BYCI Houston Blog

Ann Taylor's Story

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 19:01:00 GMT

Class Notes: Ann Taylor

Almost eight years ago, when a friend recommended yoga to relieve stress, I was overweight, out of shape, in turmoil... and brunette! Much has changed.

It's amazing I stuck with Bikram Yoga, because I'd never been athletic. I hated gyms and jogging. I wasn't good at following through on commitments, either.

But one reason I kept at it was the instruction during savasana, as Bikram says: "Complete relax!" Bikram class was one place I could relax. When our instructor reminded us to just sink into the floor: "The floor is holding you up; it isn't going anywhere," I felt supported and safe--although it was hotter than hell.

In class, I learned to breathe normally through difficulty. That came in handy, since life is full of difficulties. Gradually, my yoga, my body, my life started changing for the better.

One day, my fingertips touched the floor. Then I grabbed my heels, locked my knees and my forehead grazed the floor. I felt proud of myself for sticking with it and could appreciate something about each class. On days balance is bad, flexibility is good. When flexibility is bad, strength is good. When everything is bad, I congratulate myself for staying in the room.

I started to make better choices. Healthier foods appealed to me. I quit eating meat and drinking alcohol. I gravitated toward positive and happy people, as I steered away from negative people who tore me down.

One day, the instructor told us to keep a happy, smiling face throughout class. "It's like biofeedback," he said. "Smiling tells your body everything is ok, and you naturally relax."

Looking into my own eyes and smiling at myself for 90 minutes, slowly I started liking and even loving myself. I'd been my own worst critic. Now I was becoming my own best friend.

Confidence built inside the room gave me courage to stand up for myself and venture outside my comfort zone. I've taken Bikram classes in many other cities. It is delightful knowing I'll be welcomed by my extended yoga family, wherever they are.

I met a wonderful man who quickly took to Bikram Yoga. Lying in final savasana after class, my upturned palm spooning inside my sweetheart's, I feel peaceful, happy and thrilled to be alive.

Today I am a 48-year-old grandmother who feels great about my body-without lifts, tucks, or lipo!

And I am living proof that as Bikram says, "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." If your practice has plateaued, renew your commitment. If you are just starting, stick with it!

March Greetings

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:28:00 GMT

Warm Greetings and Happy Spring!
I hope you're enjoying the lovely warm weather and spending some time outdoors. I mention this because it is a glorious time of year, but also because so many folks have been sick this year with the flu and respiratory illnesses that seem to linger.

There was a time when fresh air and sunshine were actually used to treat illness. Sadly, today this has fallen out of favor. However, it's incredibly important to spend some time outdoors because the only natural way to provide your body with Vitamin D is via sunlight against the skin. Now before anyone gets all worked up here, I am not advocating tanning or an amount of sun that would damage your skin. Just 20 min or so a day, in gentle sunlight, will provide you with the Vitamin D your body needs to fight off and recover from a huge variety of illnesses. Between indoor employment and entertainment, many, many people are Vitamin D deficient, which makes it hard to recover from an illness. So make a point to step outside and enjoy a little bit of fresh air and sunlight several times this week. You will feel so much better!

I also wanted to share Mike Dooley's wonderful, uplifting website with you, where you can sign up and receive "Notes from the Universe" every day in your inbox. I can't recommend this enough! These messages are profound, personal, inspiring and very often LOL funny! They are a great way to start your day www.tut.com

Namaste,

Joani, Mike and the BHYH Staff

A New Look At Sciatica

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:31:00 GMT

Guest Blogger, Certified Teacher, Yael Neumann

Did you know there is a great book by Louise Hay (Heal Your Body) that says that every pain we feel in our body is coming from a negative thought or issue? For example, she says that sciatica is actually related to being hypocritical. This really made me think and ask myself, "Are you being honest with yourself?" I discovered that when I feel something is not right but don't try and find a solution or to make things better, my sciatic nerves start to "talk". So I've been using the affirmation that Louise Hay suggests for healing sciatica, "I move into my greater good. My good is everywhere, and I am secure and safe." Replacing a negative thought with a positive affirmation is uplifting and incredibly powerful!

