Profiler By Cat Arambulo-Antonio Philippine Daily Inquirer

MONIQUE Borja

For some people, business and pleasure are two aspects in their lives that dont mix.

For Bliss Studio director, co-owner and teacher Monique Borja, her love for Vinyasa Flow Yoga has turned into a very lucrative business as she opened a second yoga studio.

What challenges do you face in mixing business with the pleasure of practicing yoga?

Actually, the opportunity to do both has positively affected my work and practice. Yoga is all about balance. It provides me the checks and balances I need to determine whether Im working too little or too hard, if Im practicing or teaching enough or if I should be doing less.

It allows me to make sure that all aspects of my life are equally abundantspending time with my family, my boyfriend, my friends and myself.

I always hear yoga practitioners say inner peace. Define inner peace.

Inner peace is the state of being when you completely accept yourself regardless of your inner feelings or what you think of others, including negative thoughts.

I identify it as an overwhelming sense of quiet, in the face of even the most adverse circumstances.

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Monique Borja, yoga practitioner and makeup minimalist

There are so many variations of yoga it's getting hard to keep track of them all. From Bikram to Vinyasa, on a rooftop or at a morning rave, it seems there are 101 ways (and locations) to perfect your downward dog.

But HuffPost Style have brought a new type of yoga to our attention: model yoga.

While us mere mortals perfect our asanas in tatty gym studios, the supermodels of this world - we're looking at you Rosie, Miranda and Gisele - are uploading sun-kissed Instagram photos of their willowy frames mid-posture from exotic locations all over the world.

Cheers, ladies. What a way to brighten our day.

If these pics have inspired you, here are some unusual yoga classes to try

Set in different venues around London, Secret Yoga Club is a yoga class, intimate gig and delicious supper club all rolled into one. Not to mention it's seriously cool. Founder and yoga teacher Gabrielle Hales teaches yoga flow and Jivamukt to a class of no more than 18. At the end of the class during savasana (where yogis lay on their back in relaxation "dead body" pose) the class is treated to a private gig with an up-and-coming artist -- for us it was the dulcet tones of Luisa Gerstein from The Landshapes. The table is then set and the class are treated to a delicious vegetarian meal -- ours was prepared talented chef and ice-cream maker Nina Parker. "One of the reasons that people aren't keen on yoga or exercising in the evening is that they feel like they are missing out on socialising or doing something with friends," Gabby told HuffPost UK Lifestyle. "I thought if I could bring everything together -- the yoga, beautiful live music, food and friends -- then it would be the perfect evening!" She's certainly on to something. But shh! it's a secret. Our class was held in the eccentric Dalston Boys Club, which -- filled with mannequins and lit by candlelight -- made for the perfect ethereal setting. (See image) Find out more about Secret Yoga Club here

Bikram -- a 90-minute class held in 40C conditions, during which yogis complete 26 postures and two breathing exercises -- has many benefits: fitness, flexibility, stress-relief, weight loss and improved posture. The heat increases the flexibility in the muscles and joints, allowing you to hold difficult postures for longer and push your body to the extreme. When HuffPost UK Lifestyle's Brogan Driscoll tried the 30-day Bikram Yoga challenge, she noticed a profound improvement in her balance, strength and cardio fitness from one class to the next. READ MORE

Inspired by aerial circus art and Vinyasa Yoga, the silk hammock is hung from the ceiling and used to suspend participants into seemingly impossible yoga postures. The class begins with simple poses like downward dog, lunge and warrior, but uses the soft trapeze as a prop for an even deeper stretch. Then it progresses into more challenging postures like hanging diamonds, handstands and the inverted yogi, to create a weightless alignment that strengthens muscles and releases pressure from compressed joints. Try it at Virgin Active Health Clubs

Housed in a pop-up inflatable heated studio -- think bouncy castle, but without the inflatable floor -- Hotpod Yoga aims to bring heated yoga classes to the masses. Classes are taught using the Vinyasa (or flow) yoga method, which uses controlled breathing and a range of challenging moves to strengthen, tone, detox, calm the mind while promoting weight-loss (one session promises to burn 700 calories). READ MORE

Laughter Yoga combines unconditional laughter with yogic breathing (Pranayama). Anyone can laugh for no reason, without relying on humor, jokes or comedy. Laughter is simulated as a body exercise in a group; with eye contact and childlike playfulness, it soon turns into real and contagious laughter. The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits. FIND OUT MORE

The rest is here:
How To Do Model Yoga