Two weeks later, my husband gets offered a wonderful job opportunity in Mumbai! My initial reaction was “no way – I am not going to live there!” Needless to say, I changed my mind and here I am writing this blog entry in India!

Thank you to everyone who requested a blog update and reminded me about my book project. The last couple of months have been a rollercoaster of emotions and preparation for this adventure. I have been in Mumbai for a week now and have enjoyed having some time to myself while Mathew is at work to read, contemplate and, of course, write!

I was so truly sad to leave Hong Kong and it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about that wonderful city. This year we had felt settled there for the first time. However, a friend reminded me not to feel sad but to feel lucky that I had experienced such amazing friendships in my life. I actually found it quite profound to observe which friendships blossomed in the final stages and which ones faded away.

A large part of my time in Hong Kong was spent at the yoga studio. I loved it but it was often difficult for me to get out of bed early and make it on to the mat at 7am. However, once I found out that I was leaving, it became a joy! If I have one parting message then let it be that. You are so fortunate to have such a wealth of opportunity on your doorstep so don’t roll over and snooze. Get up and party with your kula! I am here on my mat by myself and I hold you all in my heart.

I am not quite sure which direction this blog will take from now on. Will it be a travel journal, a yoga diary, letters to friends? I will just let it flow and I hope you continue to join me!

As they say in this neck of the woods, “Namaste!”

The Gateway of India

I started connecting with angels in 2005 when I was living in London. It was a time when I was questioning my direction in life. I began reading lots of books about angels and asking for signs and guidance. I started following the work of Diana Cooper and was guided to attend a presentation that she gave about Atlantis. I have always been interested in the legend of Atlantis and it was a memorable evening spent with like-minded people. When working with angels, we all experience times when we wonder if it is “just our imagination” so the opportunity to share our feelings with others is a wonderful part of the process. At the end of the evening, I was able to meet Diana and she signed my book with the message “Joanna – it is time to fly!” Whenever I have doubts or question my path, I just open that book and am inspired to continue!

In 2006, I attended the Angel Awareness day event with Diana at Hampton Court Palace. The theme was ‘Healing of the waters’ and we released rose petals into the river that we had blessed with our angelic prayers. It was during this event that I first heard the angels sing. As a group, we had all been singing in the garden room to welcome the angels before moving into meditation. I heard the most beautiful angelic voices above me! As usual, I started to question whether I had really heard it or if I was imagining it but when Diana asked if anyone else had heard the angels singing I knew I was not alone! I wonder why we always doubt ourselves?

Fast forward to 2010 and I decided to take the angel certification program with Charles. For those of you that have been following my blog, my writing is about opening up my heart and expressing my true self. I have always been shy about working with the angels for fear of what others will think of me. The course with Charles has helped me to work through these blocks and I can already feel a huge shift in myself. We learnt how to deepen our connection with the angels and how to give angel card readings for others. We were also fortunate enough to experience a past life regression with his partner Tina and this has helped me to realise that a large part of my fear is connected to one of my past lives.

I met so many amazing people and am happy to have made lots of angel friends! I received so much encouragement from these new friends, and of course from the angels, for the book that I am writing and I am so grateful. The course definitely gave me the ‘kick-start’ that I needed to stop procrastinating and to move forward! When I got home from the first day of the course, my husband had bought me a surprise birthday gift – a new laptop! Wow! I am so lucky and I have no excuses now! He said that he bought it on the spur of the moment so I like to think that the angels guided him into the shop! The book project continues – thank you angels!

When I signed up for it, I had a strong intention that I wanted to do the full practice. It had to be all or nothing! If I missed one, just one, it would be downhill from there. The single biggest thing that I took away from my time with John Friend in May was that I want to be a better student. I want my ‘adhikara’ to burn brighter. I was also feeling like my personal yoga practice had reached a plateau and that my poses weren’t ‘improving’. An intensive daily practice was surely the answer…

On the first day, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that three of my fellow TT kula babes had also signed up for the full 20. We all got mats together and our resolve was so strong! It was truly awesome to take this journey once again with Mandy, Steph and Shoko. Every morning we looked out for each other and our friendship grew deeper. I am sure there is a movie about “the bonds of sisterhood” but if not, there should be!

As for ‘improving’ my practice, I am still not sure exactly what my intention was and whether or not I have ‘improved’. Interestingly, a lot of my yoga friends have come up and asked me “Can you do X, Y or Z pose now?” My dear friends the answer is still a resounding ‘No’ on all counts! But I think that is the point of all this. There is beauty in all stages of the journey. I set myself the target of being able to do koundinyasana after 20 days. I managed to get it for a few seconds on one side, celebrated massively, and haven’t been able to do it since! Doh! I feel like Wayne from Wayne’s World “it will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine!” I am a determined lady and I actually have a few target poses in my sights right now but I have to be patient (sigh!) and enjoy the place I am at!

