A quality of life issue

Following email exchange on a common discovery by women who practise yoga. Guys: if your partner, wife, relative, etc. is affected adversely by their monthly cycles, physically and emotionally, please suggest that they try yoga. Yoga has all but eliminated my period problems and the resulting improvement to my quality of life is immeasurable. No exaggeration.

You can refer to the books at the OmIm library on poses and practices especialy beneficial for this purpose.

Remember, as Zen writer, Cheri Huber, says:

• Pain is inevitable, suffering optional.
  
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Sau Fen
  To: MT
  Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 1:40 PM
  Subject: Re: "Carry On"
  
  Yes! I used to be crippled by period cramps. i.e. i would lie in bed in a foetal position and refuse to go to work. When i started yoga, i would force myself to go to class (since i already paid for them) but i feel soooo much better after class. Most times the wretchness entirely disappears. Now I've learnt that many of the poses help with the spasms (one medical writer refered to these as "mini childbirth contractions") in the abdomen muscles that causes the pain. Child pose is especially soothing and offers emotional comfort. Many poses deal with hormonal imbalance like downward dog and the forward bends. Hormonal imbalance is the culprit during periods (esp just before the onset of the period) that causes breakouts, emotional upsets and that sense of "heaviness" that some people feel.
  
  However many poses that deal with period cramps and other menstration problems cannot be practiced during menstration itself. Like triangle pose. This causes too heavy a flow and the temporary loss of too much blood could mean dizzy spells for some. Some controversy over whether inverted poses (like shoulder stand) can be practised during periods. Not conclusive evidence that it is harmful. Some strict teachers and traditional schools will insist that women should not practice yoga asanas at all during periods. As it is seen as an energy draining time for them. They should practice breathing techniques to deal with the emotional turmoil and also meditation during the time. I see this as a call for women to develop a period of introspection during this period. It is an invitation and a reminder to understand ourselves, to take care of ourselves: body, mind and spirit. How wonderful to be a woman. More than all this, understanding how we are affected by our montly cycles allows us to see how EVERYTHING is constantly changing. We open ourselves to the pains and joys of all changes beyond our control and live happily come what may.
  
  As you can tell by now, all these varies so much from person to person. So you need to practice all the poses throughout your days and find out what works best for you.
  
  health & happiness,
  saufen
  p.s. thanks for your email. I've added my response to my blog for the benefit of others.
  
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: MT
  To: Sau Fen
  Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 9:11 AM
  Subject: "Carry On"
  
  Hey Saufen!
  One amazing thing i've discovered with yoga. It's great for period cramps! really. have you experienced that? cause i get pretty bad cramps... and then i wont feel like going for yoga, but when i do go, they disappear... i think its probably due to all the stretching and twisting and loosening up of the stomach muscles... anyway, have a good week!
  m.

Super Trouper

Went to catch the full dress rehearsal of Mama Mia! the musical yesterday afternoon. The show opened to the public last nite. While broadway musicals are often not known to present any serious message, I found that underneath all the shining lycra, sequins, jokes and dancing queens, there is a real "moral of the story". I realised a few "morals" really in yesterday's energetic and enjoyable performance with a heart. These are close to the central teachings of yoga:

• To know who you are, you need not look for the affirmation of others nor external achievement, you need only to look inside you, follow your heart and open yourself to possibilities.
• Trust in your love and embrace the open-endedness of life.
• Protecting your ego prevents you from loving others.
• Forgive others and be free -- forgive youself and be freer.

The production will be on for 10 weeks in Singapore starting from last night. Showing at Esplanade. Highly recommended. Warnng: incessant humming of ABBA tunes and enduring feel-good feeling are induced by exposure to the production. Brochure available at OmIm.

-----------------------------------------

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail

I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream

I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another mile

I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream

The future is an open road. Scene from Mama Mia!

Learn how to breathe in 5 days

We have been practising various pranayama (mastery of breath) techniques in our yoga classes. If you would like to learn more about these, my school The Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (Research Foundation) or VYASA in short, (http://vyasa.org/) is sending an instructor from India to conduct a course just on the pranayama techniques. Following message from my training school. Do attend especially if you live in the east. Venue is in Changi area.

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Breath the healer
Pranayama is a special training in Breath Control.

