So we are mid way through August and past the half way point of the entire year and we are closer to 2012 then every before! I seem to associate August with having to make a decision soon as to where to transition to next but at the same time being so deeply involved with my students and practice it just doesnt seem necessary to move on. Decisions, decisions, decisions.. opportunities come and go and your decision ultimately make an impact on what happens next but for most of August Mercury is in retrograde which means communication is twisted, transportation is backwards and its not a good time to commit or agree on any large projects so its best to wait until the end of the month but what happens if people need answers! So i answer to my own inner calling instead and challenge myself by attending a 2-day Tripischore crash course, after the first day my crown was sore and hamstrings so tight i could barely sit on a chair without being in pain, but the after glow of this flow was well worth it! And after the second day i was ready for more. To execute this beautifully choreographed and creatively sequenced flow which was both intense and smooth takes so much patience, breath and test of your strength - not just physically but mentally as well was just what i needed to take my mind from this Mercury insanity! So after a blast of inspiration i took to my own mat, i have 2 mats at home both Mandukas but one a Travel Lite and the other a Pro. As i am currently staying in a place with carpet i chose to use the Travel Lite mat, before rolling it out i notice spider webs covering the circular hole, not really thinking much about it the mat gently unrolled on the floor and to my surprise a spider crawls away. I managed to catch the spider and put it outside hoping it will find a better and more permanent home to recreate its web and continue its prosperous life. I have never really contemplated about what goes on, on my mat when i am not using it. To the spider it was just a long dark long hole perfect for a nest perhaps and to raise a family, for me it supports me and provides me comfort from the easy asanas to the more challenging Tripischore inversions.  A combination of lack of sleep and a sore body i decide to finish writing this as i watch the moon making her glorious appearance shedding her radiant light with softness and embracing the earth with a velvet white hue.

There are so many different kinds of modalities which enable us to explore the many complex levels of who we are and how to connect with them which enable us to figure 'stuff' out. From psych-k to art therapy to DNA activation, there seems to be something for everyone. Being a lover of movement and having studied Dance Movement Therapy i believe memories and emotions are stored in the body, this store house gets more occupied and fills up the more we hold onto the 'stuff' which bother and annoys us instead of expressing it. So when we connect and begin to move this 'stuff' around we break through our own barriers, create space within and feel 100x better! This is one of the many reasons why i love to teach Vinyasa Flow Yoga. Recently, during a Sahaja Flow workshop in Brighton i created space during this 3-hours for the attendees to taste and soak up some goodness which empowered them to face this precious 'stuff' and move it on through the practice of shaking, dancing and self practice. If they knew it or not they were releasing 'stuff' in a big way! When we move we feel the stiffness and awkwardness in our joints, muscles and tendons but if we are able to drop this mindset of 'I cant do Yoga because i am not flexible' then you will be totally surprised at what your actually capable of and how great you feel after. By exploring the multi-dimensional self on the mat it involves playing / practicing outside the box and giving permission for the breath wave to guide you. With minimal verbal instructions we begin to listen and learn from our internal teacher which is always speaking to us amongst the vibration of loud noises, daily demands and other distractions. To come back to this internal teacher why not enjoy a Energy Fast Feast which involves tuning out from the virtual world, unplugging and re charging naturally. My beloved teacher Shiva Rea www.shivarea.com is a huge inspiration and has created this idea of YEA! (Yoga, Energy, Activism!) which is a great way to save energy, CO2 emissions and waste through deciding to try a energy Fast-Feasts. You can involve your family, friends and local community to reclaim back your own inner power and explore the multi dimensional being that you are. 

