Namaste

Orkut Myspace Namaste Comments & Graphics

The first time I heard this word was at the yoga class I attended at my friend Tris’ house years ago.  He had just gotten back from studying and teaching bikram yoga in — I can’t even remember where — and was plnning his studios.  And he had to continue teaching in order to become better at it.  So he held classes at his house to be able to continue teaching while the studio in Makati was being built.

We Had a Scare

Part of the requirements to big school for K is a visual and auditory test.  When we took P 3 years ago, there was no problem at all.  For K, I waited till the very last minute to submit the requirements, thus that hearing and auditory test was done last minute too.

P and I took K to the clinic recommended by the school.  To my shock and dismay, the tester said that K’s left ear had “mild hearing loss”.  Determined not to look too shocked, I calmly called S and informed him and began calling friends who would have advise for me.

Happy Things When I’m Sick

I’m been sick since last night.  And I hate feeling sick only because I hardly am.

My joints hurt (eto pala yung feeling!), my head hurts, my throat hurts!

But despite all that, these are the highlights of my “I feel like sh*t sick” day…

James

James is big.  As in basketball player big.

His background is in physical therapy.  And he did a two-year course with a reflexology school in Manila–the name of which suddenly escapes me.  He says that the founder of the school was one of the pioneers in the country.

Patience is a virtue…

…that everyone should learn.

Since I had skipped a day of my couch potato to mean running machine, I knew I just had to get up this morning.

P is sick and stayed home from school so I figured running a bit later (6AM) than usual (5AM) would be better.

And I did. And it was good.

During my run, I get strange thoughts (like when I shower). But today’s thought wasn’t too strange. I thought about patience. And how this routine I’m doing actually teaches me patience. When I decided I wanted to run again, I knew I would like to do a marathon (at some point or another).

Couch Potato to…

3-5k.

Yup, I did my 3rd day of week 1 yesterday.

Three or so months of non-exercise has taken a toll on my body. I’ve been sluggish, so unenergized and so
lazy to do things lately. And my requirements to begin running have been fulfilled–

• the podcast that I have been looking for
• and a neck strap for my phone which will serve as my mp3 player (i swear, 168 has everything!!)

Yoga in the Heat!

I got this from Tris yesterday. No more skipping yoga, except today because we’re going to the organic market at Paseo de Magallanes.

 

We all know this truth: yoga is more mind than body.

This statement is specially relevant when attending the summer classes. It’s hot and humid outside and its even hotter in the yoga room. It feels like the yoga room is set on slow bake.

True, classes with a lot of students combined with the weather that is already hot and humid can make for an ultra-challenging class. It would be absolutely normal to think “Oh my God, its so hot!!”, “This is so hard. I give up” or “Its so hot . . . I can’t breathe”. With this mindset, then the distractions to your practice start to steamroll: you begin to reach for your towel more in an effort to wipe away the sweat (which, by the way, will return anyway), you keep drinking water and you prevent yourself from doing the one thing you came to Bikram yoga to do: to discipline yourself in letting go, being still and just BEING.

Granted, the summer classes are more challenging. Yet I suggest to you that if you make the most of these wonderfully hot summer classes, you will find your practice rise to a different level. It takes so much more focus, perseverance and determination in a very hot class.

So here’s my bit of unsolicated advice when class is very hot.

1. Emphasize slowing down your breath, full deep inhales, long slow exhales during and in between postures. You will find how much more control you have.
2. Leave the sweat. The sweat acts as a protective layer from the heat. When you wipe it away, you take away the protection and you will just sweat more as the body regulates internal heat by bringing the heat inside the body to the outside through the mechanism of sweat.
3. Try to be as still as possible. The more you move, the more you generate internal heat and you will sweat more.
4. Let go of your thoughts and focus on your body and the sound of your teachers voice.

Follow the above bullet list and your practice will improve tremendously. Then the changes start to appear: you are more patient with people and situations, you are able to focus better, it becomes easier to let go of things that have the potential to upset you or cause you stress, you become more headstrong in pursuing things you want in your life.

Why? Because the environment in the yoga room is so extreme that we end up making a habit of virtues that serve us in our everyday lives: discipline, patience, strong work ethic, determination. This is the power of having yoga as part of our lives.

