The word hatha means willful or forceful. Hatha yoga refers to a set of physical exercises (known as asanas or postures), and sequences of asanas, designed to align your skin, muscles, and bones. The postures are also designed to open the many channels of the body–especially the main channel, the spine–so that energy can flow freely.
Hatha is also translated as ha meaning "sun" and tha meaning "moon." This refers to the balance of masculine aspects–active, hot, sun–and feminine aspects–receptive, cool, moon–within all of us. Hatha yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites. In our physical bodies we develop a balance of strength and flexibility. We also learn to balance our effort and surrender in each pose.
Hatha yoga is a powerful tool for self-transformation. It asks us to bring our attention to our breath, which helps us to still the fluctuations of the mind and be more present in the unfolding of each moment.
Yoga teacher and studio owner Cyndi Lee answers your frequently asked questions.
By Cyndi Lee
1. What is yoga?
The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as "union" or a method of discipline. A male who practices yoga is called a yogi, a female practitioner, a yogini.
The Indian sage Patanjali is believed to have collated the practice of yoga into the Yoga Sutra an estimated 2,000 years ago. The Sutra is a collection of 195 statements that serves as a philosophical guidebook for most of the yoga that is practiced today. It also outlines eight limbs of yoga: the yamas (restraints), niyamas (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyani (meditation), and samadhi (absorption). As we explore these eight limbs, we begin by refining our behavior in the outer world, and then we focus inwardly until we reach samadhi (liberation, enlightenment).
Today most people practicing yoga are engaged in the third limb, asana, which is a program of physical postures designed to purify the body and provide the physical strength and stamina required for long periods of meditation.
Around 40 yogis and yoginis turned up that sunday August 5th, for this charitable cause. The proposed venue was at Shahbandar park, but the encouraging response made for another bigger venue, at the Heng Thai association building (Tai chi association building).
This gentle yoga flow session was led by Nora & William. The feedback? Looking forward to more good causes such as this.
Started to become curious about Yoga in 2005 when i was a very active in other sports and fitness activities that were strenuous. Began to slowly learn Yoga through books (first book was Yoga for Idiots!),then attended my first class in Gaia Yoga Singapore which then prompted months after, to attend the Yoga in Asia Conference that same year.
In June 2005, took up the Radiant Yoga child program and learnt the benefits of Yoga to children under the guidance of Dr Jacqueline Koay of Sun Yoga who was a direct student of Shakta Kaur Khalsa.
In early 2006, underwentan intensive 2 monthYoga teacher’s training again under the same guidance in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and was exposed to different schools of Yoga : Ashtanga, Kundalini, Iyengar and other ‘freestyle’ yoga from various teachers namely, Ann Barros (Iyengar), Kundalini (Sirri Datta), Ashtanga (Adrian Cox & James Figueira).
Following my teacher training, then began actively teaching Yoga (vinyasa forms). From then, have attended various workshops and classes outside of Brunei namely the Ashtanga Bali in Feb 2007, The Asia Yoga Conference in HongKong, June 2007, then exploring poses through Anusara Yoga in Singapore with Desiree Rumbaugh later that year. 2007 was the ‘height’ of my Yoga journey as it was during this year that i was blessed to have met other extraordinary teachers: David Swenson, Shiva Rea, Seane Corn and Michel Besnard.
Among the classes and workshops that I have helped conducted in spreading the benefitsof Yoga to the public are: Yoga Buzz weekend with Adeline Tien in August 2006, conducting on-off Shahbandar Yoga sessions in the evenings and Yoga for charity August 2007 with fellow teacher William Chong. Towards the end of 2007, I helped create the Yoga Arts Association with the hopes of attracting Yoga teachers (aspiring and established) to share knowledge and teachings and in the effort to share the wholesome health benefits of Yoga.
My favourite Yoga styles are combining Vinyasa (flow), Yin yoga, and injecting the ‘unseriousness’ of yoga and life through humour (i try anyway!). My yoga practise has helped me conquer alot of fears – on and off the mat aside from the health benefits that are countless.
At present, I teach 3 times weekly to a cosy group at home in the evenings, aside from holding a day job as a Language teacher and a mother to 3 little elves who are seven, six and 4 months J
2007: Vippasana meditation technique, Thailand. : Yoga tour to Dharamsala & Rishikesh India. Hatha yoga classes at Yoga Niketan. Iyengar style by yogini Usha Devi at Omkarananda Gamga Sadan. Hatha yoga class at Yoga center by Yogi Paveen Ashtanga Vinyasa Class by Yogi Kurma Iyengar class by Rouis from South Africa at the LHA center in Dharamsala.
2008: Yoga workshop by Aadil at True Yoga, Singapore.
1. To promote Yoga as a lifestyle by educating the public by conducting talks, presentations, yoga classes to the public.
2. To create Yoga teachers in Brunei Darussalam. Learning yoga teachers are supported through supervision or guidance of a registered yoga teacher registered under the Yoga Alliance, through continuing practice, workshops and other higher forms of learning.
3. To help and organise in community charity events. Yoga extends out to community/ties in need. Practice should not be confined to personal or studio practice alone but as means to reach out to others as well.
4. Help to protect Yoga teachings, diversity and integrity. Yoga Arts Association is not conformed to a single school of Yoga but embraces all kinds of Yoga that is deemed acceptable. B Yoga Arts Association will also hope to ensure that all teachers of Yoga will at least have a diploma or have graduated or registered by an organisation or is under the guidance of a registered teacher and that the learnings are set according to the standards of the teachings of the Yoga Alliance.
