Breath: The Essence of Life & the Foundation of Yoga

By NikkiStarr Yoga is the union between the body and the mind, connected through the breath. Breathing is the most fundamental technique of Yoga. It is the essence of life. Without breath, neither exists. The first thing we do when we enter into this planet is to take our first independent breath. The last thing we do when we leave our physical bodies is to exhale out our entire existence in that one final breath. Deepak Chopra explains that:

“You inhale for the first time shortly after your umbilical cord is cut. From that moment on youtake approximately seventeen thousand breaths each day, which over a lifetime totals about500 million breaths. In your final moments on this planet, you exhale for the last time; thatbreath defines the end of your life. Your breathing supports every experience you have from thetime of your first inhalation to that of your last exhalation. Breath is life” (Chopra, Deepak TheSeven Spiritual Laws of Yoga: A Practical Guide to Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit, 99).

Think about it, approximately seventeen thousand breaths each day!! Incredible! Accordingly, it is appropriate and fundamental that each of our yoga classes begins with Pranayama Deep Breathing and ends with Kapalabhati Breathing.  Pranayama warms up the body from the inside out. It is good for the lungs and the respiratory system. Additionally, Pranayama exercises our nervous and circulatory systems. It is relaxing and grounding. Pranayama roots us in our practice, in our bodies.  Kapalabhati in Vajrasana (Blowing in Firm Pose) is detoxifying and energizing. It is good for the abdominal muscles and internal organs because it improves oxygenation of the body and increases circulation. Kapalabhati is good for the heart, high blood pressure, and respiration.

Breathing connects our minds to our bodies. It is the only autonomic function that we have conscious control over. While we hold our breath in our consciousness, we have the power to change it, to regulate it; thereby, regulating our bodies. Our involuntary nervous system functions resume control when we surrender the conscious control of our breath. The reality that we have the ability to control part of our autonomic nervous system is empowering. Because we can consciously choose to put our attention on our breath, we have the ability to give ourselves widespread health benefits, which is beautiful. We are so lucky! Through conscious breathing, we can relax our bodies and our minds. Additionally, alleviating high blood pressure, irritability, and insomnia. We can detoxify and revitalize our whole body! This humble piece is but a small acknowledgement and reminder that Conscious Breathings is, in line with Chopra, the “key to a healthy, vibrant life” (100).

We each hold our own key! We have the power to unlock our own health, happiness, and vitality. Exhale out what does not serve you and live the life you Love!

The Hardest Part is Just Getting There

By Erin Wall

You've probably heard before the teacher starts class, "The hard part is over, you are on your mat and towel". We all know sometimes just getting to the studio is the hardest part. Whether your alarm is set for 4:45 to get out of bed or you have to come directly from work, it is so easy to talk yourself out of class and into hitting your snooze button or hitting happy hour with your friends instead. The internal battle of "Should I go take class today?" can be never-ending for some of us. I can't tell you how many times I have sat in my car (in my driveway or in front of the studio) contemplating till the last possible second if I want to take class. A lot of times I would rather stay in bed a little longer or work more or fill my day with anything but the yoga, but 99% of the time I get out of my car and walk into the studio for class. Usually the question I ask myself anytime I'm in this predicament is "Have you ever regretted taking class?", the answer is always no! No matter how much effort it takes to get there, you are always so happy you made it when the 90 minutes is over and you are enjoying your final savasana. There is no better feeling. I hear so often as our students walk into the studio, "I almost didn't come today; I am tired, I am so busy, I am having a really bad day, etc". These are all very normal feelings and thoughts, and the days where it is hard to get to class are the days you really need it. You always feel better even if you can't do as much for whatever reason. This yoga can be really hard and if you have been coming awhile you know it challenges you both mentally and physically. Sometimes that is the reason behind not wanting to do the yoga; its in your face and its pushing your own buttons and bringing up things you're trying to hide or escape from. It's not easy to face your own self everyday. You know there are days where you struggle with balance or during the floor series, or you feel like you can't breathe or focus on anything. Regardless of what you're feeling and experiencing during a certain posture or throughout class, no matter how much you can or can't do on any given day, no matter how much you are struggling; you always feel better at the end of the 90 minutes. It's so worth it. Just get there, I promise you will never regret it, I never do! :)

I Want it NOW!

