India, one more time...

 

 “Scrape the surface and you might find…” 

It feels a little like an addiction. When friends ask ‘Are you going to India again?’, I sheepishly nod and wonder why I keep going back...

Goa certainly does not have the most honourable reputation. As much as it is a protected, mostly catholic, rich coastal region with a pleasant climate and friendly residents, the decades of hippy travellers, followed by never ending parties, thumping trance music, drug use and abuse, has tainted some of the areas’ charm. Some of the beauty and purity has disappeared –inevitably- but parties are still happening, tourism ‘en-masse’ keeps growing, and Indian tourists view Goa as their escape from stressful city life. Drugs and alcohol, cheap tourism and lots of white flesh on display can also be an entertaining factor. 

But there is still a more hidden part of Goa that many do not see. Look beyond the bars and loud music and you will find a more reasonable, pleasant and seducing life. A whole community of westerners living in Goa for many years, some on and off season, some throughout the monsoon. Like a subculture in a strangely built environment, this is where the ‘real’ Goa begins.

My favourite part of this scene lies within the sphere of yoga. This is possibly the main reason why I keep coming back. For most people, there is choice. Like many western hotspots in India, search and you will find any form, variation and brand of yoga or meditation. In Goa, this multiplies even more.

Choice is not necessarily a good thing however, especially for the beginner or a confused mind. From freestyle westernized yoga, to classic Hatha taught by Indians, intuitive dance and movement meditation, there are many options. Asthangis will find their home at YogaBones, Rolf Naujokat’s Shala, now located in Anjuna beach. It is possibly one of the few places that starts way before sunrise (here, at 6.45am) and remains open for self practice 5 days a week, throughout most of the monsoon. Old Style Asthanga, as Rolf would call it, attracts many students, willing to pay the high fee to study with one of the few certified teachers in the world. Strange that he has found his place in such a contrasted place like Goa. The rumour is that long ago, a handful of yogis (including Rolf) would practice on the beach at sunrise, while party goers would tumble down past them.

Such is the Goa I like. It constantly evolves and yet remains the same. The cows don’t party and the dogs keep barking. Rolf is up practicing at 2 every morning, when many are still on their last orders. I wake up when many get to bed. Just like in London or anywhere else in the world, we live, but just choose to experience life differently

The ethical yogi – practicing environmental awareness off the mat

(this was published in Yoga Magazine UK, July 2011)

How can we explore the possibility of bringing environmental awareness (and nature loving kindness!) off the yoga mat and to the outside world?

So you’ve just bought a new ‘eco-mat’ (made with recycled fibres, biodegradable, perhaps even wholly compostable, and that somewhat smells the part), your organic cotton outfit feels luxuriously comforting, and you begin your practice safe in the knowledge that a bowl of organic muesli and green tea awaits. And some of you may even be cycling or walking to the shala, thus adding a few more ‘green points’ to your already fabulously virtuous yogic path.

But once caught up in the ‘busy-ness’ of daily life, priorities and complications, how often are we able to maintain that connection with nature, the environment, and all the goodness  (essentially our ‘true selves’) that we try to perpetuate on the yoga mat? 

Looking back

On way to approach the issue of environmentalism is by looking at age-old Sanskrit texts and concepts, which are at the root of yoga. Scriptures like the Yoga Sutras and the Vedas may not mention being ‘green’ or purposely acting as an eco-warrior, but both highlight the importance of Ahimsa – or non-violence- and universal kindness towards all living beings. What they do also emphasize, are some key guidelines and ethical principles that should guide each and every one of us into a positive path of yoga. Ahimsa is essential if one observes Patanjali’s ‘classical’ yoga path: Ahimsa is just one of the five Yamas (restraints) - the first of the 8 limbs of  Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga. 

