Final week yoga teacher training and Drakensberg

Our final week consists of completing our final assessment and finishing the last few chapters including Patanjali's 8 limbs and sutras, meditation, pranayama, the Bhagavad Gita, Ayurveda, life coaching and since we finished by Thursday we were able to spend a whole day learning about Tarot cards which was also very interesting :)

On Friday we have our last beach yoga session and Sue and Taryn joins us - we have the best session ever which is wonderful as it is also our last session with Jen.

We also have our last very long walk with the dogs among the sugar cane plantations and on our way back the first guests for the wedding start arriving. All of a sudden the tranquillity changes into an excited energy as a whole bunch of guys try to set up the marquee for the wedding the next day. We have a braai together with the guests (where Jen surprises us with our certificates!) in the evening and celebrate with chocolate cake and a few bottles of very good wine :)

The next morning early Lee drops us at a dubious sleepy hollow backpackers before we are promptly collected by the baz bus and dropped off 2 hours later in the northern Drakensburg at the amazing as usual Amphitheatre backpackers. We go on a wonderful 2 hour exploratory hike in the area and when we return we do our yoga session at sunset on the lawn looking out towards the mountains. We end up in the Jacuzzi and then have dinner (veggie mousaka - yummmm) and even a Guinness for my birthday!

The next morning we wake up at 5:30am and have a gloriously peaceful meditation session at sunrise before indulging in breakfast (homemade granola) by the pool. We get collected at 8am and go off to Montusi mountain lodge for a spectacular 2 hour horse riding session in the mountains - what a wonderful way to end our month yoga teacher training! We then get on the baz bus for the home stretch and Fleur gets dropped off first at the airport and me last, but I don't mind as I have a whole family (including the dog) warmly welcoming me back and when we get home I am even surprised with a raw carrot cake (with those "you can't blow me out" candles) and some lovely thoughtful gifts - I am a very lucky girl indeed :)

Week 3 of yoga teacher training

We continue on posture work (asanas) theory, technique and training in the third week and also have to teach external customers a whole class. I teach a group of Jen's regulars and it goes really well, except they call me a slave driver and one guy says he needed a stretcher at the end of the class (they were only kidding of course!). We also learn 8 classes (from relatively easy to really hard!) which we can teach in future (and change around according to the needs of our customers). We also start learning about Ayurveda, Pranayama (breath extension and control) and Yoga Nidra (a state of conscious deep sleep) and I get to teach Yoga Nidra to another group of regulars. We also watch a fabulous 5 hour long video about the history of yoga, current practice and benefits to health. The weather is lovely and hot with big storms every few days - which brings out the beautiful lotus flowers :)

Friday we have beach yoga again in Amanzimtoti (and learn about Mudrah's, Bandas, Tattvas and Gunas) and went for a lovely swim in the sea and sea pool afterwards. We have a gorgeous lunch with red cappuccinos (my new favourite drink) and Lee gets us real traditional KZN bunny chows for dinner one night. Over the weekend we have to work on our final assignment (15 page document on yoga and what it does for you) and we can't believe there's only a week to go! Fleur and I decide to take Jen and Lee out for dinner tonight just to say thank you for taking us into their home and teaching and spoiling us so much! They have been an amazing example of true generosity and living light-filled and fulfilled lives whilst still living in the real world and dealing with real problems (in a more balanced way). Below - sunrise at Jen and Lee's place :)

Week 2 of yoga teacher training

We start off the second week by giving our presentations about the energy body and the main chakras. We continue with 3 yoga sessions per day and can feel by the end of the week tthat we are much more flexible and can get into poses that we couldn't before. Amazing how quickly the body learns! We then dive into discussions about the nadis, aura, ida, pingala and shushumna. Next we tackle energy balancing  and pranic healing and on Thursday Jen kindly asks Patty to come over for some personal sessions on energy balancing and energy massage. I've never felt so relaxed afterwards and getting into the poses have never been easier!!

Friday we go for our beach session in Amanzimtoti and have a gorgeous swim in the seapool afterwards and get naughty with pizza and koeksisters for dinner!.

As if we aren't being spoilt enough, Jen and Lee take us to Tala game reserve on Saturday and we have a spiritual encounter walking amongst the giraffes and see kudu, rhino, hippo and plenty more!

