’Tis the Season to Sweat Out your Demons by da-AL

Posted on by da-AL
Thank you, Ryan McGuire of Gratisography.com
Thank you, Ryan McGuire of Gratisography.com

“These people are nuts,” I thought when I first heard about Bikram yoga.

Little did I know…

That I’d be doing it myself a couple of years later — desperate for anything that would make me feel like I was living rather than dying.

Cancer. That’s what drove me to try anything — even Bikram! I’d found a lump, had it biopsied, had gotten the terrible news, and now, several days later, cancer was all I could think of. Day and night? Night and day? 24/7? Hell no. More like 48/7.

Bikram is tough — the heat, the poses, everything. All classes are considered beginner level, but just getting through the heat definitely takes extra strength — or in my case, absolute end-of-the-rope desperation — to get through.

The poses are challenging, but to Bikram’s credit, they’re only as challenging as one makes them. What matters is how hard you push yourself.

I pushed myself as if my life depended on those poses, because they did. My mental health decimated by cancer, Bikram made me focus. Each 90-minute class was a mental vacation — being forced to get  through that heat, to truly listen to instructors, since they don’t demonstrate poses — made me not think about cancer. What a relief! As treacherous those 90 minutes were, they were also a refuge. A respite from contemplating the myriad decisions I needed to make for my grim situation. I’m not great at meditation, but the classes taught me laser focus!

In an hour and a half, my body, my mind, and my soul were pummeled. Sweat rained out of me. As my body became strong, balanced, flexible, and focused, so did the rest of me.

“Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class,” the book Bikram Choudhury published with the help of Bonnie Jones Reynolds, helped speed the process.

161023bookfront

It’s everything one could need from such a book! Without wasting a lot of ink, paper, and the reader’s time, it starts with how Bikram put together his workout. Then explains the do’s and don’ts of the 26-pose routine he designed to address every part of the body. In his words, the sequence heals one “head to toes, bones to skin.”

Photos abound to thoroughly demonstrate poses, some modeled by 1970s celebrities, such as Dick of the Smothers Brothers in his Speedos.

Thank goodness for the non-celebs in it, too. They illustrate how women and men, oldsters and youngsters, huge and petite, can do this yoga! Simple, direct, straightforward, and best of all, inspiring and effective.

All yogas have benefitted me more than no yogas. Here’s the great friendly place I currently attend that even offers a free class a month.

Here’s where I talk more about cancer and about the wonder of public libraries that house many more marvels besides this book.

What’s worked best for you to stay mentally and physically fit?

Discover more from Happiness Between Tales (and Tails) by da-AL

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Unknown's avatar

Published by da-AL

Happiness Between Tails speaks to and from the heart. It connects lovers — of pets, authors, books — and of my still-unreleased novels, “Flamenco + the Sitting Cat” and “Tango + the Sitting Cat.” The stories are my love letters to all who fear they're too odd, too damaged, too old, too whatever to find happiness. ContactdaAL@gmail.com • BuyMeACoffee.com/SupportHBT

27 thoughts on “’Tis the Season to Sweat Out your Demons by da-AL”

  1. I’d never tried yoga before, but I have a former colleague who swears by it for developing mental strength. (This surprised me. I knew only that it was good for the body.) I’m very glad to hear you found it so helpful to you too.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for your good thoughts, Bun

      Before doing this yoga, I never knew that it was good for everything – helps bones, muscle strength in addition to flexibility — plus internal organs get a workout with poses that involve contracting & relaxing.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. You are so kind to write back here!

      By your picture & whereabouts, I thought you might be an acquaintance classmate.

      I’m glad you enjoyed my post. Would looove for Sharon to join me – I don’t know what city she lives in, however & I think she’s closer to you than to me. Isn’t she in Orange County? If you go together (isn’t bloggsphere wonderful?), or separately, then many studios offer good intro/trial deals, ie low cost first week/unlimited classes and groupon specials.

      Foremost, my blog isn’t meant to advertise anyone or anything other than my to-be-published novels, fellow wonderful bloggers, & the fab photogs who let me borrow their pix. While this type of yoga works superbly for me, I’m sure that most any yoga is better than no yoga at all for anyone.

      My grandmother back in Argentina took up yoga at age 70ish, lived to vibrant 95! Surely other factors were in play, but yoga can’t have hurt.

      Wishing health & happiness to you & yours 🙂

      Like

  4. I’ve also found that the best way to fight demons and fears is by doing something I’ve never done before. Though I’ve never dealt with cancer myself, you present a good life strategy, applicable for all situations. I wish you well and hope your battle is successful.

    Liked by 2 people

Leave a reply to Bun Karyudo Cancel reply