Yoga Privat untuk Kebutuhan Spesifik - Koran Kompas 29 Juli 2015

Saya merasa bahagia sekali karena bisa membagikan pengetahuan saya tentang kelas yoga pribadi (private yoga class) dengan menjadi narasumber dari artikel Yoga Privat untuk Kebutuhan Spesifik yang membahas hal tersebut di Koran Kompas. Artikel ini ada pada Koran Kompas yang terbit pada tanggal 29 Juli 2015.

Ini adalah artikel kedua di Koran Kompas yang menjadikan saya sebagai narasumbernya. Artikel pertama di Koran Kompas ada di tautan ini: Persiapan Sebelum Beryoga

Di dalam artikel ini, tidak hanya saya saja yang diwawancarai, namun ada juga pelatih yoga lain yang menjadi narasumbernya.

Senang sekali rasanya bisa membagikan pengalaman saya dalam mengajar kelas yoga pribadi selama kurang lebih 3 tahun terakhir ini.

Sekali lagi, terima kasih untuk mbak Monica Yohari yang telah mewawancarai saya untuk artikel ini.

Saya selalu dan tetap berharap bahwa latihan yoga ini dapat semakin dinikmati oleh seluruh manusia di bumi ini dan semakin merakyat di Indonesia, sehingga seluruh manusia dapat lepas dari stres dan memiliki hidup yang bahagia dan berkualitas.

Tautan langsung ke artikel ini di Koran Kompas Online dapat dilihat di: http://infoklasika.print.kompas.com/yoga-privat-untuk-kebutuhan-spesifik/

Untuk yang ingin membaca artikelnya dalam bentuk cetak, di bawah ini saya lampirkan foto dari bentuk cetaknya.

Selamat membaca! Semoga bermanfaat! Namaste.

Celebrating The 1st Anniversary of AW Kitchen

AW Kitchen Pasta House by Akira Watanabe 
Senayan Plaza, 4th Floor 
Jl. Asia Afrika,
Senayan, 
Jakarta
Indonesia

It is a great moment to be invited to the 1st Anniversary of AW Kitchen Restaurant in Jakarta. It is an appreciation night for the people who have supported the restaurant through their delicious time :-D

It is another great visit to the restaurant after my first one at lunch time here: Lunch in Japanese and Italian Style at AW Kitchen

The dinner is set in such a romantic theme. Many flowers with some lights from the candles, good food on the table and good friends we know around the table. Such a warm dinner scene!

The romantic yummy dinner starts after breaking the fasting with some dates, dried fruits and cookies. Yes, the dinner is held on one night during the fasting month.

Aren't you curious about all the dinner menu they have prepared for us? Alright, let's start drooling :-))


ANTIPASTO 
Gazpacho Shrimp Pinchos 
Caponata Canape 
Yellow Tail and Salmon Carpaccio 

These three foods are served in one plate and all of them are delicious. I eat the Canape first to open the taste channels in mouth. Then when I chew the Shrimp, the flavor in my tongue starts to increase. And when I end the food in this plate by eating the Yellow Tail and the Salmon, my life becomes clear and open! Yes, the Shrimp, the Yellow Tail and the Salmon deserve a 5 Stars rating. Oh yeah, I always love seafood!  


PRIMI PASTA
Cold Capellini with Salmon, Capers, and Lemon Sauce 

This is our favorite! Everyone who attend the dinner agree that this is the best food we eat that night. Besides the Salmon, there are Salty Fish Eggs (or maybe I can call it Caviar) on the top of the cold pasta. The Fish Eggs are the main factor why this food is delicious. As I bite the Salty Fish Eggs, they explode in my mouth giving me some exciting sensation :-D
The taste of the Salty Fish Eggs balances the juicy of the Salmon and the coldness of the pasta. A truly perfect match! It is like a paradise is happening in my mouth!
The funny thing about the pasta is that it is made in a cold condition. For me, this food is a clear sign that the food in AW Kitchen is a combination between Japanese food and Italian food. Cold pasta reminds me of cold soba or cold noodle. Cold soba is from Japan, but AW Kitchen replaces it with pasta, which is from Italia. Such a clever idea!


