WHY DO YOU PRACTICE?

My favorite posture is Trikonasana (triangle pose) you get the most bang for your buck because the entire body is working.

Huntington Beach Hot Yoga

Huntington Beach Hot Yoga

108 Sun Salutes or Surya Namaskar Practice

Why do we do them?

The sun is a source of life to all creation, and Surya (the sun) is considered to be a visible form of God we can see every day.  Sunrise is thought of as the “eye of God” coming to look upon His people. The sun is thought to be the physical and spiritual heart of our external and internal world. One of the means of honoring the sun is through a dynamic sequence of flowing poses linked together through the breath. It is literally “prayer in motion.”  The sun salutes bring more and more prana (life force) into the body system binding the breath to the movement. Surya Namaskar shows us how to use the body as an instrument or vehicle for higher awareness to receive knowledge and ultimately wisdom.

On a physical level sun salutes tone and strengthen the entire body, they keep the spine flexible, the heart becomes stronger, fat and toxins burn away, the body is cleansed and restored. The internal organs are flushed, the lungs expand, and the skin and eyes become clearer; a sense of well-being is attained as the mind becomes calmer. It is said that sun salutes contain the entire practice within it.

95-97% of muscles are active and used in sun salutes.

Significance of the sun salutes in number:

There are 108 lines of energy converging to form the heart chakra.

1, 0, 8,  1 stands for God or Truth, 0 stands for completeness or emptiness for spiritual practice, and 8 stands for infinity or eternity.

There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet; each has a masculine and feminine aspect (Shiva and Shakti) 54 x 2 = 108

There are 108 Pithas or sacred sites throughout India.

There are 108 Upanishads, and 108 marma or sacred places in the human body.

The average distance between the sun and the moon to the earth is 108 x their respective diameters.

There are 108 beads on a mala (used for meditation and prayer.)

Symbolically we practice sun salutes to:

Give respect to ourselves, (our inner and outer self) acknowledge nature or our world around us (relationships), and finally to honor the Higher power, the Divine, or God. We surrender with humility and aim for non-attachment releasing the belief that we “need” this or that to be happy. We prepare for the change of seasons ahead (the spring equinox or the cold months.) Symbolically, we light our torch through the breath; in silence we find awareness, intention, and compassion.

Prepare:

Don’t eat for 2-3 hours before, hydrate properly before the practice, eat a sufficient amount of healthy proteins and balance your electrolytes. Come to the 108 healthy and free of expectations.

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This dynamic mother and daughter duo, Becki and Emily Bush, have been attending Huntington Beach Hot Yoga since February of 2009!

WHY DO YOU PRACTICE?

Becki:  While it is my form of exercise, it really is just as much a mental exercise as it is physical. I look forward to my time on the mat- challenging my body and mind to stay in the moment.

Emily:  Originally, I began hot yoga in order to keep my arthritis symptoms at bay. Over time, I caught the “bug” and was drawn to the intense physical and mental workout.

WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY BENEFITS YOU EXPERIENCE?

Becki: The benefits are too many to list! Physically I feel that practicing yoga keeps my body mechanically working strong- not allowing age or injury to weaken me more than it needs to! And of course the mental focus it takes to achieve the postures is equally rewarding to me.

Emily:  Physically, hot yoga dramatically increased my flexibility and core strength. In all my years as a competitive soccer player, I never had as intense of a workout as I have in the Vinyasa Yoga. I am more accepting of my body and determined to reach my full potential on the mat.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POSTURE?

Becki:  In Vinyasa Yoga it would be crow! I just recently achieved this posture after months of practice. In Hot Yoga my favorite posture would be camel because I struggled with back pain and weakness for years- never dreaming I could put my body into that position. Camel is a reminder of how far I have come and how much I have to look forward to in my yoga practice.

Emily:  Finally, after months of falling flat on my face, I accomplished the full posture of Tripod Head Stand. I love how this posture requires all my energy in my core, quadriceps, and breathing.  Head Stand offers many variations, so I always have something new to strive for.

HOW HAS YOUR HOT YOGA PRACTICE IMPACTED OR CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

Becki:  Since beginning the practice of Hot Yoga I have become much more aware and in tune with my body. I have always exercised but never experienced the total mind/body connection until I began Hot Yoga. Hot Yoga is a long term practice and I love the challenges the practice presents as well as the dedication it requires.

Emily:  Hot yoga requires dedication and planning before, during, and after the class. I noticed that I arranged my schedule every week around my time on the mat, which forced me to pay attention to my diet and sleep patterns in order to give my all in the studio.

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Harry Battin

WHY DO YOU PRACTICE?

I practice hot yoga for two main reasons.   One of the main reasons is the all encompassing total body workout the series and environment delivers, leading to huge increases my stamina and agility.  The other main reason that I practice is simply that, to practice.  To strive to improve upon my postures and my practice.

WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY BENEFITS YOU EXPERIENCE?

For me, hot yoga stands up to all the physical benefits that the practice is known to address. I’ve recognized positive changes across the board.  From building and continually increasing my core strength and foundation, to increased cardiovascular fitness and endurance of the mind.  Hot yoga does it all.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POSTURE?

 I’m a fan of all the hot yoga postures, but if I had to choose an all time favorite it would be trikanasana (triangle), because of its immense demand for concentration as well as its physical demand from the entire body for proper execution.

HOW HAS YOUR HOT YOGA PRACTICE IMPACTED OR CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

It’s difficult to properly express how my practice of hot yoga has impacted my life.  Let it suffice to say that it has become a central aspect of my life. Positively affecting everything that is me. From my attitude, to personal relationships, to work and life at home, I feel a greater peace.

