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.

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. 

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.

Bikram Yoga Minneapolis on Black Friday

It was snowy out on Black Friday, so the heat felt great!

I'm way overdue to post about my adventure to Bikram Yoga Minneapolis during Thanksgiving weekend, but I'm excited to share about my visit to the studio. Also keep an eye out for several Minneapolis-themed giveaways today.

Instead of getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of Black Friday shopping, my cousin, a friend, and I toughed it out in the Torture Chamber. We were workin' off all that food from our family feast.

Photo by Joelle.

Last Friday I brought my cousin Joelle and her friend Matt to Bikram Yoga Minneapolis for an intense first class. Even I was surprised by how humid it was in there!

Joelle and Matt are Bikram badasses.

Minneapolis' studio is a beautiful space with artsy details, cool lounge chairs, and colorful decor. The hot room was a little cozy but we fit quite a few yogis among the two rows. 

Here's the studio space.

My only wish was for a new carpet. That Minnesota humidity can make things a little stinky! But that breeze at the end of class? Heavenly.

Loved the decor.

Our teacher Lori led with energy and spirit as she delivered a crystal-clear dialogue. My favorite was the way she pronounced "squeeeeeze" during Eagle as though she was wringing out a towel with her words. It definitely motivated me to wrap my legs tighter and sit deeper into second set!

I was super proud of Joelle and Matt for getting through class and performing some impressive postures. They are natural Bikram yogis, that's for sure! Both said they felt a little lightheaded at times and thought they might pass out, but they made it :) Whew!

No guns allowed... except those sexy biceps you bring to class!

After our showers and a refreshing Zico Lima Citron, we chatted it up with locals at the studio, Lori, and the studio owner, Martha. I realized that these ladies run a tight ship at Bikram Yoga Minneapolis and truly have a deep passion for the yoga, for teaching it the right way, and for sharing it with others.

When I handed her one of my business cards, Lori immediately mentioned her love for the phrase "at home in the hot room" on the card. 

The cards that help me yogavangelize!

"That's one of the best parts about this yoga," she said. "Anywhere you practice Bikram, you bring a little bit of your home with you."

I couldn't agree more, and I felt right at home at the Minneapolis studio. Hope to be back soon to take class again and teach one day! Namaste, Minnesota yogis.

Our lovely teacher, Lori. 

Here are a few words from Joelle's reflections on her first Bikram class. Great job, cuz!

As I stand, the sweat is everywhere: pouring off my arms, running down my legs, dripping down my face and nose, and turning my stomach into a shinny, glossy pool. The towel underneath my feet is soaked. 

I’m almost out of water. My head starts to slightly spin as I go into the next pose and hold it for what seems like five minutes. Pretty sure if was only about 30 seconds, though. 

A gush of cold hair whooshes down from the ceiling and hits my face. I breathe it in, close my eyes and exhale a very long, happy exhale. Time for a shower. It’s not until after my shower that I realize how incredibly loose, free-minded, and amazing I feel.

After class, a clear mind hit, a sensation of refreshing wonderfulness, no back pain, muscles all stretched out. It felt amazing. Bikram yoga. Mmmm!

Some of the awesome details in the studio: a note about how to lock the knee, and a stunning print of a pregnant yogi.

Thanks again, Martha and Lori and the Bikram Yoga Minneapolis team, and to Joelle and Matt for rockin' their first class. 

Check out the upcoming posts from some Minneapolis Etsy sellers to win local goods!

Black Friday Giveaway: Some Like it Hot

Happy Black Friday!

Where are you celebrating a day of shopping, relaxing and working off your feast at Bikram?

Here's what I've got to work off from yesterday. Whew!

I am so excited to take class at Bikram Yoga Minneapolis with my cousin Joelle and our friend Matt this afternoon. Woohoo first timers!

In case you're a little nervous to try the yoga today, here are some reasons why you should rest easy and get fired up for class:

• You'll sweat out all the toxins and feel lighter and tighter after class.
• You will leave the studio feeling exhilarated, rejuvenated and invigorated.
• In class you will sweat, laugh, and challenge yourself to your fullest potential.
• Reduce stress of the holidays by taking 90 minutes for yourself.
• It's never too late to try again.
• If you can, you must!

Now for the Black Friday giveaway! Today's item comes from Yoga with Style: a hilarious and high-quality hot yoga towel...

Humor in the heat, my favorite.

This Baktuli high-performance sport and yoga towel will give you power and energy in class. It's a 100% Turkish cotton terry towel featuring Microban for anti-microbial protection. This towel is super absorbent and offers great grip and durability. Machine washable. Can be used in the studio, home or at the beach. Designed in Canada; made in Turkey. A wondrous find and free to one winner (valued at over $45)!

This site's got an awesomely diverse shop with clothing, bags, blankets, gifts, jewelry, mats & more!

To win the hot towel, please:

• Leave a comment below about your craziest experience in the heat, and where you wish you could travel to this winter for some sunshine and warm weather.
• Check out the Yoga with Style blog and comment on their 12 Days of Breathing post (consider participating, too!).
• Add Yoga with Style on Facebook and Twitter.
• Enjoy the heat in class today!

Please note: domestic winners only.

Brrrrr. It's chilly out! About ten degrees here in Minnesota.

Bundle up out there! See you at the studio for some holiday heat.

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.

105 Yoga Opening in Oak Park, Chicago

Hey friends. So I've got some exciting news to announce for local yogis in the Chicago area. Want to try Bikram? Are you a regular and want to try a new studio?


