Health, wellness, and free-flowing C2 refreshing green tea: those were the main elements of C2's Yoga Awakenings, the launch event of the C2 Live Life Series.

As the Rockwell Tent was transformed into a meditative, tranquil setting with bamboo accents and a water fountain, renowned Atlanta-based yoga instructor Jason Ewing gave Filipinos a taste of Bikram Yoga, an increasingly popular form that he has taught to Jane Fonda, as well as sports figures Charles Barkley and Evander Holyfield.

"We want to make wellness activities available to more and more Filipinos with this series of events, starting with Yoga Awakenings," said Carlo dela Paz, C2 brand manager.

In the Philippines, Bikram yoga has gained a following among the country's beautiful people. Models Corey Wills, Raya Mananquil, and Phoemela Baranda, TV hosts Sam Oh and Juddah Paolo, as well as DJ and reality TV alumnus Rico Robles turned out for Yoga Awakenings and checked out what Ewing had to teach. Wills, Mananquil, Baranda, and Oh are all long-time yoga practitioners.

Bikram Yoga, a form of Hatha Yoga, is composed of 26 asanas (yoga-speak for postures) in a room heated to 40.5 C. The heat is meant to condition the muscles and make them work more efficiently during the 90-minute session.

To simulate the environment of Ewing's heated studio in Atlanta, they turned off the air-conditioning at the Rockwell Tent as the participants laid down their mats to get ready. After a short lesson on the Bikram Yoga way of breathing, Ewing reminded every one to listen to their bodies and go at their own pace before launching into the actual lesson. "It's not about what you can't do, but what you can do," he encouraged participants, "today, I just want you to feel great."

Pye Trinidad, who teaches Bikram Yoga in Manila, found it heartening to see more and more people taking an interest in yoga. "It's been around for 5,000 years and will still be around for years more because what it promises is very real and can be enjoyed by all," she said, "and really, it's about time we took better care of ourselves: mind, body, and spirit."

Ewing, who turned to Bikram Yoga after a running injury, advises beginners to be well-hydrated, to avoid caffeine, not to eat two to four hours before class, and to wear comfortable clothes such as shorts and tank tops. Relaxation is also key, as he stressed that beginners should learn to let the heat be a tool and not just a challenge.

"After taking this first step, we hope that people will continue to live a healthy lifestyle by trying different exercises, determining which suits them best, and sticking to it," shared Anna Tiongson, C2 assistant brand manager. After Yoga Awakenings, C2 will hold more events to make more people aware of other alternatives and accessible forms of fitness and total wellness.

C2 Live Life series makes healthy living available to more people through free-for-all activities that showcase different wellness lifestyle options. Watch out for upcoming C2 Live Life events to be held in various areas in the country.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 19th, 2007 at 6:44 pm and is filed under Beverage, C2 Green Tea. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.