SECONDI PIATTI

For this menu, the restaurant gives two choices of food and we need to choose just one of them. Just one? My belly disagrees with the rule :-D

Black Angus Tenderloin with a choice of Porcini or Wasabi Pepper Sauce

I take a picture of the steak from my friend who sits next to me. No, this is not the food I choose. I try a bite of it and it tastes fine.


Salmon With Salsa Sauce

This is the food that I choose! I always like fish, because its taste is richer than meat, and I consider fish is healthier than meat for their non-stop swimming activity in the water. In my imagination, the fish have more healthy muscles than meat :-))
I am satisfied with the salmon as it meets my expectation. The Salmon is juicy and fatty, while the Broccoli and the Asparagus freshen the taste. Good choice of mine!


DOLCE 
Orange Lychee Sorbet 

The Sorbet is made specially by the Chef from Japan. It is made by his own hands in front of us! So one person from the restaurant will pour the Orange Lychee liquid to a bowl while the Japanese Chef mixes it using a large spoon until the liquid is thicken and cold. Some smokes come out from the bowl that makes the process looks so dramatic! Woho!
This is amazing for me, as I have never seen the process of making sorbet like this before. Such a great experience!  

The restaurant has some great cocktails in their menu, but they don't serve it in this celebration dinner because it is held in the fasting month. I just wish they could copy the other restaurants that can serve cocktails and the other alcoholic drinks after 8 PM during the fasting month. I hope next year AW Kitchen can serve cocktails and alcoholic drinks after 8 PM during the fasting month ;-)

And just before we go home, AW Kitchen prepares beautiful gifts for us. Yeay! Thanks a lot, AW Kitchen!

In December 2015, AW Kitchen will open another restaurant in Plaza Indonesia with some new food in their list. The restaurant will have more cold pasta, one of the best selling food in the restaurant. I am excited to wait for this new restaurant, especially for the new menu, and the location is just around my corner.

Thank you, AW Kitchen, for the invitation to celebrate your 1st Anniversary! After all, life is all about celebrating your moment, right?

Enjoy your happy moments, everyone!

Couple Yoga Video (Video Yoga untuk Pasangan Suami dan Istri) - Mommies Daily

This is a simple yoga practice you can do to enhance your romance life. This yoga video of mine is created by Mommies Daily. The original link of this video is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5CvQgLUqOg

Ini adalah latihan yoga yang mudah untuk dilakukan agar hubungan suami dan istri menjadi semakin mesra. Video yoga saya ini dibuat oleh Mommies Daily. Tautan asli dari video ini adalah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5CvQgLUqOg

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Mempertahankan keharmonisan dengan pasangan bisa dengan banyak cara, rajin melakukan yoga adalah salah satunya. Selain api asmara tetap membara, kesehatan tubuh pun ikut terjaga.

Sudah membaca artikel ‘Memanaskan’ Kehidupan Cinta Lewat Yoga? Jika dalam artikel tersebut dr. Mulyadi Tedjapranata. seksolog yang sempat menjabat sebagai general sekretaris Indonesian Association of Sexology ini menjelaskan kaitannya yoga dengan kehidupan seksual dalam rumah tangga. Saat ini kami ingin mengajak Mommies untuk mempraktikannya.

Beberapa gerakan yoga memberikan keleluasaan bergerak dan kelenturan, sehingga pasangan suami isteri bisa “bertualang” , dalam melakukan berbagai gaya. Nggak sabar bagaimana cara melakukannya? Tonton geraka yoga di video berikut ini, diperagakan oleh yogi Astrid Amalia dan sssttt… ajak pasangan untuk beryoga bareng ide bagus loh Mommies :)

Office Yoga Video (Video Latihan Yoga di Kantor) - Mommies Daily

This is a simple yoga practice you can do at the office. This yoga video of mine is created by Mommies Daily. The original link of this video is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdQaRhOszlg

Ini adalah latihan yoga yang mudah untuk dilakukan di kantor. Video yoga saya ini dibuat oleh Mommies Daily. Tautan asli dari video ini adalah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdQaRhOszlg

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Tak ada waktu berolahraga bisa Anda siasati dengan melakukan olahraga di kantor. Caranya? Ikuti beberapa gerakan yoga for working mother berikut ini. Tak membutuhkan waktu lama dan hanya memerlukan  alat bantu berupa kursi.

