Supported Yoga / Kurunta Class
"Practice asanas by creating space in the muscles and skin , so that the fine network of the body fits into the asana. - by BKS Iyengar. definitely Kurunta or other props Offer plenty opportunities to work a deeper layer of poses( asanas). The Difference between the practice with the supporting tool and without i will elaborate in the next post. Those who have tried Kurunta , hopefully you enjoy that , and find a different 'feel '' !
The following poses are practiced with Kurunta this month ;
Two Standing Poses
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1) Utthita Trikonasana
2) Utthita Parsvakonasan
Three Backward Bend Poses
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1) Urdhva Mukha Savanasana
2) Ustrasana
3) Anjaneyasana
Three Seated Poses
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1) Baddha Konasana
2) Pachimottasana
3) Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
Vinyasa Class
Regardless of whether it is a slow pace,alignment- oriented practice with support or a sweaty dynamic pace of Vinyasa. Basically what to achieve from the practice is unity -the core of yoga , "practicing with discrimination and awareness , bring the body , mind and consciousness into a single , harmonious whole." by BKS Iyengar
Thank to Wendy Cheing for posing in July's feature of vinyasa sequence. if you like to take the challenge from what you see in the pictures. see you in the Vinyasa class!
Monday, 26 July 2010
Review of July's Classes
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Yoga at Matab Sains School 2010
In 2008 ,it was two of teachers , Ms Sevon & Keith from Matab Sains school who used to attend my yoga classes. They put my name in and got me participated in their School 's CCA program to teach yoga. This continues to the following year along with another invitation from Ms. Angela, Therefore, In 2009, there were twice sessions weekly on different days for two groups form 1 & form 2 and the higher level form 5 & A level . It is only every Thursdays for this year. This is a roundup how i started to teach at this prestigious school.
Essentially , yoga asanas ( poses ) are all conditions for the young Matab Sains' students to develop their body awareness, in particular the way they sit and stand to get rid of the poor postures like the common problem they have a hunched back . The Sun Salutation & its variations is a full- body workout involves with the repetitive movement help creating the idea how the body can work in a perfect coordination as well as develop a fundamental skill to be focus and concentration. i use props too anything available on the spot , like the chair and the railing along the corridor is very useful to practice the balancing poses. When it comes to the final relaxation,beside shavasana pose , forward bend poses are another good choice to wind down & chill
The mode of teaching is basically not much different as usual at my own studio. But flexibility wise, the training can be omitted for teens. Let's see their innate suppleness when practicing any of backward bend poses. They just make them look incredibly easy and light. The usual tricks / instructions such as roll the shoulder down , tuck in the shoulder blade or work the legs vigorously , etc are given to the adult students to do the same practice might not be significant to them i guess.
Thursday, 15 July 2010
A short yoga retreat !!!
Teaching yoga to beginners or to a multi-level class is always challenging either for a novice or an experienced teacher . especially when the group comes with different ages , different fitness level and different intentions.
by Joanna Osman's request , i fix up a couple of private sessions with her family & relatives as two of her aunties currently reside abroad ( UK & Australia) are here and they think of doing something "unusual "for their holidays. Except for Joanna herself ,has regular practice with me and so have her two cousins . Here it comes the challenge , the rest totally has zero background in yoga. It is quite often that you will receive one or more newbies in a open class unexpectedly from time to time. When the situation comes , you might not be able to teach everything you have pre-planned for that class, again adjustments need to be made for everyone both the new and the old students from time to time. for Joanna's group , i come out with a customized approach- a safe , adaptable and "everyone- can-do" modified asanas to give them a quick -fix how their bodies feel from yoga stretching at such a short period of practice. after all the sessions they look for are simply a fun yoga experience & a holiday retreat!
By the way, goodbye to Veronica Miller & M2 & the kids!! Bonvoyage!!see all you next season!
As commented by Rena on facebook, it seems they are being tied up and tortured:)
Open up..
Balance
Hello...see how bendy i am
Miller brothers
Do..Re. Me
Sisters in Action
Grin..?? and bear it..( cry for help stretching ??)Thursday, 8 July 2010
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh - South East Asia Trip 2010
Zen Master -Thich Nhat Hanh is considered as one of the most influential Buddhist Teachers in the world today. He is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk , a poet , a Scholar and a peace activist. His lifelong efforts to generate peace and reconciliation moved Martin Luther King.Jr to nominate him for The Noble Peace Price in 1967. He travels and the world to teach the art of Mindful living. This year , he and many of his disciples will come to Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur , Penang and Negeri Sembilan in the month of September 2010
Schedule of his tour - please check out here for detail - http://www.thichnhathanh.my or email to the secretariat TNH SEA Trip 2010 Committee - tnh.sea.trip.2010@gmail.com
5 days - Mindfulness Retreat "The Walk of Peace & Joy "from 15th - 19th September held at Tiara Beach Resort ,Port Dickson .N.Sembilan
Public Talk -"This is a Happy Moment "- 21st September held in Penang
A Day of Mindfulness -"Becoming Truly Alive " - 24th September , held at Tunku Abdul Rahman College , Setapak, Kuala Lumpur
Can't wait , to join him on 24th "becoming truly alive" along with couple of my yoga students , my yoga friends and my sister & cousins in KL!!
