"Life, Being, Action, Fluidity, Progress, Growth, Struggle, Philosophy, Nature, Pain, & Good Intentions"
Is Inspiration for Kelly Mason.
First, we would love to know whats your Design, your Purpose, your Being?
"Currently my being is in Goa, India.
I'm spending time working on various projects from art works to raw vegan dessert catering, from waiting for my schedule to begin teaching Yin Yoga to writing about and practising Yoga. Looking for locations for a cafe project and lastly spending time working on various Yoga offerings with"Complete Yin" & "Balance" Retreats & Immersions, to raw & plant basedCulinary 3 hour introductory workshops.
Throughout the days of writing about Yoga philosophy, theory and the experiential practice, I also write about raw & plant based nutrition & cuisine; Interviewing like minded individuals; I give perspectives, my views & talk about my experience with various subject matters.
The rest of the time I interweave my other pleasures, that of an artist creating art, cooking and cleaning ( yes!! It's true, I actually love the art/duty of cleaning and living in and maintaining a simple, beautiful space no matter where I am and for how long) & cycling while exploring the city streets and the villages around me."
Currently residing in?
"Goa, India"
What’s the most beautiful word in the world?
"Philosophy" meaning "Love of Wisdom"
What’s your favourite smell?
"Oranges, Vanilla, Coconut."
Best advise you have ever been given?
"Say yes to everything"
"A very good friend of mine told me this before I first travelled at the age of 22
There have been moments throughout my life since where his sweet voice pops into my minds ear reminding me of this before I am about to experience some of the best moments of my life."
What inspires you?
"Life, being, fluidity, progress, action, determination, growth, shifts, struggles, feeling, philosophy, learning, nature, pain, Art, music, my students, success, good intentions"
What’s your favourite time of day?
"I have two - I hope that's allowed...
The first, what I call "The Magic Hour" between the hours of 4pm & 9pm depending on the Season & of course when and where you are in the world. That time when the sun has just about sunk into the horizon and everything seems that little bit more enhanced with beauty
The second - the time when its the peak of the summer and everything gets a little hazed & dazed. Especially in England where I am surrounded by green countryside & rapeseed fields and where it is almost unknown to bare witness to this time of day making it all the more special in it's rarity."
What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?
"My goodness, I could not say. Every place is unique, tells its own story and once I've experienced it I have my own story to tell and connect me to that place...
After many years of travelling around the world one thing I can say about beauty, I have come to believe that it is everywhere. In every place, every corner, in every way;
On the beaches of Phi Phi Island, Thailand; The coast line view in a two man plane in Southern California; on the city streets of Manhattan, New York coming and going in flashes while riding a bicycle; from the rooftops of Mumbai & Mysore,cities of India; A Yoga space in Goa, India, dedicated to experiential growth; to my own back garden at my home in Cheshire, England."
Whom do you secretly admire?
"Lazy people"
What is your actual superpower?
"To read your intention"
What do you cook better than anyone?
"Cabbage"
What’s the first thing you notice about people?
"How evolved they are"
When are you most yourself?
"When I am alone"
When was the last time you cried?
"Around three days ago"
Greatest Weakness?
"Accepting"
Greatest Strength?
"Accepting"
What are you grateful for today?
"Support"
What is your Mantra?
"It would not be in my Tradition if I were to tell you about the Mantra I currently hold with me however I will share with you my first Mantra that I share with my students when introducing them to Bhakti Yoga, or Japa Meditation
"Take it easy"
From the Eagles lyrics of the same name.
"We may loose & we may win, though we will never be here again, so open up i'm diving in, Take it easy"
Do you believe in a higher power?
I Believe & have Faith that there is a higher power, Without a doubt. I believe that higher power resides within each of us.
Kelly describes how she knew she had found her design...
"It felt Natural. Familiar. Once I found my purpose it was like I felt it was always inside me. "
So tell by equilibrio felice, who is Kelly Mason?
"I'm English, from a small town in Cheshire. Around my early twenties I began to travel the world. I fell in love with culture & experience and haven't stopped since. Life has taken me in many different but all complimentary direction which I am continuously thankful for.
Now, I find myself the Founder of "by equilibrio felice" for the creating of beauty through Art, Yoga, Culinary & Expression of self.
