Keep calm and have peace.

Be positive veron.

Because being positive helps you in life.

Truth is, my body is becoming more tired. Not from the overdose in yoga. But from all the stress i am giving my brain every weekday.

I am so tired everyday cause my brain is overused. My laptop is fast becoming a display piece, which explains the lack of updates on my dusty blog. But, decisions are made and i didnt regret. Even though everyone seems to tell me its not entirely a right choice afterall. HAHAHA.

But its all in the mind. I am given a challenge and i have 2 yrs to prove myself. I shall remain hopeful.

Apply it from yoga to work. Nothing too difficult. One step at a time. I can do this.

Breathe in and out. Inhale and exhale. 

I realise i am still breathing. Not too difficult. Have faith and be positive.

In times of pains and dark lanes and bleak future, I shall smile.

The sun is still shining.

For there are still ppl who love me and life is still beautiful.

Repeat to myself, life is still beautiful and full of colours. Overcome this and I will emerge stronger.

I have been talking alot to mama. I have been very positive. In times like this, little veron is strong. (:

Have faith and dont lose to negativity. Its ok, stress is needed for that little push.

My legs are pulled higher today! Be determined. Do it with passion. Be a warrior. Aim and focus. Nothing too difficult. 

I love yoga and I shall love my job. Whatever that comes to me, accept it. I cant change what I am facing now, but life is alot easier if i choose to accept it.

Its all in the mind. (:

I am trying very hard.

Just like how i feel like dying when i first tried my hot yoga class. Today, i breathe normally and try to go for new heights my body set for the day.

Did you namaste today!

I am enjoying each and every single yoga class i go!!! ^^

I can see the subtle changes and improvements i make as time passes.

Results do show when sufficient time is given. Chill veron.
Keep calm and have peace.

I shall not repeat myself how useful yoga is.
HAHAHAHA.

Its the best form of exercise i have ever come across. Running comes second. oops.

Good night all!

Reflection

I have joined True yoga for abt 5 mths now.

I go for hot yoga class every week, maintaining at least 2 classes per week policy. So far so good. This week, i crazily went 5 classes. HAHAHA. I am actually v hard core. I can attend a 7am class and then attend a 715pm class on the very same day, just to attend my favourite instructor class. LOL.

I really enjoy the calm and namaste each lesson brings. And i desperately need that. I need to keep myself calm and relax. I am so tensed at work, sometimes i think its really driving me crazy. Yoga makes me chill a little, to just concentrate on my  poses and hope i did it right today. Yoga make me not think of anything except to focus, aim higher or to balance. To exhale and stretch further. Yes, I did it today. If i didnt, there is always next lesson to try it again.

Yoga is a lifelong process. You dont achieve flexibility overnight. The only way is to take baby steps, one step at a time. Consistency is the key. Be determined. Be disciplined. Go for your classes regularly. They come to you one day.

In 5 mths, you see how you hatch from an egg into a caterpillar. Probably still far to reach a pupa stage. But my point is, we have all grown up now. (OMG. Did i just type that? I think i work too much. HAHAHAH. LOL.)

From bent knees, I have locked knees.

From falling apart, I have balancing.

From distraction, I have discipline and focus (or so i hope.)

From giving up, I tried my best.

Because of my operation since 9, I have a mutated left elbow. Its not quite the same as other ppl. My elbow looks just the same as everyone else from appearance. But there is actually a subtle difference. And sometimes, that difference kills me. I just dont rotate my elbow the same as everyone else.

But no, that is not an excuse or obstacle. One day, I will be able to do the same yoga pose just like everyone else. No condition is too difficult. Veron, have faith. Its ok. I can do this. -repeat mode ON-

In 5 mths. I managed to do a right side plank with both thighs away from the ground. Of course w v shaky hands.

In 5 mths, I managed to do a left side plank with my left knee on the floor and right thigh away from the ground. 

I finally managed to do that last week. And i almost teared. Once, I asked XX the technique to do it cause i cant do it, he dismissed it as, "your elbow is not the same as others. Its just impossible for you to do it. Dont further injured it anymore." T.T

Truth is, whenever ppl do a left plank, i took a rest. Cause my elbow is just too painful. I did my left side plank with both thighs on the floor and died every single lesson. -Bong- Rest w child's pose.