Judith Lasater explains that living ethically, according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, is the first step on the true path of yoga: “The first yama is perhaps the most famous one: ahimsa, usually translated as "nonviolence." This refers not only to physical violence, but also to the violence of words or thoughts. What we think about ourselves or others can be as powerful as any physical attempt to harm. To practice ahimsa is to be constantly vigilant, to observe ourselves in interaction with others and to notice our thoughts and intentions. Try practicing ahimsa by observing your thoughts when a smoker sits next to you. Your thoughts may be just as damaging to you as his cigarette is to him. It is often said that if one can perfect the practice of ahimsa, one need learn no other practice of yoga, for all the other practices are subsumed in it. Whatever practices we do after the yamas must include ahimsa as well. Practicing breathing or postures without ahimsa, for example, negates the benefits these practices offer.”

It is not about strictly abiding to every single rule and obligation, but rather to maintain a level of awareness and aim to follow the path of yoga beyond the mere asana. For instance, this could mean choosing to be kinder to yourself in your own practice (forget the striving and the pushing) and allow this loving kindness to hover around you throughout the day. You leave your mat with a light and open body; wherever you go next – whether it is to work, home, to the shops or collecting the kids from school, maintaining awareness for any length of time can prove to be a challenge, and being ‘environmentally aware’ may not be a top priority.

However, the sense of environmental awareness is perhaps not strictly bound to immediate ‘green’ issues: driving a hybrid car, cycling to work, or buying locally produced organic foods will not make you a better yogi nor an environmental warrior. As much as they are positive actions everyone should try to incorporate (within reason) into their daily lives, the true answer lies in practice.

But the concept of ‘practice’ may be highly individual and have different meanings for each and every one of us. When we look at awareness and environmental issues, learning to be kind, gentle and aware of the world that surrounds us, as well as practicing Ahimsa can be one answer to being an ethical yogi. Some may even argue that Ahimsa alone is enough to save the earth. 

Gandhi for instance, also saw Ahimsa as self reliance – as we become less dependent on others to provide basic needs, we are able to free ourselves from the circle of production, hierarchy and need. Non-violence not only applies to humans (avoiding inflicting physical and mental pain, being kind, honest etc), but also to nature. As we practice kindness and peaceful attitudes towards other beings, we can then perpetuate the same attitude with the world around us.

So one way is to first start by connecting with the environment through simple practices of kindness and awareness, being gentle with ourselves, others and nature.

A practice of connecting

Connect with the roots of Yoga: seek to learn more about the ethical principles that lie behind most yogic practices. You don’t necessarily have to dig into Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, but learning some simple ethical guidelines can be useful. 

Cultivate an awareness practice. For just a few moments each day, let go of your plans for the future and thoughts of the past. Just notice the physical sensations that arise in that moment. Then observe the sounds and smells that surround you, maintaining an awareness of your physical self as you simply attend to what you see. Thoughts may come and go, but by trying to be present to what surrounds you, connection with the surrounding environment will naturally arise.

Connect with the earth – first in your asana practice (from standing in tadasana to sitting in dandasana to resting in shavasana) and then in your daily life. When you stand, feel your feet grounding into the earth. When you sit, sense the sit bones rooting into the floor. When you lie down, be aware of your connection with the ground below you. Simple practices like these will allow you to cultivate a quality of awareness off the mat and into life. This is where your life may start becoming your practice. 

Connect with the elements and your food. Once you become aware of the environment that surrounds you –whether you are city bound or a country dweller, your body will naturally tune into the seasons, changes in weather and climate. Hopefully, your mind and desires will follow. In winter, we crave (and need) heartier nutrients and food, whereas the summer months offer an abundance of fruits and colourful vegetables to feed our body and soul. This does not mean banning tomatoes from your diet in winter, but simply noticing that they may not be all so beneficial for you (and hence the environment) at this time of the year. 

Shop with conscience – but don’t overdo it. The benefits of buying fairtrade, organic goods cannot be ignored, but don’t let it be your primary goal. These –however necessary- products are all part of the external ‘stuff’ which clutter our senses. When you need to shop, do so, but try not to get attached to the self-satisfaction of being a ‘good’ consumer.

As we become more aware of the environmental impact of our actions, we can progressively let this permeate into our every day thoughts and activities. 

The Bhagavad Gītā 5.12 The disciplined man, having abandoned the result of action, attains complete peace; the undisciplined man, whose action is impelled by desire, and who is attached to the result, is bound.

