Learning To Listen
Bondi Beach, Australia.
‘True Yoga is not about the shape of your body, but the shape of your life. Yoga is not to be performed; Yoga is to be lived. Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been. Yoga cares about the person you are becoming. Yoga is designed for a vast and profound purpose, and for it to be truly called Yoga, its essence must be embodied.’
- Aadil Palkhivala.
This was the quote printed on the back of my graduation postcard after completing my first 200-hour Yoga teacher training in 2021. Every Thursday for five months, I had the privilege to embark on my learning journey among others who also followed the calling of their curiosity. Studying the Yogic teachings shared through an accessible lens so reverently by Idit Hefer Tamir, Katie Rose, and the supportive teachers contributing to the community of Sukha Mukha Yoga was something I did not take for granted. Gathering with like-minded people within a nourishing and inspiring community under the guidance of teachers who I consider to be authentic and personable and who embody their teachings, was the greatest gift I could have given myself as an enthusiastic beginner and dedicated student. The course content and structure had provided me with the initial tools and time to connect, challenge, practice, and begin integrating slowly week by week the newfound learnings I so generously received.
Little did I know that I was taking my first step on a path that would resonate deeply within me. A path that would have me meet many facets of myself. A path that asked me to dive deeper into my personal practice, to question and challenge my perception of what it means to practice Yoga, to accept that my curiosity would have me be a lifelong student, and to sit in the role of teacher for dear friends, family, and community.
After completing the course, I felt moved and inspired to take action to further learn from my teachers and also from their teachers, through masterclasses and advanced trainings in order to fire the flame that Yoga had lit within. As my commitment and dedication to my personal practice grew, so did my understanding of what practice means to me. I remember coming to a point of noticing an innate feeling of deep longing to get back to my mat when time permitted. It was then that I understood that my desire to get back on my mat stemmed from a place of wanting to connect back to my inner landscape- whether through asana, pranayama, meditation. It was apparent that my mat symbolized a safe space for me to withdraw my senses from the external environment so that I could check in and connect to the environment within. A space to listen to my curiosity, so that I could build my capacity to further explore the parallels of these ancient teachings and how I could practice them on and off the mat. I have learned and am continually learning that what I observe and understand through the process, isn’t for the benefit of me alone. Having that moment to land and drop into my body, so as to listen to what arises - be it physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, provides me with the opportunity to weave my understanding of the teachings into the thoughts words, and actions I offer off the mat to the world around me. As I develop my relationship with each asana on the mat, my observation of the nuances of alignment, breath, and focus in relation to my intention deepens.
For example, savasana or corpse pose is where my practice requires me to listen the most. The type of listening it asks of me isn’t to lead to a cerebral understanding of the thoughts inhabiting my mind. Instead, it is time that asks of the surrender of my entire being to the reality of the present moment, so as to become receptive to the efforts of the practice offered. As Aadil Palkhivala writes in the opening quote, ‘...for it to be truly called Yoga, its essence must be embodied.’ Learning to observe and listen to the world within and around me through the lens of Yoga has led me on a path that feels more authentic. A path of curiosity that will take more than a lifetime to unfold, and that at every moment requires me to consciously participate and ultimately surrender to the process of life that in itself, is Yoga.
KiMaya Journal is the culmination of my listening, an integration of the desire to travel coupled with my passion to connect with others who within them are also stirred and sparked by spirit and stories of lessons learned and insights gained through experiencing life and expanding the territory of their own comfort zone.
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Where to begin? Always within, to love is to listen to your hearts desire. A pure intention, solemnly made, appears after giving oneself the time and space, a transformational process that is guaranteed to morph and mutate. Find courage to face the staircase leading to the facets yet unknown, the hardest part is the first step, honesty is required to acknowledge parts we try to forget, and truths that we have outgrown. Commitment to being here in the now, bow the head-crown pours to heart, lean and dive in, honor your pace, to rise requires to be still and just sit - my teacher said, “it is a difficult journey but oh so worth it.”
