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Jan 20, 2013
Holiday Spa Yoga, Davao City
Being at the Right Place at the right Time
With the connections of Jeanne, a yogini friend from Cebu, I got a phone call in Davao that opened doors for me to teach yoga at the city's finest gym/spa - Holiday Spa. I would be replacing teacher Abbie who is Manila-bound for greener pasture. It seems like a Flow for me - something I cannot ignore despite my hesitation. She is leaving the studio with no immediate replacement, and I show up in Davao - what are the odds? Also, despite my aversion to receiving money for yoga (I've always taught for free), I am now low on funds that it would seem arrogant on my part to walk away from a path that's been cleared for me.
Straying Out of the Comfort Zone
It might seem like a logical progression to teach in a gym, but it was actually a petrifying situation. I've never taught yoga to a paying clientele - there was pressure of course. Is my yoga good enough to a critical audience? In teaching free yoga, they can only say 'Thank you' at the end of the session. But to a paying clientele, they can say, 'You suck'. It's a scary but baseless feeling...the body's natural tendency to cling tenaciously to what's familiar and comfortable. The last time I felt this way was during the selection process for Survivor Philippines. I can completely understand why some people would walk away from an opportunity simply out of fear from leaving his comfort shell. It does take courage to break through the ceiling, specially if you have the option to say no.
Getting Validation
I insisted on performing yoga twice with the departing teacher to get her validation. I needed that, even though she didn't feel the need for it. It took her over a year to develop the yoga community she would now leave it in my care. It's like being tasked to handle a delicate Fabergé egg. I took it seriously. At some point, I had to say enough walking on egg shells. I'll simply do my own yoga...my own style, my own way. If that doesn't make the grade, at least I faced the challenge. I'm glad she gave me the nod.
Our Yoga
My very first class was a full house. The Monday morning crowd was there. There were already set conventions that didn't really resonate with me - music in the background and air-conditioning. The question for me was, whose yoga is it? Is it theirs? or is it mine? It was ours. I was willing to bend back but only to a point I could still enjoy teaching. I asked them to let their breath serve as their music and allow the room temperature to help them build up heat from within. I'm glad they saw merit in that.
The Morning Crowd
I was being allowed into their circle. The morning crowd is its own thing. For their despedida to Abbie, I was invited to come along. We partied at a quaint cottage in Eden overlooking the lights of Davao City. With added elevation, it was also pleasantly chilly. Awesome! It was a poignant farewell party for Abbie who was in tears. I felt privileged to be in their orbit.
Leaving Davao
It would seem like a shoe-in, but the reality is, the things I had been developing in Davao to sustain my stay never panned-out. Without that underlying support, I had to leave Davao in search of greener pasture myself. I'm saddened too that the yoga community that took over a year to develop may unravel without a yoga teacher. Also, despite full tranparency about my plight, I hope I didn't get their hopes up that I was there to stay. I have no schedule to see them again and it would seem unceremonious that I simply disappear. Sad. If anything, the yoga group was a highlight for me in Davao.
--- TheLoneRider
ps - If you want me to participate and write about your yoga studio or your yoga practice, email me. For my complete yoga profile, you can visit this page: YOGA by Gigit
*** Some pictures lifted from the FB pages of the Holiday Spa Yoga group
Holiday Spa
Committed to healthy living
| Location: |
F. Torres St., Davao City (~100 meters from J.P. Laurel Ave) |
| Phone: | (+6382)222.3041 / (+6382)222.4207 |
| Facilities: | yoga, gym, spa, sports, physical therapy, cafe, salon |
| Website: | www.holidaygymandspa.org |
 Davao City, Philippines
 tourist attractions
 - hotel
 Bahay ni Tuding - central Poblacion location, wifi, hands-on owner
160 San Pedro Street, 8000 Davao City
0947 361 3544 | 7°03'57.6"N 125°36'28.3"E The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites - central location, new management, newly renovated
Sta. Ana Avenue, Davao City 8000, Philippines
(+63) 932-8708621 | 906-3185885 | 7°04'34.2"N 125°36'54.2"E The Apo View Hotel - Davao's iconic hotel, old world charm, casino
150 J. Camus Street, Davao City Philippines 8000
+63 (82) 221-6430 to 40 | 7°04'09.2"N 125°36'27.4"E North Zen Basic Spaces - great rooms at affordable prices
Sobrecarey St. (corner Lapu-Lapu St.), Davao City, 8000
(082) 295.3997 | 7°04'43.0"N 125°37'04.3"E Urban Living Zen Hotel - newly opened - all NEW!
