Our featured reader this week is yoga instructor, Lalen de Vela(@lavidayoga.guru). Yoga is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline combining breath control, simple meditation and a series of poses meant to induce relaxation and promote better health. Lalen was trained under the international spiritual movement called Ananda Marga who believes that the practice of yoga is a lifestyle.
“I have grown to appreciate what Yoga has done for me, having discovered that yoga is not just the movement or poses that we do on the (yoga) mat but actually a lifestyle,” says Lalen. “ It is a spiritual experience and encompasses a philosophy, that I believe helps you appreciate life and become a better person,” she adds.
Yoga Teacher Lalen de Vela
Lalen has been teaching yoga for the past six years in the Philippines and in Australia. Her practice focuses on two yoga principles – the Hatha Yoga which is the practise of creating static poses or “asanas” through a series of physical techniques and the Vinyasa or Flow Yoga where one moves from one pose to the next in a flow-like motion.
Together she uses these two yoga principles to expound on the therapeutic aspects of yoga to help people who have specific needs. Some of these conditions include the limited movement due to old age, people with weight problems, people who have special conditions like sciatica, and chronic aches and pains on specific body areas.
“Yoga can help you lose weight, build muscle, tone the body, make you stronger and flexible and better balance benefits that one looks for when searching for a fitness program. The true purpose of yoga is actually its healing, thus therapeutic benefits. Almost every, if not all, yoga posture or ‘asana’ brings about some benefit,” explains Lalen.
To make yoga more accessible, she begins her sessions with a consultation with her clients to understand her client’s special conditions.
“I teach yoga for seniors particularly ‘chair yoga.’ Although chair yoga is not only for seniors, I have also taught pre and post natal yoga both here in Sydney and in Manila; and some experience of teaching kids yoga (a good activity for kids during the lockdown) in the Philippines,” says Lalen.
For her students that have particular body (and movement)issues, “ I developed yoga class sequences that accommodate their specific needs – be it chronic aches and pains in specific body areas, particular disease or condition, or even a condition that is mentally or emotionally related such as depression, stress, or just a desire to be healthier and happier,” she adds.
“A regular yoga practice especially when meditation or centering is included can help relieve depression, reduce stress, help you feel better about yourself, learn to live in the moment and better appreciate life – spiritually, it can help you become closer to whoever or whatever your god is, including recognising the divine in yourself and others.”
For some, yoga can look complicated and inaccessible. However, Lalen’s efforts to design the poses and the flow allows a lot more people to experience the benefit of the poses in a non-intimidating manner.
“Therapeutic Yoga is usually slower, also known as subtle yoga, and includes the holding of postures with the breath work. The breath work is and intrinsic aspect of yoga and its (practice promotes) healing effects on the body,” Lalen explains.
With the current lockdown laws in effect, Lalen continues her practice online catering to old and new clients interested in experiencing the therapeutic effects of yoga in the comfort of their own homes.
In her FB site La Vida Yoga, she says,”Yoga is a practice beyond what we do on the yoga mat. I believe that yoga is a way of life and for me, being a yoga teacher is just part of my journey to this yoga way of life. Like all journeys it is an adventure and a constant discovery."
Namaskar. (“I bow towards your existence.”)
To find out more, go to her FB page – La Vida Yoga or contact her on 0416130472 and [email protected].