La Dolce Vita – Yoga Holiday (Re)Treat!

Wine & Yoga Holiday Journey in the stunning Tuscan countryside – the dream came true. 

Close your eyes, breath deeply, and imagine a week full of yoga, amazing people, meditation, stunning Tuscan countryside, dancing meditations, hula hoping, being wild, amazing Italian food, walks along wineries and wine tasting experience, full moon ceremony of gratitude, laughing, releasing, love, love and much love. A sacred space free of judgment where everyone is free to be themselves, to express themselves and to celebrate life! This is La Dolce Vita Yoga Holiday reTreat.

It was only 2 years ago that I stepped out of my comfort zone to jump towards the unknown driven only by  a bizarre sensation of “this must be right even though I don’t know why and it’s not rational at all.” Intuition? Only now I can think of that sensation as more than intuition. It’s more like a spiritual wisdom, a message from the universe. Raise of AWARENESS. Yoga give us the tools to raise the awareness of what is good for us and what is not, and then pursue the former.

It is not easy. Nowadays it is not easy to just follow what makes you feel happier. Because there is the thinking mind, the unnatural society rules, the schedules, the rash hours, the to-do lists,  the DEADlines, the multitasking skill to improve, the “where do you see yourself in 5 years time?” interview question, the “Christmas is coming adds 4 months before and then when it comes we are already bored with it” which are all BRINGING US TOO FAR FROM THE PRESENT MOMENT, too far from understanding what our simple needs are. If you are not in the present, you cannot meet your real self. Cause you are only here and now. If you are not here you cannot find peace.

I feel so grateful that day I trusted my intuition. I gave it a go. And now, I’m here, in this present, not sure about what’s next, but doing what makes me feel happy and healthy now and with one mission: inspire and empower others to follow their dreams, to love more, to dance more, to LET GO more, to simply meet their real self, listen to the inner guru and go with the flow.

I am even more grateful to be able to say now that my first 2 ever yoga holiday retreat were a great success, magical weeks and I’m looking forward to live the next ones in 2017. But before, a winter in Asia in between India, Thailand and Bali to get inspired and be able to inspire even more.

La Dolce Vita

Imagine a week full of yoga, amazing people, meditation, stunning Tuscan countryside, dancing meditations, hula hoping, being wild, amazing Italian food, walks along wineries and wine tasting experience, full moon ceremony of gratitude, love, love and much love. A sacred space free of judgment where everyone is free to be themselves, to express themselves and to celebrate life!

This was the Yoga Holiday Retreat I had imagined to attend one day and this is the one I’ve created (with the help of countless people who inspired me and helped me organizing it). My intention is to inspire and empower by letting go through yoga, meditation, dancing and freedom of mind & body.

This is La Dolce Vita Yoga Holiday (Re)Treat.

NEXT YOGA RETREAT’S ON 24th JUNE – 1st JULY 2017
2017 dates: 24th June – 1st July / 22nd – 29th July / 2nd – 9th September
 

 

BE GRATEFUL – Happy 2016

Zest Organic Cafè, Patnem beach, South Goa – 03:24pm

On a hot Goan afternoon, with the fan at its highest speed blowing fresh prana, while waiting from my Green Detox Cold Pressed Juice, I want to share with you my diary today.

Since a while I’ve this habit of, before felling asleep at night, listing 5 things I’m grateful for the day just gone. So I fell asleep with a smile..:-) Try this precious practice and I promise you will notice the benefits since day 2!

Today I’ve listed the 5 things I’m grateful for the year just past. This challenging yet rewarding 2015. Here you go.

1. Having had the courage, strength & flexibility to follow my dreams (and realize them!!)
2. To appreciate the beauty of the present moment = SANTOSHA (2^nd Nyama of Patanjaly Yoga Sutra)
3. To have been able to inspire other people (yogi students and non) to improve their lives and lifestyle
4. For all the hugs and support I’ve received from the wonderful people I’ve met alongside my path. This challenging yet rewarding path / year
5. For all the less wonderful people I’ve met who provided me with the challenges I needed to grow and become the person I am today, now.

