My Yoga Experiment

Last November I started practising Bikram Yoga - most commonly known as 'hot yoga' - which is a form of yoga that is done in a room heated to about 37c degrees (99F) - the same temp as India on a hot day. Each class goes for 90 minutes and in the first 15 minutes you start to sweat and by the end of the class the towel under you is soaked as are all the clothes you have on. I've been going to Bikram averaging about twice a week for the last year and lately I've amped it up to three times a week and I am FEELING FABULOUS!! (above pic is of my favorite pose: the Rabbit pose - yes, it would have to be the rabbit, the sacred rabbit!)

I've been practising various forms of yoga for the last 12 years or so. I've tried nearly all of them with various results. This form of yoga is so incredibly effective & healing that I'm becoming a serious devotee. There's a lot of controversy around Bikram due to various reasons that I won't go into here - I kind of ignored all that and wanted to see for myself what effect the technique would have on me - and what an effect! In the 12 months of practising Bikram:

• I've lost nearly 7 kilos (15 pounds).
• Gained flexibility in my lower back which has been tight for years.
• Am starting to see my ab's!! Yes, I have ab's!! Visible ab's!!
  
• Haven't been sick (except for a short bout of hayfever that lasted 2 days) or seen a doctor.
• Increased my lung capacity by double.
• The tendonitis in my right wrist has disappeared.
• The mild arthritis from an old broken bone in my left wrist has also disappeared.
• I'm healthier & fitter than I've ever been in my whole life - seriously!
• Achieved alot of very tangible detoxing: emotional, mental & physical.
• I'm calmer, deal with stress better & am generally a happier puppy than I've been in a long time.
• Have been jumping up & punching the sky with greater frequency.
  

Now I know I sound like an advert for Bikram, but today I came home from yoga just feeling so fucken fabulous I had to tell someone. This is the schizzer of yogas... It's not an easy fix though, its bloody hard work and sometimes a real killer but the results have been so worth it. My first class was the hardest, I spent 40% of the time just lying on the floor trying to breathe in the heat.

In November I'm gearing up for 30 days straight of yoga for the whole month. Its going to be interesting to see if I can do it, will keep you posted. Maybe I could do a blog entry a day and keep track of my progress - hmmm...

Stormweava signing off - a happy little yogini is she!!

xx