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Published: October 17th 2012
Yoga Retreat - Koh Phangan, Thailand June 4-8th ~ I booked my classes well in advance back in the states to come to this particular yoga retreat on the island of Koh Phangan. I had the option to stay on the grounds or book a resort close by which I did instead and it was a good decision as it would take me 15 mins each way to get to the retreat. Going there was a bit more strenuous as I had to walk up hill but coming down was refreshing.
The classes offered were Mysore Asthanga in the am and Hatha Flow in the early evening, both at 90 mins long with Mysore Asthanga being closer to two hours long. I had two teachers, Melanie from South Africa and Angela from Spain. Angela had an Asthanga back round while Melanie came from an Iyengar back round but well incorporated into the Hatha teachings as well as instruct with Asthanga. I paid for 10 sessions but only manage to make it to six and mistaken the time for one Mysore practice by showing up an hour late. It was alright as I made every other session in the evening.
The amount of students probably ranged from 3-7 which was plenty enough for adjustments and space. The yoga retreat isn’t too big, the studio is an open air hut like room with no windows and free flowing lightly humid breeze. Sophie the yogi cat comes and sleeps on the floor, on your lap, on your mat or on the ledge during each and every session. It’s a great place to isolate yourself, for saucha (purifying) and santosha (satisfying) your personal awareness.
Hatha ~ Melanie’s sessions started out with opening of minimal meditation, music, incense, and gradual warm up leading into a flow of practice that combined a lot of core abdomen practices, some Iyengar, as well as gentle relaxation poses. We held poses for several breathes allowing ourselves to go deeper into the sensation of the poses. She looked like Heidi Klum, very soft voice, and comfortably challenges your practice.
Angela has more of Ashtanga style of teaching coming from Madrid. I liked her style as well as she is petite, and stimulating by her black and white approach but not informal or invasive. Her sessions were very much painted around the primary set of Ashtanga, that is
both challenging and inviting as she allows you to go at your pace with moderate amount of adjusting. Her English was ok, but well easy enough to understand her verbal cue’s getting into each pose without feeling left behind.
Mysore Asthanga ~ Class started at 8am and it was challenging for me as I am a novice to the Asthanga series. It’s a specified lineage and has to be done absolutely correct in order to progress to the next series and it can take an individual quite some time to do so. Since I didn’t know the series too well as I only have done Asthanga classes 5 or 6 times before, I had to have the cue cards and instructions in front of me to practice. Mysore is where everyone practices at their own pace, no two do it at the very same time. I couldn’t finish all the way to the end of the primary series as I wanted to continuously practice poses over and over again, memorizing the order in which it went. It definitely challenged my inner being, and after I got to the floor doing a hip opener, I could feel the tears starting
to form in my eyes looking out into the jungle. Yoga can be known to release certain energies and emotions we with hold in our bodies, specifically in the hips. Melanie came over to me and told me I was done for the day, I shouldn’t continue on much further, I needed to let my body rest. After I laid in Shvasana, I walked back down to my resort feeling such a release of sensation that was deep. As painful as it felt, I felt free in more ways then one as I felt completely in tuned with my body.
www.yogaretreat-kohphangan.com Absolute Sanctuary - Koh Samui, Thailand June 2012 - I found Absolute Sanctuary 9 months ago doing research online, reading on the classes offered, detox programs, grounds, etc. It was a 20 minute scooter ride from the Board Room Bungalows I stayed at on Big Buddha Beach and approximately 40-45 mins from the Passage Samui Resort I stayed at after. A great location for those who want a resort like atmosphere, 5 star accommodations, detoxifying, personal interaction with ample amount of yogi’s both training, retreating, or on a 30 day cleanse. The food offered
are all catered to cleansing, fasting, organic, vegan, etc..... It also has a fully equipped gym, sauna, steamer, pool, juice bar, and rooms all facing the infinity pool. Plenty of classes to choose from along with the many different packages for self-preservation, anti-stress, a one stop shop.
Flow ~ Bikram style yoga taught by a woman from Germany and one other session with a tiny female instructor from Slovenia. Very much 90% Bikram sequencing and teachings with minor changes in the sequence depending on the teacher. One thing I enjoyed about the Sanctuary is plenty of mats, rooms are cleaned and prepared by a minimal of two staffers, towels provided, and spacious.
Yoga Core ~ Taught by the owner of the yoga retreat on Koh Phangan, Kez. We started by grounding through the foundation, talking about the Mulah bandha (master lock), the essence of using all core muscles, going straight into a Vinyasa warm up, practicing solely on the core with different exercises. Also partnering up on a couple exercises enhancing the core ability, using breathing for uddiyana Bandha (abdominal) getting into and out of a Vinyasa both properly and effortlessly.
