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January 2009 is a very special month for Bikram Yoga in Bend, Oregon. Originally opening Janaury 3, 2004, this month marks are five year anniversary. Since we initially opened many things have happened. Kimberly Canino was the original owner, then I bought half the school in 2005, then the other half in 2007. The studio has gone from a small school to a remodeld space that holds the current school.
Bikram Yoga Bend is now a thriving yoga school. The classes are busy, everyone is deepening their practice and many of you are leaving class with a smiling happy face. We have become a popular local establishment and an internationally known Bikram Yoga school. We are recognized as a school with strong students and commited teachers.
As we all move into 2009 the new year will possibly bring many changes. One way that many people celebrate these changes is to write a gratitude list. Regardless of what life may bring us there are so many opportunities to be grateful. Even those "things" that may have been a challenge to get through gives us more chances to grow. Now here we are ready to move forward into a new year and of course more opportunities to deepen our yoga practice.
Do you like to make resolutions? The year will bring 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours and 525,600 minutes. What is it that you want to do? Perhaps climb a mountain, be kinder to someone, give more to charity?
Some students will decide how many yoga classes they will do in a year. How many will you do in 2009? I know one student at another studio that set a plan to do 400 classes. Now, not everyone will do that many. But what about 240? That's just 20 classes a month. If you come 20 classes a month on a regular basis you will have a new body and new life. Whatever it is that you choose - make sure you do it.
Hope to see you in class today! Michael Harris, School Director
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| Quote of the Month |
"Yoga maintains youth long. It keeps the body full of vitality, immune to diseases, even at old, old age."
Bishnu Charan Ghosh
(Bikram Choudhury's Guru)
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Posture of the Month |
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Salabhasana
Remember the first time you did this posture. Perhaps you thought this is enough - I can never get my arms under my body. Then the teacher tells you to lift your locked leg up into the air. Huh? Then once you were able to do it, your arms and elbows hurt more than you can beleive.
This posture is a posture that has tremendous benefit to the spine. By learning to lock the knee in the standing series we are now able to lock the knee in this posture. As we do that and lift and lift we are working towards strengthening the upper spine. Eventually - one day in the future - we might even be able to get both legs all the way up and touch our head. But that is not so important in the beginning class.
A couple of reminders for this posture. Unless you had elbow surgery today, be sure to get your arms way under the body with the baby fingers touching. Keep your fingers spread apart and your palms flat. Your chin is forward on the floor. Then before you lift your leg - lock it out. Then as you lift watch your foot come up over the head. When you move to both legs be sure to readjust your arms and hands, keep your mouth on your towel (don't really kiss your towel!), lock both legs before you lift, then lift as high as you can - even if it is only an inch. Over time this will change.
In addition to the benefits to the spine this posture will help chase away arthritis, tennis elbow and help open the shoulders. You will also receive stretching of your legs and hips. Of course there are many more benefits that you will hear about in class.
Hope to see you in class today!
Michael Harris, School Director |
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Student of the Month |
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January 2009
Student of the Month
Deb Melhase
What can you say about Deb? Well two words - Simply Amazing! This woman has the ultimate in willingness and desire. Deb started attending Bikram Yoga in June 2004 out of "curiosity". That "curiosity" has changed her life.
Many of you never knew that Deb was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 2004. As with any initial cancer diagnosis she was stunned. First came the surgery in December 2004. Then came the chemotherapy and the radiation treatments. For many people a cancer diagnosis can stop you in your tracks. You might even think that at least it might stop a yoga practice. Not with Deb. It hardly stopped her at all. She became more determined than ever to continue to live a full and rich life.
Yes she had her down days - yet even though it was extremely difficult, she kept coming to yoga whenever she could. Hearing the teachers in class say the words "you can do anything for 20 seconds" transformed her reality. Deb found that she could do much more in class than she thought. She found her yoga class to be uplifting and it gave her a reason to get out of the house.
Yoga has a long history of helping individuals with various cancers. There are so many stories of individuals that find that there bodies will heal faster. There are those that find that their level of stress dimishes in yoga. Some have even found their cancer disappear for no apparent reason. Today more and more physicians are jumping into yoga to discover just how this ancient art is helping people heal. Even Dr. Tom Leimert, former Chief of Oncology for 25 years at Kaiser Hospital in Portland is now a certified Bikram Yoga teacher. He intends to use his medical knowledge and his new found yoga knowledge to continue to help students and patients alike.
Today Deb Melhase continues her Bikram Yoga practice three or four times a week. She might be in class next to you and you might not know it. Deb eats a healthy vegetarian diet. Most importantly her cancer is now in remission. You might say that Deb has a "smiling happy face".
Hope to see all of you in class very soon..!!
Michael Harris, School Director |
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Other News |
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Be sure to check our Gallery Page on the website. We will continue to add new photos. ---
We are looking for more testimonials. If you have a story to tell us about your yoga practice, please let us know. We might want to add you to our website. Take a look at the Testimonial Page now.
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We hope to see you in class today!!
Michael Harris, School Director
Bikram Yoga Bend, Oregon
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