WHY MORE MEN SHOULD DO YOGA

SINGAPORE

6 easy
yoga poses for
GUYS
LEARN
how to be still during
SAVASANA

How yoga

18
BEAT
CANCER
views A thriver’s story
from men about
YOGA &
MEDITATION

APRIL/MAY 2017 #6 S$9.95

ISSN 2424-9246
5
Meditate
reasons
WHY MEN
should

9 772424 924002
YOGAJOURNAL.COM.SG
 contents APRIL / MAY 2o17
FEATURES
51 Beyond Smoothies
Your blender may be a smoothie
machine, but if that’s all you use it for,
you’re missing out on fun and tasty
ways to enhance your health, energy,
and more.
Story and recipes By Tess Masters

57 Yoga & Men

Guys have the world to gain by
practicing yoga. So what’s holding them
back? Yoga Journal Singapore spoke to 18
men on why they think men should be
getting on their mats as often as women.
By Andrew Tilin & Kavita Chandran

64 Heavenly Rest
Can’t stop squirming in Savasana?
Here’s how you can be still—and good
reasons why you should.
By John Hanc

MODEL: COPPER CROW | PHOTOGRAPHY: GARGI MAZUMDAR | ART DIRECTOR: ANUJA BAGADE |
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017

WARDROBE: PURE APPAREL

cover credits Model: Copper Crow | Photography: Gargi Mazumdar |

COVER MODEL AND LEAD TEACHER AT PURE YOGA, DANNY COPPER CROW, tells Yoga
Art Director: Anuja Bagade | Wardrobe: Pure Apparel 
Journal Singapore how life took him from martial arts to yoga training. (Page 39)

2
ntents
APRIL/MAY 2017
9 LIVE WELL

18 11 WHAT’S THE BUZZ IN SG Events and workshops

galore, leading up to the International Yoga Day
celebrations in June! Read about what’s happening
in town and book your tickets.
14 WISDOM Joy can strengthen your immune
system, boost your energy, and protect you from
stress. Richard Miller, PhD, shows you to how to
find happiness, even in your darkest hour.
18 ESCAPE YJSG team was at the Bali Spirit Festival in
March, an annual event that brings together yoga
and healing enthusiasts from all around the world.
Grace Lee writes about her experience.

23
31
PRACTICE WELL
24 ANATOMY Twists are often blamed for low-back
pain, but the poses can actually keep your back
healthy. Ray Long, MD founder of Bandha Yoga,
shows you how. (Hint: Your core is key.)
28 YOGAPEDIA Stretch and strengthen your legs and
hips as you move from Virasana to Krounchasana
with John Schumacher, Advanced Iyengar Teacher.
35 HOME PRACTICE Boost your energy and find
greater joy with this 16-pose sequence from yoga
teacher Alanna Kaivalya, PhD, author of the book
Yoga Beyond the Mat.
41 SEQUENCE To make it easy for those men who
don’t know where to begin on their mat, Pure Yoga

49
lead teacher Copper Crow demonstrates a stretch
sequence to release tension from tight muscles.
44 MEDITATION YJSG meditation expert, Vikas
Malkani tells us 5 simple reasons why men should
meditate.

47 EAT WELL
48 FLEX TABLE Boost your Sunday brunch with a
light, flaky quiche, made with protein-rich salmon
and leeks, kale and ricotta, or onions and wild
mushrooms.
49 SMARTCHEF Move over, almond milk. Cashew,
macadamia, and pistachio milk are the new “it”
nut milks, adding creamy, buttery goodness and
delicious versatility to your cuisine.

73 69
73
CONNECT
IN FOCUS YJSG shares pics of our yoga event with
Feb/March cover model Laura Burkhart in Sentosa.
74 TEACHER SPOTLIGHT Meet Kenrick Goh, a
Singaporean teacher who has incorporated a
unique combination in his yoga teaching—
Taichiquan!
76 MY STORY MY CALLING Vijay Bhat calls himself a
‘cancer thriver’, not a survivor. Read his inspiring
journey, from disease to deliverance.
80 I'M A YOGI Tony Tan, a senior executive in
Singapore, tells us how yoga and meditation helps
reduce his stress levels and find inner peace.
 EDITOR
Kavita Chandran

COPY EDITOR
Mingli Lin

ART DIRECTOR
Anuja Bagade

MARKETING DIRECTOR
Rahul Budhraja

SUBSCRIBE TO YOGA JOURNAL SINGAPORE AT SALES AND MARKETING

www.yogajournal.com.sg/subscribe Aslinah Jaffar

PHOTOGRAPHERS
Samuel Henderson
yogajournalSG Gargi Mazumdar

ADMIN ASSISTANT
ADVERTISE IN YOGA JOURNAL SINGAPORE: Wai Kuan Tan
advertisements@yogajournal.com.sg
PRINTER
WRITE FOR YOGA JOURNAL SINGAPORE: Ho Printing Singapore Pte Ltd
editor@yogajournal.com.sg DISTRIBUTOR
Pansing Distribution Pte Ltd
HAVE AN UPCOMING YOGA EVENT / WORKSHOP Magazine Division
let us know, events@yogajournal.com.sg
PUBLISHER
Sankia Publishing Pte Ltd
302 Orchard Road, 0703 Tong Building
Singapore 238862
Tel : (+65) 6521 3716

Yoga Journal Singapore is published six times a year

by Sankia Publishing Pte Ltd under license from
Active Interest Media, 2520 55th Street, Suite 210,
Boulder, Colorado 80301, United States of America.
Copyright © 2017 Active Interest Media. The trade-
mark YOGA JOURNAL is a registered trademark of
Active Interest Media. © Cruz Bay publishing Inc. All
Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA
reproduced without the written permission of the
yogajournal.com.sg

publisher. Articles published in the magazine reflect CHAIRMAN & CEO Efrem Zimbalist III
the opinion of the authors and cannot necessarily be PRESIDENT & COO Andrew W. Clurman
SNR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Patricia B. Fox
interpreted as those of the Publisher or the Editor of
DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL LICENSING Dayna Macy
Yoga Journal Singapore.
@ CRUZ BAY PUBLISHING, INC.
april / may 2017

ISSUE NUMBER 06, APR/ MAY 2017

Yoga Journal Singapore is owned by licensee Sankia Publishing Pte Ltd and has been issued a Newspaper Permit by
YOGA JOURNAL SINGAPORE the Media Development Authority of Singapore. The magazine is not responsible for advertising claims. Advice on
Sankia Publishing Pte Ltd exercise and wellness are not a substitute for medical counselling. The editorial content in Yoga Journal Singapore
ISSN # 24249246 should not be used as a substitute for professional healthcare. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure of certain exercises
Newspaper Permit MCI (P) 063/05/2016 mentioned in this magazine. The creators, producers, participants and distributors of Yoga Journal Singapore disclaim
6 any liability for loss or injury in connection with the exercises shown or instruction and advice expressed herein.
 Studio to street
Designed for your lifestyle, COAR activewear balances performance and practice to
help you breathe and sweat easy. Supportive silhouettes allow you freedom to move,
while moisture-wicking fabrics keep you cool when things heat up.

cottonon.com
 it r l tt r
Dear Readers,
Here we are with our very first Men’s Issue
of Yoga Journal Singapore! It has been an
enjoyable, humbling and insightful experience
to speak with men who do yoga, and also
those who don’t. You will enjoy reading our
feature on page 57.
History reveals that yoga was introduced,
designed and practiced mostly by men—from
Patanjali who wrote the Yoga Sutras, to BKS
Iyengar who focused on strength and stability
with props, to Pattabhi Jois who made yoga
more modern by introducing the Ashtanga
flow. These were men who lived and loved
yoga until their last breath. Yet, around the
world, yoga today is practiced mostly by
women.
Traditional yoga acquired a new form as it
spread westward, and the focus shifted from
alignment and meditative postures to high
powered poses that toned the body. Women
soon realized that the practice of yoga was not
only sculpting their bodies, but also rewarding
them with inner peace and calm—which
helped offset the overwhelming madness that
came with multi-tasking at home and work. In
my humble opinion, these modern women
found the secret of the mat faster than men—
yoga strengthens your mind.
It’s only a matter of time before all men
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017
8
discover the above message and find their
way back to yogic path. The numbers are
already increasing. In Singapore alone, of the
700,000 people who express an interest in
yoga, according to Facebook, 40% are men.
Yoga studios on the island are seeing at least
15% more men sign up for a session compared
to three years ago. In the U.S. too, there’s
been a jump of 18% in the number of male
practitioners since 2012.
“Yoga is more than just a lot of “stretching”—
there are other motivations guys might not
have thought about, like using yoga to stay
sharp in their career,” says Copper Crow, lead
teacher at Pure Yoga in Singapore and our
cover model.
Copper, a former corporate guy who learned
yoga from his Dad, encourages his students to
explore their practice, and reiterates that yoga,
like swimming, is something we can grow with
and continue well into our later years. (Page 41)
The calm yogi in Copper was obvious during
the cover shoot as he went seamlessly
from one pose to another, not hesitating
or disagreeing with any of our peppy and
creative suggestions. He even played along
when we pulled trash cans into the frame
so he could do a split that replicated the Van
Damme commercial for Volvo trucks. What
Sorry Copper, so focused was I on my Namaste that
I didn’t realize you were losing balance! Thank you
for being such a sport!
a sport! A big thanks also to his lovely wife,
Andrea, for being his perfect wardrobe assistant
throughout the shoot!
Our next issue will talk more about the
evolution of yoga as teachers think of
innovative and creative ways to attract
students, both women and men. As long as the
core principle remains the mind-body-breath
experience, I’d say go challenge yourself on
the mat. Yoga is liberating, as witnessed by our
writer Grace Lee at the Bali Spirit Festival (Page
18), so why put fear and inhibitions around
it. Don’t be intimidated by weird postures or
mock those who can’t achieve a final pose.
Find yourself on the mat before you find an
excuse.
Accepting without judging, knowing your
limitations and embracing change is what yoga
is all about. Gender has nothing to do with it.
Enjoy the magazine!
Regards,
Kavita Chandran
Editor in Chief
kavita.chandran@yogajournal.com.sg
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE PHOTO : GARGI MAZUMDAR, MODEL : COPPER CROW, WARDROBE : PURE APPAREL
 clear
THE AIR
Home should be a sanctuary, but according
to the Environmental Protection Agency, the
air within most houses (and office buildings)
can be more polluted than the air outside in
even the largest, most industrialized cities.
The culprit: volatile organic compounds like
formaldehyde, which are offgassed from
plastics, upholstery, furniture, and other
synthetic (and so-called “natural”!) materials.
While it’s nearly impossible to prevent this
indoor air pollution, there is a low-tech
purification fix: houseplants. “Plants are as
efficient at filtering air as some of the
most high-tech machines,” says Renée Loux,
PAUL MILLER
green-living expert and author of Easy Green
Living. “Plus, they’re beautiful and add
moisture to the air.” Here, Loux’s advice on
finding the right plant for you:
If you don’t have a green thumb … try a snake
plant. “They tolerate neglect very well and
are easy to nurse back to health if they start
looking sad,” says Loux.
If you travel a lot … try aloe. This succulent
thrives in desert conditions, so it can easily
go a week or two without water. Just be sure
to leave it in a sunny spot, as aloe needs lots
of light.
ve WELL
If your home doesn’t get a lot of light … try
a spider plant—these aren’t as sensitive to
low light as other plants. “Keep in mind that
a lack of sun will mean they grow slowly,”
says Loux.
If your home is drenched in sunlight …
try a rubber plant, which thrives in direct
sunlight and is one of the most effective
formaldehyde removers.
If you love to buy cut flowers … instead
try potted peace lilies, mums, or Gerbera
daisies, all flowering plants that scrub the
air. MEGHAN RABBITT
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017
9
 r t i
Murad’s MattEffectTM
Blotting Perfector
Finally, a blotting perfector that
works on all skin tones without
disturbing makeup! Murad’s
MattEffectTM Blotting Perfector is
a first-of-its-kind skincare cushion
compact that instantly mattifies,
refreshes and sets makeup with a
translucent, liquid blotting formula.
This cooling skin care product
absorbs oil and minimizes pores.
You can either set up your makeup
throughout the day or just use
on bare skin for a natural matt
look. 96%of women who tried
it say excess oil was absorbed
immediately, and the product kept
their pores minimized for eight
hours.
MattEffectTM Blotting Perfector
(S$ 68 12ml /o. 4FL. OZ) is available at Sephora, Robinsons the Heeren,
BHG Jurong, Body Countour Permier and Passage New York from
mid-April 2017.
Liforme Yoga Mat, Grey
Have you ever asked “Why doesn’t someone put some markings
yogajournal.com.sg
so I know where to put my hands & feet?” Or wondered if you
were in the ‘correct’ position? Presenting the Liforme mat with a
patented design featuring intelligent markers (guide lines, literally!)
that help with each of your asanas. Made from natural rubber and
eco-polyurethane, this mat helps with your alignment and posture,
and also provides an amazing grip no matter how sweaty you are
(yes, no towel needed)! Test it to believe it at Touch The Toes on
Haji Lane.
april / may 2017
Costs S$ 25o, yoga mat bag and an info booklet included.
Weight : 2.5kg, Dimensions : 185cm long x 68cm wide.
Thickness: Approx. 4.2 mm
www.touchthetoes.com
10
Instamatte Oil-Control
Mask by Murad
Here’s an essential item for every gym bag!
A deep cleansing 3-minute mask designed
for a long-lasting matte complexion.
Clinically proven to reduce 93% of excess
oil after just one use, this multi-tasking
mask + cleanser is meant for all men and
women who lead a hectic lifestyle. 97% of
users who tried this agreed after 3 days that
the mask provided long-lasting oil control
and shine. The InstaMatte Oil-Control Mask
is recommended for oily and acne-prone
skin. It contains zinc that keeps pores clear
throughout the day, salicylic acid that clears
clogged pores and prevents breakouts, grapefruit extract, a natural
astringent, and olive extract which helps to fight free radicals. It has
a subtle and refreshing grapefruit scent and helps to keep makeup in
place all day!
InstaMatte Oil-Control Mask (S$ 79, 3.4 FL. OZ) is available at
www.murad.com.sg as well as Robinsons the Heeren, BHG Jurong,
Sephora stores, selective Guardian stores, Body Contour Premier and
Passage New Year.
Flavored Quinoa packs
For those who eat Quinoa salads as though they were prescription
drugs, Superlife.Co has found an answer. They have created tasty and
flavored Quinoa packs—from Spicy Curry to Korean Kimchi to Thai
Green Curry! You can make them conveniently at home by adding
water and throwing the contents into the rice cooker. Easy Peezy!
Go ahead, add some veggies or meat on the side and present your
wife a delicious lunch on Mother’s Day! They even have a ‘starter kit’
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE
so you can explore their creative Quinoa products, which includes
protein blocs too.
Buy the starter kit online for S$ 38
www.superlife.co

