Country > Philippines > Cebu > Cebu City
Date > 2017 > May
Activity > Yoga

May 12, 2017

Healing Yoga by Nonie Fernando at The Detox Bar

Price: P500
Inclusion: yoga and plant-based buffet dinner
Location : The Detox Bar, 108 Paseo Aurora, Maria Luisa Estate Park, Cebu City, Philippines
Yoga & Fitness Website: YOGA by Gigit

Nonie Fernando
Nonie has been teaching yoga for 40 years. He has been doing it before yoga became a household word in the Philippines. He shared a bit of his history at the recent lunch at The Detox Bar. The sense I got about his yoga was that of evolving. I guess for anyone practising for that length of time, the word evolving is appropriate. I found him to be amicable and friendly.

Healing Yoga
When Anne invited me to take part in Nonie Fernando's Healing Yoga session at The Detox Bar, my first thought was, 'Healing yoga? Isn't that a tall claim? Yoga, by its very nature is already therapeutic. So how could Nonie's yoga be more healing from yogic tradition?'.

Rubber Time
It was a 6pm session but the teacher didn't arrive until 6:20pm and class didn't get underway until about 6:35pm. The rubber-time only added to my skepticism. In fairness, some participants arrived a full hour late. Different cultures, different norms.

Alfresco/Indoor Yoga
There is no yoga studio inside The Detox Bar, so the spacious tiled driveway was used instead. It was refreshing to be doing yoga outside, but not until it started drizzling. Already behind schedule, we had to go inside the house, move all the furniture out of the way and resumed classes. Later, when the drizzling relented, and more students showed up, we had to stop the class again, and go outside to resume it for the bigger space. No, we didn't have a continuous and uninterrupted class. It was classic Murphy's Law at work - what could possibly go wrong, went wrong.

Asana
The session wasn't so much a led class but a workshop-style approach with Nonie breaking down the steps on how to go deeper into the pose. It was a very mild and relaxing class that a grandmother can do well with. Anyone looking for intensity was in the wrong place.

Hungry
Given the late start and all the subsequent transfers and delays, food was already on everybody's mind as we were getting towards the tail-end of the session. It was distracting to concentrate on the pose as the stomach was grumbling.

Plant-Based Dinner Buffet
Plant-based food and health drinks are the main draw of Detox Bar. There was a lot to choose from when dinner was served. Meals are full-flavored, you wouldn't think you're eating vegan food. The assorted colors of the food made up for visual and eye-candy appeal. The play on taste came at every bite. My only comment? The pizza squares, lovely as they are, could have been prepared and served immediately before the actual dining. That would have kept the crunchy texture of the homemade Chiappati bread.

Ending Thoughts
As a general rule, I attend different yoga classes by different yoga teachers from different backgrounds and traditions. I had my zenith in Ubud, Bali when I did just that for the 23 days I stayed there. I met the greatest teachers who up to now humble me. It doesn't always end up that way though, but I stay vigilant that the next magnificent teacher is just around the bend.

Was Healing Yoga any more healing than what tradition offers? I didn't really see it as a departure from tradition - just a different style as any teacher would have put his rubber stamp in his own practice. I think that practice could best be served by simply calling it Back to Basics Yoga.

This labeling has been increasingly on the upswing with different buzzwords - Detox Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, etc. Each time, I expect something different...but so far, I haven't seen anything radically different that would warrant such underscored (albeit redundant) category. To call your yoga, a "healing" yoga, suggests that "regular" yoga is just a workout with no therapeutic properties. One of the participants told me she specifically went there because it was a 'healing' yoga. 'Hydrating' water, anyone?

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

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Conducting Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation Classes in Cebu

(May 26, 2017) It is not usual for studio offerings to include pranayama and meditation into a yoga asana class. But having benefited so much from my private practice where I integrate pranayama and meditation, I can only conduct a yoga class now with all three elements bundled together as a singularity. I find synergy in it...more »»

Cebu City, Philippines

tourist attractions

Tops - hilltop offering panoramic view of the city
Taoist Temple - temple on a hillslope in Lahug with panoramic view of the city

hotel

Hostel Seven Cebu - newly opened, resto/bar, central location, solo/group travellers
Juana Osmeña Street, Cebu City
S Hotel & Residences - new hotel, luxury rooms, central location
827 M. Velez corner Andres Abellana St.

resto / cafe / bar

Fujinoya - new and refreshing twists to Western style desserts using Japanese techniques
Wilson St., Lahug, Cebu City - tel. 888.6075
Bad Boys Wingz - Buffalo Wings, unique versions of sauces! Great service, accommodating staff, bad boys vibe
Kasambagan, Cebu City | (032) 415 4811

yoga

Love Yoga World - yoga studio
11/fl, Skyrise 2 Tower, IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City
Yoga Now - first Yoga and Wellness studio in Mactan offering daily Yoga Classes
at The Yacht Club Mactan

mountain biking

Cebu Mountain Bike Adventure - MTB tours, bike sales and repairs. Bed and Breakfast + Resto Cafe + wifi
1298-b V.Rama Ave, Guadalupe, Cebu City | 0942.959.7451

