Week 7 Recap: Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

Week 7 was the breaking point for me and many of my fellow yogis.  It dragged on so long as many nights and days were filed with never-ending  posture clinic sessions.  The staff was on a mission to finish posture clinic as soon as possible to leave enough time in the final weeks for Bikram (Boss) to lecture to us about becoming teachers.  This meant us yogis sacrificed sleep, meals, and every minute of free time to memorize and practice posture dialogue.  Some people presented as many as 5 postures in a single day! Talk about stressful nerve-wracking times! There was a real threat of losing our sanity; some people wanted to call it quits, pack their bags,  hop on a plane,  and leave teacher training immediately.  Thankfully they were talked off the ledge and found the willpower to continue on.

Memorizing the dialogue. Good ole dialogue.

Outside of week 1,  week 7 has been my hardest week. I’m so thankful it is now over and is behind me. 76 hot yoga classes completed in 7 short weeks. My limbs, joints, muscles and bones – whole body- is crying mercy!

I will say,  week 7 had its highlights.  A Communications expert from India lectured to us about the power of voice, presentation and talking style. He creatively illustrated these points to us via interactive exercises where we sang aloud as a class, watched videos of greatness such as Martin Luther King “I Have A Dream” speech and used the audience to effectively teach the class. I learned that to become a great yoga teacher,  I need to showcase confidence,  commitment and courage.  It is vital to remove fears,  inhibitions,  and self criticism as those are surefire viruses that will hinder any success. One thing I took away from his lecture is to share my voice more with people.  I am comfortable talking to only those who require my attention and otherwise can be perfectly cool minding my own business in silence.  Staying quiet can be looked at as an injustice to others who may stand to gain from me sharing my wisdom and knowledge about the things I love and enjoy including yoga, food, healthy living,  cooking,  taxes & accounting, and wellness.  Going forward I will share more and speak more to spread love & community and to inspire change and health.

“Your voice is your calling card.”

Week 7 is a wrap, now on to week 8! Then we conclude teacher training week 9…November 15 to be exact. Let the countdown begin.

Namaste.

Goodbye week 7

Week 6 Recap : Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

My bad for the uber late post! !! Week 6 ended over 10 days ago and I am just now finding the time to write this blog. Week 6 was quite the challenge with Monday dismassal time of 4am, it set the course for a week of long nights, little sleep, and stressful bouts of dialogue memorization at posture clinics. It boggled my mind wondering how I would get through the week after waking up physically sore and mentally drained on Tuesday morning after just 4 hours of sleep. 

So much was thrown at us each day and we simply had to go along with the program despite the weariness and grumpiness oozing from our bodies, minds and souls. We are a very strong group of 333 yogis I must admit. Because even when we wanted to sleep in, we stayed the course,  arrived at each yoga session,  posture clinic,  and lecture on time and put our best foot forward.

I realize just how remarkably true the statement “mind over matter”. It’s so easy to sit and complain about things that are unfair in life. But all that negative talk eats away at your energy and good spirits.  I have learned the power of taking action and making things happen sans the negative thoughts.  It has made a world of a difference as I have discovered just how mentally strong I am, taking chances and trusting the process of life without judgement or fear. It has been a real eye-opener for me and I cannot wait until I get back to my regular life to apply these life lessons learned. 

So much to write about but so little time errrr!! More to come soon, promise, but for now,  enjoy a few photos of beautiful Thailand and things. We yogis are so lucky to be here enjoying the friendly hospitality and scenic location of the resort here.  I have zero complaints 😉

Namaste.

Beach is on the resort

Group of us yogis on the way back from Khaolak Market

Coconuts on the beach! !

Breakfast -my favorite meal!

The infamous beach dog

View from my 5th floor balcony

Buying my weekly bananas. She even friended me on FB!!

Me and my roommate

Finally, a selfie

Week 5 Recap: Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

Every week completed is a reason to celebrate.  Bikram Yoga Teacher Training is not for everyone.  Not too many people can withstand the mental, physical,  spiritual cleansing that occurs each moment,  each hour, each event of each and everyday.  There are days I question “why did I sign up for this? ” when things get tough and I have no control. And there are days when I struggle to keep the food in my mouth because I am laughing so hard from something a fellow yogi friend has said or done. There are bad days, there are good days.  As I tell myself day after day to just trust the process, I know that, in the end,  things will be okay.

