Bikram Yoga in a face mask: #36482 on the list of things I’ve done in 2020 which I never imagined I would do! You know what though? It ain’t so bad. Yogis have been asking for recommendations, so... Here are a few things I’ve discovered:
But the #1 thing you need to do when practicing Bikram Yoga in a mask (or even not in a mask) is simple and costs $0: Give yourself permission to take radical good care of yourself during class. That means breathe through your nose, and rest when necessary (Hint: if you find it hard to keep breathing through your nose, you need a rest:) Good news is, you already practice that every time you do Bikram Yoga- right? When you first return Home, you will probably need to take more breaks than you are accustomed to. It's true that a mask will be in the way of air headed into your nose, but also don't forget that you haven't been in a hot room for 7 months! Like Standing Head to Knee pose, doing your yoga in a mask is going to take practice. If you're prepared to try- mindfully and patiently (and with the right supplies!) hot yoga in a mask may not be your favorite, but it won't totally suck. You might even forget it's there. Plus, think of how bada** that is! "I do Bikram Yoga in a face mask" said no lame person EVER. ;) Check out this post for more thoughts on masks!
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I feel pretty confident about spending 90 minutes in a hot room breathing with you during a global pandemic. There are a few reasons for that:
Ok... but what's an iWave? The iWave is the air purification system we've installed in the hot room's duct system! When air passes over the iWave, ions produced by the device reduce pathogens, allergens, particles, smoke and odors in the air, without producing harmful byproducts. How does it work? iWave uses a fancypants technology called "needle-point bi-polar ionization" to create equal amounts of positive and negative ions. When the ions are released into the air, they break down passing pollutants and gases into harmless stuff like oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water vapor. When the ions run into pathogens like viruses, bacteria or mold, the ions remove their hydrogen molecules. Without these molecules, the pathogens have no source of energy- so they die. The ions also attach to tiny allergens like pollen, causing them to stick together until they are large enough to be caught by our ventilation system’s hospital-grade MERV-13 air filters. Is it safe?
Nature generates the same ions that the iWave’s technology does- with lightning, waterfalls and ocean waves. These natural processes break apart molecules, naturally cleaning the air. The difference between the iWave’s technology and what nature does is that the iWave does it without producing ozone! Does it work on Coronavirus? Yep! This system has actually undergone independent lab testing on COVID-19 and shown to deactivate 99.4% of the virus in just 30 minutes, in addition to significantly reducing a wide variety of other pathogens in the air and on hard non-porous surfaces. Booking online is now required for all in-studio classes. Check out these quick tutorials we made on how to do it: Booking online "101"How to book from your computer:
How to book/ cancel using the Mindbody app:If you can't make it to a class you have booked/ waitlisted?
A 12 hour minimum notice is required for all cancellations! Because space in class is limited due to government regulations, Late Cancels and No Shows will be charged a $20 fee if we are unable to fill the spot. Check out the details of our policy here. If you have trouble booking online and this post didn't help you, feel free to reach out at (503)505-9805 or email us and we'll do our best to assist. See you at Home!! Cleaning processes
Tools for you
Protective measures
Staff safety
Got any questions about this stuff, or anything related to reopening? Check out our Reopening Plan! Or drop us a line here.
Whether you need more "zen" in your life, or just feel kinda lazy... joining an online class can be just the motivation you need, to keep doing the yoga you need!
Don't take our word for it though, here are our Homies Judy and Alex on how and WHY they have kept up their Bikram Yoga practice during a pandemic: Why Judy & Alex do yoga at Home (online!) This has been the year for flexibility, to say the least! You're working from home, schooling from home, doing yoga in your bathroom, etc. While some of these changes may feel frustrating or sad, many positive opportunities have also emerged. One of them is HHY To Go! Here are the most frequently asked questions about HHYTG. If you don't find the answers you're looking for below, please drop us a line here. The basicsHow do I find classes? Once you are logged in to your HHY To Go account you can navigate to all the pages which are part of HHY To Go. Homehotyoga.com/togo is basically the "home page" where you can find links to all the offerings. How do I log in? Simply visit homehotyoga.com/togo and enter your login info. Unless you log out, you will probably stay logged into the site on your device. Do I already have a login? You do not have a login until you have signed up for an HHY To Go subscription. You can choose to use the same login info you use to book studio in-classes in Mindbody Online, but you still need to create a new account as this is a completely separate platform from the one we use for in-studio classes (Mindbody Online.) How do I access Zoom classes in HHY To Go? Once you are logged in, you can view the Zoom Classes page on the website, which will have a button for each class in the coming week. Simply click the button and enter any registration info. Here is a video about that! My membership & HHYTGIs HHYTG included in my studio membership? If you are an existing member of HHY, HHYTG is a completely separate subscription. Any changes you make to your membership do not affect your To Go subscription, and vice versa. Do members receive a discount? All active members received a coupon code via email to get 1-3 months free access! If you can't find the code in your email, email us. Cancelling / SuspendingHow do I cancel HHY To Go? You can cancel HHYTG yourself at anytime, by clicking the button that says "Account" on the website and following the instructions.
