big book of yoga for a small price

On my free time, I usually find myself reading links that Women's Health posts on Facebook especially those related to yoga. That is how I came to know about Kathryn Budig.

One time I saw a video of her demonstrating a pose and I enjoyed it so much that I got interested when she mentioned about The Women's Health Big Book of Yoga. I guess it's because I've only started yoga recently that I find myself wanting to know more and more about it. So when I searched online where I can buy this book, I found out that National Bookstore carries it. 

As much as I prefer a printed material over a digital copy, the price difference was significant for me. I decided to buy the ebook instead. I got redirected to kobo and from there, I learned that even without a kobo device, I can access the book through my phone or my tablet by using the kobo app. I didn't need much convincing after that.

Before completing the purchase, there was a section on promo codes so I searched for promo codes and just tried one I found on Retail Me Not and luckily, it worked!

It was a promo code of 20% for first time purchase so instead of paying Php 724.19, I just ended up paying Php 579.35. I don't know about you but I love discounts.

even the little is enough

From lululemon

I woke up in the middle of the night and it suddenly struck me how much stuff I have. I looked around my room and felt a little disappointed with myself after realizing that I have amassed much more than I need. So many material things that I don't really need. So many material things that I'll eventually leave behind or give away.

As I was trying to sleep, my thoughts drifted to how many times I feel an urge to collect things - to keep buying even those that I don't really need. I am still learning how to control this urge and to live simply with just what I need and just a little of what I want. This need to want more usually makes me feel like I don't have enough when in all honesty, I have enough. In fact, I think I have more than enough if I were just more conscious about my spending.

Starting today, I want to be more conscious of how I spend and what I spend on. I want to be more conscious of what I already have and what I no longer need. I want to control the urge to collect things I can do without. And I just want to be more grateful for having the things that I have now and finding happiness in not wanting more than I need.

"When you get little, you want more; when you get more, you desire more; and when you lose all, you realize that even the little was enough." - Fr. Jerry Orbos

namaste

I didn't expect to find myself on a mat tonight as I just came from practice last night; my hamstrings feel tender reminding me of the week that went by without attending a single yoga class as I was hopping on and off planes to work in key cities in Visayas and Mindanao.

In my first month of practicing yoga in Urban Ashram Manila, I have learned that practices that focus on the core are one of the most challenging.We worked on our core last night with planks and variations of it too challenging to count. Our teacher last night was Tara. I love her teaching style and her aura. I like how she reminds us to focus on our form - bringing our attention to parts of our bodies that we neglect to focus on while holding a pose - in that nurturing way that reminds me of a caring mother. I suppose that is why I love sharing my practice with her. Last night's practice woke my body up and energized it. My tender hamstrings remind me of the good I did to my body last night.

I didn't plan on going to class today; I just wanted to rest. I wanted today to be just for myself. And I guess that is precisely why my feet took me to Urban Ashram. I needed a moment just for myself. A moment to bring awareness to every part of my body and to feel all those parts work together to remind me that I am whole. A moment to remind me of where I've been and more importantly, of who I am now. A moment to celebrate myself just for being.

Tonight, I dedicated my practice to myself as an act of gratitude for all the good and wonderful things I have done but have failed to recognize.

Our teacher tonight was N and I enjoyed her class. We did a lot of planks today and a series of twists, which I enjoyed the most. At one point during practice, I surprised myself finding that I am improving in my chaturanga. I still couldn't do it very well but I felt an improvement and I imagined giving myself a pat on the back. Initially, my upper arms were screaming at me - I have a weak upper body - but gradually, as my body warmed up, I felt better. I love how N encourages us to push ourselves. Her enthusiastic and encouraging tone gave me confidence many times during practice to do more and not be confined in the word "beginner". When my body reminded me that it could only do so much for now, I would stop and revert to a simpler pose. The two things I appreciated so much about myself tonight were:

1. That I tried.
2. That I listened to my body.

At the end of practice, I felt grateful for myself and for sharing my practice with N. Namaste, I said to myself, to N, and to everyone else in the room. I felt gratitude, happiness, and fulfillment with every syllable as I greeted myself in a foreign language that is slowly feeling familiar. 

Saying "thank you" is important. But I think that we often forget to recognize ourselves for the good we have done. I think we must practice expressing our gratitude to ourselves. I think thanking ourselves shows that we respect ourselves; saying "thank you" seals our gratefulness for our being.

online shopping experience

I shopped online at Zalora today. And it's my first time.

I've been curious to try Zalora for quite a while now. In fact, I subscribed to their e-newsletter and received a coupon which eventually expired even before I got to use it. I guess it was because I'm hesitant to buy shoes and clothes online because I like making sure the clothes fit and seeing myself wearing it before purchasing it. The same goes for accessories. I'd like to see the material and the make and see them on me before I purchase them.

