And just like that I'm in a whole different reality, completely different world. 

In the tropical heat+humidity of South India.

On my way here I stopped by in Rome sweet Rome to visit my lovely friends Linda e Tommaso. I had the best time in cittá eterna -thanks to my generous hosts. Love you guys!

The morning I left, a strong earthquake shook the city. I took it as a sign to leave Europe;) Seriously though we were amongst the lucky ones since many people lost their homes that morning. Pray for Roma...

It feels good to be back to India although I'm down with a flu, so still slowly adjusting and getting used to the yoga reality. Getting back to the routine here: asana practice before dawn, yoga philosophy and chanting, puja at the temple etc. I've been also just resting, sleeping and reading Bhagavad Gita as the traveling and the flu have taken their toll on my body+mind. My teacher and his family are some of the kindest people I know so us students are being taken care of very well (e.g. we're getting the most delicious nurturing home made South Indian food). 

Gotta love the unique way in which India inspires and nourishes one's spirituality. Not exactly sure why, but it's just somehow easier here to turn your gaze within and focus on what's really important... Obviously this sattvic environment, teacher's guidance and conversations with fellow yogis help too.. Feeling grateful about being here! 

So it is happening!
I am going 'away to Asia' again:) This time it's probably only India and very much just yoga, the sweet love of my life. Needless to say I'm beyond excited! And I thought I'd be happy to share my journey again with anyone interested!

Since my farewell to Sydney, I've been living in Andalucia, Southern part of Spain. Ending up here after Asia+Australia as opposed to Finland was worth it!

Living by the sea in warm climate has been beautiful. There's something so magical, special and amazing to the sea. I just lovelovelove sea, ocean, water... I feel like that's where my heart+soul belong to.

"But in a way you can say that after leaving the sea, after all those millions of years of living inside of the sea, we took the ocean with us.
When a woman makes a baby, she gives it water, inside her body, to grow in. That water inside her body is almost exactly the same as the water of the sea. It is salty, by just the same amount. She makes a little ocean, in her body.
And not only this. Our blood and our sweating, they are both salty, almost exactly like water from the sea is salty. We carry oceans inside of us, in our blood and our sweat. And we are crying the oceans, in our tears."
-Gregory David Roberts: Shantaram

The past 2,5 years have been full of ups and downs, (long) working hours at a call center, studying Spanish, seeing beautiful places, meeting lovely people, eating delicious food, dancing (well trying to learn) sevillanas, surfing whenever there are waves (many trips to Portugal), hiking when there are no waves. I've grown to love mountains nearly as much as I love the sea.

I've been putting a lot of effort on my daily asana practice. Only to realize once again (through trial and error) that yoga is an internal practice...
I have also had the honor to assist my teacher in mysore classes and to teach some lovely yogis. It's been a privilege to share this beautiful tradition with others.

'The real' yoga however has again obviously taken place off the mat...  My job as well as countless other valuable life lessons here in Spain have humbled me so much and reminded me on a daily basis that I'm many lives away from enlightenment:)
Excited to see now where this journey called life takes me next!

Things don't always go as planned... But letting go is a great lesson -letting go of your plans and dreams and making space for new ones. 

I guess I'm still learning to let go as well as learning to trust that new opportunities will present themselves, when time and circumstances are right...

Meanwhile however I'm enjoying my time in this beautiful city:

But not for long anymore! I never planned to travel this long (almost nine months as opposed to four!) and Australia wasn't even supposed to happen on this trip. Once I "ended up" here though, I just wanted to stick around! Needless to say I simply love this place! Turns out however that it's time for me to go, it's time for new opportunities..
Although reluctant to go, I'm very much looking forward to catching up with my friends + family back home!

Thank you Sydney, thanks New South Wales and Queensland! It's been fantastic!

A few last photos from my beloved Brissie! The gorgeous New Farm park, Story Bridge by night, and the King George's square:

I'd like to thank you lovely readers! Your comments have been the best! Thanks for reading, commenting and through other ways letting me know what you think! If it wasn't for you, I may have not kept on writing. And who knows, maybe I'll get back here again one day, if divine inspiration falls upon me or something....

Heaps (as we say here in Oz:) of thanks+love to you all and namaste!

"What do I like? What do I love? What makes me happy? What do I need for balance? What are my strengths? Can I rely upon myself? What are my weaknesses? Why do I do the things I do? What makes me need the attention and approval of others? Am I strong enough to be close to another person and still honor my own emotional needs? -- We don't easily pursue these questions of self-exploration because we know the answers will require us to change our lives." 

