Losing the Ego

Photo via Bikram Yoga Chaswick in London.

I came across an awesome article on Yoga Journal today about important lessons that will transform your yoga practice. It's inspired me to reflect on some of the same topics, especially what the place is for ego in the yoga room -- which is nowhere.


There is no place for the ego in the yoga room. The effort of yoga is to lose the ego, to experience motionless, to embody effortlessness... while exerting maximum effort.

Can you try harder? If you can, you must. Photo via the Bikram Women's Retreat on Facebook.

Once you learn to give up your own ego in the room, on your mat, and at your studio, then your heart opens to what yoga truly is.


Yoga is not about judging. It is about forgiving. And not just others around you, but forgiving yourself. For being imperfect. For sometimes judging yourself based on your ability to execute a posture rather than on your own personal character and true worth.


Yoga is about meeting your edge in class, not comparing yourself to others and risking injury.


Yoga is about taking care of yourself in the room, while also listening to your instructor's words to push, push, push you to do your best.


Yoga is about not being scared to fail and try again. Like if you fall out of a posture, you get right back in. Or if you fall on your face because you tried a ridiculously hard arm balance, you laugh it off and are proud of yourself for giving your best effort.

Photo via Yoga Dudes on Tumblr.

Yoga requires effort. Yes, we relax in savasana and in child's pose or half-tortoise pose, but a majority of our class is spent focusing our energies toward specific muscle groups. Flexing those muscles. Learning what power we have. Finding a perfect marriage of the heart and lungs. Or maybe even having a mini heart attack now, so we won't suffer one later!


If you're not sweating, concentrating hard, and challenging yourself, you're not making the most of your yoga experience. And this goes for both heated and non-heated classes :)

Now that's yoga that requires effort: Balancing Stick pose! Photo via Bikram Yoga Richmond.

In yoga, you learn to let go. Even if you're annoyed by the yogis around you, or the teacher at the podium, or the stuff that happened at work before you came to class.


Unless you allow yourself to clear your mind by engaging your body, your yoga gets you nowhere.

Photo via the Bikram Women's Retreat on Facebook.

Everywhere Yoga

Bring your yoga anywhere. Photo via FYeahYoga.

I love that you can bring your yoga anywhere. What we learn on the mat can be used at any moment: at a friend's birthday party, when you're upset with someone you love, when you've stubbed your toe or missed the bus and need to deal.


Especially in Bikram, you learn this sort of 'everywhere yoga.'


Standing face-to-face in that heat, you've got to decide not to suffer, or chances are, you will. You must ignore the rest of the room -- the day, the thoughts, the world -- and enter your meditation.


Lately I've been so grateful that since I returned from the holidays, it feels like my yoga is back. Not only while I'm practicing (and I have had two of the most electric, ecstatic classes I've ever experienced this week), but also during the small moments of my day, I am calm, at peace, in the moment.


I am patient, even during the annoying moments or when I encounter frustrations or sadness.


I am my yogi self again, finally! Body, mind, and spirit have aligned, and it feels beyond wonderful. Have you experienced this sort of interconnected joy? Once you have, losing it can be really hard. And during our travels and my hiatus from the home studio, I felt as though I had lost that self-loving, flexible, upbeat yogi me.


Well, welcome back, yogi me!

You are your meditation, not the world around you. Photo via FYeahYoga.

Today at the studio I practiced in a class of 60 people. 60 yogis! We were sardines, piled in the room. I was in the first row, on the hot side. I was a puddle before pranayama even got going! At one point, I literally felt as though I had melted. I was a wet noodle.


It was awesome.


I was definitely the flower petal blooming! I loved the warm up series, and the way my body just moved to the words, bending and opening and relaxing into each posture. There was no resistance; I could not resist any posture because I had no energy to overcome the intense heat. (Before class, I checked the little thermometer up on the teacher's podium. It read 107! And that's before everyone was in the room, working up a sweat.) Incredible. It's amazing to me what a difference those two to three degrees make!


It was a beautiful class. Such an intense mixture of concentration from the new students, as they strained their ears to listen to the words and do the postures correctly, and joy and strength from the advanced students, as though their energy and expertise were pulling the rest of the bodies through when they thought it was time to give up.