Fun & Unusual Student Request

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:01:00 GMT

Visiting Student Renee Alaksa would like your support. Renee writes:

Hello! I am traveling through Houston for three weeks and need to have encouragement to get myself to yoga! I have been doing Bikram for four years on and off when I am in cities that have studios that aren't too far off the map. Barring unforeseen circumstance, I will be attempting to go to the Galleria studio for 10 am class from Friday, Feb. 24th to Saturday March 12th. If you feel like you can be part of a team to inspire, urge, or bribe me to get to class PLEASE email me! I find I go to class if I know someone expects me there!

Thank you and look forward to meeting you ALL!
Reneezd@me.com

Bikram Yoga is an International Language

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:53:00 GMT

Guest Blogger, Certified Teacher, Yael Neumann

It always amazes me to realize that Bikram Yoga is an actual language. A body language. I've met people in training who didn't even know English! The fact Bikram Yoga is a permanent series makes it an international language. You can go anywhere in the world, walk into a Bikram Yoga studio, take class, and feel right at home! It doesn't matter what language you speak, or which country you visit. Energy speaks all the languages, and you will experience this energy in Bikram Yoga classes around the globe!

February Greetings

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:53:00 GMT

Warm Greeetings Yogis and Yoginis,
February is such a wonderful month here in Houston. I know this year it's a bit chillier than usual, but how fortunate are we all to not be shoveling snow? Instead we are blessed with a riot of azaelas and other spring flowers, along with days that are growing longer and warmer.

This is the month to plant lettuce, peas, and impatients, and if you've ever had the pleasure of doing a perfect (for you) tree pose and felt the enegy rise from the base of your spine all the way to the top of your head, you will easily understand why the plant kingdom is so very happy this time of year!

We start our school wide Bikram Yoga challenge this month (you'll find more about the challenge below in the newsletter) so stop by the front desk, visit with our incredibly knowledgable and supportive desk staff, and get a challnge flyer to put your name on and post on the wall.

Of course this is also the month we formally acknowledge love in our life and celebrate it with Valentines Day. You might consider giving someone you love a gift certificate for yoga. What better gift is there than something that says "I love you. I want you to be healthy. I want you to live a long, long time"? This reminds me of the loving kindness metta meditation, which seems a perfect focus for this month:

May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful and at ease.

Namaste,
Joani, Mike and the BHYH Staff

Is Your Lower Back Tender?

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:54:00 GMT

From Guest Blogger / Certified Teacher, Yael Neumann

I'm always happy to assist students and answer questions. I learn from this as well. A very common question, especially from those who just started, is "my lower back is a bit tender/sore, is this normal or am I over-cooking my backward bending?" Here is what I usually say:
"It's totally normal. Finding new muscles and beginning to reshape the body sometimes results in being a little bit 'tender'. The lower back is one of the most flexible parts of the spine, so we tend to use it a great deal when we first start to backbend. You can avoid that tenderness pretty easily though, by using more of your upper and middle spine first. Always start your backbends thinking about those parts, and remember to lift your chest and stomach up to the ceiling throughout your backbend."

One of the coolest things about yoga is that you don't need to take recovery days. It's not like the gym where your body needs to recover and rebuild muscle that you've torn open. The yoga opens the body in a much more gentle and sustainable way. Your body recovers during the savasanas, and by the end of class you are ready for anything! That's why people can take more that one class a day.

Yes, We Are Having Class Today - Fri 2/4

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:55:00 GMT

We are having class today, Fri 2/4
South Blvd is offering the 10am, 12 noon, 4:30 and 6:30pm classes
Fountain View is offering the 10am, 4:30 and 6:30pm classes
Our regular schedule of classes will be offered tomorrow, Saturday 2/5
Drive carefully :-)

Weather Related Schedule Changes

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:56:00 GMT

Due to the winter storm warning and anticipated sleet and snow, we have some weather related schedule changes :-(

Tonight, Thur 2/3 the 8:30pm class has been canceled at both schools (there will be 4:30 and 6:30 classes at both schools tonight)

Tomorrow morning, Fri 2/4 there will be no 5:30am class or 8:15am class at FV
There will be no 6am or 8am class at SB.
The first Friday morning class will the the 10am at both schools. Our regular class schedule resumes with this 10am class on Friday morning.

