Day 1: Mumbai a.k.a Bombay

We arrived at about 11pm last night Mumbai time after 24 hours of travelling and crossing two time zones. Needless to say we were exhausted. We checked into our hotel which is located in Nariman's Point, a business district overlooking the Arabian Sea, and fell asleep soon after. We were up at about 5am this morning thanks to our good ol' friend jet lag, had a hearty breakfast then headed out on our tour of the city. The first thing that stands out about Mumbai ( apart from the noise, humidity, pollution and bright lights ) is the vast contrast between wealth and poverty. Some properties in Nariman's Point sell for over 1 million USD and luxury cars are not uncommon, turn the next corner and there are cows, tuk tuks and vendors selling fresh sugar cane juice. So much to hear , so much to see and so much to do. We only have one full day in Mumbai so we did it all (or at least tried too). We visited the University of Mumbai, Gate of India, Taj Mahal Hotel, Landromat ( very interesting ), Queen Victoria Train Station, Fruit Market, Textile Market, Colaba and last but not least the Mani Bhavan Ghandhi Sangrahalaya which is where Mahatma Ghandi once lived and is now a museum dedicated to him. We are still exhausted, hopefully the jet lag wears off by tomorrow. Our flight to Indore leaves tomorrow afternoon and we should arrive at Paramand Yoga Institute by early evening. Here are some pictures from todays adventures. Off to dinner , enjoy yogis ! xo from Melissa and Candice 

                                          5am and time to WAKE UP!

                                          My breakfast

                                          Mel's breakfast.Who do you think is more adventurous?

                                           Buying spices at the market

                                         Queen Victoria Train Station:(separate carts for women and men)

                                                     Gateway to India

                                          Our tour guide Anil

                                         The Taj Mahal Hotel

                                          Mahatma Ghandi Museum

                                         Textiles

                                          One of my favourites - the Laundromat.

                                         Sugarcane Juice Vendor

INDIA !!!!

Less than 24 hours to go until Melissa and I venture to the birthplace of it all. Our journey will take us from Toronto to Mumbai where we will stay for two nights experiencing the bright lights of India's most populated city. Thereafter we will take another short flight to Indore and make our way to Paramanand Yoga Institute to complete the advanced yoga certification over the course of approximately three weeks. We expect to have full internet access so hope to update this blog daily with our adventures and the images capturing them. Feelings right now? Anxious, nervous and EXCITED  along with wondering what we have already forgotten behind......
Peace Love and Happiness !
xo

Reach high, for the stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.

The decision to become a yoga teacher is not one that should be taken lightly. The process is emotionally involved and takes you out of your boundaries encouraging you to explore new terrain and discover things you may not have known about yourself. At times it may be gruelling and physically taxing, but this is far outweighed by the natural process that occurs as you learn, allowing you to take the positive energy that you have received as a student and deliver it to those in front of you on the mat. We all have our own reasons that resonate with us, even though at times they may not be completely clear.  I completed my teacher training with Ashley and Erin Ward-Williams, the sisters who not only had a reason but also had a dream of opening their own studio. Looking back to the beginning of our journey it is almost inconceivable to think about how much we have learned and developed. In the same week that their dream came true and Country Zen Yoga Studio opened its doors I am leaving for India to complete my 500 hour teacher training with my own sister Melissa Williams. They always say dream big......So a massive congratulations to Ashley and Erin on the opening of their studio. Country Zen is exactly that, a totally zenned out space located in Schomberg. The studio radiates their personalities and has a wonderful aura that draws you in. I wish you both every sucess on your new journey ! Continue to dream

xo

www.countryzenyoga.com 

Sun Sand and Asanas !

My fingers seem to have taken a vacation and as a result I have been absent from this blog for a couple of months. Since completing the 200 hour training I have been teaching a number of classes a week becoming fully immersed in the lifestyle and loving every minute of it. Teaching yoga is incredibly rewarding as you are always learning and there seems to be an infinite amount of information to play with.  In February, (along with my fingers) I also went on a mini vacation. I had the opportunity to go to the Bahamas for a yoga retreat with Ananda Yoga Studios and was also honoured to lead a class at sunset overlooking the beach in Nassau.  For me, the highlight of the Bahamas retreat was visiting the Sivananda Yoga Centre on Paradise Island. We started our day off at about 6am, arriving by boat at the centre, and participated in a silent meditation until sunrise. Following our meditation, one of the Sivananda instructors led us in a two hour invigorating practice overlooking the ocean. This was followed by a wonderful vegetarian brunch and some free time on the beach. Sivananda Yoga Centre was a truly blissful space and visiting there was a once in a lifetime experience. Our group of about 18 people spent the rest of the time soaking up the sun and playing on the beach ! The retreat was wonderful and I think all that attended can say they forged some wonderful friendships ! A special thank you to Melissa Williams and Laura Younder for organizing the retreat, which involved a lot of planning and organization. Take a look at the pics below !