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It’s September and that means the summer sun has set. No more BBQ’s or beach trips, it’s time to celebrate a new season AND a new month… YOGA MONTH! That’s right, September marks the official start of National Yoga Month and as yogis, it’s our job to spread the good word!

Yoga is gaining strength in the United States, especially with younger generations. The health benefits are recognized even in western medicine, but awareness alone isn’t enough. We, as practitioners of HBHY, need to educate our respective communities about yoga as a way of life. So grab a friend, a coworker or a fellow yogi and come join the jubilation!

Follow this link for details about events and other ways to contribute.

Namaste!

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With summer upon us, visions of bathing suit shopping stop some of us short… But we yogis have an obligation to ourselves, and our community, to turn the focus from body image to self-awareness.

The practice of yoga sets us apart from other exercises performed with a singular goal in mind: to shape one’s body into an unrealistic or idealistic figure. The purpose of yoga, inherent in the term practice, is to embrace your body, limitations and all. As we deepen our understanding of yoga, which by definition means “union” we learn to accept ourselves and others for WHO we are rather than WHAT we look like.

Inspired by Allison Horack in the June newsletter and an extremely insightful article in this month’s LA Yoga, here are some tips to shift your mentality from how you look to how you feel:

• Change your focus – rather than constantly trying to “lose weight” concentrate on “being healthy.”

• Love yourself – look in the mirror and recite 5 things you love about yourself daily.

• Portion control – the American diet is grossly oversized. Cut your normal meals in half and put the leftovers to good use.

• Drink water – the minimum is 8 glasses a day; 2 at each meal plus 1 upon waking and 1 at bedtime.

• Move – park far away when running errands or better yet, ride your bike. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc. Every step counts!

• Meditate – the benefits are endless.

No ‘body’ is perfect, but the gift of yoga gives us a strong mind/body connection. The sooner you begin to recognize it, the sooner you will notice just how perfectly acceptable your body is, as it is;-)

Huntington Beach Hot Yoga

Here in Australia, everything is upside down. Summer is winter, the toilets flush counterclockwise and don’t even get me started on the driving (right side of the car, left side of the road…) But one thing remains the same, and that constant is hot yoga.

I’ve had the opportunity and privilege, while vacationing in Melbourne, to practice at Bikram Fitzroy. The studio is welcoming and the staff is warm (no pun intended;-) The highlight of my experience was watching Sara Wells, who will be representing Australia at the International Yoga Asana Championship in LA June 18th – 19th, perform her routine for our class. It was positively inspirational! The grace and ability Sara portrayed is a true testament to the power of our practice. Oftentimes we are so consumed with the minutiae of everyday life; we take for granted the 90 minute, open-eyed meditation which defines this style of yoga. Watching Sara today reminded me how important dedication to your yoga practice (not yoga perfect) is… Another bit of inspiration I acquired from Bikram Fitzroy;-)

But as much fun as I had visiting another country, as well as another studio, it reminded me – there’s no place like home! Huntington Beach Hot Yoga isn’t just another yoga studio – it’s a community! And it’s not like any other studio I know! Now I see what a difference the music makes; when you don’t have it in the background, you definitely miss it! I also enjoy the sun salutations as a warm up before diving into the first posture, and the slight variation of the series makes it more manageable and enjoyable.

I will never forget my journey to the land down under, but I am happy to be back where I belong… Where everybody knows my name:-)

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Namaste is a word commonly used in yoga, typically at the end of class. But what does it mean exactly and why do we use it?

Simply put, Namaste is a greeting or salutation; however, the translations and implications of the gesture are much deeper and more significant. Furthermore, the whole action unfolds itself at three levels: verbal, physical, and mental.

By definition, Namaste NUHM-uh-stey, noun: 1. A conventional Hindu expression on meeting or parting, used by the speaker usually while holding the palms together vertically in front of the bosom. 2. A conventional Hindu expression on meeting or parting, frequently a part of yoga practice.

In Sanskrit, namaḥ, means “to bow, to give obeisance or reverential salutation” and te, “to you.” Other translations are ‘The God in me greets the God in you’ or ‘The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you.’ In other words, it pays honor to the sacredness and recognizes the equality of all.

Bringing both palms together, before the heart, and lightly bowing the head accomplish the physical expression while the mental portion is complete submission into meditation.  Instructors also use it as a means to close the class peacefully, thanking you for your participation and recognizing that we are all one.

Go ahead; use it in a sentence today☺

Huntington Beach Hot Yoga

The final chapter in our 4-part survival guide is what you’re probably icing right now… Sore muscles!! This was something I didn’t realize yoga could even perpetuate until the challenge. Nevertheless, it happens… And knowing how to properly prepare for and relieve muscle pain is tantamount to finishing.

Here’s your RX:

• L-Glutamine – these pills are said to rebuild torn muscle tissue.
• Epsom salt baths – soak in one of these nightly to reduce pain.
• Massages – if you can afford them, this is one of the best ways to relax (if you can’t, ask a friend or significant other to volunteer )
• Ibuprofen (as opposed to acetaphetamine) – reduces inflammation and swelling.
• Walking – much of the pain you’re experiencing is due to a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. It may seem counter-intuitive but by taking a walk, you’re helping to disperse it.
• Rest – getting a good night sleep and resting your muscles is a must. So be sure to get your ZZZ’s!

This concludes our 30-Day Challenge Survival Guide. I hope it’s been helpful to our Challengers and inspirational to those contemplating one in the future. Please take the opportunity, in our comment section, to report back on what worked for you!!

***Our tips are based on past experience and are suggestions ONLY; however, if you feel severe muscle pain or are taking prescription medications, please consult a physician.

Huntington Beach Hot Yoga