Photos from Nepal, more Bouddha & Nagarkot..

View of the Himalayas from Nagarkot

Love backbends

Ganesh Cottage, The end of the Universe guesthouse, Nagarkot..

I finally made it out of Kathmandu to a place 2 hours away from the city, where the air is fresh & you can see beautiful views of the Himalayas.  Im staying in a place called "The End Of the Universe"! My room or hut which is kind of like a tree house is called "Ganesh Cottage".  Ganesh is the Elephant God & is said to be the remover of obstacles, lord of beginnings & lord of obstacles.  Quite apt for me at the moment as life this week has been more challenging but as I prepare to leave Nepal new beginnings are on there way in Sri lanka!

Today i taught a 4 hour thai massage course ..

To add into my already busy schedule Thurs & Fri this week i have been teaching a 4hour thai massage work shop to the therapists at a spa in Kathmandu! The women are lovely & picked it up relatively quickly, its fun teaching something other than yoga.  The yoga is great but i teach the same sequence to each of my 5 groups so that they get some structure & can remember it when i go next week! I do my best to add a little dance or something to keep each class a little interesting, at least for me!

Being in Kathmandu has proved to me that you can manifest anything you want, at the beginning of the month when i arrived i thought oh no, i haven't got any classes to teach but set my mind on making it happen & now at the end of the month i have almost too many classes & people who want massages every day!  The 5.20am starts & all the micro travel & smog, has meant i am getting a little tired & starting to look forward to the peace & tranquility of Ulpotha (www.ulpotha.com), Sri Lanka. 

Finally last night i woke up for the first time in Kathmandu...

Whilst travelling in another crazy micro last night to meet Tam in Thamel, the backpacker area of Kathmandu I suddenly woke up, it was like i saw Kathmandu for the first time, fully present, fully aware. Knowing that no matter how much life tested you, everything was going to be ok &  i was blissed out!

If only it would last & I could wake up every moment of the day, instead of glimpses! Thats why so many people come here to sit, meditate & listen to Rinpoches talk.   Some quiet time sitting for me is needed after crazy Kathmandu! 

Weather in Nepal..Shiva Puri

Finally the weather is starting to brighten up, after practically the whole month of grey clouds & super cold!   I saw the mountain peaks for the first time the other day, a glimpse of the Himalayas, sadly i don't think i will make it for hiking there this time but there is always the next visit!  

Me & Tam went to Shiva Puri national park, its 20 mins out of the city & then a hike up into the woodland.  It was so nice to get some fresh air & get away from the general chaos & smog of the city.  The weather was good which meant we got a great view! 

Planet Singing Bowl Therapy...

On Monday & Tuesday this week I did the most amazing training in Planet singing bowl therapy.  After having a treatment which was so deeply relaxing & because i love singing bowls i thought i have to do the course.

The sound massage therapy with planets singing bowls is based on a unique combination of the magical, mysterious & harmonic sounds of the Tibetans singing bowls originated in the Himalyas; as well as the scientific western research on planet frequencies, planetary movements & orbits. Through advanced tech they have measured the resonance of the bowls.  You use 5-7 Planet singing bowls & the effects of the frequencies are connected to the chakras or energy body channels.

The benefits:-

Deep & fast relaxation.
Increase of body circulation & help with PMS disorders.
Reduce tensions & stress.
Help to reduce back ache &  improve digestion.
Energise for mental clarity, create a feeling of lightness.

I have not experienced such a fast deep relaxation & sleep, they say around 80% of people fall asleep.  The vibrations of the bowls are just incredible.  Now i just need to practice a lot & then i cannot wait to give treatments, its so powerful! 

Bishwas Nepal ... Drop in Centre for Women in dance industry!!

Yesterday I taught a group of 12 - 14 women in a small space as usual with no mats at Bishwas Nepal, a drop in centre for women who still work in the dance etc sectors in Kathmandu.  This was the first time I had taught there & we had a few difficulties with the translation but the women loved it &; laughed a lot.  They said they were very happy i had come to teach them!

This was my 3rd class of the day & 4th Micro bus!  It was worth the journey though to see their faces of appreciation & enjoyment.

I am in the process of creating a basic book of the poses we have been learning at all the centres so that I have something to leave behind so that they can continue to do yoga themselves.  I have already asked a couple of women as Shakti Kendra to teach the others.  They have picked it up so well &  it would be amazing if they could become yoga teachers!   This is my goal, to train them up to teach the other women!

My 4th Class of the day is at Bouddha Mediation centre where i am staying.  This is for locals & expats & is a class in English with out a translator! 

My lovely Inspiring friend Tam.....