And you? What are you grateful for?

And so I like to end my classes: “You made it, Shavasana… Be grateful, be thankful, for your body, for your neighbor, for the sun setting, for the moon raising, for the good days and fir the bad days. For everything life gives you. For all the Gods and Goddesses around you and within you.”

Namastè

CHANGES BRING GREAT BLESSINGS

“Transformation. You are experiencing enormous change right now, which brings great blessings.” These words were saying the cards my lovely friend Candice from Montana has read to me few days ago at Little Cove Yoga Holiday Retreat, the yoga resort where I was working as a yoga teacher. I said ‘was’ as the new year has brought me enormous changes since its start.

The morning of 1^st January 2016, Pardeshi, the owner and the yoga teacher at Little Cove (previously my Guru) shouted at me (and in front of the guests) after teaching the morning class, still with his white pure clothes on, “Nadia, do your luggage now, out of Little Cove, you are fired.” After few moments of confusing thoughts and useless rationalizations my mouth spoke “Why??” and he replied, still shouting and with a not very yogi expression “Do not ask anything, just shout your mouth and leave”. Then he left, without leaving any room for explanations.

I turned to my friend and she looked at me and we probably gazed at each other for few minutes without being able to formulate any sentences as the situation was so irrational, so Indian I’d say, so ‘the bad part of India’ to be precise. Yes, because if you have been traveling through India for some time you would most likely agree with me that this country has great, exceptional paradoxes. Two very opposite sides of the same coin. Incredible India. Racism of castes, tremendous exploitation of employees, human (mostly woman) rights violation, sexism and much more leaving together with the well known Indian spiritualism and compassion in the same incredible country.

What happened with Pardeshi is simple. I always said, with politeness and respect, what I believed into, I always spoke the truth and I’ve never deprived my self of my freedom to help others and to be honest towards others and myself. He didn’t like it. He, as a business man and a very control freak boss (which doesn’t really fit with a yogi does it?) didn’t like it and so he decided to kick me out; just like that. He didn’t even pay my December salary.

He lied a lot to me and to all guests on countless occasions. In this particular occasion, on 31^st december I wanted to go and celebrate the new year in Agonda, where some friends of mine are. He apparently didn’t like it because if I was going to Agonda, other guests would have followed me and the bar next door (which also belongs to him even though he doesn’t say it so the guests can go there and spend money which goes in his pocket) would have not had much business. The beach is very remote and to get anywhere you need a taxi. That evening he said to all taxis of the area not to come to Little Cove as he didn’t want any people leaving his place. He didn’t say that to the guests of course, he lied, he just said, “oh sorry there are no taxis available as it’s very busy due to the new year’s eve”??!! I didn’t believe it so at 10pm 3 guests and I walked on the main road to find a taxi and there were plenty of them!! We went to Agonda and we had a wonderful time at Simrose resort feeling free and happy just as we made it ourselves! We came back around 2am and after been told from some other guests that there had been a fight in Little Cove!!! (some of the staff where very drunk and they had a fight and got quite injured!) we went to bed. In the morning, after his yoga class he kicked me out. He was so unprofessional. He didn’t even pay my December salary. He said to the guests that the reason was that I was drunk and so I can’t be a good yoga teacher. All guests there know that I was not even tipsy. I just spoke the truth and he didn’t like it. If he really wants to be a yogi and cares about his guests and yoga path he should not have built a resort with a massive bar next door. And he should not have an alchoolic taxi driver (Govinda) working for him. Karma. It’t all about karma. Karma will get them.

Below few of the things Pardeshi did and guests do not know:

• – hi owns all the 3 resorts in the beach even though he is saying that he’s only a yoga teacher
• he did not pay my december salary (I left 1^st January)
• changed the 50% discount at the next door restaurant (which also belongs to him) to 20% without giving me notice before (I realized it only when I got the bill)
• one of his taxi drivers, Govinda, is an alcoholic. Everybody of the staff know it, not the guests of course. I often told Pardeshi not to let Govinda drive as it can be extremely dangerous! He didn’t care.
• asked me to look into advertising on tripadvisor as he was getting bad reviews
• asked me to lie to the guests telling them that the resort next door did not belong to him so the guests would feel welcome to have a drink there
• on my only day off asked me (not in a polite way but just demanded to do it) to teach the morning class – if not I would have been fired
• asked me not to question anything he said, I should just say yes to him
• he shouted at me many times
• he is not a yogi basically!