 

The rest of the week is taken up with learning all the different asanas (postures) and also learning 8 different classes and teaching them to each other and with Jen watching and correcting. It is exhausting work, but we put in a lot and also gain a lot in terms of satisfaction and relaxation! Next week we have to teach Jen's classes i.e. to external people!! Eeeek! We end the week by being invited to one of Jen's regular yoga clients neighbouring farm for a delicious stuffed rock cod on the braai! Yummmmm!

 

 

Drakensberg, Lesotho and first week of yoga teacher training

The baz bus (a backpackers bus that travels all over SA) worked really well and soon I was dropped off at the Amphitheatre backpackers lodge which is just gorgeous! I settled in the afternoon and spent my time exploring the lodge (with swimming pool, pool table, bar, Jacuzzi, steam room, two upstairs libraries/chill rooms, great dorm rooms and huge outside lawn area). I also went on a long hike towards the lake (and saw lots of beautiful birds) whilst a spectacular thunderstorm was brewing. After my 3 course backpacker special dinner, I settled into the dorm room but was unfortunately woken at 2am when 3 new young guys arrived and again at 5am when they had to leave on their tour! Oh well, that is what you get when you sleep in a dorm room I guess ;o)

Next morning early we departed on our tour to Lesotho for the day which was wonderful and very informative. I've never gotten through a border post so quickly and the scenery on the way and in the country is just spectacular! The way of life is very primitive and we spent time talking to a teacher at the local school, a witch doctor, saw some san rock art and tasted the local grub and brew before driving the challenging roads back.

 

Sunday lunchtime I get the next baz bus the rest of the way to Pietermaritzburg where I'm collected by Jennifer and Lee Fitzsimmons (Fleur is already in the car as well) to make our way to their beautiful farm in the sugar cane fields. It is a spectacular location and we settle in after dinner as we start the next morning  with our first yoga lesson at 6am! We quickly settle into the week routine: 3 yoga sessions per day: typically 1 at 6am, the next at either the café in Eston where Jen teaches or the school at Richmond; then back home for some theory lessons, then Fleur and I usually go for a long walk with the dogs (Asia, Saber and Sadie) among the sugar cane fields and then at 5pm another yoga lesson (this time in our gorgeous yoga room where locals from the farms around come to join us).

 

 

I was also very excited to learn that there are a pair of fish eagles that hang out around the lake on the property and was lucky to get really close to them on one of our walks.

 

 

Jen and Lee absolutely spoil us with delicious and nutritious meals and on Friday we get to do our yoga session on the beach in Amanzimtoti and on Saturday we went to the Hillview farmers markets which was wonderful. The yoga so far is just amazing; I didn't really realise that (contrary to what I've done in Australia) the most crucial part and also the backbone of yoga is deep breathing and meditation. Some of the yoga sessions we do are practically only deep breathing, chanting and yoga nidra (meditation and visualisation). I can already feel the difference in my body and apart from being sore almost everywhere, I'm starting to feel really really relaxed :)

 

So far this week we have covered the philosophy and science of yoga, anatomy and physiology of the physical body and then of the non physical or energy body including the 7 major chakras or energy centres from root to crown which we also have to do our first assignment on this weekend.

 

Hariom - peace be with you :) 

Jo'burg days

I was lucky to have a lovely 3 weeks in Jo'burg and really got into the routine of things. My beautiful sister helped with getting access to the gym so I would go for wonderful 1.5 hour yoga classes or swimming at the gym almost every day. Then I was kept busy with looking after the 5 dogs (taking for walks/ the vet for vaccinations/illnesses), the 35 chickens (buying chicken food, laying mash and growing mash for the chicks) and making food every day from the wonderful selection of fresh veggies that is grown in my sister's veggie garden (together with Memory and Leiford).

 

In the evenings I would help out with picking up kids from swimming/water polo and then helping with homework before getting them in bed. I enjoyed all of this immensely and it really made me feel part of the family again :) I also had enough time to hang out with my best friend from school, Suzanne, and we spent time in funky Melville and earthy Bryanston organic markets - both awesome!! I also had quite a bit of time to read, practise piano (I can already play 3 new pieces and am planning more) and secretly watching "Vikings" at night on my computer (thanks Graeme!). All too soon I had to say goodbye again and Kevin kindly sat 2 hours in the traffic to take me to the baz bus on 30 January with which I depart on my next adventure: yoga teacher training in Pietermaritzburg (and a stop-over in the Drakensberg on the way!)

