Bikram Yoga for The Shy Yogi

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Bikram yoga, hot yoga studio, London hot yoga, meditation, overcoming fear, shyness, teaching yoga, yoga inspiration, Yoga With Paul

The hardest part of Bikram yoga practice is showing up. This is especially true for shy students.
To do hot yoga you have to be in a brightly lit room, surrounded by mirrors, for 90 minutes. And attempt to do “unnatural” things with your body in front of a bunch of strangers! At least that’s how it can feel when you begin.

If you feel shy in the yoga room, don’t worry, and don’t fight it. Acknowledge the emotion and take the opportunity to examine your underlying fears. Shyness isn’t an in-born trait, it’s a defence mechanism. Ask yourself: what are you afraid of? Looking silly? Falling out of a posture? Not keeping up?

Then go to a deeper leval and ask why you’re afraid of those things: is it fear of ridicule? Because you think you need to be perfect to be loved? Because you’re afraid of criticism?

Don’t judge yourself, just be aware of how you feel.

Fear is something we learn. That means fear is something we can un-learn too.

Bikram yoga is an amazing tool to uncover, examine and address these fears. Every day that you go into the hot yoga room and stay the course you are chipping away at that habit of fear. Gradually, you find yourself getting braver about going deep into the postures. You stop noticing other students and concentrate on your own meditation. You realise that when the teacher offers corrections it is in a spirit of love and caring. You learn to focus on the breath and get out of your monkey mind.

The best part is when these transformations leak out of the studio and into your daily life. You develop a greater awareness of your singularity and self-worth. You have compassion for the fears of others. You learn to breathe through the tough stuff. You discover you’re not shy anymore…

Bikram yoga is an amazing journey. No matter where you are, now is the perfect time to focus, challenge yourself and let it transform your life.

Where are you in your Bikram journey? Share in the comments.

Walk London

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cross-training, fitness, free London events, London, outdoor, Walk London, walking, yoga tips, Yoga With Paul

If only only ever walk from your flat to the Tube or bus stop, why not go for a proper walk? It’s nice to get some fresh air after working up a sweat in the Bikram studio and I know from cycling everywhere that you see London differently when you move under your own steam. Also, it reminds you how much you miss if you just dash from work to yoga studio to home and so on in a perpetual loop.

Walk London has maps, info and suggestions for anyone wanting to explore the city on foot. Weather permitting of course…

What’s your favourite London walk?

Boost Your Immune System with Bikram

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Bikram postures, Bikram tips, Bikram yoga poses, hot yoga healing, hot yoga poses, yoga health, yoga immunity, Yoga With Paul

Cold season isn’t quite past (is it ever in London?) and it is particularly trying to be sniffling and sneezing instead of enjoying the transition to spring. Regular Bikram yoga practice is, of course, a fantastic way to support your immune system. Just think of how much worse off you’d be if you DIDN’T sweat out all those toxins every day!

If you’re feeling poorly, though, one Bikram pose is especially beneficial: standing separate leg head to knee, or Dandayamana-Bibhaktapata-Janushirasana (trying saying that quickly three times!) It compresses and massages your thyroid gland which is vital for regulating your immune system. To get the most benefit be sure to touch your forehead to your knee, not your nose or chin. Tuck your chin in and keep it there as you move toward the knee and keep your eyes on your stomach. This will keep your chin tucked. Remember, your throat is supposed to feel choked but keep breathing calmly in and out through your nose.

Wind-removing pose is another good one for immunity because it helps flush waste from your body.

What are your best tips for beating sniffles?

Clean Eating – Non-Dairy Milk

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Bikram yoga nutrition, clean eating, detox food, non-dairy milk, nutrition, vegan eating, vegan milk, Yoga With Paul

People in the UK are drinking more non-dairy milk than ever — a 40% increase in sales according to a Guardian article.

This is great news. The dairy industry is an environmental and animal welfare nightmare; and there are numerous health reasons to avoid milk. Lactose intolerance is just one. Dairy products are known to aggravate skin conditions, asthma, and are implicated in numerous diseases. If you’re curious about milk’s potential for harm you should read T. Colin Campbell’s The China Study, which is packed with scientific information on the benefits of a plant-based diet.

