By SSHY student Norah

"You can grow flowers from where dirt used to be."
- Kate Nash, 'Merry Happy'

"I attended a free yoga class that Amanda taught at Lululemon in early 2011 and was blown away by her talent, knowledge, and compassion. I wanted to learn from her. It took me a few months to summon the courage to try hot yoga because I didn’t think I would be able to do it well. I am physically impaired and I struggle with everything yoga demands of a person: flexibility, agility, stability, strength, and stamina. I attended my first Bikram yoga class in May of the same year and it was a boost of detoxifying and peaceful energy. I attended a few more classes sporadically throughout the summer but found that I compared myself to other people too often. It was difficult to leave my ego at the door. I did not make my practice consistent until I decided to take on Amanda’s Rejuvenation Challenge in February of 2012. I attended twenty-five of the thirty classes and was tested in every possible way. I expected (and
wanted) the challenge to show me a linear progression in my ability with the poses, but I found myself on a physical and emotional rollercoaster.

I would have a few tough and humbling classes, then have a comparatively ‘easier’ or ‘better’ class, and then the next few classes would be hard again. There were some days where I felt I nearly fell into the bow pose on the floor and other days where I couldn’t even stretch far enough to grab my feet. On my fifth day of the challenge, I experienced the first of three consecutive pain free days. I had been in chronic pain for nearly three years, and just four yoga classes in a row gave me an unbelievable reprieve. I’d forgotten what it felt like to live without pain. The ache has since returned and practicing yoga helps relieve it, but for those three days I felt like I was free of an abusive relationship.

Two thirds of the way through the challenge, I had a frustrating class and wanted to cry. I lay on my back thinking, ‘I want to cry but I can’t cry. The tears aren’t there.’ A few days later, something inside me broke. I finished class in tears. I went into the change room and, as I was getting changed into my street clothes, I started to cry harder. A couple of minutes later, everything hit me all at once and I sat down and sobbed. I’d been carrying around so much frustration, resentment, sadness, worry, depression and exhaustion. I had tried to keep everything to myself and deal with it alone. Yoga finally forced the feelings out of me. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, but I surrendered to the moment and bawled. I went home and cried for another hour and a half, but I knew then that I’d needed it.

Just before the challenge ended, I had the best yoga class I’d ever had because I shifted my expectations and stopped berating myself when I couldn’t do the poses to their full or correct extent. I realized I had to stop fighting against the limitations of my impairment and work with and through them instead, so I stopped equating ‘I can’t do this pose correctly or as deeply as other people can’ with ‘I’m a bad person’ and the entire class was better and easier. I decided to apply this paradigm shift to every yoga class and every other form of exercise I do.

Five days after the challenge ended, I went to England for the first time in nearly two years to visit friends I’d made in graduate school. Four people whom I met up with told me that my walk was better, I carried myself with more assuredness and confidence and I seemed happier.  I will definitely take on another challenge in the coming months. I still don’t feel that I am very ‘good’ at yoga, but the challenge helped me realize that I can develop a consistent practice that I can maintain for life. Self-care isn’t a matter of endgame. It’s about well-being and holistic happiness every day."

- Norah, Winnipeg, MB

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

Here’s Why:
+ Increased Lung Capacity & Stamina
+ Injury Prevention & Quicker Recovery Time
+ Increased Flexibility & Dexterity
+ Improved Focus & Concentration

But don't just take it from us! Check out this testimonial from Linda:

'As a long time runner and triathlete, I'm very familiar with the aches and pains that come from training.  After 20 full marathons, 3 Half Ironmans and countless shorter races, I'd come to think that my hamstrings would just be chronically tight.  But when I tore my hamstring in the 2007 Seattle Marathon, I told myself that once it healed, I was going to do something to improve my flexibility. 

That resolution lead me to yoga, and ultimately, to Bikram Yoga at Stafford Street Hot Yoga.  The difference it has made in my flexibility has been nothing short of miraculous.  I still recall my first class and attempting "Standing Head to Knee Pose".  I told the instructor that it would be impossible for me as long as I continued to run.  I couldn't even extend my leg to 90 degrees.  These days, not only can I extend my leg, but I can touch my head to my knee and stay balanced while doing it!

What surprised me most about Bikram Yoga at SSHY were the other benefits:  Improved balance, increased mental focus, increased strength, better ability to deal with hot racing conditions, and improved overall toning.  Last year, I had my best race season ever, with a personal best in the 10K, Half Marathon and Half Ironman.  I credit Stafford Street Hot Yoga with helping me stay healthy and injury free throughout!'

~ Linda Whitfield, Long Time Runner & Triathlete

My name is Caitlin Trakalo and I’d like to share my story of how Bikram yoga became a permanent part of my life in September, 2009. It came as a result of an accident that happened on May 25, 2008. It’s important to say I am able to share my words with strength, courage, and determination because of my Mom and Dad. They never gave up on me and my healing, even when I had. It is because of their encouragement that I am proving the odds wrong, and is what led me to start Bikram yoga.

My accident was life changing and occurred while I was overseas on vacation. I was in an extremely bad ATV crash and I’m lucky to be alive today. Essentially, I shattered both of my ankles and was wheelchair bound for almost three months. I lost all muscle memory in my legs and I learned how to walk and use my legs again during my rehabilitation.

June 1, 2009 I was told by my surgeon that any further progress in my healing was unlikely. At this point my range of motion let me barely bend my knees and pain was constant. When I wasn’t wearing supportive footwear I got around by walking on my tippy toes because my ankles could not accommodate my feet to walk flat on the ground.

