Mak
Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher
I had heard a few people talking about Bikram Yoga and how good it was for you and how challenging it was. But of course like most people, I had a misconception of what yoga was. I thought it was just stretching. When I heard how much it cost, I was immediately opposed to trying it. I mean, money is hard to come by right? I was very fit and already busy with Ice Hockey and Roller Hockey. As well, I had a gym membership that I was using regularly. I was a frequent jogger, swimmer and loved to do the Grouse Grind.
I agreed to go to my first Bikram Yoga Class in the summer of 2004. I did not get the point of the class and thought it was just another way to get fit or exercise. I will tell you that I tried to run out of the room as I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Luckily, the instructor commandingly told me to stay in the room and lie on my mat. And after only a minute of lying down still, I was fine.
I did not think I would ever do it again. My ego told me that it was ‘too expensive’. Yes, my mind is my biggest enemy, like all of us. And it was especially so then. I did not do another class for a couple of months. But at the urging of my wife, who had joined up, I agreed to try it again. I felt great after class and bought some classes thinking I would do yoga a couple of times a month to improve my flexibility. Well, I went four times that week and felt like a new man. Shortly after regular practice, my aches and pains from sports injuries and car accidents felt much better, and some were even gone. My sleep improved and I had more energy. In the spring of 2005, I was told that Bikram was coming to Vancouver that summer and I should go to listen to him. After a few weeks and much reluctance to spend money to hear some yoga guy, I bought a ticket to his seminar. Well, let me tell you, he rocked my world and changed my life and way of thinking. He spoke things I never heard before and luckily I was willing and open to receiving it. Within minutes of him opening his mouth, I was at complete attention. The very next day I called down to Bikram Yoga Headquarters in Los Angeles, and asked about registering for Teacher Training. Here I was too poor and cheap to spend money to do the yoga, and now within days of meeting Bikram, I made a decision to go more into debt by spending well over $10,000 on credit cards to become a Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher. I decision which still today I have absolutely no regrets about!!
Bikram Yoga is 100% exercise for the whole body and able to heal and give you the best health over any other form of exercise. That is the truth. I didn’t know that and like most didn’t want to believe it. I thought I knew about health. I have now met so many people who’s lives have changed and even been saved from this gift. I still meet more of them everyday. Unfortunately, many of us are unwilling to challenge ourselves and actually open our minds and commit to something new and challenging (like I was at first). They quit because they think it is 'too hard' or the mind lies saying it is not for them. That is ok. I guess they will come back in their own time.
But me, I am 110% committed. I used to care more about material things. Now if someone offered me a million dollars and said that for the money, I would not be able to do or teach Bikram Yoga and help myself and others, I would without hesitation say ‘No Thank You’.
Without health, we have nothing!!
I look forward to seeing you in the hot room with us soon, transforming your body and your mind.
I agreed to go to my first Bikram Yoga Class in the summer of 2004. I did not get the point of the class and thought it was just another way to get fit or exercise. I will tell you that I tried to run out of the room as I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Luckily, the instructor commandingly told me to stay in the room and lie on my mat. And after only a minute of lying down still, I was fine.
I did not think I would ever do it again. My ego told me that it was ‘too expensive’. Yes, my mind is my biggest enemy, like all of us. And it was especially so then. I did not do another class for a couple of months. But at the urging of my wife, who had joined up, I agreed to try it again. I felt great after class and bought some classes thinking I would do yoga a couple of times a month to improve my flexibility. Well, I went four times that week and felt like a new man. Shortly after regular practice, my aches and pains from sports injuries and car accidents felt much better, and some were even gone. My sleep improved and I had more energy. In the spring of 2005, I was told that Bikram was coming to Vancouver that summer and I should go to listen to him. After a few weeks and much reluctance to spend money to hear some yoga guy, I bought a ticket to his seminar. Well, let me tell you, he rocked my world and changed my life and way of thinking. He spoke things I never heard before and luckily I was willing and open to receiving it. Within minutes of him opening his mouth, I was at complete attention. The very next day I called down to Bikram Yoga Headquarters in Los Angeles, and asked about registering for Teacher Training. Here I was too poor and cheap to spend money to do the yoga, and now within days of meeting Bikram, I made a decision to go more into debt by spending well over $10,000 on credit cards to become a Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher. I decision which still today I have absolutely no regrets about!!
