Repitition

"Don't you ever get tired of doing the same poses over and over?"

This is a frequent question I get from new students about Bikram Yoga. The truth is, even if you take two classes in a row from the same teacher, you will have an entirely different experience each time.

Like life, your yoga practice and body are continuously evolving. The cool thing about Bikram Yoga is the controlled setting in which you do the yoga. As a beginner, the postures can have an almost immediate, profound results, including some which I have experienced:  less pain in my lower back, improved range of motion in my shoulders, overall sense of well-being.

I've also started to have a bit more compassion for myself. For example,  I will start the breathing exercise thinking I have no business wearing such a teeny outfit. Usually by Eagle Pose I a feeling ok about how I look and maybe I have sweat away about 5 pounds. By the time I get to tree pose, the occasional " I look ok!" might sneak its way into my head in between remembering to breathe in and out through my nose.

On a deeper level as an experienced practitioner, this yoga has been my saving grace The yoga studio is my church, my hideout, my sanctuary. It is a place where the noise of my mind can turn off. Although I began this yoga as physical therapy to help me with my aches and pains, it has proven to benefit my mind more than I ever could have imagined. I am a much more peaceful, even tempered, compassionate person.

When I answer the beginning student's question, I always answer "No way! It's been almost 10 years since my first class and if anything, I love the yoga even more!"