I share these words as I want people to know the truth about all this. I am a yogini and I practice “Satya”, the art of truth telling, NOT ling.

Anyway, as I teach in my classes, just take a deep breath in, and as you breath out, you blow out everything that doesn’t serve you….. Detachment. 🙂 I am much happier now with my friends in another lovely place on a beautiful beach. I am free to not have to accommodate his dictatorship.

Always welcome New Changes, they are for the better :-))

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL, WITH ALL MY HEART.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

Nadia Moon

Be None Going Nowhere

And so I am about to fly back to Italy and just as the beginning of this trip, Air India rescheduled my flight to tomorrow, just so I learn once again the lesson of having no expectation in life, especially no fixed plans when traveling through India. And so now, from Raddison Blue hotel in New Delhi, I have time to write my last blog post.

The words become increasingly meaningless when it comes to describe emotions. My excitement for writing blog post has diminished along this journey just as my thirst for enjoying and being in the present moment has increased. But I would like to spend few words for this special moment.

“Along my journey I have met some wonderful people and some who were not so wonderful. I take this opportunity to thank the not so wonderful ones, for they have provided the challenges and wake-up calls which have assisted me in my journey and transformation. Some people have been both wonderful and not so wonderful at the same time; I honor you and thank you all for having been part of my life.”

How am I feeling? So blessed! So grateful! I don’t feel this is the end at all! More then ending, this trip ‘initiated’ me towards a challenging yet beautiful life path that will never really end. Looking back at this 10 last months, despite everything, I would not change a single thing, because I trust that everything happens to make us stronger and more aware; I trust that, if we follow the signs the universe sends us, everything happens for a reason, and the reason is always to bring us closer to the beauty of here & now. To the beauty of this very special moment. To the beauty of the self realization. Just surrender to this supreme truth and everything will make more sense. Accept everything life gives you without judging it, without likes or dislikes.

There is this beautiful Sadhana (spiritual practice) we should all learn to do in this over active world: “The art of doing nothing”. What if I tell you to do just nothing? Are you able to do it? Are you able to stop whatever activity you are doing and doing just nothing for the next, let’s say, 20 minutes? Don’t listen to music, don’t write, don’t read any book, don’t eat, drink or talk; don’t wash your hair or sleep. Don’t be engaged in any thoughts and especially do not judge. For the next 20 minutes just sit down, stop and observe whatever happens around you and within you without judging it, without attaching to any positive or negative emotions or sensations. In fact as you only observe you should not be able to say something is positive or negative at all. Just repeat to your self that for the next 20 minutes “I do nothing”, “I want nothing”, “I am nothing”. Just observe. Learn to be a detached witness, the equanimous spectator of this funny show that is our life. Learn to be none going nowhere and you will gain the greatest realization. When you consciously stop seeing and thinking, you often start seeing things as they really are. Life will became easier, lighter and will gain much more sense. Have no Ego. Be grateful. Smile. Dance and sing once in a while. Be empty and your heart will be fulfilled. See everyone around you as a special creature, just like you are. This cannot be more explained with words, it just needs to be experienced.

Finally, I just wanted to share my gratitude for having met Amma and her energy just at the end of this trip. It feels like everything till now happened to allow me to land in her ashram in Amritapuri (south of Kerala) just over a month ago.  Her powerful yet lovingly energy flows and her love is contagious. Amma is an indian woman, a guru and a saint who has thousands of devotees all around the world. She’s worldwide known as the “Hugging Mother” as she literally embraces everyone to show that love and compassion are the key to self realization, bliss, peace and harmony around you and within you. She is the embodiment of God’s Love and her hugs and presence are mysteriously extremely healing. Not only that, she is so bright, funny, wise and a full power woman! She is not only words and hugs, Amma puts her love into action. She spends every waking moment in service of others, with a smile that just looking at it will open your heart. Her ashram reflects that. Her ashram is noisy, busy, alive, colorful and full of energy flowing all around and within you. She is an example of what it looks like to act from love instead of ego.

