The Bamboomoves Warriors Complete their 2 Week Intensive Training!!!!

You did it! Congrats to all of you.

You've pushed yourselves beyond your limits and came out shinning stars!

Keep going and see you at the head of class...teaching : )


(check out the post below from Ambria's Blog. I think it says it all)

Bamboomoves Warrior Teacher Training led by the amazing Andrew Tanner, has the most appropriate name. At first when asked to participate on the instructing team for these budding new yoga instructors, I was excited and grateful as many of them take my yoga classes. I was initially confused why we called it Warrior Teacher Training but thought maybe it was just a catchy name. I quickly learned it is MUCH MORE than just a NAME! If you come out of Bamboo Warrior Teacher Training, you are a warrior for love, peace and enlightenment in every way!

While I am familiar with and respect many teacher training experiences in both NYC and India, after participating in this two week intensive I must admit, Bamboomoves has the most spiritual enlightening Warrior Experience, unlike any other. This intensive training has students training from 7 to 5 sometimes 8pm. The students are immersed in Daily (Grueling) Asana Practice, Pranayama Practice, Study the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Yogic Diet, Chakras, Unique Healing Instruction and they begin every day with 103 Bows. They have special guest instructors. experience leaves their mind, body and spirit drenched to the last drop. Many of them towards the end looked like they went through battle with blissful expressions on their faces.

The highlight of the experience...the last three days trainees take a three day retreat to New Hampshire, where they are put through the fire, with mind, body, spirit challenges unlike anything I have ever experienced. Although we stayed at a gorgeous Lake Front Gigantic Home, had daily meals prepared by another Bamboo Warrior (Jeff), and took in Mother Nature at her finest, students had many challenges. In Total 11 people (4 instructors, 7 trainees, and two adorable dogs attended the retreat) Tears were shed, bruises were found, trust was formed, and through it all everyone was purified and made strong!

While I cannot reveal all the challenges, I can say we did morning meditation in neck high cold lake water, climbed a 3,500 foot mountain, and concluded with 1000 extremely challenging bows. Yes, I said 1000 bows, that was not a typo. I cannot be more grateful to have been on this journey with these lovely new yoga instructors! There strength and courage helped me through the last 400 bows in our 1000 bow stretch. Denise, Maritza, Sara, Ricky, I-Wen, Kaori, Erika you are now Warriors for peace and love, may your strength and courage inspire many on their yoga journey. Thank you all for letting me share in the experience. Andrew, thank you a million times over for inspiring me, guiding me, inviting me to share in this awesome experience, and for the mala (that I will forever cherish) you awarded me as an honorary Bamboo Warrior! I appreciate you more than you know. Jeff, your butternut squash soup ROCKS!!! Thank you Jeff for letting us into your lovely home, cooking such wonderful food and bringing your amazing Dog Misty! Michael, thank you for inviting me to share in this experience, your last 50 bows you led energized me to my soul!

If you or someone you know is in search of a Yoga Teacher Training experience, choose the one that gives you all the basics that you can get everywhere, and the extras only found at Bamboomoves.

Day 7 (Week 2):

I've always been a believer that the body can heal itself.

Since I was kid with asthma, I was forced to learn to focus on my breath and quiet my mind.

And as I got older and discovered that if I stopped eating meat and drinking milk, cut down on sugar, and fried foods, I could heal myself. 22 years later, after not eating meat (and all of the above), my asthma is gone!

So one of the things I LOVE about the Bamboomoves Teacher Training is the holistic energy healing.

Today our students continued to develop their practice. We all felt relaxed, energized and sooooo good!

We also had some fun being that it was Ricky's birthday - and had him blow out a candle on top of a watermelon!!!

I'm sure that was a first for him (and all of us).

Stephanie taught an inversion class this afternoon and had our students in their headstands!

And we ended the night with an awesome "Vinyasa Flow" and handstand class with Dice and Briohny who are here visiting from California.

They rocked the Bronx tonight!

(pictures soon to follow)

This was probably everyone's favorite or at least memorable day.

We started like every other day, 103 bows, pranayama and
Ambria happened to get there just in time for chanting, so the class was excited to have her lead them in "Shiva Shambo"

Then we carpooled to Manhattan and met Andrew in Central Park where we had a lecture and practiced pranayama.

We went to the Belvedere Castle to check out the view and take some fun photos and then we were off to the Museum of Natural History. (I felt like a kid on school trip again. Fun)

We saw and amazing film in the Planetarium called "Journey to the Stars" We all learned there's a little bit of "Stardust" in all of us. (This short film is a MUST see) Our students minds' were expanded in realizing the size and scope of our Universe, the Galaxies and our own bodies.

Then in was off to "Sheep Meadow" in Central Park to practice Headstands. The grass was so thick and soft. Great place to practice.

Finally time to eat!

We walked to 82nd and Amsterdam to the Peace Food Cafe for some yummy Vegan food and a lecture on reincarnation.

A great day of I say so myself...

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)