Yoga Shopping

Yoga Shopping

As a new year begins, this is the time when resolutions kick in and many make commitments to start the year in a good stead. I have done this before but personally think resolutions should be part of a lifelong practice, not one of those feel good topics which sprouts up each January – and often sinks into oblivion by spring. In any case, I hope to carry on whatever I have started in the previous years, perhaps add a little more energy and effort into things I struggle with, and of course maintain a regular yoga practice. 

But before I bring myself back into a strict morning Mysore  practice again, I am indulging into a investigative luxury that many spend their lives doing – yoga shopping. From my point of view, I am curious to explore other traditions of asana practice, see what others are spending their energy teaching, and how these can all lead –eventually- to the same path. Although I am personally committed to Asthanga as a physical and life discipline, it can be interesting to see other approaches, all of which are valid in some ways. My only reservation lies in the fact that the variety of yoga on offer these days just reflects the whole social consumerist phenomenon. Like aisles of the supermarkets, we have endless choices of what classes to attend – from more classical Hatha, Iyengar and Asthanga styles to Glo Yoga, Myofit classes and Yogalates. Like a shopper who gets confused with which brand of eggs to buy (free range, organic, omega 3 enhanced?), a new yoga practioner will often get lots in choice, possibilities and confusion. Those lucky ones may just find the right class for them immediately, an inspiring teacher and develop from there on, but for most, attending a weekly yoga class is like buying a weekly loaf of sourdough bread at the local farmer’s market – it might make you feel good, but the effects will only go as far as one is able to commit. One box or organic eggs and a loaf of sourdough a week may feel like a leap in faith, but the real benefits lie beyond the weekly shop – or class in this case.

So for one week only, I have chosen to ‘shop around’ so to speak – try out some new styles and classes, perhaps learn some new tricks, but knowing that in the end I will go back to my regular discipline. Like a beginner, I find it interesting to experience how it feels to learn, listen and sense other forms of yoga practices. It can be liberating or frustrating. Liberating in the thrill of trying out new postures, techniques and approaches, but frustrating when these just don’t work for me. Without judging or making this a critique, exploring new possibilities is one valid way to start the year. 

Namaste.

Yoga for cyclists

Yoga for cyclists

As a keen commuting cyclist, I am somewhat familiar with the experience of tight hamstrings, gluteus and quads. As a yoga teacher, I am aware that some areas of the body become weaker, tighter and stiffer, whilst others get stronger- this is where a smartly thought through asana practice may help relieve some areas of tension caused by regular cycling.

This works on many levels – casual cyclists may find a sense of ease in their yoga practice by focusing on certain postures (which for instance release the psoas or quadriceps muscles), whereas committed cyclists will probably discover that over time, yoga can enhance their performance. This happens in many ways through yoga – on the physical level, applying asana in a therapeutic way, and on a spiritual level by releasing mental tensions, increasing concentration and breathing patterns. These are just some of the outcomes of a regular practice but, as with everything in life, patience, perseverance and loving kindness are key.

Cycling requires both physical strength as well as strength of mind – focus, concentration and awareness to be efficient on the road. The attention to breath and the mind-body connection found in yoga, can be used by cyclists so as to maintain mental clarity and a sense of calm.

Yoga postures can be extremely beneficial if practiced with consistency and awareness (meaning being aware of sensations and avoiding too intense stretching, intensity is fine, but sharp pain, especially in the joints, is not a good sign!). Awareness of breath practiced in a yoga class can bring more focus and calmness beyond the mat, and employing simple techniques like Ujayi breath or full diaphragmatic breathing will increase the capacity of the lungs, elongating each inhale and exhale, thus deepening the cycling experience.

When cycling, the quadriceps, hamstrings and hips never rest, so those areas often become overdeveloped and tighter. In some case the hips may be pulled out of alignment by tight hamstrings, and the constant flexing of the spine may cause shoulder or back pain. Practiced correctly, Yoga asana will help ease muscle tightness, whilst aligning the spine, hips and knees. Practice poses such as supta virasana, or the pigeon, if the knees allow it, and have a couple of blocks and/or blankets to hand. This is especially useful when holding the postures for a little longer than usual.

