Actor Wang Deshun, walked the runway during China Fashion Week in Beijing and slayed it, redefinining stereotypes and has become known as China's "hottest grandpa". However what's truly inspiring about this national icon is his journey and his attitude to never give up.
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We can all do with a good chuckle and what better way to have a laugh than seeing animals in their natural habitat. This year 40 photos have been selected as finalists in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards and a winner will be picked at the end of Nov. Click on the link to see the others, below are just some of the best of what nature has to offer!
John Salvatore is well known in the Bikram world as one of the most charismatic and entertaining teachers in the room. I have been fortunate enough to take his class several times, and loved it every time. His personality isn't just for in the room, having spent time with him, I know firsthand that his friendliness and zest for life extends to every part of his life. He's also a performer for the Jersey Boys in Las Vegas. While that certainly helps with his stage presence as a teacher, he also credits Bikram Yoga not only with helping him to focus mentally, but also with finding a connection with the human spirit through teaching.
"One of the main tools I use for keeping mentally focused and present onstage is my daily yoga practice.
Not only do I practice yoga once a day, I also have been a certified Bikram yoga instructor for 13 years, teaching five to six 90-minute classes per week."
In recent years there's been a lot of hype about Bikram Yoga, and with the good comes the bad. Over the last year or so I've read articles and heard people go on and on about what they don't like about it, some even not liking it because of the man who started it, rather than the method itself. As with all things in life, this particular style won't suit everyone, but is that any reason to condemn it? This well written article written by a studio owner and teacher highlights some of these points, and shows that it's all about how you approach it, as well as address some of these 'negative' points that have been brought up.
There's often a misconception that just because you are a yoga teacher, you are somehow holier than thou and free from thinking and acting like any other people. Just because someone has the job title of a yogi doesn't mean they behave that way. As both a student and a teacher, I can safely say that spending most of my 20s in this industry, the one thing I am sure of is that in reality, yoga teachers are just like normal people, and that their behaviour; whether good or bad is a choice. Having the title of a teacher doesn't automatically make them better people.
I had a bit of a laugh reading this article, even though it sounds ridiculous it's amazing how many people do think like that. I remember when I first started Bikram yoga I never thought of my teachers having a life or wondered what they did outside the room, instead all I knew about them was what I saw during the time I was at the studio. As I went more and more and got to know them, it was like a lightbulb moment when I realised they were normal people, with their own lives outside the room and their own challenges in life, yet every day they're in the studio with a smile on their face helping the hundreds of people coming in for class.
Bikram Yoga consists of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. It's designed for everyone, any body shape or type, any age and all levels of practice. There is also an advanced series for experienced practitioners with 84 postures. From the beginners and the advanced series, yoga competitors choose 6 postures and during a 3 minute routine, they demonstrate their practice. Over the years I've heard people for and against the competitions, but each year more competitors sign up and it's still going strong, with the goal of reaching the olympics one day.
I first met Jeanne Heaton at my teacher training back in 2011. She had such an inspiration story of both her personal and yoga journey. After getting addicted to drugs, she was in and out of rehab facilities until she found the healing benefits of Bikram Yoga. She started One Posture at a Time, a recovery program and mission to help those who are also addicts. This lady now travels around the country, teaching classes, raising awareness and helping those who are truly in need. Just another story of how wonderful Bikram Yoga is!
In 2011 whilst visiting a friend from my teacher training, I came to Bikram Brickell own by Nachos Cano, a singer and record producer from Spain. He was full of energy and always had a smile on his face, my friend told me he swam in the ocean every day, rode everywhere, practiced yoga once a day as well as teach. That energy is part of the studio, everyone loved practicing and it had such a family feel to it. This video shows the dedication of the students in their 50 day challange, sweating it out and loving every minute of it! Such an inspiration! Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead is one of my favourite documentaries in regards to food health and transformation. It documents one man's journey from being overweight, sick and unwell, his decision to juice his way back to health over a 60 day cross country trip around the States inspiring others to regain their health. I started juicing around 7 years ago, and each year I make sure I do a juice cleanse just to reboot my entire system. So take some time, and enjoy this movie!
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"I am not what happened to me,
I am what I choose to become" Carl Gustave Jung I'm Binny, a full time Bikram Yoga teacher and studio owner that lives in Perth, Australia.
I started this blog to share the things I love the best in the world: being healthy and happy, food (especially raw), yoga, traveling and most importantly, learning how to love and be true to myself. I suffered from severe digestive problems when I was younger, being gluten and lactose intolerant, and developed compartment syndrome and fibromyalgia in my teens. I have lived with constant pain for over 16 years now. Over the past 10 years, I've shifted to a mainly plant based diet and realised that being well and healthy is a way of life. I have been teaching Bikram yoga since 2011, in the US and Australia. Due to my health issues I've also had a lot of bodywork done as well as explored alternative therapies. I've become much more aware of myself as a result of all this - physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Right now I love my life. In my career I love what I do and I do what I love. I have traveled to some amazing places around the world and made lifelong friends. In between working and traveling, I cook up a storm in the kitchen, especially raw desserts, spend time with the people I love the best, which now includes a yoga husband, a mini yogini Estell, and our dog! I try to listen to my body the best I can. I truly believe that we all have the power and the capabilities to heal our own bodies, to nourish the spirit and seek our own happiness and life's purpose. This my journey... Archives
August 2019
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