If you have a question re: class schedule changes always check our website http://www.bikramyogahouston.com/v09/schedules.html
or call the schools.
Stay warm and safe, y'all <3

Overcoming Distractions

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:57:00 GMT

From Guest Blogger, Bikram Yoga Teacher, Yael Neumann:

Through my Bikram Yoga practice, I have learned how to handle my life better. I remember one time, before I was a teacher, we had a guy practicing in the studio in Israel.... He couldn't stay still. He used to stand in the front row and kept moving and fidgeting in between poses, non stop. I used to wait until he got into the room, see where he put his stuff, then go and set up on the other side of the room!

What I didn't realize at the time was that he was not the problem- I was. I used to let everything and everyone get to me. In the yoga room, but especially in my life. I finally learned that there are always going to be interruptions and distractions, both big and small. I learned that it is our job to know how to handle them and to maintain control of our emotions and thoughts. Like Bikram says- "Don't let anyone steal your peace. If you do, then he is the winner- and you are the loser."

New Years Greeting

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:57:00 GMT

Happy New Year!

There's just something that feels very auspicious and exciting about 2011, isn't there? It's as if there is a sublte electrical charge infusing the planet and even the air... I find myself thinking, "I can't wait to see what's going to happen next!"

Many people consider the recent winter solstice / full moon / full lunar eclipse to be the event that signaled the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, an age of humanitarianism, enlightenment and global harmony. If the increase in people practicing yoga, meditation and green living is any indication, I think we are indeed headed in that direction - yay!

In our Bikram Yoga practice, we often find our attention focused on the physical, the "hatha" part of the yoga. However, there is another powerful aspect of Bikram Yoga, and that is the "raja" part of the yoga. Raja yoga brings us the gift of mental discipline. When we come to understand that our thoughts are magnetic and creative, the value of mental discipline becomes very, very apparent. There truly is no such thing as an insignificant thought. Every thought you have is infused with the creative power of the Universe and will manifest in form, some way, some time, some how. Yeow!!

To help you work with this principle in a personal way and apply it to your own life, we've created a new monthly feature in our newsletter that we are really excited about - the Monthly Mantra and Yoga Calendar. We hope you enjoy it and use it on a regular basis. You will find more detailed information about this new feature in that section of this newsletter. if you have not yet subscribed to our wonderful newsletter, you can do so after finishing this blog post by navigating back to our website home page and signing up there.

I'd also like to share one of my favorite people with you, and the blog and correspondence course he writes. A life-long yogi himself, D. R. Butler is a yogi / yogini's best friend - his correspondence course will forever change your life in the most wonderful of ways; i hope you will subscribe to it: http://truthofthepresentmoment.blogspot.com/

So here we go! 2011 - ho!!

Lets work together and create a world of beauty, love and peace - and of course, more yoga :-)
Namaste,
Joani, Mike and the BHYH staff

Ruijin Has Completed 21 Bikram Yoga Challenges!

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:03:00 GMT

As we move into the final week of our Bikram Yoga Challenge, Ruijin Baker has written a wonderful, inspiring article about her personal experiences as she journeyed through the 21 Bikram Yoga Challenges that she's completed. You will enjoy her amazing story!

"Someone asked me recently how often I do the Bikram Yoga Challenge, and I’ve been asked many times, "How can you do a double while I still struggle with a single class?" I have been given nicknames like "Hardcore" or "Double Trouble" because I’m so committed to my practice. I know firsthand that it’s not always easy to do the challenge, so I’d like to share some tips from my experience with all of you doing your own B Y Challenge. I hope they will encourage you to undertake the challenge, benefit you while doing it, and start again if you’ve stopped.

I've done 21 challenges during my 5 1/2 years of practice. Literally, I try to do one challenge after another. Actually, I'm not different than any of you who feel that even one class is incredibly hard at the beginning of the practice. And just like you, I have a lot of reasons not be able to come to practice each day. I am the mother of two teenagers, my husband travels regularly for business, and my job requires me to work 6 days a week. Even with all of this, I take class every day. Otherwise, the more days I skip, the more stiff my body feels. The 60 day challenge is the best solution for disciplining me to practice on a daily basis. The more challenges I do, the easier they become. Therefore, the more you practice, the easier it will get for you, and the easier it becomes, the more open, flexible and better your body feels!

