The Yogini from Manila

The mind, body and spirit are more connected than we realize…

Yoga in the Wild Invite

February 9, 2012
by jane
0 comments

Book Launch: Yoga in the Wild by Ciay Misa

“Talikwas, an unfolding from within, from inside-out. An intimate exploration into primordial energy that underlies all of creation through relaxed breathing, movement, visualization and sounding. Once the source is tapped, the body can move naturally, fluid and graceful, yet powerful and balanced.”

This was the life experience of Lucia “Ciay” Misa whose first experience with yoga began at the age of 20. On February 13, 2012, Ciay will launch her book “Yoga in the Wild” — all about the transformative power of yoga in one’s life. Now a successful businesswoman, mother, yogini and free spirit, Ciay puts inside this book stories about her funniest, wildest and most memorable moments with family and friends around the world. In it she also recounts how yoga as talikwas has changed her life.

 

Back in the 90s, Ciay introduced the concept of soft belly yoga, mostly in workshops done in Mt. Banahaw. I was so ignorant of yoga then. Though based in Boston, Massachusetts most of the year, she comes to the Philippines as a a host artist from January to April of each year at Talikwas, a healing arts center in El Nido, Palawan.

I was invited to an earlier book launch last year with Ciay but I missed that opportunity. I am not missing this one!

All proceeds of the book sales will go to Roots of Health (Ugat ng Kalusugan), a non-profit organization dedicated to improve reproductive health and to eradicate the malnutrition of women and children in the communities of Palawan.

Lucia Misa teaching yoga (taken from http://talikwas.com)

The public is invited to the launch which will be at Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street on Feb. 13, 2012 at 5:00pm. I’ll be there and would love to meet some of you too.

 

December 11, 2011
by jane
1 Comment

Defy gravity and be a free spirit with AntiGravity Yoga

There’s something about going upside down that changes your perspective of things. Suddenly the whole world looks different from down there. Things that were unnoticeable as they were close to the ground now take on new meaning. However, more than just seeing the world with different eyes, inversions are actually good for the body.

The other night, I was introduced to a whole new way of doing yoga poses – in the air. AntiGravity Yoga, designed by Broadway aerial choreographer and former world-class gymnastics specialist Christopher Harrison, will soon be offered in the Philippines. His company has done 3 Olympic opening numbers, has performed at the inauguration of US Pres. Barack Obama, and worked with Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and other celebrities in creating their gymnastics-dance numbers. Christopher’s visit is timed with training some yoga teachers from I Go Beyond Yoga where AntiGravity Yoga will be offered beginning 2012.

When we entered the room, I saw this silk cloth suspended from the ceiling like a hammock when it’s opened.

 

Silk hammock

 

Ria and I gave it a try. To be honest, while I used to love swinging on swings before, this one felt more scary. Swings have thick interlocking chains and a wooden or metal seat. Solid! This one? It looked just like a wide piece of silk cloth held up by only 2-4 hooks. Would this hold me if I swung upside down from it? Could it carry someone a lot heavier than me?

Apparently, it can. The cloth we were trying out was rated for 3,400 pounds! Whoa!

Christopher, throughout his talk, kept emphasizing how important safety was in all his performances. The silk cloth is specifically made for his company and no other. He says, if you find other people using what looks like silk hammocks in their shows, those cloth are not certified for the kind of safety and weight that is required by Christopher in his own performances.

When his team of performers would get kinks in their bodies, he would let them hang upside down and the inversions always worked. This discovery has made him realize that there are a lot of benefits to AntiGravity Yoga. Even in the first class, a student can already expect to do at least one inverted pose.

Just imagine, every day, your body is weighed down by gravity. Your whole being is constantly being pulled towards the center of the earth, even when you’re sleeping. That takes a toll on your whole body including your organs. But when you are inverted, suddenly the weight is taken off your organs. The heart is given relief from that constant pulling. So are other organs. Your body pumps fresh blood into the heart and lymphatic systems. It is also great for decompressing your spine. Every day, gravity pushes down on the discs of the spine. The discs are like sponges that dry up over time and shrink us. But when we go upside down, the discs are filled with spinal fluid keeping it spongy for years to come. In fact by decompressing the spine and freeing up the spinal discs, Christopher claims that people have come out of AntiGravity Yoga….TALLER!!!

