Yoga Journal Singapore — April-May 2017

21

To me, it sounded like a holistic ultrasound
machine. While that theory satisfied my
curiosity, I wondered what energies these
healers tap into themselves, and what makes
them believe they can heal. Jose explained that
one needs to be connected with nature—the
sky, the earth and the air.

While I was beginning to get many of my
questions answered, I secretly knew that I
could never be a healer.

Finding my Center
By the last day of this eight-day festival, I was
desperate to learn more about being connected
with myself—I needed it for my own sanity
and for the benefit of my students. I felt
the festival was a calling for me to work on
something I had never been able to do well in
years—meditation.

I attended a dance meditation class by Amber
Sawyer, an American yoga and meditation
teacher who lives in Singapore. In a seated
position, we were all asked to put our hands at
our “centers”. I had no idea what that meant. I
figured that my center wouldn’t be my heart,
otherwise Amber would have said so. Since
we are what we eat, I thought it would be
best to put my hands on my stomach Amber

explained in a sweet, almost bewitching, voice

that the center is like the eye of a cyclone. I

tried hard to focus my mind and stay present,

but my eyes got distracted by the beautiful

rice paddy fields surrounding the pavilion and

I started listening to the birds and the crickets

along the fields instead. The meditation dance

involved a simple 6-step movement each

of which ended with a swish sound, almost

simulating the sound of an email sent on the

phone. We danced exactly for 20 minutes and

then whirled for another 10 minutes, and to

my amazement, I started enjoying myself.

Unaware of what was happening, I started

picking up speed and whirling to a point where

everything became a blur and I had to stop

only because I was afraid of falling hard.

Maybe I need to think less with my head and

feel more with my heart. I heard this song

repeated often at the festival:

I release, I let go

I let my spirit run my life

My heart is open wide

And I am only here for love

The Answers

I returned home to

somewhat enchanted and re-inspired. I felt

a connection with the people I had met, and

in turn, with the universe. I had thought my

journey would help me learn some amazing

yoga practice—but it turned out to be a

personal passage of discovery. It reminded

me of how little I know about being a true

yogi, and it certainly opened my mind to

the energies in this vast cosmos and the

importance of being connected with nature.

For someone as non-spiritual as I am, I truly

believe that there is a higher power above us.

While my questions about this trip were

answered, a plethora of new questions have

now popped up on a personal level. How

does one seek truth? How can I tap into all the

energies I heard of at the festival? How do I

know my purpose, and what do I do to feel the

love enter the inner chambers of my heart?

I guess all these questions are good enough

reason for me to go back to the festival next

year!

Grace Lee is a freelance writer for Yoga Journal.
She teaches Yoga, Pilates and Aerial Yoga
at community centers and some studios in
bebeest to put my handy y omach. Amber Iretuurned home toSinSingagapore feelinglhlighter— Singaporegapore..

april / may 2017

yogajournal.com.

sg

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