A Brief Yet Descriptive Introduction to Hot Yoga Table Of

1 Christina R. Bouwens 248 Henry Avenue SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (616) 406-6844 / [email protected] Professional Publications (with NC RESA): http://www.ncresa.org/docs/ATYP%20Brochures/Math_ATYP_Brochure.pdf http://www.ncresa.org/docs/ATYP%20Brochures/ELA_ATYP_Brochure.pdf Curricula (Online Store via TeachersPayTeachers): http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Engaging-Language-Arts-And-Psychology Blogs: http://mynehsummerseminaradventure.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/curiosities-i-have-learned-the-seminar- experience-slightly-unveiled/ http://ourlivesareagreatadventure.weebly.com/the-adventurous-love-of-our-animal-peers.html http://christinabouwens.weebly.com/a-bittersweet-trade Yoga Ebook ~ Ghostwriter (pages 2 - 5) A Brief yet Descriptive Introduction to Hot Yoga Table of Contents I. An Introduction and History of Hot Yoga: What Is It, Anyway? II. Hot Yoga’s Myriad Benefits III. Preparing for Class: Setting Expectations IV. An Ode to Water V. Recommendations, Reminders, Celebrations 2 I. An Introduction and History What Is It, Anyway? Considered meditation as well as a series of stretches or poses (known as “asanas”), yoga is a unique practice. At its core, yoga is meant to integrate or reunite the body, mind, and spirit – in fact, the origination of “yoga” is the Sanksrit word “yuj,” to unite or integrate. Yoga contributes to overall improved health, both physical and mental/emotional/spiritual. It aims to unite the physical body with the inner self. Yoga’s origins date back to the ancient world, as a health / fitness system. Believed to be associated with Shamanism, yoga appears to have been practiced by various ancient cultures, according to the findings of recent archeological digs. “Hot yoga” is a practice which necessarily involves the intentional use of heat and/or humidity to further a desired flexibility in yogis (ie. those who practice yoga regularly). The contemporary yoga forms under the umbrella of “hot yoga” as practiced throughout the world is a translation of the humidity and heat of Southern India; replicating such conditions is an attempt to assist in performing the asanas and contributing to yoga’s perceived benefits. It is generally accepted that such seemingly difficult conditions hold the potential of increasing the ability of performing even the most challenging of asanas, in that the yogi’s increased flexibility means he or she can go deeper and thus perform a more advanced, thorough practice in an effort to align the body with the mind. Bikram Who? Bikram yoga is merely one of several forms identified as hot yoga. For the purpose of simplicity, we begin with a focus on Bikram as we move forward with a better understanding of hot yoga. Bikram yoga found its roots in the United States in the post- civil rights awakening of the early 1970s, where many were ready and eager for a new kind of workout, to help reconnect body, mind, and spirit. This type of yoga takes its name from Bikram Choudhury, who introduced a practice of twenty-six poses (asanas) in sequence with two specific breathing techniques (pranayama and kapalbhati), all in a heated studio space. Choudhury originally began practicing yoga at the age of four, was awarded a National India Yoga Championship at age thirteen (remaining undefeated for the subsequent three years), and later founded the Yoga College of India. Bikram suffered a knee injury at twenty years old while weight lifting only to hear from traditional physicians that he’d never walk again. He wouldn’t accept this as truth, however, and returned to his yoga guru in India. There, Bikram practiced his asanas for six sold months, fully recovering his knee. What arose from this yogic healing and awakening of sorts is what we now refer to as Bikram Yoga: it is the healing regimen Bikram himself practiced for those months in India. Some initial Bikram sessions last nearly two hours, and include not only a focus on breathwork but on a series of twenty- four asanas coupled with those breathing exercises. The goal is toxin-elimination, which is of course one of the myriad benefits yogis report of such an intense yoga practice. 3 A Tidy Exploration on Variations: Power, TriBalance, Forrest, and Moksha Power or “Hot Power” is a hot yoga practice which goes by many names: sometimes it’s referred to as simply Power Yoga, other times Power Flow, while other variations include Power Vinyasa or Ashtanga Power Vinyasa. This type of hot yoga is often nicknamed “bootcamp yoga,” as for many it all comes down to surviving the practice. This practice generally lasts between an hour and a half, up to three hours in intense conditions of heat and humidity. Often brief – sometimes prolonged – Sanskrit chanting is involved, along with the notion of unlocking aspects of mind and body; the spectrum of poses can feel displeasing or distressing, so it is important when practicing to take things at your own pace and not push beyond your personal limits. This