Bikram Yoga Richmond

There are certain activities wherein, no matter how many times you practice, you may see little to no improvement.

I recently got up to Whistler for some Spring skiing and have come to the reluctant conclusion that I am a solid ‘green’ skier–and only a green skier.  My many attempts at blue runs only leave my body and ego significantly bruised.  Even when I listen carefully to my friends’ or instructor’s suggestions–then try and try again–I still find myself in a ‘yard sale’ of skis, poles and snow whenever I pick up speed.  It is discouraging, to say the least, but I have come to accept that high-level skiing is just not in the cards for me.

Thank goodness for yoga.

Trading the powder for the hot room, I find my solace in the tiny breakthroughs that come with a regular practice.  Even after seven years of Bikram yoga, I am still discovering new secrets in the series and my own body.

Getting to the studio even once a week gives my body the baseline needed to notice improvements.  Although I’m usually a little stiff the morning after, the marginal pain usually only lasts a day, and I’m able to take my practice deeper most weeks.  I gained a beautiful treasure during my last class when I began to gently lock my knees in Hands to Feet after Half-moon.  What I once viewed as impossible suddenly became a realistic prospect.

Better yet, I’m not the only one who gets better at yoga.  After only a few sessions, most people recognize major improvements in their postures.  From seeing the foot coming over the head in Standing Bow to being able to get both arms under the body in Locust, all practitioners can rejoice in the small strides they make in their practice.

A couple weeks ago I was in a class that refreshed my entire perspective on Bikram yoga.  I had the privilege of practicing with one of my current high school students (a sixteen-year-old girl) as well as one of my former high school teachers (a woman in her sixties).  Three generations of women were all in the same room, struggling through the same postures, reaping the same benefits of this transformative yoga.  Despite being decades apart in age, we had all come into the hot room, and all left with a sense of accomplishment and pride.  I got to see firsthand how Bikram yoga truly is for all people; everyone has something to gain in the series.

Even though we can’t all be black-diamond skiers, we can all take pride in the accomplishments that come with a regular practice.  While Bikram yoga is never easy, there are always small miracles just waiting to happen in the hot room.

We’d love to hear how you are seeing improvements in your own practice.

- Sandra Gin

On Saturday, March 24, BYR practitioners were invited to the studio for a special meditation workshop.  PhD recipient and Meditation guru Jennifer offered students a new way of looking at the mind.

Jennifer recently received a PhD for her work on meditation and its educational benefits with children.

Jennifer began by explaining some of the many benefits that can be had by practicing meditation.  ”Inner peace” is a term that is often associated with meditation, but what does this really mean?  According to Jennifer, when we have inner peace it means that we understand that external factors do not have the power to hurt us or steal our happiness.

Meditating is a practice.  It requires focus, time and patience.  Our minds are easily distracted and busy racing through thoughts.  Meditating is clearing away those distractions and thoughts and focusing instead on one thing until you come to a place of peacefulness and clarity.  Then, when you encounter a stressful situation, you can bring that peace and clarity back to the front of the mind.

In Buddhist theory, many of us suffer from what is called a “mistaken mind” — one where we are deluded into believing that someone or something else can bring you happiness or peace.  This can be seen in our attachment to possessions and our desire to fill our lives with “stuff” as a representation of happiness.  The problem with this way of thinking is that the mind often takes on an insatiable need for more and bigger “stuff,” leading to anger and dissatisfaction.  This kind of thinking is actually a sickness of the mind, but through practice and discipline, we can retrain our thinking and face all life’s challenges with calmness and control.

After speaking about the therapeutic benefits of meditation, Jennifer led students through a 15 minute guided meditation, and then offered tips to practicing in our own lives:

• Find a space where you are comfortable such as a quiet room that you feel good in.
• Sit in lotus or whatever position is most comfortable.
• Keep your back straight and body alert so that you don’t fall asleep, but relaxed enough to feel peaceful.
• Sit with right hand in the palm of the left with the thumbs crossed (an energetic posture).
• Focus on the breath, and do so through the nose.
• Bring awareness to your thoughts.  The mind is like a blue sky and thoughts are like the clouds that come and go; let them go.
• Practice meditation at any time of the day, whenever you need to find your inner peace.