We had a fair amount of drama in class, too. During the warm up, a new guy decided he had to leave the room. He was muttering "I'll be fine, I'll be fine" as he marched out of class, our teacher desperately asking "Where are you going?!" in between sets. He did come back, which was impressive. And the yogi by the door who didn't have enough room for Triangle finally figured out that it would help to scoot up toward the mirror.


We got through. We made it. And I was actually laughing the whole way through, marveling at what an interesting psychology experiment a yoga room really can be sometimes.


The lady next to me and I were chuckling at a few points along the way, too. Right before Full Locust she put her whole arm on my arm, locking us together as if we were one strong yogini, a force to be reckoned with.


We both smiled, dripping sweat in each other's space. And then we rocked the posture.


This was truly the bliss of Bikram: to be so close to your fellow yogis, so overwhelmingly given in to the situation, so intensely and intently present in the room. Unable to resist, and not wanting to.


To be able to smile through the second set of an exhausting posture while most other yogis are cringing and letting themselves to suffer instead of relax.


To, quite simply, be there.


To be.


I felt exhilarated. I'm going back as soon as I can.

Enjoy your yoga in the everyday. Photo via FYeahYoga.

Focus Forward Friday: Be Fearless

Happy with heights, from the Navy Pier ferris wheel. Now for calm in front of crowds...

Photo by Brandon Kidd.

Focus Forward Friday: A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: fearlessness. We all face fears, irrational or not, in our lives. Fears of growing up. Fears of letting go. Fears of being seen for who we really are.

In the Hot Room, I often find myself building up fears instead of listening to the dialogue and taking each posture one step at a time. After Standing Separate Leg Stretching I'll feel my heart pounding and my head throbbing; sometimes, my eyesight dims and I get the sensation that I could pass out. I'll sit down immediately -- or, just as often, sit out the first set if I'm feeling scared.

Then there's Camel. I work up the posture in my mind like it's going to be the worst thing that's happened all day, when often breathing right through it helps me realize it's a huge relief. I head into Savasana feeling refreshed by new energy and a release of tension in my back.

Which postures do you sit out because of fear?

Who haven't you approached in your life because you're holding back, frightened of what might happen if you spoke your mind?

Have you thought about why your fears have the best of you?

Feeling nervous? Check out this online mag to read inspiring stories by gutsy leaders.

One talented lady I met at the Seth Godin conference publishes a fantastic magazine about individuals who refuse to give in to fear. As their site states, Fear.Less is a free online mag that empowers people through unique stories of overcoming fear. The subjects range from business leaders and artists to scientists and people who've survived extreme experiences. They understand that fear is intense. It's universal. And though it consumes us, we don't have to live with it!

I'd encourage you to check out some of the stories of bravery and daring listed on the site. You can also follow Fear.Less on Facebook and Twitter, or submit your own story.

I encourage you to take pride in facing your fears. For me, lately I've been able to move past my anxiety about public speaking. I taught a yoga class at NU to over 35 people a few weeks ago. And this week I presented to a small entrepreneurship class on marketing to promote my freelance editing company, editZING. For each, I felt calm and capable in front of the crowd. Instead of shaking in my boots, I just breathed right through it.

Share your stories of fearlessness in the comments below, and have a bold weekend!

Seth Godin, fearless Linchpin leader.

Illinois Yoga Asana Championships @ Whole Foods Lincoln Park on Saturday

My friend Lindsay and I are going to be checking out the Illinois Yoga Championships this weekend. Hope to see you there! I'm excited to watch the talented yogis perform! They will be doing these poses:

• Standing Forehead to Knee
• Standing Bow
• Bow
• Rabbit
• Stretching
• Two other postures based on personal preference

Judges will be looking for posture alignment, grace, movement, stability, confidence, balance, general appearance and stage presence. Whew! It's going to be intense! And, um, awesome. For more info about the event, see here.

The event is sponsored by Bikram Yoga Andersonville.

Men. Yoga. Yes.

Lithe and strong, like a yogi.

These incredible photos are by a friend of mine from high school, Emily Voigtlander. She's a talented artist with a dashing boyfriend, Jordan, featured above. They are living the dream in San Francisco with their adorable pup named Willow, writing a sweet cooking blog, adventuring in the city, and loving each other well.

I am about to feature a series on men who do yoga here at Alive in the Fire and I'm interested to hear more about your views on masculinity, strength, power, balance and equality. Do you tend to see a lot of women at Bikram classes? Feel outnumbered if you're one of few guys in the room?