Tamzin is my lovely friend that is also volunteering at ASHA, she's from Scotland & has so much positive energy & inspiring ideas for ASHA & the women.  She's taking sebatcle from PWC for 4 months & has helped ASHA sort out their accounts & organise parties & fundraising ideas for ASHA.  She started coming to the kids yoga class & loves it!  Its her first experience of yoga &; she is so supportive, she's sees a positive impact on the kids.  The kids are sad when there is no yoga! Tam is also a big fan of my massages & keeps sending her friends too me which is wonderful!  I am so happy to have made such a lovely friend whilst being here amongst the chaos of Kathmandu.  She's my angel amongst the dirt!!  She arranged a British style party for the kids today, including pass the parcel, 3 legged race, cup cakes, pin the Yak! The kids loved it, she put so much effort in & it was well rewarded! We all chanted the Gayatri Mantra at the end, again beautiful. 

MICRO BUSES!!!!!!!!

There is a reason why the buses in Kathmandu are called Micro because they are super small minibuses with tiny bench seats which cram in as many people as possible.  Often you end up sitting on the floor or regularly on top of each others knees or hanging out of the bus!  The drivers are all crazy & you often feel privileged to get to your destination safely!  There is practically no suspension so it doesn't do great things for your back!!  I had 4 30 -40 min journeys yesterday, I was Micro bused out!

On the plus side though they cost no more than 20 rupees, i found out my journey is actually 15 rupees but it depends on the conductor I get whether he will give you change for 20 or not!  20 Rupees is 15P. 

This is the conductor shouting to get more peeps on the bus!!

Dance, Gigong, Yoga, Gayatri Mantra... Love the kids ...

Creativity, Fun, Inspirational, Joy ...... Sita Ram
Today the kids class began with a movement & dance to Sita Ram, all the kids chanted Sita Ram, with me.  With rain & cold outside we warmed our bodies up with movement & chanting.  They all joined in & loved it.  I noticed how they find it difficult to move on their own without guidance, as all the dance they do is very contained.  We then begin with the Anusara chant & some seated twists & forward bends, then we go to table top position which we have named Tiger (with noise effects), then to Cat, cow again with sounds! Dog is called 'Karli' which is the name of their dog! The class moved through some Gigong both yin & yang again they seem to love it & then we go to some more yoga & some partner yoga, helping them support & connect with one another.  Its such a joy to be with them & watch the change in their energy from the beginning to the end of class.  I love being free & so creative with them its so much fun!

Another beautiful moment happened at the end of the class when I played the Gayatri Mantra & some of the girls knew it so we all chanted this together.  Wonderful...

Gorgeous versions of Gayatri Mantra by Shimshai & Tina Malia
http://www.archive.org/details/GayatriMantra-TinaMaliaShimshai

Crazy Kathmandu, Nepal....Beautiful People....

TheART2HealingProject
http://www.theart2healingproject.org/
Kathmandu, Nepal
Nov 2011

After a kind of turbulent start in Nepal, wondering why on earth i had chosen to spend my time in such a hole as Kathmandu I am now grounding & settling in.  My purpose for coming to Nepal is to volunteer my skills, yoga & massage to women who had been victims of human trafficking.  My wonderful friend Lydia (Atira) has set up the charity TheArt2HealingProject & set me up to teach at various organisations she works with in Kathmandu, these are Shakti Kendra, ASHA Nepal & CAP Nepal.


I am teaching yoga at 3 different shelters, 2 womens classes (teenagers to early 20's) & one kids (11-16).  I have an early start, 5.20am, then i get out into the already fairly lively city & hop on a micro bus which have crazy conductors running along the side of the road shouting to get people on their bus! An experience in itself.  I start the day teaching kids aged 11 - 15, who amaze me everyday.  They are so focused & fun.  The highlight today was when i played the Anusara invocation & one of the youngest came unto me afterwards to sing it to me & then to write it down so she could keep learning it.  Then i had 3 of the kids chanting with me!  My heart was melting.  Now everyday i will chant the Anusara invocation with them.  I then walk to CAP Nepal to teach a group of women & then onto Shakti kendra, all the women love the yoga & are always so appreciative, they are so beautiful its hard to imagine what they have been through.  We have no mats & so we just make do with a cushion or jus the floor, we manage although mats would be nice to prevent them slipping!

Anusara Invocation

Sanskrit:
OmNamah Shivaya Gurave
Saccidananda Murtaye
Nisprapancaya Shantaya
Niralambaya Tejase

Translation:
I offer myself to the Light, who is the True Teacher
within and without (the teacher of all teachers),
Who assumes the forms of
Reality, Consciousness and Bliss,
Who is never absent and is full of peace,
Independent in its existence,
It is the vital essence of illumination.

ASHA Nepal = is a small grass roots organisation started in the UK & run by a group of dedicated Nepali women working on the ground fighting for the rights of women & girls in Nepal.  Asha is the Nepali word for hope.  Hundreds of thousands of women & children in Nepal suffer daily from extreme human rights abuses - sex trafficking, sexual & physical abuse, child labour, & discrimination due to caste & HIV/Aids.  

ASHA Nepal is working to raise the social status of theses women & help victims break free from the vicious circle of abuse & violence.