The key point is to avoid imbalances and discover breathing practices that may help expand the lung capacity so we - cyclists - can breathe deeper and with more ease.

Practice Sequence – one of many possibilities for those who cycle or simply fancy a lower body focus practice.

Warm up: Begin with lying on the back with the knees bent and hip distance apart. Let the knees slightly touch to release the lower back and just spend a few moments noticing the breath, sensations in the entire body.

 ‘Thread the needle’ or ‘Eye of the needle’ (Sucirandhrasana) – safe way to gently open up the hips and hamstrings without putting too much strain on the back. bend the right knee, placing the outside of the right ankle below your left knee. Try to maintain a neutral pelvis and a gentle flexion of feet to keep the posture healthy on the knees. To intensify the pose, bring the inner arch of  the right foot closer towards the left shoulder.

Hold each side for five to ten breaths.

Spinal twist with knees bent, arms shoulder width apart, palms flat. Try to keep the shoulders grounded as you release the back. Look towards the opposite shoulder to deepen the stretch in upper back and neck. Hold each side for 5 breaths. 

(Roll up and down to sitting.)

Virasana  - ‘hero pose’: sit on a block or two (or three!) in between your heels– pain in the knees is not negotiable!)

The aim is to lengthen the quadriceps, which tighten up when cycling. This is also an internal rotation of the hips, so it may either feel very accessible or inaccessible, depending on bone structure.

Supta Virasana – ‘ reclined hero pose’. same indications as above, but be especially mindful of knees when going back.

Hold both poses for 10 to 15 breaths (they may be held for up to 3 minutes)

Pashimottanasana - Forward bend: The classic hamstring stretch, but this means that it's not all about touching your toes. Work on moving into the forward bend by tilting from your pelvis and above, while keeping the spine long rather than rounded. Work with the breath by lengthening the spine on each inhale and deepening the forward bend on each exhale.

Marichyasana A – a good, although complex pose, to help lengthen the hamstrings, hips, back and shoulders. The aim is to make space in those areas, so lengthening out of the trunk and keeping the chest lifted is key.

Utrasana – ‘camel’:  the quadriceps, the large muscles in the front of the thighs, are especially in need of stretching for most cyclists. This pose also accesses the ribcage and chest area. One can practice Utrasana with blocks under the hands to emphasize the quadriceps stretch over the back bend. (Blocks can also be used in between the thighs to keep the thighs active and the back spacious).

Setu Bandasana – ‘bridge’:

This bridge is a great counter-pose for upper body positioning while on your bike. This direction of this pose counterbalances cycling posture by opening up the front line of the body whilst strengthening the spine.

Other areas involved are the hamstrimgs, IT band, gluteus, hip flexors, shoulders, chest and wrists. Interlacing the fingers behind the back in bridge pose intensifies the stretch in the ribcage and shoulders (the action of  drawing the shoulder blades together will release the shoulder girdle and neck muscles).

Hold for eight breaths and then release – if you still have energy, come up one more time.

Finish

One inversion, either shoulderstand or any other suitable pose to reverse the flow of blood through the vessels - again a benefit for cyclists who use their legs a little more intensely than most of us.

Complete the sequence with a few minutes (or more!) of breathing – simple Ujayi breath is excellent or Nadi Shodana to regulate and calm the nervous system.

Leave plenty of time for a final relaxation to soak up the practice and let your body rest!

Note: if you want to make it a more dynamic sequence, add a few rounds of classical sun salutes, which include low/high lunges. This will warm up the entire body, loosen joints and the lunges will add some intensity to the hip area and psoas muscle.

A spot of raw food action

Raw snacks experiment

I have only dabbled with raw food now and then (summer and warm weather helping), but now, with the acquisition of a new dehydrator toy, I have been up to some domestic creations.

I truly believe that including some raw food in our -modern- diets is extremely beneficial, and without going to extremes with it all, unprocessed, uncooked foods are really good for you! (wikipedia will provide all the scientific facts)
So I have been playing around and experimenting with stuff, one of my first creations is above - raw flax crackers. yum yum. They're fantastic, easy, delicious and satisfying and we all know (kind of) that flax seeds are full of omega 3 fatty acids, so excellent for the brain, immune system etc etc. The ingredients are so simple too - flax seeds (soaked), sea salt, pepper, seaweed (optional) and a dash of lemon juice. That's it! All you need is a bit of creativity, a taste for things slightly out of the ordinary -packets that is- and a dehydrator....

