Giselle Aviles is the grand prize winner of the testimonial contest, taking home a 3 months unlimited Bikram pass. Giselle just completed our latest 30 day challenge - her 3rd challenge at SSHY! Way to go!

My Bikram journey of healing and growth began when my physician asked me if I had heard of hot yoga.  I had been having challenges maintaining my blood pressure.  In fact, I had been diagnosed with anemia as a child.  I had been practicing other types of yoga for a few months, had been a runner, and did light weights at the gym, but I had always felt that "something" was missing.  I pondered his idea for a few months, not only challenged by my fear of heat, but also my fear of being in a smaller room full of people.  Finally, with a few deep breaths, I entered the hot room for the first time in 2007.

I began to practice at Stafford Street Hot Yoga in 2009, and entered my first 30-day Bikram challenge.  I didn’t know if I could really survive, but I did!  I felt amazing support and determination from my fellow challengers. There was such an array of emotions – we laughed, we cried, we suffered, and we conquered.  And following the challenge, I took my practice to a new level; doing the hot yoga so consistently had helped me let go of the anxiety and shyness that had plagued me.  My practice was no longer defined by how others perceived me, but by how I saw myself.  In the hot room, it was my time.

In February 2010, I had stumbled on a rock along my Bikram hot yoga path when I severly injured my right hamstring.  I went through a month of intense physiotherapy on crutches before returning to the hot room.  I was reluctant, but I knew that I needed to. 

My first class back was the most difficult class that I had ever taken.  I was thinking about how I was starting all over when I heard one of Bikram’s mantras called out by the instructor: "You're never too old, never too bad, never too late and never too sick to start from the scratch once again."  My injury had created an opportunity to change my focus in my practice – to really listen to my body and mind!  I realized that depth wasn't the key, but my energy towards the postures!  And despite the setback, I became stronger than before, completed my second 30-day challenge that year, and a third in 2011!    

~ Giselle

This is a testimonial from Paul who won an honourable mention for his creativity (a dozen love buns from Ume's Kitchen)...

A farmer parked his combine behind his barn after the fall harvest.  However, he quit farming and moved away that winter, renting out the land to another farmer.  The combine was left there and forgotten. 
 
The machine sat there unnoticed for a very long time.
 
The farmer came back to the land to farm again after many years later and found the combine exactly where he had left it.  It was in bad shape.  The machine had sat through many dry, hot summers and cold, harsh winters without being used or maintained.  It had been pelted by rain and hail and had endured gale force winds.  Most of the gears and sprockets on the machine had become rusted and would not turn.  The motor would start but the machine struggled to move even an inch.  In fact, none of the parts seemed to move at all.
 
It seemed hopeless that the combine would ever work or run properly. The farmer wondered if he should even bother trying to fix it.  But the machine had worked well before so he decided to give it a shot.

The farmer set to work on combine.  Everyday, he added oil and grease all the gears and sprockets that would not move.  He used a wrench with as much force as he could muster to try and turn them, but they would not loosen.  The farmer was dismayed but kept at it.
 
One week went by and the farmer went out to add oil and grease to the gears and sprockets.  He used a wrench to turn one of the sprockets and lo and behold it began to move, ever so slightly.  He tried the same thing with one of the gears and it too turned, just a tiny bit.  The same thing happened with all the other the gears and sprockets.
 
The next day, the farmer added oil and grease and all the gears and sprockets and again, they all turned a little bit more.
 
After a few months, most of the gears and sprockets were turning.  Mind you, they were all not working at full capacity, so the farmer kept oiling and greasing the parts everyday.  

Finally, fall arrived and it was time to harvest the grain. The farmer oiled and greased the machine.  He started the motor and slowly put the combine into action.  Sure enough, the gears and sprockets began to turn and the combine moved through the field, harvesting the grain with ease.  The combine never broke down again and  farmer was able to use it for harvest every year after that. Of course, he kept oiling and greasing all the moving parts everyday (almost)!
 
Definitions: 
Farmer - mind
Combine - body
Gears and sprockets – arms, legs, neck, spine, ankles, knees, toes, arms, elbows, fingers, calves, thighs, skin, back, front, bottom, top, side and all other parts of the body
Wrench, Oil and Grease - Bikram's Hot Yoga
Harvest the Grain – Being able to move body parts with ease and live a healthy life

~ Paul
 

How easy it is. Develop your abdominal muscles in Bikram Yoga!

Happy Holidays fellow yogis and yoginis!  Along with the holidays comes delicious over indulgence…sweets, goodies and libations abound!  So, let us take notes on how we can all continue to feel good through the holidays!

It’s often our bellies that take a hit, so I will share with you some Bikram yoga tips!

