I have a secret, and I’m willing to share.
There is a place here in State College that has been my very own undisclosed getaway since this past January. Here, I am able to completely let go of my day’s obligations and connect my mind to the body. It is a small room, perhaps the size of two dorm rooms combined, and rewards me with the most powerful feeling every time I exit. This wonderful little nook is called Yoga in State College.
Yoga allows me to gain perfect control of my mind and body while feeling centered—being physically aware of where I am in the world—and at peace. The yoga style I practice is called Bikram yoga, and the classes are heated. The room usually reaches a high of 92 degrees Fahrenheit before the instructor has to turn down the heat to avoid fellow yogis from becoming dizzy and ill.
Yoga is a form of mental and physical training. It increases your balance, flexibility, muscle definition, and because the room is heated, it is prudent for weight loss—not that one should practice yoga purely for this reason.
The postures practiced in yoga are held for a sufficient amount of time so that they can physically operate organs and tissues, which in turn, release toxins from the body. Bikram yoga is a form of exercise and relaxation that is hard to explain to friends because no one quite understands how mind-blowing the experience truly is until they try it.
I am often asked, “What do you do there? It’s not like you’re running miles, how hard can it be?” and I sometimes struggle with an answer because there are no exact words to explain the empowerment I feel after a 90-minute rigorous yoga class.
Last week, two friends of mine walked into my room with glimmering foreheads and sweat beads dripping from every body part. To my surprise, they went to a class and had to leave after just 45 minutes of the strenuous workout. They were amazed at how exhausted yet amazing they felt.
So now that you all know my secret, I encourage you all to give Bikram yoga a try. I promise you will never feel more empowered and healthy in your life. And, if you are persistent with your yoga practice, you will see physical changes after just a few weeks. It is a natural detox and something we all need after a weekend full of late nights and binge eating!
Here’s the link to the Yoga in State College website where you can find a class schedule: http://www.soldprice.com/yoga.html