Get me out of here!
It’s hot. I’m sweaty. The guy next to me smells. What do I do with my leg? Why am I here? When will the teacher turn on the fan? These are some of the questions I asked myself. Parked in the back row of the class, I questioned every movement and every word that came out of the instructor’s mouth.
Looking at myself in the mirror with a destructive mind was torturous. I didn’t understand why we did each posture twice, why it was so hot, or why my posture didn’t look like the woman’s or the man’s next to me.
My “monkey mind” ran 100 miles an hour as I thought about my depression, my hopes and dreams, my struggles, how I felt about my body in the front mirror, and my daily to-do list. Finally, the 90 minute, 105-degree class was over, and I felt accomplished.
What have I gained from Bikram yoga?
People ask me, if you hated your first class so much, what brought you back?
It was a challenge. I never turn down a challenge, and Bikram yoga was the ultimate challenge for me at that point in my life.
Additionally, between my first and second class, I read about the benefits of yoga, which included increased energy, depression and anxiety relief, self-awareness, and the chance to be an overall happier and healthier person. Here’s how Bikram yoga changed my life for the better.