105 Yoga is opening soon in Oak Park, Chicago!


One of my favorite teachers from Bikram Yoga Evanston has branched out and is taking the leap to start her own space. I'm so proud of her!


Nancy is a compassionate, smart, and superbly motivating teacher who really knows her stuff and sticks to the foundations of Bikram's teachings. She delivers a stellar and dynamic dialogue, and is one of those naturals who can pick up on everyone's name even if it's your first class. My favorite is when she reminds us to quiet the Monkey Mind, that ever-present nagging voice in the back of our head that makes us crazy all the time.


In Nancy's classes, you find stillness and peace and you end up proud of yourself for the work you've done in the heat. As she once reminded us in class, "You're worth more than a hundred bucks!"


I love 105 Yoga's look & feel, and the yoga quotes that Nancy shares on the site. Here's one:

"Faithfulness in the performance of small duties gives us strength to adhere to difficult determinations that life will someday force us to make." 

-Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 - 1952)

This is so true! Only when we stick it out, when we suffer through the pain, when we let go -- only then can we truly be healed and become stronger in ourselves.

Another one she shared:

"I will be calmly active, actively calm. I am a prince of peace, sitting on the throne of poise, directing the kingdom of my activity." 

-Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 - 1952)

This is beautiful. Can you picture yourself a prince of peace next time you're in class doing one of the harder postures? How about a peaceful Triangle pose? Can you relax even in the struggle?


Try it. Challenge yourself. You may just be surprised by what you find.


Keep up with 105 Yoga's site for their progress, class schedule, and pricing. If you need more info on why it'd be great to try the yoga, go here.


And of course feel free to contact Nancy directly.


Oh, and enjoy all of the photos on the site -- they feature yogis at Bikram Yoga Evanston! (No, I'm not in there. But Nancy is, along with some of my favorite people ever!) Strong postures, peaceful people. That's the yoga.

Namaste, Nancy. Congrats and best wishes on your beautiful studio!

"The Life That I Have" (A Poem by Leo Marks)

Photo Via Sarah Rhoads Photography.

Apparently, this lovely poem by Leo Marks was read at Chelsea Clinton's recent dreamy wedding. Reminds me that we should really be grateful for the lives that we have, and our Bikram practice that's such an integral part of those lives. As my instructor said in class the other day, "You guys are SO lucky to be here right now. Imagine the people who could never make it to the studio who wish they could do yoga! People who can't walk, people who don't have the money, people curled up on their couches just watching TV..."
So, so true. Are you grateful for the life that you have?


The Life That I Have


The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours
The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.
A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.

Beginning with the Beginning: Bikram Basics

At the beginning of every Bikram class, the teacher's first words remind us of the importance of humility in the hot room:

"Welcome to Bikram's beginning yoga class."

Photo via Third Coast Digest.

It's a friendly reminder to everyone, first-timers and well-practiced practitioners alike: today's class is new territory. Whether you've worn holes through your yoga mat or never been to the studio until today, you're starting fresh. Wiping the slate clean. Beginning again. 


There's something beautiful about being new.

Being new means open to learning, and learning right. Being new means bringing no expectations to class. And most importantly: being new means getting all the benefits.

Photo via Bikram's Yoga College of India.

So what's this Bikram thing all about?

Bikram Choudhury's a crazy guy who developed a 26-posture sequence based on Hatha yoga and then packaged it, franchised it and marketed it to sweep the earth and become the McYoga of all yoga! Well, pretty much. There are a lot of opinions out there about the rigid routine of Bikram and the fact that each class takes place in a room that's 105 degrees and at 40% humidity, but the fact is: it's a yoga practice that works every system, tissue, organ, vein, ligament and muscle in the body. Each component takes care of something different in the body, and yet they all work together synergistically, contributing to and extending the other benefits.

Why the heat?

While at first the heat can contribute to an overwhelming feeling in the room, eventually it becomes a source of deep comfort and peace in practicing Bikram. Here's what it can do for you:

• detoxify your body through sweating
• protect muscles for deeper stretching
• thin the blood to clear the circulatory system
• increase the heart rate for a better cardio workout

Do you feel the results?

Perhaps the best part about Bikram is that it has the power to transform your body and your life, inside out. Of course a regular, dedicated practice over time bears the greatest results, but you can feel a difference even after your first couple of classes. Just a few outcomes to look forward to:

• deeper sleep
• reduced stress
• greater mental clarity
• glowing skin
• lubricated, flexible joints
• improved posture
• stronger heart
• greater stamina
• expanded, unyielding lungs
• increased flexibility
• bolstered immune system
• relief from chronic pain, injury

And the best part...

Speaking from personal experience (I've been practicing for almost a year, and I plan to do the Bikram Teacher Training soon), there are a bunch of other reasons to revolutionize your life, Bikram-style:

• Give yourself something to look forward to every day.
• Enjoy a 90-minute meditation where you can forget about the real world, be present in the moment, and completely get out of your own head.
• Bikram forces you to stay hydrated and choose your meals wisely!
• Make new friends at your local studio. Meet some amazing people and hear their crazy stories.
• Feel like a bad-ass after class, because you will have conquered the hardest part of your day! It's all downhill (and energized) from there.
  
• Show off your sweet tattoos in the torture chamber. Check out your neighbor's sexy body art (or body), too!
• Become a better person who regularly practices strength, determination and fearlessness.

Photo via FindYoga.