“I have had a chronic pain issue in my neck and shoulder for several years, and I am always looking for ways to cope with it that are an alternative to western medicine. When I first tried Bikram yoga, it was so hard and so hot- but I loved it right away. I loved the intensity, the routine, and noticing changes in my strength and flexibility with each class.
“Since beginning to practice about a year and a half ago, my fitness level has improved so that when I am hiking or jogging or playing ultimate frisbee, I feel strong and have great endurance. While my shoulder and neck pain is still around, I notice a dramatic decrease in pain when I can get into the studio 4-5 times a week. I definitely feel like I have a greater body awareness. I understand better how to move, where I hold my stress, and how to let it go. “When I am practicing Bikram regularly, it spills into other parts of my life: I crave eating healthy food; I am more motivated to do tasks that I sometimes like to procrastinate; I feel more engaged in my life, my relationships, and my community. “I remember the day I became a Founding Member of BYSJ. I was excited when I saw a studio would be opening nearby and somewhat impulsively just put my credit card number in and clicked ok. After more thought it seemed like a big risk... a studio I had never seen, a community I did not know. I am so glad I made that impulsive move because I could not be happier to be a part of this inclusive, positive, vibrant and welcoming community.”
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Judy says, “Bikram yoga has fixed my diverticulitis. I used to get it several times a year, and would sometimes take double antibiotics and go on clear liquid diets to alleviate the pain and bloating. It sucked. I only got it once last year and that was a travel week when I hadn't been to class. Bikram yoga balances the added stress, lack of sleep and rich food and drink that often accompany our business trips. Now when we travel we try to have a yoga studio picked out to visit wherever we can! “Practicing Bikram yoga also allows my mind to calm down after a full day of working on our own business. I have learned to breathe calmly through my nose, focus only on what's in front of me, and really listen, even when my brain thinks it's going to explode. When I do all of this the time flies by. And I forget about work for a while! “I came to my first class in February 2016, because I stole my husband Alex's buddy pass. Then I told Alex he would hate it and it wasn't quite for him, so (of course) he tried it. The rest is history. “Alex and I work together all day from home, and that can be challenging. Sometimes we need to ‘divide and conquer,’ and take yoga at different times. Whether we practice together or apart, after class I feel re-set mentally and emotionally and I'm a much nicer person to be around. We encourage each other to go to class even when one of us doesn’t feel like it- because we always feel better when we do. Alex adds, “Bikram yoga has helped both of us with stress. I am just more relaxed in my work when I practice yoga on a regular basis. I’ve gained strength and flexibility, which I notice when walking and exercise in general. Bikram yoga also helps me with long plane trips! Since starting to practice I even feel more at ease when sitting in that middle seat on a long, long flight. “When we’re in town, after an evening yoga class Judy and I often come home and have dinner together. It's a favorite time of mine. After an evening yoga class we are relaxed, laughing and putting our business and the rest of our lives aside. Having each taken time for ourselves, we are able to focus on each other and just enjoying our time together.” “I have been sober a little over two years and Bikram Yoga has become a big part of my recovery program. My practice has been such an important healthy outlet for emotional healing and managing the day-to-day life stressors that come up. I don't second guess myself as much as I did before I started practicing. I don't know exactly how it works, but I know it’s the yoga, and I think it has something to do with looking myself in the eye in those mirrors. I have built a mind-body connection and trust myself more.
