March 27, 2017 - the day I turned 33 and for the first time I have made the decision that would change the course of my life,
"from wearing suits to packing a suitcase and today experiencing a personal case."
What comes to mind when we hear the word case? Oftentimes, this word is associated with something negative, somethings that are up against each other. To simply put it - a case is an example of something occurring or an instance, a disease or a problem.
It was year 2011 when I wanted to pursue teaching yoga and finally six years later [I] did it. I found myself boarding a plane taking me 22 hours away from Calgary - the city I called home to venture the heat and the air of South East Asia. Landed in Mumbai and believe me when I say it wasn't like what Family Guy has made me picture it - spices on the streets while over populated city chews on raw onions and garlic exuding a rich aroma harmoniously blended by human sweat plus skin to skin contact.
Landed in Mumbai and believe me when I say it wasn't like what Family Guy has made me picture it - spices on the streets while over populated city chews on raw onions and garlic exuding a rich aroma harmoniously blended by human sweat plus skin to skin contact.
My last scheduled plane landed me in Goa - my final destination for a month long commitment to become a yoga teacher. I have been practicing for six years and I was convinced I knew a lot about the yogic life and was destined to make a career out of teaching others the right way to practice yoga. I have been wrong before and this was certainly one of them.
Living the Yogic Life. I thought it was all about karma yoga - one of the paths of yoga where, as humans, we provide good deed to others and not expecting anything in return. Upon submitting myself to the Yoga Teacher Training (YTT200), I realized that Yoga meant differently between the WEST and the EAST.
West vs. East
India's culture pioneers in a lot of things including the ancient history of Yoga. The mystic lifestyle has deep roots where some practices defies the norm (Tantra). Today in the West : practicing yoga is primarily associated with the posture/s also known as "asana/s". [In the West] Practicing yoga promotes healthy living and the abstinence of living a commercially inclined world. Practitioners take 60 - 75 minutes out of their busy schedule to be still and learn how to appreciate silence. This is particularly good with busy individuals wishing to connect or check in with themselves on a regular basis. In the East, some institutions expect one to be still for hours and hours on end. A dedication to the mystic life. The practice is 24/7 and the devotion is more than following one path. The teachings I have learned from Yogis, both have anatomical and ideological concepts. We had the opportunity to train with a General Practitioner who has lived the mystic life of yoga. Coming up with scientific explanations on how achieving the highest form of oneness [Nirvana, Samadhi, Turiya] has been Dr.'s mission since he got his licence to cure. This was where I have admitted I have been wrong about my concept of Yoga. When I got introduced to Yoga [six years ago], I merely took the practice as a time where I can be still and nothing else [Western Practice]. After a good visit with two different doctors, [doctor 2 is a local doctor who I had the opportunity to know more about his practice with ayurveda] I had come to realize my understanding of yoga was above surface, and I needed to dig deeper. As curiosity sank, my head exploded with the disbelief that I may have to dedicate my life to the mystic ways. Leaving my very Roman Catholic background and be born again following the paths of yoga.
"I knew I was always religious, didn't realized that I would be so religious with something that is not religion." A conversation I had with my very Catholic sister.
Sharing My Journey
I am grateful for the opportunity where I can express myself through you [@mydomingo readers]. I am grateful for you taking the time to allow me to share what I have learned and will be learning throughout my journey. I am grateful for your good wishes for one day I shall achieve true peace and oneness to discovering who I truly am. I am grateful.
Who am I?
I have mentioned the mystic life of yoga. Defining yoga starts with the question: Who am I? discovering who we truly are [from what I have learned] is the essence of following the mystic. Being true to oneself and exploring the different levels of oneness within. The trio of Yoga [meditation, breathing (pranayama), posture (asana)] are key to achieving enlightenment. Many a book explains Yoga and its history, I am not here to lecture you on that however, my goal is to share with you what I have learned from practicing the paths of yoga 24/7 and taking on the challenge of living a yogic life *including not eating Alberta Beef.
It would be an honour to share my journey with you as I transition my career from being a brand ambassador of luxury fashions to now living as a minimalist. From suits to owning a suitcase of clothes to a future where my personal case comes first.
Your yoga is your individual practice. Make it however you'd like it to be, enjoy the balance and feel the rhythm your body tells you. Let me show you - visit my SHOP page and book a Private Session [FREE sessions available via KARMA option only].
Namaskar
xDomingo
*Domingo Lumanog considers himself a world's local - born and raised in the Philippines, Calgary, Canada is his home. He has worked with international fashion brands, managed multi million dollar businesses, a home cook who was able to showcase his talent on Canadian National Television, a professional singer - a true artist by heart, and an internationally recognized multi discipline yoga teacher certificate holder. To continue to receive updates from Domingo Lumanog follow him on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, YOUTUBE .
Super to have Chefs taste my audition dish : My Roots Salad : wasabi infused unripened goat cheese stacked with raw red beet and albacore tuna served with deep fried mint leaf garnished with candied fennel. My Roots Salad was inspired by my roots, back in the Philippines where I would tag along with my mother to shop at a wet market. Pick the freshest ingredients which dictates the meals of the day.