Bikram 101

DAY 101: Here We Are

2010-04-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

"Beyond the mountains, there are mountains." ~ Haitian proverb

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Well, here we are. One hundred days of yoga, plus one more at the end for good measure. We did it!

And who are we, these crazy people who took on this enormous task? We are people from all walks of life. Our youngest participants were in their teens, and our oldest were in their sixties (or older). We are lawyers, dancers, bankers, engineers, artists, and bull riders. We are professional athletes and semi-professional couch potatoes. We live in Canada, New York, Malaysia, Las Vegas, Sweden, California, London, Australia, and many other cities and countries. We practice at busy urban studios, and we practice with CDs and space heaters in rural areas. Some of us have overcome crippling medical conditions, and some of us are just holding our heads a little higher these days. Some of us have been practicing Bikram yoga for many years now, and some of us have been doing practicing for precisely 101 days. Some of us are teachers, but we are all students.

We are yogis.

Imagine if we could all occupy the same space for a while. Imagine if there were more of us. Imagine if we could fill a city. What kind of a place would we create? What would that world look like?

~~~

When you started this challenge, it was probably something that you were doing for yourself (or rather your Self). And I'm certain that you've seen changes. You're not the same person you were a few months ago. You are transforming. You may not be at the butterfly stage yet, but at the very least you are spinning your chrysalis. (These things don't happen overnight.) You are taking care of your Self, and it shows. The people around you are starting to see the difference. Maybe they've noticed a glow.

I don't think I've used my favorite yoga class metaphor yet. And it's not "yoga class is a gas station," although that is a very good one. It's "yoga class is an oxygen mask." It's one of those silly yellow oxygen masks that's supposed to drop down from the ceiling of the plane if there is an emergency. You remember the instructions that they give you about those oxygen masks, right? (They go over this at the beginning of every airplane flight, in every country, so it must be important.) They tell you that if there is an emergency, you must secure your own oxygen mask before you can think about helping others. Before you can save the person sitting in the neighboring seat, you must be able to breathe.

So yoga class is your oxygen mask, in every possible sense. And you've finally gotten your oxygen mask on. That fresh, high-speed oxygen is now rushing through your body, waking up the cells that were on the brink of death, bringing life and energy to every part of you. Re-energizing, revitalizing, re-organizing. You've saved yourself. You're starting to breathe again. You're going to be fine.

Now what about that person who is sitting next to you?

~~~

It has been a pure joy to watch all of you during the challenge and hear all of your voices. It's been a gift. I hope this little community doesn't disperse too much. All the websites will still exist, and maybe we can come up with some creative ways to keep using them. It's up to all of you! You can take control now, I think.

For me, there's only one thing more powerful than doing this yoga myself: sharing the yoga with others. This can be such a simple thing to do. Say a few encouraging words to a new student after class; let them know how well they did, tell them about your favorite post-class snack, encourage them to come back tomorrow. Sit outside the room for a few minutes and compare notes on postures with another regular. Trick your co-workers into coming to class with you and see if they ever forgive you for it. Smile at someone in the mirror (but not in a creepy way). Be a source of calm in stressful situations, when you're the only person in the room who is still breathing normal(ly). Be a source of support for a friend who's going through a hard time; you developed the strength for this when you stood with your toes on the line every day and looked at your own eyes in the mirror.

The more you give, the more you receive. As it turns out, this is how the world works.

And if you're really nuts, like me, you might one day find yourself living in a hotel room for nine weeks with 300 other yogis and some crazy 60-something year old Indian dude who still thinks that white disco suits are the height of fashion. I'm referring, of course, to the nine week long Bikram yoga teacher training program. I'm going to the next session. It starts in exactly one week. It's something that I've wanted to do for years. For me, this choice was obvious and inevitable. I'm going to teacher training because sharing Bikram yoga with the world feels more right to me than anything I've ever known. There are plenty of other things that I could be doing with my life right now, but this yoga thing trumped them all. At the end of the day, I just couldn't think of anything that was more important or worthwhile.

So that's my journey. It started years ago (or maybe before I was born), and I'm certain that it's only just begun to unfold. Your journey will be different, because we all live different lives. But wherever you path leads you, I hope that yoga will remain in your life as a source of strength, joy, and love.

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Juliana Olmstead would like to thank the Academy.... No, but really. "Bikram 101" has been one of her favorite parts of this decade so far. (It would have come out in the number one spot if she hadn't also finished grad school and signed up for teacher training while the challenge was going on.) She promises to blog at least a few times at teacher training (and beyond), so feel free to keep stalking her at her blog. If her posts become incoherent at some point, it's probably just the sleep deprivation talking. She thinks that you are all rock stars!!

DAY 100: Write Your Script.

2010-04-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

This is my last post in the challenge.

Tomorrow is the final day in the Bikram 101 Challenge. And we are going to be honored with a wonderful final post from a very inspirational yogini. (Enough pressure for you J?!?!)

But I wanted to collect my thoughts for one last post, in hopes that it will provide some inspiration to all of you who are thinking about doing a yoga challenge. So here are my thoughts...

The biggest step you take each day of the challenge is simply just getting to class. Once you get to class, the rest of the script writes itself.
Never be hard on yourself because you aren't progressing in a pose at a rate you think you should be. This is a LIFETIME PRACTICE. For some of us, Standing Head to Knee pose will take a LIFETIME.
It is possible to hold down a full time executive job, maintain a household, spend time with a significant other AND practice regularly. It's all mental.
A daily practice keeps you healthy. I practice Bikram yoga to heal my body from all the damage I have done to it, and all the damage I still do to it.

I think the biggest thing that I am taking away from this challenge is how important it is to be fearless and continue to push myself. We each have the ability create our paths and write the script of our lives. But we often hold back, waiting for signs from The Universe. But that is silly. We create our destiny. We choose to show up or not show up for a Bikram class each day and complete the challenge.

Did I do 101 DAYS of Bikram yoga? In reality, no. I will have done 101 Bikram yoga classes IN 101 days. But did I go to class every single day? Nope. There were things I chose to prioritize over yoga some days... Like getting two root canals on two different days... Traveling for work... Needing to sleep because of an overloaded work schedule. But I made up for it by pulling doubles. And I finished the challenge I set up for myself.

This wasn't easy. There were days where I didn't think I would make it through Pranayama. But I pushed through and found the energy. I wrote a mental script in those moments to finish the class. It was uncomfortable, but I did it. And as a Bikram teacher reminded me this week...

"Life begins outside your comfort zone."

It really, truly does.

Some of you may know that I now plan on going to Bikram Yoga Teacher Training this Fall. I have been toying with the idea of going for a few years. But I kept telling myself, "Oh, if I'm really meant to go, I'll receive a sign."

I realize now, though, that I was waiting for myself to give me permission. I didn't think I could be a teacher. That even though I love this yoga, I didn't have what it takes to be a good teacher. But now that I have completed this challenge, I realize that it is time. I am ready.

I know I can handle two yoga classes in one day.
I look forward to spending time in a hot room each day.
I want to teach others how to heal their bodies the same way I have learned.
I know the world does not end just because I still struggle with Standing Head to Knee. (Besides, my Standing Bow pose kicks a lot of ass now.)
I have what it takes because I know what it is truly like to struggle and grow in this yoga.

It's been wonderful sharing this journey with you all. We've had some amazing guest posters share their stories and thoughts with us throughout this challenge. I hope you all found this to be insightful and educational.

I'm off to go study some dialogue now. I have 23 weeks to learn 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises from a script, verbatim.

It's the one script I can't write.

Day 99: Untapped Strength.

2010-04-09T10:07:00.001-07:00

by Diedre Rose DiBlasi

101 days of Bikram yoga is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, but not to be taken lightly. To go through the challenge is to understand directly through experience what it means to change your body and change your mind. We are so much stronger than we believe we are and 101 days of yoga forces us to find and tap into that strength.

As an experienced yogini of vinyasa, power, kripalu & kundilini styles of 8 yrs, I stumbled into Bikram yoga for my first time a few months ago as a way to support a friend new to the practice, and curious about the hot style. I had no idea how deeply I would be changed by it. The heat felt healing to the body and bitter truth of the dialogue medicine to the mind. I found the philosophies behind the dialogue to the parallel the challenges we struggle with in daily life – courage, fear, determination, patience, & discipline. The more of these qualities I brought to my practice, the more they became a part of my total life. I felt that as my practice grew stronger, so did I. There is no hiding in Bikram yoga; no more excuses. I was able to confront and tackle faulty personal belief systems I had put on the backburner for many years and for the first time in a long time, I began to see myself as worthy and deserving of great things. I attribute this change in thinking to Bikram, the dialogue, and yoga sequence. My yoga teachers in St. Charles have been generous guides and role models and I am so grateful and appreciative to have found this practice and opportunity. Additionally, it has been especially encouraging and inspirational to go through this experience with other challengers and share these changes together. Sweat sisters are amazing!

A few weeks into the 30 day challenge my employer announced my job would be outsourced to India this summer. This allowed me to extend the 30 day challenge to 101 days since overtime at work was no longer expected. I am excited for a career change which will give me an opportunity to put these new skills to the test and realize my potential. I am still working toward my own vision of success but know that Bikram yoga will be there to challenge and push me to keep growing stronger – deepest thanks to you Bikram!

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Diedre Rose DiBlasi lives in Gilberts, IL and has practiced yoga as a hobby for more than 8 years. She is also an artist and makes yoga and spiritual inspired jewelry and paintings and has ambitions of owning her own business in the near future utilizing her passions. She is looking to connect with like-minded people who want to encourage the pursuit of personal fulfillment in all people. You can contact her at diedrerose2001@yahoo.com.

Day 99: Old Skoolasana.

2010-04-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

by Michelle Zimmer

I look forward to writing my monthly blog post.

I think about what I might want to write about, without actually thinking specifically about what I will be writing about...all the time.

Rather often actually. It makes me feel happy to know I have a month to ponder. But, I tell myself, first, don't start sentences with "but"... And second, this time I will not procrastinate!

"Don't wait until the last second to write!" (Just like I did in school...)

But then I do. And that works for me mostly. (Don't start a sentence with "and" Michelle.) So here I am writing (having my mom weirdly correct my grammar in my head) and having no idea what I was going to talk about... Until I started writing, and then I totally knew.

It is a stream of consciousness. (Ooh.. I spelled consciousness correctly on the first go! =) This is exactly how I prepared for Day 45 Valentimes Day as well as Day 66 Shartasana (lol!)

I have assignment habits on the brain... Earlier this week I had the privilege of starting a composter certification class at the New York Botanical Gardens.

("What! What!" I am doing a happy spring dance!)

I have not stepped foot in a classroom since 1990! (And back then I was cutting out to go on auditions - to my drama teacher's chagrin.) Only 15 students are accepted to the Master Composter Certification program a year and I am very proud that "doody" called. I will be a better student this time because I want to be there. Worms and all.

I stopped only grabbing my knee in standing head to knee this week. And only I only grab under the foot now. (Wahoo!) Yesterday I spent most of the day in an Epsom salt bath reading/ruining a Vanity Fair with baaad cramps and a Snickers bar.

I have already done a double to make up for it.

"One down! $@%*& to go!"

That's right...It seems that I haven't changed all that much since my school days. I still play hooky, resulting in my final week being all doubles .

Whhhheeeeeeeeeeee!!! ^_^

MY final class is on tax day (owing on unemployment is fun), as well as the 5 year anniversary of my dad's funeral. (Sigh.) No hiding in my bedroom this year! Nope. I think it will be cathartic to have a positive connection to the date 4/15.

I miss you so much Daddy! I hope you are proud that I got off my lazy "in denial" ass and made a change.

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Michelle lives in New York City and originally hails from the Riverdale section of the Bronx. She is passionate about the food, drink and garden industries. She used to think she might be a "vegetarian with sausage tendencies," but recently realized she is more like a "carnivore with a conscience." She considers herself an "Urban Garden Hoe," as she invests a lot of time volunteering in her neighborhood's community garden. She loves the Yankees and constantly invites people to explore the "northern" part of NYC. "You won't get a nosebleed," she promises.

DAY 98: The Best of the Rest

2010-04-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

Day 51: %$@! happens (no post)

Day 52: You can't stop progress!

Day 53: Dreaming of being late represents fear and running out of time. Classrooms represent the need or desire to earn something.

Day 54: Because what is the yoga class (and especially the standing head to knee part of the yoga class), if not one big, long "character building" exercise?

Day 55: We are doing this challenge for a reason. Don't forget that. In the midst of the grind of laundry, logistics, work, family, life and just trying to make it into that room everyday, don't forget that there is a higher purpose to this whole thing.

Day 56: Point yourself in the direction you want to go and one day you'll get there. Progress happens gradually, then suddenly. If you don't show up, you might just miss it.

Day 57: (Wow, nine weeks. Can anyone think of something else that's nine weeks long?! Nine weeks can go by fast.)

Day 58: Yes, we get 90 minutes everyday to get away from all of this while in the hot room. But is that enough?

Day 59: When we come out of that room, we should all realize we have given ourselves another chance for a better life, a new appreciation of ourselves and a way to open up our minds and our hearts to those in our lives- for that we all deserve a gold medal.

Day 60: There's no (more) crying in Bikram.

Day 61: There will always be hard days, fun days, killer days, and rock star days, no matter how long you do this stuff!

Day 62: %$@! happens again, sometimes.

Day 63: I love the kind of people who love yoga.

Day 64: There is really only one rule for Bikram yoga: breathe.

Day 65: Bikram’s advanced series...or how to scare people aware when trying to motivate them!

Day 66: And that's not the point of this yoga. The point is to progress. To go for it. No fear.

Day 67: "You're getting something out," as one of my studio owners told me in my last really bad class. "This is good."

Day 68: Yoga class is a gas station, remember? (Maybe you don't? Maybe I should talk about that next time.) Take my word for it - yoga class is a gas station.

Day 69: You see, while I like those other forms, it's just not the same as the 26 and 2 of Bikram. The dialog, the room conditions, the teachers, the sequence....put together it's magic.

Day 70: ...it's detoxification & intoxication.

Day 71: When was the last time you saw your body as a whole, instead of seeing bits and pieces of things that you like or things that you want to change?

Day 72: The teacher teaching, though, knew I was half-assing it... She knew I was surrendering to the absence of energy into my mind. Yet, instead of verbally calling me out on it in class, in the second set she did something that helped me get back into line with my energy and pose...

Day 73: “Open your knees, keep 6 inches between your toes, heels knees and hands” - *snigger. Sorry, that line just sounds really dirty [well, ahem, to ME at least. No really, TINK OF IT!]

Day 74: There have been plenty of days where I did not want to be in the hot room. But I use my English bulldog determination to make myself go and throw my mat on the line.

Day 75: It's a lifetime practice, and it's a lifestyle, too.

Day 76: Do not have green shorts or top on. Do not bring a green mat. Do not have a green towel, hand towel, washcloth, water bottle, hair tie. In fact, if you have green eyes, close 'em!

Day 77: pleasure of the pain.

Day 78: Yoga teaches you to love yourself now. Perfection is not the goal. It's not even part of the equation.

Day 79: This is our journey and we are so incredibly lucky to have found this path and to be able to experience its wonders together.

Day 80: Although sometimes we need a little distraction to lift us and get us through a tough moment, it’s important to try and come back and focus on the present, no matter what we may be feeling.

Day 81: I don't even notice the heat anymore.

Day 82: Our yoga is similar in so many ways. It's the same everywhere you go, and it speaks through a universal language - movement - that can bring people together regardless of age, race, gender, or anything else!

Day 83: I don't know how my body will react to each posture, or if the room feels too hot or cold that day, or if the person next me is wandering around their mat. I can control if I'm in the room and focused and if I do that, it's a smooth ride for the whole class.

Day 84: Just get to the room. That is all you have to do. Get to the room. Your body will know where to take it from there for today.

Day 85: And I think the yoga works the same way. At first, we are all just strangers. Then we come to honor and respect one another. Eventually, we are bound together by our sweat (thicker than blood) and become like family. It's strange and wonderful, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Day 86: "You’re here...that's all that matters. It doesn't matter how well you do the poses. All that matters is that you are here and you try."

Day 87: Each new day is a clean slate; I rise up from sleep and I am in some sense, reborn. Ninety minutes of daily practice teaches me that I have a chance to connect to myself and connect to the Divine. Each new day, I have an opportunity to try again, to reach further, to dig deeper.

Day 88: I would love nothing more than to get over whatever is holding me back and keeping me at my current progress state. I just don't know if I will be able to do it before the challenge ends.

Day 89: We find out how much of the stuff we've been carrying around with us is completely unnecessary. And when we get rid of all that stuff, it feels so much better. It feels great every day!

Day 90: Yoga is the gift that brings us closer to that peace.

Day 91: This Bikram 101 challenge has changed. my. life. period.

Day 92: It means to celebrate each step towards freedom as if it were enough, then to start on the next step.

Day 93: I've developed the patience to recognize that all the things I wish I had are what keeps this yoga challenging for me each day.

Day 94: For the low-low price of $5 a class, I am healing my body in incredible ways.

Day 95: We are each our own creators. What are you going to create with the seven days you have left?

Day 96: We can't control the events that surround us, but we can control the way we respond. And that is what yoga teaches us. We learn that it doesn't matter what environment we're in, what other people say to us, or what happens around us. We can breathe through all of it.

Day 97: Thank you, Bikram.

DAY 97: ...A Bag Full

2010-04-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

by Kim Corbett Johnson

I’m lying on the couch debating on going to class or not (in extreme pain, two aspirin and a hot, Epsom salt pack providing no relief) when I recall another blogger’s post about using the class to heal.

I had just completed a double the day before, first time ever doing a back-to-back. I’d experienced lower back pain before, but nothing like this. Not sure if it’s a sciatic nerve issue or not, nonetheless, it wasn’t pleasant.

The day was filled with lots of sad news. Two close friends of mine were dealing with their mom’s failing health. One dealing with newly appointed hospice staff, the other taking her mother to chemo treatments daily. Another friend had been taken to the hospital to spend his last moments fighting with pancreatic cancer. My heart was heavy with sadness and overwhelm with all of this.

As I lay there on the couch, covered with my warm blanket and purring cat, groaning in pain, it struck me that all of these hardships these people were dealing with could perhaps been prevented if they had a regular practice of Bikram yoga. I immediately sprung to my feet, had 5 minutes to get out the door and headed to my class.

My intention for the class was to heal, inspired by my suffering friends. As I lay there on the mat in pain, anxiously waiting for the bright lights to come on, I thought...

“I want more than healing. I want more than what I came for, like when I go to Trader Joes for that one thing and leave with a bag full.”