MixRadio - My New Music Application

One day, I see a music playlist at the personal computer of my yoga client that plays some collections of music. He says that the name of the playlist application is Spotify. As I try to register, the application says that it is not available in Indonesia due to some reasons. Dang!
After that, I have been looking for other alternatives for music playlist applications. I have installed some of them, but I do not really use it.
A few days ago, I receive an invitation to try a new music application called MixRadio. When I read the brief explanation about the application, I know that I have found what I have been looking for! Yeah!

MixRadio is a music application that can be personalized based on the color and the the taste of our music. It is good for music lovers like me who like to keep the favorite music in a list that can be played continuously. It also gives us a chance to discover the latest music charts everyday based on our favorite themes and genres. It is a very personal music service, personalized to our own taste. The best thing is that MixRadio is free for us to download.

Here is how to play with MixRadio:

You can download MixRadio from these links:

• For Android: http://mixrad.li/1R1vJxL
• For iOS: http://mixrad.li/1BTGgnP
• For Windows Phone: http://mixrad.li/1LFASbg 

As you open MixRadio, the first page is about your mix, a collection of your favorite music.

You can also find the information about the artist you like.

You can always choose your music easily from the list MixRadio provides at the second page, by Themes and Genres. Pick a few of your favorite artists, then they will do the rest.

Quick Tips: If you see the numbers at the top right position at the Mixes page, it is a quick button to go back to the current music that you play.

For Indonesian music lovers, MixRadio has themes that are suited to the Indonesian tastes.

MixRadio also has Dangdut mixes, a popular genre of Indonesian folk and traditional popular music that is partly derived from Hindustani, Malay and Arabic music. Woho!

If you want to create your own mixes, you can create it by browsing the name of the artists at the third page.

At the fourth page, this is where you can download your mixes, so you can listen to them offline.

At the menu part, you can see "My Account" where you can register as a member, so you can save your mixes. There is an option of audio quality based on the type of your data, whether it is mobile data of WiFi. In my case, WiFi gives a higher quality music.
At the menu part, you can also give feedback, look for help, read about its info and sign out from MixRadio.

When I listen to some music, MixRadio learns about the music I like and will suggest another music, both old and new music, that have the same themes and genres. The more I listen, the more MixRadio knows what kind of music I want to listen next. Amazing! Is it a playlist or a fortune teller? LOL :-D
MixRadio is also good for saving my time. Instead of spending my time looking for the music I like, MixRadio will choose some tunes from its library for me by detecting the music I choose. Its library contains more than 35 millions tracks. Great!

With the high quality audio MixRadio has, I enjoy it like listening to my private CD.

With MixRadio, I take the control by having the ability to create my own mixes. Even if I do not know what kind of my favorite music are, I can always choose the mixes chosen by other industry experts and global music gurus from around the world.

To avoid the internet data costs, I can listen to the music offline by downloading my top mixes. I need to register and have an account to do this. If I get bored with my own mixes, I can just swap my offline mixes easily. This is something good that I do not have to bring another music device to listen to my favorite tunes. My phone device is also my music device. Cool!

Another thing that you should know is that MixRadio can only be opened and played at your mobile phone. I hope that someday MixRadio allows us to open it at our personal computer and laptop. I am crossing my fingers now :-)

What I can learn from MixRadio is that I always have options in my life. While Spotify can not be downloaded in Indonesia, I can always have MixRadio to accompany me.
Another lesson is that I can always take control of my life. With MixRadio, I can start learning to take control of my music first, and everything else will follow.