But then again, there are alot of amazing stories how yoga managed to alter one's posture and condition. Although i know mine cant be altered much, since i cant remove the many mini bones in between my elbow joint. But perhaps one day, i may just be able to do the pose with ease, just like others.

And today, even though its just my right thigh away from the ground while doing my left plank, I am overjoyed. Looks simple to some, it really means alot to me.

I swear to do side plank in a hot yoga room after many many poses, its a metal discipline to play against the odds. Defy gravity. Do it. 

And yesterday is a testimony of how we changed. 

I see how Valerie did her side plank with both thighs up. Thats v amazing by how much she improved.

I see how MH did her side warrior with knees towards her ankle.

If its 5 mths earlier, we would gave up after 8 poses for ytd's nightmare class. Cause they are just impossible to do. Our heads spin. Our thighs sore. Its literally nightmare. I cant rmb the last time i sweat soooooooooooooooooo much, its insane. Although i was literally wtf-ing all the way cause the series of poses is just !@#$%^&*())(*&^%$#@. LOL. HAHAHA.

But you know sth, we have all come a long way. Even though its just 5 mths. (:

We all miss you so much lover. Esp mummy.

Valerie says, "today feels just like the good old days! even though I do go for yoga alone nowadays, nothing beats the feeling of having ur best buddies in the room sweating it out tog and laughing at the odd postures and winking at one another to encourage :) really happy Friday! #mintyisblogging like Veron"

(don kill me for quoting. HAHAHAHAHAHA)

So very true. Friends give you encouragements in times of needs. Strangers dont.
I miss my darling partners at yoga badly. (photoshop buddy's face somewhere)

And do you know sth, i finally understand what they mean by "square your hips" after 5 mths. Sometimes i can kick v high, but my hips goes unbalanced. I finally uds the meaning of square your hips ytd.

HAHAHAHA. Mirror is really helpful. 

I am still learning. Each lesson, i learn sth. What did you learn today?

keep calm and find peace.

took half day to run errands before proceeding for light shopping and conclude the afternoon with bikram class with yt and emmy. its our last bikram class in Singapore, for 2012! (:

its yet another awesome bikram class by yujung. although i must admit, her class is more slack compared to other instructors. its less hot. HAHAHAHA. but, best class to end off our bikram session for the yr of 2012. cause i have ppl i love around me.
 
SAY YEAH!

while enjoying my very welcoming two minute savasana - dead body pose, my thoughts were running a little wild today. i am smiling as yt and emmy lie down resting beside me enjoying our savasana today.

(Savasana is preformed to heal the body after preforming the standing series. Savasana is one of the most important parts of a hatha-yoga practice and it is often said that this is where the “magic” happens in the Bikram Yoga series. That magic is the healing that is created by the stillness of the pose.) - YES. STILLNESS. you do not move.  it is said to be the most difficult pose. well, you got to resist temptation to move your fingers/legs/body or to wipe your sweat away. keep still like a dead body.

i nv look back ever since. i am glad i signed up for it.
honestly, its a major decision to make. after all, the overall package is not cheap and i dont want to sign impulsively. i dont want to give up halfway cause i am bored and sick of yoga, but still pay for the installments. that is a real nightmare. (even though i can sell the membership away, but thats not the pt. the pt is, i dont wanna sign up for fun, for the sake of doing it.)

should i sign, it must be solely due to passion, due to love for all the great things i can achieve in each class. passion will bring you far and beyond. else, chances are you will give up halfway along the course. i don wanna sign up due to sheer peer pressure.

pls dont sign up, just because your friends sign up. if order not to lose common topics with your friends, you join in the fun and sign up too. i cannot emphasize the importance of signing up for yourself, not for others. you lead your own life.


honestly, i can sense that XX is not happy that i signed up the package. XD hmm, he is not an advocator of paying to exercise. simple. with so many free exercises to do, why spend the extra money to go for classes. thats stupidity. "you siao is it. why pay to suffer. are you crazy. what's more. yoga has v funny and weird poses. SAFE A NOT."

 i have a special ability to read his mind. can you imagine the stress i faced when i told him i wanna sign up for a package? as much as i know he is not gg to be happy, cause he is fearful for my 3 mins of interest that may fade away with time. i know whats on his mind, he didnt show disapproval but i know what he is thinking.

nonetheless, i decided to go with my heart and went ahead signing. call me stubborn. even though i know i didnt do it on impulse. i have been doing birkam and attending classes faithfully for a few mths alr. i am very proud to say, i managed to squeeze in 2 classes of bikram every week despite all the crazy gatherings in December. find time, find time. grow time grow time. i am quite sure i amazed XX by the fact i can attend my 2X bikram class faithfully every week. HAHAHA.