How do I suspend or cancel my in-studio membership? You need to email us in order to make any changes to your in-studio membership. Signing up for HHYTG on its own will not cause any changes to be made to your membership. We will not make any changes to your membership without an email request from you. Your membership agreement requires 15 days notice for any changes to your membership. Can I switch over to HHY To Go until the studio reopens? Yes. Some members have chosen to put their in-person membership on hold and just use To Go for now. Some have chosen to keep both passes active, and we are SO grateful for this extra support of the studio! We also understand that not everyone can do that, which is why we are happy to suspend your membership if you prefer. Starting September 1, Zoom classes will only be available with an HHY To Go subscription.A couple changes start in September:
Check out this video we made on how to access Zoom classes (and a sneak peek at all the goody in case you haven't signed up yet!) How to access Zoom classes:If you haven't already signed up for HHY To Go, check out this blog post about all the details and why you should totally go for it! Questions? Read our FAQ about HHYTG here.
NEW! Take our Home, to your home.We understand that keeping up your practice away from the studio can be challenging! That's why you can now access yoga online with your favorite HHY teachers… ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. Strength, flexibility, transformation and accessing your true potential is now possible, To Go! You'll find a variety of options ranging in length from a 5-minute guided savasana to 90-minute Bikram Yoga classes and more, now easily accessed right here from our website. Have you ever struggled to find 90 minutes to yourself for a home practice?We get it.Look, we have 2 kids under 5 and run a small business! We know that finding time for yoga at your place can be TOUGH. So while we believe whole-heartedly that the 90-minute Bikram Yoga class is the most effective yoga around (so effective that it's the only class we offer in the heated studio!) we also know that some days ya just can't fit that in. The truth is that some yoga is always better than no yoga! Which is why HHY To Go includes a whole page of "Quickies." Quickies range from 5 to 60 minutes and include a variety of options for a shorter home practice when 90 minutes just ain't happening. HHY To Go includes:Interactive Zoom classes On-demand classes Options from 5-90 minutes Posture tutorials And more! Add HHYTG on to your current in-studio membership! Current HHY members, please note that HHY To Go is a separate membership on a completely different platform than the one we use for in-studio classes. Questions? Check out our FAQ about HHYTG here.
If you have a current membership with us and wish to switch completely to HHY To Go, you'll need to EMAIL US to make that change. If you sign up for HHYTG but don't email us, you'll enjoy a subscription to both our virtual and in-person offerings: yay!
During the stay-at-home orders I have been conscientious about how I spend my spare time (there is actually no such thing as “spare” time-- but that’s a different blog post!)
As I knew there was no lack of work to be done (we’re up-leveling many aspects of our business in preparation for reopening) and since I value rest-- I resisted the (ok, not that strong anyway) urge to learn to crochet or bake my own bread, like seemingly everyone I follow on Instagram. There was one opportunity though, that I knew I wanted to invest my attention in. For 6 days in a row, I got to peek into the lab of Gil Hedley, famed Integral Anatomist. Gil studies human anatomy by dissecting cadavers. His goal seems not only to be exploring what he calls “inner space” but also to help laymen cultivate an appropriate level of awe and appreciation for our bodies. Gil’s perspective is interested in connections and continuity, and aligns perfectly with the teachings of yoga. For the first time ever, Gil was allowing viewers to tune in online to 1 hour per day of what is usually an intensive full-time week of dissection in his lab. So when I got his email invite, I was doing it! One of the most special moments of the week was getting a closer look at the human heart. Gil actually calls what’s in our chest the “heart center” since the whole organ is more like a “heart-tree,” whose branches extend throughout the body in over 60,000 miles of blood vessels (!!) and even beyond the body through the vibrations of the heartbeat. As his cohorts in the lab took turns gently cradling the heart in their hands, Gil explained something which I'd never thought about in quite this way before:
The heart feeds itself first.
