Recently I have been so inspired and motivated by reading other people's blogs I thought it time to start my own. I live in the north of Japan, and don't get a chance to 'talk yoga' in English much. I'm always writing my thoughts, experiences, revelations, responses to things I've read on all these bits of paper. I hope this blog may help me express myself and consolidate my studies and practice, and even tidy up all those random bits of scratched and scrawled over paper!
I first came accross yoga when I was 18 at University, whilst studying Psychology and Philosophy of Mind. At that time the attreaction was it's mysteriousness, it's depth, a way to tap into one's creative energy to realise one's potential - awaken and heighten consciousness. I was a paper yogi. I read about it, talked about it, occasionally practiced a few asana and something like meditation...little did I know about the actual hard work involved. After graduating I took myself off to the foothills of the Himalaya - studied Tibetan Buddhism and meditated...it's cliche I know, but my eyes were opened, a little. I duly shaved my head, so as not to forget what I'd learnt.
On my return to the UK I turned towards Zen, rejoined a yoga class and then by chance ended up in Japan. My first few years were spiritually isolating, never quite finding the right people, or more likely not having the Japanese to talk about the things I wanted to. Eventually I came across Ashtanga yoga, and that was it, hooked, totally, daily practice from the start. It was like coming home, I can't explain the joy I felt at the simple act of movement, breath and drishti combined. Now 7 years on, after many ups and downs and rounds and rounds I still walk the Ashtanga path, and very happily so.
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