By Constance Bradley

Human beings are seemingly hard-wired to value instant gratification of our needs and wants.  We like to have what we want right now, not later; we don’t want to wait for results.  Today’s society caters to this desire.  Notice the dearth products and services that promise instant push-button results: fast food, diet pills, microwave meals, and airport security fast passes are a few examples.  Even the way we consume digital media has evolved into an instant, “on-demand” model.   Take for example Netflix – a digital distribution service of television and movies – who offers two ways to consume content.  Customers can either receive a DVD of a selected movie in the mail, or they can choose to stream the video instantly via the Internet.  Netflix has 33 million members who stream videos compared with only 8 million who get DVDs by mail (Quirk 2013, Netflix 2013).   Netflix built a successful business by understanding that most people, when given an option, would rather watch a movie instantly on the Internet then wait for the DVD to arrive in the mail.

I’m not arguing against completely eradicating some instant gratification; I enjoy the convenience of using my microwave more than anyone!  However, I think it is important to take a step back and recognize the impact of such behavior in general terms.  Fast isn’t turning us into masters of the universe; in fact, the prospect of instant results is making us more impatient. The need to have instant gratification of our wants and desires is not new, but our expectation of “instant” has become faster and, as a result, our patience is thinner.  We seem to have lost the importance of patience.

This loss of patience also applies to our yoga practice.  We walk into the hot room and are conditioned to expect immediate results: we think our bodies should immediately bend into perfect postures, that we should realize complete stillness during Savasana, and that our minds will be totally calm and peaceful.  When these things don’t happen for us right away, it is common to grow impatient and start to think the yoga is not working for us.  Bikram addresses this very issue and states that patience is the fifth quality of the mind; patience is an essential component of attaining Self Realization.  Even if we have developed the four other qualities of the mind – faith, self-control, determination, and concentration – mental peace will remain out of our grasp if we do not practice patience.  “Your journey to Self-Realization will be a long one,” Bikram writes, “it’s not an overnight thing, like they FedEx it to you or something.  This is a lifelong process you’ve just started; you are going to need patience” (Choudhury 2007).

Growing up, I was constantly reminded that patience is a virtue.  It seems, however, to be a virtue in short supply.  In fact, my family would call me “Patience” rather than “Constance” to remind me of my proclivity towards instant results.   Patience is difficult and at times arduous; it is like hauling a heavy trailer with no assistance.  You know the end is coming, you just don’t know when you are going to get there.  But the good thing about having patience is that you know the end result is always worthwhile.  So, the next time you walk into the hot room and are frustrated by your seeming lack of progress, practice being patient.  Lie still in Savasana, wait your mind out, and eventually you will win.  The mental chatter will subside.  With yoga, overnight results are not the goal; instead, yoga is a lifelong journey that promises to be worth the wait.

Sources

Choudhury, Bikram. 2007.  Bikram Yoga. New York: HarperCollins.

Netflix.  2013.  http://www.netflix.com/HowItWorks

Quirk, Mary Beth.  Feb 7, 2013.  “The End of Saturday Mail Delivery Is Awesome for Netflix, Not So Much for DVD Customers” http://consumerist.com/2013/02/07/the-end-of-saturday-mail-delivery-is-awesome-for-netflix-not-so-much-for-dvd-customers/

Fasten Your Seat Belts

 By Niki Hayes

If you have ever met Bikram Choudhury you know that he has two passions in his life; yoga and cars. He constantly compares the human to the car. He says, "I fix the human chassis, I tune up human engines, I recharge human batteries, and I adjust human transmissions". In his yoga classes he uses analogies to help people understand the yoga in terms of cars. As a 27-year-old woman with not a whole lot of experience with cars, some of these analogies are easy to understand and some have taken some time to figure out. So here is a quick overview of some of Bikram's most common car references in the yoga room and what I have gathered they mean.

"Bentleys and Rolls-Royces"

Sure I know that these are two of the nicest cars money can buy, but why does Bikram bring them up all the time? Well, Bikram has bought numerous vintage cars that were "hopeless wrecks" and he has restored them with his own two hands. He now owns a garage full of beautifully restored Bentleys and Rolls-Royces. He says, "the only thing that gives me as much pleasure as seeing a junked car come back to life is seeing a junked human being come back to life through yoga. I show people how to lead Rolls-Royce- and Bentley-quality lives, even those who start out on the scrap heap." We all walk into the yoga with our "junk"; whether it physical, mental, emotional, and slowly we begin to restore ourselves.

