Day 5 and they're still Alive! LOL

We had the honor of having the Co-founder and Co-owner of Bamboomoves and Bamboomoves Forest Hills, Kaity Moreira teach a class on "Chakras" and Adjustments.

That's the beauty of the Teacher Training, our students are getting the very best instruction from the owners and Master level teachers themselves!

After another intense (or as Maritza says a "rough" class - LOL) from Yoshio, we decided to give everyone some fresh air and have the class on Adjusting Twists be held in Pelham Bay Park!

It was a perfect weekend for outdoor yoga!
(see Day 6 in Central Park)

DAY 4 "Back for More!" of the Teacher Training!

Well we're passed the halfway mark of week one.

And everyone is right on track to becoming Bamboomoves teachers!

Today was a perfect balance of yin & yang energy.

Maritza lead the class in doing 103 Sincerity bows as well at the Pranayama, then Ambria lead the chant singing:

"Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambo
Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambo
Mahadeva Shambo
Madadeva Shambo"

After that it was time to practice Asana (postures). The 7 "teachers in training" actually taught classes to each other over and over again. By the time they were all done they must've done crescent moon pose a hundred times!!! LOL

And if that wasn't enough - then it was time to practice the "Warrior Sequence"

By the time we broke for lunch, all of us were feeling it!

Before we went back into the classroom, Erika brewed some Chinese tea - that was actually a flower that once heated would BLOSSOM. Everyone was very excited to have freshly brewed tea after my class with them.

I went over the "floor poses", put them into Shavasana and once I woke them up they had their teas waiting for them. We sat around chatted and celebrated Erika's first "tea party" (I called her the "Mad Hater")

Since we just had yummy tea and the vibe was mellow, we did partner stretching and a few other restorative work (including the "Headless Headstand") and then it was off to Ricky's for "Movie night" to watch "Meet your Meat" & "Food Inc." If you haven't see these videos - watch them!!! Meet your Meat is on line. Food Inc is in the video stores. (It's time to learn the truth about what you're putting into your bodies and more importantly into the bodies of your kids, and loved ones.)

And just as the universe is perfect - before the movie began, Ricky's dog "Oreo" stormed downstairs and jumped all over everyone & licked them, sharing his "puppy love"

This little four legged animal lit us all up with its excitement, energy and joy! And once we began the movie he left the room and came back once it was done!!! It was like he knew the content of the movies and left us to watch it all alone.

We shared what we had learned and felt from the movie and then went upstairs to meet Ricky's first "sweet heart"...his mom.

She's a doll, with a wonderful & loving spirit.

I am so grateful to have such awesome students in my life and such powerful and memorable experiences.

What are you grateful for? Who do you love? Have you told them recently...?

(When would NOW be a good time?)

Mamaste,
Michael

Day 3:

Another fantastic day!

Everyone was so moved by yesterday's class with Stephanie and her Chakra meditation (especially Ricky who brought in his guitar and was jamming with Ambria during breaks)

Andrew shared his wisdom from the Sutras & then some lessons in energy, healing, chakras & the "students" started teaching this morning!

Ambria blessed us with her loving energy & there were lots of adjustments from everyone!

I'm seeing the "family dynamic" beginning to take shape and all it begins with sharing from the heart.

So happy, proud and grateful for all our "teachers in training"

Day 1 of the Bamboomoves Warrior Teacher Training.

7 students are going through an intensive 2 week (12 hours a day), Yoga training. They are off to an incredible start. We began at 7 am sharp with basic introductions, yoga asana, pranayama, lectures on anatomy and the benefits of a yogic diet (individually an...d globally).

Andrew even took them to a local fruit market, bought some fruits and veggies and made amazingly delicious smoothies (bananas, almonds and other yummy stuff!) and "green juices". The smoothies and juices were so good that even Carolann & the entire Bellydance class had some!!! (see photos below, videos to follow)

Bamboomoves Warrior Teacher Training - Day 1

Day 1 of the Bamboomoves Warrior Teacher Training.