I didn’t perform to my usual 100%, but I was relieved from pain and left with that centered stillness, came home content and rested, ready to be there for my loved ones dealing with their great pain and sorrow. Thank you, Bikram.

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Kim Corbett Johnson, is new to Bikram Yoga, and practices at Bikram Yoga St. Charles. She began 101 day Challenge January 2, 2010, and had attended one class before this. She started with the intention of completing a 30 day Challenge, which looked impossible… And now is thinking about completing a 365 day challenge. She’s the President of a company she started, Enhanced Lifeskills Solutions. She teaches participants proven principles for successful living anchored in the science of synergetics.

DAY 96: The Absence of Control

2010-04-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

It's incredible how little control we have over our lives.

I mean, so many of the things that affect us every day are completely out of our hands. We don't control the weather. We don't control the tectonic plates. We don't control the people in our lives - our bosses, our employees, our friends, our family. Anytime we apply for a job, join a class, or even just step out into the road, we can set off a chain of events that is completely out of our hands.

And we certainly can't control our yoga classes. We can't control the teacher. We can't control the temperature of the room. We can't control the actions of other people in the room. We can't even control our own bodies, not fully. They change from day-to-day in ways that we can't perceive or understand. We might do everything "right" and still get run over by the yoga truck, or we might do everything "wrong" and end up feeling great in class. Some days, it seems as random as a coin toss.

I purposely didn't describe this as a "loss of control." I'm talking about the crystal-clear realization that we never even had control at all.

So... so what? What do we do?

We breathe.

We can't control the events that surround us, but we can control the way we respond. And that is what yoga teaches us. We learn that it doesn't matter what environment we're in, what other people say to us, or what happens around us. We can breathe through all of it. That's the part that we can control. Sometimes, it's the only part that we can control.

But it makes all the difference in the world.

95: Seven Days.

2010-04-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

That's all we have left, folks. Just seven days.

The bible (if you have ever read it - I'll admit, I haven't) says that God created the Universe in seven days. He took energy and made something tangible with it.

We are each our own creators. What are you going to create with the seven days you have left?

DAY 94: Yoga Math.

2010-04-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

Bikram yoga really isn't that expensive.

At the studio I practice at here in Toronto, a single class of Bikram yoga costs $17. If you multiply that times the 101 days I have been practicing, you get $1,717.

Now, if I chose to purchase a 3-month unlimited package ($400) and an extra 1-month unlimited package ($150) - which would get me through the 101 day challenge, it would be $550. Divide that by 101, and it averages out to $5.44 a class.

Not bad. Not bad at all. If you plan on stopping relatively soon after the challenge.

I could have gone with a 6-month unlimited package, which would have ran me $700, covered the entire length of the challenge, and allowed me to easily move into a few months of practicing the five days a week that I want to be practicing here on out. If I divided the cost of this package by the 101, I'd be paying just under $7 for each class.

Again, not bad.

But I chose to buy an annual package on January 1st, the day the challenge started. This cost me $1300. And I get to practice all year. As many times as I want. The cost of this package during the 101 days ran me about $13 a class.

Then, once you factor in the four to five days a week I will be practicing for the rest of the year, it averages out to about $5 a class.

Definitely the most economical solution, for my pocket book, was to go with the 1 year unlimited pass. Much better than paying for each class on it's own. And much better than having to buy passes over and over again. The only way this could have been more cost-effective is if I was a work-study student.

For the low-low price of $5 a class, I am healing my body in incredible ways.

I think it's very much worth the price.

Day 93: I WIsh...

2010-04-03T17:48:00.000-07:00

Over the past 93 days of practicing this yoga... I have begun to pay attention to my body and the role each limb plays in helping me execute my poses. And as a result, I have some bodily short-comings.

I find myself wishing:

That I had longer arms. Longer arms to make picking up and holding my foot in Standing Head to Knee much easier. In order to get into those pose, I have to lift my knee up, bend over with my fingers inter-locked, grab my foot with my knee sticking out beyond my elbow, THEN maneuver my knee under my chest.
That I had flatter feet. I have very pretty feet. But I have high arches. And balancing on feet with high arches is tough! I wobble like mad when I try to balance on what I have touching the floor: heel, ball, toes and one side of my foot. I tend to lean right or left, depending on which way I am trying to correct my balancing. But if I had FLAT FEET, like many people I have seen in class, balancing would be so much easier. More foot on the ground equal more stability.
That I had larger feet. I have small feet, given then length of my legs. And whenever I try to push my hips forward in poses, I have the potential to fall forward because I don't have enough foot-coverage for my leg height. (Though, I have worked really hard to keep my weight back in my heels to help combat this! The dialogue is GENIUS!)
That I had shorter legs. I've mentioned it before, I know. But I do wish I was longer-torso-ed and shorter-legged. It would make grabbing those feet much easier!

Now... I won't be completely negative in this post, only listing things I feel I lack. Here's my list of things I am grateful for...

That I've developed the patience to recognize that all the things I wish I had are what keeps this yoga challenging for me each day.

DAY 92: Dayenu

2010-04-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, JoJo wrote this very cool post which connected the Bikram Yoga practice to the spirituality of Lent and Palm Sunday. She wrote beautifully about yoga in connection with prayer, penitence, almsgiving, and self-denial.

Shortly after I read that post, I was a participant in a ritual from a different religion tradition, when I attended a Passover dinner at the home of some family friends. Passover is a Jewish holiday that takes place in the spring, right around the same time as Easter. The Passover dinner is called a Seder, and it follows a specific structure and order where we read certain passages, sing certain songs, eat certain foods, and retell the story of the Jews' exodus from slavery Egypt - the story that includes Moses, a burning bush, the cruel Pharaoh, the ten plagues, the hasty flight from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and forty years of wandering in the desert. As the Italian proverb says, "Even if it's not true, it's a good story." I grew up in a sort of agnostic Jewish/Christian hybrid household, so I've never taken these stories to be precisely true, but the Seders were a regular part of my childhood.

Of all the Jewish holidays, Passover is one of my favorites, because it revolves around a simple and powerful theme: liberation.

At the beginning of the night, we read, "It is said that every person, in every generation, must regard him or herself as having been personally freed from bondage in Mitzraim, the biblical land of Egypt." We are reminded to be grateful for our freedom, and we honor all people who have struggled or are struggling for freedom.

This theme doesn't just apply to the people of Israel, but to all people. Bondage and liberation come in all different forms. Bondage can mean literal slavery, but it can also mean slavery to society, to habit, to other people, and to your own mind. Liberation can involve a flight from Mitzraim, with the miraculous parting of the seas, or it can involve killing your self (your ego) for 90 minutes in a hot room, until the mental chatter miraculously fades away. The seas part, the veil lifts, and you glimpse your true Self.

One of my favorite Passover songs is Dayenu. Dayenu is sung after the telling of the Exodus story, and the word means, "It would have been enough." Here's a passage from my own (very secular, Unitarian Universalist) Haggadah (book):

"What does this mean, 'It would have been enough'? Surely no one of these [steps] would have been enough for us. It means to celebrate each step towards freedom as if it were enough, then to start on the next step. It means that if we reject each step because it is not the whole liberation, we will never be able to achieve the whole liberation. It means to sing each verse as if it were the whole song - and then sing the next verse!"

That's "dayenu." So...

When you stand on the line, toes and heels together, and meet your own eyes in the mirror... dayenu.

When you go into a backbend without fear... dayenu.

When you stand on a solid, locked-out knee for 60 seconds, 20 seconds, or even just 10 seconds.. dayenu.

When you are able to attempt every one of the 26 postures in the series... dayenu.

When you stand a little straighter and walk a little taller... dayenu.

When you breathe through a stressful situation instead of losing your cool... dayenu.

When the old familiar knots and tensions start to melt away from your body... dayenu.

When you spend 90 minutes sweating in a hot room, without ever leaving the room... dayenu.

When you do it every single day, for 92 days...??

Dayenu, dayenu!!

DAY 91: Ninety-one Days

2010-04-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

This Bikram 101 challenge has changed. my. life. period.

Day 90: The Watcher

2010-03-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

Social Media serves many purposes. I find it interesting because I feel like I'm getting a peek inside of my friends heads. Take facebook and twitter for instance. People type in thoughts and hit enter, many times before thinking it through. "Do I really want to post THIS?" Twitter is almost like a strange little collective stream of consciousness. One hundred and forty characters at a time of disjointed thoughts, ideas, opinions, and emotions. If we could truly get into each others heads and hear what goes on in there for a full day we'd probably think our friends crazy and they in turn would be appalled at what goes on in ours!
We are not our thoughts though. That stream of consciousness that flows during the day is not truly who you are. Good thoughts, bad thoughts, songs that rattle through your mind, all of the "noise" is not you.
Yoga helps us to tap into that deeper layer of consciousness. I like to think of it as the ocean. The top of the water is choppy, churning, sometimes violent, always moving. At the bottom of the ocean, where all is still, quiet and deep, lays "the watcher". This is the other part of us that observes. This is the part that takes over during the 90 minute moving meditation that is Bikram. The watcher is what pulls us through a tough class. Our minds, like children, will start to wander. "It's hot in here. My shorts are riding up. That girl has amazing postures. Man she's keeping us in postures forever today. My contacts are jacked up today. Crap I can't balance today. Look at mr. cutie in the back row....." The watcher interrupts the chatter and reminds you to breathe. You are brought back to the room, your focus returns and your mind quiets. If you are like me, the mind does not stay quiet. The 90 minutes is an exercise in constantly returning to focus. When it's all over, we lay in savasana, quiet, sated. If we are lucky, we are able to take that gift and use it the rest of the day. Able to stay calm and focused in other segments of our day, not just yoga.
The mind chatter is what makes us human. The watcher is what reminds us we are also spiritual beings, able to connect with something beautiful and powerful. Able to get out of our own head and find peace, even if just for a moment. Yoga is the gift that brings us closer to that peace.

"When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained."
Mark Twain

~~Bikramyogachick completed 74 days of the 101 day challenge. Due to unforeseen changes in her life, she had to drop out of the challenge, but will never drop out of Bikram Yoga. She has been practicing in Las Vegas for 3 years, blogging for 2 and has completed several 60 day challenges and a 99 day last year. She will post her full bio this coming Saturday. She is VERY proud of all that are continuing down the road to day 101 and is your biggest cheerleader!

DAY 89: Shedding Skins

2010-03-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

Is a theme developing? Yes, I think so. But I'm just gonna go with it...

Today I changed my appearance. I now have very short hair - pixie cut! I did a "transition" hair cut last month, when I got my hair cut to a short-but-curly length. (It had been almost down to the middle of my back.) I loved the shorter hair, but it was still long enough that it moved around and I needed a headband for yoga, and it grew out really fast! So today I went back to my hairdresser, Nolan, and told him "SHORT," and he agreed. It is now completely different from how it was at the beginning of February, and I like it.

I said two things today that Nolan appreciated. First, when I was talking about taking off the remaining length, I told him, "Now it just feels like I have all this unnecessary stuff!" Then, when I was describing how much I've been enjoying my shorter hair, I said that "I love it every day!"

This is not a bad metaphor for yoga.

We find out how much of the stuff we've been carrying around with us is completely unnecessary. And when we get rid of all that stuff, it feels so much better. It feels great every day! Like snakes - cobras, maybe - we shed our old, used up skins, discard them, and never even give them a second thought. A snake never misses its old skin after it's gone. There's no sadness for the passing, no regret, only joy and lightness.

I love it every day.

DAY 88: Releasing Old Patterns.

2010-03-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

From the first time I practiced this yoga, I had quirks and habits in class.

My mat had to be in a certain spot in the back row, towards the right side.
I had to have a hand towel to wipe my hands and face throughout class.
I wore pants, a sports bra and light-weight tee or tank top.
Fall out of Standing-Head-to-Knee after about 25 seconds of holding my feet.

This evolved, after about two years to...

Front row mat-placement. Left side.
Still rocked yoga pants. Only strictly with a tank top.
Had to have a Vitamin Water immediately following class.
Fall out of Standing-Head-to-Knee after about 25 seconds of holding my feet.

Two years and five months into my practice...

Shorts and a sports tank.
No Vitamin Water. Replaced with coconut water.
Moved mat anywhere and everywhere that I could find a spot.
Fall out of Standing-Head-to-Knee after about 25 seconds of holding my feet.

This past list is where I continue to reside in my practice, in terms of patterns and habits. I have

advanced in all of my postures. Just not Standing-Head-to-Knee. Sure... There are moments when I can hold my leg the entire time. And I can always kick out. But I fall out after a few seconds of trying to stabilize.

This pose is the bane of my existence. And I would love nothing more than to get over whatever is holding me back and keeping me at my current progress state. I just don't know if I will be able to do it before the challenge ends.

Releasing old patterns may take my whole life.

DAY 87: A Spiritual Journey

2010-03-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

by: Action JoJo

Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of the end of the season of Lent. As I walked out of church clutching my palms, I recalled Deacon Greg’s homily:

“They are a reminder - and an indictment. While we were standing here, crying out "Crucify him!," we were clutching the branches that we used to sing out "Hosanna." The palms reveal our very human duplicity. How easily we turn. How quickly we pivot from faithful, to faithless...from belief to doubt...from being disciples to being betrayers.”

My spiritual journey these last forty days of Lent have been a continuation of what I started 77 days ago when I started my Bikram 101 challenge (I began on January 9th). In fact, there are so many parallels between practicing Bikram yoga and my Catholic faith.

No matter where I go in the world, even if I don’t understand a lick of what is being said, I can still participate in the 26 plus 2 or the Mass. Some days, I am totally disconnected or distracted while other days I walk out feeling sheer exhilaration, heightened awareness, and pure inspiration. I hear the words uttered from the person in the front yet I am certain that I internalize those words differently from the person next to me. I move as one in the crowd yet we are all at different points in our journey. As things draw to a close and I find myself on my knees – in camel or after receiving the Eucharist – I feel the most vulnerable yet the most connected to the Divine.

And at the end, I receive a blessing: Namaste! May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

It is advised that Lent be spent in prayer, penitence, almsgiving, and self-denial. This year, I found it easier to do these acts since I’ve been practicing them for 90 minutes in the sweat box daily.

Prayer? A 90-minute moving meditation.

Penitence? As I work my way through the tightness and 18-years of scar tissue in my knees in fixed firm, I find myself saying, pleading, “Please knees, forgive me for what I’ve put you through. I promise, I won’t abuse you in the way I used to. Please open up, please release, please heal.”

Almsgiving? I may not be giving wealth but I certainly give my energy and focus to those around me. “Oh no neighbor, please don’t sit down! Stay strong! Here, I have some energy, take it! Come join us when you are ready.”

Self-denial? “No mat. No water. No towel. No hair. No costume. No fidgeting. These things are all irrelevant to your practice. All you need is breathe and stillness,” one teacher always tells us in between postures.

When I first started practicing, I thought she was certifiably insane but now I’ve come to realize that she’s right. I’ve discovered a pattern with myself: when I’m uncomfortable – too hot, too weak, too frustrated – I am not still. Denying the body to move in mountain pose and savasana helps to still the mind and strengthen the spirit.

I am reminded daily of my humanity: my imperfections, my shortcomings, my inabilities. How is it that in the span of a day my body is different, my mind is different, my practice is different? How is it that I can balance on one leg today and fall out of it tomorrow? How come I touched my forehead to my knee in Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee pose yesterday but I can barely graze the tip of my nose to my knee today? Whaaaaat?! I have become aware of how easily I do pivot from praising myself to berating myself, from believing in myself to doubting myself. It’s really incredible how quickly my mind turns on me.

“Your mind is like a rabid dog,” one teacher said. Yes, I see that now.

Yet despite these quick turns of my mind, I have also discovered daily the one constant that never changes. Inevitably, at some point in the 90 minutes, I experience doubt, panic, or weakness. I find that despite these feelings, I still have the mental clarity to search into my dark eyes in the mirror, to take a deep breath, and reach into the deep well within myself, and access the power that I know I have but don’t always believe in. It is the Divine within me, the Spirit that is greater than my humanity. When I tap into this well, I know that everything will be alright, that everything happening in this moment is all that is supposed to be happening, and to accept and be at peace with it even if it is not happening the way I want it to happen.

Next Sunday, the season of Lent culminates with the celebration of Easter, my favorite holy day. The period of fasting and waiting is over. At Easter, I rejoice in the message of mercy, hope, love, and renewal. Easter reminds me that I have to go through suffering, tragedy, and pain before I can be renewed.

Bikram says, “In order to get to heaven you have to go through hell.”

In order to kill my “self” as thedancingj wrote earlier, I have to peel the layers away like the skin of an onion. Each new day is a clean slate; I rise up from sleep and I am in some sense, reborn. Ninety minutes of daily practice teaches me that I have a chance to connect to myself and connect to the Divine. Each new day, I have an opportunity to try again, to reach further, to dig deeper.

Yoga means union of mind, body, and spirit; communion with God and communion with each other. Faith is the same no matter how you practice it. So whether my hands are in prayer at church or in half tortoise, I ask for grace from the Divine so that I may be compassionate, merciful, loving, and at peace towards others but most especially, towards myself.

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ActionJoJo has been a practicing Catholic all her life (except for that momentary lapse in college when she thoroughly questioned and eventually reaffirmed her faith) and a regular practitioner of Bikram since March 2009. A native New Yorker, she practices regularly at Bikram Yoga Union Square and is welcomed on the weekends at Bikram Yoga Astoria. Outside of the sweatbox, she enjoys eating, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family. She dreams of hosting her own travel show and becoming a bikram teacher one day. Find out how she stays out of trouble at http://actionjojo.blogspot.com and check out some of her travel videos at http://www.tripfilms.com/users/thank_you_guppy.

DAY 86: "You're Here..."

2010-03-27T03:56:00.000-07:00

"... That's all that matters. It doesn't matter how well you do the poses. All that matters is that you are here and you try."

These are words I often here from a few different Bikram teachers up here in Toronto. And I find them to be undisputedly true.

I have been practicing this yoga for over five years now. I started doing it because I read an article in 2004 about Jessica Simpson and how she was practicing Bikram yoga. I looked into what exactly it was and the philosophy behind because I was having back pain a few times a month.

I don't believe in taking pills (unless for infection)... And I had tried acupuncture to help heal my back - which worked, except that you have to keep coming back to see long-lasting results. No, I wanted something that was going to strengthen my back. So I tried Bikram yoga. And it worked. Back - STRONG!

So I have always seen this as a "healing yoga." Sure, it's a nice workout... I come out of class with tired muscles, sweat dripping from me, and a nice calorie burn.* But my body is incredibly efficient. Or rather, it's much more efficient than what it was before I started doing this yoga. And since this challenge started, it's even more efficient.