Week 5 brought us a very special gift – the beautiful Rajashree Choudury,  wife of The Boss,  Bikram . Her aura is so beautiful,  I am convinced she can make the toughest of thugs take a break from thugging to spend a fre minutes getting in touch with their emotional well-being .  She’s unreal!

She was once a Yoga champion, discovering yoga at the young age of 4. Not only did Rajashree show us how to improve our postures by demonstrating each posture to us and answering our questions,  she also gave us lessons on love and it’s connection with yoga. 

Love is energy.  You cannot just say ‘I love you’, it’s an action. 

First you must love yourself.  Yoga helps you to improve the relationship you have with yourself.  Emotions can be all over the place but yoga can help channel your emotions therefore creating a harmony of self-love, yoga and emotional balance. 

She taught us some deep topics that I am trying to grasp and apply to my own life. I have really enjoyed the lectures of the past week!

The Boss also came back early in week 5 after going away on business for the past two weeks.  He taught a couple of grueling yoga classes that each lasted over 2 hours. Surprisingly it wasn’t too hard on my body because of the preparation of the last 5 weeks. He even complimented the class saying he was proud of our improvement and determination.  Sweet!

I heard from others elsewhere that week 5 is the breaking point at BYTT – it’s stressful, the body is fatigued and the mind is ready to quit.  But thankfully,  week 5 was not horrible. Rajashree was a huge reason for that.  Her compassion,  calm demeanor and motherly nature are exactly what we needed at the exactly correct time: half way thru the BYTT. 54 classes completed in 42 days! Only 4 more weeks to go.

Namaste.

Week 4 Video Recap: Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

Beach Flow (I’m in the back)

From inconsistent weather to inconsistent teaching styles, week 4 was a roller coaster of emotional learning experiences.  The rain does a fantastic  job at sucking dry my happy positive spirits. Early in the week we experienced severe showers and thunderstorms. It was the worst rain I’ve seen in my life. Despite the wet gloomy weather, Bikram yoga teacher training continued without interruption.

I’ve put another video together where I recap on a few highlights of week 4.

Remember in week 3 how I struggled with nervousness while presenting yoga dialogue during Posture Clinic?  Check out the story of my week 4 break-thru!!

Also I’ve been playing around with the idea of adding weight-bearing workouts to my twice-a-day yoga routine for various reasons specific to my body type. I finally gave it a go at the start of week 4.  Was it a disaster or success?  Check out the video to find out!

Enjoy, and I look forward to next week’s update as I tell you about the one and only Rajashree , beautiful, knowledgeable, compassionate wife of Boss Bikram Choudury . She’s teaching us about the connection of body,  health,  and mind to yoga– the stuff I geek out on!! Week 5 shall be a week to remember.

Check out my week 1, 2 and 3 recaps if you haven’t yet done so.  Let me know what you think about my experience thus far in the comments below. And if you have questions,  I have answers …reach out to me, I’m nice.

Week 4 Video Recap Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

Week 3 Video Recap: Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

Done with week 3!!!

So now I truly believe from here on out, the remaining 6 weeks of teacher training are just going to zoom by before my eyes.  Week 3 itself was a blur. Thank goodness I am capturing highlights of each week in these blog posts or otherwise I’d be like ” wait what did we do?” Yep that fast!

So this week, with the advice of one of my dearest friends in San Francisco, I decided to try a video blog. I’m a little technology-challenged but I think I was able to do this correctly. ..all with just the use of my smartphone!

Week 3 of Bikram Yoga Teacher Training had a couple of new items in the mix including Anatomy classes and Posture Clinics. Check out the video below for:

. How Anatomy was so fun it put me to sleep most days

.  The one thing all my teachers tell me I need to make better in my dialogue delivery

. What my fellow yoga trainees are struggling with during Posture Clinic

. Much much more.