7 students are going through an intensive 2 week (12 hours a day), Yoga training. They are off to an incredible start. We began at 7 am sharp with basic introductions, yoga asana, pranayama, lectures on anatomy and the benefits of a yogic diet (individually an...d globally).

Andrew even took them to a local fruit market, bought some fruits and veggies and made amazingly delicious smoothies (bananas, almonds and other yummy stuff!) and "green juices". The smoothies and juices were so good that even Carolann & the entire Bellydance class had some!!! (see photos below, videos to follow)

Bamboomoves Warrior Teacher Training 2010

Day 2 of the Bamboomoves Teacher Training:

Today our students had special guest instructors; Stephanie Miller from Bamboomoves Englewood and Yoshio Hama from Bamboomoves Forest Hills.

Stephanie lead them through the warm up and the crescent moon sequences as well as how to do basic (and a few advanced) adjustments. And even the 9:30 am class had a chance to experience her awesome class!!! (Come back anytime Stephanie)

And later that night after Andrew shared from "The Yoga Sutras" and gave a much needed holistic energy healing workshop, Yoshio came in a taught a hip opener class that was intense but great! I rewarded everyone with smoothies; bananas, almonds, avacados and rice milk in a blender. De-Li-Cious!!! (try it)

Oh! And I started out the day by leading the class in 103 Sincerity bows and then Pranayama and chanting!

This was a major breakthrough for me since I have small, tint, fear of singing publicly!

But one can only lead from the front right? So I did it.

Goodnight future B.M.W. - keep the fire going! You're all doing a great job...

A Magical Day (Sunday May 2nd)

I can already sense that May will truly be a magical month!

I was at the Agape International Spiritual Center this morning at 7 a.m. and on my way there I could feel a change within me already happening. The service was incredible as usual - Rev. Michael Beckwith's theme was - "Total Recall" meaning, recollecting (or as he said Re-Collecting & Remembering) WHO you really are and WHY are you here?

Throughout all of my many years of personal development and spiritual growth and practice, these are common questions asked no matter what religion, philosophy or seminar I have researched.

Simply put - "What is your Purpose?"

I believe most people are searching for the answer to this very question, whether they have "consciously" have asked themselves this or not.

I believe there is Greatness in each of us and that when we witness the Greatness in others or when we meet those who have discovered their Purpose - then we are reminded of our own Purpose (or to seek it).

Today at Agape, I had the honor and the privilege of attending a profound lecture / meditation lead by a Tibetan Monk named Khen Rinpoche. Just being in the room with him, I felt his powerful spirit of Love, Peace and Compassion which were the Virtues of his teachings.

He said the goal we should keep in mind while meditating is that we want to "reach enlightenment to help ALL sentient beings" (animals too) The Tibetan Monks meditate 6 hours a day, dedicating their meditation and their virtues of Peace, Love and Compassion to others. (Like we do in Yoga when we dedicate the fruits of our practice)

Khen Rinpoche lead us all through a mediation called "Tong Lin" (I'm writing it the way it's pronounced, I don't know if that's the correct spelling). The purpose of this meditation was to increase our Compassion and Love towards our mothers. (Mind you, this wasn't presented to us as a Mother's day prayer) It's simply a powerful and yet difficult meditation that the Tibetan Monks practice. Why mothers? Because as Khen Rinpoche shared with us, it's the ultimate example of Unconditional Love. And if we can truly practice that level of Unconditional Love toward our families, friends, strangers and even enemies then we are on the path to enlightenment and in healing the world.

I can go on and on with all that I learned in just the short 2 and half hours my wife and I were with him, but I will save that for the next class I teach you when I return to NY ; )

But I will leave you with this... He described one's "Virtues" as a cup of water. "Your cup of water left alone will eventually evaporate. But if you pour your cup of water into the ocean, it will last as long as the ocean exists..."

So don't let your cup of Love and Compassion evaporate. Pour it into the world. For the more you give, the more you will receive. Or as one of my other mentors said - "Give what you came here to get"

Namaste,
Michael