Workshops
The ultimate Fitness Festival is coming to
town! FitnessFest 2017 by AIA, with a lineup
of celebrity fitness instructors, will host a
multi-level fitness bonanza—everything from
kickboxing to yoga to pilates to athletics—at
the Bayfront event space on May 20th and 21st.
Tickets are now on sale at
http://fitnessfest.sg/ - $69 for 1-day pass,
$99 for 2-day pass. Yoga Journal Singapore
subscribers get 10% off ticket price. Put code
TYJFIR10OFF when you register.
YOGA THERAPY WORKSHOP IN MAY
A much-needed yoga therapy event by Vyasa
Yoga’s Manoj Thakur and team of therapists
is coming up in May. The 3-hour workshop,
to be held in collaboration with Yoga Journal,
will focus on prevention & management
of psychosomatic disorders like Bronchial
Asthma, Hypertension, Migraine, Tension
Headache, Anxiety Neurosis, Lower Back Pain,
Arthritis and Digestive Disorders.
-Date &Venue to be announced soon. Call
6521 3716 for details.
BEER YOGA
Don’t even ask! We are equally amazed at the
different forms of yoga that have emerged
around the world. Doing yoga in breweries
(read more on Page 72) is gaining popularity
in the U.S., Germany, Australia, and lately
been talked about in Singapore too.
Want to experience it? Yoga Instiinct and
Superlife have tied up with 1925 Brewing
Co. Restaurant at 369 Jln Besar to offer yoga
followed by beer and protein blocs. You pay
$36 for a one-hour yoga session, four half-
pint craft beer and two quinoa cacao blocs.
http://instiinct.com/ To get more details, email
studio@instiinct.com
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE
live ell
WHAT’S THE BUZZ IN SG?
High Commission of India in Singapore
will be celebrating the 3rd International
Day of Yoga on Sunday, 18 June 2017. For
details, visit www.hcisingapore.gov.in
HALOTHERAPY BY BREATHYA
Salt Therapy, also known as Halotherapy, is
a relaxed drug-free treatment for respiratory
and skin conditions. The good news is it is
available in Singapore at a wellness center
called Breathya! Used by the ancient Greeks,
Halotherapy is a holistic treatment that takes
place in a salt room coated with salt crystals
under controlled air and humidity. The
microclimate helps provide relief to patients
suffering from asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis,
cough, cold, eczema and psoriasis, among
other problems. Breathya claims a 100%
success ratio. Depending on the patient’s
condition, the sessions may range from
45mins to an hour. To make an appointment
at Breathya, email info@breathya.com or call
+65 63230408. www.breathya.com/
New Studios
TRUST YOGA opened a month ago in Telok
Ayer Street. It is owned by Manoj Deshwal,
who was highlighted by YJSG in the Dec/Jan
edition, for his Indian traditional class. The
shop house studio has a nice contemporary
look to it and offers all types of yoga,
including Indian traditional and hot yoga,
along with a room for private training. Get
two free trial classes and decide for yourself.
Sign up at http://trustyoga.com.sg/
A-SPACE by AlphaBalance is a co-working
wellness space with curated programs such
as Yoga, Pilates, Dance, Meditation and
Mindfulness. Located in the Duxton area, this
space bring experts across areas of health
and wellness under one roof, combining
traditional with more modern methodologies.
Visit www.a-space.me
yogajournal.com.sg
The very popular Yoga X
Balance event is back! Yoga
Journal Singapore and
Balanced Living bring you an
evening of restorative yoga
april / may 2017
and sound therapy on April 26,
2017. Limited mat space, email
info@balancedlivingasia.com
to book your spot.
11
 Singapore hosts Fitness Best Asia Awards 2017
CELEBRATING ASIA’S FINEST
By Reuben Oh
Asia’s first fitness and wellness awards ceremony will be
held in Singapore in May 2017 to recognise the biggest
names in Yoga, and beyond. Read to the bottom to see
how you can vote for your favorite candidate.
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017
12
Look out yogis and yoginis, the inaugural Fitness Best Asia Awards is here!
It is the first fitness awards ceremony of its kind in the region, and it aims
to bring the fitness community together to celebrate the top achievers in
the fitness world. Ever wanted to recognize your instructors and studios
for all the hard work they put into elevating your lifestyle? You can vote for
your favorites in a wide range of fitness and wellness categories. To ensure
a fair process, the team behind the ceremony, a local sports marketing
event company, amc experience!, has gathered eight experts from various
fitness arms of the industry to judge the competition.
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE
20 categories, eight judges, one big night! The
question is: how does Yoga fit into all of this?
As the fastest growing fitness activity across the
globe, Singapore too has seen yoga studios and
practitioners increase year after year.
A Facebook survey shows about
700,000 people on the island
have an interest in yoga—
that’s 20% of Singapore’s
population.
It would be a shame to ignore this vast and
passionate community at a fitness awards
ceremony.
There will be two categories specially dedicated
to Yoga during the ceremony: the “Fitness Best
Elites Award – Yoga Instructor of the Year” and
the “Fitness Best Lotus Award – Yoga Studio of
the Year”.
Yoga Journal Singapore, one of
the sponsors at the event, will
be presenting the awards for
both the yoga categories.
These categories include nominees from
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia,
Philippines, Hong Kong and South Korea, with
the goal of eventually covering all of Asia in the
future. There are rising stars and established
names, specialized studios and all-in-ones,
compiled in a diverse group of 24 finalists.
You can check the list of nominees at
www.fitnessbest.com
This is an awards ceremony that seeks to create
an inclusive environment for all individuals and
businesses that have made their mark on the
fitness stage. There will be awards for Pilates,
MMA, equipment brands, among others. There
is even an award for popular influencers that
promote healthy living and exercise through
their social media accounts. To top it all, there is
a special range of Vanguard awards for the local
athletes, coaches and campaigns that have made
undeniable impression and/or achieved the
impossible in fitness. These champions will be
decided entirely by the judges of the ceremony.
Mark the 16th of May on your calendar! The event
will be held at Zouk, Singapore. Ticketing is now
open, with the option of purchasing individually
or booking tables. Take a step towards putting
Asia’s finest on the global map for fitness. Vote
for your favorites at www.fitnessbest.com
Get a list of nominees and vote for your
favorite yoga instructor or yoga studio at
www.yogajournal.com.sg
Media Sponsor for Yoga Category,
Fitness Best Asia Awards
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017
13
 live well
WISDOM
Let joy in
How to find happiness, even in your darkest hour.
By Richard Miller, PhD
LIKE THE ABILITY TO learn a language or love
another human being, the ability to feel joy is
something we’re all born with. And perhaps
surprisingly, we can feel joy independent
of whatever else we’re experiencing, even
amidst intense physical or psychological
pain and suffering, according to psychology
research. That said, many of us still believe
that joy isn’t innate—that it only comes with
possessing a specific item or achieving a
particular outcome. So we keep searching
for joy through objects, relationships, and
experiences, which prevents us from realizing
that this essential emotion is already within us,
patiently waiting to be experienced.
Unfortunately, when you resist or deny
feelings of joy, your life and relationships can
lose their meaning and value. For instance,
when you feel you’re not living life fully, or
when you’re feeling bitter or jealous about that
which others have and you don’t, these feelings
can overshadow your ability to feel your innate
joy. This happened to me in my early 2os, when
I fell into a depression upon moving to a new
city. I failed to find employment and felt isolated
and alone. I lost touch with my intrinsic sense of
Joy can strengthen your immune
yogajournal.com.sg
system, boost your energy, and
protect you from stress.
april / may 2017
14
joy as I floundered in feelings of confusion and
grief, and slid into a downward spiral, losing all
sense of purpose.
That’s when I discovered that meditation
could unearth my innate, unchanging joy, no
matter what my circumstances. In the midst of
my depression, I found my way into a course
on yoga. At the end of the first class, during
meditation, joy unexpectedly flooded my body.
I suddenly felt reconnected to myself and the
universe, and regained my sense of purpose and
meaning. I walked home that evening feeling
renewed, with a burning desire to understand
what had just happened to me.
Since then, I’ve come to see, through both
my personal practice of meditation and reading
countless research studies on neuroscience,
how meditation can help us experience joy at
any time. You see, meditation deactivates your
brain’s default network, which otherwise keeps
you stuck in patterns of negative emotions and
obsessive thoughts, and it activates your brain’s
executive, attention, and defocusing networks,
which help you open to joy and also new
possibilities of insight.
Joy is a good medicine
Since ancient times, joy has been recognized as
a powerful medicine. For instance, in ancient
Greece, hospitals were built near amphitheaters
so patients could easily attend comedies
prescribed to promote healing. One of the
most well-known cases of joy as good medicine
occurred when the writer and peace activist
Norman Cousins, in 1964, was diagnosed with
a life-threatening illness. While researching his
disease, Cousins learned that negative emotions
are detrimental to health and healing. He then
correctly hypothesized that positive emotions
could improve his health, and he began reading
humorous stories and watching funny movies,
essentially laughing his way back to wellness.
In 1989,validating Cousins’s case, the Journal
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE, ILLUSTRATION : DESIGNED BY FREEPIK
of the American Medical Association published
a pioneering article on laughter therapy as a
treatment for improving the quality of life of
chronically ill patients. Research shows that
regularly experiencing joy—whether in the
form of laughter or of activities that promote
happiness and well-being—can produce
healthy changes throughout your body. Joy can
strengthen your immune system; boost your even as you feel the stressor. When it feels right, experience less depression than those who
energy; diminish your perception of pain, relinquish the stressor and just feel joy radiating don’t. The following is good to do at night,
anxiety, and depression; protect you from throughout your body. Rest here for as long as before falling asleep.
the damaging effects of stress; increase your you feel comfortable. With your eyes open or closed, welcome the
ability to sleep restfully through the night; When you’re ready, let your eyes open and environment and sounds around you: the touch
and more. And the best thing is that you can close several times as you encourage the feeling of air on your skin, sensations where your
access feelings of joy at any time through of joy to accompany you into your daily life. body touches the surface that’s supporting it,
meditation. your body breathing, and sensations present
Practice: Welcome Gratitude & Joy throughout your body.
Practice: Welcome Joy’s Opposite Another practice for welcoming joy is to spend
Welcome into your body feelings of gratitude
and joy: perhaps for a friend or animal in your
Every sensation, emotion, and cognition, time experiencing gratitude moments—
life; for where you live; for something someone
whether positive or negative, is half of a welcoming feelings of gratitude and joy into
has done for you; for having food, shelter, and
whole. This is true for joy, too. When you body and mind. You do this by taking time to
clothing; or for simply being alive. Allow feelings
welcome joy into your life, its opposite may recall that which you’re thankful for. Research
of gratitude and joy to spread throughout your
come forward in the form of a negative shows that people who regularly practice
body. Feel an inner smile or your heart growing
feeling. For example, when you try to gratitude moments are more joyful and
experience joy in the face of an illness,
accident, or dissolution of a relationship,
you can end up with unresolved feelings like
sadness, grief, and shame. Instead of falling
into despair, use an exercise called Welcoming
the Opposite of Joy, which allows you to
invite these feelings in as messengers that
help you experience healing and resolution.
Try this practice next time you’re experiencing
a negative sensation, emotion, thought, or life
event, or even during a thought or experience
that is overall positive but doesn’t
necessarily evoke joy—like finding a good
parking spot. You’ll be surprised by how this
simple exercise can have such a life-changing
effect.
With your eyes open or closed, welcome
the environment and sounds around you:
the touch of air on your skin, sensations
where your body touches the surface that’s
supporting it, your body breathing, and
sensations present throughout your body.
Now, locate a feeling of joy in your body.
This could be a feeling of connection, well-
being, peace, happiness, or any sensation
that feels like joy to you. If it’s helpful, bring
to mind a memory of a person, animal, place,
or object that evokes joy. Notice where and
how you experience that joy in your body—
perhaps it’s a warm feeling in your heart or
yogajournal.com.sg

a glow in your belly. Welcome and allow the

feeling of joy to grow and spread throughout
your body.
Now, pair your joy with an opposite,
stressful sensation, emotion, or cognition, or
with a particular stressor in your life. Feel how
this stressful thought, emotion, or situation
april / may 2017

affects your body and mind.

Now, alternate between experiencing the
feeling of joy and the stressor. Go back and
forth, first feeling joy in your body, then the
stressor. Then, feel both at the same time,
letting joy spread throughout your body 15
live well
WISDOM
warm. Allow feelings of gratitude to expand
and radiate throughout your body, and into the
space all around you.
Notice opposite feelings that may arise, such
as disappointment, grief, and unhappiness. As
opposites arise, welcome them. Then, in turn,
welcome feelings of gratitude and joy. Allow
gratitude to saturate every part of your body that
feels, or has felt, unhappy.
When it feels right, let go of all opposites,
allowing yourself to feel only gratitude and joy,
for no reason at all.
When you’re ready, open and close your
eyes several times while affirming your intention
to feel gratitude and joy throughout your day.
Then, go about your activities knowing that
gratitude and joy are always with you, wherever
you are, whatever you’re doing, whomever
you’re with, helping you feel connected to
yourself and the world around you.
Practice resting in feelings of gratitude and
joy during meditation, whenever you’re falling
asleep and waking up, and as you go about
your day. Taking in small, regular daily doses
of gratitude and joy goes a long way toward
enhancing your overall health and well-being.

Moving forward
Yogic meditation invites you to treat every life
event you encounter as an opportunity to
remember, experience, and strengthen your
realization of joy as innate and ever-present,
no matter what your circumstances. Accessing
joy will help you explore your interconnected
wholeness with all of life, which in turn enhances
your ability to experience unchanging well-
being, gain insight, and take the actions you
need to experience harmony within yourself,
across your lifetime.

Richard Miller, PhD, is the founding president

of the Integrative Restoration Institute (irest.us)
and co-founder of the International Association
of Yoga Therapists.

LISTEN IN
For an audio version of this
practice, visit http://yogajournal.
com/category/audio-files/
 live well
ESCAPE

Yoga, Music, Hugs & Healing

The Bali Spirit Festival
By Grace Lee

Yoga Journal Singapore was at the annual Bali Spirit Festival in

March, an event where more than 6,000 yogis and yoginis from
around the globe come together to practice, meditate, dance
and heal spiritually. Grace Lee penned down her experience—
from love talks to an earthquake to healing hugs—all of which
rejuvenated her mind and lifted her spirits.

PHOTO CREDIT : RAYCHEL KAYE, GRACE LEE, ART DIRECTOR : ANUJA BAGADE
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017

18
The Preparation
I amm a yoga teacher by profession, and when
I firsst found out that I would be attending the
Bali Spirit Festival (BSF), I was over the moon.
I had d attended several yoga workshops and
retreeats in the past, but had never been to a
“yog ga conference”. From what I could see
onlin ne, there would be loads of yoga classes
and seminars by instructors from all over the
world. It was hard to conceal my excitement.
The night before the trip, I spent hours
seleecting the yoga outfits to carry along—it
wass like preparing myself for a wedding party
wheere I had to be properly dressed to show my
resp pect for the occasion.
Sa
acred Ubud and Questions
Thee conference was in the cool mountains of
Ubuud, about an hour’s drive north of the Bali
airp
port in Indonesia. The flight from Singapore
to B
Bali was short and sweet, just 2 hours and
40 minutes. Throughout the journey, I kept
thin
nking about what it could be that attracts
so mmany people from around the world to this
festtival on a little island in the middle of the
Indian Ocean? Why is it called a “spirit” festival,
andd would it truly live up to its promise of
being a “transformative” experience?
On reaching Ubud, I realized that it was a
very fitting venue for the BSF as there was
sommething related to yoga and meditation in
eveery corner of the city—be it yoga studios,
yog ga outfit and accessory stores, meditation
spoots or organic/vegan cafes. Most of the
streeets in Ubud are lined with traditional
Ballinese temples and buildings that locals
bellieve hold magical powers to protect the city
from bad luck.
Thee Balinese architecture is traditional and
beaautiful, with a marked influence of Hindu
traditions. The streets that were originally
dessigned for ox-drawn carts are relatively
narrow, making it quite a challenge for two-
waay traffic, pedestrians and stray dogs. There
are a lot of motorbikes, aka “taxi services”,
along the roadside. Pedestrian sidewalks
are almost absent. And yet, there is this air
of peace and calmness amidst all the chaos.
Animism and ancestral worship can be seen
everywhere, so one has to be mindful while
walking to avoid stepping on someone’s Godly
offerings to a stone or a gate.
My Beginning—All about
Love
The day I landed in Ubud was a hot and sunny
day with high humidity in the air. The venue
for the festival was the Bhanuswari Resort,
which was a 10-minute car ride from the town
center where I was staying with another YJSG
colleague. Once we reached the resort, all cars,
other than the festival shuttle services, could
go only as far as the parking lot. We were
told by the “taxi” drivers at the parking lot
that it was a long walk to the resort. I picked
up my courage, and for the first time in my
life, I sat behind on a scooter-taxi. Not only
did I struggle getting on to the bike, I had no
clue what to hold on to. Wrapping my arms
around a strange man’s waist seemed a bit
too intimate. But before I could conclude this
mental debate, I found that we had reached
the entrance to the festival. This l-o-n-g walk
turned out to be a 2-minute ride at 10km/hr.
That was a good lesson for a new Bali scooter
rider—don’t fall for a taxi driver’s animated
talk, and learn to bargain hard.
The Bhanuswari resort is located in a valley,
surrounded by beautiful rice paddy fields with
mountains and greenery in every direction.
Just being there gave one a serene sense of
unity with nature. When I arrived at 9.30am,
the ground was already filled with people. It
felt as though I had travelled back in time to
the hippie era. There were “flower people”
everywhere—men with long hair and mala
beads in loose cotton slacks, and women with
tank tops and saree pants. I found that people
were super-friendly, and the general greeting
among strangers was warm body hugs that
lasted more than the standard three seconds.
I spent the first two hours combing the
ground. There were more than ten open-air
pavilions and numerous huts/tents, as well as
a swimming pool dedicated to SUP (Stand-Up
Paddling). There were also small booths along
the pavement offering all sorts of services
from food and drinks to gong therapy, crystal
bowl sound healing, body massages, and even
“finding love” advisors. As I glanced through
the schedule, I came across a seminar called
“Single women, attract the love of your life”.
To my amazement, the session was already
fully subscribed. Apparently love was a key
message on the menu of the festival.
I decided to first attend a yoga class by our
home-grown Singaporean yoga instructor,
Amanda Koh. Amanda teaches the Kalari yoga
flow that enables her students to explore
yoga in a free and non-linear fashion, thereby
encouraging self-love and liberation. There
were at least 60-70 people attending Amanda’s
class, many of whom were Singaporeans
who had followed Amanda to the festival. At
the end of the class, Amanda invited all the
students to move forward to the stage, and
started singing and dancing—reminding me
once again of the bygone ‘hippie era’ when
everything was a symbol of peace and love.
My second class that day was an acro-yoga
session, which was held in a different pavilion
with about the same number of attendees. I
met people from all over the world, including
the US, Israel, China and Turkey. There were
relatively more men in this class. As its name
would signify, acro yoga is a form of acrobatic
yoga that requires strong partner support
and trust. For most of the poses, we were
supporting another person whose body was
somewhere mid-air. It was interesting how no
one seemed to care that they were falling on
top of strangers, equally smelly and sweaty.
Even yours truly, a Type “A” OCD (Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder) person, was oblivious
to all inhibitions. After each challenging pose,
people would be embracing and thanking each h
other—it was an amazing sense of belonging
and you could literally feel the love in the air!
Losing Myself to Find Myself
Through the eight-days of this festival, I
continued to attend a variety of sessions. One
morning, I attended a class taught by Laura
Burkhart. I was delighted to be in familiar
company as she had conducted a session
in Singapore just a week before at an event
hosted by YJSG. Laura’s class in the BSF was
about “demystifying arm balances”, and two
hours breezed by as she guided us through
poses such as the Vasisthasana (Side Plank),
Bakasana (Crow Pose), Parsva Bakasana (Side
Crow), Visvamitrasana and Ashtavakasana
(Eight Limbs pose).
I find that yoga practice in Singapore is still
very much viewed as a form of physical
exercise rather than a lifestyle. As a yoga
instructor in Singapore
Singapore, I too am guilty of the
 li ll
ESCAPE
same. But the more I immersed myself
y into
the essence of the festival, the more I felt the
need to free my mind and tune in to my inner
self—a constant challenge for me.
I began to step out of my comfort zone and
attended an “embodied dance” class by Daniel
“Sonic” Rojas. Daniel first led us to move our
bodies, muscle by muscle. It was here that I
got a glimpse of the beauty of breakdancing!
He then asked us to explore feelings through
movement and to dance to different elements
of nature (earth, water, fire, air and space).
Rolling on the floor, standing, sitting, jumping,
and touching ourselves were all part of the
equation. This powerful practice combines
yoga, conditioning, breakdancing and martial
art techniques. You really need to be willing
to let your hair down and break all barriers
to dive into the rhythm of music and connect
with your mind and body. I have to admit that
I am still seeking spirituality and don’t have
much hair to let down, metaphorically and
physically. My academic training had always
been very binary and black and white (I was
a computer specialist before I became a yoga
instructor). However, for the brief moment
that I managed to break free, I could honestly
appreciate the power of “embodied dance”
and how it could take one through g a dynamic
Hugs a
nd heali
ng, a co
mmon
sight
The a
april / may 2017
20
jjourneyy of lightness
g and emotional healing.
g the g
By now, I was beginning to get some insight
into my questions around why this was a spirit
festival, and not just a yoga conference.
Earthshaking and Healing
I was staying at a resort called Honeymoon
Guesthouse, a Balinese style bungalow in Ubud
owned by an Australian lady, Janet DeNeefe,
an author and also the director of the Ubud
Writers & Readers Festival, and her Balinese
husband. The couple also owned the Casa
Luna Bali resort down the street, some cafes
and restaurants, as well as a popular cooking
school.
My unit was simple, yet tastefully done. It
opened directly into a courtyard decorated
with guardian statues and a small fountain.
There were carvings and statues of Gods and
Goddesses everywhere—along the windows,
on the doors and on the porch outside my unit.
It felt like a sacred and quiet temple.
At 7am on the third day, an earthquake of 6.4
magnitude shook and rattled the guesthouse.
Fear gripped me at first as I thought it was the
spirits doing a number on me, but then I heard
the other residents walk out and realized that
tate Grace w
medi
es to
ac e, tri
utho
r, Gr
ground was shaking g for a reason. Luckily,
y
there were no damages reported. My local taxi
driver assured me later that Bali’s safety was
synonymous with sanctity, and the city was
blessed and protected because of the daily
prayers and offerings by the locals.
ARTT DIRECTOR : ANUJA BAGADE, PHOTO CREDIT : RAYCHEL KAYE, GRACE LEE, ULRIKEREINHOLD PHOTOGRAPHY
Meanwhile, at the festival I dedicated one
whole day to learning about healing since
there were all sorts of healing presenters
at the festival—Ayurveda, sound healing,
energy healing, reiki, you name it. The one
that I found most fascinating was related to
aboriginal ceremonial traditions; and their
indigenous dance, instruments and songs
seemed to have some magical powers. Jose
Calarco, a ceremonial leader from Australia,
and his partner, Ana Forrest, a well-known
yoga teacher from the US, put their hands
over the affected area of a person, transmitting
energies, while the participant was told
to breathe in and “let go”. Another healer
then used a 2-meter long cylindrical wind
instrument, the Didgeridoo, to blow into the
affected area. Jose and Ana claim that they
have cured cancer and other diseases through
this healing. From what I understood, vibration
therapy is based on the idea that all illness in
our body is a result of blockages, and sound
tions help to breakk up these
vibrations th
hese blockages.
blockages.
e
ith Lau g can b
ra Burk Dancin
h art ati n g
so liber
To me, it sounded like a holistic ultrasound
machine. While that theory satisfied my
curiosity, I wondered what energies these
healers tap into themselves, and what makes
them believe they can heal. Jose explained that
one needs to be connected with nature—the
sky, the earth and the air.
While I was beginning to get many of my
questions answered, I secretly knew that I
could never be a healer.
Finding my Center
By the last day of this eight-day festival, I was
desperate to learn more about being connected
with myself—I needed it for my own sanity
and for the benefit of my students. I felt
the festival was a calling for me to work on
something I had never been able to do well in
years—meditation.
I attended a dance meditation class by Amber
Sawyer, an American yoga and meditation
teacher who lives in Singapore. In a seated
position, we were all asked to put our hands at
our “centers”. I had no idea what that meant. I
figured that my center wouldn’t be my heart,
otherwise Amber would have said so. Since
we are what we eat, I thought it would be
beest to put myy hands
best hand on myy stomach
omach. Amber
The “embodied dance” class
explained in a sweet, almost bewitching, voice
that the center is like the eye of a cyclone. I
tried hard to focus my mind and stay present,
but my eyes got distracted by the beautiful
rice paddy fields surrounding the pavilion and
I started listening to the birds and the crickets
along the fields instead. The meditation dance
involved a simple 6-step movement each
of which ended with a swish sound, almost
simulating the sound of an email sent on the
phone. We danced exactly for 20 minutes and
then whirled for another 10 minutes, and to
my amazement, I started enjoying myself.
Unaware of what was happening, I started
picking up speed and whirling to a point where
everything became a blur and I had to stop
only because I was afraid of falling hard.
Maybe I need to think less with my head and
feel more with my heart. I heard this song
repeated often at the festival:
I release, I let go
I let my spirit run my life
My heart is open wide
And I am only here for love
The Answers
I retu
returned
urned home to Singa
Singapore feeling lighter
l h —
ddle B oards
d-up Pa
Yoga on Stan
somewhat enchanted and re-inspired. I felt
a connection with the people I had met, and
in turn, with the universe. I had thought my
journey would help me learn some amazing
yoga practice—but it turned out to be a
personal passage of discovery. It reminded
me of how little I know about being a true
yogi, and it certainly opened my mind to
the energies in this vast cosmos and the
importance of being connected with nature.
For someone as non-spiritual as I am, I truly
believe that there is a higher power above us.
While my questions about this trip were
answered, a plethora of new questions have
now popped up on a personal level. How
does one seek truth? How can I tap into all the
energies I heard of at the festival? How do I
know my purpose, and what do I do to feel the
love enter the inner chambers of my heart?
I guess all these questions are good enough
reason for me to go back to the festival next
year!
Grace Lee is a freelance writer for Yoga Journal.
She teaches Yoga, Pilates and Aerial Yoga
at community centers and some studios in
Singapore
gapore..
yogajournal.com.sg
Music: a
key part
o f the fes
tival
april / may 2017
21
 practice WELL

