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How do we clean Home?

6/29/2020

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Short answer: constantly!

We want Home to feel like... home! That means it's got to be super clean and super safe, so you can focus on your yoga practice and connecting with your community. We've always cleaned a LOT, and you can expect us to keep doing that.
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​Our Home team does routine cleaning at the start, middle and end of every shift-- plus, we're now bringing in the pros for regular deep-cleans. Following weeks of tireless research into the best practices supported by science, we've up-leveled how we clean and the products we use! Our standards for choosing products or processes are: 
  1. Safety (it won't make you sick)
  2. Effectiveness (it actually has to work)
  3. Simplicity (everyone can figure out how to use it correctly)

Below are a few of the main tools we're using to keep our safety levels top-notch.

Force of Nature

Force of Nature is the multi-purpose cleaning product on EPA’s List of Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19. It's totally natural and super cool if you're into science!

This product uses electricity to change the chemical composition of salt, water and vinegar into a powerful cleaner & disinfectant. There are no harmful ingredients, residues or fumes. We love that.

At Home, we spray Force of Nature multiple times a day on all high-touch surfaces (including hard floors) until wet, let sit for 10 minutes, then let it air dry or wipe it with a clean cloth. 

Flotex flooring

Flotex flooring is an antimicrobial, non-porous waterproof specialized flooring. Unlike carpet, the fibers are plastic fibers which stick straight up rather than loop. This means there is nowhere for germs or viruses to hide, and nothing soaks in! Everything sits on the fibers where it either evaporates, dies in the heat, gets sucked up by our vacuum, washed out by our water extraction cleaner-- or destroyed by our new hydroxyl generator.

Newaire Hydroxyl Generator

Hydroxyls (HO•) are molecules created naturally outdoors when the UV rays of the sun react with oxygen and water vapor. It's a natural process that constantly occurs in our atmosphere, cleansing the air. 
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Hydroxyls don't appear naturally indoors, so the Newaire machine mimics nature by safely generating hydroxyls, which find and kill a wide range of bacteria, mold and viruses both on surfaces and in the air. Hydroxyl generators are safe to use in occupied areas, while still being effective against a wide range of bacteria and viruses.
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The important work you are doing inside yourself.

6/21/2020

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Today is International Yoga Day! (Of course, every day is “yoga day” around here.)

Too many people see yoga as a luxury item -- something to be disposed of when finances or schedules are tight. If there’s one thing I want you to know today, it’s this: 

Practicing some form of yoga is not only essential to having a meaningful life, it’s absolutely necessary for a large number of us to practice if we’re going to create and maintain a peaceful, just society.

Practicing yoga is not like other forms of “self care” it tends to get lumped in with. Yoga is not like getting your nails done, taking a bubble bath or even having a massage (though I’m not knocking those things!)

Yoga is not about yoga postures.
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When you practice yoga (raja yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, karma yoga, mantra yoga and hatha yoga-- which Bikram Yoga is one style of-- are the 6 main types of yoga) you cultivate Faith, Self-disicipline, Determination, Concentration and Patience within yourself. 

If you’re doing hatha yoga, you’ll get pain relief, increased flexibility and strength and a litany of other physical health benefits too. You’ll improve the quality of your life. Which is amazing! But that’s not all you do.

The ultimate goal of any yoga practice is Self-Realization.

That’s Self with a capital “S.” Your highest Self, the greatest version of who you are. 
The word realize (v.) means "bring into existence," from French réaliser "make real" (16c.), from Middle French real "actual.")  

Self-Realization means then, bringing your highest Self into existence.


When you practice yoga, you become able to pull the BEST version of yourself out of your pocket when you need it most:
  • So you don’t yell at your kids when you’re frustrated with them
  • So you can hold space for your loved ones, both in their grief and in their joy
  • So when you witness injustice, you speak out against it
  • So when you observe wrong thinking in yourself, you seek to improve it

If you keep practicing yoga, that Best Version of You appears more and more frequently. Eventually, the way you live begins to align itself with your full potential. You behave like your Self more often than not. Your Self is the part of you most in tune with nature. It’s the part of you which is connected to all other parts of you, which feels connected to all of humanity and even all of the cosmos. 

Yoga comes from the word “yuj” meaning “to yoke together.”

When you access a place inside yourself where everything is united: mind, body and the rest of the world, that is Self. Because you become aware of the connection between you and all of humanity, Self is where your compassion for others lives. 


If you still think that yoga is something to do:
  • in your spare time
  • when you can afford LuLuLemon leggings
  • when conditions are perfect
  • when the kids back to school
  • when you lose 10 lbs 
  • when you’re not so busy anymore

Ask yourself: 

How would this Father’s Day have been different for George Floyd’s family, if Derek Chauvin had been able to access the Best Version of himself for 8 minutes?

