Posted in: Asia, Inspiration, Photos, Spiritual, Travel | 8 Comments | Posted on October 4, 2014 by kari

If you think yoga mainly is about stretching, then you’ve got only small part of the picture.  Or maybe to expand your knowledge  you should do a month First Level Intensive Course at  Agamayoga in Thailand. 

We have been looking forward to do this course together as a family, as part of experience and study everything together approach of mentoring our kids.

Starting with an open mind and zero expectations, this  month turns into a beautiful and exciting experience for us all.

Yoga is so much more than gymnastics.  It is a spiritual path of how to get to know yourself better and think and act with awareness and a conscious mind. 

The first week there are a lot of interesting lectures by passionate and engaged teachers about different topics like connection between body and soul, micro and macro resonance, levels of energy, and philosophical background of the Yoga tradition as way of life that effect each single aspect and action in our life.  These theoretical deeper lectures continues every evening also for the next three weeks. The topics are explained in a rational clear way, focusing on the energy awareness of yoga practice, comparing Eastern and Western tradition, making yoga mode accessible for a western mind but thoroughly based on traditional indian and Tibetan yoga. 

Every morning we are introduced to a new Asana (posture),  and  after a thorough explanation about benefits and effects, the new asana and earlier ones are exercised in various combinations; it feels great!
Cosmic and telluric (earth) energy level is running high, this is full power!! 

Lin and Kai are fully engaged and join every class and every lecture, not wanting to miss anything.

Being the only kids taking part as full time students among all the adults in the course, make Lin and Kai big attractions, getting from everyone plenty of love and admiration for their serious  approach and attitude.

Our inward journey is complemented by the small house at the end of the beach which we rent for the whole month.

The open horizon embracing the blue turqoise sea is mesmerizing and magic, and the soothing sound of soft waves over the white sand flushes and purifies body and soul. We couldn’t have found a better setting.

Two hours exercise every  morning and afternoon, and lecture in evening. Mid day a few hours break. In our first week trying to stay even for 1-2 minutes focused without moving in the Asana’s, is super hard for our untrained muscles and mind, but as promised by our shining teachers it is changing fast and by the third week we manage to practice every  Asana for over 5 minutes quite easily. 

Amazingly fast progress when study is done in such intensity and debpt. 

Days are  intense and glorious and the world feels brighter and cleaner every day. The turquoise water is refreshing and dissolving, and the sun  is shining most of the time in spite of being rainy season, like giving us her blessing to make this month even more heartwarming and light. Smiling locals in this small village called Sritanu in the west side of the island, filled with relaxed energy. New beautiful friends from all over the world, sharing home cooked meals,  interesting conversations and exchange of thoughts,  all with a spirit and energy created by the yoga classes and exercises and which proves to us that this stuff works! 

Koh Phangan is a beautiful island and Sritanu beach is a great place, that can offer both all the comfort needed with all possible options for spiritual studies.  It feels good to stay for a longer time in one place, to get to  know our local environment a bit more. Like the beautiful and goodhearted family at Mama Poo restaurant serving delicious food and renting motorbikes, and Auyi at the laundry with the biggest warm smiles ever; little by little the locals warm up and make us feel more and more home. 

One month of Yoga study is over, and at the final ceremony a pleased family receive their blessings and diplomas. It is sad and happy at the same time to have arrived to the end; but as always, any end is a new beginning.

It is a great tool, for children as well as adults, for focus, energy and general awareness;  emphasize even more our questions in this long journey of  “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?”.

FROM NOW ON, NO DOUBT: YOGA, EVERY DAY. 

Warm thanks and love to all of you at Agamayoga.  We will be back.