This is not new. Yoga has always been looked upon as a practice that is linked to hindu-ism. I have a few Christian friends who frown upon the practice of yoga. And now we have a Muslim group in Malaysia who has declared a ban on yoga.
Perhaps the reason why is that they made judgement based on what they’ve heard from other people. Did they go for a class before? I’ll take my guess and say no, these people probably have not.
Incredible as it seems, sometimes when one surrender, one can gain more instead. This is often heard in an old chinese saying.
When you become too stubborn and unyielding, things often turn even more against you. However, when you are able to surrender and to go with the flow, things always turn out somehow for the better eventually.
Heebs has this particular flow which he is having us do pretty a lot this few weeks. It is what he calls the offering yoga flow (i think). I love the flow as it is simple, graceful and yet symbolic. When you do the flow, you are offering to something bigger than you ( maybe it’s the universe, your god or the divine ).
Being petite, at only a mere 1.52 meter tall and having short arms, I find that I am at a disadvantage when I do certain poses or asanas. Each person is anatomically different and hence one pose may be easy for you and another pose, totally impossible to do.
Some teachers however say that it shouldn’t matter. Perhaps… But not when you do not have the strength or flexibility yet to overcome the various difficulty in these poses. Seriously, some poses are oh-so-easy for some long limbed people while I struggle like a beginner to get into them ( cowface or binding during
Continue reading about From Downward Dog To Seated - A Jumping Tip For Short Arms
Yesterday Heeb’s class was quite a tough one (the theme being opening the chest… tons of “exploding” poses). “Exploding” triangle, “exploding” side angle etc. He had us doing 4 sets of left-right side planks variation in one of the sequence (normal, tree, top leg lifted and full pose). This was done without rest in between. We had to go from one side to the other by coming down from the side plank and then straight down into Chaturanga and then up again to the other side. When I came out of the class, I think my tee was totally wet and I was much like coming out of a hot yoga class….
I have not felt this way for a long time - a torturous yoga class… arm balances and more. What’s worst? I was feeling tired and sleepy… Too much late nights I guess! ( been sleeping at unearthly hours of 4am… must revert back to normal human hours )
The class was all about strengthening the quads and activating the forearms. Furthermore, the classes by Heebs tend to move towards being able to feel the parts of your body, being aware of the movements.
