Yoga

Yogis That Inspire Me – Meet 70-Year-Old Sandra

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There are so many yogis that inspire me in my practice and in my life. Today I want to introduce you to one of them. Sandra, who will turn 71 years old on New Year’s Day, has been practicing Bikram Yoga since 2008 and attended teacher training in 2012 at 68 years old!  I have had the pleasure of practicing alongside Sandra as well as taking her classes.

Sandra inspires me with her calm presence in the hot room, and her beautiful and peaceful practice.  Nothing can shake her!  She is a warm and encouraging teacher, but also challenges us to do better each day.  PLUS, she is 70 years old!  Sandra inspires me to continue with my practice in the hopes that my future 70-year-old self can match her example.

Sandra at teacher training in 2012
Sandra at teacher training in 2012.

HOTM: How did you discover Bikram Yoga?

Sandra:  I knew about Bikram Yoga from my son who has been practicing since the mid 1990s.  I personally discovered Bikram on May 21, 2008, when I walked into Bikram Yoga NYC’s Upper East Side studio.  My first class was difficult. I had trouble adjusting to the heat.  I stood for 20 minutes and was on the floor for the rest of class. I left wondering what was I thinking, but I went back the next day and never looked back.

HOTM: How often do you practice?

Sandra:  I try to practice every day. I prefer practicing first thing in the morning. It gives me the energy to carry me through the entire day and accomplish everything I need to do each day. My first class was at 6 am and I have kept up that pattern.

HOTM:  What does your practice mean to you? 

Sandra:  I truly believe this practice is a gift for good health. I fortunately do not have any physical issues like knee or hip pain. The yoga makes me feel good overall. I feel energized and strong. I am balanced, both physically and mentally. The word “stress” has left my vocabulary. I am very much at peace and I can handle issues that come up thoughtfully and calmly. I think much clearer and see solutions easier.

HOTM:  What do you enjoy most about your practice?   

Sandra:  I enjoy the energy you get from the other students during your practice. That energy can get me through any tough class.  My favorite series is the balancing series.  As I get older, I know how important it is to be balanced physically, and it truly helps me to stay sure-footed.

HOTM:  What made you decide to become a Bikram Yoga Teacher? 

Sandra:  After practicing for two years, I wanted to share the passion I have for this yoga with everyone, and I felt being a teacher was the way to do it. I remember hesitating, not feeling confident I could remember the dialogue at my age, but I kept tossing the idea around and finally I had the courage.  I feel that I have accomplished, as a teacher, what I went to training to do. I truly believe the students in my class have a great practice and come out feeling good. That is all I wanted for them – to feel the passion that this practice can give.

HOTM:  How did you like teacher training?  Did you feel your age set you apart? 

Sandra: It was an amazing experience. You return a different person. I attended teacher training in Fall 2012 in Los Angeles. It is a nine week commitment. I studied the dialogue the summer before, so I went there knowing the standing series. People were friendly. We felt bonded that we were all there together pursuing our passion. We practiced twice a day and had lectures and dialogue clinics. There were late nights, until 3 or 4 am, sometimes. It was challenging, but it taught me discipline. My age was an inspiration to many. There were 443 of us, the largest group ever. I became the shoulder to lean on during the emotional breakdowns and a confidante to many.

HOTM:  What tips do you have for students in your classes? 

Sandra: New students should not fear the heat, which is always the biggest issue. Everyone is a beginner. It is not like a gym where you may feel intimidated. Bikram is for everyone – tall, short, big, small, young or old.  Regular students should try not to become robotic. They know the practice, so they stop listening to the dialogue. The dialogue is the key to the practice. If you listen to the words and do what you hear, you will go further into your postures.

HOTM:  Do you have any tips for practicing later in life? 

Sandra:  It is so important to stay healthy. Aging is not the time to say, “I probably will have a stiff knee, or pain in my back because I am getting older.” It is not true! There is no need to give in to age. Take hold of your body and keep it strong. You are the age in your head, not what your birth certificate says. I know there is an 18-year-old inside me and she is not ready to give up!

HOTM: What are your future plans? 