Starting with Pranayama breathing exercise- You must work extra hard and when inhaling, SUCK your stomach IN.  You try your best to see your rib cage in the mirror.  For those who have extra inches, even if you cannot see your ribs, the more you try to do it, you will start to feel it, then eventually, it WILL happen!

Try being aware of this all of the 20 breaths, and your abdominals should be sore the next day.

In Awkward Pose- Very important to use your abs.  In all 3 parts, keep your stomach sucked in, and do your best to breathe slow and normal as possible.  Again, try to see your rib cage in the mirror.  This use of the stomach muscles will also prevent and help heal your back pain.

In Eagle Pose- same thing, keep that belly sucked in.  Rib cage visible, upper body arched like backward bending.

There are many other Bikram poses where you can use your abdominals more.  Standing forehead to knee requires the use of these muscles to help you touch your forehead to knee. Try this awareness from now on in your Bikram practice, and look forward to amazing results! 

To keep inches off and stay trim through the eating of 3 xmas dinners:

...CHEW your food...

This is the most profound way to improve digestion, to keep from over eating, and to improve your bodies’ ability of actually absorbing nutrients.  You want to try and chew your food minimum 30x per bite.  No joke, you will lose weight if you do this.  And it’s absolutely free!  Just think of it - by chewing you will also enjoy more flavours, more satisfaction, more joy! 

Happy eating!              

xox Amanda

All of us here at Stafford Street Hot Yoga would like to offer a big congratulations to the 26 Bikram challengers who finished on November 22nd.

We are so proud of you for getting so many Bikram classes under your belt. We bet your bodies are rejoicing too!  

A special shout-out goes to Danielle Marion (she's doing triangle pose on the left).

She did not take a single day off throughout the challenge. And no, she's not a seasoned hot yoga veteran - she had only come to two Bikram classes at the studio before signing up for the challenge! Talk about inspiring...way to go Danielle :)

This is a post by SSHY Bikram teacher Jodi.

Standing Head To Knee Pose, also known as Dandayamana Janushirasana in the Bikram world, develops a sense of balance and determination within.  Achieving this posture builds a positive attitude and a calm mind.

This posture has amazing effects! It tones and strengthens your body throughout, especially thighs, abdomen, back muscles, biceps, and triceps. Increased flexibility can relieve the sciatic nerve.  This posture can help balance blood sugar, ease allergies and arthritis.  Front side compression massages the digestive and reproductive systems.  It is also good for the immune and lymphatic systems.

Concentrate on your breath (deep and smooth).  Move with the dialogue.  Go as far as you can, then hold the position.  Gain flexibility by moving slowly, with a steady increase in muscle tension.  If you rush, you may overstretch muscles and ligaments that are joint stabilizers.  With patience, your movements will become smooth.  Over time, progress with this challenging Bikram pose is reflected with self realization.

1st Part

• With a steady gaze, look at your standing leg knee in the mirror.  Contract your standing leg thigh continuously, lifting the kneecap upwards. Contracting the quadriceps activates the tendons and ligaments around the patella creating space between bones; therefore, protecting and strengthening the joint.

• Balance your weight equally between heel, big toe, and both sides of your standing foot.  Keep this foot straight; don’t turn it inwards or outwards. If your knee hyper-extends, try to bring more weight onto your big toe and use your inner thigh more.

• If you can’t reach your foot yet, don’t hold your knee, but stand with the leg elevated, thigh parallel to the floor. With time, gradually work your fingers towards your foot.  Suck your stomach in, rounding your spine.  Flex the toes of the elevated foot.

2nd Part

• Heel first!  Inhale, as you kick your heel towards the mirror.  Lift your chest up, lengthening your spine. Keep your abdomen contracted and your hips aligned.  Let your shoulders relax.  As you extend your heel towards the mirror think of pushing it up rather than out.  Line your toes up directly above your heel.  Stay here until you can easily flex all five toes towards you.  Keep both legs locked solid and strong.

• Ease your grip slightly, so your wrists become straighter.  As you advance into this posture you feel a cramp on top of the extended leg thigh. Use leg and back strength rather than your hand grip to hold the extended leg up.

3rd Part

• Elbows point down towards the floor.  Once your elbows are brought down, they touch the sides of the leg then drop below the calves. Smile inside or out!

• Take a deep breath and suck in your stomach; it helps you access a source of energy!  Keep your form.  Look at your standing foot on the floor below as you bring your forehead to your knee.  Look at your belly button!

Falling out at times is part of the work, so re-start your pose when it happens.  Practice with self discipline without being overly serious: relax! On your Standing Head To Knee journey, practice Ahimsa, and be at peace with yourself!

~ Jodi