I'm an artist; creating fluid and nature inspired art making each canvas piece from herbs & spices, tea infusions, coffee & charcoal using ink's, acrylics & Gold/silver leaf .
Day to day and my main passions areteaching Yoga; styles such as Vinyasa, Power, Hatha & leading 50Hr Yin Teacher Training's & Retreats in Goa, India as well as creating plant based dishes and recipes."
How did you know you had found your Design, Purpose, Being?
"It felt natural. Familiar. Once I found my purpose it was like it felt it was always inside me.
I found that effort, time, perseverance and determination are qualities required in discovering your expression and when you land upon it you really care about the quality and for filling that purpose well
I believe that reaching our potentials is the purpose broadly speaking but its the direction in which you achieve it that is your will. Where will you place your attention, your focus, your energy? What action is required in that purpose? How will you approach?
Karma Yoga "Work worth doing, is worth doing well"
In teaching, I would watch others teach in admiration, I would watch some give everything they had to their students, everything that they knew. These teachers would inspire me greatly - with their vast knowledge and full selflessness & complete willingness. This is what gave me that hint that this is what I was supposed to do. Who i was supposed to be. To Teach, To learn, to share.
However I have experienced a number of times the other side. Some would hold what they knew and only taught what was required - I feel this limited the students absorption of the knowledge and that the teacher was not for filling their "Karma in the action" of teaching fully. I was of course much less inspired by their application (but still grateful for the knowledge they were willing to share and for showing me the kind of teaching approaches to dismiss)
Being exposed to this influenced me greatly when I began to teach and continues to do so throughout my teachings. So in my teachings, no matter the time, place or student I give them everything I have that they are ready and open to receive
I believe heavily that as a Teacher we should want our students to surpass our understanding and application of that understanding on every level - so this is my Action, this is my Karma , my Duty in teaching, to teach and give them everything I can every time they arrive as my students
With the feedback and responses from my students it can sometimes bring me to tears - this was actually the first real, obvious sign that this is my Purpose
I have conquered many fears through the expression that is teaching giving me another sign of my purpose, that this is me pushing beyond the limitations and false potential I would have set for myself when I was in a place of fear & doubt
Through teaching I have surpassed the potential I set years ago - this is a very powerful sign of evolving in some way as myself and broadly as a being, a further sign my purpose is found."
What are some of the struggles you have faced on your path?
"Insecurity. Loss. Indecision. Expectation. Change. Stagnation. Understanding."
Advice to others seeking their expression ?
"Find it. Its worth your time and effort.
Find it your way cause doing it anyone else's way is not your expression.
In this you wont find your path, your story, your being - you'll find theirs. You wont reach the potential being that is you
Practices of self experience, self enquiry & analysis, self knowledge & understanding, self shedding & shifting, Self striving, growing & evolving are a few techniques that are adapted automatically as something unique to you, on your path reaching your Design in your own way."
Describe your everyday rituals & routines...
"A daily occurrence...
Eating plants. Drinking iced lemon water. Yoga. Walking. Reading. Cycling. Spinning. Cooking Plant based.
Interwoven throughout any given day in some way...
Create. Learn. Teach. Meditate. Reflect. Analyse. Express myself."
I wake early, I like to run or bike in the mornings, usually a Yoga practice then eat a breakfast filled with Cacao, Nuts, Seeds & Banana!
I clean the apartment and take a little time to sit on the balcony. I teach classes, have my practice, read & write daily. And during my time in Goa Bike to the market for daily fresh fruit & vegetables - How I love to live - Simple easy.
In the evenings they are usually spent in a gym, stretching, boxing or on my Bicycle at "Magic hour" riding the streets - I'm for sure an urban cyclist, roaming the roads, one village to the next village, biking throughout the cities & surrounding suburbs. My goodness, even the thought makes me light up!
Dinnertime, Usually consisting of a mountain plate of greens & wild rice - I like simple, natural, nutritious, balanced cooking that's a little sweet, a little sour, a little spicy.
Taking a walk after dinner when I can, its good practice for physical, mental & emotional health and it makes me feel good!
After dinner I spend some time on our balcony, usually reflecting on the day, planning for the next day, at times with the laptop working, at others reading or learning something complimentary or new to keep dedicated to growth and further understanding
Ending the day usually with a Sweet coconut masala chai or rose, chamomile tea with dark chocolate on my balcony surrounded by candlelight and jungle "