For me though, it is the thought of being able to “fly” that fascinates me most about AntiGravity Yoga. Being able to invert without having to have fairly strong arms to support you is a liberating idea. It’s like a giant holding you up in the air and suspending you with very little, almost no effort at all. AntiGravity Yoga is able to bring poses to beginners which, if done on the ground, would require more advanced yoga foundation.

Check out some of the poses that Christopher showed us.

Continue Reading →

December 7, 2011
by jane
2 Comments

All-natural antibacterial sport sprays

I was at EchoStore Serendra yesterday and spotted the last bottle of this.

Working out in a gym or in a yoga studio, you really don’t know what bacteria lie around. People come and go, step all over the floors, dump their clothes in the lockers and sweat a lot. At my gym, I do see someone going around the machines every now and then with a sprayer to mop down handles and places where the body comes in contact with the machine.

It helps to have an antibacterial spray you can drop into your yoga bag for use anywhere in the gym or yoga studio, including your mat, right before practice. This is a great idea for those days when you have no time to wash your mat or the weather outside is muggy and not conducive to yoga mat cleaning. It’s probably a good idea too to spray the insides of lockers before putting your stuff in.

The label of this one from Island Basics says its ingredients include bioenzymes (looks like these are the ones that eat up the bacteria), tea tree oil (a disinfectant) and peppermint essential oil (for the fragrance). Nothing more. 100% ALL NATURAL!

Sport Spray from Island Basics retails at PhP 160 for a 100ml bottle.

Next time, I will try Messy Bessy‘s version called Sports Spritzer which sells for PhP 130 for a 250ml bottle. They ran out when I was looking for this at EchoStore. Fortunately, MessyBessy people just told me via their Facebook page that they are at Mercato Centrale, Bonifacio Global City every Saturday-Sunday from 7AM-2PM.

 

Messy Bessy’s ingredients are different from Island Basics. Theirs consist of sugarcane alcohol, lactic acid, sodium lactate, herbal waters, deionized water and naturally-derived scent.

Have you tried any of these two sprays? I’d love it if you could drop me a line here if you have.

October 30, 2011
by jane
0 comments

Reflexology – a great detox therapy

Recently, several bloggers including myself, were treated to the Rwo Shur healing method of reflexology at The Reflex Zone.

Rwo Shur stands for the Chinese name of Fr. Josef, a Swiss Catholic priest who discovered the power of healing by pressing, kneading, pinching and working on the soles of the feet which represent different organs, glands and body systems.

All their male licensed therapists carry certificates from the Rwo Shur Center and they were trained in Malaysia.

 

Foot chart shows the parts of body represented on the foot

 

 

Foot chart legend

The therapist who worked on my feet told me that reflexology has a detoxifying effect. Which is why they strongly recommend to their clients to drink a lot of water after the treatment to flush out the toxins that were loosened by the reflexology.

Read more details about The Reflex Zone and my reflexology experience HERE.

August 25, 2011
by jane
1 Comment

St. Luke’s Global City Introduces Complementary Medicine Therapies

When I got this invitation, I knew I just had to attend. After all, when a leading tertiary hospital like St. Luke’s Global City finally incorporates complementary medicine as part of its healing methods for patients, I know I am seeing a change in the realm of medicine.

Growing up, I always saw that clear dividing line between the Western style of medicine and all others. When you get sick and are brought to a hospital, doctors conduct the kind of medical tests and procedures done in the West like X-rays, blood tests, ultrasound tests, etc. Medicines prescribed to you are also chemical-based Western medicine.

All other other kinds of therapy, including the use of meditation, herbs and esotheric forms of spiritual/physical activity, fell into the realm of Eastern spirituality or alternative/homeopathic medicine.

In recent years, Western medicine-trained doctors are slowly coming to realize that there is a connection among wellness of mind, body and spirit. Years back, I read an article in my subscription copy of Reader’s Digest, written up by a doctor, who observed that prayers and deep spirituality actually helped in the healing of patients. Here is an article I saw online on Reader’s Digest site, The Power of Prayer.

