Guest writer and popular yoga teacher; Patty Kikos presents a fantastic overview of her yoga practice, bringing to life the physical, emotional and spiritual components, enlivening the inner spiritual warrior:
When people ask what I do for a living and I tell them that I’m a yoga instructor, responses tend to vary greatly from looks of astonishment to bubbling enthusiasm. Funnily enough, even now, they are both responses I evoke myself from my own daily practice.
Astonishment because despite the years of practice and dedication, I learn as much about the different facets of my personality today, as I did 12 years ago when I stumbled into a yoga class in Amsterdam whilst travelling through Europe with a heavy backpack that almost rendered an additional curve in my already burdened spine.
Bubbling enthusiasm because unlike many other interests I sought in life and later discarded in pursuit of something more interesting / distracting / entertaining, yoga has been the one influence that has remained consistent, steady, evolving and above all influential in my life.
My yoga practice is just that – a practice. This means that I can feel liberated when it is not necessarily ‘perfect’. Everyday I am challenged and faced with the balance between my strength and my flexibility in my physical body, as well as the fluctuations within my mind which influence the decisions I make everyday.
I am blessed to be able to instruct in something that I am so passionate about, especially as the art of teaching only serves to enhance my own connection to yoga. I often tell my students that the time we spend on the mat is only one facet of yoga. The real yoga starts when we go out into the real world and continue to practice what we experienced on the mat.
Attending a class means that we are mindfully placing ourselves in a situation where at times, our mindset and physical body are stretched beyond their comfort zone. We stretch according to the length and suppleness in our body, we balance on one arm, leg, forearms or head according to the stillness in our mind and strength in our upper body and core.
However, the real yoga starts when we are challenged in our personal and our professional life. Yoga is the words we choose to use when we are confronted with a difficult situation. It is the kindness in our actions, the consciousness behind the decisions to consume certain foods. It is the difference in the way of the peaceful warrior versus the hardened soldier.
Paying tribute to the different facets of yoga means that in turn, I can acknowledge all parts of the warrior within. In this context, the term warrior is symbolic of one who can acknowledge their part in a potential conflict as opposed to a soldier who is experienced in warfare. A fine example of a raging war as a symbolic reference of the inner conflict experienced by us all is used by The Bhagavad Gita, one of the most influential Hindu texts of all time.
The physical postures for instance, allow us to experience this challenge when we turn ourselves upside down. Ancient Indian sages tell us that when we are used to being physically upside down, our psyche is then strengthened mentally, emotionally and spiritually when our world as we know it inevitably overturns.
Additionally, practicing the art of meditation teaches us to find that place of stillness within. We try to find a neutral state of mind that is neither riddled with negative pessimistic thoughts of a low vibration nor overly optimistic and hyperactive. We meditate to clear the excess debris in our mind that often clutters our thoughts and hinders us from making conscious decisions in our lives and stops us from being reactive to situations instead of proactive.
About Patty
![3 PK pigeon [Desktop Resolution]](http://modernmartialartist.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/3-PK-pigeon-Desktop-Resolution-225x300.jpg "3 PK pigeon [Desktop Resolution]")
Patty’s professional career has been eclectic and diverse. After travelling the world for many years, her career ranged from social worker to trained dancer. These days, Patty’s main passions lie in yoga, kinesiology and her thriving business as a marriage celebrant.
A popular Hatha Vinyasa teacher for many years now, Patty’s fun loving expression is often echoed in her classes with her music, sequencing and meditation techniques. She is also dedicated to Kundalini Yoga, a beautiful practice which strengthens the endocrine and nervous systems.
Patty is one of the 4 main teaching staff for the Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training across Australia and is mindful about incorporating all facets of yoga practice into her life. Her classes are open to all levels and Patty often encourages students to be open to hearing their body’s individual needs with kindness and compassion.
Powerful Women Who Inspire…
Cynthia Parr
Cynthia stars in a documentary about her life called “By your side” due to be screened soon.
What is it that you do?
I work as a Palliative Care Physician at Royal North Shore and Greenwich Hospitals. My job is to improve the quality of life of people with terminal illnesses and relieve them of distressing physical, psychosocial or spiritual symptoms. I work with a team of doctors, nurses and allied health staff to achieve this and we also provide a support system for our patients’ families.
How long have you been doing this work?
I’ve been caring for the dying, predominantly cancer patients, for the last eleven years and before this a lot of my medical training was in cancer wards.
Who has been your inspiration?
Most people ask me if I get depressed at watching the people around me die on a daily basis. I would have to say that in spite of some very sad moments, there is so much that is positive in the way my patients and colleagues deal with adversity. I may see grief and sadness but I also see altruism, humour, bravery, stoicism, resilience, forgiveness, hope and love in the face of death and this restores my faith in all that is good about people. I would have to say that my patients are my driving force and my inspiration.