A quick anatomy lesson: Your coronary arteries (from Latin corona meaning "crown") wrap your heart like vines. The coronary arteries connect to the aorta. The aorta is the (huge! about 2cm in diameter!) blood vessel that spins freshly oxygenated blood from the heart up to your brain and out to the rest of your body. As this oxygenated blood rushes from heart out into the aorta, the coronary arteries divert some of it right back into the heart directly to provide it with oxygen. The heart feeds itself first. There is a room in Gil's lab labeled "Teacher's Lounge." It's where the cadavers are kept! It is so true that the human body has great quantities to teach us. By observing relationships within the body, we can gain insight about our relationships, too. You would never call the heart "selfish" for nourishing itself first -- and yet many of us have been taught to believe that we should put others' needs before our own. We back-burner our own self care – compromising sleep, neglecting to make time for exercise or eating well, sacrificing the activities that feed our souls. It’s a well-meaning, misguided attempt at being a good person. Observing how the heart works, offers us a different lesson: we should be feeding ourselves first. But does prioritizing our wellbeing, somehow take away from what we have to give others? I’m going to say nope, and the heart will back me up: When the heart feeds itself first, it doesn’t adversely affect the rest of the body. Your coronary arteries are relatively small vessels that redirect a relatively small amount from the abundance of blood which supplies the rest of the body. In other words, a small amount of self-care can be profoundly nourishing. Your 90-minute yoga class (or even a 5-minute savasana!) offer rewards that far exceed the time you invest. Your body depends on your heart’s health to live. So the “self-serving” aspect of the heart is a loving act which ensures that the rest of the body thrives! In the same way, your self-care is essential to the well-being of your family, your friends, and your community. You know when you’re on an airplane and the flight attendants tell you to put on your oxygen mask before helping someone else with theirs? It’s like the heart has listened to that lecture. When it comes to making yourself a priority, remember this lesson from the heart. Feed yourself first. Only when you are nourished, can you fully show up and care for other people. Every night at dinner in our family, we all go around and say what we are grateful for that day. (Ok, our toddler just mostly says "mnxrbfthnuuhh") Including the usual suspects like: "my brother, shelves, rainbows and toilets" there have been many special people on our gratitude list lately! We felt it was time for a shout-out: Thank you to the workers.BIGTIME appreciation and respect to all the health care workers and other essential workers on the “front lines," including many of your fellow yogis! We know who you are, we’ve got your back (literally!) and thank you. We know it’s gotten real out there and you guys are doing your “karma yoga” (that’s the yoga of action!) for sure right now. Thank you to our amazing team.The truth is, most yoga teachers did not get into this industry imagining they'd be teaching people via Zoom meetings! Jeannie, Maggie and a host of guest teachers from around the world have put on their '21st century' hats and got busy learning new skills, stepping outside their comfort zones and getting at it with Virtual Bikram Yoga classes. Stacy and Jennell, our brand new front desk crew (we hired them mere days before closing!) are quickly becoming powerful forces behind-the-scenes, helping us connect via social media and up-level our cleaning and safety procedures Thank you to our members.You have kept up your membership and support (for us and each other) in all kindsa ways! Here's an example: one anonymous member recently wrote to us asking if we would help them send out a bunch of $100 gift cards for groceries, to any yogis who might be in need! DANG. This is what our kickass community does! Thank you to our biz community.We are grateful to be part of generous, supportive networks of entrepreneurs! Our community of yoga studio owners around the world has come together more than ever during this time. Locally, the St. Johns Boosters Association has been especially helpful in connecting our neighborhood businesses with resources and with each other. Thank you.For so many of us this time apart has been hard in many ways.
It's taking these moments to be grateful for the abundance of access to LOVE we all have, which is going to pull us through. Every one of us who has been a part of Home, is part of this love! We can't wait to get started helping you heal your “computer neck” and get all your organs pumping happily and do some hot, sweaty yoga in person together again. It's just a matter of time, so stay tuned for updates! For now, our virtual classes are ongoing-- and our gratitude is flowing. |
AuthorHHY Founder, Yoga Business Coach, yoga-doer and life-lover, Kay Afif! Categories
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