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One of the most delicious poses in a yoga class is Savasana, also known as Corpse pose. It is also considered one of the most important poses in an asana practice and you would often hear teachers asking you not to skip it as its meaning goes far beyond a short nap or cool down. It has been called “the most difficult pose to master”. The essence of this pose lies in remaining conscious and present in a state of deep relaxation. However, lying flat on the back isn't always com

Yoga is a great practice for both body and mind and there are many ways to get into the practice. Some people may prefer private classes but most people usually take their first class in a group class these days. Previously, I had written an entry comparing the two here. Most yoga studios offer a variety of classes on their schedules throughout the day. On one hand, it is wonderful to have choices for different needs as well as level of practitioners. For people new to yoga h

What comes to mind when you hear the word stress? Stress often comes with a negative connotation but it also has another meaning.

Chinese medicine can sound confusing to the uninitiated. This is especially so for those who are more used to concepts in mainstream medicine. This is because there are fundamental differences in principles, diagnosis and treatment approaches between mainstream medicine and Chinese medicine. More than saying one is superior over the other, I prefer to think that each has a different way of looking at the body and understanding health. This gives them different strengths that

Two life changing lessons from a monk.

Chinese Medicine is often known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Frankly, I'm not sure I like this name these days as it doesn't seem to capture the full spectrum of what Chinese Medicine means. If one were to think of tradition as something with a long history, then yes this word would be right. The knowledge in Chinese Medicine did not bubble out of nowhere. It was accumulated over thousands of years by many people observing nature, how humans function and how we reac

Depending on the purpose of the prop, we can find useful substitutes from everyday items!

There seems to be different camps of thought when it comes to props in Yoga.

Do you do self myofascial release (MFR)? I remember when I first started doing MFR on the advice of my forward-thinking physiotherapist over a decade ago, it wasn't trendy yet. People would look at me weird when I showed up with a pair of tennis balls before class and rolled. When you're the only who does it in the room, you become the weirdo. Here are some of my personal experiences which might hopefully be helpful to those of you who practice it. Thanks to MFR, small aches,

This "New To Yoga"category of posts serves to answer questions that I sometimes get from people new to the practice. Today's post will address a common question: What's the difference between private and group (public) classes? Which one should I go for as someone new to the practice? Group classes By "group class", I am referring to public group classes. This include classes you can attend in yoga studios, gyms and other community areas. They will typically have the followin

From my personal experience, the answer is yes and no, depending on how you look at it.

It is people who are practicing yoga poses. Therefore, it is people that should lie at the center of instruction, not poses.

When a yoga pose does not come despite our best efforts, the reason may not be because of lack of flexibility or diligence.

Yoga is one of the most popular styles of health and wellness activities in the world today and continues to grow in popularity. The more popular styles tend to lean towards the dynamic ones such as Vinyasa, Flow and Hot with descriptive words like "workout", "good sweat" and "tone your muscles" used with a liberal touch. The practice of Yoga certainly has many physical benefits. Practicing dynamic styles can also bring about the mind-body connection, which many practitioners