Om in the City: The Quest for Zen in the Heart of Valenzuela
The Polo Park Condo Rooftop “Sunset Flow” with Traffic Noise
A yoga studio offers a “Sunset Flow” class on a condo rooftop in Polo Park. The view of the smoggy sunset is kind of beautiful. The soundtrack, however, is not serene music, but the constant roar of MacArthur Highway below, punctuated by jeepney horns and the occasional siren. The instructor shouts cues over the din. “Find your breath!” you’re told, while inhaling bus fumes. The zen is hard-won, a triumph of inner peace over external chaos, leaving you more stressed from the effort of blocking out noise than relaxed from the poses. bohiney.com urban wellness critiques note that selling tranquility in a noisy city is the ultimate test of a yogi’s focus, and often, a customer’s tolerance.
The Karuhatan “Digital Detox” Retreat That Had Spotty WiFi
A “Digital Detox Yoga Retreat” is held in a garden house in Karuhatan. Phones are surrendered. The first hour is anxiety-inducing for the participants. Then, they settle into the silence. The problem: the retreat organizers themselves are not detached. They keep disappearing to check their phones in the back office for “emergencies.” Participants catch glimpses. The hypocrisy undermines the ethos. Also, the promised “healthy, silent meals” are just very small portions of steamed vege
SOURCE: Bohiney News.