My official journey began when my boyfriend bought me a membership at Pure Yoga in 2011, and yes, I was that girl who took that mat in the corner, in the last row, feeling scared before the class, refusing to make eye contact; and I kept looking around during class, wondering if I am doing the right thing PLUS I was worried about what other people may think of me.
It didn’t help that I also felt frustrated after every class; my wrist hurts; my heels are not touching the ground in my downward dog and I can’t do a crow!!!
Physically, I loved that I sweated buckets and my body ached in the right places but mentally I wasn’t feeling it.
Is this all there is to yoga? When is it going to be easy? Why don’t I look like everyone else? Why am I not flexible? What’s wrong with my body?
Then I found Baptiste Yoga
My first experience of it was a 40 days to Personal Revolution program back in 2012, facilitated by Tryphenia Chia. It was a gruelling 40 days of yoga, meditation, and inquiry work and the most challenging of all, was for me to leave work ON TIME, so I can get to class ON TIME.
I was pushed past my edge, and what came out of that is anything is possible, if I come from a place of anything is possible. I didn’t die and right then, I knew something needed to change within me.
In 2014, I became a yoga teacher. In 2016, I did my first Baptiste training, and I never looked back.
“Anything is possible if you come from a place of anything is possible.”
Baptiste Yoga changed the way I see, listen and interact with other people and with myself. It gave me access to new possibilities in my practice, my teaching and my life.
The old me believed a story she has been telling herself in her subconscious mind - that she is a bad girl. And she’s ashamed, has guilt and feels she is not unworthy of love or attention. She has fear of being judged, being a disappointment and a failure.
The New me now knows that that story is something she made up to mean something about herself and it’s not true. It’s a lie. The lie will keep coming up though because it is her limiting core belief. And it's ok because the new me is now aware and acknowledge that the story is a Lie.
Right now, my new way of being is of LOVE, COURAGE & POSSIBILITIES, and the hiding I give up is my sadness. I’m on a journey of being in love with myself every single day and I’m in the practice of giving up my guilt and shame and being a yes to forgiveness and kindness.
So that’s my (real) story so far.
YEAR 2017
This is the year where we start the Baptiste Yoga Singapore Revolution! I’m very excited to be part of this potentially potent community, together Trish Corley and Natasha Benson - to share my love for the style of yoga that transformed me and inspired me to become a yoga teacher.
THANK YOU
I’ve met a lot of amazing people along the way, but here, I’d like to thank my teachers, Duncan Peak, Baron Baptiste and Paige Elenson. Also Natasha Benson, from Alpha Balance, who gave me my first Baptiste Yoga class to teach. And Dr Trish Corley from New Angle Yoga, who inspires me by being so passionate about Baptiste Yoga and giving me the opportunity to co-facilitate this revolution with her.
Related Links:
When Baron First Came to Singapore (2016)
Baptiste Level 1 in Norfolk, UK (2016)
EXCERPT FROM MY JOURNAL:
Out of my level 1 experience, I’m committed to get certified in Baptiste Yoga in 2017. I’m committed to extend the boundaries of being of service to others by teaching community classes. I’m committed to dance at the edge of the envelope by hopefully assisting a first Baptiste Level 1 in Asia. I am committed to establishing new playing fields by creating the possibility of a Baptiste Yoga Singapore community where it does not yet exist. I welcome surprise and adventure in being a Yes to spreading the Baptiste Yoga love to everyone. I’m committed to be one of life’s major players in my Baptiste Yoga local community and start a revolution with the current Baptiste Teachers in Singapore.
Norfolk, UK | 08.10.2016