Here are the things this yoga has helped me heal over the years:

Back
Wrists (I used to have REALLY weak wrists. Now I can do some push-ups.)
Fertility (Holy crap! I ovulate on a very precise schedule! Should I ever want to have a kid, I know exactly when to try each month.)
Pulled muscles (A year ago, I badly pulled a calf muscle the doctors said would take weeks to heal. I was fine two days later. Perfectly fine.)
Digestion (You can't put a price on regularity.)

Though I have seen ailments heal themselves, this yoga has actually caused one to start in my body:

Acid reflux
Wheat Intolerance
Dairy Intolerance

I think these two things have shown up, though, because as I am "healing the body, inside out," it has decided that some of the food I put into it just ain't cool.

"Why are you fucking with me, asshole?" is what my body says to me in class on a day when I've had a few pieces of vegetable tempura and a Coke Zero. (This is my favorite lunch.)

After eating some pasta with a spicy arrabiata sauce, followed by a bit of Greek yogurt, my body responds with, "You dumb whore! Now you will have that burning sensation in your chest and throat for hours. And it will combined with a slimy feeling from the dairy!"

My body really pays attention to what I put into it now. And as a result, I have to as well. Because my body is now trained to immediately begin processing what I put into it.

All because I showed up to class to heal.

*Before the 101-day challenge, I would burn about 750 calories in class. But now that I have begun coming every day, my body has adapted. Now I burn about 550.

DAY 85: The Third Cup of Tea

2010-03-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

"The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family..."
- Balti proverb **

There are many traditions around the world where the sharing of food and drink is the ritual that turns strangers into friends. This is just as true in the modern "first world" as it is in the remote mountain town of central Asia. How many relationships have you developed over cups of coffee, glasses of wine, or lunchtime sandwiches? Some of my most precious friendships were sealed over pickle spears and potato chips (although "Three Bags of Potato Chips" has not caught on as a proverb or book title yet.)

So what about shared sweat? What about that strange intimacy that you develop with the stranger who stands next to you as you spill your guts out for 90 minutes, as you tell the story of your life through your movement and your struggle and your sweat?

Sometimes we practice our yoga next to strangers for years, without ever knowing their names. Sometimes we know the name of everyone in the room. Regardless, there have been so many people who I felt that I came to know through our shared time in the yoga room. Sometimes I would never even know them by their first name. But I knew their body, their breath, their focus. I read a quote from Emmy once where she said, "If you ever want to get to know someone, bring them to a Bikram yoga class. By the end of half moon, you'll have found out everything that you'll ever need to know about them." What a thought! We are so exposed, all of us nearly-naked together, doing our best. Sometimes we don't even notice the other people in the room because we are so focused on our own practice (and those days are great). But we're all on the same boat!

I like that Balti proverb, because it lays out the path from stranger to family. And I think the yoga works the same way. At first, we are all just strangers. Then we come to honor and respect one another. Eventually, we are bound together by our sweat (thicker than blood) and become like family. It's strange and wonderful, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

----------------------------------------
** This quote is taken from the title of Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. It's a phenomenal book, and if you haven't read it, you should. It's about this hiker-turned-humanitarian who builds schools for kids, especially girls, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This guy was just one person, with nothing to his name, and he ended up achieving something huge and important. Incredible story.

DAY 84: Best of...the first 50

2010-03-25T20:01:00.001-07:00

Day 1: Every now and then, remind yourself that you're not trying to "kill yourself" by being better than the other guy, by being more aggressive, or by suffering the most. You're trying to "kill your Self" and find the Divine part of you.

Day 2: No. That truck doesn't care who you are, what you have eaten, how hydrated you are or how long you have been practicing. It will run you over occasionally.

Day 3: And that is how classes go sometimes. "Lifetime practice," they call it. You can practice for many years, and you're going to have days where you struggle.

Day 4: "You abuse your body, eventually it will correct you on what it likes and does not like."

Day 5: The Bikram community lost one of its own in the last hours of 2009. A deeply fabulous senior teacher, seminar leader, and true Bikram yogi by the name of Ren Soriano...Across the board, there is one sentiment that keeps being repeated: he is still with us. He still lives in us. We won't forget him. We honor him by living our lives the way he would have wanted us to live. He is with us.

Day 6: Slowly but surely we, as a group, started to get into the groove. We started to open, like a flower petal blooming.

Day 7: I've told myself, "Just get to the room. That is all you have to do. Get to the room. Your body will know where to take it from there for today."

Day 8: This is the upshot to the cumulative: Bikram claims that once you've stored up enough points, you can cut down to two or three classes a week or even "lay off for whole month", and just live on interest.

Day 9: It's a marathon, not a sprint. Just get there. Just go to the studio, lay down your mat and let the teacher guide you through the class.

Day 10: Trust yourself. Know you will be ok. Breathe. See what happens when you get out of your own way. Surrender.

Day 11: "NOOOOO!" I screamed. I walked to the door and looked from him down into the darkness of the descending stairwell. "DAMMIT!"

Day 12: I am so amused and delighted that the "twenty-six and two" can still surprise the heck out of me.

Day 13: When you have a class where you are one with the dialog you know it. It's the best feeling in the world. This is why I fell in love with Bikram yoga and no other.....it's a beautiful 90 minute moving meditation.

Day 14: "No," I said back, loudly. "It's my ass muscles! They burn!" She laughed. I think other people did too. It was hot. I don't exactly remember other people.

Day 15: We get so excited for every single person who taps into the power of Bikram's yoga. They all matter to us. Everyone is cheering, everyone cares.

Day 16: “Who are we, not to shine?”

Day 17: We've all been there; we've all experienced the negative spiral of emotions that sometimes ensues in the yoga room.

Day 18: And already my body is showing the signs of a Bikram Yoga Challenge...the piece de resistance... My Bikram Stigmata!

Day 19: We know that we're investing in our futures, and the investment is a solid one.

Day 20: Can you transform your whole life in 60 days?

Day 21: ...endurance is coming back. It's been great. I'm seeing my poses stabilize right before my own eyes.

Day 22: "Do your practice and all is coming." I always loved that.

Day 23: There are some teachers that are commonly known throughout the Bikram community. Diane Ducharme. Craig Villani. Mary Jarvis. Lynn Whitlow. These are amazing senior teachers that are very well respected and well loved in our wonderful little community.

Day 24: I started to argue that bulls are much stronger than yoga, but that’s not true. When you put 33 students in a yoga studio, yoga just gets stronger.

Day 25: I love that simply changing where I put my mat offered a new challenge in my practice.

Day 26: Yes, "fresh oxygenated blood"! No kidding.

Day 27: The series of 26 and 2 is really all your body needs.

Day 28: You know what they say...family first, then yoga & iPhone are simultaneous, equal, 50-50.

Day 29: Tomorrow as we lay our mats down and honor our challenge by hitting our 30 day milestone, it would be wonderful if you could think of my friend and send light, love and healing her way.......

Day 30: Feeling good? I bet you are!

Day 31: It doesn't matter how beautiful you are. How much money you have. How people look up to you. How many friends you have. How successful your career is. How much power you have. All those things that might seem important "out there" are worth nothing inside Bikram’s torture chamber.

Day 32: I found myself BAWLING in the floor series. Not because I was in pain. But because I was suddenly sad. I don't know why... But my body wanted me to cry. So I did.

Day 33: The room is too hot, the room is too cold, the room is too empty, the room is too crowded, the carpet stinks, the lights are too bright, your water bottle is heating up, and that dude really needs a shower.

Day 34: So it's OK if you cry. And it doesn't even have to be after Camel. Let it out!

Day 35: The opportunity is there, but one must have the courage, tenacity and desire to take it.

Day 36: We compress. We extend. We flex. We point. We stretch. We SWEAT. We move our bodies in ways that nature intended. No props. No modifications. Just you. Just your body, your determination. Your guts. Your glory.

Day 37: The only thing people in the hot room really have in common is that they showed up that day. But for all of us those same 90 minutes are completely different.

Day 38: How far my journey down the path of yoga will lead I can't tell. But today I caught a rear glimpse at how far ago this journey started and I feel blessed.

Day 39: I promise, I'm no wizard.

Day 40: I'd rather talk about yoga than myself, but today I will talk about myself. And yoga.

Day 41: Continuers come back. Once a day, once a week or something in between. They come regularly. They have an open mind and want to learn. They continue. They do their yoga continually.

Day 42: Some things are gonna' hurt like hell--don't be scared.

Day 43: When good people compete with each other - not against, but with - without malice or pettiness, everyone improves from it.

Day 44: After all, you are doing this for yourself and not to prove anything or receive some sort of award.

Day 45: Don't even get me started on what it feels like to do rabbit with my DD's and with this gut that used to be a 6-pack. "Stop judging and breathe normal." Breathe normal? It sounds like I'm motor-boating myself!

Day 46: When I do certain poses, certain memories come back. Not bad memories. Just random ones.

Day 47: It was a wild, disorganized, and wonderful weekend, all in true Bikram style.

Day 48: Now I don't know about you, but doing yoga so many days in a row sometimes the dialog can sound like the teacher on charlie brown "wah, wah, wah, waaaa" That's no good. We need to listen to the dialog like we are hearing it for the first time.

Day 49: Resist the urge to take that habitual sip of water right before Fixed Firm (ummmm...yes, I'm talking to you).

Day 50: Take my hand, and we'll make it, I swear!

DAY 83: Making Shapes.

2010-03-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

by: Greg Stockdale

I had a very interesting discussion with a teacher a few weeks ago about the difference between practicing Bikram yoga vs. making shapes with your body. This topic came up as I was lamenting my lack of flexibility, and complaining that there are so many students that are more flexible than me. While many of these students are indeed very good, a few of them are just, well, making shapes. Having a good practice isn't just showing up and moving your body into different positions for 90 minutes. Just imagine doing the postures in the right sequence in the heated room, but add in loud music, people talking, wandering around the room, leaving the room, drinking water whenever they want, etc. Do you think you'd get a lot of that class? Of course not!

Of all the things I pay attention to when I'm practicing, it all begins with my focus. When that's good, then the breathing is good, the discipline is good, and the class just flows. If my focus goes out, you guessed it, I start just making shapes with my body. My focus is the thing I have the most control over. I don't know how my body will react to each posture, or if the room feels too hot or cold that day, or if the person next me is wandering around their mat. I can control if I'm in the room and focused and if I do that, it's a smooth ride for the whole class.

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Greg has been practicing Bikram Yoga since August 2009. He has completed over 230 classes in 220 days since starting and has handled numerous physical ailments since he started. In between classes, he lives and works in Las Vegas, where the temperature outside is sometimes hotter than the yoga room. He has his own blog at anotherversionoftruth.blogspot.com.

DAY 82: Wherever You Go!

2010-03-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

I watched one of my all-time favorite short videos on YouTube last night, and it made me think of Bikram yoga. It's the "Where the Hell is Matt?" video, in which this guy travels around the world and does the same silly dance everywhere he goes, with all the different people he finds. Our yoga is similar in so many ways. It's the same everywhere you go, and it speaks through a universal language - movement - that can bring people together regardless of age, race, gender, or anything else!

I've seen this many times and it still never gets old for me. Enjoy!! (It's definitely worth clicking through to YouTube and watching in full screen HD, by the way...)

Day 81: Heat? What Heat?

2010-03-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Time is flying by! We only have TWENTY DAYS LEFT!!!!

Now that we are 80 classes into this challenge, I have to say...

I don't even notice the heat anymore.

Do you guys? I mean, I know it is there. I can feel it. But it definitely does not distract me from my practice like it used to. No more dizzy spells. No more getting tired. Now, when I fall out of poses, it is purely because my hands slip or my muscles are shaking and can't hold me anymore.

But the heat?

What the hell is that?

DAY 80: Baskin Bikrams.

2010-03-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

by: Stephanie Marek

So I’ve never actually been to a Baskin Robbins, but everybody knows their original claim to fame was having 31 different flavors of ice cream. According to their website, that number has since grown exponentially. And if you’re lucky enough to be near an actual store location, you can go in and they will let you TRY as many flavors as you want by giving you samples on little pink spoons. Pretty cool!

Well at a recent yoga class, on my little pink mat, I got a sampling of some of the different “flavors” Bikram has to offer. It was a class during which I experienced MANY distinct sensations! So many, in fact, that I know this post is going to end up sounding more like a list of ice cream flavors rather than an eloquent piece of writing. Oh well, I’m just going with it! :)

#1. “HUNK-A CHUNK-A HALF MOON HUNGER” During this posture my stomach felt like it was gnawing on itself and I kept thinking about all the things I wanted to eat when I got home. This is not the first time I’ve experienced the pangs of hunger in Half Moon. I like to practice on a fairly empty stomach, and many times it’s just really apparent in this posture specifically. Fortunately, the feeling never stays with me through all of class. (Is there a logical explanation for why that is? Fellow yoga dorks, feel free to comment back with any insights.)

#2. “SURPRISINGLY SWEET HANDS-TO-FEET” A few weeks ago I was getting praise in Hands-to-Feet and I could tell I was making some progress towards locking out my knees. But lately that has stopped and I’ve been feeling like I’m actually regressing a little in this posture. Therefore, it was a DELIGHTFUL surprise when during this class something opened up in second set and I experienced an awesome full-body stretch! Let me tell you, I felt like I could have stayed there all night! It really was sweet!

#3. “ARCTIC AWKWARD FREEZE” I‘ve heard that the more easily you break into a sweat, the more efficiently your body is at cooling itself. I was already working up a great sweat by the time we got to Awkward, and I did feel a nice coolness despite there being no breeze in the room. Recently I’ve been kind of hating Awkward, but this made me actually dig in and enjoy it!

#4. “STANDING SERIES SUPREME WITH TERRIFIC TRIANGLE SWIRL” I felt really satisfied by pretty much my whole standing series in this class. Despite falling out of postures probably as much as I normally do, I had a lot of energy and was really focused on trying the right way. And then the cherry on top of this Bikram Sundae was that I felt like I had tremendous strength in Triangle! Normally, I pretty much loathe every second of Triangle. (I swear getting my hips down low enough will be the death of me!) But for once it seemed like I was nailing that “perfect upside down ‘L’ ” on each side and I had enough strength to stay in the posture for the whole time. This was a nice change for me- perhaps my favorite flavor!

#5. SLOW CHURNED FLOOR SERIES WITH FOOT CRAMP CRUNCH” Once the floor series started it seemed like an entirely different class. My energy and strength were zapped. I was moving really slowly in and out of postures because the lower half of my body felt like lead. On top of that, my feet were cramping up horribly throughout all off spine strengthening. There wasn’t a single Savasana where I could keep my toes together and let my heels fall open while on my stomach; I had to keep flexing my feet back against the floor as a counteractive measure. These killer foot cramps returned later during final breathing and prevented me from even doing the first set.

#6. “CAMELL-O HELL-O JELL-O” After having gotten over my initial fear and dislike of Camel back when I first started practicing, I’ve become one of those people who actually likes this posture. In fact, I love it and usually feel really good in it. But in this class Camel harkened back to my early days of practice. I was really shaky and weak; my legs might as well have been columns of Jell-O. I was quickly getting down into Savasana to make “the dizzies” stop. In a way though, it was cool to experience this again now that I’m more confident in this posture and can trust it. (By “trust” I mean basically knowing that I’m not going to die.) This wasn’t my favorite flavor, but I’m actually glad I got to try it again.

#7. “FAMOUS J’s RED-HOT RABBIT” (That’s right, fellow 101 challenger and one of the main authors of the Bikram 101 blog, thedancingj, has been immortalized as a Baskin Bikrams flavor!) By the time we got to Rabbit that nice coolness I experienced back in Awkward had been obliterated. My skin felt like it was being scorched and I really thought my face just might MELT OFF! But during this time I recalled J’s recent post where she talked about how although we will always feel discomfort in class every now and then, to some extent we have a choice about suffering. So I decided to just acknowledge that I was feeling really hot and go with it; I was uncomfortable but I was not going to suffer. I even smiled a little remembering how in the same post J was downright gushy about her love of Rabbit. :)

#8. “WET & WILD HEAD-TO-KNEE WITH STRETCHING” Normally towards the end of class I’m no longer aware of how much I’m sweating. I’m soaked to the skin no matter what. But during this class my upper body was noticeably raining on my legs in Head-To-Knee with Stretching. Each time I leaned forward I felt the heavy PLUNK, PLUNK, PLUNK of sweat beads dripping down. It was nice and juicy!

I could go on and on with the list, but it’s probably time I talk more about what I think all of this means. Other than showcasing my penchant for making up silly names for the postures, it tells me that on this particular day I successfully stayed present for the entire class. It’s something our teachers always remind us to do, but it’s easier said than done. Far too often those outside thoughts creep in and our minds drift away from what’s actually happening in the hot room. Although sometimes we need a little distraction to lift us and get us through a tough moment, it’s important to try and come back and focus on the present, no matter what we may be feeling. This hyper-awareness really connected my body and mind, and I quite enjoyed it! Some sensations I liked, some I didn’t, but it reminded me of one thing for sure: With all the different “flavors” Bikram has to offer, I’ll never get bored!

In closing I would like to pose a question to all those who are reading: What’s the name of YOUR favorite (or least favorite, most unusual, etc.) Baskin Bikrams flavor??? I want to know! This is a call to my fellow yogis to flex that creative muscle between your ears and comment back! Looking forward to hearing from you all! :)

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Stephanie hails from the lovely western Massachusetts. She is completing the Bikram 101 Challenge at Bikram Yoga Northampton, where she began her practice in October of 2009. When not in the hot room she loves spending time with family, friends, and her cat, Buddy. She also enjoys dining-out adventures, writing, shopping, and anything relating to either The Wizard of Oz, Sex and the City, or Lady Gaga. Stephanie currently works in the field of advertising as a full-time Media Buyer, but she hopes to one day complete Bikram Teacher Training so that she can turn her passion for yoga into a career. This is Stephanie’s first challenge and you can read more about her experience at http://ladyyogaga.blogspot.com/.

DAY 79: Dwelling, Dreaming, & Concentrating…

2010-03-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

by: Heidi K.

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” --- Buddha

The individual journey that we all experience together in the Bikram Yoga room are each very unique, changing, and challenging and follow us outside the yoga studio, whether we like it or not. When we are in the hot room, we are to use our body over mind; to listen only to the teacher’s words and to allow our bodies to do as they say. It must be a tremendous thing as a Bikram Yoga teacher to watch so many people all in the same room all going through very different things at the same time and to have such influence on those experiences, encouraging patience, progress, and change.