Yoga is not about yoga postures. 

When you step on your mat today-- remember that the important work you are doing inside yourself has the power to change the world.
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Black lives matter, and always have.

6/19/2020

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I've been writing this for 2 weeks, trying to get it just right. But (like yoga) done is better than perfect when it comes to speaking up. So here we are.

Racism and injustice are NOT new. 

But it's true that (while these issues have always been important to us) we’ve never used the studio's platforms to speak out in a significant way about them before.

(That's about to change.)

Before I go on, I want to (1) acknowledge that we know we are late to the party, and (2) to ask that you please do not congratulate us for saying something now. We don't deserve any kudos (though we would love to listen to any feedback you have about how we can do better!)

At Home Hot Yoga, we support the Black Lives Matter movement.
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If you've been to the studio, you know: we welcome and respect all people of all colors and backgrounds. We are firmly anti-hate, anti-racism, anti-injustice and anti-harm.

Which is why I'm writing, to add Home's voice to the sea of voices who've just starting chiming in, because it's better late than never:

Black lives matter. They have always mattered. For too long, they have been treated as if they don't.

And that's why it needs saying now. Over and over until someday it hopefully won't need saying anymore because it will just be something everybody understands.

We know that no email, no post on social media, no sign we put in our window can "fix" the atrocities inflicted on human beings because of racism.

Demonstrating our support is important, but on its own cannot stop the terrible injustices which are still going on today.

We understand that action is needed. One of the first actions we need to take is to begin intentionally engaging in respectful, open-minded conversations about the issues of social justice and race. 

Talking to each other is the place to start. We're committed to having those important talks.

IN FACT... keep your eyes peeled for a super special event coming SOON that is all about just that...!

Some resources for now:
If you don't know a lot about race issues yet, it's time to start learning. We're so lucky to live in a time when resources are EVERYwhere. Here are just a few:
  • All kinds of anti-racism links & reading material here.
  • We really love this TEDTalk here.
  • Watch "13th" - bring tissues.
  • Here's a list of black-owned businesses in Portland.
  • One of your yogi neighbors runs this awesome org right here!

What does this have to do with yoga?

Stay in your lane, right? We are.

We started a business because we know that business leadership is the most important leadership of our time, and we wanted to make a difference.

We chose to build our business on Bikram Yoga because we know that not only can ALL people practice and benefit from Bikram Yoga, but this yoga has the power to bring people together like nothing else around.

Yoga means "union," and we are all about super-sizing the amount of unity in the world. 

Our work in the hot room (and in our online classes) gets us closer to this end. 

You can now expect to see us putting our yoga into action "off the mat" even more from here on out. We're so excited for you to join us on this journey.

If you have any ideas about ways that Home can be of service in the cause of racial equity, please reply to this email or reach out to us by phone at (503)505-9805.
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The Top 5 “blunders” you’re making practicing by yourself

6/17/2020

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Since back when the first stay-at-home orders began, yoga students everywhere have been rolling out their mats at home.

Doing yoga is a lifestyle choice that’s more important than ever to make! A regular yoga practice has been found to help strengthen your immune response, manage chronic pain, and both prevent and heal physical injuries by keeping your joints healthy and muscles strong. Yoga also helps improve many mental health issues including depression and anxiety.

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When you practice at a studio, you benefit from the watchful eye of a trained instructor. But when you use a recorded class to practice, it’s up to you to make your own corrections and look out for any less-than-helpful habits.

Here are several common mistakes to avoid when practicing on your own:
Mistake: Tweaking your neck to see the screen

Why you do it: If you take an online class with video, especially if you are a visual learner, you’ll be tempted to look up at your screen. That might be to check your alignment, check out that cute puppy crawling on your yoga buddy’s savasana, or see if your technology is working correctly. 

Solution: 
  • Practice yoga at home with live teachers using online apps like Zoom-- they’ll tell you if you’re way off, so you don’t have to strain to see yourself in your device. 
  • Listen to instructions and follow along carefully. 
  • If you need to check your tech, completely exit the pose first. 
  • Position your device where it’s easy to see while you practice. 

Mistake: Pushing too hard

Why you do it: Overexerting yourself during a home Bikram Yoga routine is something to watch out for, especially if you’re an experienced student. If you’re used to being strong and flexible in the hot room, you may tend to push yourself at home. Remember that your intensity needs to account for the fact that you’re not as warm. Take it easy.

Solution: 
  • Keep your breathing normal. Your breath is the best tool to measure if you’re overdoing it. You should be able to breathe calmly in and out by your nose throughout your practice. If you can’t breath normally, come out of the pose and find your normal breathing before you start again. 
  • If you are experiencing physical pain, move especially slowly and practice “gentle stretching without causing pain.” In fact, that is a really good mantra for an unheated practice in general!