Just remember that you can always download MixRadio from the following links:

• For Android: http://mixrad.li/1R1vJxL
• For iOS: http://mixrad.li/1BTGgnP
• For Windows Phone: http://mixrad.li/1LFASbg  

Enjoy your music, everybody!

Merayakan Hari Internasional Yoga yang Pertama - 21 Juni 2015

Seperti semua orang di seluruh dunia tahu bahwa tanggal 21 Juni dinyatakan sebagai Hari Internasional Yoga oleh Majelis Umum PBB. Saya juga merayakan acara tersebut dengan seluruh komunitas yoga di Jakarta, Indonesia pada hari Minggu 21 Juni 2015.

Saya menghadiri perayaan Hari Internasional Yoga di Jakarta dengan datang ke Gelora Bung Karno untuk melakukan latihan yoga di pagi hari dengan ratusan praktisi yoga lainnya. Acara ini diselenggarakan oleh Kedutaan Besar India di Jakarta.

Berikut ini adalah Yogasana (sejumlah postur yoga) yang kami lakukan:

• Meditasi dalam Posisi Duduk untuk mengatur niat kita dan menenangkan diri sebelum memulai latihan yoga.
• Praktek Melonggarkan (Memutar, Menekuk ke Samping, dan Postur Kursi) adalah posisi yang membantu untuk meningkatkan sirkulasi di dalam tubuh.
• Tadasana (Postur Pohon Palem) yang mengajarkan seseorang untuk mencapai kestabilan dan ketegasan.
• Vriksasana (Postur Pohon) yang membentuk otot-otot kaki dan meremajakan ligamen.
• Pada-Hastana (Postur Tangan ke Kaki) yang melenturkan tulang belakang.
• Adra Cakrasana (Postur Setengah Roda) yang memperkuat otot-otot leher, dan meningkatkan kapasitas pernapasan.
• Trikonasana (Postur Segitiga) yang memperkuat otot betis, paha, dan pinggang.
• Bhadrasana (Postur Melepaskan Angin) yang bekerja pada organ perut dan melepaskan ketegangan di perut.
• Ardha Ustrasana (Postur Setengah Unta) yang meningkatkan sirkulasi darah ke kepala dan daerah jantung.
• Sasankasana (Postur Kelinci) yang memperkuat organ reproduksi dan meningkatkan pencernaan.
• Vakrasana (Postur Memutar Spinal) yang merangsang pankreas dan membantu mencegah diabetes.
• Bhujangasana (Postur Kobra Postur) yang membantu menghilangkan sakit punggung dan masalah pernapasan.
• Salabhasana (Postur Serangga) yang membantu menurunkan berat badan.
• Setubandhasana (Postur Jembatan) yang mengurangi depresi dan kecemasan dan memperkuat otot-otot punggung bawah.
• Pavanamuktasana (Postur Melepaskan Angin) yang memperkuat otot-otot punggung dan saraf tulang belakang.
• Savasana (Postur Berbaring Rileks di Lantai) yang menenangkan sistem psiko-fisiologis secara keseluruhan.
• Kapalabhati yang menyeimbangkan dan memperkuat sistem saraf dan memperkuat sistem pencernaan.
• Pranayam yang memurnikan saluran utama atau membawa energi dan memelihara seluruh tubuh.
• Dhyana yang meningkatkan konsentrasi, ingatan, kejernihan pikiran dan kemauan.

Komunitas yoga di seluruh seluruh dunia yang merayakan Hari Internasional Yoga ini pun melakukan postur yoga yang sama seperti yang saya sebutkan di atas.

Yang mengejutkan bagi saya adalah bahwa tidak ada Surya Namaskara (Penghormatan pada Matahari) yang dilakukan di acara tersebut. Saya rasa ini adalah karena orang-orang muslim sedang merayakan bulan puasa pada saat yang sama, sehingga bila Surya Namaskara ini dilakukan mungkin akan menyebabkan mereka merasa lelah dan lapar. Alasan lainnya saya pikir adalah bahwa ratusan praktisi yoga yang menghadiri acara ini datang dari semua tingkat kemampuan yoga, jadi saya mengerti jika penyelenggara acara ini ingin melakukan latihan yoga yang mudah yang dapat dilakukan oleh semua orang pada setiap tingkat kemampuan yoga.

