A New Experience: Bikram Yoga

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Added: Sun. Jan 16, 2011 2:04pm
Posted in: Fitness

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I was feeling a little "stuck" in my weight loss progress and I expressed this to Keith St. Onge last Thursday.  My weight had plateaued for weeks and nothing was budging from my body.  "I know what you can do," he said.  "Bikram Yoga!" I had heard about this previously from my niece, but couldn't imagine myself getting through a workout in a hot room.  Heck, I usually counted the minutes until I could complete the occasional yoga class at my local gym.  My body was always complaining at me every time I tried to coax it into different poses. 

And now Keith was telling me I should take an hour and half class in a 105 degree, hot room? 

What the heck--why not try it?  After all, Keith hasn't steered me wrong yet.  Thanks to his help, I was able to lose a few pounds and slowly work my way back in shape.  Keith's fiance, Lauren Lindeman prepared me before the yoga class, taking me through each pose and explaining what to expect during the class.  That preparation and knowledge was unbelievably helpful, as I was able to follow most of the class with some ease.  Lauren also helped me during the class, explaining a few things when I was lost.

I couldn't wear my hearing aids in the class as they would have shorted out from the sweat.  But that was a wonderful advantage, as I was surrounded by complete silence.  Within the first few minutes of the class, I was dripping sweat left and right and my face was completely red.  I had a moment of panic-- how in the world was I going to last through an hour and half?  I had to shift my thinking, so I decided to just concentrate on getting through each pose and focus on breathing instead.

An amazing thing began to happen.  I liken it to the same thing that happens in childbirth when you get so deep into the breathing and focus, that pain becomes meaningless.  You transcend into a whole other level of being-- it's that state that I call "bliss."  And that feeling began to overtake me in the class.  Like I said, it was amazing.  I haven't felt that in a long time!  And as the quote from Pantanjali goes, "Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind."

I was soaking wet with sweat when I finished the class, but I felt a new energy come over me.  I was tired, but feeling very good.  And feeling thankful that I was open to this new experience!