days in Bangkok. 

 And yes, we did our own version of the song! 

 The next day, my friend returned back home to USA & I traveled north to continue my adventure.

 

PART 1 – Let’s make it Grand!

Since I was now traveling alone; I wanted to make my birthday grand and memorable. Usually, I plan big birthday dinner after a whole day of fun activities with friends… So this year, you see, was really different!  Yet another big challenge for me to overcome; spending my birthday by myself. What could I do so it will be special & avoid feeling homesick?

Let’s check my bucket list… Scroll down to number 53. – Get close & personal with the Elephant world. Oh! Perfect, I heard about this elephant sanctuary in North of Thailand; Elephant Nature Park. http://www.elephantnaturepark.org

Gentle Giant rescued from lodging industry now in peace at the Elephant Nature Park Sanctuary

It is surprisingly the ONLY real sanctuary for elephants in Thailand, where these majestic creatures are free to roam & enjoy life. Visitors & volunteers cannot ride them or make them perform tricks; as most were rescued from abusive pasts (lodging industry, streets begging, hiking tourist trails, circus...); these elephants were already used to abusive humans contact due their sad history... and yet perhaps instinctively they were comfortable to approach us at the sanctuary trusting they’re safe now!

Elies cools off by bathing everyday & wash off their natural sunscreen: dirt!

 

We could feed them and help them wash in the river. So much fun!

An Elephants can eat up to 250 kg of food/day! Donations are crucial to this sanctuary run solely on volunteers & donations!

Fresh fruits & veggies are bought from local farmers every day to feed the big residents!

Not only elephants are rescued!

Younger elies in the sanctuary are the lucky ones, born at sanctuary or rescued as orphans; all which might still have a chance to go back to the wild by limiting the human interaction. Making them independent for a better chance of survival!


Read about the herd's story:
http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/herd/index.htm

Mahout (caretaker) of rescued domesticated elephants

 

Drugged all her life with amphetamines: this big girl is a survivor from her lodging past & getting a second chance in life!

 Most tourists want to ride elephants; what they don't know is what the elephant had to go through to be so docile. Elephants are born to be wild; not tamed by getting literally their spirit broken. It is a sad hidden reality and yet very much in your face when you travel Thailand. 

 

I strongly encourage everyone to get informed before getting in any sort of tourist attractions that involves live animals; because although ignorance is bliss - it also encourage the industry to continue abusing poor souls.

Muchie time at the Free Elephant Clinic

Bday cake from Elephant Nature Park

Learning about these wonderful creatures and spending this time with them was one of the most gratifying experiences of my life and most beautiful gift I had for my birthday! To top it off; at the end of my day I was surprised with an amazing elephant birthday cake! I was so touched that tears came out! I don’t know who informed them about this special attention but THANK YOU!

Having the cake at the end of a magical day; was truly the icing on my own! Lol!

 I invite you to read more about this beautiful rescue: the story of determination and endless compassion of the founder Lek. You can also find the stories of all the residents of the sanctuary and help sponsor your favorite. 
http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/aboutelephants/overview.htm 
 This refuge is run solely on donations with no help of the government.

 This was only part 1 of my adventure in Chiang Mai 

Stay tuned for the rest of my adventure in the Land of smiles : )

Oooommmm... now what?

Yoga Teacher Training - check!

Hip! Hip! Hurray!

I got certified as a Yoga teacher! Let’s pop the Champagne my friends! 

Yes, so I completed my 200 hours Yoga Teacher Training after 30days! But somehow I feel this journey is not the end....
Oh nooo! It’s just the beginning for a new chapter!

Perfect!

After 30 days of intense training, pushing my mind & body’s limits every single day; I reached the end in one piece! 

Well.... except for a sprained wrist 2days before the end! Yeah... but I was still able to teach with limited mobility a class which was my final exam. Thanks to my communication skills! Who knew I was so comfortable telling people what to do?! Yikes! Ha! ha! Ok seriously, explaining every movement and how to get into the postures was not as bad as I thought… is keeping the flow while not being able to execute all the asanas- That was the real challenge! The perfectionist in me had to take the back seat here! It was so hard! But looking back, overall even if I could’ve done it better, I still succeeded and I accept that it wasn’t perfect! I am very proud of myself for making it ‘til the end and surviving! It was indeed one of the biggest challenges I had to overcome and through it all - I now come out stronger and more confident of my capabilities!

Sailing away mates!

I am so blessed to have shared this path of self-discovery with so many amazing people with beautiful hearts! We were all in the same “big boat” and now that we reached the destination together; we’re getting ready to raise our individual anchors and start sailing towards our own horizon of possibilities.

There were a lot of mixed emotions the last days at Vikasa; watery eyes, forceful smiles hiding sadness… because even if we arrived as stranger, we became a family and Vikasa was our casa! And we all knew too much that leaving “home” and the ones we love is always the hardest! 

My Vikasa family will forever be a part of me. The month we spent together was so special that it is tattooed in my heart... and this people, no laser surgery will be able to remove it!

 

FYI: I had a dream…

I love to plan or organize trips-events, bringing people together… most of you know this by now! A couple of days before the end of this YTT, after one of Tingting’s meditations session, I saw myself getting all my Vikasa family members back together for our own Yoga reunion retreat! What an amazing idea isn’t?! Imagine, a year or two from now, we are all going to evolve towards greater things so why not share our new abilities with each other- like real family! Leave it up to me my friends… I will make it happen! This is not the end; I promise!

And then? You do like this… ya?! (inside joke)

So ok I got plans… I got certified… now what? Do I end this blog? Do I continue sharing my thoughts, my discoveries, and the little moments I captured through my lens?

