Sheeling Bak Yoga

Tips on conquering the Ashtanga yoga practice. Or any practice for that matters.

Yes, Ashtanga is not for everyone. It is however, for those who are willing. Be willing to explore your mind, body and breath as you weave in and out through the myriad of poses in the series. Did I mention there are 6 series in the Ashtanga system? 😅

Before you start to bolt. Let me give you a few tips on how to make this a sustainable lifelong practice that you can enjoy. 🙏

Focus on your breath rather than the pose. Yes, Ashtanga poses look acrobatic and intimidating but, in the essence of it, is all about your breath. Your breath is the magic potion to that perfect chaturanga or hand stand. Engaging that Ujjayi breath and allow it to be your focus instead of it being a distraction.

Manage your expectations. Start small and built up from there. As much as we would like a dedicated hour-long practice, give focus on becoming comfortable with the basics. Becoming strong and comfortable in sun salutations is what I would recommend for most beginners to Ashtanga. 

Embodiment. It's all about the connection. We live in our heads 99% of the day whilst awake. Utilising Ashtanga yoga as medium to train ourselves to get out of our minds and fully focus on the sensations of our body. Know that we are asking our body to perform poses that are out of the ordinary, respect its limitations and be patience to allow your body to accept the practice in time.

Don't give up. The key to a sustainable practice is consistency. I am not talking about the entire primary series 6 days a week. It could simply be showing up on the mat. Period. As long you show up for practice, it may just well be a few sun salutations and closing sequence, you have already won.

Find me at one of the Ashtanga classes listed below. Please check the individual studio for updated schedule and pricing.

Murrarie
Tuesday 5.30am
Ashtanga inspired flow.

Jindalee
Wednesday 7.15pm
Ashtanga Half Primary led class


Friday 9.30am
Warm Ashtanga

Pick the style of class that best suits you and see you on the mat.

Today I shed my yoga gear for a sleek professional black attire all in the name of calligraphy for .

And I had the most fun ever!

Thank you and for including me in this event.

Huge thank you to the hospitality team at Burberry for making me feel most welcome and comfortable.

What will you choose?

Driving home today, I was listening to the Good LifePproject's interview with Elizabeth Gilbert. I hate to admit that I have never read any of her novels because she is so much more than "Eat, Pray, Love" In this interview, she recounted her journey with her long time best friend turned lover Rayya Elias and the epitomised moment that she realise that she was in love with Rayya, finding out about Rayya's cancer and finally walking with Rayya till her last days.

The whole episode got me thinking about choice. The decision/action one make between two or more possibility to achieve a desirable outcome. Will I be able to choose my happiness or do I wait for happiness to choose me? When facing death or the possibility of lost? Do I relish in the remaining days or will I crumble in fear of the unknown?

These are hard question which I do not have the answer to.I can however, start of cultivating resilience through daily mindfulness practice. And the reminder to myself that there will be times where I can't choose the situation and the people around me but I can definitely choose my attitude towards it.


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What was the best advise you have received about personal growth?

Mine is 'You have to be cruel in order to be kind.'

Took me years to understand that statement. I was 17 when I receive that advise and I absolutely thought it was bull s*it. I thought being nice was the only way to go. Not upsetting people.

I only realise that all I'm doing is portraying a version of me that I thought was friendly and acceptable to others. And that's not the real me.

What was the best advise you have received about personal growth?

What kind of relationship ( friendship, romantic, work) are we attracting into our life?

Have you ever felt why you tend to meet or encounter people who have similarities in personality or character traits?

We collect evidence to support our inner narrative. Our inner narrative is created by our belief system and our childhood conditioning.

For example

Have you had a few bosses or colleagues that were disrespectful to you? Do you often feel oppressed and didn't have a voice? Are you being a pushover with your friends?

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First we recognise that issues is within us then we can start to address it. In thie case of disrespectful boss/ colleague, acknowledge that there is an issue. Then we can investigate. Growing up did we have a parent or care taker who continually disrespectful your view and opinions? Were you brushed off when you try to bring up a concern, doubt or worry? From those early childhood experience, could you have build your inner narrative to generalised that all authoritative figure as disrespectful and condescending?

