When I was asked to write about Bikram Yoga and Bikram San Rafael I first thought about the way that my body feels today compared to how it felt three years ago; the difference is profound. After years of working in construction and multiple sports injuries, my body carries the baggage of joint pain, limited range of motion and instability in both knees.
Casey looking handsome at his wedding this summer.
I came to BYSR feeling like I was in pretty good shape. I have always been athletic. I had been working with a strength coach, working out with free weights and doing some cross discipline training. I also was riding Moto-cross which is an amazing endurance sport as well as one that requires a lot of upper-body and leg strength. I weighed about 175 lbs.
The idea of starting a yoga practice was not driven by feeling a need to change my body, but by a need to get a regular meditation routine. I was in the midst of a break-up and was pretty miserable emotionally. I felt like I had lost the ability to relax and was constantly distracted by negative thinking patterns.
The first several classes at BYSR were pretty overwhelming. I couldn’t believe that I was so inflexible and tired so easily! After two left shoulder dislocations and one on the right, my range of motion was terrible. Big biceps and pecs did not save me in the warm up postures. It felt like my arms were going to fall off. I would be so winded after Awkward pose that I was sure I would never make it till the end of class.
What kept me coming back was the feeling of accomplishment and the amazing exhaustion high I got after class. I would go home sometimes with a giddy, no doubt endorphin fueled, buzz that would last until the next day. I immediately fell into a regular routine of four to five classes a week and was buoyed by small victories of staying in a pose for longer, incremental increases of flexibility and strength and an overall confidence that I had found a home in the San Rafael studio.
I quickly lost 10 pounds and have remained at 165 lbs for the last three years. I didn’t feel heavy at 175, I have weighed as much as 190, but I feel light today. I have a range of motion in my shoulders that I did not think would be possible for me. My body feels fit in a way that it never has before. My hands and feet are strong and flexible, I didn’t realize how much they hurt until I became aware that they didn’t any more. My balance has improved dramatically. Standing Bow and Standing Head to Knee were poses that I thought I would never be able to do, let alone enjoy, but today I do both.
On a physical level, Bikram Yoga has been a God-send. My body is very different today. I am stronger and more flexible, I am not so bulky, I feel like my body fits me better. But it was the emotional, spiritual change that comes with a regular practice that I was looking for when I came. I have found that. I think that certain humility comes when you show up and follow the dialogue, give up the chatter of judgment and regret. I love the community of BYSR. It is great to see the other regulars each day as well as see the improvements of those just getting started. Bikram Yoga has changed my life.