Hell yeah! So this blog is not only about Yoga... Uhn Uhn!

My Vikasa experience was the kick in the butt to start this! Soon after I began writing, I felt so content to share all my findings on all kind of subject regarding health, well-being, self empowerment, personal growth... and I received so much positive feedback, that I simply had to continue! Plus my peeps back home need their dose of Aline’s bla bla bla while I’m away! Ha!ha!

Ally the Yogi… Ooommm what’s the next step?

Now that I’m certified Yoga Teacher, I have a deeper knowledge of this beautiful art. Which was the real main reason why I embarked in this journey. I got to understand the postures and their benefits for the mind and body, realized why breathing felt so good, was hypnotized by the depth of it’s philosophy and it’s origins, discovering how to continue to apply my dedication of my practice outside the mat to make a difference… I am so happy to be more resourceful but somehow my curiosity seeks more!

 

Fabulous! Simply fabulous!

So my next chapter; Discovering the healing powers of Thai massage!

While doing the teacher training and a my body aching every day, I simply had to pamper it so it won’t quit on me! So I took advantage of the massages here in Thailand. At the condo complex, we had a small spa called Fabulous, were the owner Lang spoiled all wounded yogi who entered! Got the taste of this goodness every time I got a massage!

So after 3hrs of daily yoga, booking a session with Lang…. was simply Fabulous! It made a world of difference let me tell you! Yoga & Thai massage = prefect marriage! It was just a matter of time before I started asking all sort of questions about Thai Massage’s benefits and wanted to know more...

Attention! Attention! Special announcement!

 Ladies & gentlement this train is heading to Chiang Mai – Thai Massage School is the next stop!  

All aboard!

Karma Chameleon

Hey Mr. Dj put the record on…. I wanna boogy boogy!

So this is the final week… yes THE final countdown! So to keep us going until the end we have in the final lineup of teachers; Tingting from Hong Kong! 

She is simply superb! She brought the Yin in the house with her feminine touch and awesome playlists during practice! Even if my body is at its weakest… exceeded way way past the E on the fuel gage; I surprised myself whistling during Vinyasa while sweat was pouring from all pores of my body.

I haven’t mentioned this but during these past weeks, the only sound we heard in practice was either the teacher’s voice - people exhale and inhaling - those scary lion-breath and that charming oh so likeable metronome! – Which I have developed a mental blockage by now to keep me zen!

Tingting teaching partner yoga

So when Tingting put on some rhythm on her first practice… let me tell you the joy in our faces were simply priceless! It was just like having that comfort food we crave… only it was MUSIC! No calories gained just helped you loose it!

Music makes the people come together!

So Tingting is not only are fav Dj, she’s also bringing the Karma Yoga into life. Getting us familiar with the concept of bringing your yoga practice out of the mat into the world. Making us think, speak, listen and share. Through very inspiring writing and powerful-guided meditation, she is making the group come together like never before. This is something I thought we would have from the beginning but I guess you kept the best for last at Vikasa! We’re stepping out our comfort zone into people’s bubbles and staring straight into their eyes; a practice I found really interesting.

In you eyes…

My dad always told me to know a person you simply have to look into that someone’s eyes. They won’t lie to you, as it is the reflection of their soul; and I carry preciously this advice with me everyday. It’s a powerful tool you can use when you’re not sure about somebody… just look into the person’s eyes and you will know. You can find emptiness, anger, jealousy, sadness, joy, love, compassion and even fear. People will not be open to share what they’re feeling but it will be reflect in their eyes.

Micheal & Kitty

It’s a doggy dog world!

Since we’re talking about Karma and goodness and gentle eyes…. let’s go outside of my studio and let me share my anticipation for getting my yoga out of the mat and into my world! 

So most of you know my passion to help and support non-profit organizations and great causes usually involving animal welfare. Therefore before I arrived in Koh Samui, I started researching for animal rescues were I could volunteer and try to recruit other students…. 

Yes, the planner in me is way ahead! Here in Koh Samui I found a wonderful rescue called SamuiDog.Org

www.samuidog.org

Nicole and her pack

It’s basically Brigitte and her husband who founded this shelter from scratch. Poured all their earning into this beautiful organization to help and bring a positive change for Samui's stray cats & dogs.

Neutering, vaccinating them all for free and ready do be adopt without a cost!

How amazing is this?!

Typical beach dog

SamuiDog foundation also provides free dog & cat food to monks in monasteries and temples all over the island; where a lot of stray find refuge. Without this rescue Koh Samui would be filled with sick stray, famished & injured animals…

To help reduce the population of stays; they pickup every week strays and nurses them back to health and once they are fixed they release them back, identifying them with a tattooed number. Thanks to their big heart & great commitment, the stray population has come down more than 80% since 1999; their spray & neutering program is indeed very effective and keeping beaches & public area pleasant for all.

SamuiDog only run with donations with no help of the government.

When Ally met Teddy

I fell in love with Teddy, a 4years old stray beach dog that was rescued after falling ill. When examined by DogSamui's vet, he was diagnosed with liver & kidney problems and will have to be on medication for the rest of his life. Now living at Bridgitte's home, Teddy has found peace and security and a forever loving pack he can call a family; all thanks to my sponsorship! If you wish to encourage SamuiDog Rescue or/and even sponsor one of their furry kids: please visit their website www.samuidog.org

I am so grateful to find people with such great and kind heart like Brigitte. It gives me hope for a better world and to stand up for what you believe. 

Namaste

More post to come as my YTT is coming to an end...