-Carolyn Myss: Anatomy of Spirit

Here are a few photos of my time here in Australia. Can't believe it's been nearly 3 months!

The lovely hall at the retreat center where I volunteered. It was perfect for my yoga practice...

Las Turistas at Stradbroke Island

Las Turistas at a gelateria

 

Mt. Warning, NSW

Beautiful Byron Bay

Moffat Beach, Sunshine Coast

Got a chance to see ASP World Tour at Gold Coast. There somewhere goes Kelly...

Spent the last week at a beautiful Buddhist Center up north of Brisbane. Instead of turning into a Buddhist nerd, I turned into a neuroscience nerd (a wannabe one anyway). I read Daniel Goleman's "Social Intelligence" which gives you a fascinating neuroscience explanation about our social behavior, emotions etc. A great read! As for now...  I'm expecting to have some answers next week concerning my near future... So will hopefully know soon what next... Ommm shanti until then!

Still alive and kicking -if anybody is wondering... Just haven't had the best internet connection recently... (therefore no photos this time). I had an absolutely wonderful month at the retreat centre in the middle of most beautiful green and lush nature. I learned a lot of new things, particularly about gardening and chicken keeping. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I've started dreaming of my own little garden and having a few chooks!:) After the country life I headed to the coast to a surf camp, where I was meant to work for a month or longer. I only lasted a few days however as the camp turned out to be one of the most horrible experiences of my life not my cup of tea... It was massive and full of horny 20-year-old backpackers. Loud music with bad loud-speakers, tacky tattoos&piercings, crappy food, instant coffee, partying, smoking, hicks, surface, surface, surface.... Simply everything I dislike! Even the surf couldn't save me! I'm visiting a friend in Byron Bay now and headed to Brisbane next, back to square one! Loving Australia and life, but running out of money and completely out of energy to deal with the young backpacker scene!

It's been a while... First of all, the panchakarma treatment was an amazing (pretty intense...) experience! My practice feels a lot lighter now and there's a certain lightness to my mind too.. The place was surrounded by absolutely gorgeous nature, which brought in its own share of healing energies.

In addition to the lovely treatments and amazing nurturing food in the "chikitsalaya", I had plenty of time to read. And there was a beautiful common space for practicing yoga and meditating.
Of all the books that I read, there were three in particular that inspired me the most. I very much enjoyed Iyengar's commentary on the yoga sutras. I also really liked "The Tibetan book of living and dying".

Finally I loved Dalai Lama's "How to be compassionate". It's a short, but wonderful book, and I think it should be a mandatory read in every school! To quote Dalai Lama: "After all, all human beings are the same - made of human flesh, bones, and blood. We all want happiness and want to avoid suffering. Further, we have an equal right to be happy. In other words, it is important to realize our sameness as human beings."

After the panchakarma it was time for me to leave Mother India! Time passed so quickly!!

I had a fun few days in Singapore (thanks again, Michael) exploring new areas like Pulau Ubin (beautiful, green and lush!) and now I'm here in Brisbane, East Coast of Australia! Strange to be in a Western country after Sri Lanka and India, and super random as well, since this wasn't exactly on my itinerary.. However I like it a lot so far! Nature here is beeeeautiful and people are very kind. I've been staying with my yoga mate here in Brisbane and seeing my lovely Finnish friend Eeva. Next week I'll head off to countryside to volunteer at a retreat center. Fingers crossed for my new career!:)

"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven." (Ecclesiastes)

The beginning of the year has not been easy for my yoga teacher and his family. A week ago the teacher's father passed away. It was a relief in a way as he had been suffering of a cancer for a while already. The family is in a mourning period now.
I had intended to stay here a little longer, but due to these cirmustances I'll be leaving tomorrow. I'm going to spend the following weeks at an ayurvedic clinic in a tiny village a bit further up north. I'm going for "panchakarma", a traditional ayurvedic treatment.

Thinking back to the past months, my heart fills with gratitude. I've learned a lot and I've met wonderful people that I'm gonna miss so much. I'll definitely be back... And until then the journey goes on - on and off the mat...

Dosa -my favorite South Indian dish by far! Will miss this yummy goodness!

And I'm gonna miss this beach...

I feel very fortunate for having had the opportunity to spend the past months in a place like this practicing and studying something I love passionately. Looking forward to the panchakarma now -it'll be an interesting experience for sure!