More soon on this subject. Yogis like eating!

New Studio opens in Marelybone

A  review I wrote for World Yoga Network...

Indaba Yoga is one of the latest offerings in the world of urban yoga studios in London. After many months of waiting, anticipating and wondering, numerous facebook launches, I finally get to see the impressive and much awaited 5000sq ft Indaba in Marelybone. I had heard a lot about the studio through friends, teachers, online and in the media, reading catch phrases such as ‘Real Yoga for real people’, ‘gorgeous airy studios’ and so on, so I had a vague picture in mind, but I didn’t quite expect what I found.

Set in a quiet street off Marelybone station, the building initially had no resemblance to other yoga studios I had visited so far (for some reason many seem to have white walls, a smell of incense reaching the street, a crowd of slim, smart yoga clad bunnies lurking outside drinking green juice). Not that Indaba lacks any of these, but at first glance I just see a neat red brick building. As I walk up the stairs, the décor really kicks in. So this is a stylish, sleek and smart place, that does smell of incense, but doesn’t feel pretentious in any way. I am greeted with a smile, take my shoes off and peek into Stewart Gilchrist’s ‘Yogasana’ class in the hot room. Looks hot indeed. Upstairs, there is another spacious, bright and airy studio with a proper Iyengar set up (wall ropes, belts, blankets and blocks). One more floor to the massage loft studio and I am blown away – to set up a  huge space like this in central London is a feat. I would call it an inner-city yoga bubble.

Indaba may be very new on the market (hence the fresh feel and shiny floors), but they have managed to gather some hugely experienced teachers, a wide range of yoga styles and a full schedule.

So what about the yoga in all that? The teacher line-up is impressive enough – Stewart Gilchrist, Mark Khan, Norman Blair to name but a few- and classes include Mysore self pactice, Asthanga, Dharma Mittra, Jivamukti, Iyengar, Power Yoga and Slow Flow. The list is long, but they do cater for all styles, ages, abilities, so it is very much a ‘gathering’ space – the actual meaning of ‘Indaba’.

However, it is a tough time to open a yoga studio in London: summer holidays, recession, competition (this is the 3^rd new studio opening – coming after Life Center Islington and Triyoga Chelsea) and it is independently run. Time will tell how long it may take to gather a steady student following and make it to the ranks of Triyoga, but I hear word is spreading fast and calls keep coming in.

Later on, I have a quick look online, I notice the website faqs… Precise, concise as they should be, covering every single question that might arise, but I especially enjoyed reading these two:

“ Q: What happens if I smile? A: You will be reprimanded and made to scrub the communal mats down, alternatively you will receive a smile back, this is dependent on the moon.

Q: What if I don’t like it? A: Then you’re a fool”

All in all Indaba is a friendly, fun, and welcoming place to practice, relax and explore new possibilities. One for the little black book.

August 2011

http://indabayoga.com/

Goa.... again

This is yet another year, a season of transition.

Leaving behind a brand new nest in London, I am shifting once again to a less luxurious one, but in a warmer climate for sure. The commodities of a power shower, running hot water and a quick-boil kettle are far away, but I'm happy to actually have clean running water, a kettle that works -slowly- and a cosy little Portuguese-Goan house to my own. There is even a lady living in the garden (kind of) and a cleaning lady who makes it all look pretty and neat once a week.
So I may have rats nesting in my roof (i noticed droppings and pitter patter on the tiles now and then) but then my office in London hosted a whole family of rodents too (again, droppings on computer desks, nibbled fruit bars and dead mice on the floor were clues).

I like Goa. It's not India and yet it's in the same continent. Goa is a bit of a sub-culture, a social experiment and strange mix of lost souls (mostly foreign), long term hippies (who haven't changed clothes since the 60s... fashion doesn't change that much anyway), yoga fanatics, soul searchers, therapy seekers, beach lovers, Russian tourists on a trip of a lifetime and Indian tourists on their Ibiza style vacation. It's also motorbike heaven, fashion heaven, party heaven and it just feels like a place where people meet and reinvent themselves. Until the season ends again, monsoon breaks and it becomes time to move on again.

