Namaspray: An End to Your Stinky Yoga Mat

Photo via YayEveryday.

Photo via Coffee and Yoga.

Every Bikram yogi knows: the nose matters.

If your mat stinks in class, life is not good. Mostly because your face gets pretty close to your mat during a lot of the postures in both the standing series and the floor series. 

Having a clean, odor-free yoga mat is the difference between having a great class and suffering through. 


We've all been there...


You start your first week at a lovely, well-kept Bikram studio. You're rockin' your yoga and discovering new flexibility and strength that you never knew you had. Perhaps you're even losing weight, burning off toxins, and feeling better than you have in years.


But then you find out that being lazy after class doesn't serve you. You've been too tired to wipe down your mat at the end of class and by the end of only a handful of sweaty classes, your mat smells. 

Branding images via the Namaspray site.

Well, I have an easy solution for you. Check out Namaspray. This line of yoga mat disinfectant is my favorite, and comes in the best scents around. You can go for eucalyptus (my vote), minty fresh (a close second), or spicy orange (also wonderful!).

Branding images via the Namaspray site.

Namaspray is awesome because it doesn't have harsh chemicals, comes in an easy-to-carry size, and is made to be used on a wide variety of surfaces (anything from yoga mats to flip flops, gym bags, or workout machines!). For the full list of where you can put it to great use, read here.

Sweaty guys, sweaty gals: treat yourself to a little Namaspray. Your nose will thank you, and so will your Bikram yogi neighbors!

PS You can also shop for Namaspray on the Yoga With Style site, where there are hundreds of yogi-wear and yogi-accessory choices! :)

Branding images via the Namaspray site.

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.

From Rich: Thoughts on Warrior Training

Photo via Yoga Dudes on Tumblr.

Thoughts on Warrior Training
by Rich, a sponsored yogi


I am a peaceful warrior.
I journey further down that path every day.

Some days I am frightened.
Some, I am invincible.

I have no particular quarrels with you or anyone else.
My war rages within me.

I prepare not to do battle,
But rather to continue fighting.

Some days it is all I have.
Others, all I want.

My peace comes in moments of control, 
Packaged smaller than the blink of an eye.

I have found myself somewhere I've never been,
Never knew existed.

I put that place in a box for later.
I will  revisit that place when I am better prepared.

For now, I will finish my warrior training
And be on my peaceful way.

Great Yoga Giveaway For the Workshop Participants

Photo by Sarah Rhoads.

Friday night I had a great time teaching a little yoga workshop at Northwestern, mostly with newbie yogis. We had a lot of fun trying out the warm up postures from Bikram, meeting each other and sharing what our favorite poses are, and then finishing up class with some great relaxation.

It was beautiful!

Class proved especially helpful because I left with a calm and clear state of mind... only to find a circus of car troubles at home! The Hubs and our friend Nick had suffered a bad jump to the trusty Subaru, so we were racing around trying to decide if we should cab it over to AutoZone, try for a ride, or get another jump. Turns out we have amazing neighbors and we ended up being saved by the lady who's parking spot we stole for a few minutes. She was so kind-hearted and didn't call the tow truck on us, thank goodness!

Anyway, I wanted to offer a sweet little yoga giveaway to all those lovely yogis I met on Friday. If you guys follow the blog, follow me on Twitter, and post a comment below with your contact info, you'll be entered to win:

• An incredible Bandha Yoga anatomy book (wonderful reading before you get started on a safe practice and a great way to protect all your muscles and joints!)
• A copy of Julie Rader's meditation (featuring yoga nidra, which is a 45-minute meditation that makes you feel like you've slept for hours)
• A copy of Maya Fiennes' Kundalini yoga class for detoxing and de-stressing 
• An introduction to your first Bikram class with me! I'll give you helpful tips before class, treat you to a revitalizing VitaCoco coconut water after class, and take you out for coffee afterward to discuss your experience. Doesn't get any better than that!

    

Again, to win please:

• leave a comment below with your name and email
• click "Follow" on the blog
• add me on Twitter!

Thanks and namaste. *Note: you must be a workshop participant from Friday's class to enter.

Do Your Bikram, And Then Some

Photo source unknown.

Anyone else out there get sick of your own yoga practice sometimes? Lately I've been lacking motivation to hit the hot room (Gasp! Terrible, right? And from a Bikram blogger no less. Well, at least I'm keeping things honest here on Alive in the Fire). 

It's like I need a little something fresh in my routine.

