Headstand (Shirshasana)--Sometimes we need a new perspective in life!

Last Sunday was the election day.  Of course, I can't cast my vote even if I wanted to.  Being an expatriate PR, I am not entitled to any political stance points, neither have I any interest to do so.  But, this election is held in 5 years since the last one in March 2008.  And personally, the election day brings me back a rather painful memory...So I was rather a bit nervous with all the hypes that were happening around it.

It was January 2008 that I opened the current Beth's Yoga center in Putra Heights.  At the time, I just uprooted my then-strong Yoga base in Bukit Jalil, and moved to the present location which was yet a remote new township.

In retrospect, it was a very bold move in many aspects. Because I simply packed and left the beautiful Bukit Jalil center, leaving the loyal hundreds Yoga students behind, to start a new center in where virtually not many human folks were yet-to-be-seen.  It was all quiet day and night in the new town.

I don't know what I saw...but, I simply fall in love with the new town when I first was.  Maybe it was the hill, palm trees, clear sky or simply the fresh air that are so rare in other parts of the KL city...But anyway, I felt special connection and promising future in this newly developing township, that I wish to root myself for the rest of life.  Being an expatriate living in a foreign land for ten over years then, I very much needed a place that I can finally settle and develop the sense of belonging...

I guess the abundant greenery and hilly atmosphere, with a bit isolated feeling from the rest of busy hustle-bustle city life...suited well with my inclination for solitary and quietude...

Despite of much obstacles and hiccups that accompanied initially...however...by the grace of God and help from many of my Yoga friends...the new center opening was rather smooth and it could receive warm welcoming from the not-yet many PH residents...But it was a short sweet dream that lasted barely a few month...

Then, it came the March 2008 election shock...that shook the whole country...and it affected many large and small business men...including this new Yoga center of mine...

The FATWA interference on Yoga, putting the ban on all the Muslim from it, and the Yoga Zone bankruptcy who put a very bad name on Yoga as the result...So suddenly more than half of the enrollment disappeared from my yoga center as well, with not much new students for many, many months thereafter...It was a very tough time then...with huge capital was already invested for the renovation, moving and advertising...

That was 5 years ago already.  And I somehow managed to stand in the same place, with the same enthusiasm and all the more vibrant yoga students in the center of buzzing township of Putra Heights...up until now... 

What I first saw years ago...faint impression of the beautiful and tranquil place, that I can invite the stressed city-folks to breathe and stretch...So that, they can release stress, recharge tired body, mind and souls, and get a new perspective in life regularly for the better life aspirations...

I feel only now start to materializing...PH is ever changing and all the more vibrant, and so are the in-out surroundings in the Beth's Yoga center...I guess I was right after all.  I am very glad that I am still here.  How about you?  Are you still there...?  In where you were and where you want to in your life?  If not, I guess it's time that you need a new look in your life. 

This is one of my favorite yoga asanas to unleash my stress and a bull's eye yoga pose in refreshing our stuck mind...It was most helpful too, at the time when I was dealing with the aftermath shock of the last election...the headstand pose...

Headstand(Shirshasana) is considered the king of all the asanas and, as such, one of the most important asanas in yoga.  This supported version of Shirshasana puts the least amount of stres on the head and neck because the forearms and shoulders support the majority of the body weight.  The crown of the head is cradled between the hands, and the back of the head rests against the fingers.  There are numerous variations of headstand; however, this version is best for building the strenth and stamina for all others.

The benefits of Shrshasana is; it increases stamina and strength in the shoulders, neck, abdominals, and upper spine and helps prevent bone degeneration in these areas; it creates good posture; it improves circulation; it massages the lungs and builds resistance to illness; increases energy and body heat; increases concentration and balance as it stimulates the pressure points at the crown chakra.

So let me know if you want to learn it too...