And just as I used to end my classes with this pray, I find out with great joy that Amma ends her satsangs (spiritual discourses) with the same universal pray:

Lokah Samastah Sukino Bhavantu  (May all being be Happy and Free; and may our thoughts and actions contribute to their happiness and freedom)

Om

Fly high and higher!

I am back people! 🙂 Something finally shifted inside my soul and, despite I still walk with 4 opened eyes to check whether anyone is attacking me, my true smile is back! It’s been a process of course, a process where a lot of you lovely people contributed to start opening my heart once again. I’ve received so much support, love and strength from all of you, physically close or not, that I could not give up! And I am extremely grateful for that.

I had terrible days. I had days where I was feeling really sad, my soul was so heavy, I could not smile, trust or be happy with anyone. I wanted to stay alone but I didn’t want to stay alone! I felt disconnected as I was loosing the beauty of being in the present moment. I had moments in which I thought this event could affect all my life. I had nightmares. I cried for not specific reasons. I had panic attacks when somebody asked me “where are you from?”. But out of all this dark moments, I always knew it was just in my mind, and so I decided that, not matter how painful it could be, I would just observe this as a detached witness as I also knew that time is a great healer and to mention Vipassana meditation, everything arises and passes away, arises and then passes away – so why getting attached to sensations (either bad or good?) if they will go away? It’s the low of nature.

But do you know when exactly I felt this shift? This is so exciting!! Do you remember the “old man”? The one that threw stones at the “little man” who tried unsuccessfully to rape me? Well, I met him! Yes I did! Here, where I live and where the aggression happened, is a small village, everybody knows each others and so one of the fruit seller spoke to some friends of mine, the story went quickly around the village and so I got the name of the “old man”, my savior (apparently the aggressor was not a local person). I had to meet him. He’s a plumber and his name is Bhagwuant, that day he was there to fix some tube that brings spring water to the village. This is what I knew. After some asking around, I managed to know that he usually spends his afternoons in a tea shop close to Tushita centre. So, yesterday, a bit anxious without knowing exactly why, I went there and I asked to the first person outside the shop: “Excuse me where can I find Bhagwuant?” “This is me…..I know who you are” he replies. And with the eyes full of emotion I told him in one breath “I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you” and he smiled “it’s ok, don’t worry”….. “Can I buy you a chai?” I suggest, and we sat down waiting for our chai. I was a bit embarrassed, I didn’t know what to say but I know I wanted to talk to him, I wanted to look him in the eyes and see the good out of a local man. Bhagwuant doesn’t have a typical face of someone I would trust, but then when he smiles he’s so sweet! He didn’t speak much, he was quiet, smily but not too much. I asked him “so how come you noticed us? Did you hear my screams?” “Yes, I heard very loud Help! Help!” but you know what? I don’t remember saying Help, I just remember screaming nonsense noises, this was all unconscious. He also said that the “little man” tried to push me towards him and OK this I remember. Anyway, we spoke a bit, I wanted to know him a little more. He’s married and has 3 daughters! And when is not a plumber he plants and grow rise in his rise field. It was an exception he was there that day, he normally is at his shop. Wow I think, he must be the savior the universe sent me! I probably told him so many thank you and out of nowhere he said “Nadia do not worry, bad things happens sometime, now it’s ok” and then I felt the shift inside me. I don’t think he understood how healing it was to me meeting him, but doesn’t matter! I said again thank you and good bye. I walked away pretty joyfull, I was missing this feeling. I went to the fruit seller where I bought 1 mango and 2 bananas for tomorrow morning, I felt lighter and content, once again 🙂

And as somebody recently told me, when you fly, some storms are inevitable, it means you will fly higher next time.

