I HEART Yoga Manila

Just posting a link to a recent Inquirer article, "Art of breathing, way of life", which explains Ashtanga Yoga and Yoga Manila's commitment to this particular yoga form.

New shala, new teacher, new lessons learned

It was somewhat heartbreaking to be moving my practice to Yoga Manila’s newest shala at the Edsa Shangrila Hotel. I had grown attached to my teachers in Makati and the people that I practise with.

But realising that I would cut my travel time by half an hour made the decision easier. I was also eager to see the Chi Spa after having viewed some images of the international spa chain online.

First impressions? It was too luxurious. Fully-carpeted floors, a strong scent of aromatherapy and essential oils, a choice of not just one but two changing rooms, centralised air conditioning, comfy lounge chairs to sink into, spectacular view of the Ortigas CBD and the hotel pool below. The plush environment was initially distracting and seemed to negatively impact my practice.

Add to that, classes at Ortigas were mostly Mysore classes thanks to Jon Cagas who is now teaching at both Yoga Manila Ortigas and Makati. My first Mysore experience of the year was full of senior moments: memory loss, achy joints and short endurance. I became frustrated by my practice still both Allen (Enrique) and I were glad to see Jon back from India. I was also happy to have finally met Connie Ponce and my fellow yoga blogger Avril who blogs at: http://www.tryingtowake.blogspot.com/.

I have learned Ashtanga Yoga mostly through the Led classes that I had been attending on the weekends. I’ve tried going to some Mysore classes during the week but always found myself running out of steam midway after driving through an hour's traffic. So I stopped doing Mysore classes in Makati altogether.

One thing became apparent. For practitioners like me who haven’t mastered the primary series, a Led class can be a place where one can make many, many mistakes. Usually a teacher would call out the postures for the practitioners to do so there is very little time for the teacher to approach every student for adjustments during the 90-minute class.

Although Peachie Kilayco and Maritoni Tordesillas have never failed to adjust and bind me every time we reach Marichy D, Supta Kurmasana and Urdhva Dhanurasana I have discovered how horrible I was at Bhujapidasana, Gharbapindasana and many more at Jon’s Mysore class! That’s why Yoga Manila has been adamant about having only experienced Ashtangis do Led classes and encourages beginners to learn Ashtanga Yoga through Mysore classes instead. I have been stubborn before and totally get it now.

On the upside: Jon Cagas has just returned from Pranayama training in India and has practised intensively in Mysore for two months. So if you're based in the north of Manila, you can come to YM Ortigas and learn traditional Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga from him. As a teacher he very patiently sets up the pose and adjusts and binds in coordination with the breath and painlessly. Soon, I stopped complaining about the 5-star facilities, began to appreciate the effort Yoga Manila has made to make yoga more accessible to others, and finally found myself shifting my focus to the asanas. While I wasn’t as satisfied by my practice that day, I am looking forward to improving and refining it through Mysore classes.

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.

Bikram Yoga in the cold?

My sister-in-law Lya has been convincing me to try Bikram Yoga, or hot yoga. But I’ve always felt that enough heat is generated internally with Ashtanga Yoga. So doing the 26 Bikram Yoga postures out of town , minus the hot room and holding them for a full minute in the cold December weather was actually quite challenging. We were guided through the routine by no less than Bikram Choudhury himself via an audio CD which was recorded in his Hollywood studio. Bikram is known to speak in military, staccato fashion and I was glad he was not around to berate me when I couldn’t maintain Dandayamana Janushirasana or standing head to knee pose and dancer’s pose. But boy, stretching in Pada Hastasana, Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimottanasana and Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana was fantastic! Really glorious and I must say effective since it restored my flexibility almost immediately. I also enjoyed Utkatasana, Ganurasana, Tuladandasana, Supta Vajrasana and Ustrasana.

By day 3 Lya had all the females in the clan doing Bikram Yoga, including my mother-in-law aged 75, my niece Talia who is a budding ballerina and even my three-year old daughter and baby Ashtangi below in Baddha Konasana.Lya taught us like a pro, instructing us to lock our knees, keep both elbows straight and pulled back, and hips pushed forward—cornerstones of Bikram Yoga. The impromptu class ended after 90 minutes. Lya and I practiced some advanced Bikram poses which I’m already familiar with since they’re part of the primary series of Ashtanga Yoga.
Matsyasana. That's me in Shirsasana. Urdhva Mukha Pashcimottanasana Utplutih Modified Bakasana.