“I always sleep better after I've come to yoga. I've been able to maintain a healthy weight throughout the year by coming regularly. I have gained confidence in myself and am able to make decisions more quickly. It always surprises me what comes up in the hot room. As one of my teachers says "Let it out. Better out than in!" “I took my first Bikram yoga class in Seattle in 2012 and practiced on and off for about 9 months. But it wasn't until after I got sober that I was able to realize how much the yoga could do for me. Class is so much harder with a hangover! After I got sober in 2014 it took me a long time to starting exercising again in any fashion. When I came back in January I knew it was what I had been missing and has since become a huge part of my life. I keep coming back because my yoga class is my 90 minutes to be with myself, pushing my edge in the most loving way possible. I am increasingly confident and enjoy working on myself from the inside out. I was so happy when I got to the point where I could get through a whole class without taking a break! That took a while, and I still take breaks when I need to. It’s fun to see how much I progress when I come regularly. “I completed a 60 day challenge in the spring and it was the best gift I gave myself this year. It kick-started me into a healthier way of thinking and living. I was really paying attention to what my body needed and treated myself well. I was thinking about hydration and nutrition in a way that I hadn’t been before. It was fun to participate in the studio wide challenge because it felt like we were one big team, cheering each other on throughout the month. The experience made me realize that I am so much stronger than I ever gave myself credit for. I definitely plan to participate in the challenge in January and get the new year started off right! The benefits of a 30 day challenge last far longer than the 30 days and I highly recommend everyone to try it. You will probably realize more benefit than you can even imagine - I know I did!” Naren Heals Back Pain, Loses Weight & Forms Healthy Habits "The key reason I started Bikram yoga was my severe lower back pain. I was injured at work in August of 2015 and for a year I tried physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, medication, even cortisol injections. It was always the same pain, and it was not going away. Then I lost my older brother last December and I went into depression. I had to make a big change. In July 2016 I was exploring online looking for more options hoping to finally come out of this pain in my back. I discovered Bikram yoga reviews about this yoga helping with chronic pain, and I decided to do a trial at BYSJ.
It has been 3 months of practicing about 3 times a week, and I have stopped drinking and feel no more depression. I have lost 32 lbs and 3% body fat, and I feel strong and fit. I actually enjoy the classes! Best of all, my back pain has gone away. It has made a massive difference in my lifestyle. Because of me my wife Sangeeta joined too, and we both enjoy doing Bikram yoga. We are eating healthier and we are devoting time for ourselves to get to class, even with our hectic schedule of work and kids. At 4:30, I drop everything and go to yoga! I would like to say thank you to Kay and her team for being so helpful and friendly and making us feel welcome always. I feel so at home and comfortable at this studio. The moment I walked in the door I felt welcomed and loved. It is a beautiful and sacred gem in St. Johns. The owners, teachers and members of BYSJ always motivate you!" -Naren Sharma, 39, BYSJ member, surgical technologist and father of 3 Itzel Reduces Stress & Relieves Chronic Pain With Bikram Yoga “Before I started Bikram yoga, my left shoulder would painfully pop every time I moved it and my hips felt unstable with sharp pains. I’m sure my aches were a result of years of bad posture during typing and simultaneously talking on the phone that I tucked under my chin. I was taking ibuprofen every other day for pain, bothered by allergies and was generally feeling like I was dragging myself through my day full of fatigue and overwhelmed.
“I showed up to my first class with full pants, a T-shirt, socks and no towel. I had no idea what it was going to be like, but I knew it was time for me to start taking better care of myself. I was at a point in my life where no matter where I looked I saw lots of chaos. I spent hours behind a desk, which left me feeling achy and stiff at the end of the day. My stress from work followed me home, and vice versa. “I’ve been practicing at least 3 times a week since I took my very first class at BYSJ last February. I have gained flexibility, decreased stress, improved my breathing, my mood and skin health. My hip, back and shoulder pain have been so reduced that I now rarely take ibuprofen. I also rarely need to use my asthma inhaler or allergy medicine. I feel and see improvement in my posture every day. “Some of the greatest benefits I’ve enjoyed from Bikram yoga are a regained sense of calmness and compassion toward myself and others. I don’t criticize my actions or my body like I used to- I’ve gained acceptance of my body. I have discovered determination to reach for my goals and embrace my failures as opportunities to try again. I am more confident in big crowds and getting better at initiating conversations. Another major improvement is my relationship with my teenage daughter, who visits the studio from time to time and continuously shows interest in starting Bikram yoga practice once she turns 16. “I am indescribably thankful for the BYSJ community. I remember telling my teammates at work after my first couple of weeks of practice that I was in love with Bikram Yoga. I was looking forward to going to class, full of excitement. Bikram Yoga makes me feel good! I enjoy all the teachers and their own unique styles, and I recently joined the Karma Yoga team to continue my practice and help clean the studio. “These days, when I find myself in a stressful situation instead of reacting and feeling overwhelmed I now can remain "nice and loose, comfortable, easy and flexible." I can "return to my breath" and just "let it go". That’s thanks to my own practice in the hot room- and thanks to Bikram yoga!” Nadene Regulates Hypoactive Thyroid & Finds a Workout She Can Stick With “I work in the health industry as a primary care physician. Calling it an ‘industry’ is accurate. Crossfit is an industry. Kaiser Permanente is an industry. Shakeology is an industry. You and your mat and your sweat and your breath and your English bull dog determination- that isn't an industry. It's you. It's just pure you, as you are.