The quote that I am sharing today is one we should all try and remember each and every time we set foot into the yoga studio (and every other place, for that matter.) When we are struggling through balancing postures, do not dwell in the past and give that second set all you’ve got. When we are feeling overheated and lightheaded, do not dream of the future posture coming up (in my case Camel!) We must remember to concentrate our minds on the present moment of where we are in each and every posture, whether we are able to fully balance in standing forehead to knee or not; in each and every way with our co-workers or family members, we must remember our breath and our yoga. Whether our forehead is touching the floor in separate leg stretching (or not), or whether we can or cannot “lock the knee” or are still working on that solid lamppost base, we must remain in the present.

What we must remember and be mindful of is that each and every day, whether it is a “good” or “bad” day, we are on this spectacular journey through our bodies and minds and are learning so much from our instructors, each other, and ourselves through each and every breath we take. This is our journey and we are so incredibly lucky to have found this path and to be able to experience its wonders together. Happy Bikram 101 yoga-ing!

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Heidi, a Community Banker by day, lives in Portland, OR and practices at the SE Moreland Bikram Yoga studio. This is her fourth year at this studio and had practiced several years prior to finding her “yoga home.” This is Heidi’s first challenge and she hopes to one day attend teacher training and open her own Bikram Yoga studio to continue sharing her passion for this wonderful practice. She is inspired daily by all those that practice alongside her and loves discussing love, food, and life! You can follow her at her personal blog, Asanas, Sweat, Love, Life & Relationships.

DAY 78: Hey, Good Lookin'!

2010-03-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

I had a really fun class this morning! The room was full of energy and everything seemed to be flowing in the right direction. My body felt great. (Think is has anything to do with this challenge thingie?!) And I had a funny moment when I peeked in the mirror to check my arms in triangle pose. Out of the blue, I thought: "DAMN! I look GREAT!!"

Now, my point here isn't that I am super good looking - that's neither here nor there. My point is that it feels really good to suddenly see your body in the mirror and think, "Wow, look at what I'm doing. Is that really me? That's crazy!"

Yoga is supposed to teach you to love yourself. It's not supposed to feed your ego or teach you vanity, but it's supposed to teach you to genuinely love and appreciate yourself, the way you would love and appreciate a good friend. Since January 1st, I think it's safe to say that everyone has gone through changes, big or small, happening gradually or suddenly. And though the journey's not over yet - would you ever want it to really end? - it's wonderful to appreciate where we are and what we've accomplished.

Yoga teaches you to love yourself now. Perfection is not the goal. It's not even part of the equation. So when you peek in the mirror, see if you can notice the amazing things that have already happened. Don't wait to fall in love. You don't have to play that game. You know the game I mean, right? "It'll all be great when I lose 10 more pounds." "It'll all be great when I finish this project." "It'll all be great after I've done 22 more yoga classes." Forget that stuff! Don't wait for a different body, a different day, a different person. You're already there. And you look great.

(And if there are still changes that need to be made... well, that's fine! Because if you love yourself today, then you'll only want to do what's best for you tomorrow...)

DAY 77: Bikram Haiku

2010-03-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

Bikram Haiku:

mat down on the line

strong and silent in the heat

pleasure of the pain

Day 76: Happy St. Pattys Day! Don't forget to wear green, except when going to yoga....

2010-03-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

If you've been hanging around the Bikram community for any length of time you probably have heard that you should not wear green when taking class from Bikram himself. Do not have green shorts or top on. Do not bring a green mat. Do not have a green towel, hand towel, washcloth, water bottle, hair tie. In fact, if you have green eyes, close 'em! (just kidding about the eyes)

Bikram considers green bad luck. If you are considering going to teacher training don't pack any green. In fact, don't wear blue shorts and a yellow top because blue + yellow = green. If you have something you are unsure of (hmmm, is this aqua, or green??) then don't bring it. If you have to question it, it's going to look like green to Bikram.

Why does he consider green bad luck? I asked long time beloved teacher John Salvatore this question via facebook yesterday and received this reply:

Here is the story:
As you may know, Bikram's guru was Bishnu Ghosh. Bishnu's eldest son died in a fire trying to save his friend, that unbeknownst to him, had already gotten out. He was wearing a green shirt that Bishnu told him not to wear because it was considered bad luck.

So there you have it. Happy St. Patty's day everybody!

John Salvatore hails from NYC and is currently teaching in Las Vegas. He performs for the show "The Jersey Boys" on the strip. He doesn't teach very many classes per week, but the ones he does teach draw a large crowd. You can expect an awesome class full of humor, compassion and heat! John likes it hot and humid and you will come out of his class a whole new yogi!

DAY 75: Saints and Crazy People

2010-03-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how quickly the end of this challenge is approaching, and the guest posts are just getting better and better. How am I supposed to follow that last one?! Thanks a lot, Robert!

As this challenge rolls along towards April, I've heard quite a few people lately saying, "Wait, but what do we do when we get to the end? I feel like I'm just getting to the good stuff!" If that's you, then good! Great! Keep practicing! Maybe your friends think it's just a little bit crazy, but there's nothing wrong with practicing almost every day. It doesn't have to be part of a "yoga challenge." If you need to call it a Challenge to keep yourself honest, that's okay, but I always see the Challenges as jump-starts more than anything else. Once you have momentum, it doesn't take any extra effort to keep cruising along at the same speed (disregarding the effects of air resistance and friction).

It's a lifetime practice, and it's a lifestyle, too. Outside of Challenges, you just don't have to worry about "rules" and "make-up classes." Check out what Bikram has to say on the subject:

   "Bikram," asks Lavinia stiffly, "who wants to get into something they've got to do for an hour and a half every day for the rest of their lives?"
   "Who told you that? Did *I* ever tell you that? Anyone who tell you you got to do Yoga every day for rest of life, or that they do full set of Yoga every day for years, he crazy or saint or both. Regular people like us,, we got to worry about the garbage disposal don't work, Tommy's scout troop has a picnic, there's a good movie on TV - important things like that. So some days we can't do. That's perfectly okay if you did your Yoga right to start with."
   ~ Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class, pg 12 (1st edition)

All saints and crazy people... please raise your hands.

(I'm not raising my hand, because I often do "only" six days of yoga a week so that I can go on a hike, clean my room, go to a movie, or whatever. Even at teacher training we will only be doing yoga six days a week - though five of the other days include doubles!)

Of course, some people are probably just looking forward to sitting on the couch eating popcorn for a week and catching up on Lost. :)

DAY 74: My Story.

2010-03-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

by: Robert Wingo

"The question is not when's he gonna stop, but who is gonna stop him." ~ Super Soul in Vanishing Point (1971)

On Sunday, March 14th, I will have completed my 318th Bikram Yoga class in 318 days. Yes. You read that right. That's a little over 3 back-to-back Bikram 101 challenges. There have been plenty of days where I did not want to be in the hot room. But I use my English bulldog determination to make myself go and throw my mat on the line. Since May 1, 2009, I have missed 2 days in a row only 3 times. I will occasionally miss a single day every now and then. Missed days have been "made up" by taking 2 classes in 1 day.

I guess I'm officially the "Crazy Yoga Guy" at my studio. I have my own stash of shiny stars that I keep in my bag for my 60-day challenge sheets. And I'm beginning to hear comments about me wallpapering the studio lobby with my sheets. I am on my 6th back-to-back 60-day challenge.

At 200 classes in 200 days, even some of the instructors were giving me funny looks. A couple of them suggested that I "take a break" and get some rest. At 300 classes in 300 days, one of my instructors asked what my "finish line" was. I didn't have an answer to that question. I have a personal goal of making it to 365 classes in 365 days, but I don't see myself stopping there. After discussing the "finish line" question with my wife, she suggested that my coffin be my "finish line". I rather like that idea so long as I don't end up dying on my mat in the yoga room any time soon!

So we've established that I've done a lot of yoga this past year... but I should probably back up a bit and tell you "why" I enter Bikram's Torture Chamber nearly every day.

My doctor was not happy with the direction my weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol were heading. I wasn't particularly happy with what was going on in those areas, either! I came to Bikram Yoga in March of 2009 as a last resort after an unsuccessful year of trying to address my issues in the gym with weights and cardio. My wife had been doing Bikram Yoga for about a year and suggested that it might help me with my problems.

In addition to the problems I just listed, I have had psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis for 27 years. In very general terms, I have an autoimmune disorder that causes my body's immune system to freak out a bit and attack my skin (psoriasis) and my joints (psoriatic arthritis).

The psoriasis causes unattractive red, scaly patches of skin. At its worst, I had it on the majority of my scalp, a good portion of my back and torso, lower legs, and it had started to show up more on my face and on my arms. As you can imagine, I wasn't particularly happy with my body image at this point. Summer weather and going swimming were extremely stressful and I avoided shorts and the pool more often than not.

Psoriatic arthritis is a lot like rheumatoid arthritis. It damages the joints over time, is very painful, and can be crippling and debilitating if severe enough. Some people with psoriatic arthritis end up needing surgery to replace joints and others simply end up in wheelchairs. Sometimes, my arthritis will attack one joint. Other times, it may attack a few joints. At its worst, it would feel like every joint in my body was on fire. Just getting out of bed in the morning could prove to be excruciatingly painful if I was having a really nasty flare up. So now I'm not happy with my body image and having to deal with a lot of chronic pain. Needless to say, my quality of life was less than stellar at this point.

Several years ago, they came out with some new class of drugs for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. These new drugs blocked a specific component of the body's inflammatory process that creates the psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis symptoms. The medication worked great for my symptoms. Within a couple of months, my skin was nearly clear and my joints felt great! But, there were a few problems. To keep my symptoms subdued required me to take double the recommended dose of the medication. Plus, the medication has a few very rare, but troublesome potential side effects like cancer (lymphoma), possibly triggering neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis, inflammation of the optic nerve, and congestive heart failure. The medication also suppressed my immune system making me more susceptible to infections. I had gotten to where I would take the medication for a few weeks and then see how long I could coast without it until my symptoms got unbearable again.

In March of 2009, I came to Bikram Yoga out of desperation. I was going to be 39 in a couple of weeks and had a 3 year old daughter. I was very worried about what my health and body would be like in another 10, 15, 20 years. All of the "traditional" methods for treating my problems had either failed or had potentially nasty consequences. The first 3 months of my yoga practice, I was without my medication for my psoriasis and arthritis as my doctor and my insurance company argued about my dose. But, during those 3 months, both my skin and arthritis symptoms continued to improve. Throughout my yoga practice this past year, especially in those first 6 months, my arthritis attacked my ankles, knees, hips, back, ribs, shoulders, and elbows. I have spent months just lying on my arms in locust pose waiting for the arthritis pain to subside in my elbows. Some nights, I'm able to kick my legs up, most nights, it still hurts to much. Despite that minor issue, I have seen some amazing changes in my body.

It took me:

- 2 months to begin to get my fingers under my foot in standing head to knee
- 2.5 months to touch my toes for the first time with the yoga sit-up
- 3.5 months to be able to grab both feet in floor bow (I could barely grab 1 foot when I started and I actually strained some rib muscles trying to grab both feet in floor bow when I started)
- 3.5 months to get hips to begin to touch heels in fixed firm
- 4 months to be able to do 3rd part of awkward pose with control without falling over (I have enough control now that I am usually one of the last people down)
- 6.5 months to begin to get both hips and foot on the floor in spine twist (foot isn't flat, but it's touching the floor!)
- 7 months to be able to interlace fingers in eagle pose
- 7 months to begin to get my elbow "in front" of my knee in spine twist instead of "on top" of my knee
- 8 months to be able to comfortably straighten my legs with my hands on the floor in standing separate leg stretching
- 8.5 months to begin to really be able to kick up and back in bow pose
- 8.5 months to get forehead on the floor in half tortoise
- 10 months to get hips and shoulders level in tree pose
- 11 months to be able to begin to be able to get into, hold, and get out of the 2nd part of awkward pose
- 11 months to get hips to touch the floor (barely) for the first time in fixed firm

The most significant changes for me:

- I have recovered a tremendous amount of pain free range of motion in my ankles, knees, hips, back, shoulders, and elbows.
- I have not had to take any of my prescription medication for my arthritis in almost 6 months!

I have also healed many annoying, persistent pains that I had from my arthritis and from old injuries. My skin symptoms are stable. I have a few stubborn spots on my legs, but they are slowly improving. I will get occasional spots elsewhere, but they usually disappear after a short period of time. I have not lost any weight, but I have lost a lot of inches. I have added a significant amount of muscle to my shoulders, back, and legs. Many people say that it looks like I have lost at least 15 pounds. I feel better now than I have in many years.

The yoga is absolutely one of the hardest things I have ever done! There have been plenty of days where I have been tired, run down, hurting from my arthritis, or just didn't feel well, but I make myself go to the studio and have always been glad that I went. There have been some nights where I thought I was going to die and/or spontaneously combust on my mat, but, on those days, I just try to do as much of the yoga as I can. I am there nearly every day because if I miss 1 day, it's uncomfortable when I get back to the yoga. If I miss 2 days, it hurts when I get back to the yoga.

I could not have done this without the support of my wife Lisa. She has been doing Bikram Yoga for about 2 years now and she went with me to my 1st class. We both work full time, but she makes sure that I have a mat and clothes for class and takes care of our 4 year old daughter while I go to class every night.

A lot of people have asked me how I find the time to go to class every night. To be honest, I'm not missing out on anything. The time that I take to go to yoga would have normally been spent watching TV or goofing around on the computer. Things like Facebook, Farmville, American Idol, etc. won't do anything to improve my life or my body.

Bikram says give him 60 days and he will give you a new body, a new mind, and a new life. He wasn't kidding! The yoga is 90 minutes of medicine that my body needs every day. The yoga keeps working, so I keep going back. My yoga practice is far from pretty and I have a long way to go in many of the postures. I absolutely believe that if you keep a consistent yoga practice and give an honest effort, that you will see amazing results.

What do you have to lose? But, more importantly, what could you potentially gain?

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Robert is a soon-to-be-40 year old married guy in Houston, TX. He was an oncology nurse in a previous career, but is now a desk jockey and nerd wrangler managing a small group of analysts that support computer systems and technology for the Department of Nursing at a large, well known hospital. He has been practicing Bikram Yoga for about 1 year at the Bikram Yoga College of India in Houston at the South Blvd location.

DAY 73: “She Said WHAT?!”

2010-03-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

by: Mei N.

Day 73 already, it seems. That makes it 146 times you have heard the dialogue day-in, day-out. But have you paused to really LISTEN to what your teacher just said?

Do it! I urge you! The dialogue is SIMPLY AMAZING because not only does it tell you WHAT to do, WHEN to do and HOW to do in the simplest of English [Arms over your head versus Lift your arms up over your head] … the dialogue also has the FUNNIEST things in it, all the time!

Of course no one laughs during class when listening to dialogue as you’re trying very very hard to breathe and not die in the room [I’m offering a lifetime membership if you die in my class :D ].

Here are just some of the FUNNIEST things – straight off the dialogue – that one hears in class!

Pranayama Breathing:

“Stomach in, open your ribcage, open your lungs” – Literally, like, you want me to OPEN my lungs now?

Half Moon Pose:

“… opening your chest like a flower petal blooming”. By now, some classes I feel like DYING. And flowers don’t exactly bloom in 40ºC / 110ºF temperature.

Backward Bending:

“Your back is going to hurt like hell, don’t be scared”. EXCUSE ME IT’S GOING TO HURT, WHY SHOULD I NOT BE SCARED? [small voice : because it’s GOOOOD for you!]

Hands to feet Pose:

“Japanese ham sandwich, no gap anywhere”. Nice and tight, compact! It always gives me the giggles to think of a sandwich during yoga.

“… smiling, happy, face”. Nuff said.

Awkward Pose:

“Open your knees, keep 6 inches between your toes, heels knees and hands” - *snigger. Sorry, that line just sounds really dirty [well, ahem, to ME at least. No really, TINK OF IT!]

Balancing Stick Pose:

“Scapula coming out of the body, shoulders are supposed to hurt” – If your scapula really does come out, your shoulder wouldn’t hurt. No no. MY brain will hurt. Bad.

Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose:

“If you cannot touch your forehead to the floor, open your legs more and more and more and more” I guess it’s the ONLY time if the day when someone tells you to open your legs and you oblige. I’ll admit that I nearly said “Spread your legs open more and more and more”.

Triangle Pose:

“Take a deep breath, continuously stretch your left arm up to the ceiling, you’re trying to touch the ceiling” - *STREEEEEETCH. Eeegh. Which brings me to my next point…

“Quick, right arm stretch up, you’re going to touch the ceiling pretty soon” This line makes me smile!!!! Cause try as I may, my hands are 4.5 miles away from the damn ceiling.

Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose:

“Exhale breathing, and you go dooooowwwwwn” Reminds me of the song “Baby are you down down down down doooowwwwwwwnnn”.

Tree Pose:

“Opening up hips and pelvis…” Hey men, please don’t use this on fellow yoginis after class “Hey baby, wanna know what’s a gooood hip and pelvis opener?” dodgy wriggle of eyebrows.

Savasana:

“Yoga is a gas station…”. OK, the next posture will MOST DEFINITELY ELIMINATE gas.

Wind Removing Pose:

“Freeze. Don’t Move. You can’t even blink your eyes” For some reason, this line reminds me of Robocop [and elicits mental giggles in class at times]. Probably the first time I heard the word FREEZE in a cop movie.

Full Locst Pose:

“747 taking off” Doesn’t this sound funny as you’re heaving and trying to lift your arms up? Or does it make you want to throw your bottle at your teacher? *DUCK

Camel Pose:

“Stand up on your knees. 6 inches apart, inside the legs, between the knees and the feet”. Let us consider the multiple meanings of the previous sentence. 6 inches. Apart. Inside. The. Legs.

“Everybody push, push more, everybody push harder”. I honestly didn’t think this line is funny [because at this point of time everyone including yours truly is just concentrating on pushing forward / lifting chest up and trying not to puke slightly or pass out] until a friend got hold of my dialogue and discovered that this line… has a double meaning. I think.

“Second set, 8 inches between the knees, still only 6 inches between the feet”. Again. 8. inches. Between. Knees.

Spine Twisting Pose :

“Right arm on your back, palm facing out. Try to grab the thigh behind you with your right hand fingertips”. Literally, like, grab the thigh of the [hopefully cute] guy/gal behind me?

WELLLL okiiiiiiieeee…

And there you have it! ACTUAL FUNNY SAYINGS from the Dialogue! Go forth and conquer Day 74 with a smile and grin, knowing that although some classes may be tough, at least there are parts there to humour you :)

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A graduate of Fall 2009 Bikram Yoga Teacher Training, Mei N. hails from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and teaches in Subang Jaya and Pavilion. When she’s not trying to fall off podiums while teaching, Mei N. can be found (sporadically, at least!) blogging when she’s not geeking on her dialogue.