The English summer is so sporadic, the most predictable flow i have witnessed is morning times are a little over cast, the sun rises, the over cast fuzz is lifted then its really bright and sunny with the odd cloud cover, the breeze is cooling and this lasts until after lunch (if your lucky) then the clouds begin to magnetically draw together over this island, shutting out the sunshine and warmth and it stays this way until the sunsets. On the rare occasion the sunset can be seen radiating out from behind the layer of clouds which is visually very pretty but the breeze makes you want to pull on a wooly hat and wrap a scarf around you to keep the cool air out. Boarding a flight to Scotland was exciting as i will be teaching in the countryside 1 hour outside Glasgow. Time to absorb some shakti from nature! My gracious host and friend Cat picked me up from the airport and drove me to the  town of Helensburgh, this is my second time in Scotland but first time to the west coast and i was impressed by how pretty it was with the rolling green hills, cute individual houses, the abundant of lakes/ lochs and of course the accent, it took a few hours for my ears to completely understand what was being said! I introduced theses eager and willing to flow Yogis to the idea of breath initiated movement, with a Master Class focused on the softness/ Lasya and Power/ Tandava in Flow Yoga and with great courage they let the flow guide them inward through their internal pathways of prana, the weekend was full with back bending joy, cleansing twisting, empowerment in handstands and ending with a spontaneous flow which enabled them to be the river guide for themselves instead of following my suggestions. I really enjoyed my time with the students at Amethyst Studio, everyone was super willing to give anything a go even when i surprised them with a free form joy currant enhancing dance! On the day i left it was so sunny, warm and total blue skies as far as the eye could see, after a 45 minute delay on my flight landing in London was like fast forwarding to winter with the rain pouring down and the cold winds coming from all directions it made me totally grateful for all the sweaty, sticky and humid times in Asia which my body is beginning to crave :) so when the sun is out so am i but when the clouds descend i am flowing down a river to find warmer and dry lands.   

So how can we express our gratitude for life when everything we ask for it delivered to us with such ease and perfect timing. May be it was the visit to Stonehenge or my spontaneous trip to the magical island of Santorini for my friends wedding or perhaps its just my turn to to realise the awakening of my own potential which re aligned me into this flow of synchronicity and practice of patience and acceptance towards what is available to me now. Who knows.. what i do know is each day is filled with opportunities which can full fill us in so many ways if we let them. Good, bad or ugly its all part of the innate beauty of life, love and the magic of the unknown. For the past week i have been consciously cleansing by eating food for my blood type - which includes no wheat, dairy etc and adopting the morning Ayurveda ritual Abhyanga which involves the art of self massage with warm oils before showering. So i begin my day in a very grounded, clear and present way and by doing so i feel more aligned with the daily flow around me. My good friend Laura sent me the following information which is from  www.rebekahshaman.com this rings so true for me. The Capricorn full moon for July tells us: “Be inspired during this Full Moon and ALLOW the inner callings of your heart to be heard and actioned. It is time to speak up for what you want, and live the life you desire. We must now take personal responsibility for our lives and make the practical changes we know we must make. The doorway of opportunity is open right now, so jump into the unknown and trust that everything will turn out just right.” I bow to the spark of excitement which is growing brighter and brighter inside of me and hope this full moon awakens something deep and profound in you also. Next stop is Scotland... Om divine shanti shine...

Feeling incredibly blessed to be invited to Stonehenge with Shiva and the tribe before assisting the flow in London was a perfect way to invite in the Solstice. Driving out of London was slow but the traffic was progressing with everyone heading home. About 5 minutes away from our destination the clouds cleared and there was a huge area of sunshine beaming down lighting up the entire area, it was a magical moment! Once our group had all arrived we were greeted by Chris, a local druid Shiva had invited to hold a ceremony once we entered the stone circle. Before walking through the main stone gate Chris blessed each of us with a sacred rattle, stepping into the area and under the main formation was like coming home, the energy was super grounded, extremely present and i felt so small next to theses ancient rocks. Once we were all inside we had our own circle and Chris invited in and acknowledged the four directions, we were also welcome to express our thoughts and intuitive insights during this time my mind was clear and all my awareness was in my feet! Once the ceremony was over we had time to roam around taking photos and listening to the stones. The sun was very low on the horizon by this time, the wind was picking up and our scheduled time was ending. The security guard had a hard time trying to usher us out as we were all caught up in being there and not wanting to leave as time had flown by. From Stonehenge we ventured to a local pub to warm up and a few hours later decided to head back to Stonehenge to see if we could see the lunar eclipse, standing outside the gates this time gazing upwards through the clouds and mist the shape of the moon could be seen with a slight eclipse happening at the lower right side. Heading back to London around 3am was a smooth journey as the roads were completely clear and it felt quite surreal driving through London with no one around. The following days were spent deep in the assisting flow for the Chakra Vinyasa module - one of my favorites! Long days full of Yoga, eating at whole foods and meeting more Yogis on the flow path. The events at the London Zoo was also incredible especially with the live Kirtan with Dave Stringer and the band, Shiva rocked the zoo totally immersing all the attendees into the Prana flow vibe. The days went fast and before i knew it the assisting flow was over and once again i connected with more beautiful and like minded people. But life doesnt stop a few days later i found myself in a plane to Greece for a friends wedding, my first holiday in years which is not Yoga related! The bride to be was beautiful, a true princess and the wedding ceremony was at sunset with the sun melting into the ocean. For the many things i am grateful for it also includes witnessing the beauty of a sunset each evening while on the caldera of a volcano in the Aegean sea.