If you like the video format more than written blogs, let me know in the comments. It took me like an hour to set up the video mode on my phone and press record. But now that the struggle is over and I’ve gotten it down,  I think I’ll try video recording more in the future. Gotta get outta my comfort zone and show the world who I am!

Enjoy and Namaste.

Video to week 3 recap Bikram Yoga Teacher Training

Week 2 Recap: Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

Week two was probably both the fastest and shortest week of my life. It zoomed by in a jiffy  compared to week one but four days of lecture ending around 12:30am and even one long early morning 3:30am dismissal tried my patience and good spirits time and time again. In my regular life I usually like to lay my head down to rest around 10 or 11 at night. So with no choice but to stay up extremely beyond my normal bedtime to listen to lecture and watch Bollywood videos (The Boss’s favorites!) and still wake up 7:30am for morning yoga class every day of the week,  left me irritated, confused, frustrated and  itchy (attack of the mosquitoes…again !). Wednesday’s insanely long 3:30am ending was my breaking point. 

But of course this is Bikram Yoga Teacher Training taught by The Boss himself,  Bikram Choudhary,  so there’s a method to his madness,  a lesson in every action, an A-ha moment waiting to be unveiled. Week 2 of Bikram Yoga Teacher Training broke me down mentally and rebuilt  my mind using Terminator strength. 

Please Dont Take Away My Precious Sleep Boss

Wednesday night, week 2: After 3 hours of lecture on the topic of humanity and spirituality,  the time was 1am. Most of the 333 of us fellow yoga trainees were struggling to keep our eyes open. So when The Boss announced a ten minute break and then resume to watching a Bollywood love story film at 1am, our jaws must have dropped 5 feet below the ground in total shock and disbelief. But we had “no choice” – a phrase Boss and staff uses so often,  you’d think it was going  out of style.

So we complied, we snacked on late night munchies like ice cream,  cookies,  chips,  candy and drank coffee all in an attempt to stay alert during the movie. All that sugar and caffeine in my body only made me tired and bloated. I watched the first 3 quartets of the movie then my eyes gave up and shut themselves in peace until after the movie was over. Damn I missed the ending. 

Despite not knowing how the movie wrapped,  I was elated to get to my room in record time to lay my head on my snuggly soft pillow.  Before dozing off, negative thoughts boiled in my mind such as:

. Wow I can’t believe he took away my sleep just to watch a dumb movie. Soooo not right!

. Is this how the rest of the 7 weeks will go?? I don’t know if I’m cut out for this

.  He’s torturing us keeping us up so late.  How evil and inconsiderate.

. Eating all that crap just to stay up failed miserably.  If I gain weight at the end of this 9 weeks it will sorely put a damper on my spirits. 

Then I closed my eyes, slept a few hours, woke up zombie like, put on my sports bra and yoga shorts and headed to the hot room around 8am Thursday morning.  Class began 30 minutes later and as I sweated through each posture stretching and flexing and deep breathing, the most amazing thing began to happen: I slowly gained energy at the completion of each posture. 26 postures later I felt like a brand new woman: recharged, rejuevenated,  reenergized, rebuilt.  This renewed, vibrate person painted my persona for the whole day which didn’t end until after midnight. 

I was amazed at what my body was able to do off such little sleep.  The Boss brags to us how he stays up until 5am watching Bollywood movies with his staff.  He generally gets 2 to 3 hours of sleep each night and teaches us five days a week boosting the amount of energy it takes to  light the Staples Center.  Looking back at the negative thoughts that satiated my mind 3:45am Wed morning I learned many life lessons:

1. Sometimes in life, we have “no choice”. In such moments, instead of pouting and stressing over it, it’s best to use positive energy,  and go with the flow. In such moments when we let go and just allow things to take its natural course is when we learn valuable lessons. 

2.  You are as strong as what you allow your mind to believe.  Because I believed I wouldn’t be able to stay up for the movie,  I allowed myself to overload my body with sugar and processed foods which only failed me and proved what I was thinking in the first place: I can’t stay up.  Lesson: whether you succeed or fail is the doing of the mind.