“Yoga is not about what

one will get, it is about
what one can give up.”
- India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi, 66, follows a strict discipline of asana,

pranayama and meditation, waking up early for his
practice every morning.
The Prime Minister of India urges people to make yoga as
much a part of their daily lives as their mobile phones.
He won support from the United Nations to celebrate the
International Yoga Day on June 21 every year, in what
has now become a mass movement across the world.
He calls yoga a “health assurance”, stresses that it’s not
a religious activity and has also appointed a minister for
yoga in his government.
Singapore residents will come together for the third year
in a row to celebrate International Yoga Day, on Sunday,
June 18.
Yoga Journal Singapore is grateful to Narendra Modi for
putting yoga on the world map.

yogajournal.com.sg
ART DIRECTOR : ANUJA BAGADE, PHOTO CREDIT: VIJAYABHERI

april / may 2017

India’s PM Narendra Modi does yoga on

International Yoga Day 2016 in Chandigarh, India.
23
 r ctice well
ANATOMY

How can I prevent low-back

pain in twists?
By Ray Long, MD

ALL TOO OFTEN when we move into a yoga pose, we prioritize getting the
shape right over creating that shape safely. Twists are a prime example
of this. Think about the last time you did Parivrtta Utkatasana (Revolved Chair
Pose). Did you move into the posture with the primary goal of going “deep”
into the twist, without first considering which muscles you’d need to engage
so you could rotate safely? If you answered “yes,” that might be one reason
you experience low-back pain in twists.
It doesn’t help that many of us are primed for low-back pain in general.
For starters, as we age, it’s estimated that a whopping 9o percent of
Americans develop degenerative disk disease, a condition in which the
intervertebral disks dry out and lose height. This can lead to stiffness and low-
back pain, which tend to worsen over time. Then, there’s the fact that
LATISSIMUS
somewhere around 4o to 75 percent of the population has some type of
DORSI
asymptomatic (painless) herniated disk. These disk deficiencies limit the
spine’s mobility, which can make twisting—a movement that demands both THORACOLUMBAR
INTERCOSTALS
agility and spinal flexibility—potentially more painful. FASCIA
However, when done properly, twists have the potential to help your low
back feel great. Twisting can activate the muscles around the lumbar spine
and abdominal core, increasing stability as well as blood flow and EXTERNAL
oxygenation to the area. Twisting also appears to increase hydration of the OBLIQUE
QUADRATUS
intervertebral disks, which may help to counteract the changes caused by
LUMBORUM (QL)
degenerative disk disease. INTERNAL
OBLIQUE
Before you twist GLUTEUS
Before you ever even rotate, the first step is learning how to stabilize your core ABDOMINAL
MAXIMUS
by engaging the muscles surrounding the lumbar spine. Step two involves APONEUROSIS TRANSVERSE
not twisting too deeply—at least until this stabilization work has become
ABDOMINIS
second nature. If you already suffer from low-back pain, this work is especially
(TA)
important: Research shows that those with low-back pain tend to lack the
ability to engage the muscles surrounding the lumbar spine and also have
weak core muscles. The good news? Do the work I describe here and there’s
a good chance you’ll not only stay pain-free as you twist, but you may also
yogajournal.com.sg

have less low-back pain off the yoga mat.

To stabilize anything in the body, you must contract muscles. In this case, HAMSTRING
you want to focus on the muscles surrounding the lumbar spine. These
include the psoas, quadratus lumborum (QL), and gluteal muscles, all of
which are connected to the fascia that surrounds the spine. Also crucial:
contracting the transversus abdominis (TA) muscle, which creates the “corset”
that starts in the front body, wraps around the torso on both sides, and then
april / may 2017

attaches to the thoracolumbar fascia—the tri-layered connective tissue

TENSOR FASCIAE LATAE
enclosing muscles associated with the thoracic and lumbar spine.
QUADRICEPS

ILIOTIBIAL (IT) BAND

24
 r ti ll
ANATOMY

Sp
phinx Pose
Practicing chest openers, such as Sphinx Pose, before you twist is a nice way to expand the chest—a
keyy action while twisting, too. Lie on your belly, legs side by side, and contract your glutes. Roll your
outter thighs toward the floor to internally rotate your femurs, helping to broaden and lengthen your
low
wer back and sacrum to protect them in this backbend. Set your elbows under your shoulders, and
youur forearms on the floor parallel to each other. Inhale and lift your upper torso and head away from
the floor into a mild backbend. Stay here for 3–5 deep breaths, then find your way to Adho Mukha
Svaanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose).

Pa
aschimottanasana Seated Forward Bend
To rrelease any tension created in a twist, I like to follow up with a pose in which the spine is
sym
mmetrical. Forward folds—such as Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) or Paschimottanasana—are
great choices. For the latter, sit on the floor or a folded blanket with your legs extended in front of you.
Press actively through your heels and slightly turn in the tops of your thighs, pressing them down into
the floor. As you inhale, lengthen your front torso; as you exhale, lean forward from your hip joints and
lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis to fold over your legs. Stay in the posture for
5–1
5 0 deep, easy breaths.

Parivrtta Trikonasana Revolved Triangle Pose

From Mountain Pose, step your feet about 4 feet apart and turn your right foot out to 45–60 degrees,
with your left foot facing forward. Bend your left knee and on an inhale, raise your arms overhead; on
an exhale, turn your torso to the left, encouraging your pelvis toward the front edge of the mat. Now
lean forward over your front leg, reaching your right hand down either to the floor (inside or outside
the left foot) or a block; bring your left hand skyward. With your front knee still bent, squeeze your tor-
so against your thigh. Hold this shape, and then gradually engage your quads to straighten your front
leg (shown). Draw your hips away from your shoulders to lengthen your spine. Stay here for 5 deep
breaths, and then switch sides.

The abdominal oblique muscles, which run
along both side bodies and rotate your trunk,
also attach to this fascial structure.
The thoracolumbar fascia is one of the most
important fascia in the body. This is because it’s
responsible for load transfer from the shoulder
girdle to the pelvic girdle and is also a key
player in maintaining the integrity of the
sacroiliac (SI) joint—the spot at the base of the
Engaging these muscles is important because
the spine isn’t designed to excessively rotate or
flex. In fact, that’s why it has facet joints: cartilage-
lined joints that run along its length and between
which nerves exit the spinal cord en route to
other parts of the body. These facet joints protect
against excessive rotation and flexion by limiting
the motion of the spine; if you twist your spine
without stabilizing first, you not only risk irritating
which in turn tightens the all-important
thoracolumbar fascia to keep your back safe.
Next, let’s look at how to use the psoas, QL,
glutes, and hamstrings to create stability in the
seated twist Marichyasana III. To begin, sit on
your mat with your right knee bent and your left
leg extended in front of you; start to twist the left
side of your torso toward your right thigh, with
your left elbow moving toward the outside of
yogajournal.com.sg

spine where the sacrum joins the ilium bones the disks but also the facet joints, leading to your right knee and your right hand on the floor
PHOTO: RICK CUMMINGS; ILLUSTRATION: MICHELE GRAHAM

of the pelvis. Interestingly, tightening the TA
and thoracolumbar fascia increases the
pressure inside your abdominal compartment,
causing your abdominal organs to press
against your lumbar spine to stabilize it even
further pain.
Smart cues
To begin a twist, I like to cue my students to turn
“on” their TA—also known as activating
Uddiyana Bandha (Upward Abdominal Lock)—
behind you. Rather than coming fully into the
posture, gently wrap your left forearm around
your right knee and squeeze your torso against
your thigh, and your thigh against your torso. Do
this from the hip and trunk (not just squeezing
with the arm). This action turns “on” the psoas, a
april / may 2017

more. (Pregnant women and those with

hernias or diastasis recti—in which the because this action should happen before any trunk flexor, which stabilizes the spine. Next,
abdominal muscles widen away from rather kind of twist. To do this, imagine drawing the squeeze your right calf against your right thigh to
than stay knitted to each other—should check point two inches above your navel in toward activate the hamstrings. At the same time,
with their doctor before working with twists.) your lumbar spine. This should tighten the TA, activate Uddiyana Bandha to stabilize your core.

25
 Contract the gluteus maximus on the left
(straight) leg by pressing your heel into the mat.
Feel how these various actions stabilize your
pelvis.
It’s only after doing this muscular
stabilization that you’re ready to go deeper into
Marichyasana III. To do so, press the ball of your
right foot firmly into the mat, fixing it in place, as
you attempt to rotate the foot away from the
midline, encouraging an isometric contraction of
your outer hamstrings. Then, activate your
abdominal external obliques by tightening them,
and twist, allowing your spine to follow. What
you’ll find is that now you’re turning your spine
yogajournal.com.sg
Yoga Journal Singapore wishes all mommies a very
Happy Mother’s Day!
april / may 2017
26
from your core; in essence, you’re both
stabilizing and twisting at the same time.
It’s only when this stabilization work is
combined with effort in yoga that you’ll be able
to maintain your practice and enable it to serve
you for many years to come.
OUR Teacher Ray Long, MD, is an orthopedic
surgeon in Detroit and the founder of Bandha
Yoga, a website and book series dedicated to
the anatomy and biomechanics of yoga.
Model Stephanie Schwartz is a yoga teacher
based in Boulder, Colorado.
Amy Lee and her 7-year old daughter, Olivia Lee
10% OFF
on a one-year subscription
when you sign up on
SUNDAY, MAY 14,
with promo code
YJMOM
 r ti ll
YOGAPEDIA

Poses of the month

How to move from Virasana to
Krounchasana
By John Schumacher

Virasana
}
vira = hero · asana = pose

Hero Pose

Benefits
Increases flexibility in the knees and hips; tones the muscles in the
arches of the feet; increases circulation in the feet and legs

Instruction
1 Kneel on your mat with your knees together
and thighs perpendicular to the floor. Separate
your feet slightly wider than hip width (if this DON’T hover or tolerate knee
is painful on the tops of your feet or your pain. If you are unable to sit
knees, kneel on a thin blanket). Point your all the way down, sit on a
toes straight back and spread the balls of your block or blanket.
feet from the big-toe side to the little-toe side.
Ideally, all of your toenails will touch the floor.
2 Bend your knees a bit, lean forward, and

PHOTOS: RICK CUMMINGS; MODEL: JOHN SCHUMACHER; STYLIST: JESSICA JEANNE EATON; GROOMING: BETH WALKER;
place your hands on your calves. Pull your calf
muscles back away from your knees and roll
them out. Lower your buttocks and sit on the
floor. The inner sides of your calves should
touch your outer thighs.
3 Place your hands on your knees, catch the
skin on your knees, and draw it up toward to lengthen your sides upward. Press your
your thighs—this will give your knees a more shins and knees down and descend your inner
spacious feeling. Sit in this posture for 1–5 groins. Hold for 30–60 seconds. Lower your
minutes. arms, change the interlacing of your fingers,
yogajournal.com.sg

4 Extend your arms straight in front of you. and repeat. DON’T allow your feet to

Bring your palms together and interlock
your fingers. Now, turn your palms forward
(away from you), inhale, and raise your arms
overhead. Use this extension along your arms
april / may 2017
5 To come out of the pose, lower your arms, sickle in or splay out, to
place your hands on the floor, and lift your
avoid injuring your knees.
buttocks. Raise one knee at a time, sliding each
foot forward to straighten your leg.
TOP: PRANA; BOTTOMS: LULULEMON

Teacher and model John Schumacher is the founder and director of Unity Woods Yoga Center (unitywoods.com), serving the Washington, DC, area since 1979.
He studied with B.K.S. Iyengar for 33 years and was certified by him as an Advanced Teacher. In his 43 years of teaching, Schumacher has taught teachers and
students worldwide. His clear, precise teaching style and engaging sense of humor challenge and inspire students to move beyond their imagined limits.

Virasana
Virasana Krounchasana Krounchasana,
modifications,
28 page 29
prep, pages 30-31 page 32
 r ti ll
YOGAPEDIA

Modify Virasana if needed

to find safe alignment in your body.

If you experience If the stretch in

pain in your knees … your ankles is too
TRY supporting your buttocks intense …
with a block or blanket. TRY placing a rolled-up
Find the height of support hand towel or thin blanket
that allows you to have a under the fronts of your
sense of stretching in your ankles to lift them slightly.
thighs and knees without Play with the height of
any pain or sharp sensation. the roll to find the perfect
Gradually reduce the support amount of stretch for you.
over time to increase
flexibility in your knees.

BE PRESENT
If your feet cramp up … Most of us know the word karma. But
TRY kneeling on two bolsters
perhaps fewer of us are familiar with the
laid horizontally and pressed term krama, which means “order” or
together, so that your feet and “sequence.” For instance, this Yogapedia
buttocks hang off the back column presents a krama, or a sequence
edge. Support your buttocks
with a block. This takes pres-
of asanas, with each asana preparing us
sure off your feet and also for the next one in the series. Keeping this
works to relieve ankle pain— in mind can intensify a practice and help
and it can be combined with us move as deeply as possible into each
the knee-pain modification
above.
pose; it maximizes the benefits of each
posture and transforms the asana from
yogajournal.com.sg

mere physical exercise into a vehicle for

developing a more focused mind and a
refined level of awareness. In other words,
this approach turns your asana practice
into a meditation in action.
april / may 2017

Virasana, Virasana Krounchasana Krounchasana,

page 28 modifications prep, pages 30-31 page 32
29
 r ti ll
YOGAPEDIA

Stretch your hamstrings and tone

your abdominals in these prep poses
for Krounchasana.

Supta Padangusthasana Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe

Pose, variation

Benefits
Stretches the hamstrings; strengthens the abdomen; increases hip
flexibility
Instruction loop a strap around your foot. Tighten your kneecap and press your femur
Lie on your back with both knees bent, heels near your sitting bones. Raise toward the back of your thigh. Maintain that action as you pull your leg
your left knee toward your chest and catch your left foot with both hands. toward your torso. Exhale, lift your trunk, and bring your forehead toward
Extend your left leg upward, stretching your hamstring from the buttock to your shin. Stay here for 15–20 seconds, with normal breathing. Lie back,
the knee, and draw your quadriceps muscles from the knee toward the hip. release your left leg, and change sides.
If you can’t straighten your leg while holding your foot with your hands,

Virasana
Virasana,
modifications,
page 28
page 29

Powerfully stretch and strengthen your legs Benefits

Stretches and strengthens the muscles of the legs;
and turn your consciousness inward as you invigorates the abdominal organs while quieting and
calming the mind
move step by step into Krounchasana.
yogajournal.com.sg

Instruction 2 Bring the center of your right shin to the floor, and your calf and foot
april / may 2017

to touch the right thigh and hip. Point your right toes straight back
1 Sit in Staff Pose. Lean onto your left leg, bend your right
and spread the ball of the foot so that all your toenails touch the floor.
knee, and bring your calf and foot toward your left thigh.
Join the knees. Press your right knee, outer calf, and thigh toward the
floor. If your buttocks don’t touch the floor, sit on a block or blanket. If
your pelvis tilts to the left, place a blanket under your left buttock.
30
Dandasa
a a Staff Pose Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana
Bene it
B Three-Limbed Forward Bend
Stretches and tones the leg muscles; strengthens the hip joints; Benefits
strengthens the abdominal and spinal muscles Improves flexibility in the ankle, knee, and hip joints; tones the abdominal
Instruction muscles and organs
Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. If your
Instruction
hamstrings are tight and your pelvis tilts backward, sit on a blanket
Sit in Staff Pose. Bend your left leg at the knee, roll your calf out, and
or two. Place your palms on the floor by your hips, fingers pointed
place a blanket under your right buttock. Inhale, raise your arms, and lean
forward. Tighten your kneecaps, pull your quadriceps muscles
forward. Catch your right foot and lift your chest to create a concave back.
toward your groin, and press your thighs and knees into the floor.
Lift the sides of your body. Lift your breastbone and move your If you are unable to reach your foot, use a strap. Exhale and bend forward,
shoulders back. Keep your hips, shoulders, and head all in one line, keeping your weight on the bent knee. Bring your trunk close to your legs.
perpendicular to the floor. Hold 30–60 seconds. Inhale to sit up; switch sides.