My attempt at Titibhasana, or the firefly. Now if only I could lift my legs higher and straighten them... My most serene Shavasana yet, thanks to this lovely view of clear skies above.
Time for some real hot yoga—out in the sun and at the beach! Lya displays excellent form in standing head to knee, dancer's pose and trikonasana.
Would I try Bikram Yoga again? Outdoors and in good company--definitely! As I watched the last sunset of the year I realized that yoga is also about flexibility of both mind and body. So here's to trying out more yoga forms in 2009. Namaste.

Yoga Sanctuary: Santiago, Ilocos Sur

Almost two months of no yoga due to the year-end work and Christmas rush have left me stressed, stiff and tight. So I’m really, really grateful to Lya, my sister-in-law, for giving me a 4-day Bikram Yoga “intensive” and a much-needed workout during the holiday spent at the family farm located in the Santiago Cove in Ilocos Sur. Here a variety of crops and fruit-bearing trees are grown and cultivated. It is also the resting place of “Lelong” who lovingly built this sanctuary for his wife, children and grandchildren in the mid '80s. Lelong and Lelang My son and the farm goats. We have cows and chickens too.
The exterior of the house. Two bululs welcome visitors.
My favorite pieces: the long dining table where many memorable Ilocano feasts have been served...
...chandelier from Artes Espanoles...
...a farmer’s plough and centrepiece...
...this bell...
...and of course the kids’ play set that keeps them happy for hours.
Driveway leading to the beachfront.
In keeping with the rustic backdrop, Lya and I used native woven mats for practice.It's 6:45 a.m., I'm all set for my Intro to Bikram Yoga!

Chic Yogi: Maritoni Rufino Tordesillas

It was a welcome respite to see this incredible photograph of one of my YM teachers, Maritoni Rufino Tordesillas in today's Inquirer. Dressed in chic and casual clothes she posed in Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana. Maritoni was also photographed in heels and a Michael Kors top doing Hanumanasana--too bad the paper's online version didn't post it. Click here to read the full article by Rina Silayan-Go.

A principal dancer for Philippine Ballet Theatre, Maritoni was hailed by critics as a “versatile, wide range actress,” having “turns securely centered,” and “one of the finest dancers this country has ever produced.” She is memorable for her roles as Cio Cio San in "Madame Butterfly", Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet", Kitri in "Don Quixote", Odette in "Swan Lake" and Giselle.

Maritoni discovered Asthanga Yoga around the same time she retired from ballet and established her Danspace school in 2000. By 2006 she graduated from the Centered Yoga Institute in Koh Samui, Thailand under Paul Dallghan and became a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with the Yoga Alliance. A mother of two, Maritoni is also one of the founders of Yoga Manila.

Santosha

As a treat before taking off for the holiday, my teacher worked with me on my drop backs. After weeks of practicing backbends, I felt I still wasn’t prepared to be dropped back, but Peachie Kilayco (above) is the type of teacher who rewards students who are diligent and practise hard. Of all my teachers, I think she knows me and my practise best. She has spotted my enemy poses and helped me overcome them while introducing me to new and challenging postures. I also love the nuggets of information she shares while calling out the poses during our Led classes as well as the neck massages she gives during Savasana.

After Peachie lifted me up from the Wheel I was struck by a rush of elation, almost euphoria. Peachie explained that the backbend is a “happy pose” which invigorates and releases endorphins into the bloodstream and along with inversions and such postures as the shoulder stand or headstand alters the flow of blood, lymphatic drainage and cranial sacral fluid. This increases the availability of oxygen and glucose in the brain required for the production of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin collectively known as the feel-good neurotransmitters.

But I was still silly-happy days after my practise. In fact, I’ve been feeling supremely serene lately. I came to realise that I may be experiencing contentment or santosha which is cultivated by finding happiness with what you have and who you are according to the eight limbs of Patanjali. Santosha is one of five niyamas in the eightfold path of yoga. Niyama is inner discipline and responsibility. The other niyamas are austerity, purity, study of the sacred text and living with an awareness of the Divine.

It’s nice to know that yoga has positively affected my life on both a physical and emotional level.

Yogi poetry

Lyn does it during Ladies' Holidays,
Sasheen, when she's feeling under the weather.
Allen, to clear her nasal passage ways,
Methinks doing it will make my bum knee better.
Ashtanga Yoga, this is not.
But gentle yoga in a room that's hot.

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.

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”.