Koundinyasana - my target!

There is a British saying “at the end of the day” which seems appropriate here, so, at the end of the day where does this leave me? Right back where I started, back on my mat at 7am! Doing the 20 day practice when I didn’t have to, when I really did have a choice, was the single biggest teaching for me. I discovered that I do want to do this and I actually enjoy it!

With love and thanks to my husband for putting up with the snooze function on my alarm clock going off at 5.45am every day. Yes, I am a snoozer xx

Recently, I have been thinking about why this has become a pattern in my life. I discussed this with my friend Natasha and we agreed that some of us are natural “starters” and some of us are “finishers”. Which category do you fall into? I am definitely a starter! But what is it that makes me give up so easily? For me, I think it is a combination of self-criticism, judgement and worrying about what everyone else will think. I analyse everything, find faults in myself and give up when my emotions take over. However, these unfinished projects don’t go away. They linger in the dusty cupboards of our minds.

This summer, while the rain falls hard in Hong Kong, I have decided to work through these emotional blocks and finish one of my books. My Mum has told me that when she comes to visit me in October she wants to read the first draft of my novel. I love her for encouraging me to complete this project and for setting me a goal! Next time you see me, please ask me how the book is going and don’t let me give you any excuses!

I have also got the painting back out of the cupboard!

To be continued completed!

I love a vigorous, sweaty and challenging practice but I really love to slow it down. We hear yoga practitioners explaining that the goal of yoga is balance, said as they’re rushing through the city to the next pumping power yoga class. Everyone claims that savasana is their favourite pose but as soon as the time comes to lie down people leap up and run out!

How many people take photos of themselves performing savasana to post on facebook and show their friends? In the fast paced modern world where image is everything, it seems that the most challenging posture is actually savasana.

Yoga nidra is a deep relaxation, usually performed in savasana, that balances the left and right sides of the brain. It has been practiced for centuries by the wandering sadhus in India. Originating in the Satyananda yoga discipline, modern researchers now claim that 30 minutes of yoga nidra can provide the same benefits as 3 hours of sleep. During practice students set positive life goals for themselves using both the conscious and unconscious mind, and leave the studio feeling centred and with a smile on their face.

A typical session begins by entering into a relaxed state using gentle stretching and breathing exercises. The mind is then guided to create a ‘sankalpa’, a positive intention for that person. The next stage is body rotation of consciousness where the mind travels around each part of the body balancing the left and right sides before bringing the awareness to the breath. Visualisation techniques are used for sensory perception before beginning the journey into guided meditation. Once in a deep meditative state, the subconscious mind returns to the ‘sankalpa’ to reinforce the positive affirmation. A session concludes with externalisation and return to a normal state.

The joy of yoga nidra is spreading. Dallas Horton, who runs a photography company in Hong Kong, comments “I practice every day at home and also at the House of Light studio in Sheung Wan. The voice of the teacher in the live sessions at the House of Light helps guide me deeper in my practice”.

Next time you’re about to rush out of the yoga studio, linger a little longer in savasana. One of the best gifts to myself is time spent practicing yoga nidra. I was first introduced to this discipline when suffering from jet lag and it has been so beneficial that it is now a regular part of my practice.

Find balance in your yoga practice through yoga nidra. Take the time to slow down. It’s more challenging than you might think. Will you rise to the challenge?

On Friday night he gave a talk on tantra in the 21^st Century. It was hugely interesting and is a subject worthy of lengthy debate and discussion! It felt wonderful to be back in Taipei with so many friends from my immersion kula. We shared many warm hugs and bright smiles! I was also happy to be sharing this experience with my teachers from Hong Kong, Patrick and Rinat, who had flown over for the event. My Hong Kong practice met my Taipei practice to create a full circle! Well, almost full. There was a space in my heart all weekend for my dear kula friends from Bali and Hong Kong who were unable to join. One day it will happen!

Kula friends!

On Saturday morning we started our asana practice with a bang. I must confess that I felt a little nervous! Even in the mixed level session we did challenging poses like Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana which is one of my least favourite poses! However, the nervous butterflies in my stomach soon turned into crazy, happy butterflies when John came over to my mat and said “Joanna, I love your energy and your attitude” in his broad American accent! I have been working on my issues surrounding my need for recognition but it all went out the window at that point! It is great to celebrate compliments and it gave me a much needed boost!

On the subject of recognition, I simply must share the achievement of my teacher Patrick. All day Saturday, John had been really putting him through his paces by firing questions at him and asking him to demonstrate difficult poses. My heart went out to him but I was also enjoying watching him have his butt kicked because he kicks mine all the time! The reason John was doing this became apparent on Sunday morning when he announced that he has decided to make Patrick the first Certified Anusara teacher in Asia. It was a truly beautiful moment and I had tears in my eyes as I watched my teacher receive the recognition he deserves after so many years. I felt so blessed to be present at that moment and I wish my 7am kula friends could have been there too! There have been times when I have questioned whether Patrick is the right teacher for me but deep in my heart I always felt that I couldn’t give up on him. For this reason it felt especially poignant for me to be there at that moment.

