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Is Yoga a gendered practice?
Many would say “Yes, it is for women”.
And it isn’t difficult to see why one would feel that way. Step into any Yoga studio these days, and you will see women outnumbering the men by at least FOUR…
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Savasana (Corpse Pose)
When I first started yoga, I remember feeling like this pose was such a waste of time. I wanted to move, try new poses, do new things, GO GO GO! But as time passed, I started appreciating the effects…
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Balasana
Location: Potato Productions, Singapore
(A strange exchange before the photo was taken…)
Dawn: “I’m going to do child’s pose! I bet its everyone’s favourite pose!”
Me: “Go ahead!”
Dawn: “My sweater is on back to…
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Simhasana (of some sort…)
Yogis: Me (left) and Cara (right)
Location: UBC field, Vancouver, Canada
“Taken at Camp Moomba, a 108 minutes Yogathon fundraiser for children living with HIV. This is how all fund raisers should be!!! Fun, meaningful, and held outdoors under…
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La-HAHAHA-ghter Yoga
“Laughter in laughter clubs is the purest laughter because it is not for any reason. It is not directed at others but we learn to laugh at ourselves.”
-Madan Kataria, founder of Hasya (Laughter) Yoga
According to Madan Kataria, an…
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Adho Mukha Svasana
Yogi: Monica Choo
Location: Gill Divers, Singapore
“I was doing my Dive Master theory at Gill Divers, and I decided to ask Mon to do a Sun Salutation series for me. This picture in particular stuck out, and its…
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Bhujapidasana (Shoulder Pressing Pose)
Bhujapidasana (Boo-jah-pi-dah-sana), is a pose that looks a lot more difficult that it really is. This pose is not one which relies on strength, but rather, its a matter of finding that balancing point with your feet and your…
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What to do when Cancer strikes?
Sitting in the hospital these few days, watching my grandmother drift in and out of sleep, I can only wonder how yoga can help someone in the 4th stage of Cancer. It wasn’t a case of us having known and…
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Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Sides Angle Pose)
Utthita Parsvakonasana (oo-TEE-tah parsh-vah-cone-AHS-sanna) is quite a mouthful to pronounce, so for those who are more comfortable hearing the English name of the form, it simply translates to ‘Extended Sides Angle Pose’.
Utthita, means ‘extended’, and parsva refers to the…
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Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
Its funny that Utkatasana (OOT-kah-TAHS-sana), or what we have come to know as Chair Pose, is no where near what the sanskrit word actually means. Utkata, stands for ‘powerful’ and ‘fierce’, and sana stands for ‘pose’, or ‘posture’. So…
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Can Yoga relieve my back pain?
Now that the heat from Bikram yoga has somewhat sizzled off, Yoga therapy seems to be the next big thing to hit the studios. But just how effective is yoga in treating chronic back pain?
In a…
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Adho Mukha Svasana (Downward Facing Dog)
While doing my 200hr RYT , many of us in the Yoga Teacher Training struggled with remembering the sanskrit names of the asanas. However, for the sheer number of times that this particular pose was mentioned, it is one of…
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Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga, also called Hatha Vidya, is a system of Yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a sage of 15th century India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. In this treatise Swatmarama introduces Hatha Yoga as preparatory stage of physical purification that the…
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Vinyasa Yoga
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is an ancient system of yoga popularized by K. Pattabhi Jois. Pattabhi Jois began his yoga studies in 1927 at the age of 12, and by 1948 had established an institute for teaching the specific yoga practice…
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Sivananda Yoga
Sivananda Yoga, after teachings of Swami Sivananda, is a non-proprietary form of hatha yoga in which the training focuses on preserving the health and wellness of the practitioner. Sivananda training revolves around frequent relaxation, and emphasises full, yogic breathing.…
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Power Yoga
Power Yoga is actually a variation of Ashtanga yoga, similar to Vinyasa yoga. It is a rigorous type of yoga and practiced by moving from one pose to another in a fast pace. It was given the…
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Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini Yoga practice is designed to awaken kundalini energy, which is stored at the base of the spine and often depicted as a coiled snake. Kundalini mixes chanting, breathing practices, and yoga exercises. The emphasis is not on asana, but…
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Iyengar Yoga
Created by B.K.S. Iyengar, it is a form of yoga known for its use of props, such as belts and blocks, as aids in performing asanas. It is also characterized by great attention to detail and precise focus on body…
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Bikram Yoga
Developed by Bikram Choudhury who designed a sequence of 26 yoga postures (or asanas) and two breathing exercises that are performed in a heated room. The postures are vigorous and demand a lot from the students. The…
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