Thoughts on Bikram Yoga

Just finished this book. I highly recommend it if you currently do Bikram yoga or are interested / intrigued! It's a great read! Not only is there an entire section devoted to describing each posture with hints or "Bikram's Key" and the benefits of each posture but Bikram also answers some FAQ such as why his classes are so hot! 

It's amazing to see how a pose, such as "Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose", can help relieve pain from sciatica as well as massaging the internal abdominal organs and small and large intestines giving added flexibility in the pelvis, ankles, hip joints and the last 5 vertebrae of the spine (p 137). I love knowing that each posture was selected for a reason. As Bikram says he took "these specific 26 postures to systematically work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, all the veins, all the ligaments, and all the muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function." (p 72)

Some favorite quotes / takeaways:

• "It's never too late, it's never too bad, and you're never too old or too sick to start from scratch once again." (p 13)
• "The way to learn is to do." (p 15)
• "Let me encourage you the way I encourage all my students. Can't do a particular yoga posture today? If you persist in trying the right way, a day will come when you can. Don't cheat or change the posture to conform to your individual weaknesses. If you do, the real benefit goes out the window. Would you rather suffer for 90 minutes or 90 years? The right way is the hard way, and it's up to you to make it work." (p 67)
• "Let's say there's a special room in your house just for meditation. Everything about it is conducive to peaceful contemplation, and you can walk in, lock the door, take the phone off the hook and be completely undisturbed anytime you want. You sit down on your favorite soft meditation pillow, light your favorite incense, play your favorite relaxing music, and begin your meditation. Great. Enjoy. You know what you're going to get from this kind of meditation? A fat ass and a lazy body." (p 75)
• This was in reference to Bikram's 90 minute yoga being a meditation and the importance of finding peace under any condition - not just the calm room. Throughout the book Bikram describes himself as giving tough love! He's also very comical as see in the previous quote!
• "Another overall way yoga heals is by serving as a diagnostic tool. Your inability to hold a posture correctly can often tell you which parts of your body are weak or not functioning well. Like a good mechanic, you'll be running a diagnostic checkup on yourself, locating imbalances to be worked on and organs or other systems in need of repair." (p. 79)

Want to learn more? Go this this website.

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Last night I "finished" my second scarf project. It ended up being a bit of a mess, but lots of lessons learned in the process! I realized a little ways into my second ball of yarn that the wire on the circular needles was twisted.. and as a result so was my scarf. As my mother in law pointed out, it's always ok to donate projects! Just because it isn't supposed to twist doesn't mean it can't keep someone warm!

Tonight I've been reading this book about Bikram yoga, written by Bikram himself! It is so surprisingly interesting. It outlines instructions and benefits for each posture. I'm continuing to be even more fascinated by Bikram yoga and only wish there was a studio in the QC area! In time, perhaps. Once I finish the book I'm going to share some of my favorite quotes! Too inspiring not to share!

For now I'm sharing a quote unrelated to yoga, but rather lovely. Enjoy.

Rain go away!

It has been so rainy and icky these past few days!! It's putting me in a funk! I've been recovering from a cold this week (thanks to husband for sharing) and have not been doing my yoga as consistently. Today after sitting on my butt all morning I forced myself to do yoga! When I feel gross working out is really the last thing I want to do, but getting back into a good routine has magical powers.

The health insurance we have through Mike's company rewards us for exercise so I have been tracking my efforts and I've been working out consistently since March 4th! Basically 2 months! So.. to normal healthy people this is not a big deal - but to me! This is big. I have a great history of working out for 2 weeks and then not doing anything for months. I'm feeling great and seeing results in muscle strength and stamina so hopefully this can continue!

I'm being nicer to myself during this process too - realizing that working out some is a heck of a lot better than none! I started off with a goal of every other day - that way I eased my way into it and didn't get burn out. I find this to be more realistic of what I ultimately want to do anyway. For me, working out every day is just not in the cards. So why push myself to do it for a week and then get disappointment when a schedule or whatever doesn't allow. Realistic goals - such an easy concept, but challenging to put into place!

Before I left, mother in law taught me how to knit! It seems like everyone with awful winters has a "winter project" so I'm planning ahead and learning the art of knitting. This past week I finished my first project!! I used this pattern from Ravelry. I ran out of yarn so mine is a bit shorter, but it looks/ feels/ smells (kidding) like a scarf - so I must have succeeded! Next I'm going to try this pattern. I started this morning and quickly (well 2 hours) realized that I wasn't doing it correctly. After a few youtube videos and some practice I'm getting the hang of it!! Never again will I cast on more than 20 stitches if I don't know what I'm doing!!

Mike worked days Friday - Sunday, is off tomorrow and then switches to nights Tues-Thurs. Poor guy!

Time to shower and maybe paint my nails! Hope you have had a good weekend!

Oh my yoga!

After recommendations from a friend (shout-out to Annette!) I went to the store with a list of 5 or so good yoga dvds. I ended up with Jillian Michael's video and oh my word!

I think Jillian and I can be friends, but she sure is going to kick my butt each and every time I do this video! I made it a good 20 minutes into her first 35 minute work out and oh my yoga! It's going to be great! This video is so much easier to work out to than my first yoga purchase from half price books featuring the lovely Patricia Walden in a full body white leotard (which I guess is a unitard? do these still exist?) and an 80's or 90's style blue and pink backdrop...

The video was for beginners, which I definitely am and the cover didn't scream 80's unitard.. so it seemed like a good start, but I could not take Patricia's calm, soothing voice - it just wasn't motivating and her leotard was incredibly distracting! So you can appreciate what I'm talking about, please at least just take a look at a minute of her video which I found on YouTube..."Hello, I'm Patricia Walden... I look forward to sharing my experience of yoga with you.." ahh!

Will keep you posted on my yoga progress!