Yoga-inspired apparel

Just a quick post…my sister-in-law needs help in coming up with a brand name and logo for a yoga-inspired clothing line she’s developing for Certified Calm, a shop in the Shang mall. She’ll be using all-natural fabrics like linen and cotton as well as indigenous materials like rope, stones and shells for embellishments. Hope you can post your suggestions here. C'mon, I know we can think of something better than "Lulu" or "karma" or "prAna" or "be present"...you get the picture.

Lya, my sis-in-law, is a fashion designer trained in Paris and New York. She ran a boutique in Greenbelt in the ‘90s and sold a line of ready-to-wear apparel in Rustan’s. Today you’ll mostly find her designing wedding ensembles from her atelier in Libis and practicing Bikram in Greenhills. Lya is currently training for a yoga competition this November which she is inviting me to participate in. “There’s no competition in Ashtanga, practise is personal and not a contest,” I said. Right?

Bikram has been visibly effective for Lya who has lost weight significantly since she got hooked last year. She has been persuading me to try Bikram but I have been lured more by the grace, power and elegance of Ashtanga. Besides since I began my yoga journey in March, I’ve already shed 8 lbs with Ashtanga (not that weight loss is my goal).

Anyway since this blog is dedicated to Ashtanga, this Bikram post has a purpose here. Below is a video of esteemed Bikram instructor and 2005 Bishnu Charan Ghosh cup winner Esak Garcia demonstrating poses from the Advanced Bikram routine now being introduced in Bikram studios in the country.

See how many Ashtanga asanas you can identify from the Advanced Bikram routine. For those consulting Ashtanga books, there is no need to look further than the Ashtanga primary and secondary series. {Note: Ashtanga is a progressive practice that begins with theYoga Chikitsa or primary series; followed by Nadi Shodana or intermediate series which brings the ashtanga vinyasa practice from a physical to more energetic levels; then comes Sthira Bhaga or the advanced series A described as “transcending gravity”; finally, the advanced series B elevates the practice to greater heights.}

The advanced series of Bikram postures makes a quantum leap from the original set of 26 poses. Here, the most classic of all yoga poses, Padmasana or lotus position, is introduced with a number of variations. Bikram practitioners also get a taste of Sirsasana or headstands and full backbends in the advanced series. You can view the basic Bikram poses at the Bikram's Yoga College of India website. The school is located in Los Angeles, California and was established as a global headquarters.

Passive Yoga

After two straight days of physical exertion involving wall climbing followed by Led Ashtanga, my body sorely needed some serious kneading.

I opted for "Nuat phaen boran" or ancient Thai massage. Thai massage is also called northern-style Thai massage, Buntautuk style, Old Medicine Hospital Style, traditional Thai massage, Traditional Thai Medical Massage, Thai classical massage, and get this, Thai Yoga, Thai Yoga massage, passive yoga or assisted yoga. Perfect, right? More yoga!

Thai massage is believed to have been developed by Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, physician to Buddha, more than 2,500 years ago in India. It made its way to Thailand, where the Ayurvedic techniques and principles gradually became influenced by traditional Chinese medicine. For centuries, Thai massage was performed by monks as one component of Thai medicine.

What is Thai massage like? For me, it is definitely more invigorating and rigorous yet in the end more relaxing than run-of-the mill spa massages. It’s also referred to as Thai yoga massage because the therapist uses his/ her hands, knees, legs, and feet to move you into a series of yoga-like stretches. Therapists even greet customers in Namaste fashion. Muscle compression, joint mobilization, and acupressure are also used during treatment. Have a look:

I also prefer Thai massage more than the popular Swedish or Aromatherapy variety because no oil is applied and you are fully dressed in loose clothing. A typical Thai massage is done on a padded mat on the floor and usually lasts from 60 minutes to two hours. Except for the ambient music they played and the green tea that was served after my massage, this type of therapy dispenses with all other spa treats such as scented oils, terry cloth robe, a sauna and hot shower so it's competitively priced at only P250! I also discovered on their website that they have a branch right on the street where my shala is located.

Thai massage claims to provide the following benefits: relaxes, reduces stress, improves circulation, boosts energy, increases flexibility, improves range of motion, and centers the mind and body. No wonder they call it “assisted yoga”.

Exhilarating climb, earth-shaking yoga

I invited a former yoga classmate from UP to practice at Yoga Manila, the second from that group to join me already. I have been proud to have Sasheen over at the Makati shala, this time around I had the amazing Allen Enrique: hardcore mountain climber and yoga overachiever. This small-framed but powerful 26 year-old can complete the primary series and is well on her way to learning the full second series. She can already do some intermediate poses and is now on the trail for a mentor. Lyn and I suggested that she learns the series under yoga trailblazer Hoze Arando and the next thing I knew she had signed up for 10 classes at Yoga Manila. She really doesn’t waste much time. Yey Allen, I’ll be seeing you around YM more often!

Allen says yoga is ideal cross-training for indoor/outdoor climbing. Yoga promotes flexibility, bandha control, awareness of the breath and stillness of the mind which are also required in climbing--especially in extreme outdoor situations. Pulse Yoga visiting instructor Amy Cheung has scaled the walls at Silver City where Allen is a climbing instructor and coach. Last weekend it was our turn for an intro climb. Allen was our belayer providing slack and tension as we made our ascent of... the beginner’s wall. Lyn made it through the second wall, which was gradually inclined, while I was really enjoying traversing all the walls without any ropes but of course at a very safe height. At this point, Allen demonstrated yoga applications in wall or mountain climbing.

Observe Allen in a modified warrior pose:

And here’s Lyn just getting a high at one of the steeper walls.

I must say that yoga does seem to prep the body for climbing. All the Chaturangas in the primary series really gave us the strength to pull our weight up the walls. The flexibility we’ve developed in yoga also helped us stretch and reach our limbs out for those tiny faraway rocks.

I expected the climb to drain me of all energy but doing a Led class with Allen the following morning turned out to be truly exhilarating! With Allen beside me, I paid greater attention to my breathing, form and alignment beginning with the Sun Salutations all the way to the seated poses and finishing sequence. But our practice was interrupted by a couple of mild earthquakes which struck first while we were balancing in Bhujapidasana and once again, of all times, during the headstands which sent me crashing down the floor after only 8 breaths. We didn’t let the tremors completely shake our practice though. YM instructor Maritoni Tordesillas even let out a wide smile as we watched Allen drop back to Urdhva Dhanurasana or the Wheel and stand up from it (a milestone for practitioners who are ready to progress to the intermediate series). Now that for me, was one earth-shaking practice!