Bikram Yoga El Paseo

Bikram Yoga Palm Desert – El Paseo is winding down a fabulous summer!! Our family of Yogis joined together to sweat it out IN and OUT of the hot room all  summer  long!!!

Besides our regular scheduled classes, we joined together for several group events!! We had a fabulous Golf Tourney at PGA West followed by a pool party,   a special Sunday Social Tibetan Bowl Meditation/Anniversary Party    and   a YIN/ZIN yoga/fun night!!

The SPOT LIGHT however, was definitely our FIRST YOGI-CABO RETREAT in Cabo San Lucas Mexico!!! Fifteen Yogis shared a Spectacular FULL WEEK of Yoga and Activities. We left no stone unturned! We started every morning with meditation music and a full Bikram Class amidst waves crashing and ocean breezes.

We swam with the Dolphins, relaxed at the Spa, and danced the night away during our Salsa n Salsa Event!    We ate a home cooked meal at Italian night, went swimming , boating, shopping and sight seeing!!! Yes, we covered it all!!!

(Thats Yogini Jacqulyn  Rockin it out with Belle!!!)

(“One, Two, Three………Five, Six, Seven…….. what happened to Four??…….. JUST BREATH!! – Notice the Yoga mat in the background… Yoga by day, Salsa by night)

(ITALIAN NIGHT!!  Accolades to Chef  Francene and helper Greg!!  Oh, and  Yes that’s me in the back,  I’m  the  Italian girl doing  VINOASANA!!   It’s my signature pose!  ? )

 

For some of us the summer travel did not end there (or start there for that matter!) Following Cabo, we did a group road trip to Vegas where we booked special tickets to see one of our favorite Certified Bikram Yoga Guest teachers in his “JERSEY BOYS” acting role.  Changing hats, he taught at the local Bikram Studio the next day – and was fabulous in both roles!!!

I personally was very blessed this summer with the gift of travel like I’ve never experienced before!!!!  Prior to the above mentioned group trips, I had the amazing opportunity to visit one of my students at Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand.  It proved to be a great week of Yoga and reconnecting with the source!!

It was in Phuket, Thailand that I met the most cheerful, giving people. I was greeted by the quaint “sawadee ka” and received their generous gifts of spirit on a daily basis. Here I saw firsthand the life of truly selfless people. Most are Buddhists and one could take note of their relaxed , unhurried way of life!

It was in Cabo that I experienced an amazing level of camaraderie and closeness. My feelings weren’t individual. The group agrees that the connection and closeness that us yogis experienced as the week progressed was truly unique. Additionally, the weather cooperated and all yoga and activities went off without a hitch. We found that we traveled well together and looked forward to our yoga classes and group activities equally. It was an extraordinary balance!! So much so that this may turn out to be truly the trip of a lifetime on sooooo many levels.

(One for All and All for one!!  An Amazing Yogi Group Camaraderie!!!)

My final summer travels took me to Kauai…..my only non-yoga related trip………or was it??? Known as the most pristine and beautiful of the all the Hawaiian Islands, this slow paced “Garden Isle” revealed to me the TRUE MEANING OF FOCUS!!

I’m always telling my students that the meditative aspect of Bikram Yoga is the true HIDDEN  gem. I find that too often their energy is totally on the physical aspect of the asana when they look at themselves in the mirror. They allow their physical struggles to get in the way. Another common trait is those that focus on what others are doing instead of looking inward.    When a student tells me that “so in so was distracting because……..” I know that the real issue is within them and it is THEIR lack of focus that is the impeding factor.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Yin Yoga master Bernie Clark , “ The real Yoga is what you CAN’T see.”

Since Kauai attracts a lot of honeymoon couples, it wasn’t hard to identify the slew that I came across that week. One couple in particular really stood out!!!

While on a boat tour along the Napali Coast along with several honeymoon couples, one particular couple were mesmerizing. There were about 20 of us on that Yacht that evening but I’m sure they only saw each other.    While the rest of the honeymooners and us non-honeymooners roamed the decks   these two did not budge. Nestled in the corner on one of the couches on the top deck behind the Captain,  they only had their eyes on each other. Complete, deep focus like I’ve never quite witnessed before.

They barely moved for the 4 1/2 hour trip. They had matching Hawaiian Leis wrapped around their necks and she a matching flower in her hair.   They were totally attentive to each other. Since the ship mates served us our dinner and drinks  they didn’t necessarily have to move. I’m not even sure how much of the dramatic sea side shearing cliffs off the magnificent Napali Coast they actually viewed.  I’m not sure they could take their eyes off each other long enough!!

(Captain Andy’s Napali Coast dinner cruise is a must if you are visiting the Island of Kauai!!!)

 

Everybody should witness such a  deep level of concentration   then take it back into the hot room and let all the miscellaneous thoughts dissipate, clear out the distractions, and just focus!!!

TRULY FOCUS…..on their own breath, on their own third eye point and how they feel internally as they move in and out of Asana!!

Hope to see you you in the hot room soon!!! I’ll be there,  feeling blessed for my extraordinary gift of travel this summer,   grateful for my daily practice, grateful to share the world of Bikram Yoga with others and extremely grateful for all the wonderful Yogis in my life!!!!

Namaste`