HORSEY RIDES IN 365 DAYS!

By Todd Deacon Low back pain is one of the most common problems people have. According to a study from the College of Maryland, about 60% of the adult U.S. population has low back pain, and it is the second most common reason people go to the doctor. Low back problems affect the spine's flexibility, stability, and strength, which can cause severe pain, discomfort, and stiffness. Back pain is the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 years old. Each year 13 million people go to the doctor for chronic back pain. The condition leaves about 2.4 million Americans chronically disabled and another 2.4 million temporarily disabled.

I am fortunate enough not to be disabled, but I have had a very bad back injury for over 16 years. I’ve seen specialists, physical therapists, personal trainers, masseuses, and even a stretching specialist. You name it, I’ve tried it.  Just over a year ago things had gotten very bad, I was having episode after episode were I couldn’t get off the floor for sometimes up to 5 days. It was really starting to affect my life. I have an amazing and wonderful wife and two beautiful daughters who count on me. I wasn’t able to work, play with my kids, or help out. I was in pain and miserable.

My doctor recommended physical therapy. I’m self-employed and pay hundreds a month for adequate insurance coverage. However, I was informed that physical therapy would not be covered by insurance and I would be paying around a hundred dollars per visit! Wow, no thanks! Instead I RICE’d it (rest, ice, compress, and elevate), sat in the hot tub, stretched, and took anti-inflammatories; all the typical western solutions. The pain would eventually subside, but it just kept coming back. I finally listened to my sister and did something different…

My sister, Nicole, owns Bikram Yoga Paradise Valley (BYPV). She kept telling me a regular practice of Bikram Yoga would help my back. I had practiced sporadically in the past, but never made a commitment to the yoga.  Plus it’s really hard and you sweat your face off!

I committed to practicing 3-4 times minimum per week for a year.  In the begining there were times when I wasn’t sure if it was getting better, but with continued communication with the gurus at BYPV I learned how to heal my body.  For example, I learned that backward bending would help heal my back more than forward bending, though the forward bending felt good on my lower back. There was so much to learn and unlearn, I am so thankful for all the amazing guidance I receive at BYPV.

Low and behold, a year later I couldn’t be happier about my decision and I’m even happier I fulfilled my commitment. Though my back isn’t 100% and I still have days when it’s tight, it’s 99% better and that’s saying A LOT! I haven’t lost a day to laying on the floor because my back is in spasms. Did I mention I’ve lost some weight? In the last year I also lost 40 pounds doing Bikram Yoga, drinking LOTS of water, and eating healthier.

When asked why I do Bikram Yoga?  Other than being pain-free, feeling like a million bucks every time I do the yoga, being strong and healthy, and finding self-realization... the number one reason is being able to give my three and five year old daughters horsey rides before bed.

What is the Most Important Thing in Your Life?

By Terri Villavaso Seemingly, the good answers to this question are endless….

Well Bikram reminds us, the ONLY answer is in the question…

YOUR LIFE.

My whole adult life I have been mindful to stay fit, and take care of me.  I enjoy running, hiking, cycling used to be big on the list, going to the gym, etc.

In 2004, I had no idea what a yoga class might entail… Union of mind and body, what does that mean? 90 minutes in a HOT room?  Of course, I questioned WHY so long... Do everything twice?  One time should surely be enough? WHAT DOES BREATHING MEAN?

My husband, Guy, started yoga a long time before me.  I had zero interest in going.  Of course I was capable of doing my own thing, and did not need a structured HOT class.  I had so many opinions about it all.  I thought for a long time, people were just sitting around in a room meditating, and there was no work out happening…

So our kids, Evan, Tyler, and Emily, were about 12 and 13 years old and they went to a class before I did with Guy!  THAT, is what got ME to my first class…  hearing them say, "MOM, YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS….  YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE IT... YOU LOVE CHALLENGES."

My first class felt like it lasted about 3 hours… time dragging, no clock, I was in shock, most inflexible person in a room of about 45, some crazy teacher calling me… “hey you, in the red shorts”…

I was literally mad at every person in that yoga room, most especially at my husband for not telling me how it REALLY was going to be.  All these so-called, YOGIS, focused only on their face in the mirror, not even noticing or caring that I was about to puke or pass out!

I could not talk for about 2 hours after class, and sat on the corner of my couch at home wrapped in a towel, unable to move or think.  All kinds of things racing in my head, and I could not get the vision of this pretty chick on the front row doing a beautiful “standing bow pulling pose” out of my head!  How dare her show me up, surely I can learn how to do that???

My family still laughs that I was the most unlikely person to ever go back for a 2^nd class or next, or next, or to out of the blue, in 2007 announce to them, I want to be a teacher!!!!

It was not easy the whole process.  Bikram always says, THE RIGHT WAY IS THE HARD WAY, AND IT’S UP TO YOU TO MAKE IT WORK.