Bikram Yoga is 100% exercise for the whole body and able to heal and give you the best health over any other form of exercise. That is the truth. I didn’t know that and like most didn’t want to believe it. I thought I knew about health. I have now met so many people who’s lives have changed and even been saved from this gift. I still meet more of them everyday. Unfortunately, many of us are unwilling to challenge ourselves and actually open our minds and commit to something new and challenging (like I was at first). They quit because they think it is 'too hard' or the mind lies saying it is not for them. That is ok. I guess they will come back in their own time.
But me, I am 110% committed. I used to care more about material things. Now if someone offered me a million dollars and said that for the money, I would not be able to do or teach Bikram Yoga and help myself and others, I would without hesitation say ‘No Thank You’.
Without health, we have nothing!!
I look forward to seeing you in the hot room with us soon, transforming your body and your mind.
Ignacio Mingo
Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher
Ignacio discovered Bikram Yoga back in 2009 by chance. After a couple classes he knew it was going to change his life, and, it soon did!
After experiencing firsthand the amazing benefits this practice brought into his life in the physical, mental and spiritual planes he quickly engaged to the Mexico City studio. He became a devoted follower of Bikram and his yoga series, which led him to the Spring 2011 Teacher Training in Los Angeles to learn directly from Boss, Rajashree, Emmy and other senior teachers. He taught the Bikram series at Mexico for a couple years before coming to Vancouver to continue his studies and his yoga practice. He wishes to inspire you to keep locking the knee and share his experiences so you can get the best from Bikram Yoga!
Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher
Ignacio discovered Bikram Yoga back in 2009 by chance. After a couple classes he knew it was going to change his life, and, it soon did!
After experiencing firsthand the amazing benefits this practice brought into his life in the physical, mental and spiritual planes he quickly engaged to the Mexico City studio. He became a devoted follower of Bikram and his yoga series, which led him to the Spring 2011 Teacher Training in Los Angeles to learn directly from Boss, Rajashree, Emmy and other senior teachers. He taught the Bikram series at Mexico for a couple years before coming to Vancouver to continue his studies and his yoga practice. He wishes to inspire you to keep locking the knee and share his experiences so you can get the best from Bikram Yoga!
Anh Ly
Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher
In 2002 I suffered a traumatic brain injury that had left me in a wheelchair. The doctors said that I would have the intelligence of a 2 year old child. I lost all motor skills and my speech was impaired as well. I had a lot of therapy. Since then, I started being active and I want to live a healthy lifestyle. I went to the gym and started running. I didn't start my first Bikram class until May 2007 and I hated it so much. When I started practicing Bikram Yoga, I was walking, but I had a lot of emotional issues. I then went on and did some more running and cardio kick boxing. It wasn't until the stress grew to high levels that I gave Bikram Yoga another shot. I went back around Jan 2011 to give it another try and after that second class, I was instantly hooked. I went with no expectations; I sweated all my stress and worries out in the hot room. At the end of class, I had never felt better. I graduated teacher training fall of 2011. The class is the exact same postures and 90 minutes each time but everyday our practice is different. Bikram yoga has helped me respect myself and accept myself for who I am. Sometimes we have such rocking classes and some days it’s just so hard, but we learn to take what our body gives us today and try the best we can for that day. When I had the brain injury back then, I was in diapers. I had to learn everything all over again. I use to walk out of the class every single time. My bladder was weak or so I thought. Bikram Yoga helped train my mind and bladder. Staying in the room was what helped me. Never in my life have I ever felt stronger, mentally, physically, emotionally, as I do now. This is thanks to Bikram Yoga. Our mind is very strong. We can overcome anything if we believe in ourselves and not give up. I never thought or dreamed that I could stand on the podium and be teaching. I recently had a blood test done and tested positive for rheumatoid arthritis and connective tissue disease. I was told there is no inflammation in my blood right now and nothing active. But if that changes, they can only prescribe me medication for it. There is no cure. Bikram Yoga has helped me stay away from the medication. Some days are harder than others. Despite all this, I still participated in the yoga competition; as it is not about winning but about beating ourselves and striving to do our very best. There is no stop sign unless we stop ourselves. When there is a will, there is a way. Never give up and lock that damn knee!
