I want to thank all the staff at Bikram Yoga Grapevine for choosing me to be student of the month for October 2006. It is a great honor.
What started me doing Bikram Yoga was all of the injuries that my body has incurred over the years. I was afraid to go back to the traditional running an lifting weights because of the impact on my body and fear of injuries. I also believed it would take a very long time to get back into shape. During my life I have had everything from a busted up knee which hurt as a small child playing neighborhood football in the front yard, a bad lower back from a springboard diving crash in High school, a rear end car accident that lead to major shoulder surgery and finally hurting my back while remodeling my home. I have always been very active and competed in Sports like Skydiving (480 jumps), Mountain climbing, Scuba Diving and Sailing. If I was in my 20's I would be one of the guys in the X games. Yahoo! I am just not ready to give up on an active life.
Over the last few years it seemed that I was re-injuring myself over an over again. There is a new name for it given to the baby boomer generation. It is called "boomeritis." I had come to a point where I almost stopped doing all the sports and activities that are such a joy in my life because of the fear of hurting myself.
Then along came Bikram Yoga. I had been getting medical massages at the studio from TC and Tiffanie. I got to a physical place where I thought I could do the Yoga and I was off on a journey. Heat has become my friend! I love practicing Yoga in the heat. By making Bikram's hot Yoga part of my life style I no longer live in fear of hurting myself. The practice has given me freedom to play, like being able to go with my daughter wakeboading, riding a jetski and waterskiing.
When I started Yoga a year ago I was always in pain. The first week was very hard because it takes a week or to to get used to the heat. Your mind tells you how hard it is and how uncomfortable the body is. The mind wants you to quit. Then I had an amazing thing happen. Many people call it a "runners high" Natural endorphins. After practice I started to feel great. Not to say I have not had physical challenges over the last year. For pain I had several minor back surgeries, but the whole time the Dr. continued to encourage me to keep going to Yoga. Because of Yoga I have been able to get the pain drugs out of my life and I have a much higher tolerance for physical pain.
The physical benefits are wonderful, but I have found that practicing Yoga is a major part of my stress relief. Also, the practice is a great way to gain mental discipline and I am slowly learning moderation. According to LaDonna when I first started I would give 1000 percent. It was the bonzi attitude in me. Now I am able to just go enjoy the workout and not compete with myself. That new skill will serve me well in the future.
I would also like to express how happy I am that my daughter Kali has started practicing Yoga.
I want to thank all the instructors for the dedication it takes to teach and practice. It shows a lot of integrity because you practice what you teach. How did you all survive 2 practices a day for 2 months during your instructor classes with Bikram?
I also have a huge respect for everyone that practices Bikram Yoga. Not only does the staff make it a wonderful place, but all the students that come and practice contribute to the great atmosphere that surrounds the studio.
Last I would like to thank Stacey for having the courage to take a risk and start this business and invest in a huge remodel so we all have a beautiful place to practice Bikram Yoga.