3. Sometimes we have to be broken down in order to be built up. Bikram took away our sleep to get us out of our comfortable place and learn to adjust to what is not normal for us. After the 3:30am experience,  I now feel like I can handle any obstacle that comes my way. 

The Boss has a way of doing things.  He gives us “no choice” and tells us to “trust the process” time and time again.  Usually I just follow along because it’s what all 333 of us yoga teacher trainees are expected to do.  But after Wednesday night I realize why he tells us these things.  So much doubt,  fear, and limitations we put on ourselves when we have a choice to say no or not follow thru with the hard tasks in life. But by trusting the process we are trusting in ourselves to tackle life successfully.  Each and everytime.

Bikram Choudhary is a genius!  Week two was a much needed mental workout for me and fellow yogis. I am so grateful for my experience thus far. Looking forward to week 3. Follow along with me as I continue to blog my experience at Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in beautiful Khaolak Thailand. 

Namaste.

Week One Recap: Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand

Aaahh beautiful Thailand.  Week one of Bikram Yoga Teacher has taught me more about me than what  a year of regular living ever could. The week has had its challenges and successes, both small and large. A few things that stood out includes:

1. “THE BOSS” Calling Me Out In Front of Yoga Class.

Bikram Choudhary, The Boss, guru and founder of the rightly named Bikram Yoga phenomenon is a very hard man to please. He is not afraid to curse you out, call you ugly, and  insult your mother all while wearing a smug smile on his face. So in the hot yoga room, I’ve struggled with getting my hips to touch the floor in Fixed Firm pose. On day three in the evening class taught by Bikram, he noticed me struggling to follow his instructions to sit my butt down on the floor. In front of 332 fellow yogi trainees, he called me out, barking orders for me to spread my knees apart, tuck my feet in, and go down. Embarrased, I instantly followed his orders and miraculously accomplished the posture. It only took 18 months of practicing yoga and a stern push by Bikram himself for me to achieve such feat. I’m thankful that he called me out.

2.  Scary Cramping In My Fingers and Toes.

I have never in my life experienced such agressive cramping in which I experienced on day two. I like to nickname it “the claw” because my fingers uncontrollably took on the shape of a claw mencanically moving in and out beyond my control.  The pain would last for what seemed like eternity but was merely a few seconds at a time. This stopped and started again and again a good 24 hrs during yoga class and after. Why did this happen? Apparently all the vitamins and minerals my body needs to function is lost thru the excessive sweating during yoga class. Not to mention class number one lasted 2.5 hours!! Bikram was on a mission to break us down physically and mentally.  Thankfully, with ample dosage of magnesium,  potassium and sea salt, the cramping has long ceased.

3. Pesky Itchy Mosquito Bite

Dumb mosquito flew into my room in the middle of night two and bit me on the inside of my left ring finger making it impossible for me to hold a nice tight grip during many of the standing poses. Not to mention it itched like crazy for 3-4 days after. Long week nights lasting past 12 midnight in lecture felt like torture. Since the bite occurred,  I’ve been spraying on my DEET daily to keep the mosquitoes away. Lesson learned the hard way!

4. “THE BOSS” Grading My Delivery of Half Moon Pose Favorably.

In his words: “You didn’t just say the dialogue, you became a teacher. “

When he said those words to me right after I delivered Half Moon Pose on stage in front of 332 of my fellow yogi trainees,  in that moment I knew this is  where I am supposed to be. All doubts and fears  removed.

5. Soaking in the Beauty of Thailand

After 5 days straight of a grueling 8am to midnight schedule filled with lectures and ten sessions of Bikram yoga clases totaling a whopping 20 hours in the hot yoga room heated to 105 degrees + 96% humidity which easily makes it feel like hell on earth,  Our. Bodies. Deserved. A.Break. ….Beaches, pools, massage, shopping. All much appreciated.

Now that we are rejuevenated, bring on week two! I’m ready to conquer all fears and “trust the process” as Bikram likes to say. 

Namaste.

Inspirational Call to Action: Life Is Painful, Life Is Beautiful

“Life is about change; sometimes it’s painful, sometimes it’s beautiful, but most of the time it’s both.”

