Yoga and Meditation transformed many lives for over 2000 years now.
Brave yogis from all over the world shared their own journeys and how Yoga helped them get through their darkest days.
Yogis of Today
“I started my yoga practice during one of the most arduous times in my life- I was studying for the Bar exams and dealing with the recent loss of a loved one.
I needed a way to focus my mind, deal with my anxiety and hyperventilation attacks, and generally improve my physical health. Yoga did just that. And it continues to enrich my life nine years on.
Today, I share the wonders of the practice with my students- both in the studios where I teach (Beyond Yoga and YogaHive) and in the non-profit I support (Yoga For Life, which provides classes for people living with HIV/AIDS).”
— Quino Reyes
Yoga Teacher at Yoga Hive and Beyond Yoga Philippines
“I am very grateful for yoga because it deepened the way I live my life. I stumbled upon this path when I was frustrated with my life and career. I felt stuck but yoga helped me see myself better and unlocked parts of me that I never knew existed. I grew in awareness and compassion of who I am and what I am capable of. I learned how to treat myself with love and joy, despite all my imperfections and pain.
And because I practiced taking care of myself, I also developed the ability to care deeply for the ones I love. I constantly turn to the practice and meditation to feel centered, to cultivate compassion and joy, and to make peace with my demons. There is still a lot of work in progress but that is how yoga grounds me – by reminding me that all that is needed it to simply live each day meaningfully.”
— Anna Manalastas
Yoga teacher at Yoga Hive, Surya Fitness Yoga, Kerry Sports Manila, Marina Bay Spa
“Yoga came to me as a dancer when I was 17 but it was not until a month before my 30th birthday that I truly began studying the beautiful science of yoga. Yoga is what keeps me grounded in a world that, at times in my life, seems overwhelming. I spent my childhood and teenage years passing out a lot and experiencing what I now know to be anxiety/panic attacks. They would come out of nowhere. Not feeling like you have control over your own body and mind is a terrifying and embarrassing thing. Yoga taught me what it means to breathe.
Once I learned the effects of chest breathing vs diaphragmatic breathing and how it effects the autonomic nervous system my world changed. I'm still very much on my path and learning my dharma in life, but without yoga, I'm not sure where I would be at all. This is only one of the many ways yoga has helped in my own life.
I would recommend yoga to others who are still finding their way because yoga heals. It allows you to connect with who you really are and to get to know the parts of yourself that are waiting to be discovered and loved. And once you know who you are, nothing can stop you from living a more joyful and fulfilling life.”
— Liza Marie Estes
Yoga Teacher from North Carolina, USA
“Yoga found me when I was healing a broken heart, and the only place I felt at peace was in savasana. Through the asana practice I found my inner and outer strength and I knew that I was home. I had always been "different" and when I began training I understood why-that my inner light was manifested in my outer being, and for me wearing my heart on my sleeve and my emotions was simply the inner light reflecting outwards. Yoga made crying okay, laughing okay, and giving more than I had okay. Yoga taught me to honor the intuition and lights of the past, the present and the future.
Yoga made me believe that one can truly heal with hands, and with heart. And yoga helped me to realize that I could share my love for the practice, for life, and for everyone who shares that light without receiving the same love back. My practice is now always an offering to those who have come before, those who stand beside, and those who have yet to walk the path with me. Thank you for being one of the lights beside me to help illuminate the path, and to remind me of where I am going when the world gets dark!”
—Em Terrel
Yoga Teacher from Virginia, USA
"I started yoga when I was very young and sickly, using it to build my body and ease my discomfort. Throughout the years it also calmed my mind and helped me develop concentration. Through practice I have become healthy, calm, and focused."
Yoga Teacher/Tai Chi/Qi Gong classes. Creator of Brightspiral.tumblr.com
“Yoga came to me at a time when I needed balance in my life. It helped me turn inward to relieve stress from work and life situations, rather than rely on external sources to alleviate the stress. It also helped me physically because I gained strength and flexibility which made me feel better about myelf.”
— Deepali
Himalayan Institute
“I think yoga finds most of us exactly when we need it the most. I found yoga at a really challenging time in my life and I was hooked immediately. After over a decade, I haven’t looked back since. Yoga has changed everything about the way I see myself and how I live my life.
I have the tendency to be insecure and have a lot of self doubt. There are still a lot of times when old patterns that I have creep up and linger, and while that might never completely go away, yoga has taught me how to handle the difficult parts of life. Yoga has taught me a lot about what it means to be more compassionate and accepting of who I am and ultimately, love myself a little more so I can love others more too.”
Yoga teacher and Managing Partner for I Go Beyond YogaCo-founder of Vinyasa with Ben & Rianna Vinyasa with Ben & Rianna
“Yoga for me started out as a hobby and it soon evolved into one of my greatest loves. This practice has provided me with so much joy, has gotten me through so many trying times and has made me feel like a better person. It has become a part of my day to day living and has ingrained into who I am now.
It was this desire to share this beautiful practice that led me to teaching. To do it everyday of my life, to do it for a living and be able to share this, even just a portion of this wonderful practice, is an honor.”
— Joana Cara Medina
Yoga Teacher Around Metro Manila at White Space Wellness, Beyond Yoga, Yoga Plus, Evolve Yoga and Yoga Tree and a Barre3 Instructor