Kosi bay and Ponta Do' Ouro

Morning of the 28th we finish packing the caravan and Land Rover, meet up with Monica, Andreas, Ciaran and Celina and very excited we head for Kosi bay! In the car mum and I listen to my sister's Rawlicious DVD's which is very interesting about a movement in SA that advocates eating 70% of food raw with delicious recipes of how to achieve this. We have a quick stop at Lake Pongola (Jozini) to check out the view before heading for our first night stopover at Belvedere Game Reserve. Everybody loves our very own gorgeous lodge on the Reserve and we play pool, go for walks and have a scrummy braai with salads and potatoes cooked in the fire.

 

Next morning we take it very easy and only get away around 9am, with many stops on the way and arrive at Utshwayelo camp and lodge in Kosi bay around 3pm. A good 2-3 hours of setting up camp as we have a caravan plus tent, campervan, and 4 separate tents around as well as a gazebo to erect. Thirsty work and we get beers (and grapetisers) all round, then a swim in the camp's pool before we start with the braai. The next day we get permits to enter the Kosi mouth reserve and get told we can only take 1 car so we squeeze 6 adults into the Landie and the 4 kids love sitting on the roof as we attempt the sandy roads down to the mouth! The kids (and us!) have a ball in the wonderful warm clear waters of the mouth; the snorkelling is incredible and we spend 2 days solidly on the beach!

   

 

The next day we start feeling adventurous again, get our passports ready and drive the 2 minutes to the Mozambiquen border. It takes about an hour to get through and everybody says just follow the road to Ponta Do' Ouro however what they don't tell you is that there are about 30 different sand roads coming and going in all different directions and no sign posts at all! Welcome to Mozambique. Needless to say we miss Ponta Do' Ouro completely and end up at Ponta Do' Malangane in stead which is a beautiful beach and diving mecca. We spend a bit of time there, the kids have a swim in the sea and we get more directions back to Ponta Do' Ouro which we actually find only 30 minutes later! Starving we all file into the first bar/restaurant we find and order pizzas, beer and prawns but as we're waiting for the food we decide to browse around the markets outside and bump into my mum's cousin and family!! Such a special coincidence and we are immediately invited over for more drinks and a big family reunion!

 

 

We unfortunately have to get back to Kosi due to our turtle tour that night, but decide to come back the next day for a stay-over and swimming with the dolphins. The turtle tour consists of 2 hours driving in the Utshwayelo Land Rover across those confusing sand dunes (they call it roads) to end up on this pristine beach (Banganek beach), meeting the local guide and walking on the beach for 2 hours by full moon and then waiting until the turtles come out of the ocean to lay their eggs - we saw at least 4 but felt it was perhaps a bit invasive watching them lay eggs and taking flash photography. 

 

Back in Ponta Do' Ouro the next day, Koos and Mariette, Clara and Malan take us out to their favourite Portuguese prawns on the beach joint (for Kevin's birthday) and introduce us to the infamous Ponta R&R's (rum and raspberry). We end the night at a local café and are all able to sleep at their place before dolphins the next morning.  

 

 

The dolphin tour is amazing and we see and swim with a turtle, dolphins including a humpback dolphin and a little baby dolphin :) Poor Kevin gets terribly seasick on the way back (as do I but not as bad) and little Sekeata gets a bad bluebottle sting in the afternoon so we head back to Kosi bay for our final 2 days on our favourite beach (where we stupidly decided to go snorkelling at high tide and almost got stuck, but good teamwork got us safely out of that one)!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in Jo'burg and Utopia

Landing on the 6th of December at Oliver Thambo (Jo'burg) airport at the same time as my mum from Sydney via Cape town (to visit my Aunt) - so absolutely wonderful to see my family again!! The first week back was properly hectic as we were manically trying to get the kids through the last few days at school, complete with ballet concerts, play dates and buying and organising for our holidays to come. I was able to have 1 glorious day with my best friend from school and we basically realised that we'll need a lot more time to properly catch up! On Friday we pack the car and depart for my sister's mountain house in Utopia for a week of R&R. Walking to the pool every day, sitting around the campfire every night, playing lots of board and card games and the occasional outing to the Van Gaalen's cheese farm, and taking the cable car up to the Hartebeespoortdam mountain makes for a well deserved relaxing week after a busy semester.

 

Coming back to Jo'burg we saw a lovely heartwarming Afrikaans stage show called "Liefling" which was a bit of a trip down memory lane of Afrikaans music we grew up with. We also had a very interesting visit to the Tutankhamen exhibition before another couple of days of manic Christmas shopping and then spending a lovely relaxing Christmas day just swimming, eating and hanging out with friends and family :)