Yoga Nazis spotted at Pure Yoga

Last Sunday, I was invited for a free trial class at Pure Yoga Singapore (Takashimaya).

Over the phone, the sales representative assured me that all I had to do was to rock up for the 10:45am class, and experience Yin Yoga in all its glory. I thought that it was a brilliant idea, since I was interested in learning more about Yin Yoga, and also because I was on the lookout for a new Yoga place to go to – now that my previous teacher, Stanley Lim, from Ashtanga Yoga Singapore has moved to Shanghai.

I accepted the invitation excitedly, arranged to meet some other friends in the same class, and happily trooped off to Pure Yoga. Unfortunately for me, I was trapped in Takashimaya’s complicated car park system which didn’t offer direct access from its car parks to the 18th floor, where Pure Yoga was located. So after playing snakes & ladders with the lifts for awhile, I finally managed to arrive at Pure Yoga at exactly 10:45am. Phew! I thought… Just in time!

Unexpectedly, the sales representative whom I had spoken to over the phone, calmly came forward and firmly refused to let me in for class, telling me that I had to be at least 15minutes early for the class. I explained to him the I had faced some confusion with the car park lifts and still, he refused to let me in. I explained to him that I had friends also in the class waiting for me, and he still refused to let me in. I explained to him that I had arrived exactly in time for the class, and still he refused to let me in.

Instead, he smoothly offered to show me around Pure Yoga’s premises, offered me a seat in the lounge where I could sit down and find out more about the different price plans offered at Pure Yoga, and he assured me that I could go for another free yoga class… later.

At this point… I was very irritated and couldn’t stop feeling that I was being taken for a ride here… I mean what kind of Yoga Nazi establishment doesn’t allow students to come to class on time? Puts a sales representative in your way to refuse your entry? Wastes your time and energy to come down to class only to subject yourself to sales dribble?

Needless to say, I left Pure Yoga with a bitter taste in my mouth. I didn’t go for a free class, I didn’t want to listen to the sales pitch, and most of all, I didn’t want to learn Yoga from a place that doesn’t teach from the heart. A place that resorts to bad business practices just to get more students to sign up. :(

happy yoga monkey

Stanley at Ashtanga Yoga Singapore rocks my socks. As much as I love the caring and smoothing voices of other teachers, like Anna and Vivian, here’s Stanley who is really quite strict in a really grounding way. He teaches you to be really independent and makes you just BE still. Yesterday, he caught me absentmindedly using the wall for balance, and he flashed me a one of his warning glares, which immediately reminded me to… focus focus focus. breathe breathe breathe. Stop thinking about random thoughts and just empty yourself to your practice. Just the kind of motivation that makes this jumpy monkey work internally! Last night’s practice was definitely one of my most satisfying yoga practices in a long time… aaaahhhh…. how lovely…

Found that I could magically bind in Marichyasana C and Marichyasana D, which obviously brought me over the moon! Still working hard and trying to make sense of Bhuja Pindasana (it is friggin’ hard), getting that twist right in Parivritta Parsvakonasana, opening my shoulders in Prasarita Padottanasana C, and getting my(lazy)self off the wall in Sirsasana A.

Yup… I know that some of these poses are probably really super easy for most yoga lovers out there, but heck, a year ago… I couldn’t even do a proper Vinyasa sequence without collapsing in a heap on the mat, or keep my arms up in Warrior II. Hahah! :P I think I’ve come a fair bit now. yaaayyy!

om mani padme hum

went for yoga yesterday at Ashtanga Yoga Singapore – had the good fortune of having vijay’s great company with me as well. the room was absolutely packed, we were a shala filled with nothing but good vibrations. and so we practiced, each at our own pace, some more advanced then others, some dripping in sweat more than others, some more in balance then others. it was like watching a beautiful physical orchestra from the back row. and there was such joy in sharing when stanley, vivian, anna or raymond gave you pointers to improve your practice.

i did something a little different at the end of the practice. i decided to chant mantras for papa before going into savasana. so i sat in half lotus and started chanting very softly, starting slowly and then going faster and faster, the simple mantra om mani padme om.

for the third time in my life, i think i felt divination – where there are moments that felt like pure light, gone in a blink of an eye. i didn’t feel time, or the usual ache in my knees. i felt like i was standing on the edge of happiness and saddness, missing dad deeply yet knowing that he’s in a much better place now. it felt right, it felt like everything was in its place and before i knew it, i had hot tears streaming down my cheeks as waves of relief swept over me. when i finally opened my eyes, i remember seeing anna’s smiling face from across the room and feeling safe, happy and sad as i finally sank into savasana.