"I didn’t realize that when I started Bikram yoga. I started mainly because a studio opened up next to my house. No, I wasn't like 'hey, I know, eureka, I should go spend 90 minutes in a 105-degree room holding my body in various uncomfortable and difficult ways, that'll be the ticket.' Convenience isn't a sexy reason to start anything, but boy is it the easiest reason! "After 5 months of regular practice, I was surprised to notice signs that my thyroid function was increasing. I was able to stop taking the medication which I had been on for 5 years to regulate a hypoactive thyroid. Now I just take Bikram yoga instead! "When I showed up for my first class, I wasn't an "exerciser." I wasn't sufficiently drawn to move to improve my body's physical appearance. Running? No, only to avoid getting attacked or large crowds of people. Gym culture, um, I'm too awkward, in all ways, to "gym" successfully. I fell over while dead lifting in CrossFit. P90x, YouTube streaming, get fit apps, and T25 all happened. I just didn't fit into the world of exercise and movement. Or so I thought… "Besides going off the thyroid meds, the most surprising benefit from my Bikram yoga practice has been finally overcoming this resistance to, and disconnect from, the regular movement of my body. Inactivity was the greatest challenge and health obstacle of my young adult life. Bing, bang, boom, 10 years along the journey- sweet success! I have found physical exercise I can do regularly and continue to challenge or care for myself with wherever I am that day. I would also add that convenience is what got me in the door, but the camaraderie and community at BYSJ is what has kept me coming back." Be sure to mark your calendars for Nadene's workshop here at BYSJ on Saturday, August 13! She will be sharing her naturopathic perspective on proper nutrition and hydration to get the most out of your Bikram yoga practice. Thanks, Nadene, and congratulations on your many successes! Keith says, “I started Bikram yoga to increase overall agility but also because I was starting to lose some of my flexibility. I was usually sore after work and I could tell my hamstrings were way too tight, so tight it felt like the tightness was starting to pull other parts of my body out of alignment like my hips and knees. “Going from one job as a crane operator where I spent most of the day in a seated position to another job that required standing most of the day only increased the tightness in my legs. I heard about the new yoga studio that had just opened up in my area and, on a whim, I decided to go check it out..." “I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into, or if it was even meant for somebody like me. I was surprised at how challenging it was, but after leaving I felt very accomplished and overall really good about myself which has kept me coming back... I have now been practicing Bikram yoga 2-3 times a week since February. "In these past months, I have learned a lot more than just how to properly stretch. I've learned how to be comfortable when I'm uncomfortable and how to control the "monkey mind." “Since I began Bikram yoga it has motivated me to quit smoking, and it has made a remarkable difference in my overall well-being. I can see and feel the difference after each class. I have learned so much from the different instructors there and the stories they have to share. One of my favorite things I’ve heard in class is: ‘It's not the stimuli that changes, it is our response to the stimuli that changes.’ I am so happy and thankful to be a part of the community at Bikram Yoga St. Johns.” Worried about the impact of her mom’s long work hours and stressful job, Kathleen’s daughter, Megan- an avid Bikram yoga student for 10 years- was determined to get her into yoga. Kathleen thought it would be a fun thing to do together and wanted to address a 45-lb. weight gain as she approached her 57th birthday. She’d always loved to exercise and was happier when she did. Why not?