 

Triangle Pose

 

 

In March 2013, I walked into a Bikram Yoga class both scared and excited for what would potentially occur during class. When class ended 90 minutes later; after 26 postures in 105 degree temperature, sweat dripping from areas of my body I didn’t know could sweat, me feeling worn out, I simply smiled because I finished the class in one piece; I survived. Little did I know that I would become an avid Bikram Yoga student whose main desire in life would be to complete an intensive 9 week Bikram Yoga Teacher Training program in Thailand beginning September 14, 2014 so that I can share the healing properties of yoga with my community. This is where I need your help.

“If 500 people donate $30 each, I can reach my goal”

What Made Me Fall In Love with Bikram Yoga
During the time I discovered BY, I was personally going through health issues in which I was unable to solve even in my line of work as an Holistic Nutrition Consultant.  I was frustrated, stressed out and felt like a failure because my health conditions kept getting worse and worse and began to affect my ability to concentrate on my work.  I battled various ailments including:

– weight gain (despite clean eating and daily gym workouts)
–  inability to lose weight (gained 25 pounds in 6 months)
–  adrenal fatigue ( felt tired ALL the time)
–  Brain fog (i just couldn’t think, couldn’t concentrate!)
–  Constipation (yuck yuck)
–  digestive issues and food sensitivities
–  itchy, dry skin and scalp
–  hair loss coupled with inflammation
–  Autoimmune issues (disgnosed in 2009)
–  Weak, peeling fingernails
– Stress
– Anxiety

The extra weight gain is what made me give BY a try. I figured the sweat would help me to detox the impurities that were preventing me from losing weight. Little did I know that a regular yoga practice would help reduce, if not eliminate, many of the conditions mentioned above.  Today my stress and anxiety is non-existant most times;  my weight is under control; I am more focused than ever and can get lots of work done each day, my fingernails and digestive system have recovered and I am no longer fatigued.  The autoimmune condition and hair loss are related.  Although I still have it, the inflammation and itchy-scalp and skin has reduced tremendously.  Bikram Yoga has been the key reason for my healing when I had little clue that it would be the answer to my health woes.  My goal is to teach and share the practice of Bikram Yoga to the community so that they too can experience a new-found health and happiness physically, mentally and spiritually.

“Its never too late, its never too bad and you’re never too old or sick to start from scratch once again.” – Bikram Choudhury

Please take a minute and read my story at my GoFundMe page by clicking this link.  With yoga, we can heal our community.  Share the link, spread my message and support however you can.  No donation is too small.  I thank you dearly from my heart.

“I have been a seeker and I still am, but I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching of my Soul.”

Click image below to read more and support my cause.

Restaurant Meal Substitutions that will Make Dr. Oz Proud

You may be thinking, “Dr. Oz??? He doesn’t even know me.”

Yea but so.  Dr. Oz is a prominent doctor celebrity television persona that gives credibility to almost every “get-slim-quick” supplement product on the market.  Apparently these profit-seeking businesses know to use his name in order to sell their stuff and bring in the big bucks.

Forget the hype, we smart people know the truth.  

– We know that  Dr. Oz doesn’t even use 99.7% of the products that hoard his name on their label.

– We know that these companies are just saying whatever they need to say to get you to open your wallets and spend your hard earned dollars.

– We also know that Dr. Oz is an advocate of eating clean protein-rich meals and healthy fats along with nutrient-rich colorful fruits and vegetables. Based on what he says on his show, he believes powerfully in the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet and is slowly coming to embrace the ancestrally-inspired Paleo diet lifestyle (yaassss!).  So based on what Dr. Oz really truly recommends, in order to get his good praise, eating clean is the name of the game (if you watch his show, you know the doctor loves games).

That’s all it takes folks:  Eat clean foods, make Dr. Oz proud. Simple.

