Live your life for yourself...

A funny picture with a deep story...

It feels so great to let go and really consciously decide to live your life for yourself...that huge sense of freedom and relief that whatever happens in your life is only your choice...and if you really want to make something happen, you will find a way even if life was throwing rocks at you...I have always believed that you should go where your heart is telling you to go, no matter how scary the uncertainty of how things will turn out may be...and no matter how unready you may feel...and as much as I believe I live this kind of life most of the time, I have an area in my life I have shut in a drawer and locked it so that I don’t have to deal with the pain and vulnerability that drawer contains...as funny and absurd life can be sometimes, it turns out that what contains so much pain also contains so much sense of being alive...last week I have decided to dig deep and be really honest with myself...and open that drawer (not just to promise this to myself (as I did many times) but really do it…so last week I did!)

I went to my first dance class after quite some time...and it was amazing ❤ Those who know me well know how much it means to me...when I danced a few years back, I loved it with all my heart and devoted to it every single free moment I had...but I was also very fragile then...and the experiences I went through did break me! It wasn’t always smiles and joy in dance (even though on the surface it may have looked like it)...anyway...it just feels so beautiful to find the strength to get back to it...yoga helped me a lot...to reconnect to myself, find myself, find my worthiness and heal some inner wounds...I feel so much stronger now and it’s just so amazing to be able to make peace with that battle...huge win :-) happy Monday and much love to you all for your own battles ❤

Thank you :-)

Hi gorgeous people, this landed in our mailbox last week and I wanted to share this with you because it’s not just for me but it’s for you too…thank you so much for your kind hearts and all the donations to RSPCA from our movie night. It makes me so happy that we could help somewhere because even little help may sometimes mean a life saved. Huge hug and much love to you all on this gorgeous misty day ❤

What kind of life do you want to have?

While we can’t often choose to fill every and each day only with things and activities we enjoy and love (oh yeah, most of us have to go to work, pay bills, clean the house etc.) we can choose the energy we want to have our days filled with no matter what we have on our to do list...choose each day to be a super amazing one :-)...it doesn’t matter if you have to go to work and do all the normal things you do every day...but you can choose to enjoy them, to create games around all the “boring” stuff, to bring more playfulness and exciting energy into your everyday life...and you will feel so much more fulfilled even though you will do the same things as always...

Last week I came across a documentary on Tony Robbins and he said an interesting thing...”Do you know someone who no matter what happens in their life finds a way to be always pissed off?...and do you know, on the other hand, someone who no matter what happens in their life finds a way to be always happy and excited?”

While I think it’s totally ok and healthy to experience all the emotions and learn to breathe through them, I also know that most of the times we are not even aware of what has caused us to feel that way...or when we are, we don’t realize it was a super tiny moment with the least possible significance to which we assigned a huge importance…unconsciously...and we forget that WE can choose to step forward instead of staying in that moment...and let me tell you, we sometimes stay there for way too long...the challenge is, can you bring more awareness into your life and when you feel some resistance within or some negative emotions, can you stop and ask yourself, “Am I really going to allow this moment to destroy my whole day? Am I really going to allow this moment to shape my life?” Because from one moment, there comes another…from one day, there comes another one...those days will never come back again...choose wisely what kind of day, and what kind of life YOU want to have...I hope it’s a great one! ❤

Give things a go...

Be curious and playful...give things a go...if you mess up, laugh...who cares...take the opportunities that come your way...you’re ready...so many times we hold back in doing things that look exciting just because we think we may look silly...when I watch my furry boys or other animals or kids, they don’t hold back...when they see something exciting, they go for it...they just run towards it and jump at it :-)...and yep, they may fall but in a moment they are back on their all fours or two, and maybe even try it again...or shake themselves off and look for another exciting thing...aren’t we all supposed to live our lives this way, filling our lives with adventures, unforgettable days and nights, passion, love, spontaneity...? Happy Friday ❤

Welcome everything coming your way...

“Fearlessness is not avoiding the ups and downs of life: it’s sitting with them, listening, feeling, bowing to them…and then moving forward.” (Waylon Lewis)  Stay humble towards all experiences that come your way...listen, observe, notice…there’s always something to be noticed...no matter how dark an experience may seem, there’s always light and growth in there too...open your heart and listen more deeply...where we are challenged it’s where we can grow...and it’s where we need to be...how awesome is to realize that when “bad” things happen to us, they are actually amazing opportunities for us to bring more awareness into our lives and find calmness and acceptance with what is...they open new doors which we wouldn’t be able to see if everything was perfect...there’s sooo much more learning happening in those moments...so just smile and welcome everything coming your way 🌸💕

New Yoga Video - Full Body Vinyasa Flow (35 min)

This month I have created a 35 min Vinyasa Flow yoga class, with some heart opening postures, twists and hip openers to open through all the main areas of the body and to encourage the life energy, prana/chi, to flow freely throughout. As always, each class can be challenging and gentle at the same time. Create a habit of observing your breath and physical sensations in your body, move with consciousness and adjust the practice according to how you feel on that day. The video is here for guidance so if some postures are too hard or don't work for your body, you can always adjust the practice so that it's nurturing for you :-)

Of course my furry boys couldn't let me practice without being in the frame…hope you will enjoy their presence as much as I did :-)

Happy :-)

A bit of yoga and cartwheels with bare feet and hands because it snows and it makes me happy :-)…what if we don’t need big things to be happy...what if it's enough to just notice the beauty around us... ⛄💗

Sense of fulfilment and inner harmony...