Plus plant-based milks have their own nutritional benefits, depending on what you choose to drink. Soy is the most common option, but you can also get non-dairy drinks made from almonds, coconut, hemp, flaxseed, rice, oats and more.

If you fancy a spot of DIY this Vegetarian Times blog explains how to make your own non-dairy drink!

What is your ‘milk’ preference? Has cutting out dairy changed your life? Share in the comments.

5 Ways to Spring Clean with Bikram Yoga

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Bikram yoga, cleansing yoga, hot yoga, London hot yoga studio, spring clean, yoga advice, yoga detox, yoga hydration, yoga postures, yoga therapy, Yoga With Paul

The transition from winter to spring is a critical time of year. We move from the cold, dark and quiet of winter to light, warmth (we hope!) and increased activity. Giving our minds and bodies a ‘spring clean’ can help us shake off the effects of winter — whether physical or mental — and prepare us for a vibrant, active summer.

Here are a five tips for using Bikram yoga to spring clean:

1. Practice More: Do an extra class or two each week for the next month. The hours in the hot yoga room will accelerate physical cleansing and detox, and boost your endurance.

2. Switch Your Schedule: Your body changes throughout the day. If you always practice in the morning throw in an evening class once a week, or vice versa. Observe the changes to your strength, endurance and attitude.

3. Use Complementary Therapies: Treat your mind and body to something new, like a massage, a dance class, or an acupuncture session.

4. Hydrate Your Body: Hydration is especially important as your body adjusts to warmer days and sweating outside the studio. If you normally just drink water add electrolytes to your Bikram practice. Coconut water is ideal, or you can make a homemade electrolyte drink by adding honey or agave, lemon juice and a pinch of salt to water.

5. Practice Mindfulness: Bikram yoga is a 90-minute moving meditation — don’t get so caught up in the movements you forget to meditate! Try to consciously increase the mindfulness of your practice over the next few weeks, observing thoughts that come up, identifying negative emotions or self-talk, and using the breath to ground your practice in the body.

What are your top tips for ‘spring cleaning’? Share in the comments!

Eat Clean – Edamame and Avocado Salad

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avocado, clean eating, edamame recipe, healthy eating, seasonal eating, spring, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, Yoga With Paul

If you’re craving something fresh, green and with a hint of spring zing I recommend trying this edamame and avocado salad recipe from Joy the Baker. It has a hint of ginger in the dressing to give it some kick (plus anti-inflammatory phenols) and I’m going to try swapping parsley for coriander because I just love that combination.

Ingredients

Avocado and Edamame Salad
(4 large or 6 small servings)

-400g bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
-2 teaspoons honey
-scant 1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-juice of 1 lime
-pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper
-1/2 cup sliced green onion
-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
-5 to 8 radishes, sliced
-1 ripe avocado, sliced
-sesame seeds

Full instructions here

Tried it? Tell us what you thought in the comments!

Lighten Up! Releasing Negative Emotions

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Bikram meditation, Bikram poses, Bikram yoga, cleansing, detox, emotional healing, hot yoga benefits, mental health, mindfulness, wellness, Yoga With Paul

The definition of yoga is unity and Bikram, perhaps more than most types of yoga, can push you to a mental as well as a physical edge. We release physical toxins through our sweat in the hot room and mindful practice helps us become aware of and address negative thoughts and emotions as well.

Often, hot yoga is a trigger for people to start addressing deeper issues as they come to an awareness of the mind-body connection. Cila, my student, blog collaborator and writer friend, recently wrote a guest post for Tiny Buddha on 5 Steps to Deal With Emotional Baggage so it Doesn’t Define You.

I particularly like this step:

Create affirmations to foster change and counteract negative thoughts.

Take the positives… and turn them into affirmations or statements of intent, i.e.: “I will speak with love” or “I will treat people with kindness.” This puts the emphasis on positive future behavior and frees you from the past. Make the affirmations tangible: put a reminder on your phone, write them on post-its, or put a list on the fridge.

