To wipe or not to wipe, that is the question. Now, don’t panic, I am talking about sweat! In Bikram yoga class! Sheesh. I am a closet wiper, but only on my face at a few key moments in class, otherwise I leave the sweat alone, letting it do its job to cool my body naturally, which is the recommended method. I would prefer to leave the sweat alone on my face as well, but sometimes self-care takes precedence.
It is only October, and already I miss summer. Days filled with humidity and warmth, sundresses and sandals, and my shoulders relaxed carelessly down my back. As the weather turns colder, my shoulders shoot right up to my ears. Walking down the street I constantly remind myself to relax my shoulders — back and down, just like in yoga — but before I take 10 steps, they are hunched and knotted back up at my ears. Is this my body’s way of warming me up, or is simply a rebellion against the discomfort of the cold? Ugh. Either way, my neck is already sore from the misalignment. How will I make it through winter without a full-on crick in my neck?
It was one of those nights – a little too much to drink, a little too much to eat, and a little too little sleep. A recipe for disaster for Bikram yoga class the next morning. When I woke up, I could barely speak, my body felt weak, and my stomach was in knots. As I lay in bed, trying to muster the courage to begin the day, I wondered if I should go to class or just call in sick. But then I remembered about sweating out the toxins. That was exactly what I needed to do. I dragged myself to class, and I am so glad that I did. But is it really possible to sweat out toxins?
Our teacher did a fun thing in class today. We had three students with birthdays in class and she asked each of them to name their favorite posture. One chose Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose, one liked Standing Head to Knee, and the other picked Balancing Stick. None of us knew why the teacher was asking, but we soon found out. A third set of their favorite postures! It was challenging, but fun, and singing through the extra set gave the class a nice boost of energy and playfulness. But it also got me thinking, what is my favorite Bikram Yoga posture?
In my morning Bikram Yoga classes a handful of people usually leave early — some after the standing series and some about 15 minutes before class ends. Hey, I get it — 90 minutes plus shower and travel time is a lot in the morning, especially if you need to be at work at a particular time. Teachers at my studio do not seem to mind — too much — and I often hear them say that some class is better than no class. But is that really true?
Hot Off The Mat ™ 