Total Recall

Today marks the end of our individual-pose deliveries. I was so excited to get to this point and go out with a bang on my Spine Twisting Pose. There is a serious wave of relief that you feel knowing you said the 26 poses (semi-verbatim), in front of your peers. There is also the torture of knowing that its now time to piece it all together and turn on the magic. Today, I became a teacher of this series, not just an observant. Which means, that even when I'm practicing, I will be judged by myself and others around me by a higher standard. Now, things will start getting interesting...now it's up to us to independently stay self-motivated.

If each week at Training has it's own personality, then this week's persona is independent. For starters, those of us with cars and who don't want a break from practicing, have been forced to find yoga outside of the hotel. The heat is repaired but we are still anxiously awaiting our permit from the Fire Dept. I hear rumors that "tomorrow is the day we start again," but either way I'm fine. I actually love practicing at the Hermosa Beach studio, which is only a 10 minute drive from the hotel. So far, I've taken 3 classes there this week to compensate for what I'm not getting in training. Psychologically, when you are going on your own free will and don't have to sign in, somehow the Yoga feels more enjoyable; even when you sit out half the class and realize your practice isn't as strong as it used to be. 

Big props to the staff at Hermosa and the Owners, who 1) don't charge any of the teacher trainees to practice and 2) accomodate the unexpected, over-crowding with a smile. I highly recommend this charming studio to anyone looking for a strong, hot class in Cali.

As for the lectures, I have also independently decided who I want to fully absorb and who I want to skim. Since John Burras' lecture last week, we have had Raj Choudhury (Bikram's wife), Brian Tracy Ph.D (Head of Health & Exercise Physiology Dept. at Colorado State University), and Dr. Mani Bhaumik, (Nobel Prize winner / Lifetime Achievement Award winner / co-inventor of the world's first excimer laser).  

In my humble opinion, these lectures post-Burras have been very "textbook." Raj is engaging as a speaker but her content is too scripted. Dr. Brian Tracy spoke about how muscles allow us to do yoga poses, but his presentation was too cerebral for his audience. Just like teaching a Bikram class, you need to understand what your students are going through to teach effectively - KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE! 

As for Dr. Bhaumik, Bikram built him up in his intro to be the smartest man on the planet, and that very well may be the case. Unfortunately, you would never know that from the way he speaks. With his heavy Indian accent and delivery, it was hard to appreciate the importance of "The Source," which was his topic. Given the importance of this subject, I would have liked to hear it revealed from Bikram or Burras. Even Dr. P would have been more vibrant. 

What I did take away from Dr. Bhaumik last night is that yoga was invented for us to connect in our minds to The Source (defined here: http://www.dynamicyouth.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1658:universe-evolved-from-one-source&catid=79:research&Itemid=89)  

Our brain cannot perceive The Source because it moves so fast, but it is everywhere and in everyone. The Source makes its own energy and gives us our consciousness. I am channeling The Source right now to write this blog. How will you tap into your own Source today?

Mama, Give Me the Heat!

Our week has been turned upside down and inside out with the surprise holiday party on Monday and the broken heating system in our yoga room. As if that wasn't enough, one yogi decided to take it upon himself to inform the Fire Department that we do not have an exit plan to get out of the room, in case of emergency. Bikram had this student escorted out of the hotel last night, the minute he caught wind of the situation. So this rogue yogi, Harold, endured 7 hard weeks at training, only to now never graduate and probably get hit with a slew of legal bills. I seriously can't think of anything worse. Being given the gift to teach should never be taken for granted. We all need to refocus ourselves on those people and things we hold dear. Be present for the ones who count, but most importantly, be present for yourself.

Bikram said last night, "Literate enemy much better than illiterate friend," in relation to Harold's decision. I thought that pretty much said it all. While Harold was trying to "protect" us all in this instance, he hurt us all. Each and every one of us, but not as badly as he hurt himself. Having said all that, we still have not been made aware of an exit plan and I would sure love to have one now that I think about it.

I've been exposed to so many exciting philosophies on balance, union, yoga, aging, health and everything in between. To write about all of it in this blog would be a full time job, and I left that back in New York. So I want to leave you with some more tools from John Burras that I found helpful and meaningful...

12 KEYS TO HEALTHY AGING

1 - POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Attitude is #1 factor in healthy aging.

2 - ABILITY TO ADAPT TO CHANGE - If you're stuck, you're holding onto something that doesn't belong, which in turn causes resistance and ultimately stress in the body.

3 - ENJOY WHERE YOU ARE - This is essentially what the yoga mat teaches you; to appreciate your defined space. When you can stay somewhere without looking at the clock, you have found peace.

4 - CONTINUE TO DESIRE - Improve, keep adding things to your bucket list. When you stop wanting, you start dying.

5 - STOP RESISTING - TAKE RISK 

6 - RELEASE OLD WOUNDS - Physical or emotional forgiveness. Forgive yourself.

