About Me
Hello! Thank you for visiting my site. I am Chona from Manila, Philippines. I started my journey as a yogini in October 2006, taking vinyasa yoga . What started as a mere physical activity eventually has become my way of life…a passion…a source of joy!
At the start of 2009, I took a new path: ashtanga yoga.
Come and join me as I continue my journey. Maybe you’ll get something from my experience, or I from yours. After all, nobody is too wise not to learn something from someone nor too inexperienced not to share anything.
Sending you light! Namaste!
The Monkey, The Boar, and The Rabbit…
And Varrah had the most glamorous Sanskrit name of the three.
Congrats on the site, my dear friend!
B-)
Thanks Crissy! Looking forward to your wordpress website =D
Share ko lang… when I was deciding on a name for my blog… I thought of “jogasyoga”… jogas was my college nickname (JOnathan + caGAS), plus jogas is the Lithuanian word for yoga. However, medyo iba ata ang tunog sa mga Pinoy.
Hi Jon! Yeah, I remember reading one of your blogs (I think) where you mentioned “jogasyoga” and I thought it was cool. You can create your own yoga style and call it by that “brand”
Am not familiar with the Lithuanian language but I thought “jogas” could be pronounced a la “johan”.
Hello Chona! nice to see this blog. keep writing! erp
Hi Chona! Just wanted to drop by and say hey. We started doing yoga at roughly the same time rin pala. Namaste.
Thanks Erp! I believe it’s about time that you should start writing your blog. =D
Thanks Ben-Ariel! I remember we “met” in the Multiply — haven’t been blogging there lately. I still consider myself a ‘newbie’ in yoga, working on the basics. Hindi pa ako nakakalipad, ha ha!
“Hindi pa ako nakakalipad, ha ha!”
More pranayama, hehehe
[...] No-brainer, huh? I am privileged to have done yoga with Jon Cagas or Jogas (see its etymology here =D) this week at the comfort of the house of his cousin and my good friend for two decades (yeah, [...]
Chona!
What a wonderful blog! I stumbled upon it just now and have been reading you, and have been having a truly happy time!
I listen to the entire album from which The Pilgrim’s Theme comes from almost every morning on my way to work. Bukas Palad has beautiful songs. You should listen to the other Jesuit albums too…
I’m Only Human was a blast! I have learned patience and tolerance and compassion and humility and all the other virtues na yata just by practicing with him. Sometimes I think he is our Teacher’s teaching aide.
See you on Monday!
Hi Gel! Thank you.
I have several Jesuit albums and my life has been significantly influenced by the Ignatian philosophy. In my past life SJ yata ako, mwahaha!
Ha ha! That’s new, “teaching aide.” I have learned so much about life in that less than a 100-sqm room, and am still learning
See you Monday!
Namaste.
Oh! A fellow SJ die-hard! Do you have any of the Lauds or Vespers CDs? Sometimes I wonder whether I can in fact practice with Lauds as my music in the background.
Enjoy your practice tonight, Chon. I, in turn, shall go to Ateneo and go walking with my daughter. Until I can muster enough courage (and skill, and strength) to join the thursday class of Pio, I shall have to have to content myself with walking the rest of the week as I wait for Monday class! I am still trying to learn to be able to do some semblance of yoga practice by myself, and it has honestly been quite frustrating. (help!) Like I told you last Monday, I can’t even do the simplest pose without losing my balance. I guess I’ve a lot to learn in terms of quieting down. Ganun ba talaga?
Thanks Gel! Class was good.
You don’t have to have skill to survive Thursday class, because you can always do what I and Lomen do come advance poses–watch Teacher do them! He won’t force us naman e. Join us on Saturdays, which, according to Lomen, is the only remaining “normal” class of Pio so that you won’t have have a four-day wait. Take this statement, too, that MW are no different from TTh ;D
Self-practice isn’t easy for me either. There are several poses that I could do in class but couldn’t do on my own. In forward bend, for example, I’d often wonder, “bakit sa class close kami ng knees ko, ngayon hindi na?” Madali din akong ma low batt…and there’s always the temptation to “cheat,” ha ha! Now I am trying to “tap the subtle energy, not just use brute muscular force” not only in my self-practice but also during class, especially in doing the full locust. Waaah!
hi ,
where do you practice vinsaya ?
kat
Hi Kat! I used to go to VInyasa Yoga Center.
hi there! I saw your bag in Womens health magazine ans since then Im dying to have a piece of that… Its a badminton bag con carry all bag that is so perfect. Do you still have it? Where can I get it please? thanks so much and I hope to hear from you ASAP.
thanks!
Hi Ann! Got my bag from Aura Athletica in Rockwell. Yup, still using it =)
Hi there,
I’ve been following your journey at intervals while maneuvering through my own : ) Every time I check back in, I’m re-inspired. Thank you for sharing.
Namaste.
Nicole
Hi Nicole! Thank you for your kind words. You’ve got quite an interesting blog and yoga shala, too. =)
Hi! I’ve been following your blog for about a year now. It’s interesting that I’m thinking about doing the same thing you have done. I’ve been doing vinyasa for a year now and even took teacher training. But I find myself turning to ashtanga. Maybe it’s time to do another teacher training.
Great blog!
Eunice
Thanks Eunice for your kind words. I hope we could practice ashtanga together one of these days
I go to Yoga Manila Ortigas. Namaste!
Hey C! I go to Bliss yoga manila. I actually also teach there. hope to see you soon! Let’s practice together.
Hey, C. Stumbled upon your site while Googling for local yoga studios. Very informative.
Keep it up.
Thanks Angelo. Hope you are able to find a place where you can love yourself and at the same time connect. Namaste!
Dear,
I also practice Ashtanga Yoga, I live in Bolivia and will look forward to your post realated to your experience.
I also love Yoga, its is my joy and experiencing it at 4,000 above sea level is something really unique!
Namaste
Livushleh
Thanks for visiting my blog. Unfortunately, I don’t know Spanish, but I encourage you to keep posting in your blog. Namaste!
Hi Chona,
I would like to invite you to our upcoming yoga retreats in Siargao. I couldn’t manage to find your email on the site. If you could get a hold of me at mahamahalyoga@gmail.com, I would greatly appreciate it!
Thanks,
Camille