Grounding in Holland for a few days was exactly what i needed! Good food, comfortable bed and some free time to feel the European sun on my skin and indulging in the food i have been dreaming about during my time in Asia such as sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese and olives! After a few days of with walking with Svati and her 2 dogs in the forest and exploring Eindhoven on a bike i felt fully charged and ready for the transition to Spain for our week retreat. The flight to Spain was quick and easy and my body welcomed in the warmth of the Spanish sun! After navigating my way through the public transport and arriving at my hotel which is in the old part of Malaga i went wondering, following my feet and taking in the sights of my new surroundings. The city of Malaga is amazing, apparently one of the oldest in the world! I walked the length of the castle walls enjoying the vast views of the city landscape melting into the Mediterranean with the back drop of the mountains. I found my way back to my bed around 8pm and i am not sure what happened but i woke up and it was 1am! The following day i connected with Svati and Saskia to pick up our hire car and begin our journey into the Andalucia Country side! Even though we have a sat nav and 2 maps we still managed to get lost even before we left the city! The drive was beautiful as the city landscape melted away the small hills turned into mountains and the small shrubs transformed into bigger bushes which were dotted around the dry landscape. Molino Del Rey is a beautiful hide away with water running through it and the sound is amazing! Depending on the time of day and your mood the water sounds different - some of us even heard voices in the water. We are surrounded by healing caves, avocado and cherry trees and of course sunshine!! For the entire week we were fed delicious vegetarian food lovingly prepared fresh each day and had a choice of two different practice spaces. One which was outside and perfect for the morning practice as the sun peeked over the ridge at 8:20am and the indoor space which is built into the rock and the acoustics are beautiful. We were lucky enough to go on two walking tours with Davy (www.walkspain.com). Davy has an incredible knowledge of the country side, the flora and fauna of this special area. He took us walking around the local village of Yunquera, filling us in with the history of how the locals bought water into the village via old Roman channels and all about the old pine forest which dates back to before the ice age! Our second adventure with Davy was to a cave which is the birth place of the Rio Grande, this is the place the water comes from under ground to above ground before flowing out and down to many different places in this area of Spain. The water was freezing but so refreshing! The week went fast with the morning practice of Yoga and our afternoon practice of Acro Yoga, Thai Massage, Kalari/ Yoga/ Dance Flow and of course we rocked the studio with Yoga Trance Dance! I feel immensely blessed to begin my time in europe by sharing the flow with Svati and the tribe from Holland in such a special place. Omshanti and blessings to Anthony, Lidya and Dimitri for taking care of us for the week.