Stephen Wong, pictured with BYR instructors Tracy and Keiko

Outgoing, enthusiastic and indefatigable are just a few words that come to mind when one recalls Stephen Wong.  The BYR studio manager and Bikram instructor is a tireless and ubiquitous figure at the Lansdowne location.  On Monday to Friday, you can catch him executing any number of tasks to keep the studio running smoothly.  From plunging toilets to leading practitioners through their 90 minutes of class, Stephen can be counted on to greet any situation with a smile.

The 43-year-old Hong Kong native initially pursued a degree–and later a career–in hotel management and hospitality.  After settling in Vancouver and working in restaurants for ten years, he realized that he was dissatisfied with not only his career choice but also his lifestyle habits.  ”Believe it or not,” he insists, “I was quite overweight for my height.”  Long shifts and late nights made it difficult to eat healthy and exercise regularly.  Signing up for a promo at the Vancouver Bikram Yoga on a whim, Stephen’s life was almost instantly transformed.  ”I knew after my second or third class that I wanted to become a teacher!” he exclaims.  But after speaking to his instructors, he committed to almost a year of regular practice before jumping into Teacher’s Training.  After fine-tuning his postures and abandoning his stint in the restaurant industry, Stephen found himself at the LA Teacher’s Training in September of 2005.

Years later, Stephen is as ardent about yoga as ever.  On average, he will teach five classes per week–three in Richmond and two in the Langley studio.  And, for the past three years, he has been the man in charge of daily operations at the BYR studio.  When asked to describe what his job entails, he explains with a laugh, “It’s a pretty big job description.”  In addition to checking-in clients and running the front desk, Stephen handles all matters of cleaning and laundry, hires and trains new staff, makes all the teacher and employee schedules, and provides excellent customer service to all.

Despite running into unpredictable challenges everyday (hot water issues, malfunctioning laundry, students vomiting from the heat – to name a few!), Stephen delights in connecting with every person who enters the studio.  ”I know that the yoga is already challenging enough on its own, so it’s important to make each person who comes in feel comfortable, happy and welcomed.”  His proficiency in English, Mandarin and Cantonese also enables him to communicate with the diverse language groups you’ll find at BYR on any given day.

BYR Studio Manager and Bikram Instructor Stephen Wong

Anyone who has the pleasure of meeting Stephen knows that his energy levels know no bounds.  His modest explanation for this is simply, “It’s not hard to be positive when you love what you do.”

The next time you’re in the studio, expect nothing short of the best from Stephen Wong.  Chances are, if you had an enjoyable experience, he probably had something to do with it!

- Sandra Gin

We often associate ‘date night’ with things like splurging at a nice restaurant or catching a flick at the theatres. While yoga might not sound like the most romantic past-time, sweat, spandex and stretching are words that can definitely get the blood going!

Meet the Cowells: Ryan and Lisa are Steveston residents that have been married for twelve years. They work in demanding jobs, are raising their two children (aged 9 and 6), and are active in the Richmond community. Despite hectic schedules and depleted energy stores, they strive to make Wednesdays their ‘date night’–at no other place than Bikram Yoga Richmond.

Richmond residents Ryan and Lisa Cowell

Lisa took her first steps into the Lansdowne studio in January of 2011. After setting herself a goal to run her first half-marathon by December, she began exploring ways to loosen her tight runner’s muscles. Bikram yoga was the key, but Lisa admits to feelings of trepidation: “I was terrified because I hate being hot!” Little by little, she adjusted to the heat and by September of last year, she had begun practicing once a week.

An avid athlete, Ryan was easily persuaded to try Bikram yoga as well. While recovering from a complete tear of his Achilles tendon, he too found himself in the hot room and on the road to tackling his first half-marathon. The former Junior hockey player explains, “Since I was training for the half-marathon, I felt it would be great to work on my flexibility and stretching–and I’ve found that both have improved dramatically over the past year.”

