How often do we defy the norm and try something different in our lives? To not care of what other people think and become oblivious from other people's stares and questioning glances ? Can you just imagine how liberating it is to just follow your heart, do the thing that you always wanted and feel alive like a child once again?
Ever since I started my journey to fitness, I have found a world that I thought I will never be able to live again. Being workaholic, I rarely had time to exercise. Brisk walking especially during heavy traffic heading for work or on my way home was the next best thing I did to keep fit. I am quite thankful for the previous company I was with when they organized events like sports fests where we get to enjoy free hip hop classes,wall climbs, fun runs and the like. It took a lot of effort to allot just one day for those free outdoor activities in a year and I was sure glad I took the risk of joining because since that day I had joined my first 3K race, a door has been opened where I discovered a side of me that I thought never existed.
Thus the days of joining aerobic classes in BGC started. The early morning runs every Sunday simply because jeepneys were rare at 4AM in the morning that instead of being late, I chose to run so I could get to the park on time. When I started to get bored with the weekly routine, I decided to enroll in a gym membership where the group classes became more challenging be it Zumba, Core & Definition Classes. Until one day I decided to try Yoga.
My first Yoga instructor at Gold's Gym was a kind lady whose instruction was in Tagalog. For a beginner, I felt so at ease even if there were poses that were hard to achieve. She encouraged us to explore what movements will be best to achieve the pose, to check our alignment and that there will be other days that some poses will be attainable if we were not able to do it on that current day. Since most of the activities I had been doing were more of cardio, Yoga became a balance from them all especially when I found out that Yoga and running went hand in hand.
Thus I became more interested with the practice. On days that I am free, I try to include Yoga for at least 15 minutes in my morning warm ups especially before my weekday runs and training. I also find time to do it before I retire to bed especially when I read and found out that it could help me sleep well.
It was in the middle of last year that I have started doing Yoga at the 30th Track Park in BGC. Oblivious to other people's stares, I take off my shoes and do my practice which at times last for half an hour. Since I do not have a Yoga mat, I make sure that the pavement where I am at is free of pebbles & stones. At times young kids would stop and stare at me for a while where as others take out their phones and video me discreetly in which I have gotten used to. I am also glad that people had gotten used to it as well which means they are starting to accept the fact the practicing Yoga can also be done at the park just like running, biking and dancing.
Almost a month ago, I discovered a community who gather every last Sunday of the month and practice Yoga at the Burgos Circle Park in BGC. A day before the event, I was inspired to write a post about it to inform people who were interested to join. Since next day was a Sunday, I went to BGC for my weekend run and waited for the community event to start at 9:30 AM.
Initiated by
LiFE Yoga,
Life at The-Park is a monthly event held at Burgos Circle in BGC which starts at 9:30 AM and is open not only to those who practice Yoga but also to those who are interested to learn more about it. It is a free class so anybody can join. No need to bring a Yoga mat because they are available at the venue plus you also get to taste the refreshing goodness of
Vita Coco Coconut Water which is one of the sponsors for the event.
For 90 minutes, I immersed myself in the class . With the aid of Teacher Enzo's guidance, I learned to let go of my worries and just focused on what I was doing. As always, every pose has its purpose and meaning in our lives that we all too often take for granted. Our breathing, our surroundings, even the people we see everyday. It is very easy to forget all these because our lives are always in a hurry that even a day or two intended for a quiet time alone or for wellness even for an hour had been such a challenge. It is only when we start to feel the recurring stress in our bodies that we start to listen and yearn for such peace not just outside of ourselves but inside as well. And once that inner peace is discovered, you learn how to nurture it and share it with others.
For those who are interested to join the community Yoga, the next class at Life at the Park will be on March 20 which is this coming Sunday at Burgos Circle in BGC. You can register at the Life Yoga studio or email them @
www.lifeyogacenter.com.The class starts at 9:30 AM and you can bring a friend or colleague since it is a free event. Sharing is caring and the more the merrier.
( Photo credits to the beautiful people of Life at The Park Community )