Some Hipstomatic Pics of Bouddha, Kathmandu

Bouddha

Steet life of Kathmandu, Bouddha

The Streets in Bouddha

The practice is to walk around the stupa 3 x

Shezhen Monastry & Vege Restaurant

Prayer Wheel

Bouddha Stupa

Patan City

Ceremony in Patan City (Kathmandu is made up of 3 cities)

TWO-WEEK ANUSARA INSPIRED® YOGA HOLIDAY @ ULPOTHA ECO RESORT, SRI LANKA 4 -18th DEC 2011

Please join me for a two week magical holiday at the wonderfully relaxing Eco retreat, Ulpotha.

The tranquil setting of Ulpotha naturally lends itself to fulfill our true desire to align with nature. Following the Anusara principles throughout & weaving in a heart theme, the morning class will be based on a dynamic practice to revive & awaken our spine, heart and mind; allowing us to start the day with a feeling of lightness & freedom. Through a playful dance of asana, restorative yoga, Thai yoga massage & meditation, incorporating breathwork throughout, the therapeutic afternoon class will be a chance to explore our bodies: bringing back mobility in our joints, restoring the natural rhythm of our spine and the free flow of energy, whilst getting in touch with our inner essence of being.

For more info and bookings, see http://www.ulpotha.com/ or sendenquiries to info@ulpotha.com,phone +442081233603. Or email me (helen@yogasay.org).

Ulpotha has been a pilgrimage site for thousands of years and remains an oasis of tranquility in the heart of Sri Lanka. It is a beautiful private hide-away open to guests for part of the year; a place of total peace, where you can experience the warm, generous and gentle hospitality which Sri Lankans love to offer. Ulpotha is a traditional working village cradled on the one side by low mountains and a lotus ringed lake, and on the other by tiny emerald green paddy fields. Our focus, at present, is on the restoration of an ageless agricultural way of life including bio-diverse organic farming and reforestation of the land and its immediate surroundings.For the majority of the year, when guests are absent from Ulpotha, the village reverts back to a holistic, traditional agrarian-based lifestyle, concentrating on farming, environmental, social, and cultural activities.

Europe Events...

yogasay.org

helen@yogasay.org

I am now back in Europe after March, April in Bali & will be here until Oct 2011...

Some things that are happening whilst I am here..

July 14th - 18th - I will be attending the Barcelona Yoga Conference, come along it will be a fun event with wonderful teachers.....

http://www.barcelonayogaconference.cat/

July 18th - 23rd - Leeds - Available to give Thai Massage treatments... Call or mail me on 07935697780, helen@yogasay.org

July 24th - 1st Aug - London - Available to give Thai Massage treatments... Call me on 07935697780

Aug 2nd - 8th - Teaching & Massaging at One World Festival in Derbyshire

http://www.macrobios.com/event/5/

Sept 13th - Raising money for http://www.theart2healingproject.org/ at Cisco (my old office). A day of 20 min massages for donations & a yummy cake sale.

Sept 28 - 2nd Oct - Teaching on a Yoga Holiday in Marrakech,, Morocco. Email: helen@yogasay.org for more details.

Nov - Teaching in women in Nepal on behalf of The Art2Healing Project which is a non-profit, creative arts therapy organization based in Asia that is dedicated to assisting and empowering individuals at risk, particularly women and children who are victims of trauma.

Greece, France Pics

Magic Magic Magic - Thai Massage Circus Feb 2011..

My time in Chiang Mai became super busy, it was all good though as I was teaching alot & my final classes were teaching on a 5 day Anatomy course with beautiful Jo. It was a lovely group & the course went well & I really enjoyed the experience. After a lovely break to the floating cottages I came back to Chiang Mai to prepare for the Circus in Loas (www.thaimassagecircus.com), a month intensive thai massage course living out in the sticks! The day before me & Stella (my wonderful yoga & love of tea friend!) were due to set off I got a little sick, fever, backache, headache etc! I have observed now that its seems every time I moving countries or setting off for some new adventure I get sick! Anyway I think it was good that I got sick before the course as it meant that I managed not to get sick during my time at the Circus.

THE THAI MASSAGE CIRCUS

Wonderful, Amazing, Joyful, Grounding, Beautiful, Divine, Fabulous, Transforming, Calming Experience......

As I sit & write this my Circus memories just make me smile, smile, smile :-). It really was a truly magical experience & exceeded any expectations i may have had. It took me about 2 minutes to feel at home on the land, surrounded by water & nature. The land is so beautiful with a mini rice fields, vegetable & herb gardens, papaya trees every where & combined with such a strong vibration from the land.

The Highlights..........

Waking up at 6am to meditate, knowing you had a beautiful day of yoga, thai chi, Capoeira, then wonderful food, a swim in our natural pond & after all that we began to learn, practice new massage techniques & learning how to feel.

Circus day at the waterfall - A playful day up at the waterfall, a 15 minute walk from our camp. We offered massages to tourists (Loas people & tourists from all over the world), played acro yoga, sang, danced, swam basically had loads of fun & offered our heeling services to the world. We managed to get some tourists to join in & sing & dance with us!