It was hard to believe, but how I came to SPACE YOGA was actually through a trial voucher, a giveaway from a hair salon. No, perhaps I should say it was that my inner desire for yoga finally came true that I came to SPACE!

Ever since I was young I didn't like gym classes. I get bored and tired of any ball related sports or swimming. The only thing I liked were exercises on the mat. Others feared it, but I was eager to try. Maybe because of my solitary nature, exercises that require focus on oneself and not much interaction with others made me felt more at ease.

When I started working, I regularly attended two Latin aerobic dance classes a week. Dancing put me in a happy mood, but my body always felt heavy. I wasn't sure if I was using the wrong technique or I was just naturally stiff, but I often sprained my foot. So I stopped dancing and turned to yoga classes instead. However, after trying yoga classes, I still felt empty inside and I wondered at the time if that was really yoga. I took a few classes with a few other yoga teachers and still felt something was not quite right.

It was until one day I went to get a haircut and they give me a trial voucher for SPACE. I thought what a coincidence! Friends had repeatedly recommended SPACE and I never did anything about it. Who knew this unexpected voucher was what it took for me to call and make an appointment right away. From the first class at SPACE until now, I have never left.

At SPACE YOGA, I have tried all the teacher's classes. Then the third year I was there, after I first took Thomas's basics class, I thought it was a bit different from others. I wanted to confirm that feeling, so I took his Hot Flow the following day. I remembered having all sorts of mixed feelings. It was physically demanding, but my mind was extremely relaxed. And during the final relaxation, I felt an unprecedented stability and ease. I thought to myself he is probably the teacher for me. Since then, aside from taking Thomas's weekly classes, I also study classical yoga with his teacher, Master Sudhakar.

For someone who is as clueless as a white piece of paper, yoga has dramatically changed my life! The most obvious change is the “body”. I have had menstrual pain since when I was in school. I have gone to see countless number of doctors and saw no improvement. When it was really sever, I couldn't even get out of the bed. I have learned to really endure the pain and was used to suppressing it. Amazingly, after I study with Thomas and Master Sudhakar for about half of a year, my menstrual pain went away by itself, so did my PMS. Even though at the beginning, I would get intermittent rashes and with changes of weather, there would be some coughing, but gradually with the practice, all of these symptoms got better. My body was getting purified. I wasn't afraid of cold as much. The regular common colds came knocking less and less. It has been incredible.

As my physical condition got better, I was able to focus on the practice of the “mind”. Although I have been practicing for over four years, my poses still are not perfect, but in during that moment of practicing, I was really enjoying it. This is also what Thomas and Master Sudhakar often told us: “enjoy the moment”. Do your best. There is no need to force and there is always room for improvement. Standing on the yoga mat, I see the reflection of life, all the emotions, authentic or fake, fully demonstrated. This is also the incomparable charm of yoga; it is like a magic mirror that reflects all the inner demons.

I'm grateful to Thomas and Master Sudhakar for guiding me into the field of yoga. This may not be a smooth, comfortable path, but I think I will keep going.

Namaste