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...

  

Dharma initiative

LOST

Not to worry, I’m not “lost”! But I do feel like I’m one of the characters of the show! It is a weird feeling; in the sense that every day seems so long, almost repetitive and even sometimes endless! And yet it’s surprising how time flies under my eyes without even realizing it! When you start checking your calendar, it hits you! Wow! Already 3weeks in and 1 to go!

Aaaahhhh!

 That’s why it feels like a Twilight Zone Syndrome; I count the minutes all day long and yet looking back it still seems like I just got here yesterday! Where these 21days went? They say that when you have fun, times passes more quickly… perhaps I am really having the time of my life and looking at my watch so it would stop?!  Tuuu-Tuuuu-Tuuu-Tuuuu (Twilight Zone Intro song)

 Don’t break my back… my achy breaky back!

Those who know me – can confirm that I like to take it easy and smooth.

So I knew this YTT experience at Vikasa was going to be a challenge… but as painful as my body feels; my biggest obstacle is to get motivated and move! Driven to endure more and more! I’m pushing my body to extremes in this course, even if I’m already aching from the previous days of yoga classes, I still continue! I mean my legs feel like spaghettis, arms and shoulder are sore from pushups (yeah you read it right!), wrist and ankles are ready to crack and my back... I just wish it will just kill me now! But overall I’m focused and determined, I tough it up and torture it once again! It’s my daily Achy Nagging Dance!

Hold it – Hold it; breathe in to it!

I am so tormented when we got to hold a position for X amount of time and that part of my body that is working is shaking as if it was having a convulsion! That’s where my willpower kicks in! Breathing is awesome to help me focus. Back home, I always kept my composure by letting out a big exhale – evacuating the unnecessary stress, pain or simply the negativity. Now in some demanding asanas positions, I use it to nourish my muscles and my mind to keep on going. Inhale & Exhale! Come on I can do it!

Just Plain  Goodness!

Thanks to all these self-afflictions, I do in fact feel amazing! Yes, I did warn you guys that it was weird! 

I’m stronger than ever, more confident, know my limits and my body is ROCKIN'!!!!

I get it now when my friends who hit the gym say  – it’s good pain! Gotta’cha! I remind myself of that every time I need to walk up the stairs… It’s good pain, it’s good pain! – Aouch! Aouch! Aouch!

Cosmic and beyond!

With our philosophy teacher Ram, I have learned so much about the depth of the origins of Yoga and yet we only scratched the surface! It is very interesting to have these lessons, which are just common sense but being unfolded as chronicles! 

Did you know that your life’s duty is called a Dharma? That it could be influenced by your Karma that you have accumulated in the past, present and get in the future… that everything has energy and a vibration that influences the world around you and beyond? 
Can't wait to share this with you guys when I get back! Ha! Ha! It’s nice to hear that the “Mother Theresa Syndrome” is not really a bad thing – like some career orientor has already told me once! 

It’s in fact a very exceptional thing and all your good deeds goes directly to deposit or in credit account for good & nice stuff that will happen to you! So for all of you out there like me (you know who you are!) keep it going because your good actions is never lost nor forgotten just keep yourself balance! That is where practicing yoga comes in handy! 

Body & Mind Conditioner not available in store

Hair Frizz is the least of my problems!

Did I mention the humidity in my earlier posts? No need of a Weather Network here! You just need to open the door and realize that everyday is hot-sticky & of course humid! No surprise but it’s always a shock when you step out of your a/c room! So let me tell you, having a bad hair day while doing your YTT is one of the most distant thought you can have while in class. I know! It’s very surprising coming from Miss perfectionist herself! How can someone do Vinyasa practice for hours in this heat... and still look good? Just breathing is hard enough! Starting off every morning with Pranayama (breathing exercise) I'm already starting to sweat!

New perspective of view of Yoga classes

So how to look good while sweating like a pig? My answer is: you can't look good because you need to focus on feeling good - inside! That's how I perceive it. The high level classes are there to challenge us and condition your body and mind. Pushing myself and trying my hardest to keep up with some crazy poses, that sometimes I wonder who came up with that s****... well it's the best reward I can give myself! After this hard work, an amazing sensation of wellness and peace invades your whole body and when you're in Savasana relaxation (pose) is just like having a massage of goodness... without the touching. It's that feeling that is so unexplainable and yet everyone knows what I’m talking about… if not just join the class!

Teachers are students too at Vikasa

George & Kosta refreshing their knowledge of anatomy with Michelle's class

Ram is being pointed out some knee problems!

Our lineup of teachers is great! We have the chance to have various experts to share with us their knowledge! That is why I chose this place; because every each one of them has their own skills. Therefore when one teacher gets in front the others joins the class… this is Vikasa – the evolution of Yoga … and oneself.
So let me introduce you are wonderful professors! Drum rolls please!

To start we have the incredible Kosta, director of the studio. He comes from a martial arts background; he’s remarkable to develop the core and gets you moving in his class! He is the image of Vikasa; evolution of Yoga, his story is really inspiring! He is the "extra-strength of the conditioners” and the reason that at the end of this I’ll have 6 pack! He does our evening practice and after we survive we can eat! Yup! perfect motivation!

Kosta and his perfect body stretched out just for us

Is it a bird, a plane..no it's Kosta!

Kosta & George getting us ready for the morning Pranayama practice

George headstand & tibetain bowl

George is the 2nd asana teacher and perfect example of a yogi; zen and enlighten – at all times! He warms us up quite nicely in the morning practice with amazing flows and teaches the fundamentals of being a yoga teacher. He explains with such a natural ease and is very in tune with us, his students. He's really a remarkable teacher, I really love his class and it’s perfect to start the day with his wonderful energy!

Vikasa YTT 2012 - Sanskrit class

Reading Sanskrit with Ram

Ram is from Toronto and is our Sanskrit and Yoga Philosopher expert. I’m literally captivated by everything he teaches us and I’m so grateful to have him as a professor. I got a taste of the beautiful Sanskrit language and would love to continue studying it once I finish the course. (http://www.aksharayoga.com/). I'm trying to get him to plan some Sanskrit workshop in Montreal, as there’s no one with that expertise in our area! (plans, plans plans!). It shows he truly loves to share his knowledge, he gave up a comfortable lifestyle to pursue his true passion; the ancient language of wisdom – Sanskrit. Bravo!

Michelle teaching us everybody is different

Michelle is our anatomy teacher and let me tell you she knows her stuff! She’s amazing, explains everything in details takes students and uses them like example (or guinea pigs)! She’s serious and yet hilarious; what a character! You simply can't not love her!

Rethabile is an example of perfect body - as per Michelle

After her classes, my knowledge of the human body and postures is so enhance that I see people differently! The movements or how they stand ... it is so interesting! I actually learned so much about myself… She pointed out (yes, as one of her guinea pigs!) that I have hyper mobility in both SI joints, knees and elbows; meaning I am very flexible naturally! Although it seems like amazing news… it’s actually now more difficult to do the poses! Rehabilitate all my postures so I don’t block my knees, elbows or compress too much my lower back... it's hard work to restart learning yoga poses all over while protecting my joints. She took my asanas into a new level!

Tingting

We are missing Tingting – our last Yoga professor who will be showing us a different approach to teach classes and will also talk about Karma Yoga. Something I can’t wait to do! More on Tingting coming soon!

Love this quote!