The first time I walked into a yoga class with a couple of friends in Malaysia, I had no idea what I was getting myself into and simply followed the group. I used to be very active back to school, but after I started working as a fashion designer with long hours everyday in front of the computer or the sewing machine, I didn’t do much to look after my body for over 5 years. I couldn’t even touch my toes during forward fold and had never done a proper handstand before.

So I went to my first yoga class thinking I was there for some relaxation and stretching. It turned out I was sweating in ways I never knew possible from just yoga postures. The first arm balance pose the teacher showed us was Bakasana. It looked so easy but I failed over and over again. How could she balance just on her palms, and with her knees on her triceps? Next, when she got us to do handstand. I thought that won’t be hard since I had done many cartwheels before. So, surely I could do a simple handstand! But what do handstands have to do with yoga? So I tried and kept kicking my legs up against the wall repeatedly. I couldn’t believe it when I realised that I wasn’t even able to stay in place for more than two seconds. I was exhausted. Physically and mentally. How could the lady next to me do it all so peacefully and with her eyes closed for over a minute? My arms were shaking while I was trying to catch my breath again. My face was red as a tomato.

After an hour-long yoga session the teacher called for Savasana. I asked myself what the hell that meant? So I just did what everyone else did, lay down and rested on my mat.

Unexpectedly, I felt relaxed. I felt like I didn’t just do a workout with my body, but my mind as well. I walked out of the room with a brand new body, all the clutter in my mind had disappeared! After just one class I felt like I had pressed the reset button and felt totally peaceful and calm.

Focusing on arm balance in my yoga practice has changed my perspective of life. It is so important in life to find balance, to let go, refocus, to increase your confidence and to start seeing all the possibilities that are waiting for you. But the most important thing is to have fun in life. Fun makes us happy and keeps us young. And when you’re having fun, those good vibes and positive energy will spill over into the lives of the people around us, which in turn will increase happiness and well-being for all of us. Don’t take life to seriously. Have fun and yoga on!

“Live your life and risk it all. Take some chances, take the fall. Take your time, no need to hurry. Have some fun and never worry. Stay young!”

Namaste,

Carmen