Know that the assumption and the energy you put out will support your inner narrative.

Address that core wound that keep surfacing through your relationship, may it be work, romantic or casual. Change your narrative. Dive deep. Perhaps you might start to notice a shift in the type of relationship that you attract.

Curious about where you can find me?

New website is up! Class offerings are on the website.

Forgiveness part II

How do you practice forgiveness?

Let's be clear here. Forgiveness is not condoning what the actions the other person have done.

Forgiveness is an inner work.

It's bringing the focus back on towards our own mindset and emotions. Most importantly, it is to acknowledge the emotions that surface and let them have an outlet.

My favourite way of expressing emotions is journalling. Focusing mainly on the situation that is inciting that emotions. Writing as much and as detail as possible.

Another way could be talk therapy where you could meet with a certified counsellor. Taking note here that if there are trauma involved, you will need to be careful with rehashing traumatic events which might be retriggering than healing.

Colour/Art therapy.

Meditation. I prefer mindfulness meditation. Or any type of meditation that promotes interoception.

As usual my dm is open for anyone who wish to share. 😘

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Have you ever felt you have been wronged?

Have you ever felt that you could have been treated better with more consideration and respect?

What do you do when you felt that you have been unfairly dealt with? That you felt like a victim?

Was it hard for you to forgive some one? Do you feel that that person could have/ should have done something better?

FACT: We are all trying our best.

We are all trying to live the best way we know with the tools we have at any moment in time. Even though it seems that person should have known better. The "could have/ should have" is just an expectation imposed on someone's role and responsibility. There is no manual for life but there is, however, kindness and compassion. To live in accordance to kindness and compassion, we make space for acceptance for one's seemingly "flaws", when actual fact we are only acting according to our own best ability.

FACT: Anger, Blame and Resentment is highly toxic.

When we are angry and resentful, we are only strengthening the neuropathways of such emotions. They do not serve us in our journey towards a higher self. The antidote to such unhealthy strengthening acts is to practice loving kindness. Learning to come out of victimhood and taking responsibility for your own emotions is the first step to forgiveness. No one can 'make' us feel a certain way. We will feel what we feel with our own accord.

FACT: It is not your responsibility to "change" or "enlighten" that person who have wronged you.

Everyone in life has their own path to fulfil. Hurt people, hurt people. They are ultimately responsible for their own personal growth and it is not our job to 'show' them.  It might seem like they are living in their own bubble of existence. Even if it is true, it is their own journey to discover. We can't change/ control other but we can change/ control how we react towards them. Until that day when both parties can communicate in loving kindness, treat yourself kindly and wish them well and hold them close in our thoughts.

Do you have an instance where you needed to exercise forgiveness? How did it go? Feel free to pm me if you feel it's too personal. 🙋‍♀️

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ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕤𝕖?

𝔻𝕚𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕥 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝟝𝟘% 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕠𝕡𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕙?

𝕀𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕘𝕒 𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕤, 𝕀 𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕙𝕒𝕤𝕚𝕤 𝕕𝕖𝕖𝕡𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕟 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕙𝕟𝕚𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕟𝕒𝕤𝕒𝕝 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘. ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖, 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖, 𝕔𝕚𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕕𝕚𝕘𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕓𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕕, 𝕣𝕖𝕘𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕟𝕒𝕤𝕒𝕝 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕡𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕖𝕤.

𝕀 𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕘𝕝𝕪 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 asana 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕤 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕦𝕚𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙.

𝔸𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥y?

inthatkindredmoment
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Motivation

Are you waiting for someone to come along and grant all your wishes? Stop waiting for something to happen to start living your heart desires.

We are the source of everything in our live. 🥰

If you are a Calligrapher, write every day. If you are an Artist, draw, paint, colour to your hearts desire. If you are a Writer, journal every chance you have.

Whatever that thing is you want to be, the time is now. It doesn’t matter if the package isn’t exactly isn't the way you want, at least you can enjoy the journey every day or at least every week.