99% practice. 1% theory. flexibility doesnt come overnight.
one day, with enough determination. i hope, i can achieve this.
well, one can dream. so that we can aim to achieve. like a ballerina, my legs are 180 degrees up. its possible, i see it with my own eyes in class.


I am a firm believer of doing the things i like and enjoy. only from there, you can leap off the benefits from it.

you love what you are doing, you strive. for the soul. for the mind. for the body.

with sheer luck, i managed to find a grp of friends who share the same thinking as i do.  i love my friends. i love for the fact that we share so many things in common. to cover so many different topics in life that i would nv have imagined. from BGR to facials to running marathons to yoga to bikram to skin care to food to EVERYTHING. life is perfect indeed. (:

i enjoy and cherish every weekend that i have. cause it means dating time with XX. i find time to leave house early for yoga classes in town. i enjoy my exercise routine of yoga.bikram.run on repeat mode. (even though its more of bikram on repeat mode now.) i promise to squeeze time for running too! and i will squeeze time for hot yoga class!! (HAHAHA. everything also need to squeeze time. it seems that i need to exercise everyday in order to complete the routine. LOL)

WOOHOO! i enjoy seeing my friends happy. they happy means i am happy. pls spread all my happy vibe. i enjoy seeing everyone around healthy and smiling.

 lets all pray for a healthier body. enjoy life to the fullest! feel the change. love your body.  you are in charge of your own destiny. smile and embrace for anything that may bring you down. life is beautiful. as always.

even in birkam classes, some poses are exceptionally difficult. like, pose . locked knees. forehead to knees. chin to chest. CHOKE. its a choking sensation. but, Shaan will ask you to smile. smile to yourself. smile, because you are enjoying what you are doing. seems really difficult, but smile. it applies the same to life too. everyone has their own share of problems and worries. but smile, we will all emerge strong.

 i smiled today. did you?

i found peace today- calming therapy. keep calm and find peace.
Namaste.

NAMASTE!

i attended a very rewarding bikram class by Shaan today. (i attend bikram class at True yoga.)
honestly, i thought the class conducted by Yujung is a truly rewarding class. she is one of the better instructors in bikram - v encouraging.

but, i got a shock today. Shaan is even better. She is a v responsible instructor. no wonder her class is almost full. now i know why.

pls attend her class if possible! she will be back in 2013.

for the first time in my life, after attending so many bikram classes from everywhere, Shaan is the only one who will stop halfway and demonstrate the correct posture. although she only demonstrated 2 poses, probably due to time limitations. if she is given a choice, she would gladly demonstrate all the postures for you to spot your mistakes. LOL.

usually, 99% of the time, the instructor will not show you how to do the poses.
thats because bikram class has a fixed, standard 26 poses.



you learn by monkey see monkey do, imitating what others are doing on your left and right. trying v hard to understand and visualize what the instructor is saying, send prayers and hope that you are doing it correctly.

bikram is a strict 1.5 hours class. the next class is scheduled in 15 mins after you end your class.
there are strict no. of seconds for you to rest, strict no of seconds doing a particular pose. which means, there is really no time for the instructor to show you how to do a pose.

i used a long long long LONG time to understand and do the poses. LOL.

and, i am ashamed to say, i have been doing my eagle pose wrong. my thumbs should face me. my wist should be straight. NO ONE TOLD ME THAT BEFORE, until today.

nvm, so long i got it now. better late then nv.

Shaan brought me alive. she pushed my limits to a level i nv have imagined. its a personal best class for me today. she unleashed my hidden inflexibility. i thought i am gg to plateau for a long long time. LOL.  i shall bare in mind to attend Shaan's class faithfully.

she made me trust my body more. bent more. stretch more. believe in my spine more. push back more, lean back more.

sometimes, its truly amazing how one can balance with one feet, suspend and concentrate in the moment - just a few inches of flesh on the floor.

i finally have my toes seen behind my ankle in pose 4! (thats an achievement for me)
i finally managed to lock my knees flat on the floor, forehead to my knees in pose 23.

although i must admit, i am skeptical of achieving that for my next class. i probably got lucky. LOL.
a proper warm up to stretch more is essential.

i have come a long way.
from bent knees to locked knees.

i am happy with what i am doing.
and seriously, bikram is amazing. its addictive.

it calms my soul. it rejuvenates my body. it relaxes my mind.
no, running cant achieve that.
close perhaps, but not as good as bikram.

for a v long time i have been running without music. it serves to train my mental strength too.

its an attempt to calm myself, not wandering off to think abt lyrics and get moody (why are lyrics all so emo-ish?) but it didnt really have the same level of tranquility experienced as bikram classes. bikram needs my full concentration and effort, there is really no time and space for me to get distracted and think of sth else.

