Excerpted from a previously published article in Classical Singer Magazine.
“Welcome to Bikram’s 90-minute torture chamber,” is often the running joke with Bikram Yoga teachers. If you have never heard of Bikram Yoga, it is a 90-minute session comprised of twenty-six postures and two breathing exercises that were developed by Bikram Choudhury from Hatha Yoga. The room is kept at a toasty 105 degrees with a minimum of 40 percent humidity.
At this point, you might be asking, “Why would you willingly subject yourself to that?” As I sit on my mat during class trying not to pass out or worse, throw up, I often ask myself the same question. However, once I emerge from class and go about my day, I am reminded why I willingly subject myself to Bikram’s ‘torture.’ It is because that in my late 40’s, I have never felt better emotionally or physically in my entire life.
I have always been a self-professed long distance runner and endorphin junkie, scoffing at any other form of exercise. I ran marathons, I despised the gym, and honestly, I felt that yoga was for meditation-seeking wimps. My only previous experience with yoga had been a two-week stint during the summer of 2006 when I attended the OperaWorks Voice Teacher Program. Part of the daily schedule included an hour-long yoga session, and frankly, I hated every minute of it because I was so impatient and inflexible both physically and mentally.
So how did I discover yoga? What changed my mind? I originally found yoga through Groupon. In December of 2010, I attempted my first Bikram class, and it is an experience I will never forget. As a runner for nearly twenty years, I always considered myself incredibly ‘un-bendy.’ I was in awe watching these nimble bodies do back bend after back bend. I could not even touch my toes without completely bending my knees. And good grief, the heat! Did I mention that it is ridiculously hot in there? I probably spent the first month in class vacillating between wanting to pass out or throw up from the heat. I was incessantly nauseous. And there were also some major conflicts with my classical vocal training. As singers, we are taught early on to never lock our knees while singing, yet most of the yoga postures require locking your knees in addition to contracting your stomach muscles. How did that fit in with appoggio breathing? I always prescribed to the cliché, “breathe fat, sing fat.” Now I was supposed to suck in my abs for ninety minutes?
But there was something about this 90-minute meditation that drew me in. Maybe I was at a point in my life where I was open to new experiences. Or maybe it was because through listening to the teacher’s dialogue, I had several cathartic moments, some even bringing me to tears. Or maybe it was because I was so inept at yoga that I welcomed the challenge to learn and grow. Not only was yoga helping me physically, it also helped me evolve emotionally.
After the first few months of classes, my body began a noticeable transformation, from the inside out. I was slowly becoming flexible. All my old running injuries, ranging from shin splints, pulled hamstrings, twisted ankles, and even a stress fracture on my pelvic bone, started healing. The postures that had once terrified me were now remotely possible. I was also building muscle. My arms no longer looked scrawny, and I even had definition in my abdominal area. I felt healthy, I slept more soundly through the night, and I had more energy throughout the day without frequent afternoon trips to Starbucks.
Although I greatly appreciated my physical transformation, I think the upmost benefit I have experienced is the emotional and psychological evolution. Bikram Yoga has taught me patience and humility. I have learned to be more accepting and patient. I know it sounds cliché, but my type-A, high-strung personality has definitely mellowed. Things that used to drive me absolutely crazy just do not seem to matter any longer, and my day-to-day stress level has greatly diminished. Although I still struggle with impatience, mostly in regard to myself, I am slowly learning that it is called yoga practice and not yoga perfection.
Yoga has also helped my teaching. In attempting to master these crazy postures, I have discovered increased empathy for my voice students who are trying to master new vocal concepts. As singers, we are often very in tune with our bodies and notice even the slightest differences in vocal abilities on a daily basis, and yoga is very similar. I might go into class feeling great and still have a major setback, or adversely, I can attend a session on a day when I am extremely tired, and I will have a complete break through with a posture. Each time I experience a new epiphany in class, I think of my students who are struggling with breath support or tackling a new language.
And most importantly, yoga has improved my singing. I finally have a core. My lung capacity and ability to sustain a phrase has dramatically increased. My posture has improved. Additionally, my desire to force my sound or sing with extraneous tension has dissipated. I am connected to my support all the time, and my shoulder and neck tension no longer adversely impacts my vocal production.
I can enthusiastically attest to the success and effectiveness of Bikram Yoga. In fact, I have given up running entirely so that I have enough time to practice yoga at least four times a week. Through my emotional and physical yoga journey, I am constantly reminded that a little pain and suffering is not necessarily something to be avoided. Although I do not know if I will ever enjoy the heat and humidity, the ninety minutes of discomfort is completely worth the sacrifice.