F.s. Dizon Bacaca, 8000 Davao City
(082) 287 3133 | 7°05'28.4"N 125°36'22.3"E The Royal Mandaya Hotel - heart of downtown Davao City
J. Palma Gil Street, Davao City, 8000
(+63 82) 225.8888 | 7°04'09.4"N 125°36'36.8"E Alu Hotel Davao - central downtown location
M. Roxas Avenue corner Padre Faura Street, Davao
+63 82 227 5232 | 7°04'07.7"N 125°36'51.7"E One Oasis Davao - hotel accommodation in a condo unit
Eco-west Drive, Ecoland, Davao City
suki_tac@yahoo.com | 0925.500.3211 | 7°02'49.2"N 125°35'19.1"E
 van rental
 Apollo Van Rental - Davao City tour, Samal Island tour, airport transfer
0925.500.3211 | suki_tac@yahoo.com
 yoga | health | fitness
 tour
 resto |  cafe
 advocacy
- one of the cleanest potable water in the country
- smoking is banned from commercial establishments
- pineapple samurais are endemic here and nowhere else in the country (pineapple vendors who cut-up whole pineapples into chunks with just a few strokes of their carving knives)
- public utility drivers conspicuously display their IDs
- durian Mecca of the Philippines (not to mention Marang, Mangosteen and Sweet Pomelo)
- you want to add some more? please submit on the form below
- the weighing scale of fruit vendors specially the durian push cart vendors are a blatant cheat - showing almost twice the actual weight
- Revisiting Davao Aug 22-Oct 31, 2016
- A Roof Over my Head in Davao Aug 22-Oct 31, 2016
- Davao Yoga Scene Oct 31, 2016
- Pranayama Oct 24, 2016
- Yoga Beyond the Mat Oct 21, 2016
- Grilled Tuna Overload in Davao Oct 13, 2016
- Duterte Mania in Davao Oct 12, 2016
- Sirsasana, Sarvangasana - Yoga Makaranda II Oct 7, 2016
- Tirumalai Krishnamacharya Oct 5, 2016
- Ashtanga Yoga with James Fritz Freire at Holiday Gym and Spa Oct 1, 2016
- There was a Bomb Explosion? Sep 30, 2016
- Jin in Davao Sep 29, 2016
- Scrubs and Hilot at Holiday Gym and Spa Sep 22-29, 2016
- The Fabulous Dabawenyos Aug 22-Sep 26, 2016
- Nirvana Breathing Fitness with Lita C. Quisumbing Sep 21, 2016
- Massage, Sauna and Ear Candling at Holiday Spa and Gym Sep 17-19, 2016
- Downpour in Davao Sep 18, 2016
- Lounge One Yoga Sequence by May Bel Le at North Zen Hotel Sep 16, 2016
- Celebrating Davao's King of Fruits - Durian! Sep 11, 2016
- The Blast that Rocked Davao Sep 2, 2016
- Hatha Flow Yoga with Joanna Lizares Co at Holiday Spa and Gym Aug. 31, 2016
- Conducting a Power Yoga Class at Yoga Davao Aug 29, 2016
- Good Eats with Mel Pangan's Davao Food Tour Aug 26, 2016
- Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Aug 25, 2016
- A Gifted Dell Laptop from the Usual Suspect Aug. 24, 2016
- The Duterte Phenomenon Oct 21, 2015
- 20 Days in Davao City July 4- 24, 2014
- Goodbye Davao...Again! Sep 28, 2013
- Wine and Cheese at Malagos Farm House Sep 27, 2013
- Custom-made Peanut Butter at Davao City's Bankerohan Market Sep 27, 2013
- Yoga in Davao Sep 26, 2013
- Celebrating 25 Years of Habitat for Humanity Philippines Sep 18, 2013
- Clobbered in a Vicious Karate Match Sep 17, 2013
- Back Into the Black Sep 1, 2013
- No Reply Aug 30, 2013
- Full Body-Cavity Search without the Latex Aug 25, 2013
- Fun Day with Crocodile Sonny and Sports Unlimited Dynamic Duo, Dyan Castillejo and Marc Nelson Aug 15, 2013
- Fun! Fun! at Maxima AquaFun, Samal Island Aug 11, 2013
- Goodbye Davao Jan 22, 2013
- Davao City's Peace and Order Jan 21, 2013
- Holiday Spa Yoga, Davao City Jan 20, 2013
- Free Yoga at People's Park Jan 12, 2013
- Davao City: Family Ties Dec 15-22, 2012
- Breakup Diaries: Chance Encounter in Davao City Dec 19, 2012
- Davao City June 20-23, 2009
- Davao City March 18-20, 2008
- Mount Apo March 15-18, 2008
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Jan 20, 2013
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