Boy, Did I Need Bikram Yoga This Week

This week was a rough one. Whatever I did, it was wrong. Whatever step I took, it was leading in the wrong direction. I had to redo basic tasks multiple times to get them right. My computer died and my hastily purchased new one didn’t work either. My children were on their worst possible behavior and my foundation work keep hitting roadblocks. And it was 50 degrees outside —in June! My frustration level was so high that I started to snap at everyone in sight. Never a good response. The kicker — I couldn’t get to yoga for 4 days straight.

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How Should We Breathe In Savasna?

May 12, 2015May 4, 2015 Hot Off The Mat Class Experiences, Postures Bikram, Bikram Yoga, Hot Yoga, Meditation, Yoga

I love savasna! I mean, who doesn’t? To me, savasna is the dessert after the healthy meal. It is the whipped cream on the sundae, the icing on the cupcake, the cashmere in the sweater. Alright, enough already, but as you can see, I like it very much. And it is an incredibly important part of the yoga practice as well, as it provides the opportunity for the body to absorb the benefits of the prior postures. A win-win situation if I every saw one.

While I know savasna has a proper form, I often just lie there comfortably in relaxation. Well, that is not exactly true. I do keep my heels together and let my toes drift out to the side, and I do keep my arms extended next to my body with my palms facing up. Other than that, I just lie there in heaven. But how should we be breathing in savasna?

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Remember — It Is A Posture, Not A Shape

April 14, 2015April 8, 2015 Hot Off The Mat Class Experiences, Postures, Yoga and Life Bikram, Bikram Yoga, Hot Yoga, Meditation, Yoga

I got a very helpful adjustment in class today that made me think about my yoga practice and my life. “Keep moving your muscles throughout the entire posture,” the teacher said, “otherwise you are just putting your body into a shape.” My attention snapped back to class — I have to admit that my mind was wandering at that particular moment. But this got me thinking — had she simply caught me in a lazy moment or was my practice becoming routine? Was I just putting my body into shapes or was I practicing yoga? Continue reading →

Interesting Reads – 10% Happier By Dan Harris

March 31, 2015March 31, 2015 Hot Off The Mat Great Books About Yoga, Interesting Reads, Self Improvement Bikram, Bikram Yoga, Hot Yoga, Meditation, Yoga

Today we are starting a new feature on Hot Off The Mat entitled Interesting Reads. In Interesting Reads, I will periodically share my thoughts on recent books in the yoga and meditation realms. If you have any suggested books, please let me know in the comments. I am looking forward to sharing this with all of you.

I just finished an interesting book on meditation entitled 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works. It was written by Dan Harris, an ABC newsman, who details his transformation from meditation skeptic to author of a book on the subject. It is a fun and quick read as he shared interesting anecdotes from his life and how they led to his inquiry into and eventual adoption of meditation as a daily practice. Thank you to Souzapalooza for suggesting the book to me! Continue reading →

The Circle of Life – Taking Stock and Making a Plan

March 17, 2015March 10, 2015 Hot Off The Mat Self Improvement, Yoga and Life Bikram, Bikram Yoga, Hot Yoga, Meditation, Yoga

We did an interesting exercise at my recent yoga retreat that I wanted to share with all of you. It is called The Circle of Life and it is a great way to take stock of where you feel that your life is on several dimensions, and then use that knowledge to identify one or two aspects of your life for improvement. I found it very interesting.

Here is the diagram which I borrowed from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition‘s website. As you can see, it is a circle divided into 12 slices, each labeled with an aspect of life: Creativity, Finances, Career, Education, Health, Physical Activity, Home Cooking, Home Environment, Relationships, Social Life, Joy and Spirituality.