St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City now has a Complementary Medicine Service that offers 3 major services to complement a patient’s Western medical treatment:

1. Massage therapy

2. Yoga therapy

3. Acupuncture

The specialists of these 3 services work closely with a patient’s doctors to map out a complete and holistic treatment.

Continue Reading →

June 13, 2011
by jane
4 Comments

The Elle Workout Yoga Vook

You read it right. It’s VOOK, not book. That’s because it’s an e-book that comes with videos. And it’s now available on your iOS device.

I found this app quite by accident while browsing the iTunes store and to my delight, found out that it was on sale for a few hours – FREE!!!

So never mind that it was 403MB heavy, I downloaded it right away on my iPad.

The vook features model Brooklyn Decker who practices yoga alongside one of my favorite yoginis, Strala Yoga founder Tara Stiles. They feature yoga exercises that can be done at home or on the go. Each yoga routine is roughly about 20 minutes in length, just short enough for people who don’t have much time but long enough for a decent yoga workout.

Every chapter looks just like a book page. The text enumerates all the poses included in this routine. Before watching the video, I suggest you read through the poses and, in your mind, imagine yourself going through them already. It makes following the video easier.

This is how a chapter looks before playing video

...and how it looks with the video playing.

Looking at the app, I’d say it’s good for a first-time practitioner, a newbie yogi/yogini or an advanced one because it shows both the regular and modified (easier) asanas, giving you a choice as to which one to follow. This is one app that is great to bring along when you travel to ensure you still get your yoga workout on the fly.

To get the best experience, I suggest that you first read through the text of a chapter to familiarize yourself with the sequence. Then play the video, just watching Brooklyn and Tara and deciding whether you need to modify some poses (as done by Brooklyn) or go with the regular asanas as done by Tara. Position your iOS device near enough for you to follow the video but not too close that you may accidentally swipe it while you are practicing.

I was lucky to have downloaded the app when they dropped the price to FREE but I just checked last night and it is going for only $2.99. Still a good deal, I think. Just a reminder. Prices of apps do change from time to time and the price I am quoting here could go up or down. If you don’t need this app right away, wait for a big holiday when many apps are discounted and who knows? You may get to download this one free again.

Click HERE to check its description on iTunes.

Released: 04 April 2011
Version: 1.0 (tested for iOS 4.0)
Size: 403 MB
Language: English
Developer: Vook
Compatible with: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

May 16, 2011
by jane
0 comments

Breathing Zone: a FREE iOS app for 24 hours

Those who practice yoga know how important Pranayama (or breathing) is to our practice. And clinical studies do show that by breathing slower and deeper, it has a profound effect on reducing stress levels and ultimately, blood pressure.

For 24 hours today (the app was posted around 4AM Manila Time, May 16), Breathing Zone, a $2.99 app, is FREE!

Here’s what Harvard Medical School’s newsletter says about the app: “When you find yourself under stress, Breathing Zone can help unruffle your feathers. This app employs the phone’s microphone to assess your breathing, then establishes a realistically reduced “target rate.” You can choose an audio accompaniment and set the length of your relaxation session. You then breathe in and out in sync with an image that pulsates at a gradually slower pace.”

I wrote about the app on my other blog, Apps and Gadgets. Do check it out there and if you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, download it now.

April 19, 2011
by jane
5 Comments

Traveling this summer? Do airplane yoga!

Are you leaving on a jet plane this summer?

Which type of traveler are you: the kind who walks up and down the aisles every so often? Or the type who stays seated, strapped to your seat the whole flight?

If you’re the latter, let’s just say that prolonged seating can be bad for your health. It even gets worse when your seat is wedged in between other travelers so you tend to stay put in your seat so as not to bother them with your crossing back and forth.

Whether it is a short trip or a long haul, it is important to keep your blood circulating. Long hours of seating, especially when leg room is very limited and you cannot move around in your chair, can make you feel more tired and fatigued. Studies have shown that long-haul flights can cause tight muscles, blood clots, leg swelling, stiff joints, etc.

Some yoga stretches and exercises can keep you limber during and after a flight.

