Key athletes, what are you doing in the off season? Want to up your game? Want to stay and play longer? Kareem Abdul Jabbar stayed in the NBA until age 42 and and practiced Bikram yoga during his off season. Thousands of other athletes today are using it to keep their minds and bodies healthy and sharp.

Your body has to stretch to stay vibrant, flexible and healthy. Pliable, supple and flexible are indicators of life. Stiffness and inflexibility are indicators of death. Just like a big old tree will snap in a wind storm, while the flexible tree — full of life — will reach towards the sky when the storm passes. Your body needs to stretch every day.

This video is shows the muscle fibers by using cadavers. Viewer discretion is advised.

These are the foundation level postures we use in the Hot Yoga Class, Vinyasa Class and Hot Yoga Basics.

Our lineage incorporates hundreds of postures, however these are the foundation in which we build from. All internal organs, ligaments, muscles, tendons, cells; also respiratory, circulatory, central nervous, reproductive, digestive, lymphatic, and immune systems are enhanced to maintain optimal health and equilibrium in the body. Most importantly, the spine is made stronger and more supple which brings about tremendous circulation and life force within the body. These postures were made famous in the west by Bikram and are a part of a lineage handed down through his teacher, Bishnu Gosh.

This is why we also teach basic Sun Salutations/meditation (not shown below) as a tool to use daily to keep the body healthy and strong in your daily life – Because we believe in a regular practice regardless of where you are, or time constraints – whether it’s 10 minutes a day or 180 minutes.

Over the next year or so, we will delve deeper into these and other postures in order to gain a deeper understanding of how we are strengthening our bodies, and the medical benefits of different asanas.

	Standing Deep Breathing Increases lung capacity and helps with breathing problems Helps with insomnia, nervousness, and irritability Good for heart and high blood pressure
	Half Moon/Hands to Feet Gives quick energy and vitality Revitalizes liver, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys Corrects bad posture
	Awkward Pose Increases hip joint flexibility and relieves muscular aches and cramps Increases circulation to knees and ankles Helps neuropathy
	Eagle Improves flexibility of ankles, knees, hips, wrists, elbows, and shoulders Relieves tension in neck and shoulders Improves sexual vitality and control
	Standing Head to Knee Develops concentration, determination, and patience Improves flexibility of sciatic nerve Good for diabetes
	Standing Bow Pulling Pose Flushes out kidneys helping to eliminate toxins Improves sciatica Improves lower spine and relieves lower back pain
	Balancing Stick Strengthens the heart muscle Improves circulation Increases lung capacity
	Standing Separate Leg Stretching Helps and prevents sciatica Improves function of internal organs Brings blood to the brain
	Triangle Improves every muscle, joint, tendon, and internal organ Revitalizes nerves, veins, and tissues Improves crooked spines
	Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Helps manic depression Stretches, tones, and decongests the spinal column and nervous system Massages the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, spleen, and intestines
	Tree Pose Improves posture and balance Improves circulatory disorders Increases flexibility of ankles, knees, and hips
	Toe Stand Develops focus and patience Good for the feet Helps with hemorrhoid problems
	Dead Body Pose Helps high blood pressure Improves concentration Good for hypertension, nervousness, anxiety, and irritability
	Wind Removing Pose Helps and prevents constipation and irritable bowel syndrome Improves flexibility of the hip joints and relieves lower back pain Stimulates the liver, small and large intestine, and spleen
	Sit-up Strengthens and tightens the abdomen Increases flexibility of the spine, hamstrings, and sciatic nerve Improves vitality
	Cobra Pose Increases spinal strength and flexibility, relieves low back pain Helps relieve stress as it improves function of kidneys and adrenals Good for diabetes
	Locust Pose Same as Cobra Clears out cholesterol Improves wrist and elbow issues
	Full Locust Pose Same as Cobra and Locust Massages internal organs Opens the chest
	Bow Pose Combines all the benefits of Cobra, Locust, and Full Locust Good for diabetes Improves flexibility of hip and shoulder joints
	Fixed Firm Pose Strengthens and improves flexibility of lower spine, knees, and ankles Good for sciatica and varicose veins Good prevention for hernia
	Half Tortoise Pose Provides maximum relaxation Good for diabetes and anemia Massages heart, lungs, and coronary arteries
	Camel Pose Good for osteoporosis Good for diabetes, high blood pressure, and bronchial spasms Good for constipation
	Rabbit Pose Maintain mobility and elasticity of spine and back muscles Nurtures the nervous system, helps with depression Stimulates all glands and organs of the body
	Head to Knee with Stretching Pose Helps balance blood sugar levels; good for diabetes Good for immune system Improves kidney function
	Spine Twisting Pose Increases circulation and nutrition to spinal nerves, veins, and tissues Helps sciatica Improves digestion
	Blowing in Firm Pose Improves oxygenation to the body, helps to rid it of toxins Energizes and revitalizes the body, brings mental clarity and alertness Good for digestive system
	Final Dead Body Pose Teaches relaxation Increases feelings of gratitude Stimulates peacefulness