40 degrees hot sauna in a bikram class environment sounds v daunting to many. trust me, i have been through that.

the first time i went for my bikram class, i almost fainted in the class. the 90 min class seems to stretch likes its 90 hours. i feel giddy and jelly all over. out of the 26 poses, i am probably sitting down and resting for 13 poses. HAHAHA.

yes, thats how chui i am.
i can understand how one can almost black out by the intense heat.
cause i almost did once, a few mths ago when i started to go for bikram class regularly. its more than just scary. i thought i am gg to die of heat stroke. you radiate ALOT of heat.

no, i didnt go running for the hills and say no to bikram since that incident.
take it slow and easy.
one day, you will get used to the heat.

LOL.

once i asked myself if i like bikram, hot yoga or hatha (or other forms of yoga done in air conditioned room more). there are ALOT of variety of yoga. different ppl like different kinds of yoga. not all exercise is suitable for everyone.

i like to sweat. so, there is no doubt to the qn: its birkam. bikram is a weekly must workout exercise for me. i dont feel good if i dont attend bikram classes every week. i will try to find and squeeze time to go for 2 classes every week. LOL.

- Hot yoga is fun. a 1 hour class. you get to try new poses every time you go for a class, there are no standard fixed postures. you tone a different part of your body for every class you go. cause different instructor have diff poses.

of which, i need to repeat the process of monkey see monkey do again.
i always wonder what is the next pose to do, thinking if i am doing the pose correctly. truth is, hot yoga is v stressful for me. i probably need to attend like 1 yr of hot yoga classes to feel comfortable in it; to know what to expect next.

LOL! fun in a way too, you nv know what to expect. every single class you go, you train and tone diff parts of your body. (of course, unless you always go for a particular class by a specific instructor)

 i find hot yoga pace v fast too. usually there are no repeat poses, unlike bikram classes.

- Hatha yoga is v jaw dropping difficult for me. there are no hot temperatures to warm yourself up. hatha makes me realise the cold hard truth of how inflexible i am, even today. like ouch. i nv say so many wtf in my life before, except perhaps in hatha classes. the poses are all so difficult and jaw dropping.

how did they managed to do that without breaking bones? like, WAH SEH.
hatha is v difficult for me. LOL. in fact, it takes courage for me to attend the class. T.T

nvm,we must learn to walk before we run.
take it slow and easy.

one day, perhaps with enough determination, i will be able to achieve that too. one day, i can lock my knees with ease too.

be positive, be hopeful.  (:


truth is, every bikram class i go, i learn sth.
find it easier to do a particular pose. stretch more today.

every class is rewarding. every class is a joy to go.

you gain sth out of every class you attend.

peace, calm, relaxation ----> i can think of many many more. bikram is just amazing.

and pls, shake off the idea that bikram/hot yoga will make you lose weight. truth is, you lose water more. cause you sweat wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much.

compliment your workout with running/swimming if your intention is to lose weight. you need CARDIO.  your daily diet plays an impt role too. don indulge, don succumb to temptations, say no to fried food. yes, that fried chicken.

bikram is good. it stretches my tight muscles from my running. in a way, compliments my running too.
it work both ways.

enjoy exercising!

rmb, you exercise for yourself. dont give yourself excuses that you need your friends to accompany you in order to attend classes tgt.

exercise for yourself, not for others. if you have the need and tendency to go for classes ONLY if your friends are there to accompany you, chances are you will give up soon. well, its certainly not easy to find a common time for both of you to attend classes tgt right? everyone has their own commitments.

change your mentality. change your thinking.
exercise for yourself, not for others. some ppl just need to get this thinking to their thick skull head. (this is so Christian Grey. HAHAH) why why why, don do it for others. do it for yourself.

do it with passion, else you wont last long.
enjoy it with your heart.

appreciate from within.
it will do you alot of good.

stay healthy today! ^^

Just sharing:
should anyone be interested, ask for Jackson at 90050666. (he is a consultant from True Yoga, True Fitness and bikram) he is really nice. forever concerned abt the classes i attended, to ensure i am well taken care of.
pls find him. he is namaste friend cum consultant now.

well, i have seen far too many shitty and pushy consultants. Jackson is really a rare gem. LOL.

go for the free trial classes and see if you like yoga!
NAMASTE!