Last night I put in an awesome Kundalini class at home (this DVD with Maya Fiennes, who totally rocks). It felt wonderful to do some different poses and breathing exercises, and it totally woke my spine, mind and overall body up in lovely ways.

Bikram yogis, do you ever get a little sick of the 26 posture series?

Find yourself craving a little Downward Dog, Cat pose, or straight up Child's pose?

I know, I know. Bikram says downward dog is not real yoga. He says it is the "American circus" of yoga. He also says the props used in styles like Iyengar make that style "a Santa Monica sex shop."

Well, I say there's a reason certain that Hatha yoga classes have been practicing sun salutations for centuries. And why there's more to Hatha yoga than the 26 postures you find in a Bikram class.

We need them too! We need a mix of standing balancing postures, and spine strengtheners, but we could also benefit greatly from a little Wheel, Crane, and Pigeon here and there.

Photo via Sarah Rhoads.

Maybe it's a silly analogy, but it's a little like my morning breakfast routine. I love cereal. Lately I eat it pretty much every day. But I can't subsist on just Raisin Bran, or only Honey Bunches of Oats. I need some Cinnamon Life every now and then. And on some days: Cinnamon Toast Crunch.


Occasionally we need those postures that make us feel good -- like the days we need sweet kiddy cereal in the morning to kick-start our day. Sometimes we need a super challenge, like Headstand or Scorpion.


Sure, we need our solid foundation -- our Bikram classes, and our consistent practice in the Hot Room. In the mornings, we need a mix of nutrients in our cereal, and it makes breakfast more enjoyable if we can try new tastes now and then too.


We need breaks from our own routine. To try a class that's not heated, or go for some postures we've never attempted before.


How will we improve if we don't challenge ourselves?


I can't not mention the Advanced Bikram series here, because I know that class involves a lot of the more difficult Hatha postures, and it really does work your body in completely new ways and expands greatly on the Beginner's class. But bottom line -- Bikram yogis who aren't teachers (and never want to be teachers) should have access to more yoga than just the Bikram series.


So if you're feeling like you're in a bit of a rut and you've got to keep on keepin' on with your yoga... try something new. (And if you can, go for Teacher Training! Take the advanced class. By all means, it's an amazing way to step up your Bikram.)


Or, buy a single class at a new studio or a new DVD from Amazon. Check out a yoga book you've been eyeing at the library for a while now. Take a Zumba class with your friend at the gym!


Choose to see your yoga differently, or yourself differently for a bit. It might just make you realize: you are not a Bikram-only yogi. You've just been a yogi all along.

Sometimes taking a closer look can show you something new. A bride is not only a bride; she's also just a thirsty lady having the best day of her life.

Photo via W. Scott Chester Photography.

PS On a related "expand your practice; it's good for you" note -- I'll be teaching a little yoga workshop tomorrow night! I can't wait :)

PPS I absolutely love Bikram yoga. It is my foundation. I need more of it, just like I need more variety. At the workshop, I'll be teaching Bikram postures (not to the exacts dialogue, but I know some tidbits will work their way in... "lean back, fall back, way back..." Haha. How could they not, after hearing those words so many times?!). 

Anyway, I hope this post gets you thinking. Bottom line, in case you were wondering: Bikram is my core yoga, but I also love being open to other styles. I'm also curious: what styles do you practice? Do you Bikram, and then some? I'd love your feedback in the comments below. And here's to a yoga-filled weekend!

Surrender

Photo via F Yeah Yoga.

Happy Monday, all!

A few quick announcements. First: a great challenge for the start of a new week. Can you surrender yourself to the moment? Can you let go of your expectations?

If it's one thing Bikram yoga teaches us, it's that patience always wins. And that if you let someone steal your peace, you lose!

Breathing deep, surrendering to the moment, embracing the here and now: these are the methods that lead to peace.

Secondly, we've got a few delays for the Yogi Sponsorship 2011 winners. Apologies to all of you who are waiting to hear the news, but it looks like I'll need a few more days before I can make the big announcement. In the meantime, I really appreciate your patience.

Hey, if nothing else -- it will keep you on your toes (higher on the toes!) this week. :)

Photos via Hot Bikram Yoga Fulham in London.

Run, Yoga, Run: The Bikram Athlete

Photo illustration via Blow Up Studios and their ad campaign for Pure Yoga. 

Hey yogis. How is your week going? Are you busy shoveling snow?


Perhaps you've had to mix up your workout this week because of inclement weather. Just this morning the Hubs and I helped push a neighbor's car over a pile of snow, and it got me thinking about those muscles we don't usually use in the Bikram room. By engaging in other core-building or stamina-enhancing exercise, we can improve our yoga practice. 