Krounchasana Krounchasana,
prep, page 32

yogajournal.com.sg

3 Exhale, bend your left knee, and hold your left foot with both hands. 4 Lengthen your inner left calf from the knee toward the ankle to
april / may 2017

Keep your pelvis level, move your sacrum forward, and lift your side extend the left leg upward. Tighten the left kneecap, pull the left
ribs. quadriceps muscle toward the hip, and stretch the left hamstring from
the buttock toward the knee. Roll your outer left hip toward the floor,
move it slightly forward, and sit evenly on your sitting bones.

31
 r ti ll
YOGAPEDIA

Krounchasan
na
krouncha = heron · asana = p ose

Heron Pose

5 Pull against your raised foot and spread your elb

bows sideways to lift the
sides of your body and keep your trunk upright. SStaying on the left sitting
bone, exhale, move your head and torso forward d, and simultaneously
stretch your left leg up and draw it back. Keep your knee firm and
move your thighbone toward the back of your leg g. If possible, rest your
forehead on your left shin. Relax your eyes and sooften your temples.
Release any tension in your neck and throat. Wheen you pacify your
p quiet and profound
senses, this pose can bring you to a state of deep
inner awareness. Hold for 20–30 seconds, releasee, and switch sides.

Stay safe
Your body speaks to you constantly. Although it is always important to be
alert to what it says, pay exquisite attention when moving in ways that
test your limits. Your knees and back can be particularly vulnerable in
yogajournal.com.sg

Krounchasana. To protect your back, continuously lengthen your spine

upward. To protect your knees, set your pride and ambition aside and take
support from props until you no longer need it. Ahimsa (nonharming) is
the cornerstone of every yoga practice, so respect the shouts, sighs, and
whispers your body sends.
april / may 2017

Virasana
Virasana, Krounchasana prep,
modifications, Krounchasana
page 28 pages 30-31
32 page 29
 r ti ll
HOME PRACTICE

Altogether Now
You’ve learned the basics. Now, how do you turn
them into a practice? Here’s one way to do it: an
all-purpose routine for everyone.
By Hillari Dowdle

Start with three to Then drop one knee to 90 stretch for as long as you like.
six rounds of Sun degrees into Warrior II. Feel the
Salutations, starting openness in the hips as you keep Sit up straight, reach for your
slow, then building them square to the sides of the toes, and take Seated Forward
up heat and speed. mat. Arms up, looking forward, Bend. Here is where you bring
Let your breath be feeling strong and able. Do both your attention from the external
your guide as you sides, holding for 5 to 10 breaths. Backbends come next in a logical world to the internal one. Feel the
move—you can sequence; embrace them with benefits of your practice in body
depend on it to set compassion. Concentrate on one, and soul.
the proper pace for or do all three—Locust Pose, Bridge
you. During your Pose, and Chair Pose. If you do the Finally, it’s time for yoga’s ultimate
last round, pause for latter, notice the difference in your reward: Corpse Pose. Give up
a minute or two in body as you’ve opened and readied all effort now, letting the earth
Downward-Facing it more with practice. Let the focus be support you. Breathe deeply and
Dog. Let yourself on the backbend. steadily, and know that this is all
wriggle in the pose, shaking off you need do right now. Aim to
stress and finding your proper An abdominal strengthener will stay for at least 10 minutes. When
alignment. Then do the same in Shorten your stance, rotate your benefit every pose in your practice you’re done, come out of the
Upward-Facing Dog—allowing hips forward, and come into through increased core strength. We posture by sitting up slowly. Take
gravity to open your heart. At the Warrior I. There is no one “right” offer two of our favorites—leg lifts a moment to integrate all the bits
end of your session, stand still, way to do this (or any other) and Boat Pose. Do one, or both. and pieces of your practice.
honoring your effort. pose, but aim to keep your chest
square to the front, raising your Inversions are optional, and please Now’s the
Next, drop into Chair Pose arms overhead and feeling the learn them from a trusted teacher time to
(Utkatasana) for 5 to 10 breaths. This delicious stretch from the back before you try them on your own. meditate,
is a strengthening and warming leg through the torso. But Supported Headstand and if you feel
pose when done early in a practice, Supported Shoulderstand would so inclined.
and a good gauge of how you are Now is the time for a balancing come next. Keep it
yogajournal.com.sg

really feeling today. If you’re strong, posture. We think that Tree Pose simple,
go for it! If you’re feeling fragile, is an especially apt posture for Come into Downward Dog. Swing carry the
take it easy on yourself. feeling the openness and stability one foot forward into Pigeon Pose. attention
you’ve created with your standing Play with bending forward and and care
Next, take Triangle Pose— poses. leaning back in this pose. Stay for you’ve built with your practice into
practicing first on one side, then 10 breaths or so. Next, lie on your your day.
the other. Allow the pose to open back, pull up a leg, and take a simple
april / may 2017

the sides of the body, and feel the Reclining Twist. Make it a practice
grounding through your feet. Stay of total ease and release. Do one
on each side for 10 to 20 breaths. side, then the other. Luxuriate in the
DONNA GRETHEN

34
 r ti ll
HOME PRACTICE

A home practice to
re-energize and
ÀQG greater joy
By Alanna Kaivalya

THE HOLIDAY HUSTLE AND BUSTLE can leave even the calmest among us
feeling frazzled and overwhelmed. This sequence is designed to help you ease
tension by putting your spine through its full range of motion. Not only will
these poses stretch muscles that holiday travel and stress can leave stiff, they’ll
also boost your energy levels by increasing blood flow to the large muscles that
support the back, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and energized.
What’s more, by moving your body in all directions around its central
axis—the spine—you’ll feel more supple and free: A flexible spine clears
the lines of communication between mind and body, helping you stay
calm and connect with positive feelings like gratitude and joy.

1 Sukhasana Easy Pose 2 Cat-Cow

Sit with your legs crossed and rest your hands on your knees. Place Come into Tabletop—on your hands and knees, with your knees under
your left hand on your right knee and twist to the right. Inhale and your hips, and wrists under your shoulders. Inhale, drop your belly, and
lengthen your spine; exhale and tone your belly. After 5 breaths, arch your back. Exhale, draw your belly in, and round your back. Repeat
HAIR/MAKEUP: TAMARA BROWN/ARTIST UNTIED; TOP: PRO-FIT; LEGGINGS: NUX; BLANKET: BAREFOOT YOGA CO.

switch sides. mes.

5 tim
PHOTOS: MICHAEL WINOKUR; MODEL: WESLEIGH ROECA; STYLIST: LYN HEINEKEN;

Do poses 3 and
a 4
on the right side,
s then repeat
on the left.
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017

3 Parighasana Gate Pose, variation 4 Ardha Chandrasana Half Moon Pose, variation
Kneel and extend your right leg to the side. Reach your left hand to the From Gate Pose, place your left hand on the floor. Extend your right
sky as you slide your right hand down your right leg. Stay for a breath. hand and lift your right leg until it’s nearly parallel to the floor. Stay for
a breath.
35
 r ti ll
HOME PRACTICE

Do poses
5–8 on
the right
side, then
repeat on
the left.

5 Adho Mukha Svanasana 6 Utthan Pristhasana 7 High Lunge

Downward-Facing Dog Pose, variation
Come to Tabletop. Tuck your toes and lift your
hips up and back to Downward Dog. Slowly
raise your right leg to the sky, bend your right
knee, and open your right hip. Relax your gaze.
yogajournal.com.sg
Lizard Pose
From Downward Dog, step your right foot
between your hands. Bring both hands inside
your right foot, and keep your right knee over
your right ankle. To go deeper into the pose,
lower onto your forearms (or use a block).
Come out of Lizard Pose by bringing your
hands back to either side of your right foot.
Inhale, lift your torso, and reach your arms
toward the sky.

11 Tarasana 12 Purvottanasana 13 Supta Baddha Konasana

Star Pose, with side stretch
Sit with the soles of your feet together and
knees open. Hold your ankles with your left
hand and nestle your left elbow inside your left
april / may 2017
Upward Plank Pose, variation Reclining Bound Angle Pose
From Star Pose, lift your knees and put your Lower to the floor and bring your feet together,
feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind knees apart. Turn your palms up and slow your
your hips, fingers facing forward; keep your breath. If your knees don’t touch the floor,

knee. Reach your right arm over your right ear, knees above your ankles, and your shoulders support them by placing blocks or blankets
hold for a breath, then switch sides. above your wrists. Inhale and raise your hips. underneath them. Stay here for 5 breaths.
Stay here for a breath, then rest.

36
 Teacher Alanna Kaivalya holds a PhD in mythological studies, lives in New York City, and
teaches at Yoga Journal LIVE! and the Kripalu and Esalen retreat centers. Her third book,
Yoga Beyond the Mat, was released in October 2016.

8 Half Moon Pose 9 Uttanasana 1o Malasana

Place your right hand on the floor in front of
your right foot. Straighten your right leg as
you lift your left leg and then left arm into
Half Moon. To come out, step your left leg
back softly to High Lunge. Then, return to
Downward Dog.
Standing Forward Bend
From Down Dog, step to the top of your mat
and come into a forward fold, with your feet
hip-width apart. Cradle your elbows in your
hands and feel a release in your upper spine.
Tuck your chin slightly to lengthen your neck.
Garland Pose
Step your feet wider than hip-width, turn
your toes out, and lower into a squat. Bring
your palms together and press your upper
arms into your thighs. If your heels lift, place
a blanket under them for support.

yogajournal.com.sg

14 Ananda Balasana 15 Jathara Parivartanasana 16 Savasana

Happy Baby Pose
Hug your knees to your chest and take your
hands behind each knee (or use your hands
to grab the outer edges of your feet). Release
Revolved Abdomen Pose
Bring your right knee into your chest and
lengthen your left leg out in front of you.
To twist, bring your right knee across your
Corpse Pose
Roll up a blanket and slide it under your knees.
Lie back and relax deeply. Feel free to place
a pillow under your head for support, or cover
april / may 2017

your knees toward your armpits and relax
your tailbone toward the floor. Stay here for 5
breaths.
body to the left side of your mat; place your left yourself with a blanket for warmth. Stay here
hand on your right thigh, and extend your right for 5 minutes—or longer, if possible.
arm to the right at shoulder height.
Gaze at the ceiling or, if it feels OK for your
neck, toward your right shoulder. Stay here for
5 breaths, then switch sides. 37
 MEET OUR COVER MODEL
Danny Copper Crow
Copper, as he’s popularly known, is a part of the Pure Yoga senior teaching team, and a well-known pillar in
the yoga community throughout Asia. Originally from Texas, USA, Copper was first introduced to yoga when
he was four by his father and martial art teachers. He committed to teaching yoga in 2003 after resigning as a
corporate executive with Charles Schwab.

Copper holds the highest qualification possible with Yoga Alliance, E-RYT 500, in addition to professional training
certifications with Achieve Global, Development Dimensions International (DDI), and Mager Consortium. He is
well known for leading professional development courses and yoga teacher trainings. He is the lead hot yoga
trainer for Pure Yoga Singapore, and also leads trainings in Hatha, Vinyasa and Universal Yoga.

His playfulness and joy are present in every class, workshop, or teacher training session that he leads, where he
encourages students to explore their practice and themselves as deeply as possible.

You can write to Copper at copper.crow@pure-yoga.com

ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE, PHOTOGRAPHY : GARGI MAZUMDAR, MODEL : DANNY COPPER CROW, WARDROBE : PURE APPAREL

yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017

39

My dad was my first real teacher and still serves
as my soul guru. He practiced Hatha yoga, but
was a Bhakti yogi (spiritual warrior) at heart.
He signed me up for my first karate class when
I was four years old, after I nagged him to
move to China to become a Shaolin monk. Dad
retired early due to a heart condition, which
restricted him from working. Since he wasn’t
tied to a job, we ended up traveling a lot, never
spending more than a few years in one place.
I lived everywhere from Alaska to Louisiana on
the west coast of the United States, with Texas
and California being home. Since we moved
so much, I learned to make friends easily, but
never got into team sports.
My passion was always martial arts, and
I’d seek out a school or dojo wherever
we settled. I tried all different styles of
practice from Taekwondo to Karate, but
found my real passion in Kung-Fu and Muay
Thai Kick-boxing. I loved anything and
everything from Ninja Turtles to Bruce Lee,
from Jean-Claude Van Damme to Sho Kosugi.
It wasn’t the aggressive fighting that inspired
my martial arts training, but the peaceful,
controlled movements (kata), the emphasis on
strength and flexibility conditioning, and later
the breathing/ meditation practices. I was a
dedicated to martial arts student all throughout
yogajournal.com.sg
my youth, from 4 to 16.
Then, at 16, two things happened that
changed the course of my future—my father
passed away, and I got my driver’s license.
The latter also translated into a ’67 Ford
april / may 2017
Mustang! Fast forward to age 25, having spent
my remaining youth in debauchery, I found
myself working in finance—overweight and
unfulfilled. I desperately wanted to get back in
shape. When my friend suggested ‘hot yoga’,
I initially laughed it off, but eventually caved
40
Ninja Turtles
MUSTANG &
HOT YOGA
By Copper Crow
in after he persisted. It killed me! At one level,
I hated it because it was hot, exhausting and
demoralizing to be a minority in a class full of
fit and flexible women. A regular 2-pack-a-day
smoking habit forced me to take breaks in
the class to catch my breath. At another
level, it was everything I always loved from
my martial arts training—strength, stretch,
focus, concentration—just me, no excuses! It
took me a while to adjust to the heat and get
comfortable being over-weight and shirtless
in a room full of attractive women, but once
I got on the mat, I forgot about everything
and everyone around me. I found myself
methodically following the cadence of the
instructor and balancing my physical, mental
and emotional states. A year later, 20 kgs
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE, PHOTOGRAPHY : GARGI MAZUMDAR, MODEL : COPPER CROW, WARDROBE : PURE APPAREL
lighter, I quit my job and dedicated my
life to the study of yoga and sharing this
amazing practice with others.
In some ways, I believe that I really did die
in that first hot yoga class. The person who
walked out of that room was not the same.
I found purpose, and the will to change the
course of my life. I resigned from finance
in 2003 and did an in-depth 9-week hot yoga
teacher training in California. In 2004, I followed
my teacher to Bangkok, Seoul and Hong Kong.
I joined Pure Yoga in Hong Kong in 2006, and
moved to Singapore in 2008. Now, after more
than a decade teaching on the mat, I love and
practice all yoga, and teach many different yoga
styles—continuing to dedicate my time and
sweat to sharing the practice that changed my
life. I wish for yoga to be a catalyst that will
change the lives of others. Today, I am a
practitioner, teacher, husband to an amazing
Singaporean yogini, and proud father to a
beautiful little girl. Yoga is my life, but I still
Copper with his wife, Andrea Yeo, who also
love kick-ass kung-fu movies!
teaches at Pure Yoga in Singapore.
 A Sequence for Guys
Instructions - Nikki Costello Writer - Andrew Tilin Model - Copper Crow

Although a typical man might spend more time sitting at a desk,

playing sports, or building muscles at the gym than stretching on
a mat, that doesn’t mean that yoga is not for him. When teaching
her ‘Yoga for Dudes’ classes, yoga teacher Nikki Costello focuses on “It’s not that the poses are
what tends to be challenging for her male students: getting tight really different,” explains
muscles to lengthen without gripping, encouraging large muscle yoga teacher Nikki
groups to move freely and fluidly, and learning to use strength in Costello. “It’s applying the
a balanced, integrated way in each pose. Here are six easy poses principles of yoga to what
recommended by Nikki for every guy: men’s bodies need.”

1. Eka Pada Pavanamuktasana: One-Legged

Wind-Relieving Pose
Lie flat on your back and stretch both legs along the floor with the toes
pointing up. Bend the left leg, bringing the knee to the chest, and hold the
shin with the hands. Think about relaxing and softening the bent leg while
giving equal attention to engaging and firming the extended leg. Stay for 3
to 5 breaths. Return to the starting position and change legs, repeating the
pose twice more on each side.
Benefits: This pose is a simple, familiar way to begin stretching. It releases
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE, PHOTOGRAPHY : GARGI MAZUMDAR, MODEL : COPPER CROW, WARDROBE : PURE APPAREL

tension and gripping in the buttocks, and it broadens and relieves

tightness in the lower back.

2. Supta Padangusthasana: Reclining Hand-to-

Big-Toe Pose
On your back, bend the left leg toward the chest. Place a belt around
the left foot and stretch the left leg upward until it is perpendicular to the
floor. Hold the belt in both hands and bend the elbows to the sides until
the backs of the upper arms rest on the floor at shoulder height. Broaden
yogajournal.com.sg

the chest and keep both legs fully stretched and the knees firm. Stay for
3 to 5 breaths.

Hold the belt in the left hand. While keeping the right leg steady, exhale
and move the left arm and leg to the left until the leg comes to the floor.
Stay for 2 to 3 breaths. Inhale, bring the left leg perpendicular to the floor;
then release the belt and lower the leg. Repeat the sequence with the
april / may 2017

right leg.

Benefits: Lying on the back makes a challenging stretch more

approachable. A belt extends your reach so that you can get the leg to
fully extend without straining, which is key to releasing the hamstrings.

41
 3. Utthita Trikonasana: Extended Triangle Pose
Stand at the top of your mat. Exhale and jump your feet as wide as your
outstretched arms. Turn the right leg and foot to the right and bring the left
foot slightly in. Exhale and move the hips and legs to the left as you extend
the torso to the right. Place the right hand on the floor or on your shin. Place
the left hand on the waist.

Re-establish your balance: Lift and spread your toes. Lift the arches, knees,
and thighs, and press down through the heels. On an inhalation, lengthen the
trunk and exhale to turn the chest upward. Extend the left arm up. Broaden
the collarbones and stay for 2 to 3 breaths. Inhale to come up. Repeat on the
left side.
Benefits: Attention to the alignment in standing poses stretches the legs and
builds a strong, balanced foundation. Doing the poses in quick succession in
coordination with the breath— exhaling as you come into a pose and inhaling
to come out—encourages fluid, rhythmic motion.

