A New Chapter: Bikram Yoga

For those of you who know me and are wondering why I have created a new blog, I thought it was only appropriate to dedicate a blog soley to my Bikram Yoga. My old blog still exists for other life events. For those of you who do not know me, let me give you a little background of my situation. On April 25, 2008 I was admitted to the hospital for dehydration associated with withdrawing from a prescription drug that I had taken for about two weeks. After blood tests were drawn, it became apparent that I was in total liver and kidney failure as a result of the prescription. Twenty-four hours later I was at The Methodist Hospital in surgical ICU, number one on the liver transplant list being prepared. I am only 26 years old, so as you can imagine we were all in disbelief. Long story short, after spending two weeks in Methodist, mostly in the surgical ICU, my liver began healing itself, my kidneys started to bounce back as a result, I was removed from dialysis and ultimately discharged...no transplant.

I am very fortunate to have overcome such an event with such positive results but the recovery phase has been slow going. I was looking online for some Yoga that focused mostly on meditation, to relieve some stress and maybe a few poses here and there. This is when I fell upon Bikram Yoga and decided to give it a try. My coming entries will talk more about this. After my first class I decided that if I were going to do it, I wanted to do it right...God and health willing. For those of you who do not know about Bikram Yoga, this next section is for you.

Taken from the Bikram Yoga, The Woodlands website:

Bikram's Yoga is a beginner’s therapeutic series suitable for all ages and fitness levels. It is a challenging 90-minute class comprised of twenty-six postures and two breathing exercises.

The Bikram’s series encompasses all three aspects of fitness: Endurance, Strength and Flexibility. Each posture stretches and strengthens specific muscles, ligaments, and joints needed for the next posture. The Bikram method also stimulates the organs, glands and nerves, moving fresh oxygenated blood to the entire body – It is a masterful system which promotes health and vitality.

Bikram scientifically designed this vigorous program to deliver total health through the balancing and strengthening of every system in the body. It was designed to prevent illness, decrease the incident of injury and limit the effects of aging. In addition, the series combines skills of concentration, patience, determination and self-control, which increases mental clarity and reduces the effects of stress.

Bikram Yoga is practiced in a heated room. The heat has three primary benefits: first, it assists to warm the body to allow for deeper stretching without injury; second, it facilitates an excellent cardiovascular workout; and third, it assists to detoxify the body through perspiration.

Yoga is the only exercise in the world that can be performed at any age. And Bikram’s yoga was designed to improve your health, strengthen your mind and calm your soul.

Bikram's Yoga is a health system that provides everyone an avenue to enhance personal performance and assist to correct physical ailments. It uniquely provides the perfect marriage between the health and fitness industry as both are achieved by practicing one integrated approach.


Increases Energy - Vitality - Strength - Flexibility - Endurance - Blood Circulation - Lubrication of Joints - Weight Loss or Weight Gain – as it balances the bodies ideal weight

Improves Posture - Balance - Relaxation - Muscle Tone - Concentration - Immune System - Breathing and Lung Capacity

Assists Detoxification - Injury Recovery - Reduction of Stress - Reduces Symptoms of many Chronic Diseases - Integrates both Hemispheres of the Brain – which improves Memory and Learning