Love to all

❤

Meraviglioso, Domenico Modugno

As my indian Guruji told me today: “Be happy. I know you are stronger woman, that’s true. Why do you worry? Take a deep breath and be happy”. Because of him and because of all the lovely people around me I’m not giving up. I want to go back and see the wonderful world I used to see around me. I don’t want to let this event break the harmony I had reached. It’s not easy because it’s hard to appreciate the beauty when your soul feels so heavy inside. Anyways, I’m getting there. Below just some logbook notes of the past days in Sri Lanka.

30 May – day 3 (from this)

9:30pm, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Finally I made it to Sri Lanka. Departed yesterday at 2pm from Dharamshala 4hours bus to Pathankot, then overnight train to Delhi (12h), from the train station another train to the airport, then JetAirways flew me to Colombo with 2h overlay in Mumbai. Finally from the airport 1h taxi to the hostel. Wow, it was one of the worst travel ever and you know why? Because I was worried, I was worried all the time! Of everything and everyone! Starting from the people sitting next to me on the bus, the train or airplane. I tried to seek for woman to sit next to but as you might imagine the percentage is less then 10%. It was like leaving a nightmare. I even distrust the taxi driver who pick me up from the airport to the hostel – 40 minutes of driving, 40 minutes of thinking he’s going to rape me. Ahahah what the mind can do is really horrible sometimes. “It’s only in your mind, just observe it” I keep on repeating to myself.

7 June 2015 – day 11

6:30am, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. With a Tuc-Tuc to the train station I leave the Palm Beach Resort in Trincomalee, the owners Dona and Luca, and Federica&Giuliano, the lovely young couple who made me realize how sweet and caring a love story can be, to reach Colombo, again. I have chosen to travel with this 8 hours day train this time so I can see the landscape changing through a train window sit. How romantic! It’s wonderful, stretches of tea plantations, beautiful natural lakes, strange huge marvelous green trees! And the train goes so slow that you can truly appreciate the view 🙂 Sometimes, looking outside I see local people on a scooter or bicycle who stop as the train crosses their way. Oooom Ooooom screams the train to warn them. They smile. Sometimes the train passes through villages, close to family houses and I see these beautiful dark skin little kids that super joyful and playful scream at you on the train and wave their hands to greet passengers. They seem very happy and lighthearted… And suddenly I wake up from that beautiful vision and I remember why I’m not as happy as them. It’s hard man, in your mind you think it’s all past, but then suddenly that horrible sensation is back; for some reasons within you there is still something to solve. For some reasons I still can’t truly smile and see the beauty around me 100%. And as I think this I start crying. Ok, maybe I just need this, to cry. “Just observe it” I repeat to my self.

11:31am, on the Trincomalee-Colombo train. We had to stop at Galoya to change train to Colombo. Wonderful. This “new” train is even better as it’s even slower! Here is so hot that all the windows are wide open so there is a nice breeze; the nicest thing is that even the doors are! Yes the train’s doors are wide open and so you can stand next to the open door while the train is moving. The sensation is wonderful! I was there, standing on the open door firmly holding to the handles, the sun is strong, the sky is crystal blue, the clouds are like panna montata (whipped cream), the landscape moving (slightly) fast is all green, tea plantations, colorful small buildings (family countryside houses) in the middle of nowhere, even plantations of lotus flowers! So beautiful…I see all shadows of green, blue, white, I feel the strong wind coming from outside on my skin and finally a sensation of freedom! I smile and I start singing “Meravigliosoooo, ma come non ti accorgi di quanto il mondo sia meravigliosoooo; Perfino il tuo dolore potra apparire poi meravigliosoooo!” (Meraviglioso, Domenico Modugno) My smile is back! 🙂 Let’s see how long it lasts. Watch Video to the train

STORY OF AN ATTEMPTED RAPE – Dharamkot, India

This is something I feel like I have to spit it out and tell the world, at least to my world, to my brothers and sisters around the globe – hope you can spend some minutes to listen.