4. Utthita Parsvakonasana: Extended Side Angle Pose

With the feet wide, exhale and bend the right leg until the thigh is parallel to
the floor and makes a 90-degree angle with the shin. Place the right fingertips
on the floor next to the right foot. Lift the arches and press the heels into the
floor. On an exhalation, extend the left arm over the left ear. Stay for 2 to 3
breaths. Inhale as you use the left arm to lift up, and straighten the right leg.
Repeat on the left side.
Benefits: This helps to balance your legs, make you feel grounded and
increase strength in your muscles. Once you feel comfortable with the shape
of the standing poses, repeat them several times, moving from side to side
while paying special attention to inhaling and exhaling as you reach your hand
to the floor on steady, balanced legs.

5. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana: Bridge Pose

Lie on your back and bend the knees, bringing the heels toward the buttocks.
Hold the sides of your mat and tuck the outer shoulders in to lift the sternum
and chest. Exhale and lift the hips. Raise the heels off the floor, lift the hips a
little more, and tuck the shoulders farther in. Keep the hips high and lower
the heels to the floor. Draw your shins toward the chest while pressing down
through the heels. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
Benefits: Strengthen the back muscles and bring health and vitality to the
spine in this pose. It will counteract the tendency to slump and sink in the
chest that comes from sitting at a desk.
yogajournal.com.sg

6. Marichyasana III
Sit on the edge of two blankets, legs extended. Bend the right knee and place
the foot on the floor. With the right hand on the floor, extend the left arm up
to lift the spine. Exhale as you turn to the right, and hold the knee with the
left hand. Move the right hand behind the buttocks. With each inhalation, lift
the spine. With each exhalation, turn a little farther, starting with the abdomen
april / may 2017

and moving to the ribs, chest, shoulders, and head. Take 5-8 breaths to
complete the twist. Release on an inhalation. Repeat on the other side.
Benefits: Twisting releases residual tension in the lower back or spine, tones
the abdominal muscles and internal organs, and quiets the mind and prepares
the body for final relaxation in Savasana.
42
 practice well
MEDITATION

intention
INSPIRATION
Setting an intention can be a powerful practice that helps you align
with your higher goals. But keeping that intention front-of-mind so
you actually follow through? That can be more challenging. Enter the
DIY affirmation card. “I leave these little love notes—
acknowledgements of divinity, reminders of presence, and notes of
appreciation—around the house to remind myself how to point my
attention,” says New York City yoga teacher Elena Brower. “And the
art of creating them is a meditation in and of itself, a sweet morning
ritual.”

To make your own, decorate a little piece of paper with any type of
art that calls to you—you can use watercolor, collage, or even magic
markers or crayons—and write a phrase or quote that moves you,
says Brower. “Enjoy the informal act of creating art,” she says. “Think
of these as a gift to yourself that will add to your space, to your heart,
and to your world.”

MEGHAN RABBITT

yogajournal.com.sg
AFFIRMATION CARD COURTESY OF ELENA BROWER

april / may 2017

PHOTO: PAUL MILLER;

43
 r ti
ME

REASONS WHY
men must meditate
By Vikas Malkani

From a young age, men n are conditioned to

be competitive, develop p a killer instinct, drive
themselves to exhaustio on and succeed at all costs.
With society placing high expectations of success
a prosperity on them,
and
men often undergo
extreme stress as they
plaay out the roles of leaders
and breaad winners. Often this
unconsciou us search for more and
more takes awayy the wealth of peace and
happiness, replacing it with the baggage
of toxicity and negativity.
n
There is a way to o change this. By making
meditation a part of
o their life, men can create
external prosperity ass well as inner peace.

The power of meditation

Meditation is an ancient practice, but contrary to popular belief, it is totally non-religious,
Better
scientific, and an empowering technique without par—having proven itself for thousands health
of years, and across all cultures. It leads us to understand the nature of our mind, and
with
master it to create the life and results we desire. With the regular practice of meditation, the
mind becomes more focused instead of remaining in a constant state of restlessness. One less stress
gains more control in directing the mind to a specific task. Tense muscles, overactive nerves and an
All happiness and unhappiness, pain and pleasure, sorrow and joy, arise from the overactive mind drain our energy reserves. Once
way our mind thinks—and meditation takes us on an inner journey where we can clearly we start meditating, we become more peaceful, ART DIRECTOR : ANUJA BAGADE, PHOTO CREDIT : SOULCENTRE SINGAPORE
see the workings of our mind, and are able to train it. By bringing out our full potential, less reactive and more stable—all positive states
meditation allows us to enjoy life to the fullest. It empowers us to celebrate life, in all of its of being that lead to greater efficiency in our
yogajournal.com.sg

different facets and expressions. life with less stress or friction. Becoming calm
Successful champions in their own fields—Anthony Robbins, Richard Branson, Russell also energises you once again. In fact, calmness
Simmons, Ray Dalio, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Oz, Hugh Jackman and Mark Zuckerberg—are all and vitality are complementary. People who
men who have benefited from meditation, in one form or another. are ‘hyper’ may seem energetic, but they are
actually fuelled by nervous energy and end up
Why men should meditate irritable and mentally exhausted once that wears
off. Meditation also counteracts the effects of
april / may 2017

A committed meditation practice brings benefits across the physical, emotional and mental stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol as it
levels of our lives. Here are five reasons that recommend why men must make meditation increases the production of happy chemicals like
a part of their daily diet. endorphins and serotonin.

44
2 Greater
self-understanding

Meditation gives us a safe place to spend quiet time with the

thoughts we have. We are able to observe our inner dreams
and desires clearly, and any hidden fears and insecurities also
come into sharper focus. By observing yourself objectively,
Increased intuition and
creativity
Meditation develops focus and the ability to block out distracting events
without self-judgment, your self-understanding increases. This and thoughts. When the mind is calm and focused, intuition and inspiration
decreases the unconscious need to enforce external control on

5
can be accessed. Meditation creates a relaxed mind that is alert, and this
people and events. empowers clearer decision-making.

Stable emotions
One of the key elements of learning and practicing meditation
is that it shows you how you are creating your own emotions,
and enables you to develop tools that can change the negative
emotions into positive and beneficial ones. Thus meditation
brings emotional stability and balance, and this makes you a
better husband, father, team leader or life partner. You become
more patient and positive as you go through the daily grind
of life. Instead of reacting to every situation or result that life
brings, you calmly assess it and then make conscious decisions
for the desired objectives.
Develops whole-brain
function
Reports published in the International Journal
of Neuroscience claim that higher levels of
electroencephalogram (EEG) coherence measured
during the practice of meditation are significantly
correlated with increased efficiency in learning
new concepts, more principled moral reasoning,
higher verbal IQ, decreased neuroticism and
increased neurological efficiency. With your brain
function optimized, your actions become efficient
and your results shoot up.

Success through meditation

Studies have shown that the benefits of meditation include a calm
mind, stress-release, regulated blood pressure, stable emotions,
control of anger and freedom from depression and anxiety. Improved
focus and concentration are also a result of regular meditation practice.
Additionally, meditation is known to bring about anti-ageing effects in
the body and mind.
Meditation is currently being used in almost all sports coaching,
including golf, running, weight lifting, cycling, tennis, swimming and
yogajournal.com.sg

the martial arts. By training our mind, we can raise our performance to
a higher level of excellence.
For men, meditation is not just good for the health and body, it is
also good for business and the bottom line. Having taught meditation
and mindfulness to a range of CEO’s, top entrepreneurs, celebrities,
psychologists, educators and thousands of individuals keen on
maximising their life, I stand by my statement that meditation is the
april / may 2017

ultimate life management system available to us.

Vikas Malkani is one of Asia’s leading teachers of
meditation, a best-selling author and the founder of
SoulCentre, a premier centre for Meditation, Mindfulness
and Stress Management in Singapore. www.soulcentre.org
Write to him at info@soulcentre.org
45
 WELL

BLEND
ambition
Once you’ve discovered your favorite green
smoothie ingredients, you might not feel like
switching things up. However, an optimal diet
includes a variety of nutrients that come from
different foods, says Ashley Koff, RD, a dietitian
in Washington, DC. The good news: You don’t
need to overhaul your preferred smoothie recipe
to get the health-boosting variety Koff’s talking
about. Stick to your go-to greens and try some
of these add-ins:
CACAO This bitter, beanlike seed from which
chocolate is made is a great addition if you
need a pick-me-up, says Koff.
CITRUS PEELS Sounds crazy, but a good
blender will finely grind orange, lemon, and/or
lime peels so they’re incorporated into your
smoothie, giving you a dose of flavonoids—
powerful antioxidants shown to help lower
chronic inflammation, prevent cancer, and more.
HEMP SEEDS These tiny seeds add a mild,
nutty flavor, plus they’re a complete protein
and contain anti-inflammatory omega 3s, fiber,
iron, and magnesium.
PHOTO: JENNIFER OLSON; FOOD STYLIST: ERICA MCNEISH; PROP STYLIST: NICOLE DOMINIC

MATCHA This concentrated green-tea powder

will give your smoothie a caffeine boost, plus
a hefty dose of antioxidants.
SPICES Black pepper, cayenne, chili flakes,
yogajournal.com.sg

and cinnamon are warming and can help

support a healthy metabolism.

MEGHAN RABBITT
april / may 2017

47
 eat well
FLEX TABLE

Let’s do brunch PICTURED HERE:

Kale, Ricotta, and
Sundried-Tomato Quiche

Homemade quiche, with its deliciously flaky pastry

plus protein-packed filling, makes the perfect dish for
a weekend brunch with loved ones. By Brittany Risher

FLEXITARIAN VEGETARIAN VEGAN

smoked-salmon kale, ricotta, and caramelized-onion and

and leek quiche sundried-tomato quiche wild mushroom quiche
SERVES 8 SERVES 8 SERVES 8

Canola-oil cooking spray Canola-oil cooking spray 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for
Frozen pie crust, thawed 15 min Frozen pie crust, thawed 15 min greasing
2 tbsp butter ¼ cup seeds (such as pumpkin seeds or Frozen vegan pie crust, thawed 15 min
3 small leeks, thinly sliced pine nuts) 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
¼ tsp fine sea salt, divided 3 tbsp olive oil 1 lb mixed mushrooms, thinly sliced
¼ cup white wine 1 medium onion, sliced ¼ cup white wine, divided
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg ¼ tsp sea salt, divided 3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp crushed pink peppercorns 4–5 large kale leaves, chopped 2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 tsp plus 1/8 tsp sea salt, divided
2 whole organic eggs ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 block (14 oz) firm tofu, patted dry
2 egg yolks 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup 2 percent milk 1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes 2 tsp nutritional yeast
1 cup heavy cream 2 eggs 1 tsp white miso paste
¼ cup grated Parmesan, divided 2 egg yolks 1/4 tsp garlic powder
8 oz smoked salmon, diced 2/3 cup 2 percent milk Heat oven to 350°. Line a greased 10-inch
2/3 cup heavy cream metal pie pan with pie crust.
Heat oven to 350°. Spray a 10-inch metal pie
7 oz part-skim ricotta
pan with cooking spray and line with pie In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat,
crust. Heat oven to 350°. Spray a 10-inch metal pie warm oil. Add onions and cook until they’re
pan with cooking spray and line with pie a dark golden brown, 40 minutes. Add
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt
crust. mushrooms; cook until tender, 8 minutes.
butter. Add leeks and 1/8 tsp salt. Cover;

cook, stirring, 10 minutes. Add wine; cook
until liquid evaporates. Stir in nutmeg,
peppercorns, and black pepper.
In a bowl, whisk eggs and yolks. Add milk,
yogajournal.com.sg
On a bake pan, toast seeds, 7 min.
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil.
Add onion and 1/8 tsp salt; sauté until soft, 5
minutes. Add kale, garlic, nutmeg, and black
PHOTO: JENNIFER OLSON; FOOD STYLIST: ERICA MCNEISH; PROP STYLIST: NICOLE DOMINIC
Reduce heat to low and add 2 tbsp white
wine, garlic, thyme, and 1/8 tsp salt. Scrape
any brown bits off bottom of pan and cook,
1 minute.

cream, 2 tbsp Parmesan, and remaining
1/8 tsp salt; whisk again. Fold in leeks and
salmon. Pour mixture into pie crust; top with
remaining 2 tbsp Parmesan. Bake until set, 45
minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
NUTRITIONAL INFO 334 calories per serving, 24 g fat
april / may 2017
pepper; cook 5 minutes. Add mixture to
crust. Top with tomatoes and 2 tbsp seeds.
In a bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, milk, cream,
ricotta, and remaining 1/8 tsp salt; pour
over veggies. Top with remaining 2 tbsp
seeds. Bake until set, 45 minutes. Let cool
In a food processor, process tofu, remaining
2 tbsp white wine, vinegar, yeast, miso paste,
remaining 1 tsp salt, and garlic powder until
combined. Add tofu mixture to pan and stir
to combine; pour mixture into pie crust and
smooth out the top. Bake until crust is golden
and tofu is golden and springy, 45 minutes.

(12 g saturated), 18 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 12 g protein, 10 minutes.

56 mg sodium
Recipe by Noémie Videau-Zagar and Christine Herelle-Lewis,
owners of Pistache, a French catering company in Brooklyn
48
NUTRITIONAL INFO 324 calories per serving, 25 g fat
(10 g saturated), 17 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 9 g protein,
214 mg sodium
Recipe by Noémie Videau-Zagar and Christine Herelle-Lewis,
owners of Pistache
Let cool 10 minutes.
NUTRITIONAL INFO 237 calories per serving, 14 g fat
(4 g saturated), 20 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 8 g protein, 491
mg sodium
Recipe by Lauren Kretzer, contributing chef at by CHLOE., a
fast-casual vegan restaurant in New York City
 eat well
SMART CHEF

The other nut milks

Almond milk has become the go-to nondairy staple, with sales up 250 percent over the past five years,
according to a 2016 Nielsen report. Now, almond-milk alternatives are crowding supermarket shelves. Here
are three uniquely creamy varieties, plus tips from Jonathan Poyourow, RD, assistant professor of culinary
nutrition at Johnson & Wales University, to help you find the one that suits your tastes. By Amy Gorin, MS, RDN

MACADAMIA MILK PISTACHIO MILK CASHEW MILK

This nut milk is sweet on its own, with no
need for added sugars and only 50 to 60
calories per serving. It’s typically fortified
with vitamins and provides about half your
daily B12, a vitamin critical to nerve and blood-
cell health. To increase protein count, some
milks contain ingredients beyond macadamia
nuts and water, such as pea protein.
GOOD FOR Curries or smoothies
MACADAMIA-MILK BERRY SMOOTHIE
Combine 1 tbsp chia seeds and ½ cup
macadamia milk in a cup; set aside 10 minutes.
In a blender, process milk-chia mixture, ½ cup
fresh berries, and 1 tsp honey until smooth.
The nuttiest-tasting of the bunch, pistachio
milk has about 30 calories per serving and
offers more fiber than many of its counterparts.
It’s hard to find in a store, so consider blending
your own (see “Make your own milk,” below).
GOOD FOR Creamed vegetables or as stock
in lentil soups
CREAMY ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE Chop
16 asparagus spears into 2-inch pieces, then
steam until just tender. In a bowl, mix 1¼ cups
pistachio milk with 8 oz softened light cream
cheese. Stir in asparagus. Pour mixture onto a
greased 1-quart baking dish; sprinkle with 1 cup
seasoned breadcrumbs. Bake at 375° until
bubbly, 25 minutes.
More buttery than nutty, cashew milk typically
has between 25 and 40 calories per serving, but
some brands are more concentrated, add sugar,
and may contain up to 100 calories. It naturally
has a small amount of iron and calcium.
GOOD FOR Stirring into pancake or French
toast batter
OLD-FASHIONED PANCAKES In a bowl, sift
1½ cups all-purpose flour with 3½ tsp baking
powder, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt. Make a well
in the center; pour in 1¼ cups cashew milk, 1
egg, and 3 tbsp canola oil; mix until smooth.
Heat an oiled pan over medium heat. Scoop ¼
cup batter into pan for each pancake; brown on
both sides.

Make your own milk

To yield about 1 cup of nut milk, simply rinse
¼ cup nuts (for a creamier milk, first soak
them for 4–6 hours), blend with 1 cup water,
and strain through a cheesecloth.
PHOTO: JENNIFER OLSON; FOOD STYLIST: ERICA MCNEISH; PROP STYLIST: NICOLE DOMINIC

yogajournal.com.sg

taste
MAKERS
For added flavor plus antioxidants,
stir these into 1 cup of nut milk.
april / may 2017

If you want ... Add

vanilla milk 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
chocolate milk 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
spiced milk ½ tsp nutmeg or cinnamon