Since I've been into yoga lately and have been wanting to buy yoga blocks for my home practice, I've been looking online. I guess you can say I was quite literally "window" shopping. And since Zalora carries Yogarat, I've been scanning page after page of Yogarat items. Lucky for me, I received an email from Zalora with a 15% discount code on any order for today. I took it as a sign to finally purchase something from Zalora. So I picked two yoga blocks and a yoga mat strap.

I guess it must have been my lucky day because it turned out that I would automatically avail of an additional 10% just by using my Mastercard just because it's Thursday. Yay! And shipping is free! I had quite a lot of trouble stopping myself from buying an extra yoga mat and a yoga towel just because of the discounts even though I don't really need the extra mat just yet.

Shopping was very easy. I immediately received an email confirmation, which asked me to send a copy of my credit card and a government-issued ID (a way to avoid credit card fraud) before they process my order. That extra measure made me feel that shopping at Zalora is really secure and that the company cares for the online security of their customers. Way to go, Zalora! The status of my order was quickly processed a minute or two after I sent them an email.

A little over three hours later, I received an email update saying that my order has been shipped. I love how easy and quick it is! One of the reasons why I don't shop online that often is because shipping is a concern (versus just buying it yourself on a brick and mortar store). But so far my experience today with Zalora is changing my views about online shopping. I can't wait for my purchases to arrive.

just breathe

Three yoga classes down and I don't feel sore anymore. Yey!

Last night's yoga class was taught by Teacher A. We started by being conscious of our breaths. I'm starting to get used to how my body should be positioned in some of the poses. More and more, I'm becoming conscious of what I'm doing right and what I still need to change. For some poses, it's keeping my belly engaged, making sure my back doesn't round, and that my chest opens. And most importantly, to keep breathing.

just me, my body, and a mat

I found out I have scoliosis in 2009 due to chronic back pains. The doctor required me to undergo physical therapy to minimize the back pains and to teach me exercises that would strengthen my back muscles. He has always encouraged me to exercise and engage in other physical activities. But the lure of slouching on the couch to watch something on the telly or to read a book or surf the internet has won me many times over.

My job usually requires me to sit in front of a computer pouring over emails and data that I make sense of. I realized that I was in worse shape than I ever was when my back pains intensified. When I went back to the doctor to have it checked, the scoliosis has progressed and this is a development you don't want to hear. This is why since last year, I had been interested in practicing yoga.

I don't really remember how I found out about yoga but whichever way I found out, the important thing is that it piqued my interest. But I was anxious of joining a class. First, membership is a bit pricey. Cost per class is not cheap either. While it is affordable, I didn't know if it was worth the money.

Second (and most importantly), I felt intimidated because I know I am not flexible - let alone strong - enough to hold the yoga poses I see a couple of my friends post on instagram. I didn't want to be in a class of good students and be the only student who's way behind all the others. I didn't want the attention a teacher gives a student who's doing poorly. This is the main thing that has held me back from attending a yoga class.

But alas! I have recently discovered the joys of yoga.

Last Wednesday, I signed up for a New-to-Yoga trial pass at Urban Ashram Manila. Sometime in May, I saw a deal in Deal Grocer for a 15-day access to unlimited classes for only Php 1,000 (originally at Php 1,500). I immediately bought a coupon thinking it's affordable enough whether I end up liking the experience or not. That has got to be by far the best impulse purchase I have ever bought this year.

I signed up for the Flexibility Not Required (FNR) class last Wednesday. I just brought with me a yoga towel, water bottle, and change of clothes as I have been instructed. The class was taught by Janaka and it started on time. As an afterthought, the worries that had held me back from joining a yoga class were unnecessary. As soon as I laid on the mat and followed the instructions of the teacher, the entire room melted away. It was just me, my body, the mat, and the instructions that I needed to follow.

I don't know if I were the only person in the room that time that was new to yoga. I didn't notice and with a mat behind my back while on corpse pose, I didn't care. The instructions were fairly easy to follow. But it takes a while to get the body used to the poses and it was during this time that I appreciated the attention a teacher gives to a student who needs guidance. Yes, in that yoga class I did not feel that I was doing poorly. In fact, the spirit of competition wasn't even there and it was such a wonderful feeling to be in a place where you only have to think of yourself, to see yourself for who you are and what you are capable of without comparing your abilities to other people.

We started in corpse pose and ended in corpse pose. In between we did planks, cobras and downward dogs. We also did the happy baby pose, the eagle pose and poses I forgot to take note of. We even use the straps! I don't normally sweat a lot but during class, I did and it felt wonderful.

The following day was not easy though as I felt a bit sore in so many places I have never given much thought of. I think yoga brings awareness to your entire body and how each part relates to the whole. So even though I felt sore in so many parts all over, the important thing is I felt great. Each sore part is a wonderful reminder that I am doing my body good. On a side note, I've had sore muscles before, mostly after a day of hiking (such as that first hike in Pico de Loro and that gruelling day hike to Tarak Ridge) or each time I'd push myself to run (back when J and I still ran in BGC and UP). But the soreness I felt last Thursday was different in that it wasn't as painful as the ones I experienced before and it was tolerable and not unpleasant and uncomfortable.