Right now, things are still fresh, the last of the monsoon rains seem to have stopped, and houses, clothes, shops are finally drying out. The gardens are still lush and green but will soon require daily watering to survive. This is life under the tropics - seasonal, unpredictable and yet loveable.

Oh and yes, I am here for a few more months, working, teaching, practicing, writing and organising - things I tend to do well.

There will be more updates soon, but for now I need to put my mosquito net up, eat some papaya fruit and consider a refreshing cold shower.

Tokyo Yoga

Tradition and modernity

What is it like to practice in one of the most modern, expensive and cutting-edge city in the world? Tokyo has for years been a trend-setting, buzzing capital, a hub for business, technology and consumer culture, attracting foreigners, tourists and the masses to its belly like a vortex running on adrenaline. Coffee can vending machines appear on virtually every street corner, station platform and parking lot, providing a quick fix solution to a demanding and hectic lifestyle.

Shibuya, Ginza and Ueno – epic, buzzing districts, always seem to appear in visitors’ snapshots of Japan, in the same way as London is famed for Piccadilly Circus and Big Ben. Media reports only really reinforce this post-modern, stereotyped view of Japanese culture, so when I told friends I was off to investigate the yoga ‘scene’ in Tokyo, I was greeted with some quizzical looks. Japan is certainly famous for its aesthetics, zen temples and spiritual roots, but yoga is a far more recent import.

Although as a practice, yoga has been around for many years, the big boom started in 2004, when yoga became trendy in most parts of East Asia – following a global trend partly set by people like Madonna or Sting, to name but a few. But that boom only lasted for a couple of years in Japan – by 2006, the few large yoga centers like Bikram Yoga had to close or downsize to adjust to falling numbers of students. The smaller, independent studios remained active and even grew with a smaller but more dedicated student base, some of which having traveled or studied abroad, wanting to take their practice to another level. The current student base still remains fairly young, with a typical class consisting of a majority of 25-35 year old women, but there has recently been an increase in Japanese men joining classes.
The fact that Yoga Journal just launched its quarterly edition in Japanese, should indicate that interest for yoga is here to stay, with a shift towards integrating yoga lifestyle into a modern environment.

To the difference of many East Asian cities, all the studios I visited in Tokyo were small (one room, holding up to 20 people on average), due to sky high rents and lack of space, but not surprisingly, all were extremely clean – students diligently spraying their mats after class wiping off every speck of dust or drop of sweat, tidying props and bolsters, in a typically respectful and dutiful manner.

Mindfulness in Japan’s capital

So my quest for places to practice yoga in Tokyo started in the West side of the city, in Ebisu, a quiet yet trendy and up market area. It is also home to YogaJaya, one of Tokyo’s leading independent studios. Opened by Patrick Oancia in 2004, and neatly tucked away in a residential back street, YogaJaya is a peaceful abode to all things yoga. A small reception on the ground floor acts the shop, information desk and meeting point.

I was greeted with a smile as I registered for Patrick’s busy Friday evening dynamic class. We all started by quietly sitting, while Patrick slipped in and led an extended breathing sequence. Core strength and arm balances happened to be the theme of the day, so we went straight into a playful, sweaty and hard session, but Patrick gave each student help and attention as if in a workshop.
Browsing the schedule after class, I felt reassured to see handstand practice wasn’t a Japanese studio specialty, but rather a one-off special: YogaJaya offers much more variety. Patrick pointed out that although dynamic styles are very popular, classes and workshops do range from gentler styles to meditation and pranayama with renowned practioners.

But, as I ask Patrick after the class, is the yoga approach here, typically Japanese? How are students’ general attitude to life reflected in their practice? (Tricky question to answer when the class is a mix of men, women, foreigners and teacher training students).
Japanese culture, he tells me, is on a very broad level, clearly regimented, structured and competitive. This is why at the start, dynamic practices like Astanga really kicked off. As a discipline, Astanga is systematic, organized and structured, which fits well with an ordered and controlled Japanese way of life. Students are generally dedicated and disciplined –often to the extreme, which is why they love this system.