49
 april / may 2017 yogajournal.com.sg

50
 eat well
NOURISH

april / may 2017 yogajournal.com.sg

51
 april / may 2017 yogajournal.com.sg

52
 april / may 2017 yogajournal.com.sg

54
 april / may 2017 yogajournal.com.sg

55
 CELEBRATING
MOTHER’S DAY

This May, we invite all mums to enjoy a complimentary 45-minute Orchard

302 Orchard Road, Tong Building
Trial Pilates Class (valued at $25). Simply, mention “Yoga Journal” #08-03&04 Singapore 238862
T: 6733 8785
at the time of booking.
Raffles Place
Terms and conditions apply. Offer valid 1 - 31 May 2017. 22 Malacca St, RB Capital Building
#08-00 Singapore 048980
T: 6235 3938

www.focuspilates.com.sg
 YOGA & MEN:
Why More Guys Should Practice Yoga
BY ANDREW TILIN
Guys have the world to gain by practicing yoga. So what’s holding them back?
Explore why men should be getting on their mats as often as women.
It’s a beautiful Saturday morning and I am
in, of all places, a yoga studio. While my
cycling buddies set out for a ride, I waited
by racks of flowery yoga clothes, then
filed in for class. While my pals pedaled
and, no doubt, rapped about racing, I
unrolled my black mat near someone
else’s pink one, beside someone else’s
painted toenails and a pile of voguish flip-
flops. Now, my fellow riders are probably
engaged in some testosterone-fueled
sprint, while I’m grunting loudly to stay
balanced on my forearms. I’m inverted
and self-conscious: In a class filled with
women, I alone am emitting
primal noises.
A world turned upside down—that’s yoga
for most of us men. We still run most
of the government and hit the major
league home runs, but yoga is a woman’s
domain. “What I find myself constantly
contemplating,” says Michael Lechonczak,
a yoga instructor in Manhattan, “is how to
get more guys into class.”
It’s not that we don’t know what we’re
missing. Nowadays, there seems to
be a yoga studio on every corner; our
girlfriends and wives are walking, talking
testimonies to the practice. At home, we
watch them rushing out the front door,
brows furrowed, only to return standing
ART DIRECTION & LLUSTRATION : ANUJA BAGADE
tall, with big, tranquil smiles on their
faces and compassion in their eyes.
Because my wife Madeleine is a yoga
instructor and an avid student, I witness
this stress-to-bliss transformation several
times a week. When she comes home,
I often mumble to myself, “Don’t I want
to be that happy?” Yet I haven’t practiced
yoga consistently for years.
So I asked highly qualified doctors,
scientists, veteran yoga teachers and
believers, exactly why so many men
stick to yoga’s sidelines. I also polled
members of that rare breed known as
the male practitioner—from pro athletes
to busy investment managers—to find
out how they came to embrace yoga.
In the end, I discovered social, physical,
and emotional realities that discourage
men from practicing. I also heard about
the moments of inspiration that got men
over such barriers—and ideas about
what might help other men make the
leap, too.
If you’re a man who’s hesitated to try
yoga—or you know a man you’d like to
introduce to the practice—read on. Yoga
Journal Singapore spoke to some men,
and the quotes here, in no particular
order, are just a glimpse of varied
personal thoughts and opinions.
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017
57
 SOCIAL OBSTACLES: Yoga Takes a Brave Man
Getting men to identify with yoga has long been a challenge in most parts of the world. It doesn’t
matter that yoga, since its beginnings in India thousands of years ago, has been mainly taught and
studied by men.
One of the first Indians who moved to the U.S. to teach yoga was Indra Devi in the 1940s, and
she was a Russian who had learnt yoga in India. Indra Devi was championed by none other than
celebrity cosmetologist, Elizabeth Arden, who encouraged her customers to try yoga. A few years
later, teacher Richard Hittleman published yoga books and landed on TV—but always had women
perform the poses. Yoga’s next media celebrity was a young instructor named Lilias Folan, who
began teaching asanas on public television in the 1970s. Folan had a gentle style that empowered
millions of stay-at-home moms to follow right along. By the time Power Yoga emerged in the 1980s
and began attracting more men, the mainstream view of the practice had, fairly or not, taken root:
Yoga was for housewives.
This view is gradually changing, but it’s a long way before many men take to the mat. The
numbers have been increasing slowing: 18% of yoga practitioners in the U.S. are now men. In
Singapore, yoga studios has close to 15% male members on average, according to figures from I almost lost my leg after a
True Yoga, Real Yoga and Sweatbox Yoga. serious accident many years
“On average, we are seeing about 18 to 20 men per week in our studio now, compared to only ago. But yoga gave me hope as
2 or 3 a couple of years ago,” says Christina Ang, co-founder of Sweatbox Yoga. I focused on healing myself with
Sure enough, the first thing many men notice on entering a yoga studio is that they’re in foreign gentle stretches and breathing
territory. Pensive women readying for class sets as strong a tone as a locker room of guys snapping exercises. My faith in yoga
towels. “Men walk in needing a challenge,” says Judith Lasater, who has authored six yoga books began when my frequent asthma
during her 35 years as a teacher. “Women often come to the mat seeking refuge.” attacks reduced as my practice
Lechonczak, who consulted on the book Real Men Do Yoga sympathizes with such concerns. became stronger. When my leg
Before coming to the practice nearly 20 years ago, he had a consuming business career and finally healed, I knew I had to
embrace yoga for life.
was a weekend warrior who ran and played
basketball. Lechonczak thinks more men might
- Bharath Shetty, owner of
be willing to try yoga if they perceived it as yet
Yoga India in Mysore
another test. Albeit a unique one. “The guys
coming to yoga have to be ready for the next
level, be ready to let down their defenses,” he
says. “They have to have a heart.”
A guy’s first act of yogic bravery, Lechonczak
says, is to introduce himself to the teacher.
“Find out if the class is appropriate,” he
advises. “Admit any fears or anxieties.”
Once the line of communication is open, a
good instructor will tailor a class for individual
students—male or female. Scott Achelis, a
general contractor in Walnut Creek, California,
began taking classes locally early last year
because his back was tweaked from decades
of construction work. The key was a positive
first experience at the Yoga & Movement
Center: a men’s only, one-day workshop
yogajournal.com.sg

When I started yoga, it soon

held by studio director Diane Valentine. Her I practice yoga because it
became apparent it is much
agenda? Make it fun, and let guys be guys. “It brings harmony and unity to
more than the physical practice.
was unthreatening,” Achelis says. “We were all my everyday life.
It had calming, centering
and balancing benefits, and I stretching and making off-color jokes.”
Achelis quickly became a regular in a coed - Daniel *Sonic* Rojas,
realized that when our hearts
class. “It’s still difficult for me when I’m yoga teacher, Singapore
are ready to open up, there are
numerous possibilities along partnered with a woman. I’m uncomfortable
april / may 2017

one’s yoga journey. touching anybody who’s not my wife the way
you have to in yoga,” he admits. But otherwise
- Jian Yuan, lawyer in Singapore being a man among women no longer
bothers him. He couldn’t care less who’s in
the room, or that some very unathletic-looking
58
females can enter poses that he can’t. “I don’t
feel like I’m doing 10 percent of something
being done by a woman next to me,” Achelis
says. “I’m doing 100 percent of what I’m able
to do.”
PHYSICAL HURDLES: Overcoming Groins and Gray Matter
Yoga has something for
everyone. Two of my most
inspiring teachers were older,
one 77 and another 101, and both
were doing poses I still can’t do.
What we do (or don’t do) now
will impact how we experience
the future. You don’t want your
kids changing your nappies
when you’re old because you
neglected your health now.
- Copper Crow, lead teacher,
Pure Yoga Singapore
Get a man past his reservations about asana
time with the ladies and he’ll still have a well-
founded reason to drag his feet to a studio:
Yoga can be painful.
Men, it seems, are naturally tight. Boys
and girls may be born equally limber, with an
ability to comfortably put their feet behind their
heads. But by adolescence, boys generally lose
flexibility faster than girls, and as boys become
men, the differences in flexibility tend to grow.
Researchers have noted this gap, although
they can’t specifically link it to differences in
hormones, musculature, or connective tissue.
“It’s hard to attribute to any one thing,” says
Lynn Millar, a professor of physical therapy in
Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Whatever is to blame, the typical man’s
pursuits and lifestyle, from sitting at a desk all
day to grabbing beers after a twilight softball
game, put little importance on flexibility.
Lasater says stretching takes a back seat in
a male’s life as early as high school. “Look at
the way they stretch in football—they push
on each other and bounce. It hurts,” she says.
“How could anyone emerge from that with a
positive view of flexibility?”
“Sports are fun when we’re young, but there
comes a time when the pains outweigh the
benefits,”says Copper Crow, lead teacher at
“Mobile phones and wrong
postures can lead to misalignment
of the cervical vertebrae. Yoga
helps to ease knots in affected
areas, and regular practice keeps
those tension points away.”
- Manoj Deshwal, owner of
Trust Yoga in Singapore
Pure Yoga in Singapore.“ I see a lot of guys
turning to yoga to heal from injuries sustained
during other forms of training, like sports or
cross fit.”
Barry Zito, a former American baseball
pitcher and musician, serves as a role model
for any jock who’s determined to stay injury
free. Building up muscle mass and repeating
the same athletic motions day after day and
year after year only adds to a body’s tightness.
Which is all the more reason why Zito bragged
about a statistic other than wins and losses.
“I’ve never missed a start,” he says.
Zito began practicing yoga in 1998, when
he heard about an off-season training program
in Southern California that entwined baseball
skills with yoga—“I’ve always been open to
alternative forms of training,” he says—and
he’s been doing asanas ever since.
Zito’s daily regimen has included groin and
hip openers like Pigeon, Frog, and Warrior
poses, but he has found it hard to convince his
male friends to join him.
“Some guys aren’t willing to do the things
required to keep their health,” Zito says. “I’m
not judging anyone. I just know my own
experience with yoga, and it’s been really,
really good.”
Zito might have an even harder time
spreading the gospel of yoga if men knew that,
when it comes to life on the mat, their brains as
well as their bodies are working against them.
Science hasn’t concluded that women have
higher IQs. But women can boast about their
mirror neurons.
What are mirror neurons? These are brain
cells that receive signals from another person
and trigger similar reactions in the observer.
Watching someone cry, for example, might
more easily cause you to cry. While mirror
neurons often detect emotions, they also help
an observer match posture and breathing. “You
use mirror neurons to watch and imitate your
yoga instructor,” says Louann Brizendine, the
author of The Female Brain.
For men, says Brizendine, the catch is
that they don’t respond as well as women
to such transmitted signals. Scientists are still
speculating whether women have more of
such cells, or just more active ones. “Females’
mirror neurons are more easily activated,”
Brizendine says. “On average, women can
mimic better than men.”
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017
I do yoga as a lifetime practice.
It helps me to become who I am.
- Duncan Wong, yoga teacher
in Kyoto, Japan
59
 I got into yoga  about 10 years ago at the suggestion of
my chiropractor and my running group. I was running
marathons and experiencing injuries in addition to the
normal aches, pains and stiffness that comes with distance
training. One yoga class a week eliminated the injuries.
I’ve not had a return of the painful iliotibial (IT) band pain
since doing yoga nor do I have lower back pain, aches or
headaches. I’ve noticed a big difference in my core strength
and my posture has improved.

- Sam Nelson, former journalist and runner, Chicago

photo credit : www.flynnworks.com

The main reason I believe some men are turned off by yoga is
the culture that has recently shaped yoga instead of the actual
practice. I would recommend men to try yoga as it has amazing
benefits for one’s being. The first step is to take a class and
experience it. In the end yoga is not for everyone, but you can
still acquire the benefits of a traditional yoga class in other
activities, such as rock climbing.

- Dov Vargas, yoga teacher and son of yoga guru

Sri Dharma Mittra

Meditation is absolutely the greatest treasure

I have, because it brings joy into every other
aspect of my life. Meditation makes my
relationships and my work so much more
pleasurable and meaningful.

- Vikas Malkani, Founder of SoulCentre

yogajournal.com.sg

For those men who are inflexible, they shouldn’t be

discouraged from trying simply because natural flexibility
is not a pre-requisite to starting a yoga practice. Nor is a
fully developed flexibility the ultimate goal of yoga.They
should be open to exploring what their bodies are capable
(and not capable) of achieving, and maybe then they will
start to feel the benefits of a practice.”
april / may 2017

- James Bitanga, yoga instructor at Kate Porter Yoga, Singapore

60
PHYSICAL BENEFITS Of Yoga For Men
Any man who develops a regular
yoga practice can look forward to
several benefits.
Learning breathing exercises
reduces high anxiety levels, which
are the root cause of illnesses
such as high blood pressure,
Type 2 diabetes, heart disease,
heart attack and depression. Men
who strive for a long term health
program should consider yoga as
one of the best option to add to
any daily routine.
- James Figueira, owner of
Yoga Shala, Singapore
Investment manager Ron Bernstein was
certainly ambivalent about stretching—until his
80-hour workweeks caught up with him. Back
in 1998, Bernstein, a former competitive high
school golfer who works for a large investment
firm in New York, realized that “everything
hurt,” he says. “My wife was doing some yoga
and suggested that stretching would be good.”
Bernstein went to a class in lower Manhattan
and muddled through. “On my walk home, my
back felt so much better. All those Upward and
Downward Dogs really worked.”
Today a more limber Bernstein is religious
about his one-day-a-week private sessions. He
attributes his daily vitality and still-strong golf
game to Warrior Pose variations that open his
shoulders, hips, and back. “My handicap was 10
as a kid and I’m still at about 13,” he says. “Not
bad for a guy who works all the time.”
“Sports such as weight-lifting, cycling, soccer
and rugby may make the body undeniably
stronger, but it also makes it tighter and
immobile,” says Saumik Bera, owner of Real
Yoga in Singapore. “Yoga helps create the
balance with stretches to counteract the kind of
sports that men prefer.”
Elasticity also helps men who are
determined to play all day. More than sports,
every body these days is taking the weight of
responsibility and stress, not to mention the
constant need to be in touch with everything
that’s happening in the world. Stress levels
have hit the roof.
“Male and female professionals in the
corporate world experience similar back,
shoulder and hip problems after years of
sitting in front of their computers,” says Manoj
Deshwal, owner of Trust Yoga in Singapore
known for his ‘Indian Traditional’ classes.
“Mobile phones and wrong postures can
lead to misalignment of the cervical vertebrae.
Yoga helps to ease knots in affected areas, and
regular practice keeps those tension points
away.”
New England’s Broga studio
(https://brogayoga.com/) may have a playful
nd
LA
name (that’s “bro,” as in “brother”), but
co-founders Adam O’Neill and Robert Sidoti
are dead serious about attracting uninitiated
men to their studios. For starters, Broga classes,
which are about 75 percent male, might begin
and end with tunes from Radiohead rather than
recorded sitar music and incense. The classes
typically blend vinyasa yoga with fitness-type
movements such as lunges and squats.
“It’s not dumbed-down yoga,” insists Sidoti.
“We’ve designed Broga to work from the
familiar to the unfamiliar. Once our students are
in a positive place, we give them the deeper
stuff.”
Yoga studios in Singapore too are trying to
attract more men to the mat. Yoga Instiinct, co-
owned by Brandon Chong (the guy who started
#sgbrogis on Instagram) is planning to run a
monthly yoga class for men at the 1925 Brewing
Co. Restaurant where guys get to enjoy beer at
the end of the session.
yogajournal.com.sg
Yoga has been proven to be
the best and most cost-
effective alternative to
counter the aging process.
I have been practicing
yoga for the past 28 years
and I realise it has made
april / may 2017
me a better human being.
I am happier and healthier
than ever before.
- Saumik Bera, owner Real
Yoga, Singapore
61
 I recommend yoga because it is both an
exercise and meditation. It has benefitted
me greatly. All my teachers have been highly
professional and patient in mentoring their
students. I would advise everyone to make their
next breath count by doing yoga.

- Dr. Lim Hwee Yong, Senior Oncologist at Mount

Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore

I was skeptical about mindfulness meditation

before I tried it a year ago. But within 20
minutes of my first class, I thought this is
really working. Meditation grounds me. If I
do it at the start of the day, it sets me up well.
The challenge–doing it every day, something I
haven’t quite mastered as yet.

-Dean Yates, Reuters Journalist

For me, yoga is more about spiritual

development than gymnastics. I teach
about slowing down, about mindfulness,
about the present, about silence, about
breathing, about stilling the mind, and
about connecting.

- Fabrice Desmarescaux, yoga teacher, Singapore

Years of personal yoga practice made me discover the body,

yogajournal.com.sg

breath and mind connection, and helped me stay resilient

and on top of the changing and challenging times, especially
after the global financial crisis. As a corporate leader, I am
able to seamlessly connect the eight limbs of yoga with the
real-life challenges of the workplace, and develop customised
solutions for each industry sector.
april / may 2017

- Subba Vaidyanathan, Senior Banker, who gave up the corporate

world after three decades, and now coaches personal resilience and
leadership based on yoga to industry leaders

62
MEN’S EMOTIONAL CHALLENGE
Try Beating Yourself Instead of Others
I just cannot see myself in a Yoga
pose. I’m used to outdoor sports
such as soccer, have run marathons,
completed in spartan races in
addition to regular functional
workouts using tyres, kettlebells,
battle ropes & hammers. Yoga
therefore appears to be just the
opposite of what a full body workout
should be. I did try it once and failed
miserably. At that time, I was one of
only 3 males in a class of 20, which
presented another challenge in itself.
- Alban D’Sa, fitness coach, Singapore
Even if a guy turns a physical corner and starts
adapting to yoga’s demands, he may still miss
out on many of the practice’s benefits. Yoga’s
internal rewards—everything from better
focus to less stress—are the hardest for men
to realize.
Brizendine says that this problem, too,
begins with men’s wiring. Men’s brains have a
high capacity to process emotions like fear and
aggression. Put an average, aggressive-feeling
man on the mat, add thoughts about hostile
takeovers or basketball, and you get someone
who isn’t looking to quiet his mind but to let
go of pent-up energy. That’s easy in traditional
recreational sports, with their scores, times,
and rivalries. But guys in Downward Dog may
still be looking for something, or someone, to
beat. “For men, physical activity—nonsexual
physical activity—has always been closely
associated with competition,” Brizendine says.
“Studies have shown that for the last 40 years.”
Brizendine adds that with time and training,
men’s brains can get past such competitive
urges, and the proof lies in the men who have
found enormous benefits from tapping into
yoga’s more emotional offerings.
Yoga can also teach a guy who’s
overwhelmed by his many responsibilities that
the best way to get things done is by being
present—focusing on one thing at a time.
Yoga is not complete if not done meditatively,
and meditation can mean different things to
different people: the ultimate goal being peace
and silence within.
“Walking through the Tasmanian rainforest
is meditation for me,” says Dean Yates, a
journalist with Reuters News, who is dealing
with post-traumatic stress disorder after years
of covering war and tragedy in the Middle East
and Southeast Asia. “The ancient trees, the
fast-flowing rivers and jagged peaks always cast
a comforting spell over me, especially when I
hike alone. I don’t talk to anyone. I just focus on
what’s in front of me. I breathe, smell, gaze and IND yo
sometimes think, but not always. Such walks
calm and ground me.” ACHIS
Bill Gross, former chief investment officer for
asset management company Pimco and now
with Janus, is one of the most powerful men
in his business. He appreciates what 12 years
of yoga has done for his head. Gross loves
doing the Headstand. “Some of my best ideas
come during Sirsasana,” he says. And, he adds,
often after his routine, “a light bulb turns on,
and I’m on to something.”
Away from the multiple computer screens
and trading-room hubbub, Gross gets more
than just inspiration from yoga. The mat offers
him a place to calm his nerves and breathe
deeply. He returns to the office rejuvenated and
relaxed, ready to work with a purpose. “Focus
is a huge part of what I do,” Gross says, “and
when you are trusted with nearly $700 billion
of other people’s money, you’d better be
focused. Because of my practice, I can sift the
noise from the facts of an investment.”
Andrew Tilin, author
and longtime freelance
yogajournal.com.sg
writer, began his yoga
odyssey 20 years ago in
Mysore, India, studying
Ashtanga with Pattabhi
Jois. He continues to
remain active, fitting in
yoga along with cycling,
april / may 2017
running, and hiking—
and writes about older
athletes at www.themastersathlete.com.
Kavita Chandran, editor of YJSG, contributed to
this article from Singapore. 63
 heavenly
rest
For the fullest experience of yoga and a
deep connection with your vital energies,
Savasana, or Corpse Pose, is one
posture you can’t live without.
There I was, cocooned in warmth and darkness, feeling as light
as air and as relaxed and carefree as a million-dollar Lotto winner
on a Caribbean beach. I might have been a space traveler in
suspended animation, rocketing off at light speed to a new solar
system, or even an infant in the womb, except that I had a vague
sense I was watching myself in a state of what could best be
described as alert relaxation.
Begin to bring awareness to your inhalation …That
voice… so familiar. Cautiously, I opened one eye and found that I
was not floating along on a river of soothing darkness or soaring
through the outer reaches of the Milky Way, but lying motionless
on the floor of Om Tara Yoga Studio in Massapequa, New York.
When you’re ready, gently roll to one side … observe how
you feel … It was Maria Yakkey, my regular Thursday-morning
yoga teacher. Soon, a half-dozen classmates and I were alert
and energized, sitting in Sukhasana (Easy Pose) with our legs
BY JOHN HANC
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDREA COBB
crossed, bowing to the Divine within.
Namaste. Then class was over.
As I was clearing up my props, Maria came over. “John,” she
said. “You’re really getting better at Savasana.” I almost dropped
a pair of blocks on my foot. Better? At Savasana? You mean, my
ability to imitate a corpse has improved?
“You used to be more fidgety,” she said. Understand: I’m an
overcaffeinated, Type A New York guy—and on top of that, I’m
an avid marathon runner and gym rat. Of course I’m fidgety, and
it’s clear to me that I need yoga. Still, I thought, of all the things
yogajournal.com.sg
I haven’t done well in my seven years of practice—which, to my
mind, was almost everything—surely, lying quietly on the floor
was the exception.
“So,” I said, “I’m getting better at lying on the floor?” Maria
sighed and looked at me reproachfully. “Savasana is a lot more
than just lying on the floor.”
april / may 2017
65
 Now, don’t get me wrong: I enjoy that delicious rest at the end of gratefully dead
class. But until I gave it serious consideration, I thought of Savasana as a
Despite its many benefits for body and mind, more than a few practitioners
yogic chill pill, built into the end of practice to calm yuppies and soccer
still view Savasana as an afterthought, the yogic equivalent of the
moms before they climb back into their SUVs and start texting their way
cooldown in an aerobic workout—ideal if you have time but not essential.
to the nearest Starbucks.
Also, boring.
But Maria is right. Savasana is much more. This traditional Indian
“I have students who try to sneak out the door as Savasana is be-
yoga practice is a very purposeful resting pose. If you stay alert and
-ginning,” says John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga. “They feel
keep your mind from wandering while practicing Corpse Pose, you’re
vulnerable lying still for 5 or 10 minutes.” Others see it as siesta time. “I have
bound to reap enormous benefits. By lying down and resting after
another who falls asleep immediately,” he says. “He drops off like a rock.”
practicing asana, you can experience what teachers call Presence or
But this master teacher educates his students around the world to
Being—that quality of awareness that is not dependent on your external
understand that Savasana is not synonymous with napping or checking out
circumstances, your body type, your personality, or your activities, but
in any way. In fact, it is just the opposite. This seemingly simple pose can
that simply is—the part of you that is present even when your body and
lead, Friend says, to the “experience of ultimate freedom.” You want to stay
mind have temporarily “died” from the duties and pleasures of daily life.
awake for it.
In the quiet stillness of Savasana, your body and mind have a chance to
Some modern schools of yoga take this pose very seriously. Practitioners
synthesize all the actions, instructions, and sensations you experienced
of Sivananda Yoga begin a 90-minute class with Savasana—to relax the
in class. It gives you an opportunity to integrate your experiences from
body and prepare the mind for the work ahead. They also include it
practice so that you can carry that calm, heightened awareness into every
between the postures (allowing the breath to circulate freely and to both
situation you encounter thereafter. Many teachers consider it to be the
invigorate the nervous system and protect it from overstimulation) and
most important asana, because this quiet, humble pose can bring you
then again at the end of practice, to bring the yogi back into balance.
closest to the true spirit and goal of yoga, the realization that you are part
“It gives a wonderful sense of calm,” says Swami Sadasivananda, former
of something larger than your individual self.
director of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in New York City. “Savasana

