In a daunting leap of faith, I drove myself to my local yoga studio hoping to turn a stressful day into a sweaty workout. Before I knew it, I was swiping my card and purchasing two weeks of unlimited hot yoga classes.
Two months prior, my one-week trial at the same studio ended up being a one-day endeavor—I ran for the hills after just one class! Fast forward to my impulsive purchase just a few months later—why did I now find myself signing up for two more weeks?
I walked into the familiar dimly lit studio and rolled out my mat. Here I was again, this time only more determined to get the full extent of my short membership. As the class took its course, I sweated (an understatement), I reverted into child’s pose, and I grasped for my water bottle as if it were a life jacket amidst my ocean of sweat. It was certainly not the most glamorous use of an hour. Nonetheless, I went back the next day. And the next day after that. After one week, I was already feeling like a hot yoga veteran.
By week two, grabbing my yoga mat became my favorite part of my daily routine. I was addicted, not only because I enjoyed it at face value, but because of the way it was shaping my relationship with myself. In two short weeks, I found an outlet for my anxiety, a gateway into possessing a healthy relationship with my body, and a new outlook on exercise as a whole.
The changes I felt were unforeseen—a direct opposite from my initial motivation. I signed up out of a hatred for my body, as a punishment for being lethargic, lazy, and immobile for the past couple of months. I finished with an absolute adoration for my body—which, by the way, had not changed much in shape or form over the two weeks. Same body, different mindset.
With my newfound insight, I decided to do some research. Hot yoga was popularized in the United States by guru Bikram Choudhury. Choudhury began teaching his form of Hatha yoga in Calcutta, India, and then moved to spread his practice to the United States in the 1970s. Choudhury was inspired by the teachings of Bishnu Charan Ghosh, as a key component to the practice of hot yoga is Ghosh’s practice known as “asanas.” These asanas are a series of postures that promote bodily control, and are a staple of hot yoga.
Hot yoga is exactly what it sounds like: practicing yoga in a heated space. It is a challenge both physically and mentally,but not without reward! The benefits one can reap from this practice far outweigh the struggle to adjust to high temperatures through the first few classes.
For example, the high temperatures involved in hot yoga are said to detoxify the body, and according to the International Journal of Yoga, hot yoga may produce “modulation of stress hormones,” proving the practice to be a healthy option to reconnect your mind and body to create an outlet for stress relief.
Hot yoga as a transformative fusion of different yoga practices can be life-changing for those who dare commit, and after two weeks, I can say that it definitely was! Once I got over the uncomfortable temperatures, actually let myself relish in my hard-earned sweat, and let the heat center my focus, I started to see myself as a “yogi.”
Now, turning something I used to dread into a vehicle for wellness. I loved my two weeks of hot yoga so much that when they drew to an end, I didn’t think twice when upgrading to a full membership. I learned to embrace the sweat, I learned to embrace exercising as a way to feel good (not look good), and above all, I now embrace hot yoga as part of my daily life.