DAY 72: So THAT's What It Feels Like!

2010-03-13T19:16:00.000-08:00

Throughout this challenge, there have been some poses that continue to be the bane of my existence. (Second part of Awkward and Standing Head to Knee!) But there are a few where I have made huge progress in, and I can really feel it. The one pose where I have made the biggest progress recently???

Cobra pose!

About a week ago, I was lying on my mat, wish the spine-strengthening series would die a slow STD-ridden death. (I hated it that much.) We had only just flipped over onto our bellies and done the first set of Cobra. The teacher teaching, though, knew I was half-assing it... She knew I was surrendering to the absence of energy into my mind. Yet, instead of verbally calling me out on it in class, in the second set she did something that helped me get back into line with my energy and pose...

She stood on my feet.

Yep, she made DAMN SURE my feet and legs were GROUNDED into my mat. And when she told us to lift our bodies up and lean back, without using the strength in our arms, I was ale to do it with an amazing amount of power.

My back was so strong, and my feet were so grounded, that I was able to get my back nearly perpendicular to the floor! Or, so it felt!

"So THAT'S what it feels like to have your legs grounded into the floor!!!" I thought to myself.

It's not standard for a Bikram yoga teacher to touch or adjust you in poses. But in this class, it really helped me understand WHAT it is my body should be striving to feel like in that pose.

Since then, my Cobra pose has really rocked. And today in class, the studio owner complimented me on it. ("Beautiful!")

Now... If only there was a way one of the teachers could show me how Standing Head to Knee is supposed to feel.

DAY 71: Nothing to Lose

2010-03-12T21:41:00.000-08:00

Thirty days left. Wow! Remember the days when a 30-day challenge seemed insurmountable? I bet that 30-day period looks a lot different from Day 71....

I actually took a lovely non-Bikram yoga class this evening, outside of the challenge (putting me a little bit behind, but oh well). Even though the class was the polar opposite of a Bikram class - music playing, lots of philosophizing, all free form - it all felt familiar, because the instructor said some great things that really resonated with the teachings I already know from Bikram.

The teacher's name was Eddie. He is soft-spoken and gentle but very funny, he drops F-bombs for emphasis, and he looks a bit like Miranda's boyfriend Steve from Sex and the City. (It wasn't until tonight that I finally figured out who he looks like! He has the same hair.)

Anyway, there's one thing that Eddie almost always tells his classes: everything you think you know about yourself and your body is wrong. Not just some of it. All of it.

Who do you think you are? Are you defined by your job? Your family? Your relationships? Your heritage? Your clothes, your accessories, your house? Your education? Your yoga practice? What do you have left when you take those things away?

And what about your body? When was the last time you saw your body as a whole, instead of seeing bits and pieces of things that you like or things that you want to change? Would you be a different person if you lost 10 inches off your waist, shaved your head, got a tan, had longer legs, got a nose job? Are you defined by your stiffness? Are you defined by your great standing bow? (Don't let the positives define you, because that's a trap, too.) Are any of these things YOU?

Of course not.

Bikram says: "You have nothing to lose, because you never had anything to begin with."

Okay. You have nothing to lose. So what are you doing? You pile up all these things, ideas and people around yourself trying to create an identity, and that's totally okay, but that's not actually YOU. The thing that makes you YOU is something that no one can take away. On the flip side, it's not something that you can GET, either. You already HAVE it. You're not going to find it by searching under the couch cushions, not this time.

And this is one of my favorite things about the yoga room, because slowly but surely, it strips all these layer away. It is a radical equalizer. When you're in there, your job doesn't matter. Your money doesn't matter. You can even leave your family and your relationships at the door, just for the moment. All you've got is your body and your Self. And it doesn't matter what your body looks like in that moment - it just matters how it moves, how it breathes. It just matters that you try. We are all the same in these... dozens of little pinpoints of light, shedding layer after layer, getting brighter and brighter.

DAY 70: Paradoxical

2010-03-11T17:41:00.000-08:00

Why?

Why? They ask.

Why do you like that miserable, hot, sweaty yoga?

Why?

I'll tell you why.

It's quite a paradox, actually.

Bikram is...

my time alone & my time with friends.

my meditation & my motivation.

my support group & my individual therapy.

my stimulant & my Valium.

my realization & my lack of attainment.

it's a hobby & a habit.

it's leisure time & party time.

it's detoxification & intoxication.

it's strength & weakness.

it's success & failure.

it's relaxation & rejuvenation.

it's learning & growing.

it's determination & acceptance.

That's why.

Day 69: Why Bikram is Magical

2010-03-10T20:57:00.001-08:00

If you follow my blog, you know that I have dabbled a bit in other forms of yoga on top of doing Bikram. I'm three Bikram classes behind, but if I were allowed to count my other classes I'd actually be ahead by one. Curiosity and much prodding from friends who do these other yogas drove me to try them out. Power flow and Baptiste are the two (heated) yoga forms I have sampled. I liked them both. Baptiste more so than the Power Flow. However, even though I enjoyed them, I always ran back into the hot Bikram room anxiously, glad it was still there for me. You see, while I like those other forms, it's just not the same as the 26 and 2 of Bikram. The dialog, the room conditions, the teachers, the sequence....put together it's magic. It's cleansing, healing, soul purging and I find that I need it. I may not want to do it, but I always feel better after it's over. It isn't something that is nice to do. For me, it's something that is necessary to do. Like breathing, eating and pooping. So for the next 32 days I'm finished with my dabbling. I'm going to stay home, with my Bikram and finish out this challenge strong. I will catch up the three classes and be grateful that I live in a city that provides this amazing form of yoga in abundance!

DAY 68: Frequency, Precision, Intensity

2010-03-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

One of the lovely Bikram 101 bloggers (thanks Johan!) reminded me last week of one of my favorite Emmy-isms. (If you don't know who Emmy is yet, you can click here or here for a little idea.) Emmy says that there are three components that you need for a successful yoga practice: frequency, precision, and intensity. ("Successful" just means that your body changes, your health improves, and you see the results that you've come for.)

I've always loved this little summary. It explains so much. Just think about what happens if you leave out even one of these things...

Precision and intensity without frequency - That would mean that you do a great job when you manage to get to class, but you never go to class. You go every day for a week, then give yourself two months off. That's not going to work!

Frequency and intensity without precision - You are going all the time, and you are trying really hard, but you're still not listening. You're working harder, not smarter. You're just doing whatever you feel like doing, instead of following the dialogue word by word. You think that you're getting some really great exercise with all that sweating. But in the long run, that's not going to work!

Frequency and precision without intensity - You are coming all the time, maybe even every day, and you're doing everything correctly, but you're never really pushing yourself, never putting any serious oomph into it. You're coasting. That's not going to work!

So what does work?

Frequency - This does not, by definition, mean that you have to practice every day (though it's awesome that we all are practicing so often right now)! In the long run, frequency means that you're committed to practicing 3 times or more per week, and you do so regularly. In my mind, frequency is all about consistency.

AND

Precision - Fall in love with precision. Get interested in it. Try to be precise in every motion, every twitch, down to the placement of your big toe or your thumb. (On the line, with the index finger.) All the good stuff is in the details. Never assume that something is right just because you did it that way yesterday. Keep your ears always open, just like your eyes. Even if you've done 100 classes in a row, or 1000 classes in a row, go into every class hoping to refine your technique in some little way.

AND

Intensity - Yoga class is a gas station, remember? (Maybe you don't? Maybe I should talk about that next time.) Take my word for it - yoga class is a gas station. Bikram says that it's the only physical activity in the world where you gain energy instead of burning it. And how do you make that happen? By putting more energy in. I think it's computer programmers who call this the rule of GIGO - "garbage in, garbage out"! But we can look at it from the positive angle - energy in, energy out. Change doesn't just happen on its own; you have to make it happen. Don't let that intensity fade. Practice like Bikram is in the room. Practice like it's your first class in weeks, and you've been missing it. Practice like it's your last class for months, and you want to squeeze every drop out of it!

Easier said than done. But that's the idea... frequency, precision, and intensity!

DAY 67: "Good" Class Redefined.

2010-03-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Not to brag... But the past four or five classes have totally KICKED ASANA for me!

Seriously. I may be jinxing myself here... But screw it. I am gonna brag. I have had so much energy and way more focus in the past few classes than I have in a long time. I've loved every moment of it. And, most importantly, I take none of them for granted.

Because I'm no dummy... I know that tough classes may be coming back soon.

It doesn't matter how long you have been practicing. How young you are. How fit you are. Even if you are a teacher. EVERYONE... Even those with a consistent practice... EVERYONE has bad classes.

Classes where you fall out of every pose no matter how hard you try to hold them.
Classes where you want to vomit every time you bend forward or backwards.
Classes where vertigo sets in and all you can do is breathe, because you know that is the most basic thing you can accomplish at that moment.

But after some time, the "good" classes circle back into the rotation. But are these really the "good" classes? Shouldn't the "good" ones be the ones where you are getting you ass kicked?

Aren't the ones where you are having the worst acid reflux of your life the ones where your body is trying to break through a wall and detox to a new level?

"You're getting something out," as one of my studio owners told me in my last really bad class. "This is good."

Yes. It is. Let's redefine these classes as the "good" ones.

DAY 66: "Shartasana..."

2010-03-07T18:12:00.000-08:00

Diarrhea removing pose, the contemplation

of practicing Bikram Yoga in depends and

other things to consider...

by Michelle Zimmer

Since I last posted (Day 45: Valentimes) I have made a few observations about my practice and I feel like sharing. Remember if (when) I get disgusting... don't forget to breathe. If I reach one person and they connect with my story, then it's worth making a few people throw up in their mouths a little bit.

Ok, let's just get the gross out of the way then.

I had an almost scary incident with Pavanamuktasana (usually "Wind Removing" pose). I have always thought of this posture as one of the easier ones for me... Both of my shoulders are down, my spine is flat, my knee is by my ear, strong grip... But,this was only when I would go for the left and right. I am well endowed and because of "the girls," I could not grab my elbows in the third part of the series ("and if you cant grab your elbows, grab your elbows.")

I have lost 30 lbs since I started the challenge, so I decided to go for the elbows. I grab my elbows (albeit creating a Shakespeare in love, bind me like yentyl, cycloptic uni-boob). And then I felt the feeling...

"Oh no...Oh no. Oh shit, don't think shit! Breathe, feeling please go away, please go away!"

...Or something like that. Then I find myself cheating in the pose, and not really going for it.

And that's not the point of this yoga. The point is to progress. To go for it. No fear. So here are some tips I have picked up in the short time since I have begun practicing...

Go out the opposite way you came in. Not a problem! Especially while in tree, I go in correctly and then fall on my ass, every time. So yeah, I go out the opposite way I went in. My teacher says "if you fall out it means your trying something new and going for it." I just hope I am not disturbing the balancing yogis.

Google Bikram. I won't do ANYTHING anymore without Googling it first. If you type "Bikram" into my iGoogle bar, so many bizarre combinations will come up: "magnesium Bikram, chocolate Bikram, diarrhea Bikram, hot eye balls Bikram, period Bikram, sleep Bikram, coconut water Bikram, caffeine Bikram, wicking Bikram, apple cider vinegar Bikram," (I am worse than the Greek dad with windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I'm drinking A.C.V., using it on my skin and cleaning with it!)... And finally "breathe rite Bikram."

I have been getting stuffed up when the room is very humid and I've been having trouble breathing. (I actually blew a baby booger bubble rather than fall out of posture! Screw distractions!) Blowing my nose only seems to make me feel like my fingers are in my ears, congesting me more. I wonder if a breathe-rite strip will help. I will test out my theory and report back.

----------------------------------

DAY 65: Bikram's Advanced Series.

2010-03-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

...Or How To Scare People Away

When Trying To Motivate Them

By Johan (while in Barcelona, Spain)

So you want to know about Bikram's advanced series?

Right let's get down to business... Learn the beginners' series. Really it's that simple. Once you are comfortable with the beginners series you can start looking into advanced.

However there are a few caveats:

First of all, you'll need to be able to do back to back doubles. You'll need to warm up by doing a beginners class before each advanced class.
Secondly, you'll want to be able to do a beginners class with minimum fidgeting. You will not have the time move things around in the second you've got between triangle and standing separate head to knee. As an example half-moon posture... Same as in beginners series, but here the entire sequence is 20 seconds, not 4 minutes (arms over your head, stretch to the right, come up, stretch to the left, come up, head back, arms back immediately, fall back, come back up, lean forward, lock the knee, come back up, relax).
Thirdly, learn to balance. You will need those balancing skills, both for when the speed picks up and for all the newly added balancing postures.
Fourth, but not least, learn to listen to your body and react accordingly.

Other than that it's all easy peasy. As Bikram says there is nothing "advanced" about the postures in the advanced series, they are easy. Anyone can do it.

Okay. I'm clearly glossing things over there. The advanced series will make you feel like a complete beginner again. It will knock you over sideways and kick you in the stomach and all other kinds of things. But as Bikram is fond of saying (and Emmy will just roll her eyes at): "The advanced postures are easy, once you know how to do them."

Well thanks Boss! However, back in reality, it'll be just like in the beginners class, there will be postures you can do more or less of. But there will be something you can try in almost every posture (if you know your beginners series).

Just remember it's a lot easier to injure yourself in advanced, so take it easy.

Finally, don't think doing advanced will help your beginners series. It's a one way street the other way; beginners helps advanced. All the magic is there in the beginners series, there is no added healing benefit in the advanced series. So unless your goal in life is to put your leg behind your neck you will not need it. But if all you want is some variation to your daily practice, advanced every now and again can be a great compliment.

--------------------------------------------

Johan lives in London, UK and has been practicing Bikram for about a year. He's doing his 101 challenge at Bikram Yoga Fulham. When not in the hot room he can often be found travelling the world. You can follow his challenge at Johan's – Bikram 101.

DAY 64: Just BREATHE

2010-03-05T18:26:00.000-08:00

Listen...

There is really only one rule for Bikram yoga: breathe.

Forget all those other rules.

You've heard those rules, right? Don't drink your water now. Drink your water now. No, not now! Don't touch the door. Ok, touch the door if you have to, but only at this one time. Don't scratch. Don't fidget. Don't flail around. Don't touch your towel. Don't lie down like that when you think you're about to die, lie down the other way. Don't look at anything else in the room. Don't talk. Don't leave the room!!

Yeah, those. Forget about those.

(Obedience school is for dogs.)

Just breathe.

The goal is not to have a picture-perfect practice. The goal is not even to stay in the room for 90 minutes, not in every case, not necessarily. The goal is to get the most benefit from the class, by listening, by trying the right way, by always breathing.

And all those other things? The stillness, the control, the etiquette, "discipline"? They can and will happen on their own over time, naturally and organically. And then eventually, in the future, you stay still because you've learned to focus. You avoid gulping your water because you've learned that it doesn't help you very much. You stay in the room because you want to be there.

Forget the rules.

Breathe, and don't worry.

Everything that you seek is coming.

DAY 63: I {heart} Yoga.

2010-03-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

I love yoga.

I love everything about it.

I love the sound of my mat unrolling.

I love the feel of my bare feet on the ground.

I love wearing my yoga clothes.

I love putting my hair up in funny pigtails.

I love the surroundings.

I love the feeling of Savasana & the burn of Awkward.

I love my yoga friends.

I love the kind of people who love yoga.

I love the energy, the feeling, the compassion.

I love sweaty yoga and flowing yoga.

I love fitness yoga and spiritual yoga.

Although I clearly favor Bikram’s yoga for my personal practice, I am just as happy in Downward Dog as I am in Dandayamana-Janushirasana. I guess you could call me an equal opportunity yogi.

I am saddened by the attitudes of ‘yoga snobs’. You know the type. Their studio, their discipline, their training, their style is the best way. The only way.

In my humble opinion, ALL yoga is perfect yoga.

Let's share the love of yoga with everyone...young and old, rich and poor, in perfect shape or out-of-shape.

Yoga is universal.

Yoga is for everybody and every body.

What the world needs now is yoga sweet yoga

It's the only thing that there's just too little of.

What the world needs now is yoga sweet yoga,

No not just for some but for everyone....

DAY 61: Snap, Crackle, Pop!

2010-03-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

Oof!!

Past the 60 day mark? Hooray! Hard part's over now, right? Well, not necessarily (sorry sweetheart!), because every day is totally different. There will always be hard days, fun days, killer days, and rock star days, no matter how long you do this stuff! (At least in my limited 5 year experience - maybe the people who count their practice in decades instead of years have a different take on this.)

I had an ouch-y class this morning which was entirely of my own making. I didn't get a chance to practice advanced series last week, so I did the class yesterday for the first time in 2 weeks. It was a great class and I worked hard in almost all the postures, which meant that all my muscles were awake and saying "HI" to me this morning. So I replied, "Oh, hello there abs, hips, legs, and every muscle in my back... let's go take the morning class."

This might be weird, but I'd almost forgotten how much I like taking class when I'm all sore and stiff. On one hand, half moon hurt like heck and I had to distract myself by thinking about some hilarious conversations I had yesterday morning. (This meant that instead of trying not to cry, I was trying not to giggle.) A lot of other postures were uncomfortable, too, and it took a whole lot of extra effort to get my forehead anywhere close to my knee.

On the other hand, there's nothing like a little healthy soreness to make you aware of every muscle in your body! Backbending did sort of "hurt like hell," but it also felt GREAT, because I could feel every muscle waking up and un-knotting itself. My joints were doing some great Rice Krispy impressions for the first half hour (*snap* *crackle* *pop*), but I could feel things sliding back into place with every little pop. And rabbit pose felt absolutely phenomenal, one of the best rabbits ever, because I could feel the stretching all up and down my spine - all over the back of the ribcage, from the level of the shoulder blades all the way down to the coccyx. Rabbit is a brilliant posture; I'd almost forgotten that. It's totally worth the 75 or 80 minutes of "torture" that lead up to it, because it'd be impossible to open up your spine like that with any less of a warm-up.

It's nice to be reminded that "discomfort" and "suffering" do not have to go together. Discomfort is something that will happen now and then, no matter what you do. But suffering is something that you can opt out of, at least to some extent. I've noticed this more and more, the longer I practice. At first, I'd feel this "pain sensation" in my body and think, "OUCH!" Now I feel the "pain sensation" and think, "Hey, what is this new sensation?! This is interesting, alright... I wonder what is happening..." No more drama.

