New Studio Excitement.
It was great to have Juan visiting us at Bikram Yoga Kawana on 23 March. Kawana studio is not yet a year old so super inspiring for all, with one of the guys commenting he would have paid the money just to hear Juan speak.
The Demonstration.
Demonstrating the 26&2 for Juan has got to be brutalising; in true Bikram style, Juan talks away while they hold and hold and hold. I remember feeling a mixture of admiration and empathy for Erik Persson during Juan’s PC in Uppsala, Sweden last year, that poor bastard did such a sterling job. This time around it was Juan’s gf / manager, Elin. She inspirited us with a solid demonstration of the 26&2. I just loved how Juan coaxed the very best out of her and then a smile!
Breath & Alignment vs Depth.
Throughout the day, one thread dominated my thoughts: In the struggle for depth in asana, two things suffer: breath control and alignment. Yet these are the very aspects we abandon as we charge forward. Sometimes I feel we promote the depth aspect too much in Bikram Yoga. However, when you listen to the dialogue, the instructions (therefore the alignment) come first. So what are we doing wrong? Generally speaking, we leave the breathing to the individual to work out for themselves.
As a beginner, the only real instruction I received on my loud, out of control breathing was from a Sydney studio owner who told me to shut up; clear instructions but not the best help! It wasn’t until I was practicing my endlessbender a few years later that Erik Persson gave me constructive guidance. He wasn’t a teacher at the time but his advice was gold: “Count your breathing, 1 2 3 in, 1 2 3 out, throughout the posture, throughout the practice, until you have it under control”. It made such a difference in my practice.
True Bikram Style.
Back to the posture clinic. From what I’ve witnessed, Juan’s PC is very much in the style of Bikram, which I approve and admire. The only thing I’m not a fan of is “The Bikram show”. For example, the surfing on the back, the bouncing bow and other antics. At Teacher Training, Bikram showed us old footage where Bikram, his guru and other super yogis performed stunts for the camera so I’m guessing this is where it originates. Sure, it sells, but what? We become bullet proof, invincible and let nothing or no-one steal our peace? Perhaps, but I’m unconvinced. If you wanna surf, jump on a board, not some ones back!
It was Juan’s intro that resonated most with me. He spoke about himself, his past, a questionable mental state, his physical limitations and how Bikram Yoga made him the person he is today. His story made me ponder my own journey, how I found the yoga and where it will take me.
Thanks for the inspiration mate, from all at the Sunny Coast, Australia!
Sorry, Photos still coming! I’ve delayed publishing this post, awaiting pics but it’s taking a while so I’ll add these later.