Selama melaukan latihan yoga di acara tersebut, saya bisa merasakan bahwa semua postur yoganya mudah dan menyenangkan yang bisa melepaskan stres dan membuat kita bahagia. Ini benar-benar latihan yoga anti stres! Yah, kita tidak boleh lupa bahwa tujuan berlatih yoga adalah untuk memberi kita kebahagiaan dan pencerahan, bukan rasa sakit di tubuh kita dan kerutan di wajah kita :-D

Pada saat saya berlatih yoga di acara ini, saya menyadari bahwa posisi matras yoga saya berdekatan dengan sekelompok wanita senior. Salah satu wanita senior memberitahu saya bahwa mereka berlatih yoga di sebuah daerah di Pasar Baru, Jakarta Pusat dengan guru mereka dari India. Selama sesi yoga, para wanita senior ini terus bergerak mengikuti tingkat kemampuan yoga mereka sendiri. Bagi saya, ini adalah sesuatu hal yang baik sekali. Karena ada begitu banyak orang yang memaksa diri mereka sendiri diluar batas kemampuannya untuk melakukan postur yoga yang radikal, dan ini akan menyakiti tubuh mereka. Para wanita senior ini tahu apa yang harus mereka lakukan, dan saya kira ini adalah apa yang saya sebut sebagai latihan yoga yang benar, praktek yoga yang tidak membahayakan tubuh. Berlatih yoga dengan para wanita senior ini juga membuat saya percaya bahwa yoga adalah juga tentang membuat persahabatan baru dan menjalin hubungan satu sama lain. Selalu baik untuk berlatih yoga dengan beberapa orang yang memiliki keterampilan yoga yang berbeda dan berasal dari aliran yoga yang berbeda.

Pada sore harinya, saya juga merayakan Hari Internasional Yoga di salah satu studio yoga di Kemang, Jakarta Selatan yang bernama Gudang Gudang. Ini adalah kali pertama bagi saya untuk mengunjungi studio ini. Studio yoganya bagus sekali! Sebagian besar studio yoga di Jakarta berada di dalam gedung dan area perkantoran, dan Gudang Gudang terletak di taman yang indah di sebelah toko yang menjual barang-barang seni. Ketika saya berlatih yoga di sini, saya merasa seperti berlatih yoga di tengah-tengah alam. Keren!

Postur yoga yang kami lakukan di Gudang Gudang agak sedikit menantang dan dipimpin oleh dua guru yoga senior, Slamet dan Deera. Posturnya benar-benar tidak untuk semua orang, tapi apa yang saya bisa pelajari dari itu semua adalah bahwa kadang-kadang saya butuh tantangan dalam hidup saya untuk bernapas dan merasa hidup!

Kami mengakhiri perayaan Hari Internasional Yoga di Gudang Gudang dengan makan-makan untuk berbuka puasa. Nah, yoga juga adalah tentang memiliki otot yang bahagia dan perut yang bahagia juga ;-D

Beberapa hari setelah itu, kebahagiaan saya untuk merayakan Hari Internasional Yoga belum selesai. Saya diundang oleh penyelenggara Hari Internasional Yoga di India (www.idayofyoga.org) untuk melakukan Obrolan Twitter yang membahas tentang Yoga. Jadi saya melakukan Obrolan Twitter dengan akun Twitter resmi dari Hari Internasional Yoga (@idayofyoga), dan panelis lainnya: Esha Tewari - @eshatewari (Juara Dua Miss India 2013, aktris dan penyanyi), Ami Patel - @stylebyami ( penata gaya dari selebriti dan film, dan mantan direktur kreatif dari Harper's Bazaar di India) dan Reema - @scrollsnink (pelatih mitra Google dan blogger di India). Kami membahas tentang bagaimana kami mulai berlatih yoga, apa yang kami rasakan setelah berlatih yoga, apa yang kami rasakan tentang yoga yang menjadi event internasional, dll.