“Welcome to Bikram’s 90-minute torture chamber,” is often the running joke with Bikram Yoga teachers. If you have never heard of Bikram Yoga, it is a 90-minute session comprised of twenty-six postures and two breathing exercises that were developed by Bikram Choudhury from Hatha Yoga. The room is kept at a toasty 105 degrees with a minimum of 40 percent humidity.
At this point, you might be asking, “Why would you willingly subject yourself to that?” As I sit on my mat during class trying not to pass out or worse, throw up, I often ask myself the same question. However, once I emerge from class and go about my day, I am reminded why I willingly subject myself to Bikram’s ‘torture.’ It is because that in my late 40’s, I have never felt better emotionally or physically in my entire life.
I have always been a self-professed long distance runner and endorphin junkie, scoffing at any other form of exercise. I ran marathons, I despised the gym, and honestly, I felt that yoga was for meditation-seeking wimps. My only previous experience with yoga had been a two-week stint during the summer of 2006 when I attended the OperaWorks Voice Teacher Program. Part of the daily schedule included an hour-long yoga session, and frankly, I hated every minute of it because I was so impatient and inflexible both physically and mentally.
So how did I discover yoga? What changed my mind? I originally found yoga through Groupon. In December of 2010, I attempted my first Bikram class, and it is an experience I will never forget. As a runner for nearly twenty years, I always considered myself incredibly ‘un-bendy.’ I was in awe watching these nimble bodies do back bend after back bend. I could not even touch my toes without completely bending my knees. And good grief, the heat! Did I mention that it is ridiculously hot in there? I probably spent the first month in class vacillating between wanting to pass out or throw up from the heat. I was incessantly nauseous. And there were also some major conflicts with my classical vocal training. As singers, we are taught early on to never lock our knees while singing, yet most of the yoga postures require locking your knees in addition to contracting your stomach muscles. How did that fit in with appoggio breathing? I always prescribed to the cliché, “breathe fat, sing fat.” Now I was supposed to suck in my abs for ninety minutes?
But there was something about this 90-minute meditation that drew me in. Maybe I was at a point in my life where I was open to new experiences. Or maybe it was because through listening to the teacher’s dialogue, I had several cathartic moments, some even bringing me to tears. Or maybe it was because I was so inept at yoga that I welcomed the challenge to learn and grow. Not only was yoga helping me physically, it also helped me evolve emotionally.
After the first few months of classes, my body began a noticeable transformation, from the inside out. I was slowly becoming flexible. All my old running injuries, ranging from shin splints, pulled hamstrings, twisted ankles, and even a stress fracture on my pelvic bone, started healing. The postures that had once terrified me were now remotely possible. I was also building muscle. My arms no longer looked scrawny, and I even had definition in my abdominal area. I felt healthy, I slept more soundly through the night, and I had more energy throughout the day without frequent afternoon trips to Starbucks.
Although I greatly appreciated my physical transformation, I think the upmost benefit I have experienced is the emotional and psychological evolution. Bikram Yoga has taught me patience and humility. I have learned to be more accepting and patient. I know it sounds cliché, but my type-A, high-strung personality has definitely mellowed. Things that used to drive me absolutely crazy just do not seem to matter any longer, and my day-to-day stress level has greatly diminished. Although I still struggle with impatience, mostly in regard to myself, I am slowly learning that it is called yoga practice and not yoga perfection.
Yoga has also helped my teaching. In attempting to master these crazy postures, I have discovered increased empathy for my voice students who are trying to master new vocal concepts. As singers, we are often very in tune with our bodies and notice even the slightest differences in vocal abilities on a daily basis, and yoga is very similar. I might go into class feeling great and still have a major setback, or adversely, I can attend a session on a day when I am extremely tired, and I will have a complete break through with a posture. Each time I experience a new epiphany in class, I think of my students who are struggling with breath support or tackling a new language.
And most importantly, yoga has improved my singing. I finally have a core. My lung capacity and ability to sustain a phrase has dramatically increased. My posture has improved. Additionally, my desire to force my sound or sing with extraneous tension has dissipated. I am connected to my support all the time, and my shoulder and neck tension no longer adversely impacts my vocal production.
I can enthusiastically attest to the success and effectiveness of Bikram Yoga. In fact, I have given up running entirely so that I have enough time to practice yoga at least four times a week. Through my emotional and physical yoga journey, I am constantly reminded that a little pain and suffering is not necessarily something to be avoided. Although I do not know if I will ever enjoy the heat and humidity, the ninety minutes of discomfort is completely worth the sacrifice.
