Tine

My body and my mind are learning to speak yoga. This week in yoga #ttc has been about #ashtanga yoga and yoga #philosophy. Two #hardcore disciplines demanding my full #attention and #presence. I have been #worked out. I have broken #sweat in pools on my #mat, and my #mind has bend and stretched around the conception of #karma, #chakras and so much more. It is an entirely new language. I’m learning to speak yoga.  My body and mind was #drained from #energy the first couple of days practicing ashtanga. I just didn't get it and I felt that I couldn't do it. It was a #drill; counting and doing the exact same #asanas in the exact same order...  But then -  suddenly -  my body understood something. I felt #strong and I #accepted that I haven't nailed the #chaturanga - yet! It has to do with a balance between different forces. Willpower, faith in my body and acceptance of the present state. Easy said, right...? I am so busy looking ahead, planning, managin...

I am in Bali, #studying. Yoga #teacher training. It has been a long journey, and in a way it has only just begun. Many preparations, many hopes and fears, much talking, any thoughts and many, many words. From today onwards we are to be quiet from we get up until 9 am. This means morning, morning practice and breakfast in #silence. Now, people who know we are already laughing their heads of. Tine - not talking?! Yeah, well ... it can be done. I chose to sit alone during breakfast, only to retreat to the pool with my coffee (I know...sounds so hard). And I enjoyed it. Not using words forced me to just be, and feel and #sence and listen and taste and be - here. I observe that people around me are much camler and seem peaceful. Imagine the whole resort, the whole town, the whole region, the whole country in silence for an hour. Where would all that #talking-energy go? What could we do with it? Hmmm...

Well - I have been arriving... A long #flight from #Denmark to #Kelapa Cottage in Bali, what a #world of difference. I have met so many #wonderful #persons, #helpful and #giving! I have a restored #belief in humanity:-). This is what met me when I left #morning #yogapractice this morning. I am #learning, #meeting, #facing #fears, developing, teaching, studying, talking, thinking in a second language...and I am #tired.  So, I am out until tomorrow - this is my day off:-). Namaste!

Today is the day - in more sence than one! I have now checked in at BLL #Denmark bound for #Bali via #Amsterdam. I have said my goodbyes with my boys and with my hubbie - knowing they will do just fine without me for 4 weeks. Oh, but I will miss them - and that is ok.  The terrible news from #Nice, France, makes me think about what safety is. Is it being free of danger? Is it avoiding crowds? Is it loving and being #loved? I hope that all my love for my family can give them freedom and space to move. I feel their love. I love you guys, Karsten, Georg and Alfred! Who would have thought, I'd have 3 men in my life? Lucky girl, I am!

Packing - YAY!  I love it and I hate it. I always bring too much...how much #stuff do you need for 29 days in #Bali? Certainly #books and a straw hat and Danish candy and a hair dryer and clothes and note books (note plural) and chargers (also plural) and more clothes and bikinis and....For once I have not packed heels... only practical #footwear! This is quite mature of me. AND I have not reached the airlines #limit of 23 kg - yet. I have never in my life packed so much #yoga wear, let alone a yoga mat. (The last two times I travelled with a yoga mat, was from #Hamburg (from #Luluemon store - have no good yoga store in DK. I am so looking forward to visiting the #goyogi store in Aarhus after Bali) to #Denmark). #Tomorrow I leave my #husband and best friend, Karsten, and my to boys, Georg and Alfred. My "mind is racing while I pack - I am starting an adventure without the loves of my life, I am leaving them behind. I am going to miss them awfully - but I will return a #stro...

I have been busy; busy planning and worrying about things. I didn't even notice the sun. The past weeks have been rainy and a bit cold, actually. The Danish summer is known (for Danes :-)) as unreliable to say the least. That is why we often worry about the weather - just I have worried - not about the weather, but a number of other things. But no matter how much I worry and overthink, it will not change anything. So, instead I will try to be present now - and not have a field day in what I #worry will happen. Can I do this? Let the #sunshine in!

So - 5 days left until depature from Denmark Bali bound. Everything inside me cries "YEAH BABY!" and at the same time a whisper echoes "what are you doing?". I recognize this feeling - it is what drives me and what stops me. It is up to me to decide the direction that this feeling is to lead me. I choose the "YEAH BABY!" fully aware of the #wonders and challenges that lie before me.  And what a thrill - those steps that lead you on the path of new adventure. 

So, touching the floor is not the goal in itself. The goal is to extend to my limit, knowing my limit without letting it stop me before even trying. It is a balance between what I know - and what I think I know.

Namaste - this famous yogic term. " Nama  means bow,  as  means I, and  te  means you. Therefore,  namaste  literally means “bow me you” or “I bow to you.” The first time I was greeted with this word I was honoured - I still am! It is so much more than "hello" or "how are you". It is an acknowledgement; I see you and I respect you. To a Dane this may seem too much. But I say: let's go for it and NAMASTE all day!

Building your foundation - in all walks of life - is the starting point. My foundation = my feet (still:-)). It sounds so simple, cliché even, but non the less... Planting my feet firmly on the ground (or mat) is everything - it supports me and gives me the ability to lift. So, the insight? Build your foundation - plant your feet.

The best way to go through life - is hand in hand with a good friend. Be sure to be your own best friend: be supportive, be loving and be forgiving

It's funny - how you end up right in front of a message so strong, it cannot be ignored.  Turing Hamburg with my hubbie (read: shopping), I came across this T-shirt. I am on a yoga-journey, an adventure which I feel will change many things in my life.  But what it has changes already is the love I feel from my hubbie, my family and so many people around me. This is truely an adventure - and an insight. I didn't buy the T-shirt, because it was too short and wouldn't cover my belly....self-love, anybody...? ;-)

WELL - here's my first blog post ever!! Thanks to Yvonne for her help and back-up - you are a wonder, mrs. Y!