To me this really relates to Bikram yoga practice. We come into the studio with whatever our bodies and minds are carrying and for 90 minutes we work to make positive changes in our whole being. When we leave, we travel light.

Read Cila’s whole post at Tiny Buddha.

What burden has your Bikram practice helped you release? Share in the comments.

Bikram Begins at your Feet

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26 postures, Bikram yoga poses, Bikram yoga tips, feet, foot health, healing yoga, hot yoga, yoga feet, yoga studio London, Yoga With Paul

Have any of you seen BBC Four’s The Incredible Human Hand and Foot series? Really amazing!

It got me thinking about how fundamental our feet are in daily life — and in Bikram yoga. The ability to balance is fundamental to yoga practice. Feet connect our bodies to the earth. An incredibly complex array of bones, muscles, nerves and tendons works hard to keep us standing.

This is most evident in the balancing series. Poses like standing head to knee actually depend on the connection between the sole of the foot and the gripping hands. We spend a lot of time thinking about major muscle groups, e.g. locking the knee and tightening the abs, but we should give more consideration to the humble foot!

During your next Bikram class take the time to concentrate on and appreciate what your feet are doing. When you think about it every posture calls for your feet in some form — even in savansana you bring the heels together to relax the feet. In the standing series focus on planting your foot and distributing your weight. During the floor series pay attention to flexion: point your toes in bow pose, relax your feet in pavanamuktasana.

Our feet spend most of their time confined in shoes, which may or may not be comfortable or anatomically supportive. Use your barefoot time in hot yoga to work build strength and flexibility in your feet, just like you are doing in the other parts of your body. After all, they are the foundation!

For more tips on working your feet read ‘Feet First’ in Yoga Journal.

Bikram Balance – When One Side Dominates the Other

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Bikram yoga, Bikram yoga poses, Eagle pose, hot yoga, hot yoga tips, improve yoga postures, London hot yoga, Yoga With Paul

Today I’m responding to a comment from Nick on the pavanamuktasana post.

“Hi Paul…. I wanted to ask your advice. Like most people I have a more dominate and more flexible side of the body – the right side in my case. This is evident in Eagle – I can easier tuck my right toes around my left calf, but not vice-versa. Also, in Toe Stand, I can go deeper into the posture when my right foot is against my left thigh. The other side is more awkward.
In whatever posture I am in, I try to work each side to the maximum I can go – but should I hold off a little on my dominant right side to allow the left to ‘catch up’ making my left and right more even?”

First, thanks for reading & commenting Nick. I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog and learning from it 🙂

As you say, most people have a dominant side of the body. It’s natural. Each of us has a unique body with its own symmetry, alignment, flexibility and strength. One of the key objectives and benefits of yoga is to bring balance to the body and mind. In fact, “hatha” translates as “sun” and “moon” — representing the opposing/balancing, yin/yang energies of the universe.

The quest for balance and harmony is a journey, however, as you’ve noted Nick, one side of your body is able to do things right now that the other can’t. Rather than backing off on your dominant side, I suggest you continue to give full effort in each posture, on each side. With time and patience your weaker side will grow stronger and more flexible. This might happen so gradually you don’t notice it at first, which is why it is important to maintain a consistent level of effort. Our bodies are capable of very subtle adjustments. By consciously holding back you run a risk of creating new imbalances. If you practice regularly and with mindfulness you will notice improvements over time.

The goal is not perfection, but unity. Nobody’s body is going to be 100% symmetrical but through yoga you can mitigate any negative effects of your natural imbalance and achieve your best strength and flexibility.

Questions? Comments? Please join the discussion in the comments section!

Yoga With Paul March Newsletter

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Bikram yoga, Creativew Writing Ibiza, healthy eating, hot yoga, hot yoga London, inspiration, vegetarian recipes, Yoga Holiday With Paul, Yoga With Paul

Edition number two of the new YWP newsletter! Yours to download, share, read and enjoy. ~Namaste

YWP Newsletter Mar 2014