Mistake: Getting kinda lazy

Why it happens: It can be challenging to stay motivated when you practice on your own. There are so many more distractions at your house than at the studio! And you don’t have the heat to demand that you focus on the present moment. You may find yourself “going through the motions” or even skipping the poses you don’t really enjoy. The problem with that is, the poses you dread the most are likely the ones you need the most! Bikram Yoga is a balanced full-body physical practice, and skipping the same poses repeatedly may aggravate asymmetries, tightness or injury.

Solution: 
  • Try to practice with a live instructor as much as possible. You’re more likely to attempt all the postures with that supportive voice nudging you along.
  • During a Zoom class, keep your camera on and positioned so your teacher can see you at a good angle in order to give you individual tips.
  • If you have to practice without a live teacher, and you notice yourself slacking, consider finding an accountability partner. Check in weekly with “wins” from the week and goals for the week ahead. They don’t even have to be a yogi, but can be anyone working on being more consistent at a practice or routine. Tell them which poses you are dreading and commit to trying them when you practice that week.

Mistake: Allowing Interruptions

Why you do it: If you don’t architect an environment that supports your yoga practice, distractions will abound: kids, phone calls, Facebook notifications, pets, the list is endless! Without a reserved time and space for yoga, there is always something vying for your attention.

Solution: 
  • Create an uninterrupted yoga sesh by planning ahead: set your phone to “do not disturb” and have a room where you can shut the door to interruptions.
  • Practicing in the morning may help you minimize the chance that something will come up during the day that needs dealing with.
  • Set out your yoga clothes and mat the night before you plan to practice, so it’s all ready to go.
  • Decide on a separate space for yoga (if you can) or at least “rent” a space from your bedroom or bathroom which is only for yoga during your designated yoga-time. The area should be free of tech (beyond your device that you need for an online class) Keep all of your other devices in a different room and turned off while you practice.
  • Even if you only have time for 2 sets of Pranayama, commit to doing it without stepping off your mat for the whole time.

Mistake: Inconsistency

Why you do it: When you’re not joining others in-person, it can be challenging to hold yourself accountable. 

Solution: 
  • Make a date with a friend to join a Zoom class together.
  • Write your yoga practice into your weekly plan, whether in a paper planner or online calendar. Schedule it like you schedule an important work meeting-- because you are the most important person you can meet with!
  • Accountability buddies (mentioned above) are great for keeping up your practice, too. They don’t even have to do yoga themselves, but can be anyone working on being more consistent at a practice or routine. Tell them how many times you plan to practice, and when. 
  • Be realistic about your goals. Finding the time to practice at home can be harder than when you get to leave your home! Remember that some yoga is better than no yoga, and every little bit of yoga counts. Commit to a regular schedule, valuing consistency over quantity. For example, if what you can do is 1 full class a week plus 1 session of Pranayama on another day, it’s better than practicing 5 days in a row then not doing anything for the next 3 months. 
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Heat & Humidity vs. COVID-19

6/15/2020

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Excellent news for Bikram Yogis regarding COVID-19 has emerged:

It turns out humid air may be a useful tool in slowing coronavirus spread!
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Scientists are finding that dry air makes it harder for your lungs to clear out respiratory viruses like SARS-CoV-2. Not only that, but dry air may also make it harder for your immune system to fight it off if you do get infected.

According to Yale immunobiologist Akiko Iwasaki, the virus seems to survive and transmit best in dry indoor environments. 

On the flip side, the research reviewed by Iwasaki and her team suggests that a relative humidity between 40 and 60 percent may make it harder for the coronavirus to take hold. (Guess what range we keep the humidity at in our hot room? ;)

Iwasaki collaborated with Swiss physician Walter Hugentobler. They had noticed that pilots and flight attendants seemed to catch the flu a lot, even if they were generally healthy. Their study linked this to the constant exposure to extra-dry cabin air. Following up that research was this review of other studies, to see if this finding applied to COVID-19 as well.

In another study, MIT engineer Hazhir Rahmandad looked at why COVID-19 was spreading more rapidly in some regions than others. He noticed that the warmer, more humid parts of Iran, India and South Asia saw lower rates of the virus, even though the population density and traffic with China should have made those areas hot spots of infection.

Rahmandad and his team found that infection rates start to drop big-time as temperature rises above 77 degrees and humidity goes up.

It’s important to remember that just because the humid air of the hot room (or summer in Portland!) may help slow down this virus, it’s not an excuse to start French-kissing the handle to the yoga room, coughing all over your neighbor’s mat or not wearing your mask to the store.

Social distancing and the other precautions we’re taking around the studio (and around town) are still important and will help us lessen spikes in infection or outbreaks as we move back into drier weather this winter.

Find out more about the research here.
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    HHY Founder, Yoga Business Coach, yoga-doer and life-lover, Kay Afif!

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