We all get stuff in our email. Sometimes it resonates and we are able to make a positive change, and sometimes we later wonder where the source actually came from. This one was from my mother and a cancer survivor. Before any change is made, there has to be an awareness and understanding first. So let me know what you think about this note in the comments at the bottom:

Forsyth Family Magazine

March 2012

Written by: Elisa D. Wallace

Triad Hot Yoga brings the heat to the YMCA

            “Ultimately our goal is to help people live better healthier lives,” said John Budd, the driving force behind Triad Hot Yoga. “I originally got into yoga as a method of healing old injuries,” he continued. “I got more than I bargained for and my whole life improved: I was happier, could breathe more easily, and gained flexibility, strength and balance.”

Budd decided to open the studio after enjoying a long love affair with yoga exercises.  Originally in 1983, while attending Appalachian State, Budd sought out the practice to help recuperate from a painful neck and back injury received playing high school sports.  Later on after serving in the Military as a pilot he would return to practicing.

The instructor enjoyed intense sports. From running to martial arts, Budd enjoyed pushing his body to the limit. However, with the rush that comes with these sports, also comes the wear and tear they do to the body. After tearing the cartilage and ligaments in both of his knees, Budd knew something had to change. The yogi then returned to yoga and began learning about all of the different variations.

Athletes in their prime, who like Budd enjoyed pushing the limits, would come to Budd for guidance when practicing yoga. “I was amazed at how yoga helped athletes who were in their best shape, quicken their reflexes and extend longitivity in their sport.”

Yet it isn’t only elite athletes who can benefit from yoga. “From recovering addicts to star athletes, anyone can benefit from yoga,” said Budd. “Yet most people quit practicing yoga before they receive any real benefit and their mind refuses to look inward.” The pilot went on to discuss how “when you stop the ‘Mind Stuff,’ it allows God to work miracles.”

Different from traditional, non-heated yoga sessions, the heated studio allows muscles, joints and tendons to stretch more easily, while also detoxifying the body through sweating. The end result being improved health, focus, strength, balance, flexibility, and vitality.  Practicing students ultimately begin to handle stress better. “The focus for our students,” continued Budd “is to intimately intertwine their breath, mind and body, during each session.”

The importance of being able to handle high stress is one thing the pilot knows a great deal about. “While serving overseas, I saw upfront how there is humanity behind all people: including our enemies,” he said. “Some people make bad choices, but they are still created in God’s image,” continued the instructor.  “And that is why I enjoy practicing yoga so much; it celebrates and values all human life, regardless of religion, nationality, race, or sex,” said Budd. “The international yoga community is amazing and transcends all boarders.”

Like all of the instructors at Triad Hot Yoga, Budd is certified in a number of different yoga practices. “I enjoy all types of yoga; from Bikram, which is highly intense to Anusara, which focuses on the five universal principles of alignment and ultimately brings out my intuitive side,” he said.

Today Budd is a certified Bikram Yoga Teacher. He also is certified to teach level 2 and level 3 Hot Vinyasa Yoga through the Barkan Method. Budd holds a 200 hour level Anusara Inspired teaching certificate through Seaside Yoga and is a RYT through the Yoga Alliance.