7 - EXPANSIVE MOVEMENT - i.e. Practice yoga; it enables us to go in a different direction with our lives.

8 - BODYWORK - Routine acupuncture and massage.

9 - TAKE BREAKS - enough said

10 - EAT CLOSE TO NATURE - Eat as many organic foods and as little processed foods as possible.

11 - CLEANSE YOUR BODY - You change the filters in your car, so why not your own body? (sweating in hot room, colonic, etc.)

12 - SUPPLEMENTS (as needed)

On Memorial Day, An Analogy of War

Is Health and Fitness one and the same? In today's society, there is very little health actually found in "health clubs" because these two words are mean entirely different things. Just to make this point as clear as possible, people who work out less sometimes live longer.

Let me go back in time to explain this phenomenon deeper...Hundreds of years ago, man made a shift from hunter of the household, to warrior of the household. When men began "hunting" other men, that's when war was created. This shift from hunter to warrior required body building and physical training. Back in the day, you'd work out for your "war body" or to excel in "sport killing."

Today, the symbolism in most of the sports we partake in is evolved from war. For example, "the war room," is where players get drafted. If a pitcher has a really good arm, we say he has a "gun." If a quarterback throws a "bomb," we say he's got a "cannon." The language of war is the same as sport these days and the examples go on and on if you think about them. As a culture, we are still trying to use our bodies to conquer. Violence is on the rise. Graphically violent movies flood the minds and eyes of today's youth and adults. It's everywhere, if you pay attention you can't miss it.

There are two concepts of fitness that most of us adhere to: 1) Harden the body. 2) Aerobically condition the heart. Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the inventor of the Aerobics concept (and book) in 1968, took the world in one direction with his views on preventative medicine and how to lead a healthy life through fitness and regular aerobic workouts. Today, at age 81, he says he was wrong. You can read more about the latest findings in this article: http://www.cbass.com/BALANCIN.HTM

So essentially, our economy is based on a lie. Imagine the economic impact if you took away gyms, Nike apparel and everything that is connected to playing sports and attending sporting events in our world? We are too far gone my friends. We've turned our hearts into weapons of war. Fit, healthy people are having more and more unexplainable heart attacks and heart conditions out of no where.

The lesson today is you don't have to train your heart to be healthy. The "Fitness" concept has only been around for 50 years. Yoga has been around for thousands of years. Everything "Health" related in the media, print, etc. is based on "hardening the body." I'm not here to take that chiseled look away from you. Vanity still reigns strongest over all else, especially in California. So meet me half way and do yoga to balance out all the damage you do to yourself in "Fitness and in Health."

Science & Technology are Killing Us

Did you know that a cell phone heats up to 7 degrees when pushed up against the head to talk? It's essentially like a microwave heating the brain, hence the up-tick in brain cancer. Our hyper-stimulation is the result of constantly being on alert for text messages emails and phone calls, making us a gossip-oriented culture. 

According to John Burras, communication between individuals is actually decreasing with all of the technology available, making basic conversation and live interactions, especially among the younger generations who are now given cell phones at age 10, harder and harder. If the average teenager sends around 3,500 text messages per month, (most of which say "hey dude" or "what's up?") is technology really working?

In the yoga room, there is no technology allowed for a reason. Primarily because it is the last sacred space in our daily lives. It's the one place we can focus on ourselves, uninterrupted for 90 minutes (at least). Even on the golf course, which is suppose to be a no-phone zone, I can remember my blackberry sitting gracefully on the golf cart's shelf.

The non-organic food supply in this country is losing all of its nutritional value. The added chemicals actually deplete all of the minerals that once sustained us. Not only that, the soil that food grows in is also effected by foreign pesticides, making it essential for us to buy everything organic if we want to make sure there is nutritional value in what we eat. 

The lesson....talk using headphones as often as possible or though the the blue tooth system in your car. Even having the phone in your lap is problematic because you don't want to heat your genitals for the same reason. 

Make smarter, non-processed choices for your diet and be sure to know where your fruits and veggies originate from. I know personally that's not always easy and time / money are factors, but it's critical to a healthy life. Out in California, I have rediscovered the wonders of Whole Foods. Almost everything sold there is organic and you can tell based on how much you spend. 

Consider growing food in your own garden. My mother is an avid gardener and I have tasted the difference between the food she grows and the crap sold in grocery stores. There is no comparison, so think twice before you break out the processed potato chips and grill those hotdogs, made from God knows what, on Memorial Day. For the first time, maybe ever, I will not be celebrating the Memorial Day holiday. It is not recognized in the Bikram Yoga bubble. We are on India time here, so the rest of Burras' teachings will follow tomorrow as usual. 

Good night and God speed.