Sandra: This has been quite a journey, beginning a new career at 68! I was a stay-at-home-mom, went into finance, owned my own business and retired at 60. Totally bored, I got my real estate license. But walking into that Bikram studio, I knew there was something else out there for me. I had tried different types of yoga but the consistency of this practice – that it doesn’t change daily like other styles – convinced me that this was the one for me.  In the future, I plan to travel around the country and world and visit my fellow teachers from training. I plan to take their classes, and hopefully teach a class at their studios. I will continue to practice every day. I am so thankful to all who have entered my life and made it so special.

HOTM:  Thank you Sandra!  

Don’t Forget to See the Bigger Picture

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There is sometimes a moment in class, when I look into the mirror and see the bigger picture. I am usually resolutely focused on myself, and my practice, but sometimes I catch a view of the class as a whole, moving as one. I love that. The strength the class has as it stands together and works together is inspiring, and beautiful to see. It always makes me smile.

Today it happened during Half Moon Pose. It was a full class and everyone was centered on their mats, reaching up and to the side. We were all different colors, shapes, sizes, nationalities, experience levels, men, women, but we were all part of the whole, like individual brush strokes in a painting. I could see the energy in the room. I could feel it. We all held the posture, gave one final push together, and moved back to the center in unison as the teacher said, “Change.”

This reminded me of the first time I attended Solstice in Times Square.  Held on the day of the summer solstice, the day-long event includes mass yoga classes in NYC’s Times Square taught by leading instructors in various yoga styles.  The Bikram class is usually held around noon to get the benefit of the heat. More than 10,000 people attended the event in 2014. If you have the chance to attend, I highly recommend it.

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The first year I attended was 2012. Talk about feeling part of something bigger! There were thousands of us packed together on the street in Times Square for the Bikram Yoga class, each with our own yoga mat and stack of personal items. It was tight, but that was part of the experience. Yogis were sharing sunscreen, chatting, and taking photos for each other. While I arrived alone, I ended up in front of someone I recognized from my studio, and next to one of her friends. It was great fun.

There were no mirrors, of course, but I was far enough back in the crowd that I could see the group moving in unison through the postures. Again it was Half Moon Pose where it resonated most for me, probably because we were all reaching toward the sky. I was thrilled to be a part of the Bikram Yoga community and to be sharing the practice that I love with so many. I saw the bigger picture.  My yoga practice not only helps me personally in my daily life, but it ties me to others, making me a part of something bigger and much stronger for the unity.

Fellow yogis, do you ever see the bigger picture in class?

A New Teacher Can Bring New Perspectives

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I have a practice routine. I typically take the same classes at the same times of day with the same teachers. I learn a lot from these teachers as they know my practice, and can push me in personal ways to improve. I am grateful for their reminders and corrections when I struggle, and for their compliments when I have pushed my posture to a new place. They know me, and they notice, and I appreciate that. But sometimes, it is nice to mix it up – try out a different time of day for your practice or a different teacher.  Every time I do, I learn something new.

This weekend I had the opportunity to take an afternoon class from a teacher that I had never met.  It was terrific!  He was uniquely focused on the physicality of the practice and provided very detailed descriptions of how to set up and do each posture, including some interesting tips that I had not heard before.

For example, he mentioned how important it is in Standing Head to Knee that the standing foot be exactly perpendicular to the mirror.  If the heel is turned in or turned out, even slightly, it will strain the ligaments and can lead to knee problems.  I hadn’t known that, but quickly noticed that my standing foot was not exactly straight on my right side. Uh oh! I will watch for that now.

He also had a tip for Eagle Pose. I knew that I needed to squeeze my arms and legs together in the posture, but his description of squeezing and cutting off the blood circulation in my arms and legs inspired me to squeeze harder somehow.  I was literally trying to cut off the blood flow. I’m not sure what was different in his words, but I gained a new perspective on the posture.

Another example is Half Moon Pose, where he suggested that we shift our body weight to the edges of both feet as we pushed our hips.  In other words, if you are pushing your hip to the left, you place your body weight along the left edges of both feet.  This helped me to extend the push in my hips while also keeping my body from collapsing.  Cool!