The Cowells began practicing Bikram yoga to supplement their half-marathon training

Being active is a huge part of the Cowells’ lives, but it is often difficult to juggle a fitness routine into their busy schedules. Wednesdays happen to be the quiet night at the Cowell residence, meaning that Lisa is not dropping off and picking up the kids, and Ryan isn’t out coaching their soccer and hockey teams. Having a mid-week lull inspired the couple to practice yoga together, and for the past several months they’ve spent their date nights sweating through the Bikram series. “We try our best to make yoga our priority on Wednesday nights,” Lisa says, “but sometimes it’s a bit of a challenge.”

Or a bit of an understatement! In order for the Cowells to get to their 8:15 class on a Wednesday night, they need to work together to free up their schedules. While Lisa prepares an early dinner, Ryan helps their kids with their homework and pack their lunches for the next day. They have recruited a local babysitter to watch their kids while they rush off to the studio. They strive to get home around 10:15pm and get to bed at a decent hour. All of this is accomplished for the sake of yoga–and, of course, for each other.

“Yoga gives us the chance to spend time together, focusing on our health and wellness,” Ryan explains. Unlike a traditional date, yoga practice gives the Cowells something to talk about on an ongoing basis. They share their accomplishments and their setbacks with one another, and there is something intimate about witnessing each other’s progress. “After being married for more than a decade,” Lisa adds, “it’s great to discover a new ‘hobby’ that we enjoy doing together.”

Having a yoga partner provides them both with a great source of motivation. With their many commitments and busy lifestyles, the Cowells are fully aware of the temptation to just spend their Wednesdays relaxing on the couch. But by counting on one another for encouragement and energy, Lisa and Ryan find themselves coming back to the studio on Wednesdays–for a truly heart-pounding date night.

- Sandra Gin

Ryan and Lisa with their children, Olivia (9) and Ben (6)

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As a high school teacher, I often find myself amazed at the “running commentary” that comes from my teenaged students during my lessons.  They often feel the need to assert their opinions, judgments or even a loosely related anecdote after virtually every point I make.  While this kind of constant feedback can be comical or welcome at times, it is more often than not unnecessary and impedes the flow of the lesson.

Our yoga practice can be seen in a similar light.  While engaging in 90 minutes of Bikram yoga with our bodies, we are also exercising our minds in a challenge that is equally rigorous.  For one, we enter and exit the room in utter silence–a task that on its own can be trying.  Many exercise regiments encourage its participants to talk and ask questions.  Being required to wait out a full hour and a half can be gruelling when we come across burning questions mid-pose, or we simply want to make a comment to our neighbour.

In addition to keeping silent for the duration of the class, the Bikram series asks us to follow along to a dialogue with our minds, simultaneously focusing on our breathing.  I often hear instructors mention how important it is to regulate our self-talk during the series.  This requires a very intentional shutting off of our own “running commentaries,” our own interior monologues. The reason why Bikram calls his instructor dictation a “dialogue” rather than a “monologue” is because we are actively participating in its formation.  The words can actually become our own if we block out our judgments, inhibitions, and even our self-praise.

Most of us are aware of how toxic self-talk can be.  From thoughts like I’m too tired to go to class today to I’ll never be good enough to do a Standing Bow, we know the destructive potential of our inner voice.  But even praising ourselves or being our own cheerleader can be a distraction in the series.  Figuratively patting ourselves on the back can be just as immobilizing during the series as our negative self-talk.  Instead of following the dialogue, we can find ourselves breaking off in moments of personal triumph and then struggling to return to the words.

I’ve heard many teachers say that one of their yoga goals is to limit the amount of personal reactions they experience in the series.  So much can come up during a 90 minute class: emotional stress, wonderful epiphanies, physical breakthroughs.  It’s important to be able to acknowledge whatever comes up and then move on, breath by breath, forming the words of the dialogue as your own voice.

Try explaining that to a class full of over-enthusiastic, eager-to-speak teenagers!  I resort to the proverbial words of William Shakespeare to get my point across.  Hamlet once explained that:

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

Refraining from the onslaught of our own thoughts is a never-ending battle.  It requires patience, dedication and will.  Whether good or bad, we can all try to shelve our thoughts during yoga class, and embrace a practice that is free from the most critical judge of all–our self!

- Sandra Gin