Some of Thich Nhat Nanh inspiring quotes:
"The most precious gift we can offer is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love , the will bloom like flowers"
"There is no enlightenment outside of daily life "
"The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions"
"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile , but sometimes your smile can be the source of your Joy"
"Because of your smiles you make life more beautiful!"
"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear ,if we believe that tomorrow will be better , we can bear a hardship today."
"We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize"
"Life can be found only in the present moment.The past is gone, the future is not yet here and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment. We can not be in touch with life."
Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness which unites your body to your thoughts"
"Let us enjoy breathing together"
With Metta
Click here to find out more about him
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Sneak Peep of July's classes
First and foremost , we apologize for the delayed announcement about the cancellation of Martin Kirk 's workshop which was supposed to hold last Month (26th & 27th June ) . Both Martin & myself deeply regretted for this final decision due to the inconvenience circumstance. However, you can still join his workshop & trainings in other countries, please visit his official website -www.kirkyoga.com for the latest workshops' schedule and locations.
Secondly, Please be open heart to welcome my new associated yoga teacher -Wendy Liew. She has lately completed her Yoga Teacher Training Course from the international recognized Yoga School - Yoga Vidya Dham , India. She will conduct 2 morning sessions for beginner level, Tuesday and Thursday @ 8:00am respectively. Please come and join her!!
My favourite & fun "stretching Toy ' 's finally fixed up at the studio wall. I like to use it in my own personal practice to do the restorative inversion ,the backbending position and many other cues. This innovative wall rope system is called Kurunta in Sanskrit which originated by BKS Iyengar and everything i have learned about the use of Kurunta has been through the guidance & inspiration of my close Taiwanese friend - Alex who has seriously involved with the extensive years of Iyengar training in India. The yoga Kurunta gives a whole new experience of yoga practice. You would definitely enjoy the deeper stretching like i do and you would also get the full opening of yoga asanas you might never experience before.
The word Kurunta means puppet or doll made of wood. In using the wall ropes in the practice of yoga asanas we become like puppets suspended by ropes. The use of Kurunta to make students more aware of postural alignment and to help open areas of the body that might be difficult for them to reach. The system is also helpful for students with special needs ( therapeutic ) and for older people who may need extra support.
The basic technique for Kurunta will be tuaght in the Supported Yoga classes along with other props ( chair , the wall and the blocks ) we use to enhance your yoga practice . Please refer to July 's schedule.
Bhujagasana - a very deep stretch for the front body and the back & the spine
Posterior stretch for the shoulder joints with the wall rope
Opening for the Upper body ( lateral stretch in the torso ) and the arms stretch
Deep stretch for quadriceps and upper body in Anjaneyasana
Bharadvajasana with the chair
Support Backbending with the chairHeat ( 1 )
Anjaneyasana
Koundinyasan I & II and with the new addition ,
Koundinyasana III ,The flying Sage III which version almost like an inversion pose - pincha Mayurasana .
series of hip openers -
Cradle the baby ,
Ardha - Matsyendrasana ,
Ardha- Baddha-Padma-Pasimottanasana
Akarna Dhanurasana
Eka Pada Sirsana ( simple version )
Eka Hasta Bujasana or
Astavakrasana
Koundinyasan I & II
Heat ( 2 )
Bakasana -
Eka Pada Bakasana I & II ,
Vasistansana ,
Visvamitrasana ,
series of hip openers -
Cradle the baby
Ardha - Matsyendrasana
Maricyasana ( simple version)
Ardha- Baddha-Padma-Pasimottanasana
Akarna Dhanurasana
Kasyapasana ,
Adho Padma Mukha Svanasana -
Heat ( 3 )
Adho Padma Mukha Svanasana -
Jump in from Adho Padma Mukha Svanasana
squat
Galavasana
Eka Pada Bakasana I & II ,
Malasana
Half squat
Tittibhasana
Heat ( 4 )
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Dolphin
Chaturanga Dandasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Dolphin
Pincha Mayurasana
Heat ( 1 )
Heat ( 2 )
Heat ( 3 )
Heat ( 4 )