I am grateful for his insights and approach and will take this new learning to my regular practice. This experience was also a nice reminder to not get too comfortable in my practice and my routines.  A new teacher, or a new time of day, or a new spot in the room can provide a new perspective that can add a lot to my practice. And yours too.

Fellow yogis, has a new teacher ever given you a new perspective?

Thank You Bikram Yoga!

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As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches here in the United States, I find myself reflecting with gratitude on my Bikram Yoga practice, the release and peace it gives me, and the numerous health and mental benefits it provides. In addition, I am so grateful that I can share my practice with all of you through Hot Off the Mat. Thank you for reading and for sharing in my Bikram Yoga community! My best wishes to all of you for a great holiday!

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HOTM’s Top Ten Bikram Yoga Thank Yous For Thanksgiving 2014

  1. Improved health and stamina: When I started practicing 5 years ago, I was always exhausted. My life wore me out. Now I have the energy to not only tackle my day, but to enjoy it.
  1. Arm muscles: Not that they are huge, mind you, but I never had a stitch of muscle on my stick figure arms. Now when I flex, I can see my biceps.
  1. More peaceful sleep: For years, I awoke every night at 3 am and tossed and turned while my mind raced. Now I sleep through the night.
  1. Yoga breathing: I use my yoga breathing to calm myself both on and off the mat. It gives me confidence in what were previously nerve-wracking situations for me, like public speaking.
  1. Clearer skin: It is true what they say; clearer pores help my skin look healthier and younger.
  1. Challenging work: Through my practice I am always pushing myself to take on new challenges. While the postures are the same every day, my practice is different. If I can make progress on my challenges in the hot room, I believe I can make progress on any challenge.  The One You Dread is the One You Need
  1. A warm and embracing community: I love that I can walk into any Bikram Yoga studio around the world and find the comfort of the practice and a community of like-minded yogis.  Practicing Bikram Yoga Around The World
  1. A little heat in the cold of winter: I hate the cold, so the heat of the studio keeps me going during these tough winter months.
  1. Time for reflection: My practice gives me 90 minutes of “me time” that I can use to reflect and to refocus on me. It strengthens my mind for all that lies outside the hot room and helps me bring my better self to bear for my family and friends.  Mom, Please Go to Bikram So We Can All Have a Better Day
  1. All my readers at Hot Off the Mat: My blog is only a few months old, but I am already so grateful for the wonderful community it is creating. Thank you to all my readers for sharing their experiences and wisdom with me.

Fellow yogis, what are you most grateful for in your practice?

Catfight in Bikram Yoga Class!?!

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We’ve all been there. You have a frustrating day, or arrive at class frazzled from traffic, or are just in a bad mood. Someone sets up his or her mat too close to yours, or right in front of you, or who knows what. And you get mad. It is ridiculous, of course, especially at a yoga class (!), but sometimes it happens.

I witnessed this first hand last week. A woman (we’ll call her Woman #1) had come in early and set up in the front row, between the two ceiling heaters and a small distance from the side wall on her left. She was resting on her back, when another woman walked in (Woman #2) and set up right next to her, squeezing in between Woman #1 and the side wall. Woman #1 angrily demands that Woman #2 move, as the rest of the studio was essentially empty. Woman #2 refuses. They argue (pretty loudly!) for a few minutes about where mats are allowed to be and who can touch the humidifiers, and who was rude and who is a jerk, but nothing is resolved. Woman #1 stomps out to complain to management, but not much can be done, since it is a free country, and both were in legitimate spots in the room.

Class starts, and the two women are staring each other down. All I kept thinking was, “Wow, these two really need to do some yoga!”

We’ve all been there, overreacting to some small annoyance in our day or to another person’s inconsiderate behavior, or to some detail that is out of our control. But that’s not what the yoga room is for. The yoga room is to release these small things, to help us relax and to refocus us on what is important, not to drum up more drama. Let’s all try to remember that the next time some sets up right in front of us…

Fellow yogis, what advice do you have for keeping drama outside the hot room?