shiftarea paper - True Yoga is Simple: 13 Steps to Deepen Your Home Practice

Eachpersonwemeet,eachsituationweencounter has something for us. But most ofthe time, we are too much in a rush to see it.

Before I get into the story, Id like to thank afew people who have really shaped me and theway I see things.

Of course, its the talented yoga teachers I met on my way: Surinder Singh, Asish Sharma, SuryansThakur,DianaSchopplein,SergeiMikhailov.Iwasluckytoseeyogafromdifferent perspectives.

Much gratitude to Spiritual Masters I happenedto come across live or through the web: OmBaba, Lisa Cairns, Adya Shanti, Roger Castello,Samdarshi, Tigmonk, Mooji and many others.Its great that you share wisdom with all of usandgiveinspirationtowalkourpathconsciously.

I doubt, my teachers will ever read throughthese lines. Yet, I believe its worth mentioningtheirnames.Whoknows,maybetheressomething out there for you, and this book isjust a bridge to get you to something bigger.Theres a tale about a Master and a Student. It wastoldbyanIndianBrahminwholikesinterpreting the scriptures in his own modernway.Infact,ifyouknowamorecorrect version of this tale, Id be happy to hear it.

Anyway. So, one day there was a Master andhis disciple. In India,, teachers are given veryhighrespect.Peoplebelievethattheycanreach the Truth by serving their Masters, beingin their presence.

Our disciple was very hard-working, very loyal,and very sincere. Every day he prayed to LordShivaaskingtogivehimtheUltimateKnowledge.Andinhisprayershealways remembered his Master and thanked life forbeing around him.

One night the student woke up and saw that the Master was away. The following night - thesame.

Thedisciplestartedworryingabouthisteacher.So,intheevening,hesecretlyfollowed his Guru and saw that he went to abar.
The student was waiting in the bushes. After awhile, he saw his Master leaving the bar drunkand with the traces of lipstick on his face.In the morning the student came up to theteacher and said, You dont have to go allalone at night. Its dark, scary, and youre old,youre getting tired fast. I will wait for you intown, and carry you back to the ashram on myshoulders.

When the night came, the Master went to thebar again. Lots of drinks, drugs, dancing, andprostitutes He was enjoying his time whilehisstudentwaspatientlywaitinginthebushes.

Lord Shiva saw the sincerity and loyalty of thedisciple and appeared in front of him.
What are you doing here? Dont you see that your Master is fake? I am Shiva. Its me youwere looking for. Lets go from here.

I saw your truthfulness; I saw you prayed tome every day. You wanted to enter into theKingdom of Truth; I will take you there.

And, the disciple replied, Yes, I wanted toreachtheTruth,butIcantgoanywherewithout my Master.
Shiva couldnt resist the loyalty of the student and agreed to take the fake Master to theKingdom of Truth.
So, they enter the bar and tell the Master that they are taking him with them.

But the Master says that he cant go anywherewithouthisprostitutes.Now,Shivahastoinvite the prostitutes to join them.

But the prostitutes dont want to go anywherewithout their pimps. And the pimps dont want to go without their drug-dealers.

Shiva turns to the disciple and says, Can yousee? Just because of your sincerity and genuineloyalty I had to admit all these crappy folks inmy Kingdom of Truth.

The point is, personal qualities of the teachersare much less important than the sincerity ofthe aspirants.

Ive seen true hearts around fake Gurus. And,theyweredevelopingregardlessoftheirunworthy Masters. They were progressing dueto their own loyalty and love.

And Ive also seen the most corrupt babas(monks) being utmost true during the Poojatime(makingceremoniesandworshipingGod).
So, I thank all True and Fake Masters. For theyare a genuine reflection of whats inside of us:a bit of this, a bit of that.

I would also like to thank Marie Forleo, a great entrepreneur and speaker. Taking her courseon Marketing I saw that being successful in lifeandsocietycangotogetherwithgenuineservice. She was the one who actually inspiredme to express myself through writing.

And, certainly, big gratitude to my family andfriends for accepting me with all my goods andbads, and supporting me regardless of thedecisions I make, crazy at times.

Id like to honour my Mum for emphasising theneed of learning English. This language hasopenedlotsofdoorsforme:doorstoknowledge,experiences,relationsandunderstandings countless times.

WarmhugtomyGrandmaforcreatingopportunities in my life. You gave me freedomand choice to do things others wont dare todo.
And much love to my daughter, who becamemy anchor. Without you, I would have beenlost. You gave me strength, motivation andgrounding. I had to stop wandering aroundandstuffingmyselfwithintellectualknowledge. Around you, yogic science startedopening up to me.

Just about a week and the teacher trainingcourse (TTC) finishes for all the students in myclass, but not for me. The last days the pain inthe lower sacrum has gradually increased. It hurts when I do Upward-Facing Dog, it hurtswhen I try to open my hips. I feel it when Imsitting, and I feel it when Im sleeping.

Imlookingfor advicefromexperiencedyoga teachersaround,but my case seemsquite rare, and allofthemmerelysay, Just stop thepractice for a few

months.' I realize that I cant complete thecourse. Im tired of constant pain, I feel lost, Idont have a clue whom I should approach toresolve my situation.

My name is Olga Yumasheva, and Im an activepractitioner of yoga. When I say, I practiceyoga, I dont just mean that I step on my mat everyday,although its almostalways thecase. I also point to the fact that the principlesof yoga overflew from the mat into my dailyliving. They have shaped and continue shapingmy understanding of situations, my reactions,and my behavior.