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Gratitude

As part of my research and reflection on gratitude, I stumbled onto this study which highlights the importance to practice gratitude daily. 💗

The statement below is extracted from the study. Link in the bio if you are interested for a full read.

1. Individual differences in grateful affect
👉 "I have so much in life to be thankful for."

2. Gratitude towards other people
👉 "I'm really thankful for friends and family."

3. Interpersonal Gratitude towards other people 👉 "I reflect on how important my friends are to me."

4. A focus on the positive tangible and intangible assets that a person possesses
👉 "I reflect on how fortunate I am to have basic things in life like food, clothing, and shelter."

5. Feelings of awe
👉 "When I see natural beauty like Niagara Falls, I feel like a child who is awestruck."

6. Performing regular behaviors to express gratitude
👉 "I use personal or religious rituals to remind myself to be thankful for things."

7. Behaviors and actions to express gratitude
👉 "I say “please” and “thank you” to indicate my appreciation."

8. Regularly focusing positive aspects in a given moment
👉 "I stop and enjoy my life as it is."

9. Gratitude towards non-social sources
👉 "I think it's really important to “stop and smell the roses”."

10. Appreciation arising from the understanding nothing is permanent
👉 "Thinking about dying reminds me to live every day to the fullest."

11. Positive feelings arising for appreciation of how life could be worse
👉 "When I see someone less fortunate than myself, I realize that how lucky I am."


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Pausing

I have been listening to Tara Brach podcast lately. She speaks about the importance of pausing prior to any negative feedback loop, pausing during an argument. By identifying the underlying narative that is on constant playback in our mind, paying attention to it, analysing it. It helps to recondition our mind. I find that it is really helping me with my internal dialogue and breaking patterns that doesn't serve me at all.

When was the last time you pause before you react?

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Why do we practice yoga?

I would rather the question be WHAT is put into practice when you do yoga?

Is it to practice cultivating a grateful heart? To cultivate be grateful with what we can do with our bodies rather than what we cannot do or achieve.

Is it to practice the art of listening? Not really about listening to the yoga teacher or instructor in the class but more about listeing to the body and your mind as well. Being atune to what the body is trying to tell you. A mere tight hips could mean deep unresolvec emotions or a stiff shoulder could mean the burden of the responsibility of a householder.

Or perhaps to practice being open and receptive towards others and oneself?

What ever your intention is during your yoga practice, know that your physical practice is a vehicle for the deeper layers to heart, mind and body.

What is your practice today?

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There is really no best time to meditate, rather the best time that suits you. I like to meditate whenever possible with the least planning and resistance.

I find that when I plan and carve out a specific time. I rarely get a good session. The easiest time for me has to be before bed and after journalling. Where I have "deposited" my thoughts and worries.

I started by sitting on the floor. I prefer connecting to the ground beneath me, instead of sitting in the chair.✨And coming into my body first.Connecting with the sensation of your body is key to calming the mind. Sometimes I sit for 15mins. Somedays 5 mins is enough. On a good day, it 30 mins.

Do you have a prefer way to meditate?

I’ve been diving deep into the tranches of learning, training, reading and developing more + more niche skills. Particularly in the realm of trauma-informed and somatic practice,This is truely where I see myself developing into.

I am a born nerd and I crave learning, You can imagine me inhuge framed glasses back in high school bury deep in books and 10 year series.

Ever since I started practicing yoga, I have always been facinated by the different modality in yoga. So I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to really integrate and practice. To encouple discernment with learning, and allowing expansiveness with the practice of embodiment. To read less,, resist buying or should I say hoarding books (Which i have a weekness for) but instead letting space for listening, and reflecting.

What are some of your plans for learning that are in your plans right now?

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🚫🚫🚫Boundaries🚫🚫🚫

This is a huge learning experience and ongoing process for me.

Growing up I was conditioned in a way that my boundaries were not respected. It is not in anyway deliberate. It's just that my parents were not conditioned by their parents to have boundaries or to instil boundaries to their children. Sometimes violating of boundaries can masquerade as an act of love. 💖

So I grew up always giving people benefit of the doubt. Always making excuse for others. Yes, I am a big believer to always discover the good in people and I still abide by that. But now I'm learning to be comfortable saying no and not feeling guilty about it.

