I first stepped into Bikram Yoga Dallas on a whim after a bad ankle injury forced me to stop running. I was originally hoping keep fit until the ankle healed, but after over two years and 400 classes of yoga, I still have no plans to put my running shoes back on. Instead, I feel very fortunate to have discovered Bikram Yoga.
I have more energy than I can ever remember, I've reduced my body-fat, and some early signs of carpal-tunnel syndrome have greatly diminished. Perhaps more importantly, through my practice of yoga and meditation (Buddhist tradition), I have completely transformed myself from a stressed-out workaholic to a relaxed, spiritually-centered person. I lost interest in my unhealthy habits and my compulsions to drink, smoke, and get through the morning on caffeine simply fell (and stayed) to the wayside. As a result, I have greatly increased my understanding and confidence of who I really am.
Incidentally, my seasonal allergies to ragweed and cedar have also disappeared, which I can attribute to nothing but my yoga practice and healthier lifestyle. I was bald when I started, and now I have a full head of long hair. Okay, that wasn't the yoga – I quit shaving my head. But I am truly sincere about everything else I mentioned and the fact that Bikram Yoga is on my list of life's best discoveries.
Michael Bielinski