Hot flow ~ Again taught by
Kez. Mysore style with students facing each other using only their dristi (focal point) to guide them during the practice. Great practice incorporating all six sides of the body, plenty of jump through Vinyasas, adjustments, and inspiration to challenge, sweat your butt off, and go a little further then before. Kez is a 13 year veteran of Asthanga yoga, tall, lean, extremely flexible and flowing in his practice, but distinct enough to elaborate his flow based on breathe. Highly knowledgable as well as encouraging with a typical English attitude.
www.absolutesanctuary.com Wild Rose Yoga - Chiang Mai, Thailand June 2012 ~ Probably my favorite yoga studio and found completely by a fluke when in search for a yoga studio to practice at while attending school for Thai Massage. Nestled in the midst of the old city in the heart of Chiang Mai, it’s a gem. The first time finding it was an adventure, I arrived a few minutes late for Yin yoga, and ended up spending most of my time there during my Chiang Mai stay. Rose the owner, has had Wild Rose open for about 4 years, offering a great array of classes and styles. It’s
a home style bungalow studio consisting of a long corridor entry way, as if you’re walking back into someone’s kitchen or secret VIP entrance. She has lights and candles lit everywhere during the evening, it has such an intimate feeling embracing you and your body when entering.
Yin Yoga ~ The first session I did was with a teacher named Lek practicing Yin Yoga. All students came from different back rounds, and ages varying from early twenties to late 60’s with just enough room to fit 9 easily and cramming 16-20 if needed. I had learned about Yin Yoga during my studies at YogaWell and enjoyed every bit of it with the emphasis of releasing the facia tissue using your own body weight to sink into poses anywhere between 3-5 mins long. It’s delicious and I try to attend a Yin Yoga class usually after a power class or if one is being offered. I find doing a Yin class after doing a Hatha, Vinyasa, or Flow class really allows my joints and muscles to enhance the awareness in my body. With that being said, Lek led a great class, it was strenuous, albeit a little uncomfortable in some
poses as my body seems to have structural limitations, yet invigorating nevertheless.
Mandala Yoga ~ A fun and intimate style yoga of dance and flow. The instructor, Poncho teaches regularly in London, Greece, and Chiang Mai. His class had a dynamic that catered to the flow combining each pose in a rhythmic motion to music and breathe which enabled us to parallel personal energy to creativity without compromising alignment. Similar to a Vinyasa flow class moving from i.e Virabhadrasana 11, our arms and hands were extended with soft hands flowing into moving Padottanasana or horse pose flowing into Virabhadrasana 11 to the opposite foot with ease and steady movement. It was a lot of fun and energetic without being strenuous. It wasn’t intimidating to those who have no dance ability because it was to your creativity within the series focusing on balancing the flow with your body, and not necessarily perfecting the pose. Very similar to a Vinyasa with a creative twist.
Anusara Inspired ~ Another great class taught by Christophe from Canada. For those who aren’t too familiar with Anusara as I am not too familiar with it myself it’s a newer lineage that opens with either
an inspirational card, writing your name on a card, drawing a picture, or a chant. I’ve only done a handful of Anusara classes so I can’t confirm entirely what specifics it entails as far as opening. However, from my personal experiences, I have had classes where I have done what I previously wrote. We also chant a mantra that opens every Anusara class followed by OM. Anusara is a communal style yoga with some partnering, two to three people in some instances practicing an asana. Stances are slightly different such as Tadasana where you stand hip width apart as oppose to toes together. Minimal differences but maximizing enough to stand out in it’s particular style. There is no set series to it (As far as I am aware of), however more of an incorporation of community. Still very much a intermediate to advance class but really open to anyone. Christophe has a very calming teaching style, inspiring, mellow.
Asthanga Vinyasa ~ Probably one of my favorite classes as it was the most challenging and longest class of 2.5 hours long. I loved it. The teacher, Vari is a Puerto Rican from New York with a total Rastafari flare. I
really enjoyed this class as it pushed me and really challenge my inner being of accomplishing asanas, twists and binds I’d otherwise struggle with. I did struggle, my body shook, I was frustrated and determined. I know I can do everything we were being instructed to do, and Vari takes his time with the poses while going around adjusting his students and sweating profusely. Here it’s not as hot as it is in Hot Yoga or Bikram classes, it’s the challenge of holding the asanas for an extended amount of time pushing your body to twist a little more, hold a little longer, keep your breathe steady, balance a little longer, feeling yourself in the pose that make you SWEAT. His class is a great balance between spirituality, capturing, challenging, and intuitively. After you’re in a pose for a few breathes, and then told to breathe deeper into it, you desperately want to release but won’t due to defeating the pose before it defeats you. He taught another Astanga class the day that I left that was very much similar but not as long.