Sometimes when you’re doing the challenge life does get in the way, but please don't quit. If you have to miss a class, that's OK, but try to find the time to do a double and catch up. I started my 2nd challenge this year on March 5th. I had to miss class on day 6; so I did a double the next day. I had to skip another class on day 8; I did another double on day 10. Fortunately, I enjoy the double more than the single. I always try and catch back up within 10 days to avoid falling off the wagon and to stay in the parade. You can do this too.

If you fail to complete your challenge simply start again. As long as you keep trying, you will be successful. This is a journey, not a destination. I set my goal at the beginning of each year and I try my best to attain it. In 2008, I planned to do 5 challenges. I had completed three challenges and was working on the 4th when Hurricane Ike swept through Houston. It caught me 11 days shy of finishing. Still, I didn't quit! I started the challenge over again after the studios reopened and I completed the 4th challenge of 2008 on Thanksgiving Day.

If you want to have a fun ride with your challenge, celebrate wherever you are in it! I always celebrate my completed challenge, of course, but I also celebrate at 10 days, then 30 days and so on until I reach my 60 days. I finally broke my record of 5 challenges before Thanksgiving Day in 2009. Afterwards I made a long trip to my homeland. I celebrated the completion of my 10 challenges in two years with my parents, especially my father who was battling the late stages of lung cancer. He knows how much I love Bikram Yoga and I know how proud he is of me. I made another trip to China after completing my first 60 day challenge this year, 2010... My beloved father had passed away; I still feel that he is guarding me throughout each of my life journeys, and celebrating each of my Bikram Yoga challenges.

The 60 day challenge is a life journey, it can be easy, but sometime it can be really difficult. In 2007 I completed 1 challenge, and when I started the 2^nd it became the most difficult challenge that I've ever experienced. On day 45 the engine of my car was damaged after an accident. I had to take taxis and buses to get to class; that quickly became undoable. So I started my challenge again after my car was repaired. I kept practicing until there were only 9 days left, then life got in the way again! I slipped and fell on a wet floor at work and seriously injured my left elbow. After 2 weeks' medical treatment I started over, yet again. So I suggest doing some double classes in the middle of your journey to avoid an unpredictable ending. After learning my lesson I did my 1st challenge in 43 days this year…. Better earlier than late!

I really admire the challengers who practice every day with 60 stickers one by one on their charts. Practicing every day is like eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away. I also admire the double challengers. There was a particular student's chart that caught my eye, 30 pairs of stars were twinkling in an artistic pattern. Do a double every other day, just like eating two apples every other day! I love to do a double because I can stretch my body to its fullest extent, deepening my practice in the 2nd class. I feel so excited when I am able to do a posture so perfectly, a posture that seemed impossible to do in a single class. If you are a new or are still struggling to do a single class, don't pressure yourself to do a double. Listen to your body and practice more often. Once your body is ready then go for the double. I did several triples after being so comfortable with doubles. I like them as well. I explored a quadruple one day last year, but I was too energetic to sleep that night. I did it again this year and slept well all night! I enjoyed these fun yoga adventures.

I have had amazing results practicing Bikram Yoga. This yoga holds much more healing power for me than a massage therapist, physical therapist or even a chiropractor. It has such an amazing effect on my spine, joints, and my whole body. I had an injured left hip, knee and ankle after falling off my bike years ago. The pain bothered me a lot sometimes. The only treatment that helped was this yoga. Because of B Y I have become a better person physically and spiritually. I absolutely trust the process and I have great confidence in it. I'm sure that one day, I will bend down on both sides during the Toe Stand, pain free. In my past life, before BY, I was a chain smoking, perpetually nervous stock broker. I quit smoking after only a half year of practice. I became more and more relaxed with every class I took. I wish my father had had the chance to utilize this amazing tool to detoxify his body. How lucky we are! No matter where our toxins come from, this magical yoga will power wash them all away from every ‘corner’ of our body.

I’d like to say to everyone, “Please give the 60 day challenge a try.” Bikram Yoga is the best gift that I have ever received. I'm so thankful each day for finding it, and for being part of this community. It has become such an important part of my life, and l will practice it for the rest of my life. My passion is so deep that words can’t explain it. It has shifted my attitude and even my gratitude to a new level. I would love to give to you what I have received, to share it with you. I would love to see the impact that it has on you and hear what it has done for you. If I have received these benefits then you will as well. All you need to do is to start the 60 day challenge, now! Don't let your inflexibility and stiffness scare you away. The more you practice, the less struggle you will experience. Be persistent; don't let "excuses" keep you from coming every day. If you miss a class, find time to do a double and catch back up. If life gets in your way and you have to stop, just start again as soon as you can. And once you finish the challenge, please practice regularly to maintain what you have received.