**For the record, you guys are all free to remind me of this post when I'm moaning and bitching my way through week 5 of teacher training in May! And for the record, it's possible that I will smack you in the face for doing so. You are warned! Hehehe.**

Day 60: "There's No Crying In Bikram."

2010-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

We are 60 days in, people. Only 41 left. And now, we move past the "emotional phase" of the challenge (hopefully) and into the the stage where our bodies rapidly evolve and change shape.

(God, I hope this is true. I really want my thighs to thin out!)

At this point in the challenge, there is no way we won't finish. We've made it through almost two-thirds. We know the variety of feelings to expect after each class. There are no bad surprises. Only good surprises. Like...

Kicking out in Standing Head to Knee.
Finally keeping butt on heels in Half Tortoise.
Wrapping that left leg around the right in Eagle.
Mastering Savasana with pure perfection and stillness never before imagined.

I've noticed in the past week that I am much less emotional than I have been lately. No more tears bursting out of my eyes in class. I appear to be in better control of my emotions. So now, I am looking forward to the next 30 days and seeing amazing progress in my practice and in my body.

There's no (more) crying in Bikram.

DAY 59: Going for the GOLD...

2010-02-28T06:30:00.000-08:00

...Mind, Body and Spirit

by Amber Klahm

As I sit here writing this, it’s a typical rainy day in the outskirts of Vancouver but the energy in our streets is nothing short of a warm rays as we have welcomed the world to our very city for the 2010 Winter Olympics. As we have only a couple days left of the Olympics, I am also coming to an end of a challenge that has giving me life, spirit and a sense of accomplishment- as of March 2^nd, I will have completed 150 consecutive days of Bikram Yoga. As with any goal, we have our doubts and we have our anticipations, we have our setbacks and we have our glory moments but as I come to the end, I realize all this has been for something so much more.

Like the Olympics, that has brought the world together in the forms of inspiration, motivation, determination and peace; I have learned how much of a true inspiration my goal has been for so many instructors and students. Students come up to me with excitement in their eyes telling me they are continuing their own challenge, whether it be to start a 30 day or continue with 60 or 100 days. I have had instructors inspired to take on the 30 day challenge (including teaching mixed in with that!) for many reasons; health, emotional, even just to have more of an appreciation for this yoga. These moments alone have made me realize that this challenge has gone beyond me; it has paved a path for those searching for their own challenge.

Like any athlete who walks onto the stage or waits for the gun to go off, the anticipation when we walk into that hot room is the moment we wait for every day we come into our studios; the ability to take that first breath of that heat, to roll out our mats and look ourselves in the mirror and say “I am here because this is exactly where I need to be”.

We sweat liters of water, we even bleed a bit sometimes, we suffer aches and pains, we laugh, cry, mentally tell our instructors off, pray for the fans to come on, pray for the one more ounce of energy to stretch just a little bit higher, and through all of that, we realize that once we leave that room it was all worth it.

When we come out of that room, we should all realize we have given ourselves another chance for a better life, a new appreciation of ourselves and a way to open up our minds and our hearts to those in our lives- for that we all deserve a gold medal.

I would like to add my appreciation and thanks to all those who have been reading my blog- www.ambersbikramyogadiary.blogspot.com . You have let me release my thoughts and feelings in a harmonious and loving atmosphere.

Namaste~

*******************************

Amber Klahm lives in a town just outside of Vancouver, BC called Langley. She has been practising Bikram Yoga for over a year and half and has grown such a passion for this amazing healer of the body, mind and soul. Amber is currently a student and part time counsellor for adolescents. Her other interests include swimming, writing, hiking, and spending valuable time with friends and family.

DAY 58: Unplug With Me

2010-02-27T16:57:00.000-08:00

I've got to blog. Then read all of the blogs I follow. I must comment on the blogs and then go back in case they replied to my comment. I need to tweet and see if anybody "direct" tweeted me, or perhaps "mentioned" me. Maybe I want to "retweet" some tweets. I better update facebook and catch up on other status' while I'm there. Don't forget to "like" some of those status' or maybe even comment on them. I have some farmville gifts to accept. Guess I better harvest my crops and trees, collect eggs and milk, brush horses, cats and reindeer and collect feathers. Oh, look my neighbors helped me out so I better go and help them out. Now on to checking email and maybe surfing the net to catch up on news....Oh wait, I just got a text message on my phone......

How many minutes/hours/days do we spend plugged into the world of the interwebs? It can get overwhelming. I also have noticed how dependant the teenagers have become on all of this. They don't know what to do without it. They have several text conversations going at once and everything is now now now, instant gratification. They don't know how to slow down. I wonder, is it changing me too? Yes, we get 90 minutes everyday to get away from all of this while in the hot room. But is that enough? Lately I've been thinking about how much time I spend on the computer and on my blackberry. I even check my blackberry at stoplights sometimes. So I've decided to "unplug" for a day. I'm going to pick one day (not a work day, I have to be on the computer/blackberry at work!) and I'm going to "unplug". I'm not going to go on the computer and I'm not going to read email, text or tweet from the blackberry. If I want to communicate with somebody I'm going to do the old fashioned thing....I'm going to see them in person or pick up the phone and talk to them.

Won't you unplug with me for a day?

DAY 57: Electro-what?

2010-02-26T15:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, rock stars! We are now entering the ninth week of the 101 day challenge, and today is the ninth Friday! (Wow, nine weeks. Can anyone think of something else that's nine weeks long?! Nine weeks can go by fast.)

By this point, I'm sure you've all settled into some sort of food and beverage routine that keeps you from feeling like death warmed over after sweating profusely for 90 minutes every day. So let's talk about this for a minute...

Everyone's probably heard that you have to "replace your electrolytes." And I think that everyone also has the vague idea that "electrolytes" are things that come out of your body when you sweat, along with a few toxins and a lot of water. This is pretty much accurate, but let's get a little more specific.

By definition, an electrolyte is just any substance that dissolves in solution and conducts electricity. In our bodies, the most important electrolytes include sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca 2+), and magnesium (Mg 2+). According to this nice Medical News Today article that I found, our muscles and neurons can be thought of as the electric tissues of the body. A muscle contraction needs the right levels of calcium, sodium, and potassium to be present. If those electrolytes are out of balance, then the muscles become weak or the contractions become severe (i.e. cramps). The level of electrolyte in the blood tends to change when the hydration (the level of water in the body) is altered. After you sweat, you lose a lot of water and a lot of electrolytes. If you drink a lot of water, but don't consume any electrolytes, then you'll end up with lower electrolyte levels than when you started. (This is why it can be dangerous to drink a LOT - like many, many liters - in one sitting. It dilutes your electrolyte levels so quickly that your kidneys can't keep up, and it can cause the same symptoms as severe dehydration, up to and including death!)

Now in our case, under normal conditions, we're just worried about preventing mild imbalances. If you keep your water and electrolytes at a good level, then you can sweat for hours a day and never have a problem. So how do we do this?

Sports drinks such as Gatorade or Vitamin water are an obvious source of electrolytes. They're fast, convenient, and effective. You can grab one from the 7-11 and drink it on your way home. Easy! Coconut water is a great natural alternative which has less sugar and no artificial ingredients. (I like Zico best.) However, these are still all pretty sugary, and there are plenty of reasons why a person might not want to add more sugar to her diet. So what else can you do?

How about eating some leafy greens? Eating some fruit? Adding some sea salt to your food? Eating beefy jerky?! (Apparently beef jerky is a great source of electrolytes, but is not recommended as a health food due to some of its other contents. Who knew?) Sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are all minerals that occur naturally in tons of foods. (What did you think sweat people did before the invention of Gatorade?) This solution is easy to overlook, but in my opinion it's the best one, because it has so many positive side effects. When you eat well and include plenty of high-water fruit and veggies in your diet, then you don't need to rely so heavily on supplements.

Here's a quick list of some natural sources for various electrolytes (taken from various online medical sources).

Potassium: Avocado, tomatoes, spinach, cantaloupe, kiwi, lima beans, milk, winter squash, oranges, fish, poultry, and of course bananas.

Calcium: Broccoli, kale (and other leafy greens), milk, yogurt, tofu, almonds, chickpeas, oats, sardines (ew!) and cheese

Sodium: It's easy to get too much sodium from highly processed foods. But if you're eating lots of natural foods, it's usually a good idea to add some sea salt to your meal to keep the sodium up. My other favorite sources of sodium are salt and vinegar Kettle Chips, pickles, and Cheeze-its.

There's also an electrolyte supplement called Elete Electrolyte Drink Mix that I'll use in a pinch, if I feel like my levels are falling low. You can get it in a little pocket-sized bottles, and it's a super-concentrated electrolyte liquid that you can add to any beverage. It has a little bit of a mineral-y taste in plain water, but it's not bad, and if you add to to a smoothie or juice you don't taste it very much. (I've even hidden it in hot chocolate... yum. I don't worry about my sugar intake too much.)

I hope you've found this little science report useful. I'm obviously not a doctor or nutritionist, but I think most of this is good common sense. Like Michael Pollan says, we're better off the more we think about eating food rather than "nutrients." (Grocery stores are ridiculous. Don't add fiber to water, just eat some whole wheat bread! A topic for another day.) Everyone have a delicious and sweaty weekend!

DAY 56: Smiling Eagle

2010-02-25T14:47:00.000-08:00

I have a new posture. I call it Smiling Eagle.

Why?

Because I can't (uh, correction: "at this time, I am unable to...") attempt Garurasana without smiling and, often times, a few giggles. It's either laughing or crying, so I chose the former.

After a feeble, yet respectable, attempt at twisting my arms like a rope and pull, pull, pulling my shoulders down....I hear the dreaded words.

"Sit down and cross your right leg over your left."

That sounds simple enough.

Just sit...down...and cross your right...leg....over your left.

I hesitate.

ok, sit down.
waaaayyyy down.
check.

chest up.
check.

leg over.
check.

twist.
it's almost there, get it under my...
get.
it.
under my.
get it under my $&#!% calf !!!

By the time I see my own two eyes in the mirror, my body is practically facing the parking lot and falling over at the same time. Thus, the giggles commence!

Once again, our yoga lesson can be brought into everyday life. Point yourself in the direction you want to go and one day you'll get there. Progress happens gradually, then suddenly. If you don't show up, you might just miss it.

Sometimes inch by inch may be too grandiose a goal....for here in Bikram-world, we celebrate millimeters.

DAY 55: Growth

2010-02-24T21:42:00.000-08:00

My nails are growing like crazy. My hair is getting longer too. I'm not sure why practicing Bikram everyday does this, but it does. I got home tonight and threw my towel/yogi toes/yoga outfit in the basket in my garage and noticed it was full already. Didn't I just do yoga laundry a couple of days ago? We are more than halfway through, yet it feels like we will be doing this forever, doesn't it? I just wonder though, if my hair and nails are growing at an accelerated pace, what else is growing? Muscles? Flexibility? Mental strength? Emotional stability? Spiritual growth?

We are doing this challenge for a reason. Don't forget that. In the midst of the grind of laundry, logistics, work, family, life and just trying to make it into that room everyday, don't forget that there is a higher purpose to this whole thing. What it is may not be revealed right now, but trust that there is something happening. At the very least I need to go file my nails.....

DAY 54: Calvin's Dad

2010-02-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning, during the 30 second break that leads into standing head to knee pose, while I was trying to organize my sleepy brain and gather up some determination for the poses to come, an image popped into my head.

How many of you guys have read the Calvin and Hobbes comic strips by Bill Watterson? This was a strip that ran for 10 years about a 6-year-old boy (Calvin) and his stuffed tiger (Hobbes), but that description doesn't even begin to cover it! (For the uninitiated, you can see a great sampling of comics here.) Anyway, one of the running jokes in the comic was that Calvin's dad would sporadically take the family out on these camping trips or fishing trips that would be disastrous. Absolutely disastrous. But every time, the dad (who was a somewhat inept, business-suit-wearing, and frazzled guy) would insist that suffering is great for kids because it builds character.

That's what I remembered as I got ready to interlock my fingers and pick up my foot in front of me three inches below the toes. "This is great for Calvin! It'll build his character!!" Because what is the yoga class (and especially the standing head to knee part of the yoga class), if not one big, long "character building" exercise?

Now, I'll admit that I have serious doubts about the effectiveness of Calvin's dad's "character building" fishing trips. Those usually ended with angry wives, stubbed toes, soggy stuffed tigers, and zero fish.

But what about the effectiveness of our yoga classes? What are we getting out of this daily practice, besides confused friends, sore backs, piles of soggy yoga towels, and zero spare time?

That's a question you have to ask yourself, of course. But in my case, I have to admit that it really seems to work! Since I started yoga, I've found myself in a couple of stressful situations (confrontation with a restaurant customer, minor car accident) that would have totally thrown me off balance before, and to my own surprise, I found myself staying calm and simply breathing. I've found myself in the middle of a long, unpleasant task that I didn't really want to do, telling myself, "Ok, this is the halfway point, so it's just like triangle pose in a class! It's all downhill from here!" So good job, Calvin's dad! I guess you were on to something after all. A little bit of "suffering" can build character - just as long as you go about it the right way.

Day 53: Dreaming I Am Late!

2010-02-22T07:29:00.000-08:00

I love getting various kinds of energy work done. Acupuncture... Reiki... Crystal therapy healing.... Shucks, even massages are considered "energy healing"... And I love it all!

The thing is, though, that (for me at least) energy work tends to give me vivid dreams. And because Bikram yoga is "healing from the inside out," it is the best energy work/healing you can do. Which means my dreams are getting kind of "cray-cray" lately.

Last night's dream...

I am at Bikram yoga teacher training. I wake up late. I freak out. I am rushing to get downstairs to the classroom in time. I see Bikram at the doors, about to close them.

"WAIT!!!!!!" I scream. He turns around, looks at me and smiles.

That's when I wake up.

Now, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what the dream meant. Dreaming of being late represents fear and running out of time. Classrooms represent the need or desire to earn something.

I haven't cried in the past few days in class. Or felt an urge to tear up. Seems like I may be through the emotional part of this challenge. But my subconscious clearly is picking up where my emotions have left off, and are producing some messages on what I am feeling and *thinking about lately.

In case you haven't heard the rumor... And it is a rumor until it gets posted and confirmed on the official Bikram website... *Fall Teacher Training will be in Las Vegas from September 19th to November 20th.

DAY 52: Lifetime Practice.

2010-02-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

When I began practicing this yoga five years ago, I never really thought about how long I would practice it for. I was a casual practitioner... Averaging one or two times a week. But unlike most things in my life, I never seemed to outgrow and get bored with this yoga.

It appears to be a "lifetime practice" for me. A "lifetime practice" that almost (almost!) had me locking out my right leg today in Standing Bow Pulling.

I don't know that I will be able to do it again tomorrow... But I almost did it today. And someday in my life, I will almost do it again.

You can't stop progress!

DAY 50: Halfway There!

2010-02-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the midway point of the challenge!! Day Fifty - can you believe?!

There's only one thing I want to say to mark the occasion, and I think it's best expressed in song. Take my hand, and we'll make it, I swear!

DAY 49: Attachments

2010-02-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

Here we find ourselves almost halfway through this incredible, life-changing 101-day challenge. This is quite an accomplishment and each of us are realizing the intrinsic rewards and the unavoidable tribulations!

I now pose to you a personal question? What are YOU holding on to and what is holding YOU back?

What have you unseemly become so attached to that "you just can't have a strong practice without it?"

Must you wear that certain 'costume' or there's no way you can kick your leg back in Standing Bow?

Do you feel overly hot and sweaty in the spine strengthening series if your favorite Yogitoes towel is still in the laundry?

Is it imperative that you have your silver water bottle, filled halfway with crushed ice, and three ice cubes, with a side of chilled Acai-Blueberry-Pomegranate Vitamin Water 10...or you just don't feel right?

Have you heard your mind saying...

I ALWAYS stand on the second line, right of the podium, at a 45° degree angle from my favorite teacher who delivers abbreviated Trikanasana dialog and, I'm convinced, gives us longer Savasanas. (I think I just called myself out...)

I MUST have a drink of water after _______ and _______.

OK, I'll go to class today, but I'm NOT doing Full Locust, and

that's final!!

Of course, we all have our thing. Our quirk. Our attachment. I challenge you fellow Bikram warriors...go crazy, throw caution to the wind! Wear those yoga shorts that are buried in the bottom of your drawer. Bring your last resort towel that doesn't quite cover your entire mat. Enter that gorgeous room with a smile and take the first open space you see. Resist the urge to take that habitual sip of water right before Fixed Firm (ummmm...yes, I'm talking to you).

You just may be surprised that...

YOU can make it through and so can I.

Listen to your body.

Focus on your breath.

and simply do your yoga.

DAY 48: It's all in the setup (and the dialog)

2010-02-17T20:26:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been a bit winded by standing bow? Have you ever started the setup, hand back holding your foot, arm straight up in the air, waiting patiently for the commands to start the kicking and stretching part of the posture only to have the teacher pause to help a student with the wrong grip? Have you ever waited for the instructor to finish coaching that newbie on the grip only to find yourself exhausted already trying the hold the first part? Maybe you even come out of it for a second and then "re-setup" when the instructor is finished with the newbie. It could be that your second attempt to setup is a bit sloppy as let's face it....you are a tired wreck. This kind of thing happens to me every so often during an off the charts hot class. In fact, it happened recently. That, combined with Juliana's competition post got me thinking about setup and dialog.

Juliana wrote this : Their advice to future competitors was clear and simple: follow the Dialogue They said it over and over. At the national and international championship level, people are still just getting deductions for not following the precise set-ups that are given in the dialogue. They mentioned things like gripping three inches below the toes in standing head to knee, two inches below the toes in bow, and keeping the wrists straight in bow. Have no doubt, these guys know exactly what is written in the dialogue, and they are sort of baffled when people aren't following it!

Now I don't know about you, but doing yoga so many days in a row sometimes the dialog can sound like the teacher on charlie brown "wah, wah, wah, waaaa" That's no good. We need to listen to the dialog like we are hearing it for the first time. Let's try this together, in the setup. The times I've done great postures have always been the times where I had a really strong solid setup. So tomorrow pick one posture and set it up to the letter. I know, it takes more energy to set it up right and you may not be able to hold the posture as long. It's ok! You will build endurance with your new strong setup and the day will come when you hold it as long again and it will be.....beautiful!

DAY 47: Championship Report!

2010-02-17T03:02:00.000-08:00

First, my apologies for the slightly late entry!! I spent the entire weekend in LA at the yoga championships, and my sense of time has been all off since I got home last night! Also, it's been taking me a bit of effort to "unpack my brain."