Erin Alexander is another Triad Hot Yoga instructor. Alexander received her Bikram Yoga teacher certificate in 2003 in Los Angeles, CA. She has been practicing yoga since 1998 and Bikram Yoga since 2000.

Dwyane Morgan is the newest instructor.  He is RYT through the Yoga Alliance, 2^nd degree MMA black belt, served in the special operations community as an Airborne Ranger, and is a highly skilled Alexander Technique Instructor.

When asked what separates the studio from others, Budd said “we don’t recite a scripted dialog, and for teachers that forces us to be more connected and creative with our teaching.”  Classes are alignment oriented, and both basic and advanced level postures are taught. It is through constant offering of various yoga postures that students will most benefit. “By changing our postures and breathing, students have a better range of motion, and deeper breakthroughs,” he ended.

Partnering with the YMCA is another aspect that makes the studio different. “I’ve been connected to the YMCA my whole life; so it wasn’t a difficult decision to partner with them.” Budd’s hot yoga studio is located within the Robinhood YMCA.  The YMCA offers childcare, teen care, other programs, and great pricing.

Budd was also pleased to note that the Y’s main mission is the same as Triad Hot Yoga. “Our studio focuses on the same core values as the YMCA: to develop programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.” For more information on Triad Hot Yoga, visit them online at www.triadhotyoga.com

You can break free. A yoga teacher and psychologist shares her blueprint for transforming negative habits. By Bo Forbes

As a yoga teacher, I see several archetypes in my classroom, yet none so disquieting as the driven and unconscious student who, with glazed eyes, goes to the extreme or attempts the most advanced variation of every pose. Completely dissociated, he pushes further and further, unable to take in corrections or adjustments. Not until he stresses his body to the point of injury or exhausts his nervous system might he notice the potential harm of this cycle. Meanwhile, the nectar of awareness lies just beyond his reach: Backing off and inhabiting his practice in a more relaxed way could bring greater sensation, awareness, and growth.

As a psychologist, I’m aware that the repetitive behavior students exhibit during yoga class originated long before they stepped onto the mat; the classroom is simply the arena in which we can witness our deeply ingrained habits in all their glory. According to yogic philosophy, we’re born with a karmic inheritance of mental and emotional patterns—known as samskaras—through which we cycle over and over again during our lives.

The word samskara comes from the Sanskrit sam (complete or joined together) and kara (action, cause, or doing). In addition to being generalized patterns, samskaras are individual impressions, ideas, or actions; taken together, our samskaras make up our conditioning. Repeating samskaras reinforces them, creating a groove that is difficult to resist. Samskaras can be positive—imagine the selfless acts of Mother Theresa. They can also be negative, as in the self-lacerating mental patterns that underlie low self-esteem and self-destructive relationships. The negative samskaras are what hinder our positive evolution.

Get a Brand-New Groove
The Nasadiya, or Creation Hymn, in the Rig Veda—the oldest sacred text of Hinduism—speaks of an oceanic darkness that covered the life force of creation: “Darkness was hidden by darkness in the beginning, / with no distinguishing sign, all this was water. / The life force that was covered by emptiness, / that one arose through the power of heat.” This is a metaphor for our spiritual birth: In the beginning, we, like the universe, contain an ocean of unconsciousness dotted by archipelagic areas of awakening; together, they make up our inner world. Then something is sparked, and a process begins. Our goal is to shine awareness on the dark ocean, to bring ourselves into being. To do so, we need to exchange our negative samskaras for positive ones.

Samskara is universal; it’s one of the elements that define the human condition. We are, undeniably, creatures of habit, and the physical, mental, and emotional places we often gravitate toward are the well-navigated galaxies of negative samskara. Yet the Yoga Sutra (II.16) states, “Heyam duhkham anagatam,” or “Future suffering is to be avoided.” Sounds simple enough, but how do we do it?

Over the years, I’ve witnessed countless people caught in the pull of destructive samskaras and nearly as many struggling to create healthier patterns. When used in synergy, yoga—which generates insight through the physical body—and psychology—which examines the emotional realm—can be tremendously effective in the battle against negative samskaras. From the interweaving of these two healing philosophies has emerged the guide that follows, with seven steps for transforming samskaras.

