Takeyah with Seane and Suzanne

I recently received the blessing of participating in the Off the Mat, Into the World ™: Yoga, Purpose and Action Week-long Intensive with Seane Corn, Hala Khouri and Suzanne Sterling. This training totally hit its mark.

I had been familiar with OTM for a while, so when I saw that Flow Yoga Center was hosting the intensive, I immediately added it to my calendar to make it a possibility. The focus of this program not only seemed to match the work I am doing with my clients and my community, but it also was right along the line of the work that I have been doing in Haiti.

The program is designed for yoga teachers, community leaders, activists, and interested students to…

… guide you through an intensive transformational process using vinyasa flow yoga and other tools to uncover your deepest passion and motivation.  We will then offer practical ways for each of you to begin to bring your own unique purpose into the world as action with the support and inspiration of your community. – OTM site

Hala Khouri sharing with the group

The training was amazing and truly transformational. As shared by Seane Corn, OTM’s job is to remind us of what we know is true. Our job is to remind others of what they know is true. We have to have these [transformational] experiences in life to heal, come home, reconcile and grow.

First off, Seane sweetly kicks our butts with a chakra-based asana practice on the first day. The practice invited us to explore core wounds, limiting beliefs, strengths and abilities. After the practice, Hala led us through a few activities with fellow yogis. At the end of processing, I developed the following affirmation:

I fully check-in, support myself and gladly receive the same from the Universe.

We continued over the following 4 days with a combination of asana practice, sound and movement exploration and “going within”. Aside from being “in” the experience and reflecting, I took a tons of notes and jotted down ideas. Here are some gems from the training:

• The moment I stop judging you, is because I stop judging me. – Seane Corn
• When you are holding people down, you don’t have time to help yourself move up. – Kerri Kelly
• Singing and sound are the feng shui of the body. – Suzanne Sterling
• If we get grounded and centered, we increase our capacity to make decisions. – Hala Khouri
• Affirmations work because we are becoming the vibrations of this new story. – Suzanne Sterling

Suzanne Sterling sharing the Yoga of Sound

Aside from all the wisdom shared and processing, I truly appreciate OTM addressing trauma, diversity, privilege, non-judgment, purpose, service and practical applications for showing up fully in the world. I feel a connection with each of the participants in this experience and I’m looking forward to seeing how the seeds from this training shows up in other areas of my life and practice.

Check out more pictures from the training online > HERE <

To learn more about Off the Mat & Into the World, visit the website at OffTheMatIntoTheWorld.org.

Looking for an opportunity to relax? Need a moment to return to a more balanced and inspired you? Join us for a Yoga & Wellness Retreat in Jamaica in September 2011. Get more information at http://coreconnectionlifestyle.com/jamaica2011

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Takeyah A. Young, Life Balance Expert, Speaker, Certified Holistic Health Counselor and Certified Yoga Instructor, specializes in helping motivated, successful women leaders create vitality in and bring balance back to their lives.

The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.