27/02/2021
What a great reminder of what Bikram Yoga can do.
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Super Human: Myra
From: Sunshine Coast, Australia.
Started practicing Bikram Yoga: My first Bikram Yoga class was in 2011.
Favourite posture: Balancing Stick Pose - Tuladandasana
Why practice Bikram Yoga:
I practice Bikram Yoga not because it is easy or trendy but because this form of yoga works for me, it is therapeutic and it heals. It is a moving meditation for me and that holds me in good stead for whatever life throws at me. It wasn't always this way.
My very first yoga class was a traditional hatha style in the inner west of Sydney, circa. 2006. I was in my mid twenties and had recently broken up with a boyfriend. I was living away from family and friends (who all lived interstate) and I couldn’t have felt more isolated and lost.
To add more complexity to the situation, three years prior I was prescribed antidepressants to relieve my anxiety and depression as I was in the thick of processing childhood trauma. The medication left me, often, feeling numb, disassociated and disempowered as I watched myself become the walking dead. Luckily for me, many of the therapists and professionals suggested I try yoga to help me with relaxation, calming my mind and for my overall health.
From the outset, I could tell that I had a natural affinity for the postures. However, unexpectedly one of the postures (Warrior pose, I think?) had abruptly unlocked a huge amount of blocked or suppressed energy from within my body. The experience threw my body into an uncontrollable shake and I quickly wanted to shut off the experience. I came out of the posture and lay on my mat for what felt like an eternity. The teacher asked me how my first class went and I said “fine” (which was a massive lie!) while holding back tears. I vowed never to do yoga again.
Fast forward to 2011 when I met the love of my life, Ben. He was practicing a yoga method six times a week. The class was taken in a hot room. After each class he came home looking more peaceful and focused. I really couldn’t believe the devotion that I was seeing between him and his yoga practice.
“Could yoga really offer this?” I thought.
I was curious but because of my previous experience I wasn’t ready to delve any further. I was happy resigning to the fact that I just didn’t want to know any more about it. I was delighted for Ben and his yoga practice but that was the end of the conversation. Ben gently would invite me along to a class here and there. I declined. He was VERY patient.
Finally, twelve months later I agreed to go to ONE class simply with the idea of ending the conversation and be done with the topic once and for all.
Preparing for my first Bikram class was an agonizing 24hrs. I was excruciatingly nervous. I had nothing sporty or appropriate to wear, my heart was racing and my palms were sweating even before getting to the studio. I felt sick in the stomach and everything in my body said NOT to go. I made it up the flight of stairs and to the reception desk at the Prahran Studio in Melbourne. I signed in and prayed I would fall into a deep abyss and that the class would be over with.
Still to this day I don’t know what happened in the hot room but I made it through every posture. I think it was my commitment and love for Ben (now my husband) that got me through. I didn’t want to let him down.
Surprisingly, I found myself responding well to the heat. I enjoyed the focus that the dialogue demanded from me. I loved the repetition and structure of each class. When things were chaotic in life or when I felt broken I could always rely on the Bikram Yoga room to be exactly the same.
Same Temperature.
Same Dialogue.
Same Postures.
Same Safe Zone.
And that’s what Bikram Yoga became for me; it slowly became my safe zone.
It certainly hasn’t been an easy journey and I’m proud to say that I’ve now been practicing (on and off) for 8 years. I’ve practiced in studios in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast.
Bikram Yoga has never let me down so I feel I owe it to the Yoga to continue to turn up to each class. I believe that once I turn up to class everything else will be taken care of. Once my feet hit the mat I don’t care what happens next. Every breath and every posture is a bonus. I’ve already won by entering the room.
Bikram Yoga has supported me through running a business with ten staff, being a wife, a pregnancy and now being an mum to a very active 3yr old boy.
After eight years of practice I finally got the confidence to share a bit of my Bikram Yoga story. In sharing on this platform I hope to inspire another to start this incredible healing journey 🧘🏼♀️
Namaste! 🕉