"This is the Gas Station"

Bikram says, "you can't go anywhere without the gas". In class he tells us how we are "filling up our tanks" and gaining energy. But how can you gain energy from working your butt off for 90 minutes in a hot room?! He explains by saying, "First, you are in tune, so you operate and process fuel more efficiently (awesome, we become hybrids of ourselves!) You can go farther on less gas. Through the breathing exercises you are generating vast amounts of prana, life energy, so naturally you feel more energized. On a medical level, you are taking in more air, oxygenating all your cells and charging them with energy." By practicing yoga, although very physically demanding, you actually create more energy in your body than you had before, essentially taking yourself to the gas station.

"A Little Jump-Start"

Everyone has their story when they come to yoga; in-shape, not-in-shape, happy, depressed, rich, poor, in love, lonely, you name it. But as these fellow souls unite in yoga class, things start to change, especially for those who are suffering. Bikram says, "other people's happiness and success rubs off on you. It's like when its cold outside and your car doesn't start. That doesn't mean that you take the car and dump it in the junkyard, right? You just need a jump. There's nothing wrong with you or your car; you just need a little help. And the belief the teacher and the other students in yoga class have in you jump-starts your own cold battery. They charge you with their faith, and then, after a while, you recognize your own faith, your own power." By coming to yoga class, even when things aren't going right in life, you give yourself the opportunity to connect with positive, like-minded people who are willing to share their energy and joy with you.

By practicing yoga you begin to restore your body, mind and spirit, and molding yourself into the best version of yourself, into your potential, into your own Rolls Royce. And although life may be busy and you may find it hard to make time for yoga, remember that the yoga is creating more energy in your body, fueling your tank, so that you can accomplish more throughout your day. And through trying times, which everyone will experience at some point, keep coming to yoga, allowing other yogis to help jump start your faith in yourself, ultimately helping you to realize your true (horse) power.

Have a Little Faith

Happy New Year!

Last year seemed to go by so fast, and this year is off to a quick start!  January is almost over… and New Years resolutions… have they already gone out the window?

Every year people set resolutions to get in shape, quit smoking, and eat healthier.  The yoga studio, gyms, and health clubs get flooded with people in January, but as time goes on the people seem to fade out.

Why is it so hard for us to stick with our goals?

You can never fix the problem by dealing with the problem!  You must go to the cause.  We have to be willing to not just change our behavior, but our thinking.  In Bikram Yoga we practice Hatha yoga, the physical practice of the postures, as well as Raja yoga, mental concentration.

The mind is one of the most important and one of the most complicated subjects in our life.  When you have control of your mind, anything is possible.  With mental strength you can truly accomplish anything.

Bikram teaches us that there are 5 aspects of the mind we have to learn: faith, self-control, determination, concentration, and patience.

It always surprised me that faith is considered an aspect of the mind.  But truly it is.  In Bikram’s Orange book he says, “Faith is the essential ingredient in the practice of life, and supplies the foundation for controlling the mind.  With faith, all things are possible—you just have to believe.  In order to aspire to Self-Realization, you must first have faith in your Self.  How can you ever realize anything in which you have no faith?”

We have to actually believe that we can do it!  I am constantly taken back by the number of people I have talked to that have never tried Bikram Yoga that don’t believe they can do it.  I hear things like,   “I just can’t take the heat.  I’m just not flexible.  I can’t do that.”  Really?  How do you know?  You haven’t even tried it yet!

Yoga helps you develop faith in you.  As teachers, we already believe in you, and part of our job is to transfer that faith to you, so you believe in yourself as much as we do.  Bikram says, “The purpose of my life is to make people realize the goodness buried in themselves—that they deserve to be happy, and they can be.”

If you want to accomplish your New Years resolutions this year, come to Bikram Yoga.  We use the body to start to train the mind.  We start to train the mind by developing faith – a belief that you actually can accomplish whatever you desire.

Next time we will take on the 2^nd aspect of the mind, self-control.  In the mean time, I’ll leave you with my new favorite quote:  “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs.  Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”  -- Howard Thurman

Come Alive in 2013!  Practice Bikram Yoga!