The Yogini from Manila

June 13, 2015
by Yogajane
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Celebrate with us the first International Day of Yoga on June 21 (updated)

idayofyoga logoFor the first time ever, the global yoga community will come together on June 21 to celebrate the first International Day of Yoga.

Last Dec. 11, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga after a call from the Honorable Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, during his address before the UN General Assembly in September 2014. There he said: “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition . It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.” 175 nations, including USA, Canada and China co-sponsored the resolution and was reported to have the “highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UNGA Resolution of such nature.”

June 21 was the suggested day because it is the Summer Solstice. Mr. Modi said that “the date is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance in many parts of the world. ”

In the website set up for the International Day of Yoga, idayofyoga.org, yogi and mystic Sadhguru explains the significance of June 21. “On the day of the summer solstice, Adiyogi [the first yogi] turned south and first set his eyes on the Saptarishis or Seven Sages, who were his first disciples to carry the science of yoga to many parts of the world. It is wonderful that June 21 marks this momentous event in the history of humanity.”

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April 27, 2015
by Yogajane
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Meditation Tips for Beginners

Meditation helps me a lot during trying times when my mind is just so frazzled and stressed trying to cope with challenges that life throws my way. I’ve taken several meditation courses on different themes given online by Deepak Chopra and Oprah and find that they give me new insights each time. I’ve also been in touch with other people who have sent me their meditation courses to ask for inputs. I’m so humbled and grateful for all these people I come in contact with even if they do not know me at all. And this is where my new story begins.

A few weeks ago, Karl Burton of bettermindbodysoul.com emailed me out of the blue to ask for some beginner tips on meditation. Take note, before that day, I did not know of him. A quick check of his website just to get a feel of what he was writing about and I sent off my tips without really knowing what the final outcome would look like. What I thought would be a simple article from random yogis and yoginis turned out to be more than I expected. Karl not only included my tips in his post but he also created a beautiful infographic that could be readily shared (I am posting it at the bottom).

But…that was not what really blew me away. The other people Karl asked to contribute to his article were names and websites I knew only too well — names like Leo Babauta (author of Focus and The Power of Less, among others), Sadie Nardini (well known yoga teacher), Gaiam TV (I love them!), Elephant Journal (I super love them too!), everythingyoga.com, meditationsociety.com and more. Oh wow, to be quoted alongside these people I consider VIPs is overwhelming! And one that inspires me to do even more with this yoga blog. Please… leave me comments and tell me what you want to see here.

To read the full article with our Meditation Tips for Beginners, click HERE.

Here’s the infographic made by BetterMindBodySoul.com.

 

Meditation tips for beginners by

BetterMindBodySoul.com

 

March 8, 2015
by Yogajane
3 Comments

10 Quotes on Why You Should Take Breaks, Relax and Play

On this Sunday, I thought of just sharing something I came across on the web. I love quotes, especially those that really help me bring more meaning into my life. But these quotes also remind me to take a break from all my yang work (blogging, social media, advocacy work) and just REST, clear my mind, and RELAX. Hope it helps you too!

 

January 20, 2015
by Yogajane
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Yoga for Swimmers

It doesn’t matter what fitness regimen or sports one is into. Yoga can complement and help build on, protect, enhance, minimize injury and do so much more.

Recently, I actually got a pleasant surprise when Amy Hall, Managing Director and Assistant Coach of The Race Club  emailed me. I checked out their website and found out that they began as far back as 2000 when 13 swimmers came together to train for the Sydney Olympic Games. Today, “the Race Club is focused on developing the most advanced swim camps in the world in one of the most beautiful places in the world; the Florida Keys“, it says in their History page. The Race Club’s mission is to train Olympic swimmers.

Amy Hall of The Race Club

Amy Hall

 

To my pleasant surprise, Amy sent me a link showing them doing yoga. The Race Club website further explains why they use yoga in their training program:

“The Race Club has been practicing yoga for swimmers during dryland training for years. Yoga can significantly increase core strength and flexibility while lengthening muscles, creating a more streamlined physique in swimming.”