Bikram's guru, Bishnu Ghosh, said, "Never too old, never too sick, never too bad, never too late to start from scratch once again!" These words have lit my spirit throughout my journey. Each day can be the 1^st day of my new challenge, or the restart date of a failed one. After all, life itself is a challenge. Each challenge that I have completed in the yoga room definitely helps me in my life challenges in the real world.

So if I can do it, you can do it! I'm still picturing that belt on someone’s chart 2 years ago, which measured how much weight he had lost, and he did more than one B Y Challenge. In order to maintain the results from the challenge you must continue to practice at least 3 times a week. To continue to have breakthroughs it is necessary do another challenge. It may take you months or even years to see all of your desired results, but be consistent, patient, and honest with yourself. Keep breathing and meditating, keep sweating and detoxifying, and keep practicing. Once the struggle is over, the joy will come, along with endless benefits for your body, mind and spirit! Bikram Yoga works. Bikram rocks and his yoga can heal the world and make it a much better place. I wish you the best on your journey. Happy challenge days!!"

Great Guest Blog Post!!

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:54:00 GMT

Enjoy this blog post from one of your fellow students.... it's awesome!!
http://bikram101.blogspot.com/2010/03/day-74-my-story.html

Yet Another Great Benefit From B Y!

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:49:00 GMT

two weeks into the bikram challenge, i thought you all would enjoy this comment i received from naeem, one of our long time students.... bikram always says that by regularly practicing his yoga, we become bullet proof, fire proof, water proof etc. apparently we also become snow proof!!

"I think I became a 'real' runner when I started to run barefoot in 2004, first in San Francisco then Miami, Houston, and Johannesburg. In the northern cities it was a little irritating when barefoot running was made rather difficult and painful in snow.

Although I've been been doing marathons and ultras since 1999 mostly racewalking in the steps of Dave McGovern, I have never really enjoyed them so much as running barefoot. Especially since barefoot I can run faster and enjoy it more than when shod.

What is good about piles of snow and minus plenty below 0' temp? Well, it compeled me to enter the spectacular universe of something even more arduous, frustrating and torturous than a marathon.... That is, Bikram Yoga classes! Bikram Yoga really does condition your feet for extreme heat and extreme cold. Isn't it interesting that right after a January Bikram Yoga class in Pittsburgh, DC or Chicago I can now enjoy walking outside barefoot on gravely trails or icy snow?

auf Wiedersehen, Cheers y Namaste

day 3 - lock your knee!

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:56:00 GMT

one of our wonderful students, robert the super yogi, shared that day 3 of our bikram yoga challenge is day 290 for him! how inspiring is that? i asked him what top three things in his life have changed with this many consecutive classes, and he shared the following:

1: I have had psoriatic arthritis (it's similar to rheumatoid arthritis) for over 25 years. I have recovered a *tremendous* amount of **pain free** range of motion (especially in my ankles, knees, hips, and back), have healed several persistent pains, and significantly reduced my arthritis symptoms. This is why I am in the hot room every day. For me, even missing just 1 day makes it very uncomfortable once I get back to the yoga.

2: I have not had to take any of my prescription medication (which has some rare but potentially nasty side effects) for my arthritis in over 4 months.

3: While I haven't lost any weight, I have lost inches. People have commented that it looks like I have lost 10-15 lbs. I have added quite a bit of muscle to my shoulders, back, and legs. My body looks very different (better!) than it did 10 months ago....

And I'll take a moment to channel Billy Mays to say "There's more! You get a bonus 4th change ABSOLUTELY FREE!"

4: I feel a heck of a lot better (physically, mentally, emotionally) than I did a year ago!

60 days: New mind, new body, new life, no joke!

The yoga keeps working, so I keep coming back.

i'd love to hear from those of you who would like to share the changes you're noticing as you journey through your bikram challenge. you can email me or leave your comments here or on our facebook page. we've entered the land of miracles and it's fun to share the maps....