Sometimes we need to mix it up in order to improve not only our physical health, but our mental health, too. The repetitive nature of Bikram yoga (as a result of the dialogue and our familiarity with the 26-posture sequence) makes it tempting to zone out during class -- to disengage, stop listening, and go with what we know.


At those moments, we risk injury.


Often it can be great to mix up your work out routine by adding different styles of yoga or different cardio activities to your schedule.


Do any of you readers do Bikram on the side? Maybe you are into cross training, running, swimming, or biking -- but you find yoga to be a great complement to your other athletic endeavors.


No matter what your first fitness love is, Bikram can help you build the strength and flexibility you need to perform at your best, and live your healthiest life.

Photo illustration via Blow Up Studios.

One reader of the blog recently contacted me about her work as a personal trainer. Jeozette of MVP Personal Fitness Consulting recommends that athletes balance their cardio with Bikram, as the two can inform each other and provide awesome balance. The rest of this post is adapted from Joezette's article here.

You Gotta Have: Total-Body Conditioning 
(not simply strong quads) 

Consistent running can lead to a lot of tightness and strain in the spine, shoulders, hamstrings, and hips. This is why it is so important to condition and stretch those areas to develop more strength and movement to your body.


Try the following cross-training exercise to build arm strength and flexibility.


EXERCISE: Push-up; one of the best exercise for muscles of the chest (pectorals), arms (bicep and triceps) and core development.


Start face down on the floor with your feet together curled slightly so you rise on the ball of your feet. Place you hands close together so your thumbs and index fingers form a triangle on the floor. Keep your stomach contracted.
Inhale as you raise your body up till your arms are straight. Keep your head and neck level with your body and back straight. Exhale out as you lower your body back to the ground.

Photo via mewall82 on Flickr.

You Gotta Be: Pain Free!

Bikram Yoga will put an end to the tightness that leads to pain by opening up your joints and stretching all your ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Remember that running doesn't use ALL your muscles. You need a pose that will utilize your whole body.


Try the following Bikram Yoga pose to help straighten rounded spines and relieve backaches. This pose will also increase circulation to the spine and strengthen the abs, arms, thighs, and hips.It will improve the flexibility of the scapula, deltoids, and traps.


POSE: Bow Pose; Start lying on your stomach, bend your knees and bring your feet down towards your glutes. Reach back with your arms, take hold of each foot from the outside, grasping about two inches below the toes. Keep your feet and knees six inches apart throughout the pose. Take a deep breathe, look up towards the ceiling and lift thighs and upper body off the floor. Kick back lifting legs higher off the floor. The main goal is to balance on your abdomen. Hold pose for 20 seconds while breathing in and out through the nose.

Photo via creativENERGYoga on Flickr.

You Gotta Have: Agility, Coordination, and Balance

Agility, coordination, and balance are also important factors in day-to-day activities, such as standing and walking or (running). Try the following Cross-training exercise to improve these basic functions.


EXERCISE: Jump Rope; Holding the jump rope handles, one in each hand, the rope should be resting on the ground directly behind your feet. Your head should be up, eyes looking forward, not down at your feet. Your elbows should be positioned in close to your body. During the jump, your body should be erect. A basic jump is straight up and down and about 1 inch high. The rope gets its momentum with a basic swing of the wrist and forearms. The knees should flex and extend slightly with each jump. As you jump, try to develop a rhythm (the speed at which the rope turns).

Photo via kait.rich on Flickr.

Bottom line? Mix up your work out and balance it out with some hot yoga! You'll be happy you did when the winter storm hits and you don't have to pull any muscles while shoveling snow. 

Have any other advice on how to adapt to Bikram as an athlete? I'd love to hear from you, runners, swimmers, bikers, and tri-athletes! Leave a comment below.

Photo illustration via Blow Up Studios.

Military Man

Photo via the Dudes Doing Yoga Tumblr.

I couldn't help but think of my awesome older brother when I saw this on Yoga Dudes today. He used to be in Army R.O.T.C. and I could totally picture him smiling at this pic. Want me to help you do that pose, bro? :)


I imagine that yoga would be a wonderful way for military guys to relieve some of the stress and tension that comes along with their territory. A while back I found this NY Times piece on army recruiting programs that incorporate yoga into the fitness routines. It's reassuring that they can take some of their experiences to the mat, too. And build some great flexibility!


Anyway, I'm thinking of you, brother. Lots of love from (about to be snowpacalypse-d) Chicago! XO


PS Readers, do you know any military men who practice yoga? Get them to write in for the Real Men Do Yoga series!