As most of you might know, since I’m traveling through India from January 15 I’m having the best time of my life. I’ve realized that being in the present moment is the best dream you might wish to come true. I’ve realized that being in the present moment brings you happiness, contentment, and it can be released at anytime by being aware of here and now, by doing what you love now, by observing your own breath, by watching the river’s water flowing down, by listening to the tireless sound of the ocean’s waves. By just doing what you doing now without worrying about the past or the future. I’ve found my self lost with immense happiness in watching the astonishing Himalayan mountains, its water falls as well as the beautiful little magics happening every moment which in a frenetic life style got ignored. I’ve assisted with a child’s gaze at magnificent pujas or colorful weddings. I’ve met some wonderful people I shared some time with along my trip. The list is countless, but now I want to tell you another story.

Though the best time of my life, yesterday has been one of the worst day of my life. Yesterday, around 2pm in upper Dharamkot, under the mountain sunlight, a local guy aggressively tried to RAPE me. I’ve done that walking path many times before, it’s pretty desert as people go there to meditate, to find PEACE. As I was peacefully walking down on my way back, a young guy, with apparently not bad intentions, appeared behind me. He started chatting to me, “Where are you from?”, “Oh, Italy is beautiful!”, “Do you smoke marijuana?”, “No thank you”, “Do you want to have sex with me?”, “NO WAY, thank you”, “WHY NOT?” he screams, in that moment I started to get worried, nobody was around, I was alone, he grab my arm violently to push my body towards his, I start screaming, he aggressively touches me everywhere, I aggressively kicked him everywhere, he was strong, but I was stronger, even though terrified. He covers my mouth with one hand and with the other tries to immobilize me, “we are going to have sex now with no screams” he whispers, I was terrified but I didn’t stop kicking him, I scream so loud I have never screamed before, so loud that I didn’t recognize my voice. I was terrified, he tried to grab me but I was stronger. I pushed him on the ground, we both fell down, he tried to touch me everywhere and was repeating that sentence many times. I screamed and kicked him with a power coming from don’t know where. Outside I was strong, inside my mind, in a fraction of seconds, I pictured the worst that could happen – I saw it in front of me and was frightening. The aggression lasted probably 4 long minutes………..FINALLY some angel hears my screams. “HEY what are you doing asshole?” an old man appeared from some meters of distance. The old men try to scare the young guy throwing stones at him, as if he was a dog, he was more its excrement actually, the young guy got scared and finally runs away. THANK YOU GOD I thought, but I was still too terrorized to stop and thank the old man, I run away to reach my guest house (35 minutes walk), I was bleeding on my knee and looked completely dirty form felling on the ground several times and in a shocked state but I wanted to run home. The walk was the longest ever, eventually I get there and suddenly, finally, I start crying, crying, crying so hard, the tension was finally releasing. The owner of the guest house asked me what happened and after mentioning it, his first words were: “It’s is your fault because you were walking alone!” “WHAAAT?”- if I was already raged for what just happened, his words just made my eyes become some sorts of bullets and my gaze at him a gun. I told him the stupidity of his assumption, I told him THERE IS NO WAY I’M GOING TO DEPRIVE MY FREEDOM BECAUSE SOME LITTLE MEN SEE WOMEN AS SEXUAL TOIES”, “even if I walk naked (and it was not the case now, I had a long indian dress) and I say NO you can’t blame me for wanting to rape me”, “you must blame your lack of civilization and lack of love towards yourself first” “what if a man walks naked? Am I allowed to rape him? And is it his fault because he was walking naked?”. The owner of the guest house (his name is Vino from “Conifer guest house” in Dharamkot) didn’t seem to get my point, he was screaming at me while I was in tears. I gave up, I had to run away again. I didn’t wanna stay a minute longer there. I packed my stuff and now I’m safe with some lovely amazing friends I’ve met, the owners of the clinic where Im getting my spine fixed. All good, but the trauma is there now.

This stupid mentality needs to end and this is why I’m saying this laud today. Probably I feel stronger than when happened few years ago in Palma de Mallorca – back then it took me almost 6 months to recover from it. I had panic attacks out of nowhere. It takes time to forget the abuse.