Connecting to the heat in Malaysia again was great! My stiff muscles from the 6 hour flight were delighted when they felt the humidity as i stepped off the plane. After a few nights in KL we caught the bus to Penang, the journey was beautiful as we drove through the Cameron highlands which is very tropical and has mountains with bare rock cliff faces and is very green. Serine (my host from Yoga Plus) was there to meet us at the bus station and we went to eat roti. Penang is well known for its vast selection of cuisine but there is nothing like a good roti with dhal after a long bus ride! So we had been in Penang for less then 30 minutes were already eating, this is the flow of visiting Penang and it suites me fine! Being an island Penang is surrounded by blue water which looks intensely inviting but is hugely polluted from the waste outlets but lucky for us we have a pool to cool down in after a day of wandering around the old town, eating, sweating and eating some more. The day after we arrived was Wesak, Buddhas birthday plus full moon! So we were able to attend and witness the sacred ceremony of washing the Buddha and offer our own prayers for this time. During the washing of the Buddha ceremony the skies opened up also and showered everyone outside with fat rain drops, the rain lasted for a while and created little rivers in the street while my tiny umbrella i use for the sun just kept my head dry. My first class at Yoga Plus was full as i introduced them to the idea of Sahaja flow and giving them permission to explore movement while in different asanas's. A very liberating experience for some! Yoga Trance Dance on the Friday was incredibly powerful, it was a large group with slightly shy energy so i gave them more support and guidance with the movement then there was no stopping them! My last offering in Penang was a 3-hour workshop"Lasya & Tandava" - exploring Softness and Power in flow Yoga. This is one of my favorite workshops to teach as we explore different sides of ourselves, different variations of sequences and the bhava's (feeling states) within and without. The group really connected to the idea of embracing both within each pose and the focus and awareness was powerful. People began to leave after our group photo and after saying good bye, the reality began to sink in as i boarded the bus to KL that i was leaving my life in Asia and heading to the west. My bus journey was comfortable equipped with a pillow, blanket, snacks and drinks - the Malaysians know how to travel! Once in KL i made my way onto the train then another bus to the airport. A few hours later check in time and then the wait to board the plane. Airports are full of time, fast food and plastics seats, my favorite airport has to be in Singapore because of the free 15 minute massage chairs! The 14 hour flight to Paris was as good as it gets as i had 3 seats to myself so i could stretch out and even enjoy some forward bending like pashimottanasana! I slept alot and arrived in Paris feeling pretty good. It took a while to navigate through the city to the euro lines bus station but i managed it. I couldnt help but compare the metro in Paris to the metro in Bangkok, the metro in Paris is so run down and old! It feels like its from a scary movie with the blinking lights and rusty squeaky sliding doors! Once on the bus i had another 6 hour journey which took me through France, Belgium and safely into Holland where my good friend and Yogi Svati met me. I felt so wired from so much travel over the last 24 hours it was nice to see a familiar face, shower and chill out with some nourishing food and sleep in a bed which was soft, welcoming and still.  

After arriving in China and having to borrow a jacket, scarf and wearing socks for the first time in a very long time its time to fly to Malaysia. Wearing the extra layers did not last long, spring is officially here and the weather has been divine tropical but not too humid. Perfect weather for bike riding, walking and wondering through the woods to discover another sacred and ancient site. China is a very diverse and livable country and to me seems very self sustaining, they grow a lot of their own fruit and vegetables, there is farm land, a fishing culture, rice fields and of course tea plantations as far as the eye can see plus a lot of houses in the countryside have solar panels. I wont miss the constant staring from locals as i walk down the street, even when I try and break their concentration with a nǐ hǎo (hello in Chinese) some reply and some look away and others just continue to stare. The last few days were spent in the ida nadi (internal, slow and chilling flow) mode - slowly packing, gathering my thoughts and sending some good vibes for my future Yoga events happening in Malaysia, Spain, England and Scotland. My Dancing Through Yoga tour in China was full of so much more then i could ever imagined! Being introduced to the Yoga community here was so refreshing and inspiring, at the end of the day its business and people have to live but there is a different mentality/ energy which surrounds the people who are involved and who create for themselves the life they want to live. I have been invited back again so we shall see when this can happen, i am feeling 2012. So i send my love, gratitude and namaskars to Indra for inviting me and initiating my visit, Richard at Karma Yoga for his translating skills and connections, for Shiva at Raja Yoga for her energy, focus and her translation, Cielo another wonderful Yogi translator! Matej for connecting us back to nature through sacred ceremony, June for her enthusiasm and being so present in each class and everyone else who came and flowed with us during my time there - You know who you are! Like so many other places leaving China was like leaving home! Hard to believe it felt like this with the language being the biggest barrier but i always feel its the people that make a place and the experiences shared while being there so i bow to the divine in all of you and see you in the flow... My flight was on friday 13th, no big deal, its just a number right! Apart from the bumpy take off i was able to stretch out over 3 seats and sleep most of the 6 hour flight to Malaysia. I can feel my energy shifting onto the next phase of adventure sharing the flow with new Yogis in Penang before heading to Spain for our one-week Yoga retreat via France and Holland. Om Maha Lakshmi Namaha! 

