I work two jobs that I truly feel blessed to have; I call them my soul work. I have always enjoyed working with people. Having the two jobs didn't allow me much time for exercise, over the years I put on unwanted pounds. I joined gym after gym, tried diet after diet. It's not that they didn't work, I became impatient and boredom sat in. I knew I had to do something because my unhealthy life-style was leading me down a path of aches and pains. I started experiencing discomfort in my shoulders and my neck began to hurt, not to mention the heel spur that flared up every time I decided I would engage in a walking program. My podiatrist finally sentenced me to swimming and cycling. In the past my sister had mentioned how she enjoyed a yoga class that was offered to her in the gym membership that she had purchased. She often invited me to go and was very excited about the benefits that she was receiving. I would decline because I thought I needed to be more active, and my understanding of yoga was not what I considered exercise.
When I was invited to Bikram Yoga Dallas I never imagined that it would change my perception of how I looked at yoga or "being fit".
I met a student of Bikram yoga that not only invited me to join a class, but she also told me she would meet me there for support. I decided to go. I was standing in line to sign in when I noticed a T-shirt displayed on the wall and it read, "I survived the Bikram Yoga Challenge and all I got was a new body, a new mind, a new life!" I asked one of the teachers the price and he answered, "You have to do the 60 Day Challenge in order to get it". My first thought was "that's feasible" – that was before I took my first class. I walked into the yoga room, I had already been informed that it would be hot. I thought to myself, "I'm from Wichita Falls, they don't know hot!" It was hot but bearable, and the teachers assured the new students if they became overwhelmed to take it easy and lay down on their mat which was comforting. Surprisingly, I didn't have to.
I was so amazed at how disciplined my thoughts were, and how focused I was on every move I made. I was so sure that I wouldn't be able to move the next day; I waited for the soreness to set in, but I never felt better! I decided within a few days to take the 60 Day Challenge. A few weeks into the challenge the ache in my shoulder and neck disappeared, and the heel spur had diminished tremendously. My body has never felt better. I have completed my challenge with the support of family, friends, co-workers, Bikram students, teachers and anyone who would listen along the way. Not only did I lose weight and inches, I gained a profound respect for yoga. I found a place where I can improve my health, reconnect, and calm my spirit…..oh yeah, and get a T-shirt. Bikram Yoga has become an extension for my soul-work.