bears significant pause, and is therefore a concept on which we will deliberate throughout this ebook. TriBalance yoga is a form of hot yoga which incorporates methods from several other yoga types, including Yin, Iyengar, and Ashtanga. What does this mean? For starters, TriBalance nearly always involves dimmed lights in the studio, a martial arts sort of intensity and focus, and often incorporates the use of props (which Bikram tends to shy away from). TriBalance classes can feel significantly different depending on the studio and the instructor, as it may involve more or less of each of the separate yoga forms mentioned above. Pregnant women are discouraged from this form of hot yoga, as poses tend to be held for longer amounts of time in a repeated sequence to focus on meditation-action. Thus, this form of hot yoga is often highly recommended for athletes. Forrest is a hot yoga practice, trademarked by a woman named Ana T. Forrest, a Reiki energy healer as well as an ordained practitioner in Native American healing/medicine. Forrest pioneered this form as a method to invite her own healing and transformation. This yoga form focuses intently on breath, energy movement, and the moving into and holding of poses. One noteworthy mention of Forrest yoga is that it is deliberately informed by various healing modalities, including chiropractic, reflexology, naturopathic/homeopathic remedies, and the like. The sweat lodge also features predominantly, as a Native American tradition of cleansing the body of its negative energies and toxins; Forrest yoga can often feel like its own “sweat lodge” of sorts! Moksha yoga is a form of hot yoga which derives its name from the idea of liberation (from the Sanskrit translation of “moksha” or “mukti” as release or letting go). This type of yoga is said to be ideal for not only the beginner to hot yoga practice, but also for the established yogi. As with any of the other hot yoga types, Moksha is focused on releasing toxins from the body while simultaneously toning and strengthening muscles. This form of hot yoga also typically begins with intention-setting, forming a focus for the practice in the highest possible method of releasing the negative and opening to the positive. A Few Words about Heat In hot yoga, studio (the term used for rooms dedicated to yoga practice) temperatures generally range from 85 - 125 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity set between 40-60%. This is the standard accepted heat/humidity index to help maximize the effects of the routine asana practice. Generally speaking, such yoga sessions are scheduled in these increased temperature conditions for a rough total of an hour and a half. This is in an 4 effort to fully re-integrate body, mind, and spirit from the start of class to the end in meditation; yogis generally report a heightened sense of blissful feelings, tranquility, and balanced mental health with a positive outlook following such an intense hot yoga session. Heat is essential to intensify the effects of all of the above. Hot Yoga’s Amazing Benefits This yoga form presents myriad physical, mental, and emotional benefits to its practitioners by eliminating bodily toxins. For starters, by sweating it out on your mat during a session of hot yoga, you are shedding toxins from your body while simultaneously increasing your own flexibility in an effort to move deeper into each asana of the practice. You tend to repeat each asana, holding for extended periods of time and thus improve the condition of your tissues, muscles, and internal organs. Hot yoga holds the potential to benefit anyone who practices it in the following areas: stress reduction mental clarity personal outlook (psychological immune system function wellness) performance enhancement – sports joint/muscle pain reduction or complete and daily activities elimination enhanced mobility weight loss healing time for illnesses/injuries overall appearance Rise Up: Hot Yoga’s Popularity in the U.S. Reviewing the benefits above, it may seem superfluous to discuss the process by which hot yoga became the overwhelmingly sought-after practice that it is in the United States today; it is, however, worth pausing in consideration. Hot yoga rose in popularity initially because many Americans sought an intense workout regimen in the never- ending battle against the bulge: we’re not only known as a fast food nation, but a nation that wants everything fast… NOW if we can get it! Hot yoga came as an answer to those who wanted an intense workout but also needed natural pain relief. Not only that, but hot yoga was a refuge in the world of cardio- and competitive sports and offered holistic healing potential which one couldn’t simply find in, say, kickboxing. Hot yoga has become the answer for newly practicing yogis in their teen years to those on the other end of the spectrum, aging yet seeking something more than a challenging, sweat-inducing “workout”: the elderly have also helped aid the upswing of hot yoga’s American presence.

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