Yoga teacher at Jal Yoga in Singapore and a former Orthopedic and Traumatology technician, Lorena believes that you should let your heart guide you on the mat.
Why do you do yoga?
Yoga makes me feel good. For me, yoga is the science of happiness. It makes me feel happy, healthy, young, grounded and mighty. It basically just empowers my life in every aspect.
What or who inspired you to teach?
I love what yoga can do to people. What inspires me to teach is the communal sense you get of being able to practice anywhere with likeminded people who selflessly help each other. Yoga is more than just sweating out, building strength and stretching. It is about creating a supportive community and helping people to create their own positive experiences. That’s what inspired me to teach.
As a former Orthopedic and Traumatology technician, how have you been able to incorporate your experience into your yoga teaching?
Well, that’s one part that really fascinates me. Traumatology is basically the study of injuries, usually due to accidents, and how to repair them. Orthopedic covers the skeletal system and muscular system. So if you put this two branches of medicine together, you have a good foundation to help people through therapy or surgery if needed. With a background in medical field, yoga aids in my observation of movement, alignment and asana. I get to identify and understand specific limitations of different bodies, design modifications in poses and help people do their practice without fear of injury. I can easily tell if a person is a seasoned runner, or if she or he has undergone surgery, and so, I can better prepare the sequence of the class as well as initiate conversations with students and fine-tune their practice.
How do you feel yoga can help with mental health?
In my opinion, yoga is the medicine for almost everything. It has been used as a less aggressive approach to treat those with depression and anxiety. Yoga helps to find inner peace through pranayama and meditation. It is known to regulate hormone levels and release stored emotions, which helps to harness a more positive outlook on life and connects you with people with similar positive energies. Meditation is a strong part of yoga, and it cultivates mindfulness, sharpens concentration, induces calm and makes people more aware of their present moment.
What is your main focus and philosophy when you teach?
My philosophy is to come to the mat with an open heart. Let your heart guide you and follow your own heartbeat within your 60, 90 or 120 minutes of practice. I can provide guidance and be a facilitator of your yogic path, but fundamentally, you are your own best teacher. You must let go of our ego and come into the class with a humble attitude.
Go to www.jalyoga.com.sg to book your class with Lorena
This article was first published in the 2018 print edition of Yoga Journal Singapore, which is now Yogahood Online.
