Wholistic Fitness

STUDENT INSIGHT: TOBY’S WISDOM ARISING

Long time WF Online Student, Athlete, and Loving Husband Toby Leeson with his family last winter.
It might just be my “Mother Hen” feelings about my own Students, yet i cannot imagine that
husbands come any better than those who study and Practice the Scientific Art of Wholistic Fitness!
Yesterday, we all had the honor to read Student DanSan’s warrior wisdom words, and now, today,
yet another gentlemen warrior steps up to the DL plate to deliver the following, absolutely poetic and
profound training insight from his CONCENTRATED and CONSISTENT WF online studies!

I have just coached Toby to release his hard won, several year competitive endurance athletics.
We are going to use the next few years to gain some muscle mass, regenerate, focus on yoga, and then, come back
into endurance sports rip roaring stronger, more focused, and chomping at the bit to take on the endurance
at an older age grouping. This type of, what i term, “LifePacing” is High Life Artistry.
It requires deep cultivation of the Non-Attachment principle of spiritual work.

I know how hard it is to let go of sports that you have worked so long and hard
in to achieve some degree of mastery. I bow to Toby! Very few athletes are willing to let go of their
cherished, sometimes addicted grooves of sport.

Below is a letter to me today from Warrior Tobe! Enjoy and be inspired by this great Family Yogin:

“Dear Coach,
So what is it that gives me that sense of peace and serenity from my practice, I ask myself?

Is it when I am “successful” at holding some pose or doing some exercise the right way?

Is it when I do it slowly?

Or is it just the rhythm of the day?

Not, not, not, It’s in AWARENESS.

Doesn’t matter how fast or slow I do my practice, or how “well” I do it, it
is when I am fully aware internally and externally, that I get that feeling
of peace and serenity. As BKS Iyengar stated it, paraphrased, it is when I
extend and expand at my core, that I truly relax and let go. I must
engage, to let go. I can really feel that now. Something as simple as
toilet yoga, Neti and Pranayama, if done with complete awareness, is as
powerful and life fulfilling, as an hour long yoga session, epic bike ride,
and far more powerful and life fulfilling than any nouveau drug.

Focus, breath, engage, breath, let go, breath, relax …

This morning I practiced Ai Imawa and did it slowly and with full attention to my mind and body, all parts.
After that I felt the chi coming through me full and clear.

My strength training practice has been similar, with great attention to awareness, detail and form. Very empowering.

My weight has gone up to a currently steady 158.5 in the AM (6 pound increase); not unusual since I have backed off on cardio so much, and my nutritional intake has remained the same with a slight increase in
calories. If I were to re-emphasize cardio, that weight would drop off in a few days.

Peace,

Warrior Tobe