It is ok to say no when you don't feel like it.

It is ok to say no when you feel your emotional state is at stake.

I'm curious to find out more tips about setting boundaries. What's your experience? 🗨


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"Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased.

It is no small gift.

It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love
the dog of our own life,
and the dog down the street,
and all the dogs not yet born.

What would the world be like without music or rivers
or the green and tender grass?

What would this world be like without dogs?"

- Mary Olive

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a fan of my dog, Nisha.

She came into my life at a time where I was feeling depressed. She was a little puppy when I first got her and if you know anything about taking care of a puppy, it is not easy. Many sleepless nights and constantly cleaning up soiled carpet floors. 😵

But having to take care of her, I somehow found a form of relief. I discovered that they are the sort of creature that only lives in the now. They do not have pre meditated intentions and they do not worry.

Then I pondered upon myself and realised that alot of my thoughts revolves around worrying. Worrying about what might happen in the future and what have yet to happen. 💫

Was there a time where you were worrying excessively?

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My Favourite pick me up when I am feeling down

✔ Doggy cuddles. Nisha is noa big cuddles but when she does offer me hugs, its the best thing ever.

✔ A perfect cup of tea. I have always been a big tea drinker. Earl grey, Indian Chai. you name it. It is amazing how a small cup of tea can do wonders.

✔ A stroll on the beach. Sand, Sun, Sea. What more can I say?

✔ A nap. I have never been a napper. These days, when I teach so early in the morning and late in the evening as well. My days becomes long. So I had to learn to nap.

I'm curious. What are some of your pick me ups?

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I used to have a fantasy.

A fantasy that someday I will find the perfect job, drive the perfect car and live in a huge beautiful house and then I will be happy. And everything will be perfect.

Growing up I was such a perfectionism. Don't get me wrong, I got high grades in school because of this and praises from my parents.But I also got anxiety and was under an immense amount of stress at a tender age of 12. Which I didn't know was not normal. I assume every other kid in scholl my age experience the same.

What I have learnt through these years of revelation is that the story of life itself keeps unfolding. It's never ending. The reality is perfectionism is a form of extremism. And extremism is never sustainable.

Even after achieving these momentary status of perfectionism, life goes on and the status fades away as swiftly as in comes.

I learnt that by shifting my attention towards the process instead of the end goal, I found a way out from that never ending cycles of perfectionism. I found pleasure in the progress.

These days, I incorporate this particular mindset into my yoga classes where I focus on the flow of the postures and most importantly mindfulness instead of looking 'perfect' in a posture.

One day someone told me I have been breathing the wrong way my whole life.

I didn't believe it.

How can I possibly breath wrongly? ISn't breathing what it is? Just breathing? But what I was told change me in the way they claimed it would.

To be honest, I never gave too much thoughts or effort into it straight away. I was asana crazy back then and getting proficient in my asana practice was my priority for many years.

It wasn't untill years later I started peeling deeper into the layers of self-growth and inner work that I realise meditation and asana practice alone is not going to be able to help me as much as breathwork will.

Learning to breathe has changed many aspects of my life.
Let me know if it has changed yours.

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Comparison is the thief of joy.

I am guilty of it. You are guilty of it. We all do it

Its such a common thing these days as we spend so much time on social media. It is so easy whilst looking at a stranger's photo to start comparing. Remember nothing is what it seems on social media. You will never know what that person go through to be where they are right now.

The only way that I found effective in stopping me comparing is to catch myself in the act. For example, when I found myself comparing myself with someone else's achievements instead of going down in that spiral of thoughts, I would start to label that thought. Like " Ok. I am comparing myself with someone I don't know."

This method works well for me. Is there a method you use when you want to stop yourself comparing with others?

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Mindfulness is such a buzz word these days.

But what do we really actually know about mindfulness?

By definition - Mindfulness means to be able to know what is going on in your head without attaching any meaning to ut or getting carried away by it.