How do you relax?
It is very important to make sure that I recognize when I am burning out or need a break. I relax by debriefing with other colleagues about difficult cases, taking decent long holidays regularly and balancing work (which I do part-time) with play. I also foster friendships and make it a point to see my family regularly. Exercise is great for unwinding, especially at Northstar where I learnt how to detach myself from emotions, focus and live in the moment. Punching and kicking the pads helped too! Above all, I have the support of my husband to help me through trying times.
What does not change?
Happiness is a base line that we all would like to have as a constant in our lives. Yet it can be here one minute and gone the next. Why is that so?
Change is inevitable in all aspects of life, seasons come and go, life is constantly moving. Identification and attachment to all that exists can be a major source of suffering.
How do we overcome suffering?
Is it normal to suffer?
What does not change?
These are “thinking” questions, so test the ole grey matter this Friday morning and see what you can share…..look forward to hearing from you…
Andy
8 ways to improve and take control of your life
As we get close to our first Super Session Grading on 28th March, I thought that I would check in with you to see how your preparation is going. Have you registered yet? Have you made the commitment? Gradings are great for self improvement. As Northstar develops lifestyles and not fighters, use your grading preparation to hone all aspects of your life.
Between now and grading as well as getting physically fit, lets also overlay some of the mental and emotional qualities we practice at Northstar.
1. When some one pushes, move a side and let them pass. This takes strength of mind as your previous action would be to resist, make a point, or have a compulsive need to give your opinion. Just try to be still and quiet every now and then and see what happens.
2. Become aware of the space between you and others. An awareness of that space means that you can control it. Once you know about this space, you instantly become aware of how you move in others space. For the next couple of weeks, when the overpowering need to get your stuff done arises, just take time to think about how you may be intruding on others space.
3. Smile in conflict.
Quite often when we are training, pushing, shoving, sparring and practicing self defence, there is a real buzz in the dojo. There is talking, laughing and people are really connecting. Strange isn’t it really! Connect with the same lightness when you are going about your daily routines. Give life a lighter, simpler touch and try not to take yourself too seriously.
4. Practice Determination
The ability to go beyond your perceived barriers. The belief that you can succeed regardless of your current situation. Use the small wins in life to prepare you for the big challenges. Sometimes from the depths of despair and depression a tiny flicker of hope is enough to help you put one foot in front of the other. Challenge yourself constantly by facing your fears.
5. Acknowledge the support and caring of others by offering gratitude. Generosity of spirit strengthens your ability to forgive and opens your heart to receive. “What’s in it for me”, has no place here.
6. Keep your own counsel.
Own your thoughts, actions, plans and dreams. Only you know what they mean to you. If you are constantly swayed by the crowd, surprise yourself and others by starting to believe that your own uniqueness is special and worthy. This is how leadership is developed.
7. Accept change.
In fighting you have to adapt and move very quickly. The instant you get set in your ways you get hit. This is a great metaphor for living. If you are too set into believing your reality will never change, when it does change, there is incredible suffering.
8. Be fluid and supple and friendly with life. Make a decision from this day moment on, you will never be less than friendly towards yourself
* No more treating yourself like a slave.
* No more putting yourself down – ever.
* No more negative assumptions
* No more torment over past events that you cannot change.
* No more putting up with other peoples abuse or unkindness
* No more postponing doing what you love doing most.
Practice these simple life skills and see what happens. Your gift to me is to pass them on.
Andy Dickinson
Spirituality in Martial Arts
I posted a question at the end of last week on where does spirituality sit with Martial Arts. Is it there? Has it ever been there? Is it an important part of the training? Is it necessary ?
Here are some of the contributions so far:
Spirituality – seems to me that in martial arts, now, in 2010, it’s optional. You can do it just for sport or health or fitness or whatever it is in that physical realm that you want to give to and take from it. Or you can surrender to it a bit more and embed it into your internal world and give to and take from it a wealth of inner strength and a way of seeing and feeling those around you
Catherine
I really think it does, I always remember the series in TV (old ones) with john Carradine. He was a peaceful and spiritual man and used Kung FU to defend himself and make right win over evil. I think the martial arts tech control, concentration and this in turn leads to mindfulness and mindfulness lead the mind to higher planes this is a more spiritual plane.
Beatriz
As for the answer. Yes it’s definately there. I think it helps us focus when we enter the dojo, how we do the multiple defense and the rest of the work out. Helps us listen to the instructor and I’d say is linked to other things like respect. All these things are important and I know they are always and always have been there.
Jack