a savasana distance from the ceiling, so your head

to die for
Follow Richard Rosen’s nuanced instructions for
what might appear to be a very simple pose, and
feel your mind, body, and breath release deeply
into Savasana.
Lie on your back and bring your body
into as neutral a position as possible.
Your brain experiences misalignment
in Savasana as a disturbance, so the
more you’re able to bring yourself
into balance, the more your brain will
quiet down. Once this happens, what
you normally perceive as the limits of
your body start to soften and dissolve,
yogajournal.com.sg
is not tilted or turned. The more you
can bring your body into a neutral
position, the more your brain can let
go.
Once you’re in a neutral position, make
sure your tongue is resting on the floor
of your mouth. Your tongue has its
own midline, so you want to be sure
to spread the tongue from the midline
out, equally on both sides. Drop your
eyes toward the back of their sockets.
Soften your nose and deepen your
ear canals so that you’re listening to
the sound of your breath from deep
inside the back of your head. And
finally, soften the skin of the bridge of
your nose, or the space between your
resting in the back of their sockets. On
your inhalation, receive the breath
without effort. Feel your brain recede
from your forehead and release
toward the back of your head. On your
exhalation, allow the breath to release
gracefully.
For the next few minutes, it’s
important to stay as still and present
as possible. Allow the mass of your
body to sink onto the back of your
body—onto your heels, your calves,
your buttocks and torso, the backs of
your arms, and the back of your head.
Feel your connection to the floor and
maintain an awareness of your breath
and the ambient sounds from the room
around you to keep you rooted to the

and you begin to feel consciously
expansive.
Place your arms by your sides
at a 45-degree angle to your torso
with your hands palms-up, each one
resting on the same knuckle. Adjust
april / may 2017
eyebrows.
Once you feel settled in your center
and notice your organs of perception
softening, visualize your brain inside
your skull. Imagine that you can feel
your brain shrinking, getting smaller
present moment throughout your
Savasana.
One way to gauge the time you might
spend in Savasana is to plan to stay
at least 5 minutes for every 30 minutes
you’ve practiced. Otherwise, you can lie

your legs so that they’re at equal
angles from a midline drawn through
your torso, with your heels only a few
inches apart. Move your head so your
ears are an equal distance from your
shoulders, and your eyes are an equal
66
and smaller, moving away from the back and enjoy this delicious pose for 5
inner lining of the skull. Then imagine to 20 minutes.
your brain releasing onto the back of
your head.
Keep your eyes as still as possible,

is an important time for students to assimilate all the benefits from the
practice of asanas. During Savasana, there is a complete recharge and
rejuvenation of the body, mind, and spirit.”
the beginning of the end
According to Aadil Palkhivala, founder of Alive and Shine Center in
Bellevue, Washington, Savasana is real yoga—defined as an “act of
union” between your “self with a small s, your ego, and your Self with a
capital S—the spirit.” Because you’re encouraged to release your mind’s
occupation with the distractions of daily life, “Savasana is conducive to
making that connection,” he says.
Of course, simply assuming Corpse Pose will not in itself make the
connection between the small-s self and the capital-S Self for you. But
one of yoga’s promises is that if you live your life with the intention to
closely observe yourself with as much honesty as you can, the union
of self and Self can truly be forged. Savasana creates the space for that
quiet reflective inquiry and that union.
I admit that my ego is far from integrated with spirit: My male ego
in class eagerly shows off my proficiency in Plank and Chaturanga, the
only two poses I’m convinced that I can do “better” than my female
classmates, who are far more flexible and adept than I am. Still, even
though I’m far from perfect, I can feel perfectly at peace in Savasana. In
Savasana, Friend says, “the spirit, the very essence of our being, is not
clinging or caught in the physical realm.”
rest in peace
Savasana’s success starts not with instruction, but location: “You want
a place that is quiet, somewhat dark … a place that is comfortable yet
stable,” Friend says. These conditions will help foster what he calls
“an internal drawing in and settling” that helps clear the deck for the
Savasana voyage.
Then comes a careful positioning of your body. Savasana, I
discovered, is not just lying on the floor. “What’s really important for a
good Savasana is to lie in a neutral position,” says Richard Rosen, a Yoga
Journal contributing editor and Bay Area yoga instructor. “Your head
should lie square and equidistant from each shoulder.” Arms should be
by your sides, at a 45-degree angle relative to the torso. (This keeps your
shoulders loose and your breathing unrestricted.) It also means lying in
a straight line, with your arms or legs not tilted or bent to one side, and
your head not drooping. “Stay in line as much as possible,” suggests
Palkhivala. “Energy flows in smooth lines. So if your head is crooked,
your pelvis is tilted to one side, and your body looks like a serpent, the
energy won’t flow.”
Are you comfortable? Straight, balanced, and relaxed as you lie on
the floor of a still, dark room? Wonderful. Now comes the real work and
pleasure of Savasana. “This is the time to go inside and find the spirit
within,” Palkhivala says.
Good luck, if you’re anything like me.
“It’s hard to stop the mind from wandering,” Rosen acknowledges.
“You have to continuously back off from your thoughts.Try to withdraw
and look at them from above.”
1,000 ways to die
The Savasana experience can be as diverse as the yogis who teach
it. Maria, my teacher at Om Tara, creates a warm and comfortable
atmosphere for Savasana in our Thursday classes. She draws the blinds,
drapes us with blankets, places eye pillows on us, and allows Corpse
Pose to unfold in silence.
Jeff Logan, a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher, does it a bit differently
at his studio, Body & Soul Fitness and Yoga Center in Huntington, New
York. Savasana with him is peaceful but not quiet. He talks the class
through a systematic relaxation of jaws, arms, hands, abdomen, and
legs, encouraging us to “let go” of our tongue, ears, and skin. At the
end, Jeff asks each of us to lie in a fetal position—“like a newborn,” he
says. After he brings us up into a seated position, he invites us to open
our eyes and greet the world around us like a reborn child.
This idea of Corpse Pose as a symbolic rebirth is intriguing. In Jeff’s
class, I ran with it. Like an infant, what I wanted to do now was eat. So,
having thought about nothing, I started to calmly observe that I was
thinking about lunch. Having successfully been a fidget-free corpse,
I was ready to go about my day as an even more fully functioning,
yogajournal.com.sg
self-observing, live human being … with a little help from a well-done
Savasana.
John Hanc writes for Newsday in New York and is a contributing
editor to Runner’s World magazine.
april / may 2017
AUDIO: Listen to Savasana Music
Get a free download of Savasana music by Stevin McNamara here
http://tinyurl.com/jvjakzq
67
 Bringing out the
POSITIVE WARRIOR IN BOYS By Puja Disha Bharwani

A few months ago, I signed up for a ‘Yoga for Kids’ teacher training course at Pure Yoga Singapore. I was very keen to infuse these
learnings into my seven-year-old son’s active and sometimes overscheduled life.
I do believe we should infuse yoga into the minds of young, energetic boys, so that they can be more self-aware of their
thoughts and feelings, calm the over-stimulation and noise in their heads, and gain strength from the practice.
Some of the techniques I use are unconventional, but the overall vision of yoga to create a link
between our bodies, minds and lives is still very much at the core of it.

Frame it Right
The best way to get boys interested in yoga is to frame it according to their
mindset. For my son to be remotely interested in practicing yoga with me,
I initially added the word ‘warrior’ to it. He loved the fact that yoga was
related to something a strong individual could do.
To maintain the excitement, I changed the theme each week—from
planets to travel adventures to dinosaur names—based on the book he was
reading or the circumstances he was in.
nd making an event out of it, was another
Getting his friends involved, an
strong pull, and he soon started helpping me prepare for these sessions with
great enthusiasm.
When a group of boys who know each other well are in a space together to do
yoga, there is bound to be copious amounts of enerrgy bouncing around. So, to calm
them down, connect with themselves and have an enjoyable experience, we started with some deep balloon breathing and
simple visualisation techniques. Then we stood up and did some stretches and helicopteer twists to warm ourselves up.
We talked about the origins of yoga, how old it was and why people did it. They thou ught it was “so cool” that yoga was
practiced by athletes and trainers who did it to increase strength and balance. Hearing th
hat strong athletes do yoga made
them more interested in learning and trying the poses. It made them think of it as a challenging thing to do.

Don’t Fret over Flexing

With boys, it is advisable not to fret over the extent of flexibility in their poses. Challengee them in a serious way to try and
hold the poses—but this has to be done without putting too much pressure on them, aas it makes the session
more enjoyable and non-competitive.

Combine Action with Breathing

Young boys I teach love the warrior and tiger breath exercises, and enjoy doing the simultaneous
wood chopper action with their breathing. I notice they need some action with their breeath
movements, unlike girls who are able to sit quietly and do deep breathing.
yogajournal.com.sg

Prepare Well
With boys, you really never know what might work, especially when they are in a group.
You might have a certain exercise or game prepared, but it could fall through the cracks if
they are not in the right frame of mind. For example, once I was going to give them pipe
cleaners to make a yoga man—something my son normally loves doing—but I knew
april / may 2017

I was losing them, and so decided to play yoga whispers. To my pleasant surprise, the
affirmation message came out succinct and clear, without much effort.
“I am a strong and positive warrior,” said my son out aloud, confidently.

68
 MANOJ THAKUR
Vyasa Singapore
Manoj Thakur is the lead yoga teacher and
Managing Director of VYASA Singapore, and has
trained more than 2,000 yoga teachers on the
island. Manoj has been teaching yoga for 20 years
and has a Masters in Yogic Sciences from India,
where he was head of a yoga department in a
university as well as Chief Yoga Therapist at a
cancer hospital and research center.
VYASA Singapore is affiliated to S-VYASA (Swami
Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana),
a sprawling Yoga University on the outskirts of
Bangalore, where students specialize in yoga
research and yogic therapy. VYASA is known for
therapeutically healing patients through yoga. To
learn more, visit www.vyasasingapore.com

yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017

“My yoga teacher training at VYASA was an eye opener for me and I learned so much about
the yogic lifestyle, which is more than just Asanas. Manoj-Ji and his wife are adorable and Yoga Journal subscribers get a free
create a warm environment at the studio—it feels like being part of a big family.” class at VYASA Singapore.
- Alex Schmutterer, Yoga teacher & former YJSG cover model
69
 FitnessFest 2017
Fitness runs deep in the hearts of Singapore residents, with ample
physical exercise events and workshops every weekend. A
two-day festival, FitnessFest by AIA 2017, will be held at the
Bayfront Event Space with a series of adrenaline-pumping
activities. It is expected to draw huge crowds from all over the
island as the event has something for every level, from beginners
to intermediate to hardcore fitness fanatics, as well as a kid zone.
FitnessFest by AIA 2017 will feature an all-inclusive roster of activities with
an amazing line up of workouts that everyone can try their hands on. It
will begin at 10am on May 20 with Cassey Ho of Blogilates, who will lead
the crowd into a POP Pilates routine. There will be music and fun through
two days, and much physical activities to keep your body busy.
Yoga is a big part of the festival. Here’s a quick lineup of what yogis and
yoginis in Singapore can look forward to at the FitnessFest, which is
sponsored by AIA:

Jasmine Chong (Yoga Lab)

Anabel Chew (WeBarre)

- 90min YIN Yoga by Sherwin Sng of COMO Shambhala

- 90-min Yin Yoga by Sherwin Sng
- 45-min Power Yoga by Yong Xian of Yoga Lab
- 45-min AcroYoga by Jyan of Yoga Lab
- 60min Hatha Yoga by Roxanne Gan, Miryam Acosta and
Henry Phua of Pure Yoga
- 45-min Kids Yoga and 45min Family Yoga by Canvass
Citira Corrigan (UFIT)

- Glow yoga party by Jasmine Chong of Yoga Lab

You may also want to try some intense pilates by
Cassey Ho (blogilates)

fitness celebrity Cassey Ho of Blogilates

There will be many activities for families and children,

such as a Kids Gym Tent and Kids Jazz Cardio, where
children can get on their feet and tap away to pop hits.
Sonic (Superfly M.D)

“We hope this energy-packed event will

engage individuals and families to choose
Bryan Tay (CruCycle)

to stay healthy while having fun, ultimately

contributing to a healthier population and
Roxanne Gan (Pure Yoga)

family bonding,” said Tricia Sokolovitch,

Festival Director of The Live Group, the
organizers of the FitnessFest.

TICKETS ARE PRICED AT $59 FOR A ONE-DAY PASS,

yogajournal.com.sg

AND $89 FOR TWO DAY-PASS.

Children under the age of 12 enter for free. Groups

of four and above can purchase the #FitFam Deal,
which entitles them to a 10% discount off each ticket.
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE
april / may 2017

All participants will receive a swag bag with a

FitnessFest by AIA T-shirt or Tank and a sports towel.

70
ALPHABALANCE

www.alphabalance.sg
 BEER YOGA
Yoga gains popularity at Breweries
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017
72
By YJ Editor
It’s no secret that the one place men like
to hang out with bros is a brewery. It
is no surprise then that a brewery is
the fav hangout zone for Brogis too.
What was once a small niche seems
to be gaining popularity—with
yoga classes at breweries from
California to South Carolina,
many places in Europe, and
now in Singapore too.
Recently, Yoga Instiinct and
Superlife Co. got together
and hosted a beer yoga
session at the loft above
The 1925 Brewery Co. in
Singapore, where men
cheered to pints of beer
after a high workout yoga
session.
“It has always been our goal
to extend the reach of our
beers, which is why we fully
welcomed the idea of yoga in
a brewery since the ideals are
similar–making yoga accessible
to everyone,” said Yeo Eng Kuang,
co-founder of The 1925 Brewery Co. on
Jalan Besar. “Moreover, beers after yoga
is the perfect way to relax, and also
bond with your peers.”
A beer brewery might seem like
an unlikely place for a yoga class,
but for some, that’s a part of the
appeal. “The floors are concrete, and
they’re usually a bit dirty. It’s loud from
the glycol chiller,” said Beth Cosi, who teaches a
class called Bendy Brewski at breweries around
Charleston in South Carolina. “It’s garage band
yoga. You’ve got to be OK with that.” Cosi,
who had worked in the restaurant business
when she began teaching yoga said she
noticed how much her coworkers needed the
practice. But no matter how much she invited
them to come to her studio classes, they never
ART DIRECTION: ANUJA BAGADE, ILLUSTRATION : DESIGNED BY FREEPIK, PHOTO : KSTUDIO /FREEPIK, LOCATION : 1925 BREWING CO RESTAURANT
came. She realized they were intimidated by
the yoga studio, so she started offering yoga
classes at a local brewery to make the practice
more accessible. Following the classes with a
beer tasting was a no brainer. “There’s a kind
of serenity after a good yoga class, and what
followed was relaxing, slow conversation with
no drama and no yoga hype,” Cosi said.
From the smell of hops to the feeling
of community, breweries offer a casual
atmosphere that brings together students who
might otherwise never practice yoga with
seasoned practitioners who enjoy a good beer.
“Beer and yoga have a few things in common,
but the most important is happiness,”
said beer blogger and yoga teacher Adrienne
Jenise, who teaches BrewAsanas in the
Denver and Boulder, Colorado areas. “Both
are soothing, relaxing, and lead to a casual
social environment.”
 in focus
Yoga with Laura Burkhart in
Sentosa

Kai Ying making time to reflect at Amara Sanctuary

Resort Sentosa.

Yoga Journal Singapore hosted a workshop with Laura Burkhart,

our Feb/March edition cover model, at the Amara Sanctuary
Resort Sentosa on 18 March.

yogajournal.com.sg

YJSG editor Kavita Chandran

ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE

Laura flew down from San Francisco to teach a vinyasa flow

april / may 2017

shares her yoga story,

as told in her new book, class, followed by a “Yoga Business Secrets” workshop. The
The Head that won’t Stand. event was fully booked and fun with much to learn as yogis
and yoginis sat on their mats with a notepad and pen!

