I always been active and doing loads of sports during all my life but since I moved to London 5 years ago, the only kind of sport I was doing was spoon lifting full of Ben & Jerry's ice cream into Always been active and doing loads of sports during all my life but since I moved to London 5 years ago, the only kind of sport I was doing was spoon lifting full of Ben & Jerry's ice cream into my mouth and commuting to the school around the corner of my house that was taking me 1 minute walking. The 1st year in London was pretty much to settle down, focus on the studies, not spend money, trying to survive until the dream came true and I got a paid job in the film industry working as visual effects artist. Even with all the sports I've been doing throughout my life, I always had spine problems, bad posture and one year of doing absolutely nothing was aggravating it. I had to start doing something about my back pain and my sciatic crises.
I got this deal of 10 Hot Yoga classes in a studio in London for a very affordable price. Never tried hot yoga before so thought to give it a go. I remember to struggle so much during the class. Flexibility? No way! I was so stiff, holding warrior 2 for more than a breath was killing my arms, touching the floor seamed impossible, inversions? Right... I was just looking amazed to anyone on headstand thinking, "I'll never be able to do that". But once, a teacher said in class "Practice, practice and all is coming" (from Sri. Pattabi Jois). Even with that entire struggle, surprisingly I always felt amazing after each class, and what seamed impossible before, slowly became more achievable just with practice, turning up on the mat and not giving up.
Never crossed my mind that 4 years later I would be on that same studio where my yoga journey started, but this time with a diferent role, guiding 30 people through asana, breath and movement. Three hours of pure energy, one class after another and my heart never felt so warm with all the smiles and “thank you” and the end of each class. Ending today’s classes with a quote of one of my mentors in life, Daisaku Ikeda:
“Anyone who ever made a resolution discovers that the strength of that determination fades in time. The moment you feel that, is when you should make a fresh determination. Tell yourself, Ok! I will start again from now! If you fall down 7 times, get up an eighth. Don’t give up when you feel discouraged – just pick yourself up and renew your determination each time.”