Bikram Yoga El Paseo

 

Bikram Yoga Palm Desert – El Paseo is ready for 2016!!!

We welcome the new year with open arms and a renewed gratitude for our favorite yoga and friendships.

As a teacher you become more connected with the students individually but feel a greater sense of community / family as a whole.   This amazing group energy and camaraderie prompted me to widen my teaching repertoire .

Two years ago I brought a Sack filled with Intention Stones and a Tibetan Bowl to the Podium.   I wanted to unify our CommUNITY further with a group intention!

Every time I teach I select a student to choose an intention stone out of this sack. This becomes our group focus. The students may also choose a second individual intention privately as well.

Additionally, since the Bikram Series is highly therapeutic in nature I brought in the Tibetan Bowl due to its amazing healing sound waves.  I lightly play the bowl during our two minute Savasana that separates the standing and floor series and once again during our final Savasana at the close of our practice.

One of our newest teachers, Billy Cordell who has an amazing talent in Sound Bath Healing also shares the gift of sound with a vast collection of Tibetan Bowls! Treat yourself to one of our Sound Bath Healing Meditation Events. They are the last Sunday of every month!!!

The group intention stones and the Tibetan bowls collectively bring out harmony and love within our moving meditation.

Recently, I have experienced heart felt student participation. It’s really neat for me when a student brings me an intention stone.

Student, Jimmy Palmer was the first to gift an Intention stone to our Community. Jimmy identified the powerful UNITY in our CommUNITY!    His hand made stone of intention rests in our outside Zen Buddah Garden.

Two more students followed  in suit!   Thank you Joe Abercrombie for the thoughtful gift of our “Healing” intention stone!   Thank you Melanie Sanchez for the precious gift of our “Friends” intention stone!    Together they add a beautiful addition to our group focus inside the hot room!

I never really knew if anyone took the group intention to heart.

The other day student Thalia Hayden shared that she had a breakthrough in Standing Head to Knee pose.   She commented that the instruction that I gave her on form brought her the closest that she had ever been to the final expression of that pose.   Additionally she stated that she really focused on the group intention stone that was picked that day…… “BELIEVE”.

Today,   Thalia was back in the hot room.  Our group intention, “FRIENDS! ” Amongst “Friends” Thalia reached full expression of Standing Head to Knee and held it for a good length of time!!!!

We were all so excited for her!! Celebrating our “friends” accomplishments is what it’s all about!!!

Here at Bikram Yoga Palm Desert – El Paseo we are serious about our yoga but make no mistake about the immense humor and laughter that resonates throughout the studio on a daily basis.

One day I had a couple of students focusing on the heat while the rest were seamlessly moving through their asanas. There was an exaggerated huffing, puffing, sighing, and heavy mouth breathing. I joked that I need an intention stone that reads, “No Drama”!

Teacher Joe Cuccaro , feeling my pain, promptly supplied me with his very own “home made” stone of intention that read, “No Drama”.  Our “NO DRAMA” stone is the largest stone in the sack and really weighs it down.

 

How appropriate is that???     Doesn’t drama usually weigh us down????

Happy NEW YOU Bikram Yoga El Paseo!!!    Lose the drama, celebrate your accomplishments amongst your friends,  share the special gifts that make you YOU, and NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN YOURSELF!!!

Oh, and challenge yourself this year!!     30 days, 26 postures, 2 breathing exercises and a happy healthier YOU in 2016!!

THIRTY DAY CHALLENGE STARTS JANUARY 10TH!!!!! (Grace period through the 17th) Hope to see you in the hot room soon and on that challenge board along side with me because I’ll be down in the trenches with you!!!

Namaste`