Meet Hannah, a Ryoho Yoga & Shiatsu Practitioner
Navutu Dreams is thrilled to welcome Hannah Chapman to our team of International wellness & yoga practitioners. Hailing from New South Wales in Australia, Hannah is a certified yoga teacher, yoga therapist and a shiatsu practitioner. She will be teaching a yoga style called Zen Meridian Yoga, which is based on Hatha and the Japanese styles of Ryoho and Oki-do.
This type of therapeutic yoga blends Hatha and the use of the energy meridians in acupuncture, shiatsu and Thai massage to help achieve alignment and balance. Aside from yoga, Hannah will also offer zen shiatsu which is a form of massage originally from Japan. Shiatsu involves manual pressure applied to specific meridian points on the body in an attempt integrate the body, give lightness and relaxation, as well as to relieve tension and pain. It uses the same points as acupuncture, but with a more gentle, human effect than needles. Shiatsu is great for treating chronic illness as well as alleviating pain. It is part of the official medical system of Japan, where people enjoy the longest life expectancies in the world.
We sat down with her to learn more about her background, her yoga journey and the meridian bodywork sessions she offers.
Interview with Hannah Chapman
Q: What were you doing before you decided to teach yoga?
I was a copywriter. I was working for a company in Sydney and was writing about e-commerce, fashion and some music stuff.
Q: How did you get started with yoga?
I started practicing yoga during my university days. I was so stressed and was experiencing back pain, so I started yoga to deal with that.
Q: How long have you been practicing yoga?
I have been practicing yoga for about 9 years and have been teaching for 2 years.
Q: How has yoga changed you?
I am a lot calmer now. I am more at peace and I have more ability to get things done (I stopped procrastinating). I think I am more content, more present, not always wanting something else or dwelling on the past.
Q: What yoga styles do you teach?
I teach Hatha and Flow classes, but I have most experience teaching Zen Meridian Yoga. The majority of my training has been in Ryoho yoga, which is kind like a combination of Hatha and Oki-do yoga.
Q: Can you tell us more about Ryoho yoga?
Both forms of yoga combine traditional Hatha poses with the meridian-based healing arts of China and Japan. Ryoho yoga was developed by my teacher, Andzej Gospodarczyk who created the style in the 1980’s after training in the Oki-do yoga tradition and Zen shiatsu.
Q: Can you tell us about your shiatsu sessions?
I begin my shiatsu massage with a belly diagnosis first to find the meridians that need most love and attention. Every shiatsu is tailored to the needs of the individual, so every session is different. I usually give some yoga therapy moves at the end of shiatsu, so people can keep the change and create balance themselves at home.
Q: What made you decide to move to Siem Reap?
I came to Cambodia in February so I could a get a visa to India. I was in Thailand back then but I could not get one there, so I had to visit Phnom Penh, and decided to come to Siem Reap. I instantly loved Cambodia, especially Siem Reap. I thought ‘the energy and the people here are so beautiful’, and I had to come back.
Q: What are your (3) three wellness tips?
Tune into your own body, eat seasonally and practice yoga, of course.
Q: What is healing for you?
Healing for me is about creating balance, releasing what no longer serves so that something new can grow.
Q: What is it like working at Navutu Dreams?
I really like this place because it is dedicated to wellness, and people can really relax and get great results. I like the wellness and detox packages Navutu offers for guests who are after holistic healing, because they are tailored to what each person wants. Also, I like the energy healing aspect that Louise does because I think it attracts open-minded, interesting guests.
Ryoho Yoga Therapy Sessions with Hannah at Navutu Dreams
Hannah is now part of our wellness team, offering Ryoho yoga therapy and shiatsu massage sessions. Her approach to the bodywork sessions she offers is to help individuals feel invigorated, become more relaxed and achieve a perfect balance. To learn more about her yoga therapy sessions, you can visit Navutu Dreams Wellness. For inquiries, you may email reservations@navutudreams.com or call +855 63 964 864.