Yoga Freestyle ~ Another class taught by Christophe and the last session I did before
I left Chiang Mai. It was a fun class as we set up in a circle, only four people and we were free to do whatever pose we wanted with his guidance of direction. This is a class I would love to teach soon as there really isn’t much teaching required to it, going with your own movements. The music selection was awesome and I can say it was similar to Yoga Mandala with no particular direction only when Christophe would guide us to focus on targeted areas. It was an hour and thirty minutes of modern dance more or less, no one was right or wrong, no style was the same, we just did our own thing to the music.
www.wildroseyoga.com Zenith Yoga - Hanoi, Vietnam July 2012 ~ I searched online to find a yoga studio in Hanoi and when I did manage to find one, I had to walk about an hour and fifteen minutes there and back. There isn’t much to offer as far as yoga studios and this one seemed to be the best one in the city with a good reputation and offerings of classes. I only had time for
two classes while in Hanoi and Vinyasa Flow was what I did with two different instructors. The studio is located close West Lake a ways from the old quarter where I was, not difficult to find either.
Vinyasa Flow All Levels ~ The first Vinyasa class was taught by an Australian girl, Yolanda. It was an all levels class, with many modified poses and full length for some but not as challenging as the classes back in Chiang Mai. It was a nice change for me as I probably needed to balance out the energies from every session I had done the week before. Lots of low lunges and Vinyasas, that weren’t too challenging for some people but after awhile of doing it continuously, your arms start to feel it.
Vinyasa Flow Intermediate ~ This class was taught by a Vietnamese instructor whom unfortunately I don’t remember her name. She started out very slow with a restorative pose for a few minutes before getting into the sequencing, her style was similar to Yolanda. She did put us into poses that were long having to hold it for several breathes while translating in Vietnamese as well, which allowed us
to get a maximum sensation of the pose which I liked. All and all, I was glad I found the studio, and was able to get another few hours of yoga in learning different styles and teachings. The only thing I would like to make a point of is a handful of people showing up late and not being on time that can be disrupting.
www.zenithyogavietnam.com California Fitness Power Yoga - Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam July 2012 ~ I spent three hours at California fitness when I was in Ho Chi Minh to maximize my day pass there. I ended up doing Power Yoga, body pump and Zumba all back to back.
Flow Hot ~ This was no ordinary Power Yoga class that I have ever experienced before. First of all, most of the students sit around chit chatting loudly in the class before it starts which to me I find a little rude. Sure there is no right or wrong way to go to class and the class hadn’t started yet, and small conversation is fine, but when it’s loud conversation and laughing, I don’t know. I would say just be aware of your surroundings.
When the instructor came in, Vinod, he walked in, set down his back pack, looked at the class as if we were pinyins, everyone got into tadasana, and It was BOOT CAMP! Very black and white, dry. He was Indian, stern, inhale up, exhale down, inhale halfway, exhale chatturanga, boot camp style. The class must of had 50 people in it, and the Vietnamese just get into it like we’re part of army brigade training for combat. It took me by surprise to do this type of style but I went with it and after 10 minutes I was sweating my butt off. Mind you no heater was on, the heat was generated easily through his flow. Then we would have to hold a pose for 10 seconds while he would raise his voice ‘INHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLEEEE’ (High pitch), exhale, down dog. I would compare it to Bikram style in some regards only we weren’t in 105 degree temperature as well as his sequencing being different. The instructor had no personality and maybe that was just the way he was taught, I have heard the Indian style of instruction is on it’s own level so I am keen to go to India
and rectify this. The class had no personality either. He did go around giving adjustments to some students, again stern, powerful, direct. When the class was coming to an end, the class clapped for him, he picked up his back pack and walked out. After all said and done, I thought, “Did I just loose an hour and 15 minutes of my life right now? That was an eye opener style I have to dissect.” All the while I’m wiping the sweat from my face and standing in drenched clothing. Needless to say, especially with an Indian instructor, put your game face on.