Saya merasa tersanjung untuk diundang dalam Obrolan Twitter ini. Ini adalah kesempatan yang sangat indah bagi saya untuk membagikan yoga saya kepada semua orang di seluruh dunia. Ya, saya ingin seluruh dunia tahu bahwa pesan dari yoga itu jelas bahwa yoga adalah tentang perdamaian dan cinta!

Saya sangat senang memiliki banyak kesempatan untuk membagikan cinta saya di yoga kepada komunitas saya di Jakarta dan kepada seluruh dunia pada Hari Internasional Yoga yang pertama ini. Dengan membagikan cinta saya di yoga ini, saya berharap bahwa orang-orang melihat dan merasakan yoga dengan cara yang positif.

Hal yang saya pelajari dari acara ini adalah:

• Yoga bukan hanya latihan fisik, tetapi juga cara hidup yang dapat membawa kedamaian, cinta dan kasih sayang kepada dunia.
• Yoga adalah tentang berbagi sikap positif kita kepada masyarakat di sekitar kita, jadi mari kita saling berhubungan satu sama lain, berbagi dan berkolaborasi!
• Yoga telah menyatukan semua orang melalui energi positifnya, jadi mari kita tetap positif sepanjang waktu.
• Yoga mengajarkan kita untuk menjadi kuat untuk diri kita sendiri, karena tubuh yang kuat menciptakan pikiran dan jiwa yang kuat.
• Yoga adalah tentang sukacita, kebahagiaan dan kedamaian. Semoga setiap makhluk hidup bahagia, dan semoga alam semesta bergabung dengan kebahagiaan kita.

Terima kasih, Tuhan, untuk pengalaman yang indah ini! Terima kasih, Yoga, untuk membuat semua hal itu terjadi!

Namaste.

The Celebration of the First International Day of Yoga - 21st of June 2015

As everybody around the world knows, 21 June is declared as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations General Assembly. I also celebrate the event with the whole yoga community in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday, 21st of June 2015.

I attend the celebration of the International Day of Yoga in Jakarta by joining the Morning Yoga Event in Gelora Bung Karno with hundreds of yoga practitioners. This event is organized by the Embassy of India in Jakarta.

The following are the Yogasanas (Yoga Postures) that we practice:

• Seated Meditation to set our intentions and calm ourselves before starting the yoga practice.
• Loosening Practice (Twist, Side Bend, and Chair posture) in standing position that helps to increase microcirculation.
• Tadasana (Palm Tree Posture) that teaches one to attain stability and firmness. 
• Vriksasana (Tree Posture) that tones up the leg muscles and rejuvenates the ligaments. 
• Pada-Hastana (Hands to Feet Posture) that makes the spine flexible.
• Adra Cakrasana (Half Wheel Posture) that strengthens the neck muscles, and improves breathing capacity. 
• Trikonasana (Triangle Posture) that strengthens calf, thigh, and waist muscles.
• Bhadrasana (Wind Releasing Posture) that acts on the abdominal organs and releases any tension in the abdomen. 
• Ardha Ustrasana (Half Camel Posture) that increases blood circulation to the head and cardiac region. 
• Sasankasana (Hare Posture) that tones up reproductive organs and improves digestion.
• Vakrasana (Spinal Twist Posture) that stimulates the pancreas and helps in the management of diabetes.
• Bhujangasana (Cobra Posture) that helps to remove backache and bronchial problems.
• Salabhasana (Locust Posture) that helps in weight management. 
• Setubandhasana (Bridge Posture) that relieves depression and anxiety and strengthens lower back muscles.
• Pavanamuktasana (Wind Releasing Posture) that tones up the back muscles and spinal nerves. 
• Savasana (Dead Body Posture) that relaxes the whole psycho-physiological systems. 
• Kapalabhati that balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones up the digestive system. 
• Pranayam that purifies the principle channels or carrying energy and nourishes the whole body. 
• Dhyana that increases concentration, memory, clarity of thought and willpower. 

