Yoga Beyond Boundaries
Amanda Bicuum, a wellness coach and health crusader is changing the world, one yoga session at a time. From a carefree youngster to a mindful yoga and fitness guide, Amanda Bicuum has come a long way. Overcoming a personal crisis through the goodness of yoga, Amanda decided to spread its amazing benefits. In that pursuit, she travels extensively across South Asia, meeting yoga teachers and gurus, understanding and learning the health concepts of yore.
All of 25 years old, Amanda juxtaposes the traditional healing methods with modern treatments to suit the contemporary citizen. She recently devised an easy and wholesome “Power Yoga For Weight Loss” technique and STYLECRAZE caught up with her at a yoga workshop in Goa to talk about it. Here are some excerpts from our conversation with her. Read on.
STYLECRAZE: Why do you think Power Yoga is ideal for weight loss?
Amanda: To understand weight, we must first look at what it is. Weight is a symptom of an imbalance in the body. Yoga is a tool which has been used for thousands of years to help find unity and balance within. Yoga is a method of movement awareness. Power yoga has been developed to assist the practitioner in getting the most out of their time spent on the mat. Through sending real awareness to all parts of the body, one can redirect the energy flow creating a balance between mind, body, and spirit. The asana practice will help tone, lengthen and strengthen the muscles.
STYLECRAZE: Can you tell us about your personal journey of weight loss through yoga?
Amanda: Yoga came to me at a time when I needed it most. I was depressed, lost and physically disconnected from my body. I had gained weight and neglected my body’s needs. All of this changed when I committed myself to a daily practice of yoga. My habits were no longer destructive. I started eating better and honored my body. I inculcated habits that served my highest SELF rather than the habits of my peers who surrounded me.
STYLECRAZE: What is your style of teaching and what structure do you follow to help your clients through the healing process?
Amanda: My style of teaching yoga is detail based. I focus on alignment and body awareness. My goal is not to get the student to have the best-looking asana, but rather to teach them self-awareness through the vehicle of their body. My style of nutrition is similar. I focus on making small lifestyle changes which support the overall goal. I educate students, I teach them the WHY behind the what, and this gives them the tools to go through the process once I am no longer physically present to guide them.
Click Here To Buy Amanda’s Exclusive Power Yoga For Weightloss Course
STYLECRAZE: Tell us about the transformation your personal clients have gone through by taking this power yoga journey.
Amanda: The students who have stayed with me over the years continue because they realize the value that this practice has, not just on their body but their life as a whole. They come from various backgrounds some desiring to reconnect with their body, some to better understand their minds. This practice helps them find balance within. In the West, yoga is considered only a physical exercise. I structured my classes in a manner where the physical and mental aspects of yoga are highlighted. Through the physical we can better understand the mind, when we move beyond the mind, we tap into our highest selves.
STYLECRAZE: What advice would you give to someone who is having trouble with even the beginning of the first week of Power Yoga For Weight Loss course?
Amanda: Yoga is a practice; it takes time and patience. The most important thing for any individual taking this course is to commit. Commit to showing up each day, regardless of how tired or sore your body is. At the end of the day, you are doing this for you. It’s not about how well you perform on the mat that day; it’s about showing up. When it comes to food, set a firm intention of WHY you want to make this change (be it weight loss, lifestyle, etc.), be honest with your pitfalls and have a system set in place to help you overcome your weaknesses. The only thing holding us back from reaching our highest and best potential is ourselves. Once that is understood, we become free.
STYLECRAZE: What sets your weight loss programme apart from the other weight loss regimes available in the market?
Amanda: When I work with my clients I don’t focus on the weight itself; I concentrate on the cause of the weight, which can be different for everyone. I take the approach of bio-individuality meaning that no one person is the same. Weight can be triggered physically (due to an injury, illness or imbalance of hormones), mentally (due to a desire to control or feeling out of control) or emotionally (being stressed or depressed). My approach to weight loss is unique as I help clients find out why the weight is there in first place. You can’t solve weight issues in the long run if you don’t have an understanding of what caused it. I don’t focus on the details like the no. of calories, type of food to eat. Rather, I concentrate on helping the individual find out what serves them best through awareness techniques.
Click Here To Buy Amanda’s Exclusive Power Yoga For Weightloss Course
STYLECRAZE: How do you think Yoga helps in dealing with modern lifestyle issues like stress?
Amanda: Stress is a modern day disease. It comes primarily from the mind. Each person views stress differently- what may stress one individual out may be exciting to another. By learning to understand ourselves through the practice of yoga better, we can recondition our minds by learning we are not the mind and that we have the ability to move beyond the mind.
The mind is a tool to help us in this physical reality; it can be our best friend or our worst enemy. Mindfulness techniques help us to see you more clearly and reconstruct our patterns, beliefs, and habits that create modern day diseases like stress, anxiety, and depression.
STYLECRAZE: What kind of people come to your sessions? How do they react to the alternate methods of healing that you propagate?
