This is the year I turn 40.
It’s a big one for me.
I did this for a few different reasons:
I wanted to understand this practice that I get my “yoga snob” on about.
I wanted to see if it was really what die-hard devotees make it out to be—as in, “It changed my life!”
I wanted to understand how the heat informs my physical asana practice.
I wanted to see what was out there on different ends of the yoga spectrum in this California coastal town where I have been living for the last few years.
Mostly, however, after returning from a few months of practicing lots of yoga and living in Bali, I was looking for the discipline of attending regular classes versus just doing my practice at home.
I also thought that the heat might be a gentle reminder of the tropical warmth of Bali, and figured classes would be small—after all, isn’t summer the last time one would think of going to hot yoga?
Read the full story at the link below! Please share your comments on the article too!!!
NAMASTE + ALOHA.
Insiya
Hello Insiya,
What an amazing article and very well said. I’ve learned and continue to learn to listen to my own insights, that gentle inner voice that knows what is best for me. It’s challenging sometimes, but we constantly need to remind ourselves to come back to the soul, for it knows.
Thank you for highlighting that a gentle practice is okay. As you mentioned, we think we need to do a very active practice, but when the body is calling for gentleness, it’s okay.
I hope to see more great articles from you.
Thank you again.
Namaste.
Rubina
Thanks Rubina!!! So appreciate your comments. peace
I could not agree more!
A few years ago, I took a job teaching in a hot studio. Previously I had preferred “warm yoga” at places that allowed me to turn up the heat for the safety and comfort of my students, as opposed to the “cold yoga” that I had also had to teach in gyms where the temps were kept from 65 to 69 F. (Eek)…
But I was enjoying taking a little hot yoga now and again in Winter, and when the studio offered me a job, I thought…”fun!”
Keep in mind, I have tested out time and time again as vata-pitta or pitta-vata. So, yeah, there’s that.
Long story shorter than it could be…I think that at that time, my ego certainly succumbed to the “let’s do this” fitness mindset and the approval of students who loved the challenges in my classes. But I also knew in my heart that there were days when my pitta was rising and I had no business being in that room, but my name was on the schedule to teach a vinyasa flow class! Sad that as teachers we cannot always honor our bodies as we would advise our students to do…
I actually think that was part of the start of what ultimately led to some hormone imbalances and adrenal burnout as I continued to push through what my inner wisdom was cautioning me against. After all, weren’t all the other teachers fine? Why was I the only one affected?
It’s been a year or so since I taught in a hot studio, as I made a few changes to my life…which also created stressors, but I believe I am on the right path now. Took a leap of faith and listened to inner wisdom- FINALLY- even though risky…but like I said, stressors along the way…
So now I am having to create a new normal for myself- my whole practice has had to change so that I can heal myself from what allowing western mindset has done…(there were other things- taking too many jobs, pushing to meet demands of life and social media, all the while knowing inside “hey girl! You are way out of balance! Come back!”
In my research on hormone imbalances and adrenal burnout, it has been a crazy weird confirmation to see some of what I was doing-
including that time teaching too often too much at a hot studio– as causes for what I am overcoming now.
So thank YOU, for writing your honest experience and being authentuc about it!!! Much blessing and warm vibe to you!!!
Robyn Hurst