Balancing Holistic Wellness Story of Yoga Instructor Victor Chau

Written by AQUMON Team on 2021-07-19

With roots tracing as far as 5,000 years ago, in ancient India, yoga was developed as a practice to unite the mind and the body. Despite its many schools, forms and paths, yoga aims to balance your body, mind and spirit through various poses. The ultimate goal of yoga is to achieve holistic wellness and cultivate inner peace within ourselves and the external world we live in. However, how do we find the right balance?

In this episode of Money Talks, we delve into whether the spirituality promoted by yoga is contradictory with the financial well-being as pursued by many. Is the pursuit of inner peace at odds with that of financial gains? We are excited to invite Victor Chau, a renowned yoga instructor and pioneer in the yogic arts, to share what money means to him and how he balances his wellness needs through his yoga practice.

Rapid-fire Questions

“Hamburgers or sandwiches?” “Burgers!”

“Stocks or ETFs?” “Probably the latter.”

“Yoga or money?” “Yoga first, but I also need money haha.”

What are your hobbies other than Yoga?

Baking! I love baking Sourdough bread. I always joke that I would probably be a baker if I did not teach yoga. Sourdough baking is kind of a meditative process for me during which I only need to focus on tasks like flour mixing, kneading and baking. The satisfaction I get from tasting the freshly-baked bread is irreplaceable. It is so important to thoroughly focus on and enjoy the process.

What does money mean to you?

Money is like fire. If you know how to use fire safely, it gives you life. It can prepare you with delicious food and great sourdough. However, if you are not careful with fire (money), it can also burn your house down - you may end up financially unbalanced or be involved in a lot of disputes. So we need to be cautious with money.

Is it okay to teach Yoga for money?

It is absolutely fine to teach yoga while making money. But teaching yoga should not be exclusively for money.

Theoretically speaking, the time and money cost involved to be a certified yoga teacher is an investment and as with all investments we want to have positive returns. Some new yoga instructors are not confident enough and they usually undercharge. But, it is always important to understand your self-worth and charge according to your objective self-assessment.

Practically speaking, we still have to make a living! If being a yoga instructor is only a part-time job or extra income source for you, how much you charge might not be so important. Yet, if you are a full-time yoga instructor and have multiple dependents, it is reasonable and appropriate to look for higher returns.

Are spirituality and money mutually exclusive?

Definitely not.

In yoga philosophy, there is a concept of Samādhi, a highest state of consciousness where one only has a sole focus in mind and would not be distracted and affected by one’s surroundings. It is impossible to achieve that stage without learning the fundamentals of yoga.

Take yoga teaching as an example, I cannot give up everything for teaching yoga in the early stages of my career even if I am enthusiastic about it. I have to take care of my responsibilities and family. People have mortgage loans to pay off too.

So, is making more money better? Not really. Similar to taichi of Taoism, yoga upholds the principle of balance. Having too much money lures us into the trap of materialistic desires and can lead to financial disputes while earning too little induces poverty-related stress. Spirituality teaches us to maintain a balance between our desires and being content with what we have, and not to blindly give up everything nor to pursue everything.

【Exclusive Offer】AQUMON x Victor Chau x Fivelements Habitat:

Yoga Workshop

Date: Aug 8, 2021 (Sun)

Time: 10am - 12noon

Venue: Fivelements Habitats, Level 13A, Tower 1, Times square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay

Fee: Free of Charge*

Special Offers: Package value more than $2,500 HKD

1. Yoga workshop with Victor Chau

2. Free Trial Class at Fivelements Habitat

3. $50 HKD Sakti Elixir Dining Coupon at Fivelements Habitat

4. 20% off Wellness Sanctuary Coupon at Fivelements Habitat

5. SnowFox Arctic Breeze Rescue Mask Set

6. Nomsoftheday Health Snacks

7. 30% off Rhea Active Yoga Apparel

Click HERE to learn more about the event details.

*Eligible to new clients who successfully open an AQUMON account by Aug 7, 2021. Enter invitation code 176986 when opening an account. Limited quota, first-come-first-served.

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