Have you ever noticed when you approach things with love, more of it comes to your life in one way or another? I really believe in what you give out will come back to you. Last two weeks have been amazing…all of the sudden, one opportunity came after another for my teaching, for more classes, a new space, a new yoga business...and I have felt so grateful.

Yesterday morning, I was doing some work on my computer and my thoughts took me to an article about gratefulness I had written almost a year ago (you can read it here if you want to :-)). One thing in particular came to my mind… “Gratefulness is a tricky thing…it usually appears when we are happy but it often hides when we feel low and vulnerable, and when we need it the most.” It’s so true...it is so easy to appreciate where we are at when things are going great but it is much more challenging to do that when we feel low and our life doesn’t seem to be going in the right direction or it’s not moving anywhere at all and we feel stuck.

This thought has been like a reminder for me that nothing is permanent, neither the high moments, nor the low ones. The only way we can keep a sense of fulfilment and inner harmony is to learn to appreciate every day as it comes, every experience, every moment, even the low ones. And just reminding ourselves that everything is so much easier when we keep a positive outlook on life because things will soon change anyway and the love energy you send out will attract beautiful things back into your life 💖

Happy World Yoga Day :-)

Happy World Yoga Day beautiful people :-) Yay! If you didn’t make it to class this morning or didn’t manage to squeeze your home practice before going to work, come to practice with me and other gorgeous souls tonight at Anytime Fitness in Katoomba at 5:30pm. Beautiful Vinyasa Flow to open your heart and connect with your beautiful self. Can’t wait to see you there and breathe and play together 💗

Come back to yourself...come back to your home...

Breathe in love, breathe out love...it’s not the circumstances in your life that are shaping you and your journey...it is your attachment to those circumstances...it is your attitude to what’s happening on the outside and realizing that the only thing you really have the power over is your inside...so next time when you feel challenged, come back to yourself...come back to your home...and breathe in some love 🌸💕

Appreciate every step of your journey...

This month I am setting myself a challenge..."to appreciate every step of my journey”...I have caught myself many many times setting up new and new goals without truly appreciating what I have achieved already. It’s funny how we feel there’s still so much for us to learn, to grow, to achieve, we see all those things in the future but we rarely look back at ourselves a year ago or two years ago and really fully appreciate all the things we have succeeded in over that period of time and how much we have grown.

Yesterday I came across an exercice on life purpose I did two years ago…this is what I wrote for myself than: “To grow and help others to grow by living consciously, without fear and in touch with their true Self. To live and inspire others to live with respect and gratitude, in harmony with nature and radiating love and compassion.” ...and I smiled. I have realized that I have done so much over those two years and no matter how many doubts I had lately about myself, being a yoga teacher and all that stuff (naughty thoughts:-)), it seems that the Universe has been sending me signals every day, asking me to be patient and to stay on the path I am walking right now…and I am grateful. Sometimes the path towards where you would like to be may seem scary and without proper direction. But hey, by starting the first step, in no time you will find yourself (like I did) miles away from where you originally started. Be brave, stay patient, good luck and a big hug to you on your journey 💖

Home practice for you - Gentle Vinyasa Flow (15 min)

So, finally after a few months of postponing this, I have made my very first video with a home practice for you…yay!!! It was lots of fun, a few tries before my furry boy Mauri fell asleep and gave up on being actively involved in my yoga practice…lol (if you’ve seen my first video with Mauri, you know what it means...here is a link https://vimeo.com/152340690 :-))

This month, I wanted to create something that would be accessible to everyone, short yoga sequence targeted at opening the whole body. This is a gentle 15min Vinyasa flow yoga sequence you can do every day if you feel like it. Great to start your day, to squeeze it in your lunch break at work or to wind down before going to bed. Short and sweet to make you feel beautiful and relaxed :-)

Find Yourself...

The other day I had a chat with a friend of mine about allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and real...and I realized the people I connected to and who inspired me the most in my life were those who were themselves...they were not perfect…but they were not hiding it...and that’s also what made them beautiful and real...we all have days when we are not the most beautiful beings on the planet in the way how we treat the circumstances in our lives and the people around us...it’s ok...it’s ok not to be on top of everything all the time...how boring life would be if we were perfect :-)...but the gift is to realize that you don’t have to try to be someone else or hide yourself...the lessons, the learning, the growth will come along the way...the only thing you need to change is to be honest with yourself...to do things for you...to accept yourself...to find yourself 🌸💕

To explore...to live...