Tara Stiles did a video on Airplane Yoga which you can do while just in your seat.

Here’s another one by Roni Porter:

And here are some articles I found that may also help you with other exercises:

Airplane Yoga – Ancient Secret to Modern Travel

Airplane Yoga

Airplane Yoga: 5 De-stressing Tips + How-To Video

Enjoy your flight!

April 19, 2011
by jane
1 Comment

Get your Yoga Journal May 2011 digital edition FREE!

 

Good news! In celebration of Earth Day, the May 2011 digital version of Yoga Journal is being made available for FREE! The last time I was able to download a free digital version was in May 2008. I believe you may still be able to download it now.

For the May 2011 digital edition, there are 3 ways you can get it.

1. View it on your browser – Just go to the Yoga Journal page announcing this free issue, click on the option for viewing on browser.

2. View it on your mobile device, e.g., an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch – You will need to download the free Zinio reader app to your mobile device, create a Zinio account, type ‘Yoga Journal’ in the search bar, and download the free issue.

3. To keep a copy on your hard disk, download Zinio into your Mac or Windows computer, open Zinio, then download the issue.

As a bonus, you can also download for free the May 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times.

 

I just wish Yoga Journal was made available in digital edition for all its issues. Having to have it shipped from the US to here is so expensive. And so is buying it off a magazine stand here.

February 23, 2011
by jane
0 comments

My Cushe Yoga Flops

The first time I encountered Cushe (pronounced cu-shee) was at my boys’ school fair just the other week. I was going around taking pictures of the boys’ different game booths when I saw a stall selling flip flops. The brand was new so, without knowing why, I took a shot of it.

 

Who would ever have thought that the very next day, I’d be talking to Cushe’s marketing person who wanted me to try out their product which turned out to be — what else, but YOGA FLOPS!!!

Of course, Cushe (a UK company) is more than yoga flops. I googled the brand and found out that they also carry men’s and women’s rubber shoes, loafers, sandals and even boots.

I was given a choice of two types of yoga flops that they carry: a low or high pair. The high flops were similar to another pair of clogs that I had while the low flops had a slight elevation from the floor, unlike other flops that are thinner and flatter.

Based on materials I saw on the main Cushe website, the yoga flops are made of the following materials:

Strap: Printed canvas

Footbed: “Yoga mat” sponge

Midsole: Moulded EVA with added arch support

Outsole: Blown rubber for added traction and durabiity

I decided to go with the low pair for this review. The low one was plum in color and one that I thought was nice to wear after a yoga session. The gentlest type of footwear for feet is one that is as close to the ground as possible, isn’t tight and allows breathing space for the feet.

I’ve been wearing the Cushe yoga flops around the house for some time now and find them really comfy. Because the part that touches my sole is made of yoga mat material, which is not only soft and cushy but has those round, elevated indentations in the texture that massage your foot’s underside, I feel as though I am walking on my yoga mat as I walk around.

Last night, I took the Cushe flops for a spin at the gym. This particular design I have has the strap wrapping around my big toe so I wanted to check if constant walking would irritate my skin between the big toe and the second toe since that’s where the greatest pressure of the strap was. None at all. The flip flops were comfy to wear, though I did have two occasions when the flops easily slipped off and I had to insert my feet into them again. I’d probably recommend to Cushe also to consider making the outsole more ridged for even greater grip and traction because the current indentations on the outsole will eventually wear down and become flat, making the flip flops a bit slippery.

Here are some closeup pics I took of my flops.

Did you notice the flops' design? Girl doing the lotus pose!

Full front view

The printed canvas strap is very detailed and soft

How Cushe flops look on my foot :-)

The high yoga flops come in the following colors: purple, raspberry and brown. The low yoga flops come in plum and raspberry. Both the high and low yoga flops retail for P1,190.

You can find Cushe yoga flops at Cushe’s boutique stores at Festival Mall, Trinoma and Newport and at the Hush Puppies/Cushe boutique store at Eastwood. It’s also available in the following shoe outlets: Planet Sports, Royal Sporting House, Islands, SBMA, Olympic Village and Urban Athletics.