So now you may be asking: what about eating out? True, it is much harder to eat clean at a restaurant given that temptation is all around in the form of discounted menu specials, professional food photos of cake and pasta that tantalize your tastebuds, wildly behaving friends yelling out “shots…” and the sensational aroma coming from the kitchen.  Even when we are able to resist temptation and put forward our best effort, it is much harder to control the quality of restaurant meals because we do not prepare these meals ourselves.  Which is why I recommend you prepare and eat as many meals as possible at home.  Leave restaurant meals as a social experience enjoyed once in a while, not as a daily occurrence.

The next time you are on a social outing, consider making these smart restaurant meal substitutions that will not skimp on flavor, I promise.  But one last important thing:  All that crazy talk above about Dr. Oz being proud of you means NOTHING if you do not approve of yourself and your  own choices.  At the end of the day, YOU come first.  Treat yourself right and feed yourself well despite what others may be doing around you.  It’s the smart decision you can be proud of every time.

Restaurant Meal Substitutions that will make Dr. Oz YOU proud:

.

Breakfast or Brunch:

Restaurant menu says:  eggs, bacon, toast, and hashbrown

Instead you choose:  eggs, bacon, no toast, and substitute the hashbrown with a side mixed greens salad + avocado

Lunch:

Restaurant menu says:  cheeseburger on rye bread with mayo, cheddar, lettuce. Tomato and side of fries

Instead you choose:  Instead of the bread, put the burger on a bed of lettuce and hold the fries.  I like to call it, a burger salad.  You’ll need a knife and fork to put this meal down (extra effort I know) but it is so delicious and worth it.  I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel badass to eat a salad with a burger sitting on top.

Dinner:  

Menu says:  Creamy fettuccine Alfredo with breaded fried chicken and garlic French bread.

Instead you choose:  something different!  This gluten bomb will leave your belly bloated and gassy while your brain will be operating on slow mode for days to come.  Steer clear and choose something else such as sirloin steak with roasted broccoli and yam mash.  This substitute meal is gourmet enough to make you feel like you are indulging but without the guilt or the isolate-yourself-please! gluten effects.

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Roasted Cauliflower

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I’ve never had to wear 3 pairs of socks with my Uggs — until today.  Man it’s cold in Oakland, CA.  I’ve been living out here for almost 10 years now but my body is still, and probably will always be, adapted to hot Los Angeles weather — where I was born and raised. Yep I’m a #Lakerfan and I #bleedpurpleandgold.

Thank goodness for this hot cup of Peppermint tea keeping me warm.  Ladies and gentlemen, I think I’ll be alright.  On to the good stuff…

I didn’t know cauliflower was hated by so many people.  Personally, over the years I have come to enjoy this white flowery looking cruciferous vegetable.  In fact, it is one of my favorites because I get to make delicious recipes with it such as roasted cauliflower and mashed cauliflower aka “I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-mashed-potatoes.”  I am slowly winning over new fans of cauliflower when I share with them this roasted cauliflower dish.  If you are not a vegetable lover and are looking for a way to get more veggies into your daily meals, this roasted cauliflower recipe will soon become a favorite.

If you really want to increase your health food game, include at least 2-3 servings of cruciferous vegetables each week. Crucifers are often touted as “the superfoods” of vegetables.  They include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, and bok choy.  A listing of cruciferous vegetables’ benefits include:

• Lowers risk for cancer
• Reduces oxidative stress
• Detox support
• Rich in antioxidants
• Anti-imflammatory
• Promotes fat loss
• Reduces cardiovascular risk
• Supports immune health

Ingredients

• 5 cups cauliflower (one medium-sized crown)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest OR 1/4 teaspoon dried lemon peel

.

Roasted Cauliflower Ingredients

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2.  Cut cauliflower into 1.5 inch pieces keeping them as uniform as possible.

3.  Toss cauliflower, olive oil and salt and pepper together in a bowl.

Cauliflower raw – tossed

4.  Place in one layer on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes then take out and mix around each piece to ensure uniform roasting.

Raw Cauliflower on Baking Sheet

5.  Put back into oven for 12 minutes watching closely for light golden brown color.

6.  Place back into bowl and toss with chives and lemon zest.

Roasted Cauliflower – Done

Roasted Cauliflower – al dente

Serve as a side dish or eat cold as a snack. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Makes 2-3 servings. 

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