Yoga

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                             Yoga

The journey has started with one part of the Curious Couple completing her 200 hr TTC ( Teacher Training Course) at The Yoga Institute in Mumbai, India this March. Since then she has been taking classes over Skype as well as training the other half of the curious couple (i.e me)

So Yoga.. hmmm...

Silence.. where to start..

How long have you been practicing yoga?
About a month now, but also ever since school , where yoga was a part of the curriculum. Having said that, I still cannot touch my toes or sit in Padmasana. Kavita has been practicing for longer through classes at the local gym in Helsinki/Stockholm and now Mumbai. We both also briefly attended classes at the Yoga Institute on weekends a couple of years back

Why do you enjoy Yoga?
It relaxes the muscles through stretching, is easy on the joints as compared to running. Also its not only physical, but also helps focus and balance the mind.Its not just an exercise but an overall way of being, a way of living.

Why this interest in Yoga?
This has been an on and off journey over the past few years. A lack of discipline, not being able to carry something through beyond the initial interest, lack of guidance and most importantly a lack of a clear motive meant that Yoga practice was always intermittent. However, a limited exposure to Yoga as well as meditation ( through headspace) showed the benefits of proper practice. Now there is a motivation to continue this, and it is slowly integrating into..ugh wait for it..a way of life. So, the answer to the why is that Yoga is combining a lot of my diverse interests into a whole.

 Diverse interests into a whole.. what does it mean?
Leading a balanced minimalist life is one of my aims. This has been touched upon briefly in one of my early blogs this year. My definition of minimalism  encompasses not only limiting material possessions but also includes minimalism in what and how much I eat, how I exercise,personal finance i.e expenditure and saving and living in a mindful manner. The core message of minimalism is to focus on the essentials and to do away with non essentials. What is essential is a personal definition which makes it more flexible and adaptable to each individual. Other interests include sustainable living, urban gardening, travel and FIRE (Financial Independence).
These diverse strands are slowly getting integrated into a concrete whole via Yoga and a Yogic lifestyle. To give one example ( as otherwise this would turn into a series of blogposts), food, diet, and sustainable living is being covered by a Sattvik diet for me, as this diet emphasizes the essentials i.e flavour and nutrition and the part of food being fresh ties into my sustainable living /urban gardening part i.e growing herbs at home, hopefully even some vegetables. It also brings in mindfulness into the process of eating (amount i.e dont overeat, time of eating etc).

It all sounds messy now, because it is a jumble in my mind and I hope to clarify it over time. Its a journey where I can sense the path, but need to walk it to know it and hopefully these blogs will cover this journey fully.

Any dreams?
Yes, to be able to pack everything in a rucksack each, and we explore the world through teaching in  yoga retreats across the year. While the universe provides, its always good to have a nest egg to fall back on.








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