Our very own Heather from SSHY has been sweating her tukas off in the Real Torture Chamber with Bikram himself for the past 2 months, but she is still smiling! And she's shared her experience after Month #1 of Teacher Training with us - keep reading! And get ready to give her a warm welcome in the hot room!

Letter from Heather:

"Hey Amanda and everyone else at SSHY!

I hope everything is going well back in Winnipeg! I have so far survived the first month of training!!! I thought I should let you know I am still fighting strong out here!

I am missing all of your familiar faces very much! There is something about practicing yoga with over 400 new people that really makes you miss home! Now that I know more of the people here I am starting to feel like I have yet another home! I am enjoying this experience so much and am already so sad it is going by so quickly!

The first week was very interesting! I got used to taking 2 yoga classes a day much quicker than I thought I would. By the middle of the week, I was already looking forward to the evening yoga class! I am also pretty good at not sleeping much anymore. I don't have to take as many naps now as I did the first week! Bikram is a very interesting character. He gave me some very nice compliments when I did my Half Moon in front of everyone.. he also said he never wants to go back to Winnipeg because its so cold. I will work on changing his mind though! :)

Pranayama breathing sounds so beautiful with so many people! The energy in and out of the hot room is like nothing I could ever have imagined! I had my first breakdown on Wednesday of week 4 during the morning class. I am not too sure what caused it, but I burst into tears at the very end of class and the love and support I felt from the people around me was incredible! We are all different ages, come from different corners of the world, and we are all here together because of our passion for yoga. It is very beautiful to be connected to so many yogis through this powerful experience.

I feel stronger every day! I am seeing so many improvements daily in my yoga practice! But I am seeing new strength not just in the hot room. I feel like this experience already has made me mentally stronger, has made me appreciate all the wonderful opportunities I am given each day, and has given me a much more positive view of the world and of myself. I have found strength, courage, confidence, and beauty in myself where I didn't think there could be any before. I also have found a passion like nothing I have ever felt before in teaching.

It is incredible to feel these changes in myself after only one month. I am so excited to start each day of Teacher Training. I decided to come here to do something for myself, and I think now I am finally realizing what it was that I was really looking for. I have found a way to love and appreciate the world, the people in it, and the eyes looking back at me in the mirror. I am so thankful I have been given the opportunity to come here and experience this and I couldn't have done it without you!"

- Heather Zarazun