Yes, I’m home - Koh Samui home, not England home. I’m happy, relaxed and tanned. Still in pain with the rib, easing into my practice. I feel safe here, supported by those around me.

Been eating lots and lots of fruit and want to tell more and post photos, but the wireless connection is very up and down (mostly down). I will post and write all about my healing, fruit adventures, yoga and addiction to raw coconut oil when I get back. xxxxx

Have so much to write, so much to tell - yet it won’t be in this entry. Am getting all back on track. Really I am.

Has been a tough couple of weeks, am wearing a rib/back support - not a sexy corset at all!!. Am injured, not yoga related - was attacked by a bike. Rib twisted/sprained, no yoga, no teaching. Tears shed, but am being positive and playing catch up. Will bring you up to date with all in my REGULAR entries from now on. Will reply to all those who have left comments.

Thanks for popping by guys, please keep reading. All is going to get very exciting.High energy, oh and I return to Thailand in a couple of weeks. Woohoo!! Durian, mangosteen, mango, dragonfruit - at my fingertips. How happy am I??? 

Yes, me bad.  Thailand was such a journey for me, I had to go inward and delve deep. Lots to share and will once my fifth and final training is over (in Tokyo). Have a fabulous Christmas.Mxxx 

A week into my course at Yoga Thailand. What can I say? It is intense, classes all day - starting at 6.30am and usually retiring to my room at 9.00pm. So much to absorb, homework every night. Trying to make sense of the scribbles I have made throughout the day. New chants floating around my head, sanskrit numbers, yoga sutras. Hard work, but I am in my element. The teaching is fantastic. My fellow trainees are wonderful, so much support and energy. Feel most lucky to be here.

Raw Munchings

Well this little yogi is in heaven. Am surrounded by delicious fruit. Although I am upset that durian is out of season. I did some research prior to my travels on the internet and was informed by a couple of sites that durian is here all year round, but that is simply not the case. There are still mangos, dragonfruit, guava, numerous kinds of pears and of course coconuts.

Most mornings I have bananas or mango after my practice and water. Lunch is usually fruit based. Am wanting to keep my meals as simple as possible. I’m here to go inward, deepen, evolve, meditate, discover more about myself and I simply do not think one is able to do so if overloading the system with food. Some may disagree, but it’s the way I feel. Evenings there is a little organic salad, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber. Again, nothing that is going to over-stimulate my digestive system. Am trying to finish eating by 7pm, so my internal organs aren’t focussing on food during my sleep as I need a quality few hours on my pillow.

Avocados aren’t in season, but I have found a few imported ones - I need oils occasionally. I brought some flaxseed oil with me and am having a teaspoon of that everyday.

The great thing about Thailand is that wherever you go you can find fresh smoothies and juices. Makes me question, why am I living in Tokyo? Actually a number of questions are coming up. As I mentioned before I’m on a journey of self inquiry -  the tears are yet to come and I am sure they will in the coming four weeks. But, Koh Samui is where my heart is. Has been for a long time, hence my numerous returns. What should I do about this? Should I honor it and consider settling here, I mean seriously consider. Or should this island be the place where I come and retreat every so often? 

Will write more tomorrow. Arrived safely at Yoga Thailand, around 9pm (Thai time). Nice to be back at the place I call my second home. Familiar faces, fresh air, great food. 

Today started with 2 bananas, lunch was a mango juice, mid afternoon a coconut and then this evening I had a pear and two bananas. Drinking lots of water.

Early evening saw be being twisted and flattened as I had a Thai massage.

It’s only 8pm - can see me in bed very soon - all the fresh air has made me sleepy. 

Night nite
x

Tomorrow I leave Japan for five weeks, to the place where I call my sanctuary - Koh Samui, Thailand.At the moment I am overcome with emotion. I have waited for this next step in my yogic path for a long time, and am incredibly excited although nervous. I’m actually feeling a little sick at the thought of it all, but once it starts I know all will be good - intense, but good. I’m looking forward to cleansing myself internally and externally, taking myself to whole new level. Will  enjoy my practice and watch it evolve. There will be challenges, aren’t there always? The challenges and the way I deal with them will be a reflection on how I deal with life. I will be surrounded by fruits..all colors, all sizes. Expect lots of pics, a number of updates. I hope you enjoy this next phase in my lifexxxx 

Here is an article that came out on Saturday in the International Herald Tribune - my friend Marie wrote it, and the Em Bettinger as quoted is me. Click here.  