STEP ONE Sankalpa (Intention) Changing samskaras is not an accidental process, a formula we stumble upon without meaning to. In the struggle to create healthier samskaras, sankalpa (intention) is what mythologist Joseph Campbell termed a “call to awakening.” Sankalpa unites our mind with those deeper parts of ourselves that can be so hard to access. Conscious use of sankalpa is a compelling way of communicating what we want to our emotional and spiritual bodies.
At the beginning of my yoga classes, before chanting Om, I invite students to call to mind an intention for their practice. The intention can be nonviolence, awareness of the breath, or something more personal. Whatever form the intention takes, setting it consciously before beginning to practice galvanizes our inner resources and aligns them with the energy of change. Sankalpa acts as a guiding sutra, or “thread,” that we weave throughout our yoga practice, on and off the mat. Yet we still need more steam to take us full-course.

STEP TWO Tapas (Intensity) This steam is provided by tapas (intensity, perseverance, or heat). Tapas is the intensity that ignites our psychological process and helps sustain the discipline required for change. Falling back on our old habits, however unhealthy they may be, can feel like a comforting release in the short term. But anytime we manage to refrain from repeating a particular samskara, that action retains a concentrated energy inside of us. This energy fans the flame of awareness, bringing our inner wisdom to light. Intensity for its own sake, however, can be a form of negative samskara, so it’s important that tapas be tempered with intelligence.

We create tapas in part by committing to the daily “work” of our samskara practice; this type of work can range from doing our physical asana practice every day to waking earlier than usual to meditate, write in a journal, or practice yoga. We also generate tapas through abstinence from negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors; this involves maintaining vigilance around our samskaras and refraining from their pull. Continued renewal of our commitment to changing samskaras creates a well of tapas from which we can draw when we need to, and ultimately awakens the true Self.

But once we’ve married intention with tapas, how do we refrain from repeating the lightning-fast responses that activate old samskaras?

STEP THREE Shani (Slowing)
Samskaras are instinctual and can be activated in the blink of an eye. But reacting impulsively only strengthens samskaras, making them even more irresistible. In much the same way as top-notch athletes watch slow-motion video replays to detect movement patterns and improve performance, shani (slowness) can lengthen the interval between impulse and action. This allows for greater reflection, helping us detect whether or not our actions stem from old samskaras.

Take Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose), for example. Suppose we are flexible in the shoulders and upper back but stiff in the lower back and hamstrings. Instinctively, we might exploit our flexibility and push the shoulders, upper back, and ribs as far down as possible, keeping the lower back and hamstrings asleep. Slowing down and holding the pose longer can make us aware of this movement pattern. We can then lift the shoulders to awaken the lower back and hamstrings and explore what’s happening there.

At first, we may encounter tightness or resistance. This is a blessing, because unpleasant sensations often lead us to rich material. We might learn about our physical patterns of movement, or about memories or emotions locked within our tight places. Imagine what we can gain from bringing this reflective approach to our lives off the mat.

When we slow down, we begin to intuit where change is most authentic and honors our deeper selves. We begin to look inward, to develop insight.

STEP FOUR Vidya (Awareness) What trains our sights on the parallel inner worlds of anatomy, psychology, and spirit—where the roots of samskara lie—is vidya (awareness or seeing clearly). Laserlike, it illuminates these worlds, whether they are made of muscle, fascia, and fluid or of thought, emotion, and impulse. Vidya helps us recognize our thoughts, behaviors, and movements as samskara. It upgrades our ability to question ourselves intelligently. From “Why is this happening to me?” we evolve to more penetrating questions, such as, “What does this pattern have to tell me?”

However, intellectual insight that does not travel beyond the mind seldom translates into change. Because the body houses our emotional intelligence, it might not assimilate the insight. Yoga acts through the medium of the body, taking vidya to even deeper levels. Through yoga, we integrate and experience physically and emotionally what we intellectually know to be true.