So - Friday was the U.S. Championship, Saturday was the International Championship, and then on Sunday they did something new, and held a final round for the top 10 men and top 10 women from Saturday's competition. (This meant that the top 2 U.S. men and women, all four of whom made it to the finals, ended up performing three days in a row!) There was also a youth division on Sunday morning.

If you're just joining us and scratching your head at the idea of a "yoga competition," go read my last post and then come back to this one!

The events were streaming online live all weekend, and pictures and results have been posted at OhMyBikram, an awesome new Bikram yoga blog page based out of Toronto.

Here's a bit about my personal experience...

The Yoga

The performances were amazing. Things started strong on Friday with the U.S. championship, but by the final round on Sunday, things were really being taken to a whole new level! The championships really do get better every time. Courtney Mace, last year's international champion, taught the 7am class at headquarters on Friday, and she kept saying that it was amazing to see how everyone, collectively, is getting so much stronger every year.

My jaw was on the floor for most of the kids' performances. It's great to see people starting Bikram yoga so early in life! And there was some seriously good yoga this year, especially among the girls. One after another, they went up there and nailed advanced postures that I've been trying unsuccessfully to do for years! (Can anyone tell me, when did all the little kids start doing full standing bow?!) It was really inspiring to see.

Those top 10 performances were mind-blowing. In the men's division, Kasper Van Den Wijngaard and Joseph Encinia were neck-and-neck for the International gold medal. I honestly couldn't tell who had won. Kasper ended up coming ahead of Joseph by only six-tenths of a point. (The routines are scored out of 80 points.) I also have to give a shout-out to Deepak, whose score would have been in the same range if he hadn't gone over time in his last posture!! And then, in the women's division... that may have been the best 30 minutes of yoga I've ever seen. One of the more senior Bikram teachers wandered past me halfway through (I was working as volunteer, guarding the door), and said, "The ladies are bringing it this year!!" I think it's fair to say that 5 years ago, any one of those performances would have earned an international medal. Brandy Winfield ended up with a definitive win, but again, the scores were really tight; there was only eight-tenths of a point difference between third and seventh place!

The Technical Stuff

You can learn a lot by watching these performances. You get to see the postures in their fullest expression, and you get a good glimpse of the advanced postures. The competition also helps you to start understanding the nuances of the postures. Think all standing head to knee poses look the same? Try watching 60 different people do excellent versions of the pose, all in a row. Your eye starts to recognize all the differences and subtleties. The little technical details - the exact position of the grip, the height of the heel, the angle of the wrists - start to jump out at you. And since every body is unique - long legs, long spines, short arms, short torsos, muscular and strong, slim and flexible - you start to see what correct execution looks like on all the different bodies, with all their different proportions.

On Monday there was a choice between advanced class with Emmy or judge's clinic with Bikram. I headed to advanced class, and I was happy with that choice, since Bikram was actually there with us for the first hour before he headed over to the clinic! Bikram and Emmy started the class by talking about the postures that they'd seen on stage over the weekend. Their advice to future competitors was clear and simple: follow the Dialogue! They said it over and over. At the national and international championship level, people are still just getting deductions for not following the precise set-ups that are given in the dialogue. They mentioned things like gripping three inches below the toes in standing head to knee, two inches below the toes in bow, and keeping the wrists straight in bow. Have no doubt, these guys know exactly what is written in the dialogue, and they are sort of baffled when people aren't following it! Emmy thinks that when people get advanced, they start to do things their own way, but they should be doing it the way the dialogue says in order to get the best benefits. Even in competition, it's not about doing the "prettiest" posture; it's all about doing the most correct posture, according to the dialogue, to get maximum medical benefits.

The Fun

I adore the championship weekend because it's just like a massive family reunion (where there are hundreds of people in the family and very few of them are related by blood). Teacher training groups were reunited - the fall 2005 graduates were very proud to point out that almost all of their Group One was there! - students were reunited with their favorite teachers, Facebook friends met face-to-face for the first time, and of course everyone got to see Bikram, Rajashree, and Emmy again!

I kept describing it as a "yoga convention" to my friends at home, because that's what it feels like to me. Even if you're not competing, you spend the entire weekend immersed in the world of Bikram yoga. I was getting up before 6am every morning to take the 7am at Headquarters, but I still found myself awake past 1am, at the hotel bar with a glass of wine talking about yoga miracles or in a friend's hotel room talking about how to pick up the foot in standing head to knee. In other words, it was yoga dork heaven!!

And of course, there was Bikram's birthday party on Saturday night, complete with Indian buffet, mind-boggling demonstrations from last year's champions, and a classic Bikram speech. And yes, he danced. (He loves to show off his disco moves. "I invented disco; I just took off the -theque!") And yes, I did too. It was glorious and silly. It was everything that you wish you'd had at your awkward middle school dances.

On a personal level, I was thrilled to meet some great new friends and spend time with some of my favorite people. On Sunday night, after the awards ceremony, a car-full of us took off and went to the Korean bathhouse on Olympic Blvd near Headquarters for a couple hours. Then we went to a late-night Pakistani place and filled our stomachs on a full spread of hummus, grape leaves, and baba ganoush, plus some kind of black tea with mint leaves in it. Our waitress asked if were were from here, and everyone laughed; we had one person from Hawaii, one from Australia, two from Massachusetts, and one Massachusetts/California hybrid (me). It was such a joy to be in that moment, in that place, with those people.

The Real Competition

On the final day, just before the last awards ceremony, last year's champions all got up to speak. I was really moved by Courtney Mace's speech. She said that she started Bikram yoga about 6 years ago because she "just wanted to feel better," and she never imagined the potential that would be unlocked by just 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. (At this point, I was already mumbling, "I think I have something in my eye...") She said that when you see the competition, and especially when you are a part of it, you know that it's not really a competition between people. "There is always a competition," she explained, "but it's not between people. It happens every time you step into the hot room, and it's a competition between the ego and the soul. And the soul always wins. It has to. So by the time you get on the stage, there is no competition anymore. There is only your soul." (Okay, I admit it, I definitely got teary!)

It was a wild, disorganized, and wonderful weekend, all in true Bikram style. If you ever get the chance to attend one of these championships, it's most definitely worth the visit.

I'll probably be updating my own blog with more bits and pieces throughout the week, so keep checking over there if you still want to hear more!!

Day 46: Memory Harvest.

2010-02-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

Does this happen to anyone else?

When I do certain poses, certain memories come back. Not bad memories. Just random ones. For example...

Head to Knee with Stretching Pose: I flash back to being a Freshman in high school and waiting by my locker for my boyfriend.
Wind Removing Pose: I think about Sophomore year in high school, being in student government.
Locust Pose: Dancing to Indian drum and bass music in the core of on an old ship docked at Chelsea Piers in NYC.
Spine Twisting Pose: I'm at Cheer Camp (summertime during high school) and walking across the university campus we were at. It is sunny. And hot.

So random. Like I wrote... None of these are bad memories. Though, they're not memories that I can recall as being "the best of my life." They're not even what I would call "key moments" in my life. But yet in each designated pose, for as long as I can remember, these are the memories that pop into my head while executing. Why does my brain harvest them at those particular times, and then never pop them back into my head at any other time?

I only recently noticed this was even happening... As I have been doing this every day since the new year. Does anyone else have this happen?

DAY 45: ValenTIMES.

2010-02-14T07:27:00.000-08:00

by Michasana

(aka Michelle H. Zimmer)

In honor of Valentines day (or rather "Valentimes", as they say here in the "boogie down Bronx") I decided to blog about a new romance I am having.

Today I celebrate loving me again.

On December 28th 2009 I celebrated the first anniversary of my 39th year, yes, I turned 40. I don't look a day over 30, but I was starting to feel like I was 90. I decided that it was time to get back in shape when I went to lift my boob in my bra and realized I mistakenly grabbed a newly acquired belly roll. I needed help mentally and physically. I was writing "to do" lists in invisible ink and it was time to make some changes.

Aside from some seasonal rollerblading, I had not worked out, exercised in any way (not even a stretch), for almost 5 years. I had lost my dad to lung cancer and my mind decided to go along for the ride. I got very lazy (and drunk), and then overwhelmed (and stoned), and then depressed. Apathy... Denial... You name it. I lost my core, with every meaning of the word. I was a former "femme fatale" who turned into a "femme fetal" (position). I went from a size 6 to a 16 and somehow did not notice, as I gained it kind of equally everywhere. I felt like I was carrying an extra Michelle on my back. Good thing about that is at least she counter-balanced the hugeness of my breasts and knocked off the monkey.

Somehow, I knew it had to be Bikram for me. All I had to do was get off my butt and go. I had not really been drinking much the past 2 years (thanks in part to having a non-drinking boyfriend), but even so I decided I needed to go on the wagon completely if I wanted to do the challenge correctly. I know what my triggers are. If I have some wine, I might have a lot of wine resulting in lots of whine and me missing class. All or nothing, it's always been that way with me.

On January 3, 2010 I attended my first class at Bikram Yoga Bronx and of course I delved straight into a challenge. "All or nothing", I told you. I was so nervous on my way in to class that I was dry heaving on the bus. I mean, I used to be a gymnast as a child, later a personal trainer and now I can't even touch my toes. I used to be able to put my legs behind my neck and now when I move my shoulder it makes...noise? Is that gravel in my rotator cuff?

I decided to start breathing through my nose early and calmed myself down with a Dr. Andrew Weil breathing exercise I recalled from a book a crunchy ex- boyfriend forgot at my apt. (Seems like a fair trade, he got all of my 20's and I finally learned how to breathe).

I get to class and I'm already teary-eyed. I don't know what's worse, the idea that my dad is gone or him being aware of what a mess I have become. I don't feel like myself. I certainly don't look like myself, but I keep telling myself, "you're here, you are here, the worst part is over..." And then I tried rabbit pose.

Don't even get me started on what it feels like to do rabbit with my DD's and with this gut that used to be a 6-pack. "Stop judging and breathe normal." Breathe normal? It sounds like I'm motor-boating myself! Which caused me to start laughing. This is a good thing because that means I'm breathing...and burping...but more importantly, breathing.

I am on day 43 now (wahoo) and I am a new person. Or rather, I feel like my young self again. I stopped weighing myself but last time I checked I had lost 25 lbs (35 to go), I am down three jeans sizes and my arms are getting ripped. My flexibility is back about 70% and I am very proud of my camel and bow poses... But don't you ask me to lock my knee. Darn hyper extension! (lol)

I can see my obliques... And what are those? MY COLLAR BONES ARE BACK! Aside from waking up a couple of times a night to pee the 120 ounces of water I have to consume, I am sleeping very well. (Except for that one stressed out night, but I counted asanas instead of sheep and crashed right out!) My skin looks like Edward's in the film Twilight. I am not craving melted cheese on everything anymore. My digestive system is, well let's say, things are good on that end (all puns intended).

I also usually have gruesome menstrual cramps for a full day prior to getting it. Nothing but a bath would ever help (and it barely did). I took a class at the start of my cramps and got it an hour and a half later!!!! If for nothing else Bikram is worth that! I have also learned not to stare at the moving subway during savasana, you make that mistake one time.

Here is the best part though. It seems I have inspired at least 7 friends to start practicing Bikram. One friend in particular (she knows who she is) her doctor has taken her OFF her blood pressure pills and her insulin. Diabetes...GONE! Another buddy told me how inspired she was by me, that I was her hero. It seems I am the "wind removing pose" beneath her "eagle pose" wings. Time to fly.

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Day 44: Double Up

2010-02-13T20:36:00.000-08:00

As we approach day 50, many of us have hit some snags. A few of us have some catching up to do. I read an interesting article on "Oh My Bikram" blog regarding the whole concept of a challenge. A long thread of arguing yogi's ensued on this topic. You have your purists who insist a challenge must be everyday, no makeups allowed. Then you have the others who say it's 30 classes in 30 days (or in our case, 101 classes in 101 days). Click on the link and read the arguments for both sides. It's pretty interesting. My thought is this: before you embark on your challenge decide which one you are going to do. Will you attempt to go everyday and literally start over if you miss, or will you do the one that allows for doubles to catch up? Pick the one that resonates with you and stick to it. After all, you are doing this for yourself and not to prove anything or receive some sort of award. The reward we all will get is the amazing sense of accomplishment when we are through.

So for those of you that have some catching up to do, embrace those "double" days and approach them with the attitude of "what will this double day teach me?" My teachers always tell me "you are so much stronger than you think you are". So do a back to back, split it up, do what works for you. I personally did one today and I split it up. It worked so much better for me. I also doubled up on my electrolytes, added 2 extra liters of water into my normal routine and made sure to eat well.

You are all doing great! We will be hitting the halfway mark soon!

Bikramyogachick is a coauthor of the Bikram 101 blog along with The Missus and Dancing J. She knows she owes you guys her bio, as she is still somewhat behind the curtain. She promises to have it ready for her post next Saturday.....

DAY 43: Yoga Competitions?!

2010-02-12T01:05:00.000-08:00

Yoga competitions!! What's up with that?!

When people first hear the words "yoga" and "competition" in the same breath, the typical response falls somewhere in the spectrum between a puzzled "Wait.... what?" and an aggressive "What the %$&*?!" Now, I could go over all the talking points for why yoga championships are a fine idea (like the fact that they've been doing them in India for centuries or the fact that it's a yoga asana competition, not a yoga competition), but I'd rather just share my personal competition experiences a little bit.

The first time I competed was in the New England regionals in October 2007, at the request and encouragement of my studio owners. I was still pretty new to the world of Bikram yoga, and I had never heard of a "yoga competition" before, but I was interested in trying something new and learning a little more about yoga, so I said, "Sure, why not?" So I started training, with a group of other students and teachers, and I learned how a yoga competition works.

It goes like this: each participant has exactly 3 minutes (no longer) to demonstrate a routine of 7 postures on stage. The first 5 postures, the compulsories, are taken from the beginning Bikram class and are the same for everyone: standing head to knee, standing bow pulling, bow, rabbit, and stretching. The last two postures, the "optionals," are where you get to strut your stuff a little bit and demonstrate something that you are especially good at. Those postures are usually chosen from the advanced series. The goal is to demonstrate strength, flexibility, and balance. Each of the postures is scored out of 10 points based on form and technique. There's also a subjective score for "grace."

I had a lot of fun training, because all us students started working together after class to help each other improve in the postures. We started sharing tips and trick and stories, and it was the first time I started being really social at yoga. (Of course now I am Miss Social Butterfly, but in the beginning I didn't talk to anyone!!) I learned a ton about the postures, and I gained so much confidence. Before I started training, I really never wanted anyone to watch my postures. After a couple months, I was totally comfortable going up to any teacher after class and asking them to watch my routine and give me feedback.

One of the most important things about yoga for me has always been the lack of judgement. Yoga class was the first place in a very long time where I was able to just see myself instead of constantly judging. So this idea of getting up on stage to be judged was unsettling, at best! I went up to one of my coaches after a class in September, all teary for some reason, and told her that I didn't like the thought of going to stage to have everyone judge me. She said that I shouldn't think of it like that; I should just think of it as "show and tell." It was a chance for me to go in front of my teachers and peers and show them what I'd been working on, nothing more. I liked the idea of "show and tell." I decided that my goal for the performance would be to demonstrate everything that I had learned in the past months, so that other people could see how wonderful my teachers were.

I was scared shitless before I got up on stage, but once I was up there I had SO. MUCH. FUN. I held all my postures and I was so proud of myself, because I'd made my teachers proud and I'd done something that I didn't think I could do. The whole team went out for a celebratory dinner that night, and I was the happiest I'd been in a long time.

I competed again one year later, in November 2008, in the southern California regionals. I had just moved cross country a few months earlier. This time, I didn't have a team of coaches and teachers and friends. It was just me! I did it to challenge myself, because I didn't especially feel like doing it, but I knew it would help me to grow as a yogi. I practiced my routine on my own and got feedback when I could.

My postures definitely improved through the training, but that year was all about the community! If you're new in town and you want plug into the local community, showing up on stage at the competition is a pretty good way to do it! Competitions are really just these big old yoga conventions. They are the least competitive things ever. We all hang out backstage and help each other with our routines. We watch each other from the wings and hold our breath, wanting to see everyone else do their best. Everyone winces when someone wobbles and cheers when someone does well. Some of the people who I met at that event are now among my best yogi-friends in Los Angeles, so it was totally worthwhile!

As far as the actual performance that year, I was totally relaxed backstage, giving last minute tips and cracking dirty jokes, and then I was scared shitless when I got up on stage! It was very dark, and Emmy was in the middle of the judges' table - yikes! I wobbled pretty badly coming out of standing head to knee and was sure it was all over. But as soon as that happened, I thought to myself, "Whoops, well, that's that, oh well, too bad!" I put a big smile on my face, relaxed completely, and finished the routine very cheerfully. (My friend in the audience said that I was the only one who smiled, like, at all.) Whaddaya know - I got third place. Didn't qualify me for nationals (that's first and second place winners only), but it was something to write home about.

I didn't get to compete this year, so that's the extent of my personal experience on the yoga stage! (I'm really gonna have to do it again next year, though, or certain people will kill me.) Since my experiences have been so positive, I always encourage people to get involved in their local events. They're inspiring to watch, they bring the community together, and it's empowering to be a part of them.

"Competition" gets a bad rap, but it's not inherently a bad thing. When good people compete with each other - not against, but with - without malice or pettiness, everyone improves from it. Bikram likes to point out that competition is the foundation of democracy, and I think he's got a point. Without competition, you have either a monopoly or a caste system, right?! Everything in life is competition, but that's not necessarily bad news. Let's compete with each other to see who can raise the most money for Haiti, and we'll see if anyone's worse off at the end of the day.

I'll be in LA all weekend for the national and international championships, and it promises to be a fun time! (Yoga family reunion yay!!) Maybe I'll see some of you there! For those of you staying at home, the events will all be streaming live online. You can watch on Friday at USA Yoga and on Saturday and Sunday at Yoga Cup. The schedule of events is here. Enjoy!!

DAY 42: All I Really Need to Know

2010-02-11T06:34:00.000-08:00

All I Really Need to Know I Learned

in Bikram Yoga...

Plan ahead. Try your best. Some days are better than others. Look at your own two eyes. Drink your water. We all have our strengths. Work really hard and then take a rest. Listen attentively. Surround yourself with amazing people. Pretend you're a camel, an airplane, a cobra & a flower. Some things are gonna' hurt like hell--don't be scared. Commit to yourself. Follow directions. Sometimes you think you can't make it, then realize you just did. Don't compare yourself to others. Be on time or you might miss out. Make everyone feel welcome. Point yourself in the direction you want to go. Quiet your mind. You can't just run out of the room every time you feel like crying. Focus on you. When you fall down, get back up and try again. Small corrections can make big differences. Every millimeter counts. There are many things you cannot control. Concentrate. Others will guide you, but only you can do the work. There's always space to scoot over and make room for one more. Smile when making a triangle. Everybody sweats. And don't forget to breathe.

