When I started teaching yoga 6 years ago, I ran into a wee bit of a stumbling block; I was constantly trying to find subs because I was ALWAYS sick. Why? Well lets think about it...

I AM CONSTANTLY TOUCHING MY STUDENTS (not like that! No lawsuits, please!). Every class I teach, I touch everyone at least once. I do so in order to provide a physical adjustment, or to help a student relax further or breathe deeper. It's no wonder I contracted every virus within a 30 mile radius.

So then 18 months ago I went to this little island called Bali.

Shameless Plug: come to the bali JUNGLE SPIRIT YOGA RETREAT April 2014

While in Bali, my hubby and I took a private yoga class on the remote Eastern Coast with a woman who did not appear to speak a word of English. The class was basically like a game of "Simon Says" lol. At the end of the class, we were supposed to do a headstand which was not in either of our practices yet. We looked at each other and telepathically communicated the following sentence: "shit, do we just sit here like fools?". Well, the tiny Balinese yogini proceeded to pick up each of our legs in turn to help us into headstand. It was awkward, but certainly kind of her to put that effort in. After class, she pulled me aside and said:

“You do headstand. It like medicine for you.”

Well I went home to Canada and practiced every day in my kitchen until Sirsasana became like second nature. And since that day, I have never been sick.

Students at my 2013 Costa Rica Yoga Retreat learning how to do headstands in the sand.

True story.

Rock on my friends,

l.e. martini