www.cfyc.com.vn Yoga Barn - Ubud, Indonesia July 2012 ~A week after I was in Vietnam and Cambodia, I traveled down to Bali to visit a long time friend, who is like my brother. He also told me Ubud is the place to do yoga and I should go for a day or two to maximize the town. The owner of Wild Rose connected me with an instructor down in Ubud, Rusty, who told me about his classes he was assisting at Yoga Barn and advised me his teachers were some if not the best around. So I took a cab at 7am to Ubud an hour away from where I was staying to make a 9am class of Power and 11am class of Yin. I have heard about Yoga Barn before, it’s world re-known so I was excited to take these classes and see the place finally. After all the traveling, doing yoga at the barn was a great way to conclude my yogic journey. When I finally walked into the compound it was a wanderlust of peace. You walk into and there are many offerings for Ayurvedic Holistic Healing and practitioners, as well as massage huts, a cafe enriched with a healthy menu for the yogi world. Then you walk down the stairway to the barn that is two story surrounded by a koi pond, roof made of bamboo, open, airy, built like a barn. As you walk into the studio, the bottom room is wide, with massive window doors that circle open and close. Tall ceilings and a koi pond just behind it. The studio upstairs is completely open with a wooden floor, dark woods, cabin like overlooking a pond that is built on top of the shower/changing building.
Power Yoga ~ Denise Payne was my instructor, half sleeved on each arm, American, not soft spoken in the least bit yet full of personality. A sweet and sour combination of inspiring and intimidating. Rusty was her assistant who I finally met 2 minutes before the class, who was living in Ubud for a few months doing teacher training and practicing. Denise went around to every student asking their name, any injuries, what they wanted to work on, and where they were from. We started out in a strong tadasana stance, doing a warm up and already in an arm balance within ten minutes. She incorporated everything most of the students had requested going around demonstrating, while Rusty went around adjusting the students. She would always say ‘yogis’ which I hadn’t heard often in class that I particularly liked as it meant we were all observant as she was to know why we were there, to practice. We did a lot of arm balancing, inversions, core strengthening, not like the one in Vietnam. This class was colorful.
Yin Yoga ~ After the Power Yoga class, Denise also taught Yin Chakra class that was slightly different from some of the Yin classes I have done. We used tennis balls, blocks in certain areas that were painfully delicious as she talked about releasing energy in certain Chakra areas. I LOVE Yin yoga, it’s slow and powerful. Denise’s energy is a bit calmer in this class yet still informative in taking about the chakras and how the poses help release energy or redirect it. Yin is a great post powerful class some should consider in their practice every once in a while.
Hatha Flow ~ The instructor was a petite Japanese girl named Malika who had broken English but easy enough to understand, well for me anyway. Very bubbly personality. This time it was up top the second floor with listening to the rain surrounding us and the children playing at the school across the way. She taught the Hatha Flow class that was classical and traditional in style, added her own little flare of core exercises, running around every side of the room demonstrating, teaching in both Japanese and English. Typical fun, sweet, expressive Japanese girl using English essentials to explain and instruct. I liked her class simply by her kindness and personality. She was quite flexible, made it look like we’re the ones profusely challenged getting half way to where she was. The final Shvasana was like butter melting to me. I got into the meditative state lasting until she was about to say Namaste, I completely zoned through her instructions into seated position. Fully conscious but felt the twitches and in the moment entirely meditating. Then, when I realized I was at still position, I popped up. Shvasana was ice cream status, sweet and delicious.
www.theyogabarn.com Radiantly Alive Yoga, Ubud, Bali July 2012 ~ I took one class here by the recommendation of Rusty who spoke highly of the instructor. It was a Vinyasa class level 2-3, so I opted for attending. It was off the main room but on the same street as my home stay roughly 7-10 mins away. It’s a great studio, I liked the modern Balinese style it had going on and Rusty told me this teacher was the dog’s bullocks in Bali in his teachings.
RA Vinyasa 2/3~ Taught by whom I believe to be the owner, Daniel. Didn’t really follow up to confirm, I think he is though. Medium size man, bald, solid deep voice, someone whom you knew had some knowledge and strength. He primarily emphasis’ pranayama, the breathe. We set up in a circle, he wrote down what we wanted to work on in this class, explained this class was a bit different from the others he teaches as he goes along with a class/workshop. Rather then jumping into a strong practice, he stops to demonstrate thoroughly and repeat certain pranayama breathe while in pose and making it look so effortless to hit every pose. He went from halasana, to handstand, dip into chattarunga in slow motion was ridiculous. Powerhouse. We practice head stands and using breathe to get into it, all I have to say is, ‘really?’ It was icing on a cake getting into headstand by after his simple instruction. I got into a couple new head stand poses that I was unfamiliar with assuming it took more strength. We didn’t do a ton of postures but enough for a Vinyasa Flow intense class. His instruction came with ease, authoritative and encouraging. I liked his style and he seems like he is the type of guy who probably worked a good job before, and just decided to switch up to yoga effortlessly. Could be wrong, but just by his strong demeanor that draws you into what he’s explaining. He was a great instructor and glad Rusty invited me to that one.
www.radiantlyalive.com
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