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About peaceloveyoga:

Kristi Traub lives in San Antonio, Texas USA and began practicing Bikram yoga on December 5, 2009. She quickly became yoga-dependent and practices daily at Bikram Yoga San Antonio (BYSA) where she has met many, many cool people and new friends. Kristi is somewhere between a guest writer and regular blog contributor here at Bikram 101, as she is now writing on Thursdays throughout this challenge. Kristi is 40 years old and has three young children, which makes her feel like the 'big sister' of the Bikram 101 blog. She used to be a flight attendant for United Airlines and loves to travel. Kristi would love to visit Bikram yoga studios all across the world. Kristi feels like her Gramma when writing grammatically in the third person about herself, as her Gramma could often be heard saying "Gramma loves you."

DAY 41: I Want To Be A Continuer.

2010-02-10T06:48:00.000-08:00

by: Cristina Eriksson

One thing that has been on my mind the last days is a thing my Budo-teacher talked about some time ago.

“There are only to types of students, continuers and quitters. The beginners don’t count as they don’t know yet what they are doing. After you have been a beginner and by your second semester, you have made a conscious decision to continue. After that you are either a continuer or a quitter.”

This makes so much sense in (Bikram) yoga as well.

We have beginners. We all have them in all studios, they don’t know what they are doing, they get a trial pass for some classes for a bargain price. Some students quit right at this time and others go on and buy a month card, or a 10 times card, or what suits them. At this time they become continuers.

Continuers come back. Once a day, once a week or something in between. They come regularly. They have an open mind and want to learn. They continue. They do their yoga continually.

Quitters quit. They give up. They have excuses that, if we hear them, we can see through them as being a (more or less) lame way to not come back. So they quit.

Quitters quit when it is starting to get tough and rough.

Quitters quit when they get in touch with things that are uncomfortable.

Quitters quit when the laziness in them takes over.

It doesn’t matter for how long you have been a student, you are still a continuer. Some more experienced, others less. Continuers continue what so ever... After a tough day, an uncomfortable feeling and through the hard work... Day after day after day.

I come back to the studio every day. So far I am a continuer and I want to continue to be a continuer with this yoga.

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Cristina lives in Stolkhom, Sweden and has been practicing Bikram yoga for over 5 years. Currently, she practices at Bikram Yoga Sodermalm. The 101 Challenge is a way to more deeply learn about herself and this yoga. She works as a Lead Developer where she combines her two interests: motivating people and software development.

Day 40: Autobiography of a YOGA DORK

2010-02-09T16:55:00.000-08:00

"My world's on fire! How 'bout yours?

That's the way I like it, and I'll never get bored."

- "All Star" by Smash Mouth

Heather (aka TheMissus) pointed out yesterday that we crazy masterminds blog administrators have never properly introduced ourselves. Fair point! I'd rather talk about yoga than myself, but today I will talk about myself. And yoga.

So.... Hi! My name's Juliana, and I used to be a ballet dancer. (Hence the name. When I first picked this name, for a ballet forum a million years ago, I really just wanted to be "J" or "the J," which was what my friends called me. But those were too short. Ta da - "the Dancing J".) I started ballet when I was 7 and kept it up all the way through college. I apprenticed with Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre in Cambridge, MA during my last year of college and then spent a year with them dancing full-time after I finished school, during the 2006-2007 season.

Ballet dancers love cross training, and I dabbled in pretty much every yoga style I could find. A friend brought me to my first Bikram class during the summer of 2004, at a tiny studio in the Pacific Northwest, and then another friend brought me to Bikram Yoga Boston the following winter. This particular yoga style really captured my attention. It was intense, it was cleansing, and I couldn't believe how good my body felt after class. I could never make it to yoga regularly when school was in session (college + ballet + yoga = not enough hours in the day), but I would go to Bikram a few times a week during summer breaks, and I always loved it. I had the idea in my head that if I ever really "got into" yoga, this would be the style I would like to do, and I would do it every day.

In the summer of 2007, I decided that ballet as a career was Not For Me. I left the ballet company, started applying to grad schools, and walked into Bikram Yoga Boston to see if they had any work-study spots open. The owners hooked me up right away and started training me for the regional championships that were happening that fall. They were so good to me. Brad, Jill, and Tomo Koontz were my first yoga family, and I am forever grateful to them. I had an amazing time practicing at their studios, where I got to take strong dialogue-driven classes every day and I was welcomed into the most amazing community I'd ever experienced. (Seriously, you have no idea how nice yogis are to each other compared to ballerinas!! Sorry, bunheads, but you know it's true.) I also started making regular trips to study with the amazing Diane Ducharme, whose studio was a couple bus rides away on the outside of town, and she's been a great friend and huge influence on me. I can't say enough good things about her, either!

This all sounds unsettlingly linear, so here's the curveball: the college I went to was MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, world-renowned school for scientists and engineers. My undergraduate degree is a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering. (I'm pretty mathy.) While I was getting deep into my Bikram practice in Boston, I also applied to engineering schools and got accepted into my top choice Ph.D. program at UC Santa Barbara. Hooray?! I think Brad was kind of heart-broken that I wasn't going to the Bikram teacher training! He'd already been trying to talk me into it for months. To tell you the truth, I was sad, too. (I think I already knew that he was right.) But grad school seemed like a good idea, so I packed up, hugged my teachers goodbye, and moved cross-country to work on semiconductor engineering.

But the Bikram bug had bitten me, and there's no going back from that! I tried to give grad school my best effort, and I lasted for a year and a half, but it became so obvious that my heart wasn't in it. Research work is a noble calling, but sitting in lab all night and reading research papers all day just isn't the life for me. Santa Barbara is less than 2 hours north from Los Angeles, so I could drive down on the weekend to take classes from Bikram, Raj, and Emmy, and that just pulled me deeper into the yoga! After months of going back and forth in my head, I had a moment of total clarity. It happened during a Sunday morning class in October, at 10am, during pranayama. I knew that Bikram yoga was the path for me. It was obvious, beyond the shadow of a doubt. And it wasn't necessarily easy, but it was simple and right.

Four months later, I am no longer in grad school. I did manage to finish a Master's degree, which was a great bonus. (I may never use it, but you never know.) I'm still in beautiful Santa Barbara, doing odd jobs and practicing at the Bikram studio here. I am going to teacher training in just a couple months, on April 18th in Vegas! I feel so lucky. I can't wait to see what happens next.

And that's the beginning of my story....

(Half moon in the foothills of Santa Barbara)

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Juliana Olmstead is a Bikram yoga teacher at heart, and soon will have the certificate to prove it! Writing about yoga is one of her favorite activities these days, besides practicing yoga, talking about yoga and studying the dialogue! (YOGA DORK.) She also cooks, travels, and watches bad sci-fi movies. She thinks that watching the global Bikram yoga network grow stronger and stronger is the coolest part of this blogging stuff, by far! She grew up in Northampton, MA, spent 6 years in Boston, and currently lives in Santa Barbara, CA.

Day 39: I'm No Wizard.

2010-02-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

We've had so many guest posters lately. It has been wonderful! And I encourage ANYONE who wants to guest post to simply write in and let us know. We would be more than happy to schedule a day for you to post. The stories and thoughts everyone has shared have been awesome. The Bikram yoga community is amazing and strong.

But as I have worked with each guest poster to get their stories up and live on the blog, I realized something... You all get a chance to learn about where they are from, as we post bios for them with their stories. But I've never taken the time to give you all background info on me. And, if I recall, neither have my two co-editors of this blog, Bikram Yoga Chick and Dancing J.

LOL!

As one of our guest posters wondered recently, "Do you really practice this yoga? Or are you like the Wizard of Oz behind a curtain... Pulling strings?"

I promise, I'm no wizard.

But now that we are a third of the way through this challenge, I figured it is time to give you some background on me and my Bikram yoga practice. (And I encourage Bikram Yoga Chick and Dancing J to do the same on their posting days!) I think it is probably good that you understand I am an actual practitioner and not just someone coordinating a scene.

I blog as "The Missus." In reality, my name is Heather Molina. I moved to Toronto last year from Boston. And I have been practicing Bikram yoga for five and half years.

I began my practice at Bikram Yoga Boston, with a collection of amazing teachers who are strict dialogue teachers. They paid attention to not only the words they recited each and every class, but also to my progress. One teacher in particular never missed a thing in the story that is my Bikram yoga practice...

Example: For the first two years of practicing, I wore yoga pants or cropped pants to practice in each day. The very first time I wore shorts to class, she commented, "Heather!!! You are wearing shorts today! About time!" It was amazing to me that she noticed because I only ever saw her twice a week, as she rotated teaching with other instructors. But she noticed. As did other teachers on various little things.

They helped me evolve my practice while also helping lay a strong foundation for me. I learned how to move in and out postures the correct way by practicing with such strict dialoguers. And when I moved to Toronto and began practicing at Bikram Yoga Bloor, the teachers there didn't have to fear any bad habits I picked up at my old studio.

Since moving to a new home studio and practicing under another set of amazing teachers, I have seen my practice progress forward in new ways...

I can feel the muscles in my back flex in Cobra.
My thighs are starting to get off the ground in Floor Bow.
I can stand on tipped part of my toes and almost come down all the way in the second part of Awkward.
Standing-Head-to-Knee... I can, for a brief second, actually put my head to my knee and hold it.

I've also seen my body make "progress" in a weird way too. I get acid reflux, badly, every few classes. But my teacher the other night explained, "This is good. Your body is getting rid of something."

I am excited to see what the rest of this challenge brings. Both the good (progress in poses) and the bad (acid reflux and crying for no reason).

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Heather Molina is a married woman living in Toronto's Yorkville neighborhood. She has been practicing Bikram yoga for a long-ass time. So long, in fact, she knows it is time to commit to going to teacher training. By day, she works as a digital marketing executive at an agency in the city. When she's not working, spending time with her husband or detoxing in the Bikram studio... She loves to write and travel. In fact, she loves to visit different Bikram studios when she travels.

DAY 38: A Journey Towards Hatha Yoga.

2010-02-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

by: Johan

I took a trip to the sea today and while walking along the beach at night I remembered back 15 years to similar night time strolls along another beach. I used to sneak out late at night, when no one else was around and go to the beach. There I would sit down and listen to the waves breaking while doing what I now know as my Pranayama and silent sitting. In those days I think I called it my prayers and contemplation respectively.

Zoom forward 5 years and I find myself in India studying pranic healing when those same subjects come back. This time they've been given new names, prana and mediation. Here they are presented as valued tools giving us the gift to heal ourselves and others. At this point I also learned more about our connection to the universe and each others. How the body is made up of chakras, and connecting them together are 3 meridians on the front and back of the body. Healing others is simply the process of removing or giving prana to chakras that are out of the norm, and clearing the meridians. I never bought in to pranic healing it felt to cult like and new age. But it gave me a introduction to the Indian tradition of thoughts.

Going forward to the present and I'm rediscovering these same prana, mediation and chakras. Again they have changed their name, but not their nature. As I said at the start I now refer to them as Pranayama and silent sitting, well at least with the chakras I learned a name that's stayed. The meridians were not so blessed, they are now called Nāḍi or channels. Two of those channels have Sanskrit names you might recognise, Ha (sun) and Tha (moon). At the union of these channels sits the chakras. The healing has changed it's tool, but not it's nature. The tool now becomes the action of Hatha Yoga.

How far my journey down the path of yoga will lead I can't tell. But today I caught a rear glimpse at how far ago this journey started and I feel blessed. It's my hope that this post will help you too find a connection in your practice that you might have missed.

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Johan lives in London, UK and has been practicing Bikram for about a year. He's doing his 101 challenge at Bikram Yoga Fulham. When not in the hot room he can often be found travelling the world.

DAY 37: The Elephant & The Hot Room.

2010-02-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

by Liesbeth Strobbe

I would like to tell you an old Indian story of five blind men and an elephant. There are different versions of the tale, this is one of them.

Once upon a time, five blind men were asked to tell what an elephant looks like, by each feeling a different part of the animal. The blind man who feels the tail says the elephant is like a rope. The one who feels a leg says it’s like a pillar. The one who feels the belly says the elephant is like a wall. The one who feels the tusk says it’s like a solid pipe. And the one who feels the trunk says it’s like a tree branch.

A wise man then says: "Everybody is partly right. The reason why every one of you is telling it differently is because each one of you touched a different part of the elephant. You all think you touched the whole of the animal, while in reality you only have a part of it. I know it might be difficult to acknowledge but the elephant has all the features you mentioned. The palm of the hand just can’t cover the whole of the animal."

The elephant stands for the reality in daily life and the disagreeing five blind men are the different views people have about that same reality. We all see the truth in a different way and think we know what’s going on. But just like the blind man can’t feel the whole elephant, we can’t know the whole truth about matters, even though we think we sometimes do. Different people have different backgrounds and different opinions. And they all have something of the truth in them.

I really like the story. It was told even before the 13^th century. It’s simple, but so true. You see it all around you in daily life. But maybe also in the hot room. The only thing people in the hot room really have in common is that they showed up that day. But for all of us those same 90 minutes are a completely different. We may think it’s not so humid today, but maybe the person lying next to you thinks it’s the hardest class ever. And that’s because we all have our different backgrounds. Every day we all bring different emotions with us into that room. A terrible fight at home. An awful day at work. A bad dream. Stress. But also stiffness from the day before. Dehydration. We all struggle and lay down sometimes. Remind yourself not to judge so quickly. And don’t be to hard on yourself. You might think you know all there is to know about yourself, but you don’t. There’s so much more to explore, you will surprise yourself every day in that room. We all do our best.’

I think the story itself is also partly true. Cause there’s one thing I know for sure as the whole truth: we are all doing great in the challenge no matter how we all feel, ‘cause we ARE doing it!

BTW: I stumbled again on the story a couple of weeks ago when I read the debut novel of Babsy Jain’s ‘Lucky Every Day’. It’s a book about yoga and acceptance. And although there are some things I don’t like about the story, I did read it in a couple of days from cover to cover.

Liesbeth lives in Amsterdam and has written for Bikram 101 before. She has been addicted to Bikram yoga for a couple of years. She works for a Dutch radio station and is a volunteer at Foundation Monkey. She is doing her 101-challenge at Bikram Yoga Amsterdam.

DAY 36: Got Energy?

2010-02-05T07:14:00.000-08:00

by: Danielle Cellere

“They don't even know what it is to be a fan. Y'know? To truly love some silly little piece of music, or some band, so much that it hurts.”

- Sapphire, Almost Famous

When the first day of 2010 started, I did not go to yoga. I felt as if I had already fallen short. In my heart of hearts, I really wanted to join the Bikram 101 Challenge. I knew I had some obstacles to hurdle through in order to complete 101 classes in 101 days, so “committing” to the challenge did not happen. But now it is February 5^th, and we are 36 days into 2010. And guess what? I am 37 classes deep. Somehow, someway… I am now committed. It is certainly not going to be the easiest thing for me to do. I have a week long vacation coming up, where there will not be a yoga studio to practice. And my day job tends to get a little bit nutty this time of year. But you know what? I cannot begin to explain how good I feel right now. So with this, I am moving forward. Plunging ahead with the challenge. Excited to see how I will fit it all in. Anxious to strong-arm my way through 90 minutes of empowerment every day.

Something has happened to me. I think it began on Thanksgiving, where I began yet another 30 day challenge. Getting back to a daily practice for the first time since the end of June brought me back to a place that I love. Taking 90 minutes every single day in that steamy, hot room felt like going back home. Detoxifying my body, wringing out all the dust, and filling me up with energy and love and life and breath. (How could I NOT join this challenge?)

In class, we always hear how “yoga is the only exercise in the world that actually gives you energy. You leave class with more energy than when you came in.” We work our bodies in such a way that we flush the blood from one side of our body to the other. We cut off circulation to certain areas for a few moments so that fresh, oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood flushes into that area upon the release. We compress. We extend. We flex. We point. We stretch. We SWEAT. We move our bodies in ways that nature intended. No props. No modifications. Just you. Just your body, your determination. Your guts. Your glory. Of course it is energizing. All of this energizes our bodies in ways that we don’t realize until we wake up at 4:45 in the morning, after 5 hours of sleep, ready and rearing to go. We realize it when we get home from yoga class at 7:30 at night, after being awake since 6am. We do the dishes, clean the house, write our blogs, prepare our lunches for the next day, do the laundry, and finally force ourselves to go to bed because we really know we should. Our productivity levels skyrocket. Efficiency in our jobs, unheard of organization, lightening-fast responsiveness, and prioritization is clear. Daily yoga practice creates efficiencies in our brains. All the extra stuff that can clutter the brain is no longer important. Clarity of the mind is a side-effect. You become the most important thing in your life. The love that we have for ourselves then emanates outward to the rest of the world. Our relationships grow stronger. Our immediate realization of negativity is so strong, we either take a moment and try adjust negative situations, or we simply remove ourselves from them, because it is no longer a part of our make up.

Happiness ensues.

The power of yoga is what has happened to me. It is stronger than ever. I am stronger than ever. It is so powerful and so honest that it hurts.

Danielle lives in Worcester, MA and has been practicing Bikram yoga for 4-1/2 years. After her first class, she knew she wanted to teach. It took her 4 years, but she finally made it to teacher training in Spring, 2009. She currently teaches 2 -3 classes a week, practices daily, and has a full time job as a graphic designer and director. Eventually, in the future, she would like to own her own studio, but for now, she is living in this very moment.

http://yogachronicle.blogspot.com/

DAY 35: Yoga on the Brain

2010-02-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

WOW!!! It's DAY 35!

We are more than 1/3 of the way there!

One question:

Does anyone else have 'yoga on the brain'?

Each and every one of us can see, feel and understand the benefits of our practice...but do you find yourself wanting to cure the world with Bikram yoga, one person at a time?

I hear a friend sneeze and complain about her allergies.

She should really come with me to yoga.

Stressed?

I know just the cure.

Not sleeping well, distracted, inflexible, feeling weak both physically & mentally?

There's a class at noon.

Like anything worthwhile, each unique individual must be mentally ready to change their life, improve their life. The opportunity is there, but one must have the courage, tenacity and desire to take it. And, I am a true believer in everyone making their own choices, on their own timeline.

No convincing. No pressure. No guilt trips.

So, when my friends make comments about how I have so much positive energy, how peaceful I seem, how cute my "yoga butt" looks in those jeans...I just smile & gently remind them that I would love for them to join me in the hot room anytime!