SEND US YOUR PICS Did you ever learn yoga in India? To see yourself “In Focus”, submit a Yoga photo taken in
INDIA, and send it to us at letters@yogajournal.com.sg
73
 Shine a light on
nn t your teacher!
TEACHER SPOTLIGHT Send nominations
to letters@
yogajournal.com.sg

Kenrick Goh
Kenrick Goh is a man who has “tasted the goodness of yoga” and incorporated a unique
combination in his teaching method—the philosophy of Taichiquan! Find out what he found
similar in the two ancient practices—Yoga and Taichi—and how he blends them in his classes.
each pose, regardless of it being a dynamic or passive practice.
Through my years of practicing Yoga and Taichiquan, I realised
some similarities in the techniques between the two, which are
complementary. A case in point is the technique of “Sinking”. In
yoga, students are often taught to feel grounded as their feet press
down during a standing pose. But their legs tend to be either overly
engaged or inactive. I incorporated the concept of sinking from the
philosophy of Taichiquan to explain what a grounded pose should
feel like. Through constant explorations, one is eventually able to
relax into poses without collapsing the body.

On an average how many male students

What made you start yoga?
I started yoga years ago as a form of cross training when I was competing in
National and International Taichiquan competitions. It helped me improve my
flexibility, as well as release the tension from my intense trainings.
What inspired you to become a yoga teacher
in Singapore?
Yoga has taught me a lot about taking care of myself beyond the physical.
My learnings on the mat extend into my life, both mentally and emotionally.
Being a homegrown Singaporean, I wish to share my transformational
experience with the people who are living on this beautiful land.
Tell us more about the unique form of yoga
you teach. What made you introduce this?
I mostly teach Forrest Yoga (founded by the internationally acclaimed yoga
teacher and healer Ana Forrest) and Yin Yoga. However in all my classes, I
yogajournal.com.sg
do you get per class? Do you feel that
more men are taking to yoga?
I get 1-2 male students on an average per class. But it really depends
on where the classes are conducted. There is typically a higher
percentage of men attending my yoga class in fitness centres as
compared to yoga studios. However, I do feel that there is an overall
increase in men attending yoga classes.
Why do you think men don’t embrace
the mat like women do?
Yoga was practiced mostly by men in the early times. However, all
around the world today, it has somehow got projected with a more
feminine image, which pushes men away. I believe that if one has
tasted the goodness of yoga, he or she will be less intimidated by
what they cannot do and how they look in a pose, and will embrace
the practice better.
What message can you give men who
shy away from attending a yoga class?
We practice yoga for our own wellbeing and growth. Do not let the
judgment and expectations of others stop you from experiencing
the magic of yoga.

share the approach of seeking balance between Yin and Yang energy within Kenrick teaches in Comoshambala, Freedom Yoga and Ziva
Yoga in Singapore.

in the
DETAILS Some of his favorite things...
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE
april / may 2017

Fav Pose
Head to Ankle Pose. This is a
Forrest yoga pose that taught
me a lot about letting go.
74
Fav Sport Fav If you weren’t a yoga teacher, you’d be ? What do you do when you’re not
Swimming TV Show A chef. I would want to share my love for teaching yoga?
Modern Asian food. Cooking, like yoga, reflects the Laze around at a cafe or simply take a
Family individual, the community and the culture that stroll. I like to pause, watch and
gives flavor to the cuisine. appreciate how the world goes by.
fë=j~ÅÜìéáÅÅÜì=çå=
óçìê=ÄìÅâÉí=äáëí\

jóëíáÅ~ä=vçÖ~=
ÉíêÉ~í
ïáíÜ pìê~ó~ p~ã
gìåÉ=OSíÜ=J=gìäó=QíÜ=
rpaOMPO=
óã~íê~îÉäéÉêìKÅçã

@sáî~bämÉêì
 connect
MY STORY, MY CALLING

How Cancer
HEALED me
By Vijay Bhat

Vijay Bhat, a former top advertising executive,

chose a holistic and yogic healing path to keep
his colon cancer at bay after two malignant
tumors were removed. 15 years later, this ‘cancer
thriver’ has not only documented his journey
in a book, but is dedicating his life to cancer-
coaching and helping others rehabilitate and
reframe their life’s goals.

“I’m going to die” was my first thought on a

cold, grey and wintry day in December 2001,
after the doctor calmly announced a diagnosis
of colon cancer.
I was in London, and after a successful
surgery where two tumors were removed,
my chance of a recurrence was put down
in numbers: 28% with chemotherapy, 30%
without.
I decided against chemo, and turned to
a mind-body-spirit holistic and integrated
approach to minimize those chances of a
recurrence. That was over 15 years ago. Today,
I am still here, cancer-free and (I think) a better
person than before. I call myself a ‘cancer-
thriver’ rather than a ‘survivor’. Read on and
you’ll understand why.

Choosing ‘Life’ over ‘Lifestyle’

What is this ‘holistic and integrated approach’?
yogajournal.com.sg

For starters, I made some fundamental changes

to every aspect of my life. My work moved
us to Hong Kong from London soon after my
cancer surgery. Two years later, I resigned
from a full-time thriving international corporate
career and relocated to India, along with my
family. I changed my diet, exercise and sleep
ART DIRECTION: ANUJA BAGADE
april / may 2017

routine significantly. I learned various psycho-

spiritual techniques such as neuro-linguistic
programming (NLP), the Enneagram, yoga,
Vipassana meditation and family constellation
therapy.
Gradually, my wife, Nilima, and I took
76

on the role of health coaches—dedicating
ourselves to helping corporate leaders
and individuals become more self-aware
and effective in their professional lives,
and in achieving their life goals. However,
rehabilitation and recovery from the trauma
and suffering of cancer remained my main area
of interest and my life’s calling.
My recovery and remission inspired Nilima
and I to develop our unique approach to
cancer, and we started teaching its application
on a one-to-one basis, and also in group
settings. We chronicled our journey, approach
and case studies in the book ‘My Cancer Is
Me: The Journey From Illness To Wholeness’,
published by Hay House (a Spanish edition has
also been recently published).
In parallel, we created an online media
platform (www.cancerawakens.com) to get our
message out to the widest possible audience:
you can take charge of your own healing!
Cancer is catching up with cardiovascular
disease as the leading global cause of death,
and I am now leveraging technology to scale
up my efforts to provide patients, care-givers
and practitioners a range of structured cancer-
coaching services.
While the doctors cure the disease,
who heals the patient?
I believe limited understanding, endless taboos
and collective beliefs block the world from
identifying the underlying reasons and trigger-
points of cancer, as well as potential methods
to heal from it. The conventional medical
establishment of cancer may be barking up a
single, and perhaps wrong, tree.
Western medicine focuses on the disease
and the body part where cancer originates—
for example, the breast, colon or lung—it’s
thus an ‘organ-centric’ approach. I propose a
‘person-centric’ approach. My experience and
work shows that cancer is the result of not
only one’s physical stressors, but also mental,
emotional and spiritual ones. For example,
limiting thoughts and attitudes are ‘mental
stressors’, while negative emotions, such as
anger and guilt, are ‘emotional stressors’. I
strongly believe that accurately identifying and
addressing one’s stressors can lead to greater
immunity. It is also essential for effective
healing.
Looking back, in my case, my stressors
or trigger-points were physical (poor diet,
sedentary lifestyle and frequent international
travel); emotional (tendency towards avarice,
melancholy and rage) and psycho-spiritual
(lack of a spiritual practice and disconnect with
the Divine).
My cancer coaching builds on my life lessons,
and focuses on the following three insights:
Cancer arises from within a person, and not
from external or foreign agents, contrary to
what people believe.
Cancer needs a new language. Its common
negative connotations—such as ‘monster’,
‘scourge’, ‘internal terrorist’ and ‘death
sentence’—drain hope and create despair.
A positive vocabulary, by contrast, actually
energizes and empowers.
Cancer is not a ‘bump in the road’. I
reframe it as a ‘fork in the road’—it can
provide a new direction, towards growth and
transformation.
Yoga: The Vehicle, Path
or Destination?
I grew up in Mumbai and was introduced
to the practice of yoga in my teens. It was
mostly physical (Asana) and some breath-work
(Pranayama). When I started working, I had
very little time for any physical activity. But
early in my career, I developed sinusitis, and
so took up yoga again; certain regular practices
(Kriya) cured me completely.
Thereafter work took me to other parts
of India and then Singapore, and my exercise
routine comprised some stretching, walking
and trekking—but very little yoga. When we
moved to London, Nilima had already dived
deep into yoga and gained her teaching
certification. I would, quite reluctantly,
accompany her to the Sunday open class,
where I was clearly out of shape and out of
depth.
Ironically, after my cancer surgery and
If you heard your
calling, we would love
to hear your story.
Write to us at
letters@yogajournal.com.sg
my decision against chemotherapy, the first
people we consulted were Nilima’s senior
yoga teachers in London, who pointed us to a
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner
with excellent credentials and a terrific track
record with cancer. He opened us up to the
world of Holistic & Integrated medicine. When
we moved to Hong Kong, I integrated yoga
and meditation (Pratyahara and Dhyana) into
my life and my work. Without any doubt,
I have benefited at every level—physical,
emotional, mental, systemic and spiritual.
I have experienced yoga as a ‘vehicle’
through Hatha Yoga, which has provided the
physical practice, breathing and relaxation; and
as a ‘path’ through Raja Yoga, which focuses
on mental concentration. I have also absorbed
the sincere devotion of Bhakti Yoga, along
with learning the action-as-service of Karma
Yoga. However, I have a long way to go, to
fully experience Yoga as the ‘destination’, that
is, the union with the Divine. All I can say is
that as my practice has deepened, I find myself
in contact with a deeper, sweeter, richer and
wiser part of me. It is a non-cognitive, intimate
and nourishing experience. Not to mention, a
key factor in my healing.
Vijay Bhat lives in Mumbai with his wife,
Nilima, an author and spiritual guide.
To read more about him and his work,
go to www.cancerawakens.com or you can
email him at cancerawakens@gmail.com
Watch Vijay tell his story -
https://tinyurl.com/lmxu2dn
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017
77
 practice well
ASHTANGA

Ashtanga

}
ashta = eight · anga = limbs

BY SHERRIANN MELWANI

NIYAMA
The second Limb of Yoga
Observances of the Self

This is the second part in a series of eight articles

about what Ashtanga really means, as derived
from Patanjali’s ancient Yoga Sutras.

Niyama, the second limb of Ashtanga, involves

self-discipline and spiritual observances.
Regularly attending temple or church services,
writing a journal, developing your own
personal meditation practices, or making a
habit of taking contemplative walks alone are all
examples of niyamas in practice.

The following 5 principles refer to the inner

observances that relate to our thinking, behaviour
and discipline in our daily lives.

MODEL - SHERRIANN MELWANI; PHOTO - ESTHER TAY PICTURES, ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE
yogajournal.com.sg
april / may 2017

78
 1) Shaucha: Cleanliness
I remember a discussion about body hygiene
and cleanliness some years ago during my
first yoga training camp. We, the trainees,
were staying in a tropical jungle, and in close
proximity with each other for many hours
daily where temperatures reached the low 30s.
Hygiene wasn’t a priority for some, and due
to our constant togetherness, some tensions
flared up. My teacher approached this with
kindness and compassion. Without singling
anyone out or making anyone feel bad, he
introduced ‘Shaucha’ to us in one of our group
meetings. He encouraged us to take great
pride in the care of our physical bodies, which
he referred to as a sacred special gift and
instrument, a temple even.
Shaucha refers to personal hygiene and
purity of mind as well as keeping the external
environment around us clean. Clutter inhibits
thinking and clouds one’s concentration.
When my desk or mind is cluttered with To-
Do’s, it is difficult to concentrate on anything
else. If I try to sit down to meditate, but haven’t
finished the “laundry”, then I end up meditating
about all the “laundry” that awaits me.
However, when I do what must be done first,
I can more easily concentrate on my practice.
Shaucha also affects Santosha (contentment),
the next niyama.
2) Santhosha: Contentment
3) Tapas: Purification
While visiting the Perth Mint several years ago, I
witnessed how gold bars were made. The
goldsmith showed us the purification process:
he heated the rough gold nuggets at a very
high temperature, melting them into glowing
liquid and pouring them into a rectangular brick
cast before dipping them into cold water. What
emerged from water was a solid and pure gold
bar. The intense heat removes the impurities,
he told us.
Throughout our lives, we pick up impurities
along the way and we need to go through
“fire” or Tapas, to remind us of our pure nature.
Alistair Shearer in his translation of The Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali eloquently describes Tapas as
“a process of transmutation, an inner alchemy
that burns away the dross of imperfection”.
Detoxification of the mind and body is often
very uncomfortable, requiring much effort and
internal heat. Through hardships and successes,
opportunities to love, opportunities to be
loved, and other experiences, we gain a more
refined sense of self. A good yoga practice
eliminates toxins, and guides us towards a
strong and healthy body and mind. We shed
superficial layers as we evolve through the
ebbs and flows of life, and take our yogic
practices beyond the mat.
4) Svadhyaya: Self-Knowledge
5) Ishvara Pranidhana:
Surrender, Devotion
This final niyama is perhaps the essence of
yoga, because without it, we succumb to
‘ego’ and slow down our progress. The Yoga
Sutras say devotion to something deeper
than ourselves plays a vital role towards self-
realization. The ego will tell us we can do it on
our own. When we recognize we need help,
we enhance our devotion and allow ourselves
to surrender to the Supreme. This type of
surrender is very different from giving up or
feeling failure. Yoga reminds us of our oneness
with everyone and everything. We become
more humble and purified.
The five niyamas are like our own personal
spiritual compasses. They shine light onto the
process of purification in how we view and
care for our body and mind. Along the path of
purification, we release the masks that dim our
light. As with everything, through practice it
gets easier. Observing the niyamas brings great
inner strength, and we become the steady and
bright flame that is undeterred by the wind.
Sherriann Melwani is a yoga teacher
who shuttles between Hong Kong, Bali
and Singapore, and is a freelance writer
for Yoga Journal Singapore. Read about
‘Asana’ in the next edition.

We live at a time where the mind is easily
seduced with perceived needs. We always
want more and trick ourselves to think we
need more to be content. This endless pursuit
of acquiring (clothes, approval from others,
money, followers, etc) may be stunting
personal and spiritual growth. In our attempt to
constantly fulfil our desires and needs, we miss
the opportunity to enjoy what we have at the
moment.
By relying on external stimuli to bring us
contentment, we hold ourselves back from
enjoying existing blessings in life. We cannot
enjoy the present moment as we hold deep
fears from the void, and don’t feel complete.
When the mind is fixed on cravings and
desires, we believe we can only feel happy
when all perceived needs are met, which in
itself is a trap as our needs are often endless.
This constant seeking destroys our ability to be
in the here and now. We have to learn to purify
our minds (Tapas) through self knowledge, and
this will help us realize we actually already have
all we need inside of us in order to experience
contentment.
I once attended a course where we were asked
to choose something from our suitcases and
place it on a table, where it would remain for
the duration of the month-long course. I chose
a small mirror as I decided to create an intention
of being able to “see” myself differently as the
training progressed. Throughout that month of
practice and my experiences, I became aware
of the masks I wore. Through awareness and
practice, I learned how to peel off the masks.
The exercise planted a deeper seed within me
about the power of ongoing self-reflection.
The true cause of pain and suffering is
one’s own ignorance of the true self. Only
light (knowledge) can remove the darkness
(ignorance). Svadhyaya means study of one’s
self, and this could be via introspection and
meditation, as well by reading sacred books,
such as The Gita or The Yoga Sutras, or any
other text that allows you to delve deep within
yourself.
 connect
I’M A YOGI
I started with yoga and got hooked to
meditation. Yoga was mostly asanas for me;
I was initially attracted to its elegant flow
and challenging poses. It was also a low
cost form of exercise as you can practice it
anywhere without any fancy equipment. I
was always fascinated by meditation, but
never really embraced it until three years ago
when my company was undergoing a drastic
transformation, and I began experiencing high
stress at work.
There was a lot of noise and negativity
around me. I had to find inner peace and
emotional stability in order to chart the right
yogajournal.com.sg
direction for the company and my life. So I did
some research and came across Soul Centre,
an established and well known center for
meditation and mindfulness in Singapore. I
couldn’t have asked for anything better.
I work long hours behind a computer, and
april / may 2017
am constantly making decisions and handling
customers on the fly for up to 14 hours a day.
As the Deputy CEO of a fast paced Information
YOGA JOURNAL SINGAPORE (ISSN #24249246) is an international licensed edition of Yoga Journal and is published by Sankia Publishing Pte Ltd. All contents in this magazine are
non-religious and not affiliated to any religious organization. The pictures have all been credited to photographers except in those cases where they were legally purchased or procured
80 from free online sites that allow commercial use.
Tony Tan
Technology firm, I need to ensure the company
moves ahead of an already fast-paced industry
to capitalize on the business trends and digital
disruptions that are sweeping across every
industry. Yoga enables me to build up my
physical strength and flexibility, and also slow
down my hectic life. It instils peace within me.
Meditation is an extension of my yoga
practice. Yoga allows me to sit still and upright
for longer periods so I can benefit from the
fruits of my meditation practice. Meditation
extends the inner peace that my yoga practice
provides, and stills my mind so that I can be
ready for the challenges ahead. Meditation,
when combined with wisdom, brings joy and
stability to my work and personal life.
I feel yoga is for every man since it works a
lot on your core and flexibility. Some of my
friends are curious about my interest in yoga
and meditation, as previously I used to only
hit the gym. I believe that there is a lot of
misconception, as many think of yoga as a
“girl thing”.
A senior executive in
Singapore, Tony Tan
is one of many in the
corporate world who
became a victim of long
working hours and stress.
He tells YJSG how he was
able to reduce his stress
levels and find inner peace
with yoga and meditation.
Steve Jobs used to meditate. Look at what
he created and how he transformed the
industry. If it was good enough for him, it’s
good enough for us. Yoga and meditation are
perhaps not well understood and marketed to
men in Singapore. I would like to tell the men
out there that while yoga has many external
benefits, such as muscle toning and sculpting,
meditation brings you an inner peace and joy
that affects and improves every part of your
daily routine.
My mind was so easily distracted when I first
started meditating. But surprisingly, I soon
found it easy. I understood that meditation
does not mean sitting still for hours, and
even five minutes would do. It is also very
important to get the right teacher with the
right techniques. Once you understand how to
meditate effectively, you will find that it’s really
not that difficult. And the more you meditate,
the faster you get into a calm state of mind.
ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE
 The first prestigious a
awards ceremony to honor a
and reward the best in
Asia’s
a’s fitness and wellness commun
community.

16 May 2017 , 7pm Zouk - Singapore

ap

ww.fitnessbest.com

I T NE S

Endorsed by
Held in Singapore FISAF Singapore Organized By Offical Partners Media Partner