Cebu City to Camotes Island

Cebu City to Camotes Islands

via Poro - from Pier One in Cebu City, take the Ocean Jet for Poro, 2 hours, daily trip - 6am and 3pm (0936.823.8762 |0956.270.6610 | 0999.889.9999).
via Consuelo - from Cebu City, take the northbound bus passing through Danao and get off at the Danao Port. At the Port, take a Jomalia Shipping boat for Consuelo (San Francisco, Camotes), P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only).

Camotes Islands to Cebu City

Poro - Cebu City (fastest and most direct) - go to Poro and take the 8am or 5pm Ocean Jet to Pier One in Cebu City, P380/pax/aircon, 2 hours
Consuelo - Danao - Cebu City - go to Consuelo (San Francisco) and take the Jomalia Shipping boat to Danao, P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only). From Danao, take the Ceres Bus to Cebu City

Cebu City to Dumaguete

Cebu City to Dumaguete by Boat

George and Peter Lines - Mon/Thur/Sat/Sun 10pm, (035)225.4337, 0922.557.1023
Oceanjet - via Tagbilaran, daily 6am, dumticketing@oceanjet.net, 0918.898.2188
Cokaliong - Mon/Tue/Wed/Thur/Fri/Sat 7pm, Sun 12pm, 6 hours, (035)225.3599

Cebu City to Dumaguete via Liloan (bus, boat, jeep, tricycle)

Cebu City South Terminal - take the southbound Ceres bus to Liloan, P200, 5 hours
Liloan - the bus drops you off at the Liloan Port where you board the Fastcraft to Sibulan, Negros Oriental, P62, 30 mins
Sibulan - at the Sibulan Port, the jeeps wait for Fastcraft passengers to take them to the public market in Dumaguete, P12, 30 mins.
Public Market - at the market, you can take any tricycle to your hotel, P8 for short trips

Cebu City to Tagbilaran, Bohol

Weesam Express - Pier 4, departs 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM, 2 hours
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs 6-7-8-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-4:20-6:35PM, 2 hours
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300
SuperCat (2GO) - Pier 1, departs 08:15-13:30-15:10-18:00-19:40
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000
Lite Ferries - Pier 1, departs daily 12:30pm, 10:00pm and 1:00pm (Mon, Wed, Sat)
Standard (Lying) Php 150, Tourist (Lying Aircon) Php 340
+63 977.822.5483 / +63 998.999.5483 / +63 925.347.5483 / (032)255-1721 to 26 / (032)414-9001 to 03
info@liteferries.com.ph / www.liteferry.com

Cebu City to Siquijor by Boat, via Tagbilaran

Cebu City to Siquijor, via Tagbilaran

Lite Ferries - Pier 1, departs M/W/SAT at 1:00pm, 10 hours, economy Php 649 (through barkota.com), layover in Tagbilaran 5:45pm-8:00pm, arrives Larena Port, Siquijor at 11:00pm
+63 977.822.5483 / +63 998.999.5483 / +63 925.347.5483 / (032)255-1721 to 26 / (032)414-9001 to 03
info@liteferries.com / www.liteferry.com
Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs daily at 1pm, 5 hours
Open Air P1600
+63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300

Cebu City to Siquijor by Bus, via Liloan (Santander)

(as of Jan 2023)

Sugbo Urban
There is only one bus plying this route - Sugbo Urban. Tourist class coach, a/c, comfortable, Sun-Fri (these dates keep changing). P420 for bus, P275 for ferry to Liloan. Leaves Cebu City (South Bus Terminal) at 8 pm (Sundays 1 am), heads south to Liloan (Santander), takes the ferry to Larena Port, Siquijor, docks around 5 am, makes a clockwise roundtrip around Siquijor Island - Larena, Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi (stops at Lazi market for breakfast and leaves 6:50 am), San Juan, Siquijor (arrives 8am, P50 from Lazi to Siquijor Poblacion) and catches the 1pm ferry at Larena Port for Liloan, Cebu and resumes its land route. Arrives Cebu City 10 pm.

Sugbo Urban is the cheapest and most convenient way because when it reaches Larena Port (Siquijor), it continues its trip around the island (clockwise) along the circumferential road, passing through - Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi, San Juan, Siquijor...and back to Larena. It spares you the cost of hiring a tricycle or habal-habal which charges exhorbitant fares. Besides, it's a long trip to the other side of the island to be taking by tricycle.