The other day I saw a short video about how we give up on ourselves, on our dreams, on our lives...and it made me a little sad...because if there was someone who was always free, chased their dreams no matter what, no matter if it meant to step away from the path they followed for some time, no matter if others told them they would regret it, it was me...it was me a few years ago...I knew since I was a kid that if I listened to my heart and wasn't scared to change things if they didn’t work for me anymore, I would be always free...I quit my PhD in Science 6 years ago, almost before finishing it up...an opportunity to study dance arose in my life at that time and I didn’t want to miss it out...I really wanted it badly!...what if this opportunity didn’t come again?...throughout my life, I was lucky to encounter a few more opportunities like that and was courageous enough to take my life in my hands and leave the security of a good life but not a happy life...

When I saw that video the other day, I realized, “Oh wait, I’m not that person anymore, I am holding back...Have I really come to that age when we think our lives are kind of “over”? We look at our dreams with a nostalgic gaze and comfort ourselves with thoughts that our lives are actually not too bad. Really? Is there no place for our dreams anymore?”

Hmmm...I am 36…I probably have still another 50 years, maybe more, ahead of me...Why am I not exploring, why am I not giving 100% to new roads and paths that seem exciting to me? Maybe you are where I am right now...sometimes we need to see or hear something to make us realize that WE ARE STILL HERE...that there are still so many days and weeks and months and years to try new things...to start new things...to explore...TO LIVE!

Use your mind to heal yourself...

A few weeks ago I came across an inspiring documentary “The Connection: Mind Your Body” about how our mind and body are interconnected and how we can use our mind to heal ourselves. I have written about it a little bit more in the latest newsletter…and also about the profound benefits of yoga and meditation. If you haven’t seen it in your inbox, you can read it here:  Tree Love Yoga - May Newsletter It’s worth the read and worth watching that documentary…I promise!  Happy Tuesday!

Happy and free...

Our new baby Nico...a new addition to our yoga family 💖...he’s sooo sweet!!!! I can’t even tell you how gorgeous he is, on the inside and out, he has already filled a big (I mean BIG) spot in my heart, I love him sooo much!!!…he is full of this beautiful energy, zest for life, really living every moment, exploring, playing and having fun...he’s confident and happy...when I watch him, he makes me smile and happy...and inspired…I think we all used to be this way somewhere in our lives, happy and free, without worries, responsibilities and plans, living from moment to moment...it has made me realize that sometimes I take myself and some experiences too seriously, give them much more importance than they need, worried how I would be perceived, if I am doing a good job etc...and in between all of that, I sometimes forget to live my life and enjoy the new experience I have the opportunity to be a part of…it’s time to find my “inner puppy” again :-)…what a blessing that he came into my life 💛💙💚💜💖 

Today is the day...

Today is THE DAY...to make someone smile, to love with all your heart, to do something super silly, to allow yourself not to get anything done and to just stop, to observe life and be grateful for everything you have experienced, to dance, to run, to do whatever it is you've wanted to do for some time...because life is precious...make time for yourself...make time for YOUR LIFE in your life ☀

Overcoming fear on a beautiful autumn morning :-)

Had a beautiful practice this morning…felt strong, calm and open…at the end of my practice I usually play with a few more challenging postures, and today I chose a forearm stand (pincha mayurasana)… a thought arose in my mind to try the forearm stand in the middle of the room (without the security of the wall behind me, which is how I have been practicing forearm stand until now). It’s funny how all of the sudden my mind started chatter about how silly the idea was…and how it wanted to keep me in my comfort zone so that I didn’t accidentally “fall on my face, break my neck or shoulders if my centre of gravity moved too far back”…my mind was telling me “it was not worth it to potentially cripple myself”, plus “no one was at home apart from my furry boy Mauri who couldn’t drive me to emergency in case something really bad happened”. Yes, all of this went through my mind when I approached my mat and started to get ready for my first forearm stand in the middle of the room…

Well, I am still here and have both shoulders, face and neck :-) I was really surprised that it was easier than I had thought and when my centre of gravity got too far back (yes, that happened too!), I spiraled on one elbow to the side (like on a hand in a handstand) and landed on my feet…what a pleasant surprise!…another proof that thoughts can create a false reality and it’s best to listen to your heart, stay calm and trust yourself :-)…many times we can do much more than what we think (or shall I say what our minds think :-))…Happy Sunday and stay brave :-)

(Despite all I have said above, please don’t’ try a forearm stand at home unless you feel ready for it. A good guide is to be comfortable in a headstand before you proceed to more advanced postures, like a forearm stand :-))

Happiness and freedom are present right now...

"Happiness and freedom are present right now if only we can learn to accept the ‘unacceptable’.” (Happy Buddha)

Love yourself as you are (remember you’re always beautiful and perfect and you always do your best with the experiences you have), be grateful for all the experiences in your life (they were meant to be there), find strength to change what you want to change (it’s only up to you) and make peace with the rest. Give yourself a hug 💖

What I have is all I need...

Sunsets will never bore me...they fill me with peace and gratitude...and calmness that all the worries I may have are tiny compared to the wonders in my life and in my world...it’s often the quiet moments that are the most powerful...finding again that what I have is all I need…happy Easter Monday to all the beautiful souls 💖