And at the end of class, as you pass by the last mirror of the yoga room, it dawns on you . . . it wasn’t the room that was hot . YOU were hot!

So just wink at yourself in the mirror and think “See you in here again tomorrow, gorgeous.”

Till our next class together . . .

Tristan

Bikram Yoga Manila
Unit 1503 88 Corporate Center
141 Valero cor Sedeno St.
Salcedo Village, Makati 1227
Tel: 889 – 1011

Bikram Yoga Manila
5/F CKB Centre
203 T. Morato Avenue
Quezon City
Tel: 376 – 4632

http://www.bikramyogamanila.com

Getting back into the Groove

Exercise is a difficult thing. Even more so in the heat. After a three-week hiatus, I swore to get back to exercise. (First week I was absent was because of scheduling issues–and I was busy. Second week was Holy Week, and the third week, I was just plain lazy.)

Monday morning, I had to make sure I was a good citizen and pay my t-a-x-e-s. (I hope that goes to good use.) So that was out. I had to literally d-r-a-g myself to the yoga studio.

It wasn’t very easy, as so many things were working against me:

1. it was our one-car day.
2. the heat was sweltering.
3. the humidity wasn’t cooperating!

But I knew that I just *had* to go. And I did.

And I’m glad I did. I didn’t faint as I thought I would, I saw some old friends, and well, it just felt great to have gone back. =)

Then I went again last Wednesday. But I don’t think I’ll be able to go till Sunday because of our schedules. I’m certainly looking forward to that, and I’m sure I’ll be able to get the ball rolling once again.

It works, it works!!

Yes! YES!!!

Bikram Yoga works! I will not stop singing praises for bikram yoga!!! I lost 4 lbs. in around 2 months. But I got toned, yup—abs, arms, even legs! I know that 4lbs sounds little, but it’s made me closer to my goal of losing 15 lbs. (gulp) this year!

S will have not choice but to parade me in Bora this year! Woohoo!!! Been telling him I’d like to go as I’ve never ever been there!!!

Bora here I come!!!

Bikram Yoga for Weight Loss??

I’ve noticed myself eating less than I would regularly do. The fact that I am busy (tindera nga!) doesn’t contribute. I usually stop and eat during meal times. I’m the one who gets grouchy when I am not given food when hungry (it was in my sister’s wedding speech–advise to S to feed me before I get hungry!).

It feels strange (but good!) to be eating less. I feel lighter. I did wonder why though…am I in love? (diba, if one’s in love, she can hardly eat because of kilig? Hahahaha!) Then I asked my yogi…

Apparently, bikram yoga curbs your appetite for (unhealthy) food (for some people)! I found out from HERE that aside from the following benefits:

• Heavy sweating helps detoxify the body
• As the blood thins, the circulatory system is cleared
• The output of cells which fight infection is increased
• The heart rate is elevated
• In Bikram yoga, weight loss is made easier because your muscles are warmed and can burn fat more easily
• The heated environment is initially very challenging, helping to increase will power and mental strength

Bikram Yoga helps one lose weight in the following ways (taken from HERE):

• It is well-known that to be effective, a workout should make you sweat and increase your heart rate. Bikram yoga well and truly fulfills both of these criteria.
• Warm muscles burn fat more easily; your muscles also become more stronger and more supple from practicing Bikram yoga. Both these factors allow you to exercise your body more effectively and aid the weight loss process.
• Detoxifying the body and having a healthy circulatory system are known to have a very positive effect on metabolism. This in turn increases the ability of your body to shed weight more effectively.
• It is widely known that practicing Bikram yoga enables many of your bodily systems and functions – digestion, respiration, endocrine, lymphatic and elimination – to work in harmony. As a result, your appetite will normalize (and likely decrease) and you will more than likely lose all your cravings for unhealthful foods.
• Increased willpower and mental strength that comes from the challenge of practicing yoga in a heated environment will help you maintain your resolve and resist temptation when trying to lose weight

Yahoo! At least, I get to eat more healthful foods (sweets have lost their appeal, even pizza, tapsi, longsi, etc.). It’s a bit strange because I love these food and they’re suddenly not in my comfort food list. In fact, I don’t know what’s on my comfort food list now! (Horrors!) Maybe soup.

Oh well…my goal might actually be closer than I think…..woohoo, new wardrobe, here I come!!!

Have a great week, everyone!