Vivekananda Yoga Centre (Bangalore, India) has shown through research that these very simple techniques of breathing when practiced the right way can improve positive health:
For active living
Better Concentration
Better Memory
Better Emotional Stability
Better Sleep

Vivekananda Yoga Centre, Singapore is glad to announce a 5 session course in Pranayama
from Mon 4th October to Fri 8th October 2004
Morning Session:-7.00 am to 8.00 am
A senior Trained Yoga Instructor from Bangalore will be conducting the course at
91A Frankel Avenue.
Fees: S$ 50 for the 5-session course.
Seats limited to 20 per session.
Please register early at Tel: 62441268

Stop slipping from your practice!

Some new stuff at the OmIm shop. Check them out the next time you're in for class:

• Good news for those of you who have sweaty palms and soles! We've some new cotton yoga mat samples from India in the shop. These are what they use in India before all these new fancy PVC mats were created by western industry. These thick cotton woven mats are hard-wearing and can be washed and folded and is environmentally sound. However, on a smooth, hard floor, they need to be used over either a conventional PVC yoga mat or a anti-slip mesh mat (refer to the samples in the shop). For those of you accustomed to the PVC mats, these cotton options may seem weird at first. An acquired taste but there are those who swear by it. I have also been advised by a dermatologist to use a cotton mat over the PVC ones as so that the cotton mat can be washed often and kept clean. Two types on show, multitudes of colour options.

• I've noticed that some of you get cold shoulders (literally, not metaphorically!) after class. Especially those in tank tops and other sleeveless tops. I've brought in some samples of zip front tops that you can put on after class. I recently bought one myself and it has made a great difference when I board freezing bus 61 at 11pm. This takes away the hassle of having the change into bus/MRT-worthy clothes after yoga class. I find that these hooded tops also provide excellent instant protection from the light drizzles we have been getting. A big big plus for urban yogis.

Case of the mysterious phantom yogi

Someone(s) did something nice last night. Nice for me -- or so, he/she thought. I distinctly saw one or two persons with yoga mats outside OmIm at the end of my 7pm class. I thought that they were waiting for the next class at 8.30pm. However, when I opened the door at 8.30pm, there was no one there. . . So I had an early night. ;-)

Perhaps you thought that to do me a favour and leave just because you are the only one(s) for the late class. However, let me affirm that I am prepared to teach all the classes as scheduled -- even if just one or two of you turn up. So don't hesitate to come to class -- it does not matter to me if there is just one participant or if there are 20. Yoga at OmIm is for you. If you have come down all the way to the studio, your body is trying to tell you: "treat me right! I deserve my yoga!"

The other possible scenario of course is the person(s) who came last night suddenly had some urgent matter to attend to and had to leave without attending class. If you need to pass a (non-urgent) message to me after class, you can always talk to the nice security guards at the front dest downstairs. I usually say goodbye to them before I leave for the day.

Anyway, to be fair to all parties, let's have a no-show policy: I will wait for 15 minutes into the scheduled class time -- if no students show up by then, then the class is considered cancelled. This also means: don't be late! If you are more than 15 minutes late, you will be likely missing out on your warmups or relaxation and will not be able to enjoy the full benefits of the class.

New OmIm Email Address

OmIm can now be reached at:

omimprovement@gmail.com

We have been invited to test out the beta version of Google Mail. Please update your email address books. Thanks.

Yoga in your company

I've been receiving some queries on corporate yoga classes.

Yes, I can teach yoga in your company premises if you have the facilities. It is also possible to arrange for a session at OmIm's studio just for your staff. You may want to get your HR or relevant staff to call me directly to check on available times and rates. Rates vary depending on the duration of the commitment (how many sessions/how many weeks) and the travelling distance from OmIm. Typical per session rates range from $100 to $300.
Maximum recommended class size is about 20 participants.

Yoga Class Schedule Updates

Hi all. Please note that the lunchtime classes are on hold for the moment. Here's the latest updated OmIm class schedule:

Tue:
7pm-8.30pm
8.30pm-10pm

Wed:
7pm-8.30pm

Thu:
8.30pm-10pm

Fri:
7.15pm-8.45pm

Sat:6pm-7.30pm

As most of you are aware, there are other instructors who are using the studio for their classes. Om Improvement class cards cannot be used for these classes. So if you want to try their classes, you've got to pay them directly. Do call OmIm in advance to get their contacts and check on availability. Here are their timeslots:

Thu:
Victor: 7pm-8.30pm

Fri:
Jolene: 6.15pm-7.15pm

Sat:
Min Chao: 4.30pm-6pm

Sun:
Siew Yong: 11am-12.30pm