Yoga House lets the gentle force be with you

Hera Diani , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Wiggle your big toe, wiggle your big toe.

The mantra Uma Thurman repeated in Kill Bill Vol. 1 to revive her stiff feet after four years in a coma did not work for me as I bent over and tried desperately to reach my toes.

Did it mean I was not cut out to do the 5,000-year-old exercise of yoga? Will it end my short dalliance with Sting and Madonna's favorite workout?

"Don't be afraid to do yoga just because your body is not flexible," said instructor Yudhi Widyantoro from Rumah Yoga (Yoga House). "There are modifications and levels in doing it. Just do a posture or a movement at your own pace.

"Don't force it as you can get injured."

Although it has never been part of a huge fitness boom, yoga, like the methodical principles of the discipline itself, has enjoyed slow but sure growth in popularity in the past few years. Several fitness centers have added yoga to their roster of aerobics and other classes, and spiritual foundations and institutions have also come on board with yoga instruction.

Its ability to heal and give peace of mind is what lures frazzled urbanites. Benefits reported from regular yoga practice include strengthening the body, increasing flexibility and concentration, weight management, improving blood circulation and concentration, as well stress management.

Not surprisingly, demand for yoga increased at about the same time as the monetary crisis hit in the late 1990s.

"People were seeking a way to reduce stress. With media reports about celebrities practicing yoga, they also became more interested," said Yudhi, who took up the activity 15 years ago.

Dealing with stress and a chronic health problem also attracted restaurateur Amalia Wirjono.

"I had terrible asthma when I was a child, and was dependent on medication which had side effects. Yoga worked for my asthma and it reduced my dependence on the medication," she said.

The practice also helped release stress and fatigue, as well as keeping her figure in shape.

"And the exercise is very simple, only 90 minutes a day and you can do it all by yourself at home," said Amalia, who has been a regular practitioner for the past four years.

Along with friends Dian Mediana, Tami Arifin, Anita Pasaman and Afi Shamara, she decided to establish a more conducive setting for people to relax and unwind than a crowded gym.

"Because of the trend, yoga has become commercialized. However, there are many unqualified yoga instructors, which is dangerous as they can cause injury. We want to prevent that," said Amalia, pointing to Yudhi, who has obtained his teacher's certificate from an institution in Australia and makes regular visits to India to upgrade his skills.

The women opted for the concept of a house, bathed in the dominant color of lavender, to serve as a warm, cozy sanctuary from the mad rat race going on outside.

Although there also comprehensive services aside from yoga, including reflexology and reiki, the healing therapy based on the transfer of energy to the patient, yoga is really what Yoga House is all about.

The several types of yoga classes on offer consist of Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Vinyasa or yoga flow, Manasa, yogalates and baby yoga.

Hatha combines yoga postures with breathing technique, as well as meditation. Iyengar, taken from the teachings of yoga guru B.K.S. Iyengar, emphasizes proper alignment in each posture for balance and strength, with the extensive use of props to assist people in maximizing their abilities in each posture.

Ashtanga and Vinayasa are similar to Hatha in their postures, but Ashtanga is done in a strict and intense sequence, while Vinayasa is practiced in a rhythmic flow with the breath.

Manasa yoga is the practice of Hatha yoga, with a particular focus on the mind.

"I do yoga and pilates," Madonna raps in her song American Life, and both practices are combined in Yogalates class, which is designed to strengthen the muscles, bones, tone the body as well as create a sense of inner calm, health and well being.

As for yoga for babies, it is said to enhance the bond between a baby and its mother, as well as other family members and nannies.

"Yoga reduces (the need for) chemical medication. Each posture has a therapeutic function. The snake posture, for instance, improves the functioning of the digestive system," Yudhi said.

It all sounds very tempting to calm the nerves and get a great workout to boot but, except at the Indian cultural center in Menteng, Central Jakarta, yoga classes are not cheap. Still, there are long waiting lists for classes at most places.

According to marketing guru Kafi Kurnia, it is likely that the high fees come from yoga's exclusivity as the exercise activity of the elite.

"It's a New Age sport and has become a trend, so to give a sense of exclusivity, they charge you a lot. But perhaps they have to pay high wages to the teachers as well," he said.

Rumah Yoga charges a walk-in fee of Rp 100,000 per session. The membership fee is Rp 300,000 annually, with a 10-session package of Rp 750,000, five-session package of Rp 400,000 and Rp 270,000 for the three-session package.

Baby yoga costs Rp 55,000 per session and there is an extra fee for yogalates.

Amalia said there were special fees to accommodate people on limited incomes.

"We also have a community class for students or people from the low-income bracket. It's only Rp 20,000 per session."

----------------------------------- Rumah Yoga Jl. Lamandau No. 19, South Jakarta Tel. 021-7393266/739 3267 Fax. 021 739 3267 www.rumahyoga.com -------------------------------------