Amanda: The people I have worked with come from all walks of life. Successful business entrepreneurs who are beyond stressed, experiencing adrenal fatigue, gut imbalances and life work imbalances, to the person who is seeking help with weight loss, hormonal regulation and overall mental & physical wellness. My biggest desire is to see people succeed, I start slow and implement small changes that are obtainable. I work a lot on going back into the past and understand how previous experiences often create habits that are troublesome for the client. We move slow and make small changes that have a lasting effect. Most clients don’t always understand my methodology, but after a week of practicing, they begin to see the results and are committed to the path, thereon.
STYLECRAZE: How do you combine the Eastern and Western concepts of exercise and awareness into your wellness programmes and how are these formats received across the world?
Amanda: In the West, our primary focus is on science- the individualization and specialization of the moving parts which make up the whole. In the East, the primary focus is the opposite. It is about looking at all parts in totality trying to understand how each influences the other.
My program is about connecting the mind, body, and spirit. Through the practice of Yoga Asana, we dive into the awareness of the body and then discover the patterns and habits of the mind. Then, we move beyond the mind and sink into the depths of the soul, a space that connects us all. My program uses the knowledge I have gained from the West in understanding the science of how the body works and combines it with the wisdom I have gained from studying the philosophies of the East.
Click Here To Buy Amanda’s Exclusive Power Yoga For Weightloss Course
STYLECRAZE: Are your tattoos influenced by your Indian yogic journey? What inspired you to get them done? Tell us the story.
Amanda: Yes, some of them are. Each time I made a commitment to myself through advancing my studies in yoga/mindfulness, it’s been monumental in my path progressing. The OM on my left foot was to remind me to meditate more. I received this after my first Teacher Training.
In the West, yoga was all about the asana, but I knew that the actual practice was much deeper than that. When I sit in Padmasana, the Om faces up reminding me of my path. Since studying in India, I realized that putting a sacred symbol below the knee is considered unholy. I respect that belief and understand where that comes from, culturally.
In the West, a body is a body; no part is more significant than the rest (I’m a blend of East & West.) I designed my back piece once I decided to commit to following my Dharma. It’s a combination of the Dharma wheel (Buddhist symbol representing the 8 noble truths), the sun & moon representing the feminine and masculine energy that is within all of us. And the lotus flower representing the continuous blossoming of beauty into enlightenment.
STYLECRAZE: In your videos, you recommend mindful eating, tell us what it entails. How can one get started with it? And, what according to you is an ideal diet?
Amanda: Mindful eating is just like it sounds, being mindful/aware of what you eat, how you eat and how much you eat. Also, why you are eating. Eating is such a social thing that we can get lost in it. We eat because we are bored because everyone else is doing it because it’s there etc.). Checking yourself before eating anything is the best way forward.
Ask yourself the question “Is this what my body needs right now?” Slow down when you eat, give your body time to digest and signal to your brain when you are full. This way you don’t overeat. Check in after you eat and see how you feel, you will be surprised at how many things we eat that don’t serve us.
STYLECRAZE: How do you incorporate Indian herbs into your food? Tell us few favorite recipes that include Indian / organic ingredients.
Amanda: I love cardamom, ginger, and cloves for digestion! I use them a lot in my teas (I have a unique brand coming out soon using adaptogenic herbs which were created while I was living in India). I also use turmeric on almost everything. It’s incredible for fighting inflammation which is the cause of most disease. I use it in desserts, breakfasts, teas and more! I have created a special meal kit for all the customers who buy this program to help them succeed in this process.
All of these recipes were developed while I was living in India using the foods that were available at the local market (all foods that will be easy to find in Western markets as well.) Personally, I am a busy woman who doesn’t have a ton of time to spend in the kitchen. However, I know the importance and value that cooking your meals can have on your overall well-being and vitality. The full package has 21 easy and straightforward recipes that take 30 minutes or less to make and are usually done in 3 steps or less!
STYLECRAZE: What do you do in your free time? How do you unwind?
Amanda: I play a lot of acro yoga, do acupuncture, cook, read, listen to podcasts, dance and catch up with friends on Skype (as many of my friends are often across the world). I love to spend time at the beach when possible and am an avid traveler.
STYLECRAZE: What is your take on minimal and environment conscious living?
Amanda: Minimalism is key when it comes to helping the environment. We have more than we need in this world, we consume WAYYYY too much as a society as a whole. I’ve lived in the West, I’ve had “all the things” then I’ve lived in the East and had next to nothing. From experience it’s not the things I’ve had that matter most, it’s the people who are surrounding me that make the difference.
Being mindful of your choices, what you purchase, where and why makes a difference. Try to support local produce as much as possible. Try to use less and support companies and brands that are doing good not just for their own pockets but the world. Yoga brands I prefer are Teeki and Carrot Banana Peach.
STYLECRAZE: How do you plan to expand your organization? Do you have plans to release your brand and set of health products?
Amanda: Ahhh great question! Right now, I am starting off hosting events and retreats around the world to take people on transformational experiences much like the ones I have gotten to have since I have been traveling. These are about creating meaningful experiences for people through the practices of community engagement, personal growth techniques (yoga, meditation, mindfulness workshops) and connection to the Earth and like-minded individuals. Next, I have a line of health beverages I’ve created (as mentioned above) using Ayurvedic herbs to help people enhance their vitality and wellbeing! These will be available for people to order and make at home!
Click Here To Buy Amanda’s Exclusive Power Yoga For Weightloss Course
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