Yoga and the creative spark: the paintings of Susan Hao

Practitioners in the shala would describe Susan Hao as…everyday Ashtangi…Filipino-Chinese…and very, very nice. But many don’t know that Susan has been, since 1988, a licensed agent and trader to various brokerage firms in the Philippines and is currently working for Accord Capital Equities Corporation.

Amidst the fast-paced, pressure-cooker environment of the business world, Susan discovered an artistic inclination and without prior experience in drawing or painting she took art classes at the Ayala Museum in 2008 under master portraitist Gig de Pio who is now her mentor.

A former professor at the University for the Philippines College of Fine Arts in Diliman - taught Materials & Techniques of the Old Masters, Anatomy, Figure Drawing & Painting from Life, Gig Mario Completo de Pio is known for capturing not only the likeness but also the presence of a sitter deftly from life.

Together with Yoga Manila, Susan Hao shared her passion for the beautiful practice of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga to her mentor and a group of painters who include Irwin Fernandez and Gideon Javier.

Below are the images I took of that Saturday sketching session which captured The Primary Series. Enjoy!

Avail of a special summer treat for practitioners new to Yoga Manila. For a limited period, all classes at all YM branches are offered at half-price. Visit their website for more details.

First yoga of the year

I was very happy to see my teacher, Peachie Kilayko, at my first Led class of the year. I had missed about 4 classes in December to attend to deadlines and a yaya who fell ill and had been hospitalized.

So I was raring to yoga more so because I knew I would see my yogini friend Lyn and other classmates again.

Peachie and I didn’t expect Hoze Arando to walk in. Today he was not teaching just practicing, said Hoze who handles the morning Mysore classes in Makati during the week.

One by one, the expats trickled in: Rica who is Japanese and a regular Yoga Manila practitioner on Saturdays; Silvina Gall from Argentina graciously hosted the YM Christmas party; Onanchi Chappett and her husband; and Bob, the newbie from Britain. With Margo Lao, Hoze, Lyn and I, there we were only nine practitioners in all. I guess I was buoyed by the company I found myself in because practice was wonderful! Hoze is a YM founder and has been "practicing yoga longer than anybody”; Margo Lao is YM’s instructor in Ortigas and who will teach at YM’s newest shala in Chi Spa located at the Shangrila Hotel by February; Rica, Silvina and Onanchi are all hardcore primary series practitioners; and Lyn and I still exchanged energies despite being at a distance from each other.

Margo Lao photo by Rheia Ramos - Yeo

I was anticipating being more sluggish than usual after having had my fill of holiday food. But I was charged right from the Suryas all through the finishing sequence. Though I admit I couldn’t roll around as smoothly after Garbha Pindasana and actually rolled back and forth about a dozen times before settling into Kukkutasana.

That morning yoga was almost like the first day I tried it. Unconsciously I must have heeded Hoze’s words when I shared with him my apprehension over being in pain the next day. He said to just let go and practice as if I was experiencing Ashtanga Yoga for the first time. And it was magic. I’m hooked more than ever. Om.

Clayton Horton Mysore workshops at Yoga Manila

It was intimidating to say the least. Towering over 6 feet, Clayton Horton himself let me into the Yoga Manila Makati shala. The director of the San Francisco-based Greenpath Yoga glanced at the clock, silently chiding me for my tardiness and seemed to worry about where to put me in the crowded studio of 17 practitioners.
Maritoni Tordesillas graciously made space for me at the far end of the room. There were four other YM instructors attending Clayton’s Mysore workshop: Hoze Arando, Peachie Kilayco, Cherry Du and Kitty Arambulo. I arrived only 30 minutes late so it made me panic to see a number of people already dropping back. In my trepidation, I somehow erased the primary series from memory. I must have skipped 10 poses and stopped at Navasana. Maritoni had to remind me every so often what asana came next which made me feel like a major pain for interrupting her practise.

Upside: getting that warm, fuzzy feeling from practising beside my teachers; finding inspiration from watching them doing 2nd series poses like Dwi Pada Sirsasana and Pincha Mayurasana; seeing my friend Allen Enrique grasp her shins for 5 breaths in Urdhva Dhanurasana (woo-hoo!); and best of all--Clayton Horton’s gentle and painless adjustments especially for my enemy poses Marichyasana D and Supta Kurmasana.

Downside: workshops are usually packed and run for a limited period, so try to learn as much as you can as not everyone may get adjustments. Most importantly, DON'T BE LATE.