But aspects of a culture that can sometimes be extremely dogmatic never came across in my yoga tour of Tokyo – and I saw rather less yoga fanatics than in London.

Yoga Jaya has always shifted more towards other forms of yoga – they offer less Astanga classes to balance the schedule with other styles like Hatha Vinyasa, Yoga Focus classes and special courses. Class dynamics vary, taught with an emphasis on alignment, breath awareness and mindfulness.

Patrick is a thinker and an activist. His dedicated yoga practice goes far beyond setting up and running one of Tokyo’s leading yoga studios – he has a vision for Yoga in Japan. (highlighted in a recent video: http://www.yogajaya.com/films/yogajaya_vision_small.mov).

The Teacher Training courses, workshops and classes held at YogaJaya reflect this vision whilst seek to provide an environment for people to explore their own practice; speaking eloquently and with passion, he encourages students to develop awareness and find their own way, by “working with different metaphors to find their potential in real life and become unified to the active life.“ A rather deep insight for a Friday night but I liked his style, the approach and most importantly, the space.

More Shibuya-yoga

Next stop, Hiroo station. Still in the heart of Shibuya, is Tokyo’s latest arrival, Yoga Tree studio. Running up 4 flights of stairs (I found out there was a lift on my way out!) after a somewhat confusing train journey through Tokyo, it felt like entering a sleek, intimate, yoga haven. I was late so missed the start of Michael Glenn’s Vinyasa Flow class, but was greeted with a smile as I quietly lay my mat down at the back. Michael, who opened the studio in 2009 (thanks to a slump in the property market, making spaces like these more affordable in central Tokyo), teaches in a calm and gentle manner, focusing on alignment, breath and body awareness. Students in this (English) class were mostly foreign but Yoga Tree attracts people from a mix of backgrounds, age, gender and levels.

Yoga Tree’s variety of classes and styles maintains the ‘belief that yoga is a big umbrella that offers something to everyone’. The schedule reflects this view: from traditional Hatha to Astanga, Vinyasa Flow, Yoga for Runners and Restorative – taught in both Japanese and English- there is definitely something here for everyone.

Having worked for years in advertising, Michael believes in letting the studio find its own space in the capital: he remains reluctant to overly promote his studio, new classes and workshops. He believes in letting the space “grow organically”, develop in its own terms – and this is exactly how Yoga Tree feels like – a peaceful, calm and open space with what it seems, a steady, harmonious future ahead.

Other places
Tokyo does offer a variety of other places to practice- Sun Moon Yoga, Lotus8 and Prana Power to name but a few. Each has its place in the capital, and each of them seems to offer a selection of Dynamic, Hatha and Restorative classes in both English and Japanese. Iyengar fans can pay -the officially certified BKS Iyengar teacher- Rajay Mahtani a visit in one of her central Tokyo classes (http://www.rajay.org/yoga/tyc.html).

The website Hello Yoga gives an honest overview of the main studios and practical information on each place (maps, websites, prices etc).

So yoga shopping in the capital of Japan could be an activity in itself, but this time, my tour stops here.

Costs
Tokyo is a notoriously expensive place to be and yoga classes reflect this costly lifestyle. Drop-ins vary between 2,500-3,000 yen (about GBP 20 on average per class), but cheaper options are available for residents or long-term stayers. Some studios like YogaJaya for instance, offer introductory discounts (half price for the first class). They also run daily open practice between 8.30-10 am for space-deprived Tokyo-ites wanting to roll out their mat and practice freely in a dedicated yoga place – a good concept for busy cities.

Closing thoughts

Has Yoga in Japan now evolved in a way of its own, taking some typically Japanese traits?

Yoga in one of the world’s most hectic, cutting-edge cities definitely has a place, rooted for many years but only fairly recently emerging into people’s daily lives. However, if yoga practice nevertheless remains a fairly new phenomenon, it leaving space for it to grow deeper roots and open up to new realms. Training teachers locally is one first step, a task that YogaJaya is deeply committed to.