Kathleen says, “I bought a yearly membership in December, but I was so afraid of the heat, humidity, and all the crazy poses that I didn’t attend my first session until January 15th! I didn’t even tell my daughter I was going because I didn’t know how I would do. Having been an athlete most of my life (the hard hitting kind, NOT the flexible type) makes me very competitive and I feared that I would fail miserably and not ‘score well.’ Talk about a lot of “head factors!” “All my concerns surprisingly melted away in short order. All the teachers were/are so supportive and welcoming. It was very hard going at first and I was provided a lesson in humility. But I kept trying to do my best while focusing on making the smallest of improvements.” Kathleen read Bikram’s advice in his book to come each day for 30 days, or even better, for 60 days. He spoke about it so compellingly that she just had to give it a try. She couldn’t do weekends, but she committed to doing five days each week for two months. She’s now proud to say she did nine weeks straight of 5 classes a week! As Kathleen puts it, “Bikram is spot on! Those two months changed me and how I live. Work is no longer my primary focus and stress is a non-player for the first time in decades. I’ve slowly lost weight and improved my flexibility. (The first time I was able to grab my toes in Head to Knee pose I almost shouted out!) The heated room is now my sanctuary where I concentrate (meditation is still a bit of a mystery, but I’m open to it) on being the best me in the moment while surrounded by those of like mind and effort.” Kathleen’s advice to new students? “Take it a ‘show up’ at a time and begin the journey. Do not beat yourself up in the trying! Find that support person who can share the joys and challenges that each session brings. Embrace the heat and breathe through it. And don’t worry about those sleek types next to you who can become a pretzel without the mustard. Remember, everyone is in there trying to get to a new place too!” Jameson Clover says that before she started practicing, "All I knew about the Bikram method was that it took place in an irrationally hot and humid room, which is exactly what I was looking for! The yoga- yeah, whatever- but the climate is what, I thought, I was seeking."
Jameson is an ultrarunner, which is to say that she runs distances greater than 26.2 miles. She even signed up for her first 100-mile race...in Florida, in May! Florida is hot and humid, and Jameson wanted exposure to that type of weather in order to train. So she signed up at Bikram Yoga St. Johns, hoping the hot and humid room would help her prepare for the race. "The yoga part of Bikram wasn't really on my radar- I was after the climate; but something strange happened and it happened early: I felt a pull to the room. I found myself craving it. The heat, the humidity, the buckets of sweat, the different experiences with different teachers, all of it...including the post-yoga kombucha. One of the great things about Bikram is the constant reminder that doing 1% of the posture, 100% the right way is still beneficial. This was perfect for me, because I suffer from a re-occurring ankle injury that limits my range of motion. "Since I started practicing Bikram yoga, my ankle is stronger and more flexible, and that translates to strength and confidence in my running. The potential physical benefits of yoga were not unknown to me, but this is the first time I have seen it in my own body. But more than the physical, Bikram yoga has provided an endurance practice for my mind. After 50 or so miles, a run becomes more mental than physical: Your body can do it, but will your mind allow it? This is true for my yoga practice as well. I think this is why I crave the room: it is the focus and test of will, which is also why I love running. "Bikram yoga provides a safe place for me to be patient with my body. I find joy in my (slow) progression through the postures, especially the ones in which my ankle is still a limiting factor. By doing the same routine each time, it is easy to track the smallest of improvements. Slowly, surely, my body is healing. Being an ultrarunner, I ask a lot from my body, I push it when it begs to stop; Bikram yoga is far from easy, but at the end it feels like I have given myself a gift. Give and take, I am finding balance. Jameson's advice for new students? "What your teachers say is true. Really. Go slow, do it right, be patient, come often, but also, come without judgment. The body and mind is wonderfully powerful, if you allow yourself space and time." When you see Jameson around the studio this month, be sure to say "hi" and wish her luck on her 100-mile race! |
AuthorHHY Founder, Yoga Business Coach, yoga-doer and life-lover, Kay Afif! Categories
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