Probably for a man is not easy to understand the psycho–physical state a woman can experience after a rape or even a tempted rape. I can tell you that it’s the worst feeling ever – you feel abused, you feel something is taken out from you, it’s harder to smile, it’s hard to trust people around you and thus it’s hard to love and open up to others. It’s fucking hard to get the picture of that man and his hands on you out of your mind. It’s harder to feel confident and strong once again.

The worst is that it’s hard to be in the beauty of the present moment, because in your mind there is only that horrible past event. You start losing being in the present moment and thus you start losing happiness. You can have panic attacks for months because what the mind might try to forget the body doesn’t. It’s hard, it takes time, but it’s possible! Women, we are strong, we must be. But please, DO NOT EVER FEEL FOR A FRACTION OF SECONDS THAT WHAT HAPPENED IS, EVEN FOR THE SMALLEST PERCENTAGE, YOUR FAULT. You have the freedom to walk alone, they have the duty to watch their primate instincts.

That said, I’m flying to Sri Lanka tomorrow to renew my visa and, hopefully, enjoy some time on the Sri Lankas beaches. Pray for me brothers and sisters and I will pray for you.

One Love. Peace.

Om

Nadia

Do what you love, NOW!! [Little Cove 3]

And so the time has come for Little Cove to close its paradisiac yoga holiday spot to leave space to the raining season to unfold. And so I do too, I leave this place with a bigger heart, a smaller backpack, a healthier body, a lighter mind and a beautiful, unforgettable and magical yoga teaching experience at Pardeshi’s side, the Guru and the retreat owner. Hey, i’ll be back here for next season from Novemebr 1st onwards…maybe!

As explained in my previous post, this is the 3rd time I came to Little Cove, but this time I came to help, to serve, to give all I can from the bottom of my heart for supporting this magical place and its adorable people. The people! More than a team here at Little Cove I’ve found a family. In all of them I’ve seen a mum, a dad, a brother or a sister – I’ve never a single day missed anything or anyone. This is strange to say, but I felt home more than anywhere else. Difficult moments were of course not missing, but hey, as they come they go away…like everything in nature. And the genuine smiles I’ve received and given cured it all.

My previous post said it all – I’ve learned so much from this experience, from the people and form being a yoga teacher. I just loved it. There is nothing more rewarding to me than empowering people with such knowledge. There is nothing more rewarding than contributing to the happiness and freedom of the people around you. There is so much receiving from giving. And this is hard to believe, it was hard to believe for me too once upon a time, but I swear this is so true.

There is one more thing I feel I want to add – PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS WITH BURNING PASSION – HOW? LIVE THEM NOW! And if you think you don’t have a dream, than follow what makes you feel happy & healthy! You MUST live your present moment at 100%! Do not waste any more minutes. Do what you love, don’t wait for tomorrow to do it. Tomorrow never comes! Live your life doing what you love, don’t listen to the society (or people) around you trying to bring you down back to its system. Go out on the street, scream loud what you feel inside. Don’t be afraid. Do what you love 100%. Live the present 100% and you won’t have to worry about the future! If you are focused only on the present moment, the future never comes because there is only now. This does not mean that you don’t have to plan or care about your future. Obviously not. This means you must start planning and living the present moment in order to plan and live the future because there is only HERE and NOW. Live your present 100%, do not worry about the future, be strong and fearless and everything will fall into place.

I don’t want anybody to envy me – I wish to be an inspiration, I am the proof that everything is possible if you passionately follow your dreams. Everything is possible, and we are all capable of shining. And with this pray, I usually like to end my classes: “May your dreams contribute to the happiness & freedom of all beings. May all your dreams come true. May all your dreams come true. Om”

Writing again from a neutral place now, from the Goan airport, soon off to Dharamshala, where, as Suruchi would say, I have something to solve.

YOGA IS ONE, WE ARE ONE.

Today, exactly a year ago I was landing for my first time to India. Today, exactly a year ago my life was taking the first step to change completely, upside down, like an asana inversion. And today, after 12 months, I have the pleasure and the honor to do what I love, inspiring other people to improve their lives, in the place I love the most on earth. In the same place 12 months ago welcomed me. 