Do you notice a difference when men teach in comparison when women do?

How do you witness yoga as a tool to bring together members of a local studio, and of a world community, regardless of gender?

What would you like to see change? Are there ways we can use the yoga to transform our perspective and truly bring an open mind to our life experiences whether we experience inequality or not?

Are you personally willing to practice the genuine concept of "Namaste" in your life?

"The good in me sees and acknowledges the good in you." I am here; you are here with me. 

"I bow to you." I recognize your beauty, presence, power. 

"I honor that place in your where the whole Universe resides. And when I am in that place in me, and you are in that place in you, there is only one of us."

Men, women, yogis. We are one.

Em and Jordan and their pup, Willow! I couldn't resist; I really couldn't. :) 

Such a happy family! Miss you guys and hope all is well.

Those Bikram Boys

What's the guy to girl ratio at your studio like? Do you have a lot of men willing to tough it out in the heat where you practice?

Man, I love those strong, tall guys who practice alongside all the dainty girls in bikini tops and Shakti shorts. My favorite are the 40-somethings at Bikram Yoga Evanston that I think look like firemen. I mean, if they can handle the yoga (with their tight hips and broad shoulders), so can anyone. Not so sure I'm crazy about guys who wear super short shorts, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do to survive the Torture Chamber, eh?


YogaDork recently discovered this awesome NYT article about guys layin' down their mats and kicking some ass. There was also an interesting entry about guys in the Army doing yoga in order to promote strength and stress relief. I love it!


Now if I could only drag the Hubs and my big brother to class... :)


Do you yoga with your guy? Know male friends or teachers at the studio?


I want to hear your story! I am going to feature a story on guys who Bikram in the near future and I'd love for you to be a part of it. I am looking for 3-4 paragraphs about who you know, what their practice is like, their favorite posture, and how Bikram yoga makes them feel like a real man. You can write about someone you know, or have your sexy guy write a little blurb. Feel free to be creative. Have fun. And if you know of anyone, please spread the word!


Comment below your contact info and I will get a hold of you about your story. Photographs highly encouraged, but not required. And if Bikram's not your style, no worries. I'd still love to hear from you.

REAL MEN DO (BIKRAM) YOGA. 

Coming soon to Alive in the Fire!



Check out this ridiculousness. We fist pump in our fancies after the wedding. Hey, if I can make a fool of myself, so can you!

Focus Forward Friday: Love, Love, Love

Focus Forward Friday: 
A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: letting your love flow. Yoga is not just a series of asanas to be completed in isolation. It's not just about changing your body; it's about changing your life. Your perspective on how to accept others, cherish your relationships, improve your ability to love and to show compassion to those around you. If you're smiling in class, but scowling as you walk around in the studio lobby, what are you practicing?

If the teachers at your studio pass each other and hardly speak, or their relationship their students ends when the final breathing exercise is over, what is your studio practicing?

Bikram is about community. About opening up. Moving beyond our fears, our loneliness. In the heat, we are one warrior.

My challenge to you on this beautiful fall Friday would be to open up, let go of your ego, and get to know some of those other yogis wandering around your studio, your neighborhood, your city. Hey, you could start by contributing a comment to this blog! Contribute to the community here, whether you are a regular reader or just topped by today.

Oh, and also be sure to have a lovely holiday weekend, get your Bikram on or get outta town, and hug your loved ones! FYI I will be celebrating in Indiana with some friends on their rockin' estate/ lake/ boat and although I may practice some headstands on my own (using the new iPhone app I just got for a free review!), chances are you won't hear from me for a couple days.

In the meantime you can enjoy the big Wedding Day Yoga post! Comment, share your stories, enjoy. Namaste!

Yogi Characters Continued

PhotoVia SunSinger's Flickr Photostream.

A little while ago, I featured a post on some inspiring local yogis at my home studio, and our need for compassion in the hot room. Here are a few more characters I've come across, followed by a few who I'm keeping my eye out for.