I like that I can reserve a class at Urban Ashram Manila online. It's so convenient! I went back on Saturday and that time we still did a lot of planks, cobras and downward dogs. We also did the warrior pose many times over and using the blocks, we did the triangle pose.

I never thought I'd fall in love with yoga as fast as I did. I'll be attending my third FNR class tonight and I'm looking forward to feeling the world melt away when it will just be me, my body, the mat, and the instructions that I need to follow until I join a chorus of om. Til then, namaste.

pico de loro

This is one of the stories I love telling for two things:

1. It is a story about how I discovered something about myself.
2. It is a story of how the happy story of J and I began.

This is the story of the first adventure J and I shared. Inherent to the story of our adventures is our story and how each adventure brings us even more closer to each other. It's nothing short of amazing how each adventure we take rewards us with experiences that enrich each of us and memories that help the story of us unfold.

Every story has beginning and I believe ours began somewhere along the trails of a mountain south of Manila called Pico de Loro (when our happy feet trekked this famous mountain with Trail Adventours at the start of 2013). I can think of no better way to kick off a year other than climbing a mountain.

Pico de Loro, January 2013.

It was my first time to explore a mountain so imagine how I was filled with mixed emotions. For the greater part though, I was thrilled and excited. This is what carried me from the jump-off point to the summit and back. I have never been athletic ergo until the adventurous in me dared to trek Pico de Loro, my feet had never known the kind of happiness only a terrain of a mountain can give.

From the very first step I took, all my worries and fears were forgotten. Being in the mountain was like being home and everything the mountain required me to do felt like second nature. As we went deeper and higher, the more energy I felt. And there I found myself with a natural high, an unmistakable joy that was so pleasantly surprising. Thrill and excitement filled me, the kind you feel when you're curious and eager, the kind that makes you forget all the dark places in your mind and allows you to focus only on the present moment.

In that mountain, I felt so alive as if I were a bouncing ball of youthful energy - so sure of myself, curious as a cat, and knowing no fear. I felt infinite.

The sounds in the mountain were both familiar and foreign. Here and there the snapping of twigs, the rustling of dry leaves, the chirping of unseen birds and the sounds of unseen insects and animals, the wind blowing against trees so tall, and the occasional familiar sound of stories being shared by one hiker to many others.

There was an indescribable feeling borne out of being one with everything that surrounds you. All at once, I felt connected with everything around me and within me. In exploring the mountain, I felt that I have discovered something within me that I would never have known had I not taken the first step on that trail.

We started sometime around 6:30am. By around 10am, we reached the campsite. This is where we first saw our destination, the summit. We stayed here for a while to rest and have brunch. I couldn't really eat, which is what usually happens when I am too excited about something. So it was still surprising how I still had energy left to assault the summit, which I found quite challenging. The trail to the summit was steep and dry with barely anything to hold on to.

At the campsite. Pico de Loro, January 2013.

First view of the summit from the campsite.
Pico de Loro, January 2013.

When we reached the summit, my heart was brimming with pride and joy... I was also thirsty and quite hungry. But I had time to drink and munch on snacks with the most glorious view on sight. I was overcome with so much joy, realizing in a moment that I was able to see all of that with only my feet to take me. Amazing, isn't it?

The most exciting part of our Pico de Loro adventure is the Beak. The Beak is a monolith that is a short hike from the summit. When J asked me if I wanted to climb the Beak, there was no doubt in my mind that I would do it no matter how treacherous it looked and how difficult it sounded based on the accounts of the group we were with. Perhaps it was because of the rush of adrenalin but I knew no fear then... until I had to climb with only a rope to hang on to.

The Beak. Pico de Loro, January 2013.

Our group at the Beak.
Pico de Loro, January 2013.

Our group at the Beak.
Pico de Loro, January 2013.

It was only by God's grace that we made it.

Going down the mountain was as much as an adventure as it was going up. It was only then that I was able to get to know more about J beyond the few things that I know of him. There were stories and snippets of information about each other that we shared. There were questions and answers. There were silence and laughter. But above all, there was a happy discovery that we shared values and priorities.

There were hints of a possibility of spending more time together and of exploring new spaces and places. I don't find it easy to find people who are always willing to share in an adventure so in that moment, I felt happy to have found a kindred spirit. I liked the possibility of sharing adventures with J but I didn't count on it at the time. Some people were all talk and didn't really walk the talk. Still a happy thought crossed my mind. I felt then that was the start of a friendship with an equally adventurous soul and quite possibly, a travel buddy.

My feet were tired but only too happy when we we caught a glimpse of the road that signaled the end of our Pico de Loro adventure. I felt a pang of sadness then, anxious that the day was almost done and that my succeeding steps would take me away from that beautiful mountain. At the same time, there was comfort in knowing that I was coming back home.

And then there it was, the road. That same road that held so much promise just that morning at the beginning of our adventure. It made me happy and sad at the same time.

Yes, that is the road. Little did I know that our adventure would not end there. In fact, it was only the beginning of a much greater adventure.