The Writing’s on the Wall
While in Singapore last week, I rode a cab from Orchard Road and asked the driver if he knew where True Yoga is.
Cab driver: “Evlybody say they true yoga, they true yoga, but they not true yoga.”
Hmm.
So I head to my hotel room and study the map. The next day (after official work duties), I take a cab to the Pacific Plaza at Scotts Road and here’s what I find: http://www.trueyoga.com.sg/facilities.htm
Pretty impressive.
A fitness adviser named Sham comes to me to give an assessment of what class would be right for me. Interesting.
From the schedule list that she gives me, I spot COMBAT YOGA. Hu-wat?!? I send text messages to my yoga friends and the resounding sentiment is “Is that not contradictory to ahimsa?”
I attend a Lunar Flow class. I’ll describe it as partner yoga cum thai massage. We did yoga poses with our partner pushing, pulling or aligning us - then exchange. My partner is Yu and she’s a pretty nice person. Namaste.
After class, I get charged 38 Sing dollars. Hu-wow! That’s already 2.5 serious a la carte yoga classes in Manila. Fine, it’s for the experience.
I stick around to observe the Combat Yoga class. It’s combination Tae-Bo, Kick Boxing, and yoga stretches. Ah…combat yoga.
I also stick around to observe the Hot Yoga class. Hu are you kidding! It’s aerobics in a hot room. To borrow the words of my Bikram teachers — It’s just hanging out in a hot room.
From what I saw, these are yoga-yogahan classes.
Here’s another one that I spot advertising along Orchard Road:
I am much better off doing self-pratice in my hotel room or by the hotel pool.
And shop.
This is what I love about my Bikram Yoga Manila roots — they make sure it’s worth my time and money to come to class. The facilities may not be sophisticated-posh but they are neat and clean. Didi Manahan and I were just chatting yesterday after our Sunday morning class and we both commend Jemel for keeping BYM QC clean.
There may be room for improvements at BYM (and for all yoga studios for that matter), but really there’s no place like home.
Jane said,
March 31, 2008 at 5:08 pm
So THAT is combat yoga! I call all this newfangled stuff diluted yoga.
They actually seem to combine just about anything with a few yoga-like poses and that is a new yoga fad? Hoo-boy!
You’re right. Classes in Manila still have the semblance of the real yoga stuff. Never mind the less-than-sophisticated ambience. Yup, no place like HOME.
Crissy said,
April 1, 2008 at 2:23 am
Yes, THAT was combat yoga.
Oh well…I will just treat this as a yoga Who Moved My Cheese moment…Haw kept writing on the wall for others to read. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Moved_My_Cheese
Jon said,
April 1, 2008 at 5:48 am
Gusto kong mag-comment pero parang ayaw gumana ng utak ko. Quote ko na lang yung sinulat ko dati:
Yoga is an ancient discipline of self-discovery and transformation which uses the body and the breath as tools in discovering one’s Self. At the most basic level, it is a holistic approach to health and wellness. It includes a myriad of practices which aims to strengthen the body, destress the mind, and uplift the spirit.
The physical performance of yoga postures or asanas become merely acrobatic or gymnastics without breath awareness and an understanding of the philosophy behind the practice. Eventhough we are only pursuing yoga for health and fitness reasons, it is always beneficial to acknowledge that behind all those forward bends, spinal twists and inversions lie a belief and value system that makes this practice an authentic system for self-transformation.
Crissy said,
April 1, 2008 at 8:59 am
Hi Jon,
Well…after reading your comment…to extend benefit of the doubt with the yoga studios offering this type of yoga breeds…I guess you can say that it’s one avenue to Self Discovery. For those embarking on a journey, maybe the likes of True Yoga is one way to start. Once upon a time I tried a Yogilates class in Fitness First ABS-CBN. It’s combination Yoga and Pilates. I took Pilates at Plinky Recto’s Makati studio the year before moving to Quezon City. It is serious Pilates and experiencing a Yogilates class at FF was a “hu are you kidding” experience too. Back then, I was not exposed to true yoga so I was thinking that it was yoga that diluted the pilates in the FF Yogilates class. But after taking my very first yoga class at Bikram, I knew instantaneously that yoga in a gym is not the real McCoy…except maybe for Pio’s yoga classes at Gold’s Gym although I don’t know that first hand since I’ve never taken his class at GG.
You’re right, physical performance of asanas is just acrobatics or gymnastics. I used to be a gymnast in grade school, then stopped but was a cheerleader in high school. Maybe it’s the age (and maturity) but I don’t recall the experience to be anywhere near a yoga practice even when the stunts in gymnastics and cheerleading are tougher.
I think my discontent with the True Yoga class stems from being spoiled with my Manila Yoga Teachers. You come to class not just for the physical workout — because by now you know the postures and can very well do them on your own. But the guidance, the alignment, the energy, the correction, the learnings — these are what I come to class for. I recall my discussions with Jane and Chona and all the other advanced students in different yoga disciplines in Manila and these exchange of notes all the more cement my thinking.
http://yoginimla.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/karma-yoga/#comments
People are missing out a lot if it’s just some physical work out using yoga postures.
Peace.
Jon said,
April 1, 2008 at 12:09 pm
You were a gymnast and a cheerleader? Cool!
Guess ano work ko sa UP dati aside from teaching PE?
On gym yoga, I believe it depends on who’s teaching the class. Though still, in a fitness gym, the energy is different. People go there not for spirituality or what’s not but to lose weight, be fit and get stronger. I guess it will be natural that when exercisers step into the group ex room, they bring with them this consciousness.
Also, when a yoga class is scheduled right after a kickboxing or a step class, the “energy” that is created by the people in the previous class remains in the room.
Tiwariji would always say, “we try to understand and don’t condemn”.
The problem is, “I’m paying $$$$$ for this???”… hehehehe.
InHELL….exHELL.
Cheers.
Crissy said,
April 1, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Yes, once upon a time eh pumasang-awa akong gymnast at cheerleader.
Head coach ka ng UP gymnastics team? O ng UP Pep Squad?
Correct ka diyan, Teacher Jon. Nakaka-windang ang energy sa gym studio. Lalo na yung tinatawag kong “pick-up energy” — nami-mik up ng mabobola!
Ilang beses ko nang muntik bagsakan ng weights kasi I can not understand and can not condemn kaya daanin nalang sa pagiging accident prone kuno. hehe.
Kaya love ko ang yoga. Walang ganyan…kasi ba naman, pag nakita mo nang mas flexible at stronger sa asanas yung type mo na girl eh umaandar ang ego ng guy at nagpapakitang gilas to the point na ma-windang di ba…hahaha!
Jon said,
April 2, 2008 at 8:49 am
Hehehe… assistant coach ng UP Pep Squad (2002-2005)
Wahahaha…. oo nga pala… di mo pa naba-blog yung experience mo about the Inappropriate Yoga Guy.
Crissy said,
April 4, 2008 at 1:35 am
Jon, di ko pa kaya i-blog yung mga kuwentong ganyan…kapag face to face kuwentuhan nalang.