Tokyo may in fact not be a number one destination for spiritual quests, but on a next visit to Japan’s capital, you can definitely feel safe in the knowledge you can roll out your mat, practice, breathe and find a welcoming yoga community, no matter which path you choose to take.

Useful Information:

Hello Yoga – run by yoga teacher Dylan Robertson, this is the website for Tokyo’s English speaking community, providing information on classes, workshops, teachers, and articles relating to yoga in Tokyo. (I liked the recent ‘Avoiding burnout in Tokyo’.)
http://www.helloyoga.com/

Yoga Jaya
1-25-11-2Fl.
Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya Ku
Tokyo, 150-0021
Ph: +81-(0)3-5784-3622
http://www.yogajaya.com

Yoga Tree
Tanaka Building 4F, 5-5-1 Hiroo,
Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 150-0012
http://www.yogatree.jp/

Eco Nikko – a retreat centre in the heart of Unesco World heritage site of Nikko, 2 hours north of Tokyo. They run some classes and retreats in a stunningly peaceful and buddhist temple setting.
http://econikko.com/

New Year's letting go

Letting go, doing less and learning to switch off....

So another year has past by faster than expected, and here we are in January 2010, making resolutions, intentions and plans yet again. Well a lot of us do anyway. Partly fueled by the media, press, TV and radio shows, cunningly planning a year for us: from what we should read, wear, eat, think and do, we have little space to stop, think and make our own mind up. Trends, patterns and lifestyle directions are already set before we can even pause to consider our options.

Not that any of us really need to, but switching off from all that external decision making may just give us a little more time/space to be creative and think. Of course, we are bathed in a pool of information -I like to call it ‘stuff’- inhaling it and numbing our senses with stimuli, data etc, saturating our nervous system with junk. Research has shown that this saturation of the senses is one of the causes of stress in the modern world.

Residing in India for nearly 3 winters in a row does somewhat help when it comes to switching off – externally at least. Simply because high speed internet, cable television, foreign newspapers and magazines are still a bit of a luxury around here. However, even without all this outside stimulation (which to me only seems to fill this gap for deeper knowledge and understanding – a void that I will too easily fill up with all this ‘stuff’), it is incredibly hard to make space and clear out the superfluous junk that inevitably surrounds us. As much as we may have less to do in a place like Goa, the distractions always remain present and we will always find ways to fill up gaps in time and thought.

Why is that? The Chinese say that the mind is like a monkey – it jumps around- craves new stimulation and constant ‘filling up’, so as to stay away from more significant issues/questions like life, death, why we are, who we are. These questions can prove worrying to many. Making space to sit and think –or even attempt to answer- any of these questions is not a pre-requisite in life, but it’s good to try at least. A majority of people will happily sail through life without stopping, resting, questioning anything, and yet appear content, satisfied and in harmony.

However, I choose to pause. Simply because it is so hard. I’ve noted recurrent patterns in my own attitude, which I am aware of and want to work on. Living in a different continent, with different people, working different shifts, reading less press, being less informed and distracted should in theory lead to greater space and time to explore other areas of life. Even the simple act of sitting and reading quietly can be a struggle. Wherever one goes there are people, things to look at and do – general distractions of daily life. The issue is not all of this external stuff, but rather what to do with it. Saying no and actually switching off are just small things to focus on.

Some ways (to try) to be still –er.

* Switch off – and actually do it!
Turn the mobile phone off, unplug the TV and internet cable and see how long you last before getting fidgety. Remember, none of these things are really that important (unless you work in the ER unit and need to be on call!) and contribute to distractions.
* Take more time – between actions, and try not to constantly check your phone or emails.
* Do less – and learn to say ‘no’ more often.
* Prioritise – do you really need to do all this? Or are you also partly filling up time?
* Sit quietly
* Breathe- focus on your breath and notice what is happening.

And with all this in mind, without meditating or sitting each day, try simply cutting down on ‘stuff’, from shopping, to texting, to superfluous meetings which all fill up our agenda.

So Happy New Year from Goa! Do less, breathe more and do more yoga! ;-)

I will be back with a lighter update soon….