Sema Gizem Rose

As I come to the end of the 200-hour, 9-week Yoga Specialization Program, my feelings are so complicated… Never say Saturday - Sunday, 08:00 in the morning - 19:00 in the evening! Maya Yoga, which I put my head under its roof for 9 whole weeks without saying, is now my home, my family.

For those who are wondering, "What did I learn in this training?" It is also a topic of writing, but there is a piece of information that I learned on the first day and that I engraved in the very depths of my mind and mind, that allows me to understand what brought me to Maya Yoga, and I would like to start my writing adventure with it.

"How is yoga accomplished?" the answer is very simple, "effort (abhyasa)" and "surrender (vairagya)"

I realized that it was these two words that brought me here and made Maya Yoga my home; effort, effort and surrender to the flow.

My first encounter with yoga was the result of a search. While I was looking for ways to get some relief from the confusion of my mind, I knocked on his door. I was doing yoga two days a week, three days a week, even at home with the help of videos. I felt that it was very good for me, but for a while I could not fully understand what it meant to me and what it had changed/improved in me. A short time later, when they asked me what kind of benefit I saw from yoga, I started to say the following sentence: "As my body becomes more flexible, I feel my mind stretching too." The transformation started with this sentence for me. When I realized that I was less broken as I yawned, I couldn't give up on it anymore. When I realized that it was so beneficial for my personal and physical development, I started to feel that I needed more than just attending classes. I started to research trainings, but I did not have enough budget to allocate for it. There was a studio close to my house where I regularly attended classes. When I learned that the studio would offer a scholarship for the specialization training that it planned to open in January 2019, I immediately applied. We were only in August and I was so excited and eager… My scholarship request was also accepted. I was very happy, thinking about how the next four months would go. But then something went wrong, and shortly before the start of the training, the studio regretfully announced that it had to cancel the scholarships. Although this caused a deep sadness in me at first, I decided to wait for the next training with the belief that this situation was for my benefit. But when they said that they could not open a scholarship for the new education, this time I stopped and looked at the situation from a little distance instead of getting upset. And I saw that in a very barren area, I was waiting for what I wanted to come to me. If I wanted to take this training, to deepen, even to become an instructor, why was I holding on to just one branch and ignoring other options?

What I had to do was very simple. Breaking my molds, sticking my head out of that shell that I'm used to and know, looking, seeing and taking action. So some effort, abhyasa. What would I do now? Was it easy to get out of the place I knew for years? Of course not, but I sincerely wanted to receive this training. I immediately sat down in front of the computer and put into words whatever came to my mind. My letter of intent was ready. I had only one need, and that was the recipient address… At that time, a gift from a friend of mine in my library, I caught my eye on that book. "90's Boy Yogi Kazim". And I opened, looked, read and found every social media tool that would take me to the source. The address I was looking for was Maya Yoga, who devoted herself to this business for years. I immediately opened the website, and there it was; "November'19 - February'20 200 Hour Yoga Specialization Program". Of course, I clicked for detailed information, attached my letter of intent to the application form and then surrender to the flow, vairagya.

I didn't wait, I didn't even produce a single thought on it so that my intention would not be dirty. I was just in the flow now, as it should be. Like I couldn't before. Then I don't remember clearly because I didn't wait, I would count the days if I waited, but after a not too long time, I saw that message in my e-mail box; "Let's meet," he said.

after dear Hikmet TeacherI met  . That day, when everything was going wrong, I took a break from being sad for a moment and talked about my belief that this situation would be for my benefit.

I am very emotional days before the end of the training. That's when I first achieved yoga, first through effort and then surrender, and now I'm on an endless journey.

Yoga is my way and Maya Yoga is my home. I am eternally grateful for everything that has served me to find my home and my way.