Locals I Love:

• Yoga Mom Extraordinaire: you've got sweet tats, a solid practice, and super-cool mom skills for bringing your daughter to Bikram before she's even old enough to be allowed in for the standing series.
• Slick Italian Gentleman: I'm pretty sure you're a dancer in real life, what with that slicked-back hair, graceful form, and seriously-athletic focus. Your headband and strong-looking hands make me think of only the word "Om" filling up the room.
• Fire Engine Man: your body looks like a brick and you've got to be at least 40, and yet you keep coming back for more heat and humidity. I like to imagine you're the captain of a local firestation and your Bikram practice is just another way to get used to being surrounded by fire.
• Miss Firecracker (aka my favorite teacher): your spunk, liveliness and kick-ass dialogue rock my world. With your leadership and encouraging spirit, class always seems to fly by and I feel stronger and more empowered than ever. Who knew such vigor could come in such a small package?

Are You Out There?

• Pregnant Moms Who Still Practice: If I ever encounter you, I will immediately offer you an extremely enthusiastic high-five and begin asking you a bunch of questions of how you survive the hot room.
• Yogis Wearing Leopard-Print Anything: Straight-up Bikram style! I have yet to earn these stripes.
  
• Scorpion-Doers: Seriously, how do people pull that pose off?! I've never actually seen it in person, so I'm pretty sure I will oogle and drool over whoever I first discover chilling out as a poisonous desert bug.
• The Emotion-Weary Yogi: OK, so this may sound a bit strange but lately I've been hearing and reading so much about yogis who suddenly start all-out sobbing in the middle of Bikram class. I am completely intrigued and curious about this phenomenon. And not that it's not an emotional experience every time we practice, but it might be sort of interesting to experience the teary meltdown in the middle of class...just to see what it would bring up, and be able to say you survived it. Plus I generally tend to have have salt water in my eyes, anyway, from all the sweat drips...What do you think? Have you ever survived the yoga-mat tearfest?

Photo Via SpectreMan's Flickr PhotoStream.

Thanks for Sharing Your Practice, Local Yogis

Photo Via Ana Grillo Photography.

All it takes to remember your compassion for your fellow yogis in class is a crowded Bikram class where the collective group energy is off the charts. You realize:

We depend on each other.
We thrive because of those around us.
In this way, yoga reminds us to be compassionate.

In the past few months of my practice at my lovely home studio, I've started to recognize some familiar faces and even develop a few friendships in the hot room. Sometimes I'll enter the torture chamber, set up camp on my mat, and begin stretching to warm up for class. Often I'll look up from my space to discover

hey -- all of the regular characters are here!

at which point my face erupts in a big, goofy smile and I get giddy about practicing with such awesome people around me. In fact, that's something I've noticed has changed as I become more familiar with the Bikram experience: with time, I've begun to look forward to being side-by-side with yogis who used to scare me, intimidate me, or simply seem like faraway strangers.

So, with that exhilaration in mind, this post comes leaping out of the bottom of my heart: I'd like to thank the following usual yogi characters for showing up on a regular basis, for pushing me to work harder in the hot room, and for bringing me great delight simply by your smiles, nods, laughs and antics around the studio.

You guys rock:

• Double Pigtails Dearest: always a sweet smile on your face and always those crazy buns atop your head. They tend to brighten my day.
  
• Mr. Bald Yoga Guru Guy: the headwrap intrigues me. Without your dialogue, I'd probably miss half of savasana. Oh, and I think about half the girls in the studio seem to have a crush on you. I consider your presence a way to practice my focus -- and hey, my eyes meet the mirror more often when you're up top the podium, so thanks for that!
• Shush Woman: I find it silly how you whisper-yell at everyone not to talk in the hot room, but I do appreciate the subsequent silence. I sometimes wonder if you realize you're making as much, if not more, noise than the rest of us. Update: I've recently realized what a great sense of humor you have. And your swoopy dance/stretch warm ups are the most amusing. The best. Smiles all around.
• Old Lady Rascal (also known as Egyptian Bronze): you hardly ever stay with the rest of the group, but your eagerness, twitchy, sparkly fingertips, and ridiculous flexibility for your age never cease to impress. And I'll admit: I get a kick out of your wildly colorful outfits and your eastern European accent!
  

Photo via The Stickler on Flickr.

All said and done, I guess I'm getting closer to the real-deal namaste thing, where

the good in me acknowledges the good in you

and we may not be best friends or even know each other, but I can feel how the yoga brings us together. And I love it, and I appreciate your practice more fully because I depend on it.


I'll continue to introduce you to more local characters along the way in my blog adventures, and I encourage you to make friends with those around you in the hot room. Thank them for sharing their practice!