Confidentials: VeraBhodi

AN APPOINTMENT with MYSELF

I met Yoga when I was already a mature woman. When we need to change or when we need a change, life brings us the tools. Or something new.

I had a back ache caused by an incorrect lifestyle as with most people: stress, driving, sitting, incorrect posture, poor quality breathing. At that time I was also going through a difficult moment and I experienced pain in my leg as well as the back. As I understood later on, physical pain often reflects something deeper and most probably a pain in our heart. The pain is the sound of a bell telling us something.

I remember my first lesson, held by my teacher Vanessa Fabbrilei, in a small cozy room with a few people. I have always been a sporty and fit lady anyway so yoga didn’t come too difficult. But yoga was different. Yoga somehow captured my attention deeply and during that hour made me forget the outside world and my business; I also forgot the image I held of myself.
I became more concentrated and focused on the present moment I was enjoying with the Yoga practice . And it wasn’t only about asanas (postures) and movement and getting fit but it was the wholeness of being there in a place of contentment with my body, mind and soul. Simply amazing.

Since then I became very enthusiastic, taking part in yoga teachers’ training and seminars, learning more and more. And for myself, being already 50 years of age, it could not be about making challenging poses or high physical achievements but rather going deeper and deeper in that place which was not far away but just inside myself. I did start wanting to be as good as the others who were younger and more skilled but I soon enough injured my knee and that left me with a new question of what is yoga? Is competition something I should meditate on?

Yoga changed the way I lived, the way I was working and doing business and my relationships. The path of yoga poses questions and offers an alternative way of thinking. Our success and happiness should not be measured by what we are told in society and sometimes by our family. It takes probably an entire life span and a lot of self enquiry to understand the meaning of our lives and what is important. And often we go through suffering to be able to bring out a better version of ourselves, our authentic self. The path of yoga brings us to that place of serenity through regular practice, breathing techniques, meditation.

I now follow the advanced teaching training which teaches lessons of Hinduism and Vedanta which are part of Yoga and the basis of knowledge and it is amazing how the teachings of thousands years ago are still so modern and help us in our daily lives. This of course applies to other ancient cultures I came across. India has given us yoga as a gift through the teaching of ancient masters.

We are part of the Universe and the Universe is in every single cell of our body and mind. By understanding that we are not separated from each other but that we are ONE with everyone else and the entire world and that our life does not end but continues in an infinite circle of life, we can better accept circumstances and react differently towards them. By giving more space to our spiritual life and listen to the chatting of our minds from a distance, we learn to live by our hearts and to be more giving. We live lightly which means being free. The meaning of life is to find our real self and find deep happiness what ever the circumstances we are facing.
It all sounds easy but it is a very challenging journey. There are multiple cultural spiritual paths and Yoga is one of them. They all bring us to the same place: LOVE.

VeraBhodi is a YOGA inspired leisurewear capsule of Veraroad. A simple cotton line, comfortable but feminine .

I wish you to live your yoga in your daily lives and to always feel grateful.

Thank you,

Caterina

Special thanks to Sissi, yoga teacher and model for VeraBhodi.