Wisdom from a Wise Woman

By Melody Wooding 

As a result of two car accidents in which I was hit from behind, I was left with chronic back pain. My exposure to Bikram Yoga, was from my friend Janice who I met while working at The Bon Marche (now  Macys.)
Janice would notice. during our friendship that I would complain about my back. Although I had been seeing a chiropractor for over a year, I was not getting better.
 
Over the course of our friendship Janice said to me "You should go to Yoga" over and over again....
 
And so, at the age of 55, I began my Bikram Journey. One Saturday morning while she was visiting me, Janice left my apartment and came back with a Yoga mat, and said ',"We're
going to Yoga."
 
I had no idea what I was in for.  The class was a very interesting experience--very intense. I came away having stretched every muscle in my body. The next day I could hardly move, but I went back. For several years, I commuted to a Northend studio to practice, often dealing with traffic and raised bridges, but I would still  go no matter what. And then in 2001, I heard through the Grapevine that The SweatBox on Capitol Hill was opening, I was so glad we were going to have our own studio near my home.
 
During the first week The Sweatbox opened, I went. I was the 39th person to join, almost ten years ago. I truly feel a lot better, but most of all, I have a extended family at The SweatBox.
 I have watched the studio grow from sometimes having one person in a class, 3 people in a class
to and average day of 25-30 practicing students in a class.
 
I have completed 5 of the semi-annual SweatBox 30 day challenges a year, one year even completing it with my back out. I could hardly walk, but I decided it couldn't be any worse if I did the challenge.  I completed the challenge and, of course, my back felt a lot better.

This past August I was 67 years old....... So, all of you over 50, know that you can have long and healthy life "through Yoga". I very seldom have any problems with my back, Yoga has become a very important part of my life, and by the way I just completed "October Challenge"
 
Melody Wooding can be found practicing, helping out, and inspiring all youngins around the Capitol Hill studio.