Don’t Put Your Feet In Different Boats…

… or when you’re travelling down the river the boats will diverge and your ass will split into two.

That was one of the most valuable lessons I learnt in Bikram Yoga Teacher Training. That and when you even “think of cheating, you’re cheating your own soul and hurting it”.

I also learnt self-respect and self-love. As someone who struggled with confidence and esteem issues, it felt very empowering to go up in front of 310 people  [including Bikram!] and teach 3 demonstrators Ardha-Chandrasana [“Arms over your head sideways, interlock the fingers, release the index finger, thumbs crossed……COME DOWN AND PUSH, AND PUSH, AND PUSH”]. I can ONLY respect myself and treat myself the way I want to be treated, or, how else are my students going to respect me?

As I woke up this morning at 4.44am [I can only sleep for 5 hours a night now… thanks Boss!], I realised that my WHOLE life, right before TT, I was being a doormat for SO MANY PEOPLE. You feel like crap, had a bad day at work/uni? It’s okay, please hurl abusive remarks my way and I’ll be cool with it – although I did not react, I would still think about the hurtful words said and let it fester in my mind, like seeds of a rotten plant taking hold in my head.

Those days are now way behind me.

It’s NOT OK to walk on over me just because you need to make yourself feel better about what a sorry state you are.

I’ve also learnt how not to rest on my laurels and just.. get up on do it! THAT’S the aim of self-realisation- you are worth more than you think you are. Afterall, what’s the most valuable thing in life? “YOUR life, you idiots!” Boss would yell at us, every. single. time.

So enough with all the bullshit I’ve been living with for the past 24 years of my life. Time to start afresh and anew. Afterall, 2010 is only a few days away 🙂

M*