Adam Chipiuk
Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher
I know how powerful we can be. Every thought, whether positive or negative, eventually in the future becomes a reality. During my last year of dental school I was not happy with whom I was. When I looked in the mirror I didn’t recognize the eyes I was looking into to. Still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery I was unable to do cardio exercises. I had bulked up by taking creatine, and living in New York City I was partying a lot. The image in the mirror was not the person I felt within. Becoming stressed and angry with my decision to attend dental school added to my unhappiness. I always wanted to change and save lives but helping someone’s tooth or fixing a smile wasn’t going to cut it. I remember a professor once say if you get cancer it might as well be Hodgkins Lymphoma because it has a good cure rate. I laughed and whispered “As if we get a choice.” Well guess what?!? Exactly on my 30th birthday, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Each day I would repeat several mantras; “I will survive, I will survive.” “Cancer you have no idea who you’re messing with. As it turns out, my journey in life brought me to Los Angeles where I began an Orofacial Pain residency at University of California Los Angeles in July 2010. I found an apartment that was a 10 minute bike ride to the hospital and to Bikram's International Headquarters. Believe me, I know how fortunate I was to be living in LA and taking classes from Bikram, Rajashree, Emmy and all the other senior teachers that would stop by. The more my heart grew with Bikram yoga, the less my heart was in the residency program. I was treating various pains from the neck up; temporomandibular joints, migraines, headaches, nerve disorders, muscle disorders. The primary way I was treating patients was prescribing medications. As the patients kept coming back for more pharmaceuticals, it was clear that the drugs were not working and patients were not getting cured. My actions were not having the positive effects on peoples life’s that I as a Doctor had intended and hoped for. Following eight months of regular practice, I resigned from my program and applied to Bikram Yoga Teacher Training program. I made this decision knowing that teaching Bikram Yoga would allow me to help, heal and cure others more than I could ever do by writing a prescription for medications.
I’ve always known our bodies have the ability to heal. Within us is already all we need. I didn’t have the tools to help others discover their potential until I started doing Bikram Yoga. If the body is in a state of relaxation it can heal itself. Concentrate on your breath, be patient and discover your mind, body and spirit's true potential!
Each day I would repeat several mantras; “I will survive, I will survive.” “Cancer you have no idea who you’re messing with. As it turns out, my journey in life brought me to Los Angeles where I began an Orofacial Pain residency at University of California Los Angeles in July 2010. I found an apartment that was a 10 minute bike ride to the hospital and to Bikram's International Headquarters. Believe me, I know how fortunate I was to be living in LA and taking classes from Bikram, Rajashree, Emmy and all the other senior teachers that would stop by. The more my heart grew with Bikram yoga, the less my heart was in the residency program. I was treating various pains from the neck up; temporomandibular joints, migraines, headaches, nerve disorders, muscle disorders. The primary way I was treating patients was prescribing medications. As the patients kept coming back for more pharmaceuticals, it was clear that the drugs were not working and patients were not getting cured. My actions were not having the positive effects on peoples life’s that I as a Doctor had intended and hoped for. Following eight months of regular practice, I resigned from my program and applied to Bikram Yoga Teacher Training program. I made this decision knowing that teaching Bikram Yoga would allow me to help, heal and cure others more than I could ever do by writing a prescription for medications.
I’ve always known our bodies have the ability to heal. Within us is already all we need. I didn’t have the tools to help others discover their potential until I started doing Bikram Yoga. If the body is in a state of relaxation it can heal itself. Concentrate on your breath, be patient and discover your mind, body and spirit's true potential!