When I returned to Hong Kong on Sunday night I took a moment to read a little card that I have on my bookcase. The card has the words of the Anusara invocation written on it in English and Sanskrit. Patrick gave this card to me at the first workshop I took with him in 2007. For a couple of years it was buried in a cupboard under all my papers but it resurfaced last autumn when I was questioning whether or not to continue my studies. Even though it is hard sometimes, I am so happy that I chose to stay on this path and I am full of anticipation for the next stage of my journey!

Anusara invocation card

A few weeks ago, my friend invited me to a ‘raw food’ dinner party. My husband did not look impressed but he has become the biggest convert and hasn’t stopped talking about it since! Raw food is no longer just salad. We had pizzas, Mexican wraps and even cheesecake! It was absolutely delicious – plus it was super healthy!

Following the dinner party, I signed up for a raw food ‘cooking’ class with Dr Wendy Yang from Sage Living. Wendy is the ultimate kitchen goddess, complete with a baby pink chef’s jacket! I knew this was a girl after my own heart! She trained as a raw food gourmet chef at the Living Light Institute in the US and is now sharing her passion here in Hong Kong.

I have taken a couple of raw food preparation classes before with other tutors but I never managed to re-create the recipes back home. However, with Wendy’s excellent teaching skills, I have been able to create each one of the dishes by myself at home! She explained how to select and purchase ingredients, taught us knife skills, gave us clear recipes and made sure that the workshop was ‘hands-on’. I was thrilled with the results and I have made vegetable curry, garden soup, macadamia nut porridge and chocolate brownies!

Raw chocolate brownies

The highlight of the workshop for me was the opportunity to get up close and personal with a coconut! I am from England so coconuts feel very exotic to me and remind me of daydreams about distant lands. Wendy showed me how to crack open a coconut and this has become my new obsession! When I was in Bali last summer we received complimentary coconuts after each morning yoga class so the texture and taste brings back beautiful memories. I am now merrily opening coconuts in my kitchen at home and it brings a smile to my face every time!

Learning how to open a coconut!

I don’t think I will ever switch to a completely raw food diet as I love the feeling of hot food in my belly but I certainly feel great after eating raw food and will include more of it in my daily life. I love the look and feel of fruit and vegetables so it is a lot of fun to get to know them better! I have always been attracted to the colours and shapes of the fruit and vegetable markets. These natural gifts make us feel happy so let’s put the fun back into food! Pick something you have never tried before and make a mess in the kitchen!

Whilst on the women’s retreat last year, which interestingly coincided with the previous lunar transition, I discovered that you can be spiritual and sexy! Over the last year I have been exploring my femininity in many different ways. 

One of the most fulfilling ways I have been experimenting is with pole dancing. I took up pole dancing just over a year ago and the main reason I did it was because it was the sort of thing I would never normally do! I was terrified but also secretly curious. It took me to my edge. 

Freedom in reverse plank!

I used to love dancing in nightclubs wearing next to nothing when I was 19 years old but with the passage of time and the reality of having to get up to go to work, my ‘mojo’ slowly evaporated over the years. Where did it go? Did I simply ‘grow-up’ or is that part of me still there? 

Nervously strapping on my high heels and dancing around the pole in a pair of short shorts has actually been a huge awakening for me. My self-esteem and my confidence have improved and I continue to explore this part of me.

The studio recently offered a chance for students to have a photo shoot. I hesitated. Is my stomach too big? Will my cellulite show? Am I too pale? What will my husband think? The next thing I knew I was booking my slot. My husband and I will soon be celebrating 11 years together so I thought it would be a fun gift for him!

I selected a couple of outfits and decided to do some sporty shots and some sexy shots. We opted for the sporty look to begin with so that I could get used to being in front of the camera. The photographer, Jason, was a true gentleman and understood my body hang-ups! My friend and pole goddess Rebecca assisted with the shoot and helped me with my sexy pout. I am naturally very smiley so it was hard for me not to give big cheesy grins to the camera!

A big smile after the pouting has finished!

Now that I have had a taste of life in front of the lens, I would definitely do it again! My husband loved the photos and he is my biggest fan! I did not originally intend to share the pictures but by popular demand I have decided to post them. Rather worryingly, a lot of people have asked if it is actually me in my profile picture! I can confirm that it is definitely me – I just decided to peel off some of those layers. As one of my friends said, “Joanna – I didn’t know you had LEGS!!”

My legs emerging from the shadows...

If you feel inspired to have a go then please visit www.poleparadisestudio.com.

For information on future women’s retreats please visit www.TheWayoftheHappyWoman.com.