I started noticing right away the effects of the yoga.  I felt more patient, more disciplined with my diet, more tuned in to the inner person in me… the observer.  I started feeling different from the inside of me, deep down.  At the top of the list was something very big- my whole family became much more connected.

Somewhere between classes 8 to 10, I thought I might decide that this practice is for ME.  We all know that moment… the one when you walk out of the studio and you have MORE ENERGY, compared to feeling you have to go home and rest!

I got on a routine pretty quickly and decided more is better!  I have kept it up for a long time.  Following a senior teacher seminar back in 2007, I got all energized and just could not stop thinking about it all.  Craig Villani led the seminar at our studio, and he had such a strong presence and so much warmth and knowledge, and I just knew in my heart that teaching was calling my name!  I could not stay off the Bikram website, and started waking up in the middle of the night, wondering, WHY IS THIS CALLING MY NAME?

I feel blessed I followed my heart.  I have been teaching for 5 years now, and it just keeps getting better.  I learn from watching the students, I keep growing on a daily basis.  The yoga does not change, I enjoy the way I keep changing and I see the way YOU keep changing!

NAMASTE, SEE YOU ON THE MAT.

TERRI

Camel: The Emotional Explosion

By P.J. Stuart It’s way more powerful than a maximum compression of the spine.  And that’s saying a lot.

The deepest backbend of the Bikram series, Ustrasana is also a shattering release of the deepest parts of our psyche.  It exposes us once again to our long-forgotten fears.  It taps lightly on the front door of our repressed anger chamber.  It relinquishes our unexpressed, perhaps self-denied joy and gratitude.  It ushers in a powerful cocktail of grief, hope, delight, frustration.  (And okay – sometimes, it just reminds us to lay off the nachos and beer.)

Knees and feet are six inches apart.  Hands on the back of your hips, fingers pointing down, thumbs to the outside … you take a deep breath …  Suddenly, your midsection is presented to the gods in its most vulnerable fashion, unleashed in full glory by the power of a 360-degree backbend, fueled by gravitation.  In nature, you will rarely see an animal expose its most susceptible region like this.  And yet here we are.  Bam!  Let it out, baby.

In my two years of practicing Bikram, I’ve been through the entire spectrum of emotions after Camel Pose.  I’ve wanted to run out of the room and vomit (and once, I did).  I’ve mourned a lost love.  I’ve plotted an angsty e-mail to a boss, expressing my dissatisfaction over their management style.  I’ve relived aspects my childhood, both positive and negative, gaining insight into my own complicated family dynamics.  I’ve wrestled with acceptance over my current life circumstances.

The power of this release is nothing short of awesome.  Each time, returning to my breath once again through all the inner turbulence, I emerge a lighter, cleaner, less encumbered version of myself.  Perhaps the singularly most intense posture of the entire Bikram series, something magical and crazy happens to each of us during Ustrasana.  It’s strangely healing, beyond the physical benefits to our spine and abdominal organs. BYPV teachers often say, “it’s normal to feel dizzy or nauseous.”  But what causes this “emotional explosion” that comes with it?

Turns out, in psychosomatic science -- which studies the link between the body and the mind -- there is a known connection between the abdominal and pelvic regions to our deepest emotions.  No wonder then, a sudden and dramatic activation of this area would cause such a fierce reaction.

According to reports from American Psychiatric Publishing, there are two reasons this connection exists.  First, the organs in our abdominal and pelvic region are connected to some of the most emotionally engaging activities of our human nature:  nutrition, excretion, sexuality and reproduction. These functions carry profound impact over our entire life experience.  Much of our emotional well-being is related to these activities, and in turn, attached to the cellular memory of these organs.

Second, the organs in this region are powered by the autonomic nervous system.  When we activate our spine in Camel, through maximum compression, we send huge amounts of nervous energy out into those organs.  In other words:  helllllo organs, hellllo emotions … let’s crank up the volume for a hot second, shall we?

So what kinds of experiences can you look forward to next time you’re in Camel?  BYPV teacher Jacquie Malvin said she recently experienced a fit of uncontrollable laughter post-Camel, one she couldn’t explain (I’m still waiting for that to happen to me).  No matter how uncomfortable, physically or emotionally, I can’t wait for my next dose of Ustrasana.  Bring it on.

Easy as ABC

By Niki Hayes "Just try the right way."

"Give it a try."

"All you have to do is try."

If you have ever taken a Bikram Yoga class you have heard these statements. The teachers repeatedly encouraging their students to try the posture the right way, leaving little to no room for options or choices. But in a world of options, (tall, grande, venti, non-fat, skinny, soy, vanilla, caramel, light foam, extra hot, etc) it can be difficult to comprehend the idea of just one option. Understanding the reasoning behind Bikram’s strict policy of “the right way is the hard way” can help you to understand the importance of trying the next time you step on your mat.