I have been teaching all sorts of classes here at Little Cove, from a dynamic vinyasa flow to a more yin and gentle one. I’ve taught the art of pranayama and the beauty of Santosha. I have seen students crying, laughing or deeply relaxing after a guided mindful meditation session and I have learned so much from all these wonderful people I’ve met and from my beloved Guruji. What I’ve learned the most is that YOGA IS ONE. We Are One – “So Ham”.

I’m not sure where the future will bring me, but I’m not worried. I don’t regret anything about the past because every step I took brought me to the beauty of the here and now. I’m living in the depth of the present moment, following what makes me and the people around me feeling happy & healthy. I do what I love and I love what I do. At the same time, I’m learning to have no expectation at all. Every day is different!!

Sometime, after teaching a class or talking to Guruji, I walk barefoot on the beach of Little Cola. I listen to the ocean’s waves, I feel the warm wind’s breath on my skin, I close my eyes, and I thank all the people, all the winds, all the tears, all the smiles, all the slaps on my face life gave me and all the hugs I’ve receive. I thank all Gods and Gurus around me and within me.

THANK YOU ❤ OM ❤

Chandra means Moon – Practicing Santosha

It’s becoming harder and harder to write about my experiences through this magical, challenging yet really incredible country. It seems like it looses its deepest meaning when smashed into a blog post. Its deepest meaning can only be experienced to get it.

This country opens your heart, your Anahata Chakra, like nothing else does. There is so much learning in just seating on the rocks down Lakshman Jhula , after a yoga class with Denish at Om Shanti Om, and watching the Ganga’s water constantly and so peacefully flowing towards the next watcher’s gaze. Observing this river flowing is like observing your own breath with closed eyes, more than that, it’s like observing everyone on this planet breathing at the same time, in one whole perfect breath. A whole and perfect breathing moving meditation – like yoga asana.

And so I got a certificate, yes I do, I am 200h certified Yoga Teacher! But this is not really the only thing I was aiming for. My experience at Chandra School (as most of my class mates would share) has been … let’s say … controversial. I was initially not satisfied with the teachings as they were mostly inaccurate and not engaging. We felt we were not learning. I wasn’t learning nothing new about pranayama or asanas. Most of us have quit their jobs to come here so of course our expectation were high. The disappointment and bad energies arose. But there comes a moment in which you gotta find the good out of the shit. I’ve learned that it was only up to us whether being content or not. I met amazing people and this was what counted the most. Yoga isn’t only asanas or pranayamas, it’s beyond it. It’s a way of living, it’s the art of living a healthy and happy life in harmony with every and each other beings on this planet.

Patanjali knew it, and so he has been very precise in dictating all the rules you should follow in order to have a happy yogi life. What I can definitely say I’ve learned the most about this month at Chandra school is understanding and practicing the 42^nd Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra: Santosadanuttamasukhalabhah (= “As the result of contentment, one gains supreme happiness”). Santosha, the 2^nd Nyama, means contentment, not necessarily satisfaction, it’s something that goes beyond the merely satisfaction of a desire or expectation. Contentment is that unique moment when we cease to be anxious about the past or the future and we live in the depth of the present moment, without regretting the past or worrying about the future. And the main discovery about this is the fact that the joy of the Atman (the whole, being content with no desires or expectations) is always within us and it can be released at any time by breaking down the barriers of desire and fear that we (and none else) have built around us. So Be Happy for No Reason at all! After fighting against my expectations and desires of a better teacher training, I finally surrender to Santosha and things started changing for the better. Obviously.

        

Now, with a big smile and a yoga mat in my backpacker, I’m leaving Rishikesh to head back to Cola beach, to my beloved Little Cove, for a yoga teaching experience. Yes, the dream has come true and I’d have never thought I’ll have been offered the opportunity to give service in the place I love the most, in the place that back to only 10 months ago changed my life for the better. I can’t be more content.

Om, Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu.