Winter Makes Me Crave The Bikram Yoga Heat

January 26, 2016January 24, 2016 Hot Off The Mat Class Experiences, Yoga and Life

I sometimes feel ambivalent about the heat in a Bikram Yoga class. Most days I like it, seeing the heat as an important part of the Bikram Yoga process. Occasionally, especially on very humid days, it can feel stifling and overwhelming. It can get to be too much.

But in the winter, I crave it. I wake up in the morning thinking about it, set up in the hottest part of the room, wallow in my glorious sweat, and dream about my next class almost as soon as my current class ends. I hate being cold and the Bikram Yoga heat is a great escape from winter.

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Vacation Yoga – Piecing It Together

January 19, 2016January 19, 2016 Hot Off The Mat Class Experiences, Yoga and Life

When I am at home, I practice Bikram Yoga regularly, and when I am away, I try to find a Bikram studio in the area so I can maintain my practice. But many times there is not a studio nearby, or there just isn’t time for a 90-minute class. So what do I do? Whatever I can.

I was recently out of town for a few weeks, with no Bikram Yoga studio for miles around. Undeterred, I pieced together a practice from the available options — resort yoga classes, Pilates classes and Sun Salutations outside on the deck. The variety provided a nice break from the rigors of Bikram Yoga and gave me a few tricks I can bring back to my regular practice.

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One Week Off Bikram Yoga and I Can’t Sleep Through the Night

January 12, 2016January 28, 2016 Hot Off The Mat Self Improvement, Yoga and Life Bikram, Bikram Yoga, Hot Yoga, Yoga

Before I began practicing Bikram Yoga, I awoke each night at 2 or 3 in the morning grinding my teeth and worrying about something. As my eyes snapped open, I knew I should drift back to sleep — I had things to do the next day — but often I laid awake for an hour or two with my mind racing. Sometimes I would even get up and walk around the house, trying to clear my head and reboot my thoughts. I hated it.

My Bikram Yoga practice changed all that. At first, I was simply so physically exhausted from the practice that I slept like the dead. After several months, I was getting into the groove of my practice, but my sleep stayed sound. It was life changing and remained so for years.

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Is 2016 The Year You Try Bikram Yoga?

January 5, 2016January 4, 2016 Hot Off The Mat Class Experiences, First Class Bikram, Bikram Yoga, Hot Yoga, Yoga

This post first appeared on my blog in 2014, but I decided to post it again as we head into the New Year. Is 2016 the year you take your first Bikram Yoga class?

Everyone remembers his or her first Bikram Yoga class! And for good reason! It can be overwhelming, unfamiliar and a bit scary! But don’t be disheartened. Follow these easy tips to make sure your first class is as positive an experience as possible. And don’t be discouraged if it is tough. It should be tough! For many of us, it is the first time we have worked so deeply into our bodies. Plus, it’s 105 degrees in there!

Please don’t be scared off! You can read about my first class here. It was challenging, yet inspiring, and I am so grateful for it, because it led me to this wonderful practice that I have now enjoyed for five years. Here are my tips for a great first Bikram Yoga Class. Enjoy!