Never a failure, always a lesson.
adrienne maree brown
Bob and I practiced hot (Bikram) yoga for a time in AL and in GA.
This hot yoga is a series of 26 postures each done twice and sustained for 90 seconds in a room heated to 105 Fahrenheit and 90% humidity.. You don’t leave the room during the session as you go through the stretches and positions that help you cleanse your cells from the inside out. Sweating is cleansing.
The postures and poses are done in silence with only the voice of the instructor so that everyone can focus on the meditation of the practice and fine tuning their poses. The repeated practice can improve lower body strength, range of joint motion in both upper and lower body, and balance. Mindfulness and breathing regularly improve with practice as well.
The most important takeaway for me was the repetition of the poses each time and the breath work and the constant struggle to keep my eyes open. The heat and the concentration and the exertion were exhausting. Closing my eyes was an escape.
But we were instructed to stay present in the moment, stay focused on the breathing, and use the repetitive movements and instructions to perfect our practice. I have found, that even now, when life throws me another curve ball (as it often does) I find myself going back to my breathing and keeping my eyes open to the moment so I can stay focused and centered on the work that needs to be done. Namaste. I think transformation can be like that also.
~Lydia Patrick
