Yoga Journal Singapore — April-May 2017

80

april / may 2017

yogajournal.com.sg

I’M A YOGI

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YOGA JOURNAL SINGAPORE (ISSN #24249246)is an international licensed edition of Yoga Journal and is published by Sankia Publishing Pte Ltd. All contents in this magazine are

non-religious and not affiliated to any religious organization. The pictures have all been credited to photographersexcept inthose cases where they were legally purchased or procured

from free online sites that allow commercial use.

I started with yoga and got hooked to

meditation. Yoga was mostly asanas for me;

I was initially attracted to its elegant flow

and challenging poses. It was also a low

cost form of exercise as you can practice it

anywhere without any fancy equipment. I

was always fascinated by meditation, but

never really embraced it until three years ago

when my company was undergoing a drastic

transformation, and I began experiencing high

stress at work.

There was a lot of noise and negativity

around me. I had to find inner peace and

emotional stability in order to chart the right

direction for the company and my life. So I did

some research and came across Soul Centre,

an established and well known center for

meditation and mindfulness in Singapore. I

couldn’t have asked for anything better.

I work long hours behind a computer, and

am constantly making decisions and handling

customers on the fly for up to 14 hours a day.

As the Deputy CEO of a fast paced Information

A senior executive in

Singapore, Tony Tan

is one of many in the

corporate world who

became a victim of long

working hours and stress.

He tells YJSG how he was

able to reduce his stress

levels and find inner peace

with yoga and meditation.

Technology firm, I need to ensure the company

moves ahead of an already fast-paced industry

to capitalize on the business trends and digital

disruptions that are sweeping across every

industry. Yoga enables me to build up my

physical strength and flexibility, and also slow

down my hectic life. It instils peace within me.

Meditation is an extension of my yoga

practice. Yoga allows me to sit still and upright

for longer periods so I can benefit from the

fruits of my meditation practice. Meditation

extends the inner peace that my yoga practice

provides, and stills my mind so that I can be

ready for the challenges ahead. Meditation,

when combined with wisdom, brings joy and

stability to my work and personal life.

I feel yoga is for every man since it works a

lot on your core and flexibility. Some of my

friends are curious about my interest in yoga

and meditation, as previously I used to only

hit the gym. I believe that there is a lot of

misconception, as many think of yoga as a

“girl thing”.

Steve Jobs used to meditate. Look at what

he created and how he transformed the

industry. If it was good enough for him, it’s

good enough for us. Yoga and meditation are

perhaps not well understood and marketed to

men in Singapore. I would like to tell the men

out there that while yoga has many external

benefits, such as muscle toning and sculpting,

meditation brings you an inner peace and joy

that affects and improves every part of your

daily routine.

My mind was so easily distracted when I first

started meditating. But surprisingly, I soon

found it easy. I understood that meditation

does not mean sitting still for hours, and

even five minutes would do. It is also very

important to get the right teacher with the

right techniques. Once you understand how to

meditate effectively, you will find that it’s really

not that difficult. And the more you meditate,

the faster you get into a calm state of mind.

Tony Tan

ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE