In the midst of these troubling times, it is more important than ever to practice some physical and mental self-care.
Stepping into the spotlight is Qi Yoga Life, an online yoga studio that was founded in May 2020 with the aim to build an accessible community that connects both new and seasoned yoga practitioners from around the globe. Curating an environment that facilitates the balance of one’s body, mind, and spirit, this platform offers a variety of materials, services, and content that relate to the yogic way of living.
According to Qi Yoga Life, yoga is perceived to be a systematic practice of physical exercise, breath control, relaxation, diet control, positive thinking, and meditation. Aligned with these mindful acts, Qi Yoga Life demonstrates four different types of yoga (Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Gravity Yoga) in pre-scheduled outdoor and virtual classes, with signups available on its website.
Additionally, Qi Yoga Life provides training for qigong, an ancient Chinese system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation utilized for the purpose of medicine, spirituality, and martial arts. With a history that spans more than 5,000 years, this practice was developed for the purpose of cultivating life energy to maintain one’s health and wellbeing.
Tying all of this together, Sky Yang, founder of Qi Yoga Life, shares an inside look on establishing a unitive platform in the yogic world.
Check out our exclusive interview here:
What is Qi Yoga Life?
Qi Yoga Life is a community for anyone looking to share their practice and live the yogic way. [Although] Qi Yoga’s name sounds like a blend of Qigong and Yoga, we actually don’t blend the practice. The goal is to welcome all forms of holistic arts. I believe they are all intrinsically connected.
Qi Yoga Life was founded in the middle of the pandemic. It was a way for us to keep and share our practice to cope with the new normal.
With the pandemic, what were the difficulties faced by the business and how did you overcome them?
It all started online, which was perfect for the [current situation]. Everyone was moving online as well. We were [also] the first once to get back to live classes by utilizing open spaces such as parks.
Outdoor yoga with Qi Yoga Life.
What do you enjoy most about Qi Yoga Life?
It would be the lifestyle changes that follow the practice. We regularly release blogs after practices so that practitioners and people in the community have food for thought.
You are a yoga teacher, a breath coach, a Qigong teacher, and a Molchanovs free diver. What inspired you to take up these roles? Is there a role among these that you enjoy the most?
They are all connected. One supports the other. What inspired me is the love of movement, stillness, and Tao — the way of nature.
What led you to start practicing both qigong and yoga?
Tao. At one point, we have to realize we can’t fight forever. We abuse our bodies on-the-daily, but how much self-care do we really give back? Everything is too yang these days [because of] the activities we do, things we eat, work, overthinking, [and] stress. We need to find that balance, or the scale will tip — that’s just how it goes. Honestly, you don’t have to do both [qigong and yoga]. But what you have to do is start, and keep on practicing.
(Note: Yang (阳) refers to natural energy that is associated with the active and positive principle in nature. It is the opposite of Yin (阴), which is characterized as both passive and negative.)
Sky Yang practicing yoga.
Do you think your background as a Chinoy influenced your current lifestyle? How so?
Being born in a Taoist family, I was always connected to types of spiritual practices. I think [my background] naturally took me back to this — full circle — with a role to share the ancient practice.
You’ve mentioned the Qi Yoga Life community means to share their practice and live the yogic way. May we ask you to elaborate on that?
We wanted to keep our practice together through trying times, so we gather during our events to share the practice with each other. The practice doesn’t end [when] stepping off the mat. We carry those positive qualities we cultivated on the mat out to the world. Qi Yoga Life is really [here] to help [everyone] live a more harmonious life with the world around us, maximizing our potential through the practice.
What advice do you have right now for those interested in yoga and qigong?
The practice is never too late. If you want great changes in anything, start today. Then keep on going — full-heartedly.
What advice do you have for Chinoys who would also like to pursue a similar path of teaching yoga or other holistic arts?
Begin the practice and take the courses that we will be releasing. Read our blogs and share your thoughts on the community page, as this is a community. And always be kind and have love in your hearts.
Want to learn more tips for taking care of your health? Check out this article on Chinoy celebrities’ health secrets right here.