A good way to practice mindfulness is while driving. We are bound to experience all different type of drivers and situations. There might by drivers who tailgate or speeds or loves to use the horn. When you encounter a situation that sets you off. Do you leave a buffer between the emotion you are inhibiting or do you react straight away to that feeling and let the feeling perpetuate?

If you do let the feeling perpetuate, you might be nurturing a string of self righteous thoughts. "He is suppose to signal!" You might be feeling butterflies in your tummy. Or coldness in your palms.

And yes we are allowed to feel these feeling. In fact we should own these feelings that we feeling. But the difference betweeen mindfulness and mindlessness is to react wisely to the situation instead of reacting blindly.

While mindfulness is not going to solve all road rage and everything else in the world. It is a skill that is easily assessible within ourselves. A skill that can be helpful in challenging times.

Have you had a moment recently where you could practice mindfulness? How did you react?

Yesterday, I got angry at Nisha.

I had the day off from teaching and I got a whole list of things on my check list. And one of them was to do some training walk with her. Nisha is not very good at walking on leash, she is 35 kg big girl of a German Shepherd dog so you can imagine how frustrating to walk her when she pulls and lunge.🙈

These days I have gotten a bit more busier than usual, our training session with Nisha is at the minimal. And I would love for her to be avle to walk nicely again. I miss the nice walks we used to have.😫

But Yesterday I let my agenda and eagerness got the better of me. She obviously wasn't feeling up for a walk. And wouldn't wear her harness so I got angry and ignored her for a full hour. 🤦‍♀️

When I finally got to my senses, after nice cup of tea. I let her in. I felt remorseful but instead of giving the cold shoulder, she gave me the biggest loving kiss. 😭

Peace is restored and we were able to go for a short walk.

During times where I am angry I find that time out for myself is a good way for me to get myself back to equilibrium. I know that with the time to reflect, I was able to come back to my breath and focus on the areas in my body that are reactive in the situation.

What helps you when you feel angry?


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Self care or selfish?

Taking care of yourself does not make you self centered. It about lubricanting the cog for it to run better, smoother and longer.

Understand that your feelings matter. No matter how big or small. No matter how dynamic and trivial.

Acknowledge that there are good days and bad days. It is unrealistic to expect only good days.💗

Know that what you experience is more common then you think and you are not alone in this. Just because it is not widely discussed or accepted does not makes it shameful or embarrassing to talk about. 👄

It is definitely ok to ask for help. Asking for help does not represent weakness. Rather, it shows immense courage.💪

Have you ever experience a bad day and how did you get through it? 👇


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I get alot of questions and comments these days about journal prompts and how to restart journalling.

Here are a list of my favourite prompts or affirmations that I have used when I first started.

1. I am enough.

2. I accept myself unconditionally.

3. I choose to detach from the negative feedback loop.

4. List the things I am grateful for.

5. List my strengths. And weaknesses.

6. Review the book I last read.

7. Remember a time when you were shown kindness by a stranger.

8. The next place/ country you would like to visit next?

These easy and straightforward prompts are suppose to ease yourself into writing without too much efforts.

Hopefully these prompts are useful for those of you who are looking into starting.


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Is there such a thing as learning to breath?

A recent study by Yale university reveals that the students being taught breathing techniques and yoga saw a significant improvement in six areas of well-being: depression, stress, mental health, mindfulness, positive affect, and social connectedness.

Well, aren't we all breathing anyways? 🤷‍♀️

There is a stark difference between conscious and unconscious breathing. Being acutely aware of the breath, specifically and elongated outbreath, you will be able to tap into the parasympathetic pathway of the autonomic nervous system. Deactivating your fight/fight/freeze state and activating your rest and digest state. Most of us with unconscious breathing usual breath in a shallow rate and that locks our nervous system in a fight/fight/freeze state. This over a long period of time causes the cortisol over load which has prolong effect on the viral organs and digestive system. 🙈

One if the best way to start is to practice 4-7-8 breathing. Breathing in for 4 count, hold for 7 and exhale for 8 count. The best time to do this is at night before sleep or during the day where you have a little as 5 mins. 🧭

Link of the take studies in my bio if you are interested.


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