BIKRAM YOGA MISSOULA

Taj Liszak

Pain is a relative thing as near as I can tell. My dog has what I consider a high tolerance for pain, whereas I and most of the humans I know have very low pain thresholds.

Back in the spring of 2002 I was in extreme pain (at least on the homosapiens scale). After years of working in construction, my spine was shot, and 3 or 4 times a year I would end up flat on my back and out of work for up to two weeks at a time. It was just after one such episode that I first met Meg Lattanzio, the former owner of Bikram Yoga Missoula. She took one look at me (hunched over and dragging one foot akin to Quasimodo) and said "Oh my god!  You have got to come to yoga" .

I went to Bikram Yoga for the first time in May of 2002. After my first class I thought,"Wow! That is the hardest workout I have ever done," hoping that I had the determination to come back again. I slowly progressed through the fundamentals of surviving 90 minutes of sweat and pain.

After practicing 2 to 3 times a week for about a year, I began to understand the breathing. Some postures got easier and others got harder as my body awareness increased. My core strength and flexibility grew, and I was able to push the postures to my limit. The beauty of Bikram Yoga is that the practice is an evolution; there is no end. It keeps progressing and the individual is in charge of his or her practice. My practice is integral for me on so many levels. First and foremost, it keeps me physically able to build houses. It also vastly lowers my stress level and centers my thoughts. Aside from a few minor glitches, I have had nearly 3 years of healthy spine and healthy mind and I owe it to my effort and the 26 postures of Bikram yoga.

Bill McDavid 

I have been asked to write a testimonial about my experience with Bikram Yoga and it is impossible to know where to begin. I lived in the southeastern United States for many years amidst oppressive summer heat and humidity. I escaped this misery by moving to Montana approximately 13 years ago. Age and long winters gradually took a toll on me despite my active lifestyle. I gained about 25 lbs and never seemed to find an exercise routine that didn't quickly become boring and monotonous.

Given my history with heat and humidity I don't exactly know how I overcame the notion of intentionally entering a room approaching 110 degrees with stifling humidity. I remember leaving my first class and feeling like I wanted to conquer this thing. Over the course of time (a year and a half as of this writing) I realized that Yoga is not something to be conquered. The postures are the same in every class, but the experience is completely different every time. There is never any monotony and there is always room to go to a "new place". It is something that you will, if you make it a regular part of your life, see benefits in ways far beyond your imagination. Not only did I lose the excess 25 lbs, but I have noticed a change in so many other aspects of my life. No heartburn,no fatigue, maximum energy levels, deep sleep, no need to worry about enjoying a pizza and so on.  I even enjoy going to Florida in August now!

Ann Garfinkle

Everyday there at least 3 million reasons not to go to yoga.  Everyday about 10,000 ofthe reasons are real,honest-to-goodness reasons -- reasons everyone shares: time constraints, work responsibilities,family obligations, the room is hot, the class is long, etc. But, then I remember what those 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises do for me, and I go to yoga.

Ask anyone with a regular Bikram Yoga practice about their experience and some of the responses will be the same.  They have experienced weight loss as well as an increase in strength, flexibility and concentration.  They feel better,their skin looks healthier, they have more energy.  For those who come to the practice with aches and pains, those are eased or disappear.

I share these experiences -- I have lost a lot of weight, I can now touch my toes and balance on a single, locked-out leg for nearly aminute, and my knee that has bothered me since an injury playing sports in high school feels healthier than I can remember.  Every one of these health benefits is worth the cost -- both time and money -- of the practice.

But for me, the real benefit of a regular Bikram Yoga practice is the way it has helped me to create a new relationship with myself -- a relationship that brings my mind back into alignment with my body, a relationship that greatly enhances the 22 and1/2 hours in each day not spent practicing Bikram yoga.  Specifically, Bikram Yoga has made me feel better about myself --I stand taller and feel more confident. Through Bikram Yoga I have learned that with a little determination I can do what at once seemed impossible, or at least highly unlikely. I have learned to blend extremes (i.e., hard work and ease, determination and compassion,e xertion and relaxation, etc) and as a result I encounter the world with more humility and humanity.  I feel as though everyone in my life has benefited from my practice of Bikram Yoga.

No doubt all of this would be true no matter where I practiced -- at any studio or in any hot room with a CD.  But for me, I know that my experience of Bikram Yoga has benefited greatly because of my experiences at the Missoula studio.  The studio itself is comfortable and inviting.  The teachers are uniformly of high-quality -- they are helpful and have seemed to know when to give me the push I need to go further in my practice and when to remind me to just breathe.  In addition, I think that by taking advantage of some of the studio's offerings (i.e., private sessions and the 60-day challenge) my growth as a Bikram Yoga student has been enhanced, accelerated, and deepened.

All of this is why, no matter how good or real the excuse I can create is, I just pick up my mat and towel and head to the studio for another day's
Bikram class.  I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Paul Anderson

Since I began practicing Bikram Yoga 18 months ago, I have experienced numerous benefits.  My strength, flexibility and balance have definitely improved.  But the real surprise occurred in other areas.  I sleep more soundly and awake much more rested.  It is easier to keep
my concentration on the job at hand and to live in the moment.  Practicing Bikram Yoga is helping my aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning.  Biking and hiking has been easier and more fun.  Yesterday I went cross-country skiing at Lolo Pass and I had a lot of energy and I really enjoyed the afternoon.  The sun was warm and life is better with Bikram.