(:

bikram class.

meiho and i had a very awesome time at bikram class today.

the best i had in mths actually.
perhaps, because i have a very good rest at home ytd.

bikram is advanced yoga class. the intensity, the duration, the high temperature of 41 degrees actually makes it harder than the usual hot yoga class. but i am enjoying it. no matter where you go, the poses are the same. the standard set of 26 poses.

its a highly intensive work out. i swear at just the 2nd pose, your stomach, thighs and arm are alr generating alot of sweat. by 26 poses your entire large towel is soaked wet, if you are working hard in every single pose. it amazing how much one can sweat.

i don even feel tired today.
as usual, i did all my 25 poses and i think i fared much better than before. (i always skip one pose so as not to further injured my left elbow)

no looking back to how much you did in the last pose. look forward. try for your best for the second set. not achieved overnight. i am glad i did my best today.

there is a beginner at class today. looking at her makes me think back to where i am standing today, how far i have been. i smiled to myself. JIA YOU GIRL! one day, you will shine. lets all jia you together.

i started my first bikram class 5 yrs ago. and then i stopped. when i picked up again recently, it was yet another round of hell. shaky legs. unsteady movements. i still do, although lesser than before. with each class, i learn more, understand more and find myself at peace.

thats how awesome bikram is.

and hooray, i have been to enough classes that i finally rmb the 26 poses. that takes a lot of time to memorise and not be stunned looking around which is the next pose to do. i used to kan chiong and look everywhere (cause its so hot, so hard to concentrate alr you still got to hear what the instructor is saying.) the easiest way is to copy the person in front of me, left of me, right of me what on earth they were doing. HAHAHAHA.

the technique. the strength. the length. the concentration. the focus. the understanding of each posture (there is alot of understanding to each pose. takes alot of lesson for you to do it correctly. most of the time, we all did it wrongly the first time round.

you need to go for enough lessons, under the coaching of different instructors to really comprehend how to do each step. each instructor has their own way of saying the instructions. with more lessons, you can hear better and more carefully what the instructors are saying and from there you improve.

i am actually feeling depressed that i have to give up all the effort i have put in the recent mths cause i decided to spend the money on braces instead. T.T its so difficult to get your body used to the heat, the intensity and the poses.

its a life long process for you to improve and be more healthy. there is still so much to learn and improve. i will need a lifetime to learn and do poses like those shown in the posters. too difficult to kneel down and have my forehead touching my knee or bend down to have my elbows behind my calf muscles touching. they are not even close to touching. LOL. but, i am secretly happy to see my feet above my head in the standing bow pose. HAHAH. although, not high enough yet. still a long way to go!

a lifetime of continuous hard work in order to make your body that flexible. no shortcuts. only determination and sheer effort.

overall, bikram improves your bones mass cause you absorb better, strengthen your spine,  improves your respiratory and digestive system and overall good for health. haiya, the instructor just wanna convey how good bikram is. LOL.

i quoted from the web:

Bikram Yoga's twenty-six posture exercises systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to one hundred percent of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order, just as Nature intended. Proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health, and a sense of well being will automatically follow.

le sigh. let me find more groupon bikram classes!

nonetheless, be it bikram or running, its still a form of exercise.and nth beat better than sweating it all out. (:

but haiz.
went for a international buffet after bikram class and now i am having some very serious stomach upset.
been to the toilet 7 times. i am losing water, too fast too furious.

i hope the condition is under control with the help of the pills and i will be able to continue with the run tml.
i really wanna go!!!

its our minty day.
pray for me for a well veron.

meanwhile, i will hydate myself cause i am severly lack of water from all the diarrhea.
hope you will all enjoy your Sunday! my girlfriends and i are all gg to enjoy our run tml morning!

happy Sunday all!
all right. i shall go do some stuff before i hit the sack tonight.