Being blessed with some free time in a new place there are so many opportunities which open to you. I love the tree lined streets in Pu-xi, it feels and looks very European, the studios i have taught at and visited are contemporary, each one having its own unique character and design. The Yoga community in Shanghai is very connected, there is big competition here but i have not experienced any friction between the owners i have met who all love to eat at Kazu's delicious vegan/ vegetarian cafe called Annamaya, i LOVE the tofu strawberry cheese cake! The labor day weekend was also at the same time as new moon and Beltane, we were invited to go into the mountains for a night of being in nature and having our own energy feast fast, unplugging and sleeping under the stars around a sacred fire and welcoming in the new energy with the elements. Re charging and waking up with a different perspective on life is extremely refreshing especially making this journey with friends (who now feel like family) in a mini bus into the bamboo forests of Moganshan. We camped out by a reservoir, some were brave enough to jump in but for me it was too cold! The night was slightly cloudy but the stars shone through like pin holes in a blanket and our communal fire generate enough heat for everyone. The sun rose around 5am, the mist was low and the birds were singing! After landing back in Shanghai we are on the move again to the Lake! We boarded a fast train to Hangzhou which is about 200km away and found our way to 4 eyes hostel. Hangzhou is a city right on the west lake, the nature is very green and lush. The lake is huge with decorated ornate boats available to take you on a scenic tour, the surroundings are nicely manicured gardens with big tall trees, velvety grass and controlled wooden walk ways so your feet dont come anywhere near the grassy areas. We hired bikes to explore the many temples and pagodas and to enjoy the different views at each arched bridge. The flow of locals and tourists is constant, the lifestyle here feels very health conscious if you venture into Wushan square after sunset you will find groups gathering for their evening of exercise. One group is for the kids on roller blades learning how to skate, balance and maneuver around a complex track and the other two groups are full of the older generation doing what looks like line dancing with a salsa, aerobic twist. The movements are repetitive and simple and everyone seems to know the routine pretty well. Seeing this conscious gathering for some cardiovascular exercise makes me wonder how well this would go down in the west. Hangzhou - the home of Dragon-Well tea, Tiger Springs and so much more.

After a intensely busy weekend my day off was super chilled, full of nourishing food and rest. I felt the sun on my skin again for the first time in days and it even managed to hit 30 degrees which was a blessing and apparently unusual for Shanghai at this time of year. The cold here has really dried out my skin, Indra (my hostess) treated me to a full body Chinese oil massage, WOW!!! Just what i needed! My body soaked up the oil like a dry sponge dropped in a lake, perfect! After the massage i kept the oil on for the rest of the day and by by the time i took a shower my skin had absorbed all the oil taking back what the air had depleted me from. When arriving here it took me a while to really realise how big Shanghai is, apparently it has rapidly expanded in the last 10 years, so 10 years ago the area where i am staying (Pudong) was just rice fields and wet lands with hardly any buildings. Now there are tall tower blocks 30 plus stories high towering above the busy roads and the flow of life in the city, the metro service is very reliable, clean and safe and all the taxis have meters so no haggling for a cheap price! The response to my classes and workshops have been positive from each studio and i learn there is not a lot of variety when it comes to Yoga in this city. They have the Ashtanga, Hatha, Iyengar and hot Yoga but hardly any flow. Life in a city lacks the natural and organic ebb and flow of life which is so easily attained in nature, this is one of the greatest gifts (i feel) Shiva has given to the global community of Yoga. Re connecting to our own inner Pulsing Vinyasa again and again is nurturing, full filling and a great reminder that we are more then just the mind. In China your never alone, there are people everywhere, always! Even leading up to the Labour Day holiday when people can enjoy a long weekend and perhaps venture into the mountains or come together with family the streets still have a constant buzz with buses, cars, motor bikes, electric bikes, 3 wheeler motorised vehicles and anything else with wheels rolls past ignoring the green pedestrian sign and beeping at you to hurry and cross the road. The morning after a meal with Karma Yoga i had time to attend one of Richard's class which was a great fusion of Acro Yoga warm ups, Vinyasa with Anusara influence elements. Once again i find myself in a place connecting with like minded individuals which gives me confirmation i am riding the right wave as we are all part of the global Yoga tribe and living the same dream.