Autumn is here

The leaves have turned slightly yellow. Some of them are even orange or red! The other day it was rainy and the temperature was about 10°C. This means it is already autumn, no? It feels so early though.

In Japan, the autumn comes gradually, step by step, in a gentle way to prepare us. In Sweden it comes more abruptly. All of a sudden it is dark and cold and we find ourselves using a jacket, wrapped in a scarf and wearing boots saying  "Hey, what happened to the summer?".

Momiji-tree near my village in Japan, last year.

There is something calming about this season though. It makes me relaxed and gives me inspiration to learn something new and at the same time it gives me power to deepen my interests.

If you have a tendency to run out of energy during this time of the year, it can be truly life-saving to have small projects to focus on. In my case that would be my yogapractice, which is actually not just a small project but a Life-long focus : ), and my ayurvedic studies. Well, that is a practice to keep up for a life-time as well, but anyway you know what I mean!

The autumn gives time and space to naturally withdraw a little. Withdraw from all that outgoing summerish energy, being so externally focused, blooming and fiery. This time coming now is more slow and introspective. I believe we need some of that as well.

Feeling so much love and appreciation for the nature and for the earth also gives me a slightly different experience of the weather and it's seasons. That makes it easier to accept the dark and the cold (at least now I can say that when it is just in the very beginning of that looooong period without any Light!). We'll see in a couple of months! In the meanwhile, I will do my best to welcome this time that gives space for more quietness, creativity and stability.

Dinner at Lao Wai

The other day I finally got the chance to pay a visit at the Lao Wai restaurant in central Stockholm. Since I have heard that it is always crowded I made sure to make a reservation. Entering this small restaurant with a typical east-asian setting, minimalistic and clean, made me travel to Japan in a second. How about being in the present? : )

Anyway, the friendly staff welcomed us and brought us the menu. Wow! So much wonderful food to choose from! Finally!

Being a vegetarian in Stockholm is usually extremely boring when it comes to going out for food. The usual choices that you have are curries or soups, some roasted vegetables, sallad or vegetarian lasagna or pasta. I mean in the long run, how stimulating is that? I definitely prefer cooking the food myself rather than going out.

But that was until the other day.

Lao wai definitely won my heart!

http://laowai.se

It was just like the place I am dreaming of in here. Only using fresh vegetables, fresh spicies, lots of Soy-meat and tofu. All vegan. All gluten free. And the best of all NO MSG!!!!! 

The taste was real authentic chinese and taiwanese taste and I just couldn't stop eating! This is the place where a non-vegetarian person wouldn't even notice that the food is all vegan! That is an excellent grade for a Vegetarian Restaurant. After spending more than five years in Asia, eating asian food is what I call "real" food. It is tasty, healthy, makes you full, looks beautiful and has an idea behind.  Lao wai showed a perfect example of that.

We stayed for more than two hours and absorbed the asian atmosphere.  After a delicious dinner, we stepped out in the rain, full, satisfied and smiling. Suddenly we were back in Stockholm again...

The restaurant Lao wai has existed for 18 years now. Same place. Same owner. I hope to see that place continue to bloom for a loooooong time in future! Big thanks to the friendly staff for such great food!

Xie xie.

September moon with the yogateacher Ganesh Mohan

I just realized that more than two weeks have passed since I last posted something! Five days ago was another Fullmoon. Oh, time really flies! In Japan they say that the most beautiful moon in a year is the september moon. It is is called "chu-shu no meigetsu". It is said to be in the middle of the autumn and it is the harvest time of the year so it is an important moon.

Some part of me really wanted to celebrate this special moon from my sacred place in the japanese mountains but instead I was in Sweden joining a wonderful Yogaworkshop for the great teacher Ganesh Mohan. Of course, I don't regret that at all.

Most of the lectures were based on discussions and philosophy covering some parts of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It made me  feel certain of that we need to have a core in the practice- something to hold on to. We need be clear about why we are practicing yoga. Sometimes yogaclasses in the west can be really "fluffy and flowery" without any  real direction or just far away from the source.  There is nothing wrong with that, it might still benefit many people,  but for me I need to stay in touch with the basic concept of Yoga and stay to the teachings that are firmly rooted and have been supported and paved out by the people that have walked the path before me.

Three days filled with yogaphilosophy and therapeutic yoga leaves me with more confidence to what is true to me. I am so happy for having received this chance. Namaste.

New Moon-welcome once again

Today is the day of a new beginning. It is the dark moon or new moon of august 2011. Even though the time of the new moon can make me feel physically heavy, as oppose to Full moon when my energy is all over the place and I experience this extreme sense of Lightness,  I like the new moon in the way that it is a new beginning. 

Every month we are naturally given this chance to set out a new beginning within ourselves. Of course we can change our mind, life-intention and begin something anytime, but having this regular rhythm makes it feel more supported. More grounded. It is a reminder to clear and reset the mind. Just by sitting down and taking a couple of minutes to focus on the coming month we can with very small actions honor the rhythms of  Nature and with awareness create a difference in our life. Lets welcome the new moon and this coming month!

Silence by the beach

Yesterday I had some time off. It was a wonderful day with plenty of sunshine and it felt like a day in the middle of the summer! I took my bicycle and went on a small excursion. 

This is where I ended up! I must say it was truly magical. After spending more than five years high up in the mountains it was so refreshing being by the sea, listening to sound of the waves and feeling the breeze. From rock solid Earth-element to fluid   changeable Water-element.

After all, yoga and ayurveda is about finding ways to harmonize and balance the five elements within oneself. Once we have done that we can  begin to experience  the reality beyond the elements. Something which is not dependent on that constantly changing nature of our material world. 

To be able to do so we also have to harmonize with our external environment and with the surrounding elements. We have to realize that we are all co-dependent. What happens on our inside can be a reflection of what happens outside of our body. What happens outside of our physical appearance can be a reflection of what happens on our inside. This way the border between our in- and -outside becomes very vague and begins to fade... 

Being all alone on this wonderful beach made me feel like I lost my "I" for a moment and became one with the nature. It was so peaceful that I lost sense of time and space! Spending time in nature is definitely the greatest healer of all.

Namaste, to you all beautiful Beings!

Roses

When it is rainy and you just can't get yourself out of the house, it can be really nice to cheer up oneself by taking a look at old photos.

I found these wonderful flowers in a park a week or two ago. Aren't they lovely? Just looking at them makes me smile and feel energized! You can almost sense the sweet scent...

Yoga by the Sea

I found this wonderful jetty by the sea. Suddenly it was as if it was calling me; Please come and do Yoga here! I can provide the best space for you! 

What could I do? Yoga of course!

Walking out on the wind- and -weathered jetty with the water clear as crystal, I must say it was very tempting to take a swim! Instead I followed the previous call and dived into my Yoga practice. 

I didn't feel like following any particular system but instead just listen to my inner voice. It all ended up in a blend of Surya Namaskar, Yin-poses, standing asanas- in general it was just a long meditation... 

I love Yoga-improvisation!

Take your practice to a Natural place!

Bring your Heart into your practice...

Do your practice from the Heart!