Yet even insight isn’t enough to break free of old samskaras. There’s usually a moment when we’re ready to change yet find ourselves held captive by an unseen force. What is this unseen force? Why does it paralyze us, so maddeningly, just when we’re ready to surge forward?

STEP FIVE Abhaya (Fearlessness) Part of the lure of old samskaras is the belief that “the devil you know is better than the one you don’t.” We tend to prefer the familiar to the unknown.

The alluring nature of samskara contributes to this. It is artful, magician-like: It mesmerizes us with endless repetitions of a pattern, the polishing of its deep groove, while deftly concealing the fears, needs, and beliefs that lie beneath.

Changing samskara requires abhaya (fearlessness). Abhaya helps us face the unknown. When we cut off a destructive relationship, for instance, we might worry about finding someone else. Yet without the distraction of the relationship, we face deeper issues, such as the feelings of shame or worthlessness that may have led us into the relationship in the first place. Through abhaya, we learn to tolerate unpleasant sensations, like grief, letting them pass without resorting to the comfort of old samskaras.

STEP SIX Darshana (Vision) Once we’ve examined the roots of our patterns, we must finally create a new samskara. To do this, we need to envision what it might look like.

This is where darshana (vision) comes into play. When we create a vision for our new pattern, we must give it a life force more vital than the old one. We need to convince ourselves that it is real. We use our senses and emotions to bring it to life: What does it look, smell, or feel like? The more we visualize (and experience) the new pattern, the more real and compelling it becomes By making space in the body during yoga, we generate freedom in the mind; this freedom can spark our creativity, helping us find an unlimited choice of healthier patterns.

I often encourage students in Savasana (Corpse Pose) to create a memory of freedom and space in previously tight mental, emotional, and physical places. This memory is a blueprint for the freedom and expansive vision that lie at the heart of transforming samskara.

STEP SEVEN Abhyasa (Practice) When starting a new pattern, or in times of stress, the lure of old patterns is strongest. Abhyasa (practice) helps make our new samskara more powerful than the old; the more we reinforce the new groove, the stronger it becomes. Understanding what can trigger a relapse and rededicating ourselves to our practice keep us from backsliding. This is a good time to ask, “How can my practice be more reflective? Which of the seven elements do I need to work on? What sends me into a tailspin?”

Like beads on a yoga mala, each of the elements of samskaric repatterning builds on the previous one. Together these elements, like the whole mala, become an instrument for spiritual practice.

Breaking New Ground

All patterns, even samskaras, represent order. When we leave an old pattern behind, we enter a liminal space—a bardo, to borrow a Tibetan term. Like the space between an exhalation and the next inhalation, this place is ripe with unlimited possibilities for new choices.

This in-between space can be unsettling. During a recent session, a woman poignantly asked, “If I let go of these beliefs, will I still be myself?” We often resist new patterns for fear of losing the identities we’ve so carefully constructed. And it’s true that when we change a long-held pattern, we undergo a rebirth of sorts. This rebirth hints at a new incarnation, a more evolved version of the self. Yet improving our samskara brings us closer to our true nature, which is the goal of yoga.

Samskara is also defined as a perfecting and polishing, a process of cultivation. Shifting samskara, then, is the ongoing work of chipping away at our negative patterns to illuminate the purity of the soul. Like alchemists in our own transformation, we constantly refine and direct our samskara into healthier designs.

The good news is that the ability to shift our patterns—once we’ve sown the seeds—is self-generating, self-sustaining, and self-renewing. When we’re patient enough to facilitate samskara’s organic process, to honor its inner sound and slow rhythm, change simply flows. And it’s a joy to taste the reward of all this hard work in its natural form, the sweetness that arises from seeing long labor and preparation come to fruition.

Bo Forbes, Psy.D., lives and practices in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Welcome to the Triad Hot Yoga Blog!  Much more good stuff  is to come – so stay tuned.  Lots of good energy in the new studio.  The picture is of Boman Gray in Poornasalabasana.  If you have a good picture anywhere, anyplace, any posture, please send it and we will do our best to post it because we love people pictures!!!  Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Boman Gray in Poornasalabasana!