One day my Dad suggested I check out a hot yoga studio. We had heard of these ‘miracle stories’ of people overcoming serious physical odds because of hot yoga. I didn’t have anything to lose and after some research I bit the bullet and took my first bikram yoga class ever at Stafford Street Hot Yoga. I completed my first class and left with a raging headache and a very sore body, but I came back the next day for more.

I noticed a positive difference in my ankles after 4 consecutive classes. I practiced consistently for a year and it was the only form of physical activity I incorporated in my day-to-day routine. During this time I met with my doctor to discuss talks of cutting my right Achilles tendon in three places in an attempt to improve my range of motion. And the diagnosis? They determined my range of motion was still improving and the surgery was not recommended! All my hard work in the hot room was paying off!!

The conversations I have had with staff at the studio have taught me to just have faith in myself, and the yoga as well. It led me to stop setting unrealistic timelines and expectations, and was a release of the unhealthy amount of stress and pressure I was putting on myself to fix my feet. I was shown that it would never be easy, and that it will hurt like hell before it gets better. The determination I gain from doing it the hard way is immeasurable and I have learned that emotional healing is just as important as physical. It just takes those tough loving people in our lives to give us a shake and open our eyes to it!

I do not think I would be where I am without the yoga I found at Stafford Street Hot Yoga. Today I still walk with a slight limp, but I prefer to call it a swagger, and I do not walk on my tippy toes anymore. I can also bend my knees enough to go into a low squat. The sharp pains have lessened into more of an annoying ache and my body’s improvements have allowed me to push my limits and enjoy other physical activities I thought I would never be able to do again. I know I have a little further to go with my recovery and I truly believe that with dedication this yoga will take me to even higher healing. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

This is a post by Colleen Rogers, current Stafford Street Hot Yoga student and experienced challenger...

My Experience During the Stafford Street Hot Yoga Challenge

I’ve been a yogi for a couple years now and I want to share with you my personal experiences during my Bikram yoga challenge.

When I began my journey I wanted to be prepared. Unfortunately, there really is no way to be prepared! I, however, would like to share some of my personal tips with fellow yogis that are gearing up for their first challenge...

1)    Stock up on coconut water. You will be sweating out water, impurities, and electrolytes (sodium, potassium).  I look for the “no sugar added” variety. I found this to be helpful to drink after class. Especially when it’s nice and cold!

2)    One word: GOMASIO. Ever heard of it? It’s a macrobiotic condiment in which sea salt is cooked with sesame seeds. During the first week I noticed that I was sweating so much during class and, despite how much water I drank, I didn’t seem to retain the fluids that I was drinking. Also, I had extreme salt cravings. So I purchased a bundle of gomasio from SSHY (it’s made on site) and noticed immediate differences. The amount of sweat lessened and the salt cravings decreased as well. My favourite way to eat gomasio is sprinkled on avocado - amazing! I made a habit of putting it on my lunchtime meals in order to allow my body to retain fluid in my body prior to class.

3)    Take it easy on the garlic and raw onions prior to your Bikram yoga class. This one explains itself. What you eat WILL come out in your sweat. Be mindful for others around you. Odours can be quite strong! Because I tend to go to the classes in the evenings, I found that eating a nice salad with chickpeas or hard boiled eggs, avocado (I used half for each meal), bell peppers and gomasio was delicious.

4)    Treat yourself to some nice yoga outfits. Yoga will pretty much become your life. (Or maybe yoga IS life hmmm), so you might as well look and feel good. You deserve it! The studio has a great selection of clothes.

5)    I personally do not enjoy hauling a smelly mat and soaking wet towels around with me. I took advantage of the towel and mat service rental and enjoyed it!

6)    Set your intentions! Every day I set my intentions for the class that I was planning to go to. Once we make up our mind it’s actually quite easy to do what we want to do.

7)    Focus on small improvements. You will struggle during the class. But that’s ok. Yoga is a practice. I found it helpful on those days to just focus on one thing. For example, flexing my toes, the sit-ups or just staying in the room!

8)    Expect challenges to happen. That is normal and completely OK. You know when the teachers say during Camel Pose “you might notice some emotions, dizziness occurring” ? There was one class about halfway through that I had injured my back and felt so emotional during and after class that I completely broke down. The teacher was kind and understanding afterwards and talked about it with me. I’m not sure what happened but perhaps something had opened up and my emotions were set free. Set free from expectations, fear, anxiety, worry. I was mad at myself that I couldn’t just perform “at my best” that day. So now I try to roll with the punches. If you have a bad day, you have a bad day. There’s always tomorrow.

9)    Visualize yourself in correct alignment. This is very useful because if we visualize us doing something we will eventually get there. So I did this during the postures. It helped me keep my focus and balance during class.

10)     Mix it up. Take classes with different teachers if you can. Although the dialogue is the same, each teacher is different. I found that I was able to pick up tips on postures and words of encouragement from each teacher.

I noticed that during my challenge my life had become yoga. I lived and breathed like a yogi. I purchased the book Bikram Yoga and read about Bikram’s life and the different postures. I am much more mindful of my breathing and grounded to the earth - meaning that I am much more peaceful and who doesn’t want more peace in their life?

In short...
The challenge changed me from the inside out; affecting all areas of my well-being.
As my strength and flexibility improved I realized how unbalanced my body was.
As my balance improved I realized how mindful I needed to be to notice this.
As my mindfulness improved I realized how much I need peace.
And as I created peace in my life I realized how necessary yoga is.

~ Colleen Rogers (SSHY student)