Today, I Became a Yogi

Today was a great day.  Why, you may ask?  Well, it's because, today, I became a yogi.  And no, I'm not talking about a bear.  And in some respect, the phrase makes me think of a bat/bar mitzvah.... Ok, back to what I'm really talking about.  And that folks is YOGA.  Not just any type of yoga, Bikram Yoga.  Or, as some like to call it hot yoga.

Holistic methods have always been of interest to me, as I even minored in Holistic Health in college.  Often times in these courses, we were able to do yoga or participate in guided imagery.  I've done other forms of yoga before, but nothing like this.

Bikram is a method of yoga that focuses on 26 various poses coupled with warm air to increase blood circulation.  And they don't just mean warm, they mean hot.  Like 100 degrees hot.  I'm seriously not joking.  The belief is that heat = perspiration = detoxification.  

 

Yes, I chose to enter into a very hot room and practice my flexibility and balance.  And it was awesome.  And also probably one of the most challenging workouts I've had in a while.  If you want to get an accurate depiction of what a hot yoga experience is like, read this Craigs List Ad. A friend had shared this link with me a while back, it basically was an ad someone wrote to sell their yoga mat for $1.  Really, what they created was a stream of consciousness ad.  Doesn't hurt that it's hilarious.

Moral of the story is: if you're looking for a New Year's resolution, try Bikram.  Not only is it a great experience, it's also a great way to stay warm in these chilly winter months.