Week #6 Memorable Teachers

Monday am, Ashley
Monday pm, Bikram
Tuesday am, Jena Blackwood (New York)
Tuesday pm, Ida Ripley (BC, Canada)
Wednesday am, Tricia (owner, Bikram Yoga Lower East Side, NYC)
Wednesday pm, Bikram
Thursday am, Emmy
Friday am, Sharon (headquarters)
Friday pm, Balwan (headquarters) - brought the house down with his sweetness and positive energy
Saturday am, Karen (West Palm Beach, owner)

Peel Away the Layers

Continuing on with the teachings of John Burras, I want to stress the importance of the relationship between your Bones (living tissue) and Fascia (connected tissue). Bones are rebuilt and continue to grow every day, even if you have Osteoporosis; a condition my grandmother suffered from towards the end of her life. I now understand this degenerative condition in a whole different light. Healthy Fascia is critically correlated to healthy bones. AGE DOESN'T MATTER. You can regenerate bone growth as long as Fascia is in tact.

Bones are a store-house of calcium. When the body thinks it needs calcium somewhere else, it takes it from the bones. Hence, we should really think about why/where that calcium is going and what the body is "thinking" when it depletes it from our bones. Aging doesn't cause stiffness, stiffness causes aging. Theoretically, my grandma would have benefited tremendously from yoga and it makes me sad to know this in hind sight.

Also important in Burras' opinion - a healthy foot is a flat foot because it creates stability. FEET ARE THE GROUND FLOOR! An arched foot is a tight foot; a foot under stress. So, for all you flat-footed people out there, you can now sleep a little better at night knowing that the stigma has been wrong all these years.

Now that we understand a little about the foundation of our bodies, it's time to get to the core of who we really are. Think of yourself as the trunk of a tree. If you cut the trunk, you'll see the rings inside of it, rounding all the way through to the core. These rings can represent wounds, injuries (emotional & physical) that have yet to be processed and are now lying dormant inside of us. We need to peel away these layers to go beneath the surface to achieve actual healing. The deeper you go, the more chaotic it becomes, so we (as humans) tend to bury ourselves in armor.

Yoga is the peeling away of these layers and armor; an emotional, healing journey. Yoga is one of the many tools we can use to nourish our Fascia, but keep in mind, it's not the only tool. How we see the world, is how we create the world in our minds. Science is only one window of perception. There is life beyond science. That's what Burras is preaching in a nutshell. 

If you are willing to step out from under the "science umbrella," then it's time to understand CHAKRAS; which were best explained to me as an energy system, comprised of a series of rotating colored spheres in the body (i.e. spiritual organs). There are seven primary Chakras that rotate clockwise and they unite the three primary columns of energy moving up and down the spine. This effect is sometimes referred to as "serpent energy" because it twists up the body like snakes.

Hormones and nerves are effected by Chakras. When we make decisions in our lives, we open/close the Chakra valves to decide how to feel. These seven Chakras govern every aspect of our being; from stability & sexuality to immune system & communication. They work in conjunction with our existing organs (which are surrounded by Fascia). In theory then, the healthier we are, the more spiritual we can become. We can achieve a higher level of thinking by lining up our chakras, but it takes a ton of work. And I've only just begun....

Burn After Reading...

The information I've been given over the past two days has brought the entire Teacher Training "process" together for me, and I still have another 3 weeks left. Today, the lights went on.

What I'm about to share with you may shock you, piss you off, make you sad or some other emotional reaction to that effect. This is not always well received information. In the Bikram hemisphere, however, it makes all the sense in the world.

MODEL FOR HEALTHY HEALING

MYTHS REVEALED:

#1 Tightening your stomach protects your lower back.

#2 If you have no pain, that means you're healed.

#3 Surgery is the only option.

#4 Spinal manipulation alone will help a back problem.

#5 Back pain is associated with the muscles in your back.

#6 Fitness will heal back pain.

#7 Back braces cure back pain.

#8 Scoliosis is hereditary.

All of the above are wrong. John Burras went out of his way to demonstrate why with very compelling examples for each myth. The bottom line is that there is a new model that is going to rock the health care and fitness industries to its core. This powerful shift in thinking is brewing slowly and steadily on the sidelines. But anyone who follows the economies of explosion behind the emergence of the $27 Billion dollar industry in this country - yoga - knows that this shift will be more than a fad. Think along the lines of Facebook's valuation x 10 (that's my personal opinion). 

The problem in this country is that there is no importance placed on Fascia (described in my last blog) in Western medical culture. There is so much more to understand, when it comes to the body, than the story we were told, the hand we were dealt in Kindergarden. The scientific explanation of what is healthy is no longer, the ONLY explanation.

I don't want to throw too much at you, because this is heavy stuff. Today I learned that everything I think I thought I knew about health and fitness just went out the window. Different ball game, wow!

I need to break this info up into the weekend, so bare with me. My fuel tank is on empty and I need sleep, so we'll see y'all tomorrow! I now talk like Gerry, the "father" of my Group (#11). He's a retired truck driver, father of 3 girls and a husband of 40 years from Tennessee who takes care of us as if we were his kids. Gerry is not on Facebook, nor is he tech saavy, so hopefully someone from the Group can tell him "he's amazing" for me?