Bikram Tysons Blog

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Change That Attitude to Gratitude...

The holidays are a stressful time of year, without doubt.  You have more demands on your time; family get-togethers mean that you have to admit that you are, in fact, related to your eccentric cousin; the mall is packed with people who think that walking 6 abreast at the speed of your average turtle is somehow acceptable; you're overwhelmed with to do lists; overwhelmed with gifts to buy; sleeping less; and eating more.  It's easy for all of those stressors to build up to the point that you break down.

How do you stay grounded during this busy time of year?  Making the time for yourself to do the things you enjoy (like practicing yoga) clearly helps.  But beyond that, try to be open to the simple joys in daily life.  Most of us seem to be hardwired to notice what goes wrong instead of all the things that are going right.  So, take a moment to step back, and not just notice the good, but to be thankful for it too.  When you do that, you are so much more likely to notice the countless ways you are supported in your daily life (and you're a lot less likely to be irritated by the crazy family and overzealous holiday shoppers who grab the last sweater even though you clearly had your hand on it).  Try saying a simple thank you today.  As the thirteenth century philosopher Meister Eckhart once said, "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."

In that spirit, we want to say thank you to each and every one of our yoga students.  You guys mean so much to us, and you're the reason why we have the best job in the world.  So, to those of you who have been practicing for years, thank you - your dedication and hard work inspire us to get back on our mats every day too.  To those of you who just started practicing in the past year or so, thank you - we hope you see the changes in your postures, your bodies, your outlooks.  They may seem like little things, but we know there is so much hard work behind each one.  To those of you who have had a rough class but still come back to try again, thank you - your courage inspires us to do the same.  And to those of you first timers, thank you - you are so brave to take that first step on your mat and try something new.

We wish you all a holiday season filled with lots of love, yoga, and gratitude!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Hydrate!

Lots of you have asked us what proper hydration is.  Indeed, the most important thing you can do to feel good during your yoga practice is to come well-hydrated.  If you ever feel tingling in your fingers or toes or get muscle cramps during class, it is likely because you are dehydrated.  We recommend that Bikram students drink at least 3-5 liters of water each day.  However, it is so important to supplement your water intake with electrolytes as well.  If not, you're just going to flush those crucial minerals out of your system.  So, it is important to make sure you're getting enough Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium in your diet.  A diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides many necessary electrolytes, but coconut water is a great natural source of these as well.  Zico is always a tasty choice, and not only does chocolate zico have extra magnesium, it also taste like dessert in a bottle!  Taste Nirvana Coconut Water has always been a fan favorite, and now you can follow the link to get it shipped directly to your door!  Try a coconut water before or after class - it will help your practice become even stronger.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Be a Good Yogi….

Yoga is about so much more than just turning yourself into a pretzel.  Ultimately, it is a process of self-discovery and of building self-awareness.  The more in tune you are with your own actions, thoughts, and emotions, the more you realize how your behavior impacts those around you.  To that end, consider how what you do in class affects those around you.  How do you feel when your neighbor chugs down a liter of water or takes a shower-asana while you’re sweating it out in Triangle?  What goes through your mind when someone walks in front of you to leave the room in the middle of Standing Bow?  How do you feel when someone starts a conversation in the middle of your meditation in final savasana?  So, be still, be calm, be focused, be considerate – not only will your practice be stronger, so will that of everyone else in the room!

A few specific points:
  • No talking in the hot room.  Keep the conversations in the lobby and hallways.
  • Stay still during the postures.  Take a drink or make any adjustments in between postures.
  • Try to stay in the room.  Take breaks as needed, but take them on your mat.  We understand that emergencies happen, and if you REALLY need to leave, please leave in between postures, not while other students are balancing.
  • Only take your mat, towel, and water into the room with you.  Anything else is just a distraction.
  • Remember, it’s YOGA!  Nothing more, nothing less.  Have fun with your practice – if you fall out of a posture, find your forgiveness, find your perseverance, smile, and try again!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Our New Website

Welcome to our new and improved website!

Please take a few minutes to look around and check out all the new information and features. We’ll be using the announcements section of the homepage to keep you updated on any schedule changes, upcoming events, etc. So, be sure to check in on a regular basis!

Also, subscribe to our blog! We will use this to share tips about postures, let you know about exciting new Bikram Yoga products, and work to extend our online yoga community. Tell your friends!

Finally, a huge thanks to Musa Ghani and all of the wonderful people at Alesig Consulting for helping us put this new website together. And a big thank you and hug to Emma Murphy for the beautiful photos of our instructors and studio!