Bandha Bandha!

Illustration from Bandha Yoga. Click the image to learn more about these awesome books!

If you're following the blog, you've seen my latest posts about these awesome Bandha Yoga books. Check out this awesome illustration indicating the way yoga helps you find great alignment and balanced energy in your chakras. Pretty beautiful, huh?

If you click on the image above or the ones below, you can learn more about the books and even place an order for one of your own.


I spent a couple hours browsing through pages and reading about how my muscles work together during different postures. I was amazed at how much there is to learn beyond the experience of the yoga! Even after we've felt our bodies in the postures, or heard from instructors about the best and safest way to do Triangle or Eagle, we still have lots we can learn from these books. Check 'em out!


PS I'll be bringing my copy over to Bikram Yoga Evanston soon, so if you're local, keep your eyes peeled for a copy sitting with all of Stu's other yoga books in the lobby. Enjoy!

Centering

Om illustration via Yoga is Life.

Anyone else out there have the tendency to get over-booked and busy? I'm finding that I have a subconscious push to take on more projects and tasks. Unless I am careful about limiting my time spent working, I end up with a little too much on my plate.

That's where the yoga comes in, and when I need it most. Meditation and relaxation, too. The practice of letting go and doing nothing.

One of the best ways to place clear boundaries around your time is to spend time thinking about how you want to use it. What really makes you happy? What is really important to you?

I've had these kind of questions running in the background of my mind lately, and sometimes it helps to mull them over in the shower or write about them in a notebook. Whatever method I use, it's most important that I slow down and pause, giving my thoughts completely over to the work of self-knowledge.

If we don't pause to center ourselves, we lose track.

Last night I was getting frustrated about letting my brain get too much like a hamster caught in a wheel, and then all of a sudden my yoga mind kicked in.

Choose not to suffer.

I actually smiled realizing that this calming mantra has sunk in enough to pop up not only during Bikram class, but also during stressful situations in "real" life. I fell asleep a little easier knowing I could choose not to suffer, choose to be strong, and choose to let God handle the rest.

Thankfully I have an uber-supportive husband on my side too, and he made me feel a lot better and even gave me a relaxing backrub to help. :)

Photo via  Leo Castillo on Flickr.

Yogis, what are your practices for managing your time and stress well? How do you balance during busy weeks? I know you take yoga class, but are there any other meditations or calming techniques you use?


Would love to hear from you. May you be well, and keep calm.

Yoga Tonight

Photo via Coffee and Yoga.

Sometimes I get what I like to call the 4 o'clock waver. I'm sitting at work, less than an hour left 'til I get to peace out. I'm planning to hit up the Hot Room for a sweaty Bikram yoga session, but then... I waver.

What about a lazy night at home?

A date with the Hubs?

What about baking cookies in my PJs?

All of a sudden my mind's bouncing around about how hard the Standing Balancing series is going to be, about how I'm under-hydrated or hungry. Surely there's something more relaxing I can do tonight than yoga. 

It's sad, really. Frustrating. These silly thoughts!

Yoga is my relaxation. Yoga is my meditation. Yoga kicks my ass so I can let go -- fully, finally. Especially on the days when I waver, yoga is what I really need.

And let's be honest: if you can, YOU MUST!

See you at the 5:30pm class, yogis :) Here's to kicking yourself in the bum so you can get your yoga in today.

Photo via A Yoga Journey. 

Focus Forward Friday: Do More Than Bikram

Photos via Google and the Breakti website. Go Anya!

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

Today's focus: trying new styles. Have you ever taken a hot Vinyasa flow class? Or tried Forrest yoga? What about Breakti? I bet you'd be up for a little breakdancing along with your yoga flow. I certainly would!

This month I've been adventuring around Chicago to new studios, and my body has been thanking me for trying new postures, meeting new teachers, and mixing it up on the mat.

I highly recommend you expand your Bikram practice with a few other classes each week. Often studios have intro specials or free community classes if your budget is an issue. You can always contact teachers and studio owners, too, and see if you can work something out.

If you've tried a new style you love, share a comment below! I'd love to hear how expanding your practice has helped your yoga, physically and mentally. I'd also love to hear if you have a favorite yoga book or DVD you're into lately.

I'll be sharing some stories very soon about practicing at a California Bikram studio, at TruHarmony Chicago (vinyasa), and at YogaNow Chicago (a Forrest class). Stay tuned!

Namaste and happy Friday, all. Enjoy your yoga!