There will always be things in this life that are a challenge, especially in the beginning stages. But instead of taking a different route or option or doing an "alternate pose", Bikram encourages everyone to just try the posture. The modification comes with the depth, not the form. As you learn the postures correctly from the very beginning stages of the posture, your depth will slowly come over time. To change and modify the form of the posture in the beginning is just doing injustice for your body and your mind in the long run. Who wants to re-learn the posture after 6 months of thinking they are doing it right?!?! No one.

Think of when a child is learning their ABC's. They will most likely write the "C" backwards a few times. But with gentle encouragement from their teacher and parents and their own focus and determination they will slowly start to write the "C" the right way. But imagine if no one told the child they were writing the "C" wrong and then they get to 4th grade and start learning cursive. The backwards "C" will become an "O" and now they have a problem. They will return to their teacher and parents, and say, "Why didn't you tell me I was writing the "C" backwards?!?!"

It's the same with your yoga! Learning the right way from the beginning can be difficult and frustrating, but over time it will benefit your body and your mind much more than taking short cuts. So if you can’t “lock your knee” or “focus one spot in the front mirror” or “keep a nice, tight grip” yet, don’t worry. Just keep trying!

Bikram says, “Let me encourage you the way I encourage all my students. Can't do a particular yoga posture today? If you persist in trying the right way, a day will come when you can. Don't cheat or change the posture to conform to your individual weaknesses. If you do, the real benefit goes out the window. Would you rather suffer for 90 minutes or 90 years? The right way is the hard way, and it's up to you to make it work. Remember: It's never too late, it's never too bad, and you're never too old or too sick to start from scratch once again."

Conjuring Up Your English Bulldog Determination

By P.J. Stuart Dandayamana Dhanurasana. It’s “everyone’s favorite pose to photograph,” and why wouldn’t it be? Whether you’re showing off Standing Bow in front of the Eiffel Tower or out in the back yard, there’s no better way to demonstrate your physical grace than by snapping a shot of this one. It’s iconic.

But it’s also ironic. Because as effortless as this beautiful posture may appear, many of us know – as we see drops of our own sweat flying onto the mat – Standing Bow demands a huge amount of determination to stay balanced (at least for longer than the 5 seconds it takes for a picture). Bikram says – and BYPV teachers remind us time and again – it takes “English Bulldog determination.” Most admirers would never guess the secret to all your grace and beauty is a … bulldog!

I mean no disrespect to this fierce, wrinkly-faced creature. On the contrary, in an effort to empower myself and improve my practice, I began researching this ferocious animal. As one of Bikram’s designated animal guides (I’ll save the Bengal Tiger for a separate post), I thought it might help to have a more concrete, deeper understanding of this beast.

What makes the English Bulldog so determined?

 FACT #1: Bred for Fighting

Ever wonder why there’s a bull in “bulldog?” This dog’s broad, sturdy jaw isn’t merely a coincidence. A cross between a mastiff and a terrier, the English Bulldog was bred for fighting … specifically, for a sport known as “bull baiting.” In the 1600s, English spectators placed wagers as several dogs were set onto a tethered bull. The dog that successfully grabbed the bull by its nose and pinned it down was proclaimed winner.

Without extreme determination, many of the dogs would die in violent competition.

 TIP: Picture THAT next time you’re holding yourself up in Standing Bow! (And don’t worry, the sport was declared illegal in 1835 under the Cruelty to Animals Act – EnglishBulldogs have had a much cushier, gentler lifestyle ever since).

FACT #2: Stupid Determination

Turns out, there might be psychological reasons English Bulldogs are so gosh-darn determined, too. They rank 78 out of 80 in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, which ranks dog breeds according to their brainpower. English Bulldogs hold the lowest degree of working/obedience intelligence of all dogs, which makes them less likely to listen to human commands – and more likely to listen to their own animal instincts.

 TIP: When an animal knows it wants or needs something, it will do whatever it takes to get it! Take a tip from our English canine pal, push all your obtrusive human thoughts aside – and channel some of that stupid determination.

FACT #3: Mascot Power

The English Bulldog is the official mascot of the United States Marine Corps. During World War I, many German reports called the attacking Marines “teufel-hunden” (meaning Devil Dogs) – vicious, wild and ferocious. Soon after, U.S. Marine recruiting posters showed the image of a snarling English Bulldog wearing a Marine Corps helmet.

In 1922, at the Marine base at Quanitco, Virginia, the Marines enlisted their first bulldog, Pvt. Jiggs. Today, many USMC bases have their own mascot on base. (Thirty-nine American universities also use a Bulldog as their mascot!)

 TIP: When trying to conjure up your English Bulldog determination, remember – they symbolize the warrior culture of combat marines! Don’t accept anything less. You’re a marine now – yogi style!

BYPV says: Look what you can accomplish with a little of that "English Bulldog determination"!