The whole yoga community around the world who celebrate the International Day of Yoga practice the same postures as I mention above.

What surprises me is that there is no Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) performed in the event. I think this is because the Moslem people are celebrating the fasting month at the same time, so they might feel tired and hungry if they practice Surya Namaskara. Another reason I think is that hundreds of yoga practitioners who attend the event come from all level of yoga skills, so I understand if the organizers of the event want to perform the easy yoga practice that can be done by everybody at any level of yoga skills.

During the Morning Yoga Practice at the event, I can feel that all the yoga postures are easy and nice that release the stress and make us happy. It is totally a stress-free yoga practice! Well, we should not forget that the purpose of practicing yoga is to give us happiness and enlightenment, not pain in our body and the wrinkles at our face :-D

As I practice the morning yoga session in this event, I realize that the position of my yoga mat is near to a group of senior women. One of the senior ladies tells me that they practice yoga at an area in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta with their teacher from India. During the yoga session, these senior ladies keep moving following their own level of yoga skills. For me, this is awesome! Because there are so many people who push their own limit to perform radical yoga postures, and this might hurt their bodies. These senior ladies know what they have to do, and I guess this is what I call a true yoga practice, the practice that does not harm the body. Practicing yoga with these senior ladies also makes me believe that yoga is also about making new friendships and connecting to one another. It is always good to practice yoga with some people who have different yoga skills and come from different yoga styles.

In the late afternoon, I also celebrate the International Day of Yoga at one yoga studio in Kemang, South Jakarta called Gudang Gudang. This is my first time to visit the studio. The yoga studio is beautiful. Most of the yoga studios in Jakarta are located inside buildings and offices, and Gudang Gudang is located in a beautiful garden next to an art store. When I practice yoga in here, I feel like practicing yoga in the middle of the Mother Nature. Cool!

The yoga postures that we practice in Gudang Gudang are a bit challenging and led by two senior yoga teachers, Slamet and Deera. The postures are totally not for everyone, but what I can learn from it is that sometimes I need some challenges in my life to breath and feel alive!

We end up the celebration of the International Day of Yoga in Gudang Gudang by having some meals to break the fasting. Well, yoga is also about having happy muscles and happy belly :-D

A few days after that, my happiness to celebrate the International Day of Yoga has not finished yet. I am invited by the organizer of International Day of Yoga in India (www.idayofyoga.org) to conduct a Twitter Chat discussing about Yoga. So I do the Twitter Chat with the official Twitter account of International Day of Yoga (@idayofyoga), and other panelists: Esha Tewari - @eshatewari (2nd Runner Up of Miss India 2013, actress and singer), Ami Patel - @stylebyami (celebrity and film stylist, and former creative director of Harper's Bazaar in India) and Reema - @scrollsnink (Google partner trainer and a blogger in India). We discuss about how we start practicing yoga, what we feel after practicing yoga, how we feel about yoga becoming the international event, etc.

I feel honored to be invited in this Twitter Chat. This is a very beautiful opportunity for me to share my yoga with all the people around the world. Yes, I want the whole world know that the clear message of yoga is all about peace and love!  

I am so happy to have these many chances to share my love in yoga to my community in Jakarta and to the whole world at the first International Day of Yoga. By sharing my love in yoga, I hope that people see and feel yoga in positive ways.

Things I learn from this event are:

• Yoga is not just a physical practice, but it is also a way of life that can bring peace, love and compassion to the world.
• Yoga is about sharing our positiveness with the community around us, so let's connect, share and collaborate!
• Yoga has united everybody through its positive energy, so let's stay positive all the time. 
• Yoga teaches us to be strong for ourselves, because strong body creates strong mind and soul.
• Yoga is about joy, happiness and peace. May every living beings happy, and may the Universe join us in our happiness.

Thank you, God, for this wonderful experience! Thank you, Yoga, for making it happen!

Namaste.