Please watch this video

It is heartbreaking.

Then click here to see how you can help.

We need to save all creatures.

This cull needs to STOP!

AArrgghhh!!! Sore throat, swollen glands, lying in bed. Hate feeling like this - useless and pathetic. I’ve been stressing alot about my upcoming course and worrying that my yoga diploma has taken a back seat for a while. My munchings have been sporadic and somewhat small. I have to take more care of myself, especially now I’m a yoga teacher. It’s important to stay healthy and full of energy as this is what your students feed off.

Refuse t ever feel like this again - take it as a lesson learned.

Am sipping on a smoothie as I write - Oj, mango, banana, raspberries, flaxseed oil and maca, courtesy of hubby.

Purchased a big bag of clementines yesterday and that is what I will eat over the weekend as I will be out and about. Am attending several workshops with the ashtanga teacher Chuck Miller: backbends, shoulder openers, inversions, and a teacher training workshop. Have never attended one of Chuck’s workshops before.

Tomorrow’s classes will be followed by an evening kirtan with Gina Sala at
Sun and Moon in Meguro (my home). Just hope my voice is back to sing and chant - then again maybe it’s a blessing if it stays away so no one else has to suffer as I use my vocal chords!!

With the yukkiness in my body today I do feel my body is crying out for a fast, so with light meals over the weekend, Monday will be a water fast from noon till noon on Tuesday. I’m not teaching on Monday, just going to an ashtanga class, Tuesday sees me teaching in the evening, by which time I will have eaten so I will be fine.

I intend to fast once a week. Should be easy to do when in Thailand, then maybe not if surrounded by durian, coconuts and all other beautiful fruits of the world.

Yes, Thailand is just a week away. I leave next Saturday. The TTC starts on Monday. Sunday will start with a Mysore practice in the morning, followed by a coconut. A few hours spent on the beach and then off into the next town Nathon to get my fruit. Have never been so excited about fruit shopping before and I still have a week to go. Is this how people feel when they plan to shop at Prada or Gucci? What a buzz…would much rather spend my pennies on a mango than an overpriced dress!

So back to now, before I drift off into Thailand heaven.

Yesterday I returned to the new raw restaurant in Tokyo, Veggie Paradise. For those who are interested in going, you need to go out the south exit at Yoyogi-uehara station. Walk up the hill for about 30 seconds and Veggie Paradise is down a street on the left. Very easy to find - I get lost in Tokyo easily and I found it!

I met with my friend KC (love you KC), who chatted to myself and a friend Mutsumi (who has just attended a raw food course in the states). KC is writing an article on raw food and nutrition for an expat magazine here. We chatted for a good 2 hours while eating yummy food (raw pumpkin soup, salad with shitake dressing, mushrooms with a cashew cheesy sauce, seaweed salad). We discussed a number of topics, not sure if I should discuss them here as I want to see the magazine article first and then maybe elaborate. What I did notice was my passion for this subject. I don’t think I had recognized it before. Was like someone had walked in a dropped a pineapple on my head and said ‘look - you can make this work here’.

So I came away buzzing, full of ideas. Thinking of yoga and raw food retreats to run here in Japan (would give us a chance to run away from the concrete and out towards the ocean). Then today I wake up feeling like crap!

Will be back on track this weekend, with the yoga and things. Living life to the full, but being more aware of my energy levels - I just get so excited though and keep going and going them wham! I’m lying in bed.

Need to get my webpages up. Many ideas, would still like your input though as to what you would like to see. Hopefully they will be ready to view late January.

So, I will leave you with some photos of yesterday.

Veggie Paradise

Information

So clean fresh, spacious, relaxing

And to finish with, our new babies. Three stray cats that have found home on my balcony. Simply adorable.

Stay warm and healthy
xxx