Here is The Race Club’s yoga sequence for the shoulders and another sequence for the legs.

 

Screengrab taken from The Race Club video, Yoga for Shoulders

Screengrab taken from The Race Club video, Yoga for Shoulders

December 7, 2014
by Yogajane
4 Comments

Meet the CUCA Eco-Care yoga mat

I have several yoga mats at home. To be honest, I began with a generic, cheap mat since I did not know then, back in 2006, if I’d love it. When I began practicing on a regular basis, I transitioned to branded yoga mats. But each mat had its pros and cons.

One mat I own is a very popular brand. It’s one that will last me for many, many years. But it’s not a mat I can carry anywhere with me. In fact, when rolled up, it’s as heavy as a suitcase. It’s just good for home practice. I also have branded mats that are of normal mat thickness (4mm) and they just don’t work for kneeling asanas. I end up using 2 mats stacked one on top of the other. Then, there is the stickiness factor. I’ve tried mats that are so aesthetically appealing but when doing downward dogs my hands start slipping. Not. Safe. Such mats can be dangerous for those who need enough stickiness especially when doing inversions. And, here’s one more — length. Most mats have a standard length of 68 inches. Well, guess what happens when a tall person uses normal-sized mats! Not a problem though, haha.

Really, just think about the mats you own. What do you like and don’t like about them? I’m sure there are a few things you wish your mat had.

Well, I recently met Priscilla Aliwarga, “CEO on fire” of CUCA, who says she set out to create what is the closest to the perfect yoga mat.

As a Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher, Priscilla Aliwarga has also tried different kinds and brands of yoga mats. She said that the market had only two kinds of mats: the generic, cheap kind or, on the other end of the spectrum, the very expensive branded ones. She also felt that some of the mats she had been using did not have all the features she would have wanted. She wanted to create the ideal yoga mat — slip-proof, made from aseptic materials that were still completely biodegradable, beautiful, and affordable. So she set out to do just that and came up with the CUCA Eco-care yoga mat.

It’s interesting where the name CUCA comes from. Kuka is the Incan Goddess of Happiness and Well-Being. Priscilla told us this embodied what she wanted her company to be — a company “infused with the passion of people who strive for high performance, affordable, eco-friendly products, to empower you to get in touch with your inner self”.

 

Priscilla Aliwarga, CUCA's CEO on fire!

Priscilla Aliwarga, CUCA’s CEO on fire!

 

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October 26, 2014
by Yogajane
2 Comments

Pain relief with Kimochi Aroma Pillows

I’ve been bothered by pain in my right shoulder for some time now. Being a blogger and social media person sure has its disadvantages. Typing on a keyboard for hours is not always ergonomic. I’ve tried yin yoga poses and they help. I do counterposes to stretch out the inner arms and move wrists in the opposite direction. I try to remember to angle my laptop with screen lower than my waist to lessen wrist pressure. But the pain comes and goes. Then a great item came for me recently – a whole set of Kimochi Aroma Pillows! Even with the courier package still well-sealed, I could already smell the strong lavender scent coming out of the pillows. Wow, they sure placed a lot of aromatherapy into these things! Kimochi aroma pillows sealed
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October 7, 2014
by Yogajane
9 Comments

Book review: Ayurveda by Kim Inglis (plus a book giveaway!)

I will preface this book review by saying that I am nowhere near an expert on Ayurveda, an ancient Indian holistic healing modality that considers a person’s basic (dosha) constitution based on vatha (air), pitta (fire) and kapha (water). In fact, I consider myself a newbie in this healing realm.

So when I was asked if I wanted to do a book review on an upcoming Ayurveda book by Kim Inglis, I took it as an opportunity to learn more about this holistic therapeutic approach as added knowledge beside my learnings about Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Ayurveda by Kim Inglis

Ayurveda by Kim Inglis

The book is beautifully laid out in easy-to-read style with generous illustrated photos of each Ayurvedic treatment in every chapter. The book is divided into 3 major categories after an introductory chapter: Wellness, Beauty and Balance.

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