What has Bikram done for us? It is so hard to put into words. It goes without saying that reading about the meaning of Bikram Yoga to someone is much easier than actually writing one yourself and I still can't believe we were given the honor of being joint students of the month.
If you were to ask Minh or myself about what it has done over the time that we have been involved, you would probably get a variety of answers: weight loss, endurance, determination, responsibility, a sense of focus, a means of channeling positive and negative forces from our bodies, peace. The list could go on and on. But I will try to do as much justice as I can to that which has helped us so much, so as to express to anyone who is either considering or even musing about trying Bikram, to understand some of the long term gifts it has given to the two of us even in the short amount of time that we have been involved with it.
Neither of us really considered ourselves to be really athletically active people before we did Bikram. When we first met over six years ago, Minh had taken Bikram and talked me into going to one class, but even though I was surprised by the sheer magnitude of challenge in the postures, it didn't really catch on with me.
As university life proceeded over the next few years, both of us became involved in school and work and kind of let our health fall to the wayside. Even after being prodded by our respective doctors to attempt a healthier lifestyle early in life, neither of us really felt a reason to commit to break the kind of habits we gained while living the university student lifestyle.
Both during our years at school and directly afterwards, we did make meager attempts at finding an activity that the two of us could do together that would help strengthen our bond as well as improve our well being. We tried going to the gym and jogging, but both our competitive natures and our differing level of experience in those two activities really did not allow us to enjoy what we were doing together. At some point, we eventually just gave up and came to the conclusion that maybe we would just have to accept that maybe there just was not something we could do in tandem that would fill that space in our lives.
This all changed when after moving to the DFW area, Minh suggested that we give Bikram a chance finally. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Little did we know the true benefits we would receive from involving ourselves with the studio at Bikram Yoga Grapevine. Day One was rough which goes without saying, but after learning about the 60 day challenge on Day Two and seeing Minh already signed up, it was a done deal.
Aches and pains that I had already come to accept as my lot in life melted away over the first few months. Minh's sleep apnea went from waking us both up in the middle of the night to virtually nonexistent. We've lost weight and inches (about 20 pounds and 3.5 inches a piece), and we both feel ten times better than we did just half a year ago. It's a wonderful thing, but the physical benefits are nothing compared to the other gifts the yoga has given us.
Both of us work in the service industry in one faculty or another. Minh is a pharmacy technician and I am an administrative assistant. Needless to say, these jobs can put a lot of stress on a person and the yoga is great for this. I can't count the number of times in the past four months that I have been angry, worried, sad, you name it only to come out of the yoga room with a new sense of self and a better outlook on my life. It's almost like the yoga flushes away the impurities of the mind just like those of the body. It's weird to say, but if you've tried it, you'll know.
Yet another benefit of our practice as been a new sense of partnership. Our yoga practice has helped bring the two of us to a new understanding of each other. It helps us to encourage and support each other in both our practice and in both our family and work life. We fight less and are more patient with each other's opinions even if we don't have any opinion on a subject at all.
Finally, Bikram Yoga and more specifically, Bikram Grapevine has brought us a new sense of community. Since we moved back up to the DFW area, we've for the most part stayed close to home and work. Bikram Grapevine is a way for us to come out of our collective shells and meet other people and experience new things. The students are great, and the instructors are awesome! It's a blessing to be able to get off from a grueling day at work and be greeted with a smile and cheerful voice from any of the instructors. Everyone is encouraging of others, and there are always grins and laughs to be had throughout the studio.
Again, we would like to express how much we appreciate everyone at Bikram Yoga Grapevine. Everyone at the studio is like a second family to us.
Thank you all and good practice!
Andrew and Minh
|
