Bikram Yoga Decatur

Memorial Day Weekend Schedule

update – I forgot to mention that we are also canceling the 6:30 pm class today, Friday, may 24.

We’ll be having a reduced schedule for the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend:

• Sat., May 25: 10:00 am and 4:00 pm only
• Sun., May 26: 10:00 am and 4:00 pm only
• Mon., May 27: 10:00 am and 4:30 pm only

The Legendary Emmy Cleaves

Karaoke Comes to BYD!

update April 2, 2013 – I am sorry to disappoint those of you who were interested in signing up as much as I am pleased to assure those of you who thought I had gone off the deep end that this announcement was an April Fool’s joke.

Every once in a while someone will say to me, “What’s so hard about teaching Bikram Yoga? All you do is stand in the front of the room and recite a memorized monologue.” While I like to think we do a *little* more than that, it got me thinking. Karaoke is experiencing a huge surge in popularity right now and I’ve got a friend with a Karaoke system I can borrow.

Starting in May we’re going to give those of you who think you can do our jobs without any training the chance to prove your case. On the first Sunday of each month we’ll offer a Karaoke Bikram Yoga™ class at 1:00 pm. In order to accommodate more people we’ll break the class into four sections: Pranayama Breathing through Eagle Pose; Standing Head to Knee Pose Through Toe Stand; Cobra Pose through Fixed Firm Pose; Half Tortoise through the Final Breathing. This will allow us to give four students in each Karaoke Bikram Yoga™ class the opportunity to release their inner “Boss.”

But the fun and opportunity won’t stop there. What good would a Karaoke Bikram Yoga™ session be without winners and prizes? We’ll use a panel of four judges made up of two BYD instructors and two regular practitioners, who will award points for attributes such as voice projection, clarity and articulation, teaching skills such as the ability to offer spontaneous adjustments and suggestions to practitioners without skipping any of the required instructions (the Bikram Yoga “Dialogue”) as well as bonus points for demonstrating strong teaching qualities such as confidence, composure and sangfroid (ability to maintain dignity and self-control under trying circumstances).

All Karaoke Bikram Yoga™ participants will receive a Free Bikram Yoga Decatur Car Window Sticker ($1.50 value) and the top performer from each class will win the opportunity to participate in a year end Karaoke Bikram Yoga™ Show Off Competition with a Grand Prize that will include a $100 Scholarship Coupon to attend the Bikram Yoga Teacher Training program, a personal written recommendation by me, and a nine-week supply of Electrolyte Stamina Power Pak dietary supplement.

At Bikram Yoga Decatur, we’re always looking for ways to make your yoga practice fun.

“Extolling the benefits of my 60 day challenge!”

This just in from BYD regular, Sharon S.

I smile for Bikram….I smile because I made it to class, I smile because I just completed Garudasana, I smile because at the age of 57 with asthma, I practice Bikram at the best Bikram Yoga studio in Atlanta, Bikram Yoga Decatur!

I learned excuses are just that — excuses. During my 60-day challenge, I had excuses for at least 48 of them.  However, I pushed beyond them and made it to the studio.  And in the torture chamber, I found reasons to stay in the room and continue my practice.

Bikram really works!! Prior to the challenge, my blood pressure was escalating, I gained weight, and I had thyroid problems.  Also my eating had gone awry.  To add to my health issues, my back was injured when a bus collided with my car in January.  Against my doctor’s recommendation, I not only started Bikram classes again, I signed up for a 30-day challenge….. 60 challenging days later and without medication, my blood pressure has dropped, I have lost weight, and my thyroid is thriving.  My eating habits have improved and my back is healing.  I feel fantastic!

As I lay here in the final Savasana on my 60th day waiting for the fanfare to start, confetti to fall, marching band and cheers from the crowd, I realize it is not coming — as this accomplishment is mine alone.  So I acknowledge my fanfare in a different way, the confetti is my sweat, the marching band is my heart racing and the crowd is a room full of warm bodies.

60 continuous days of Bikram has changed my entire body from inside out.  I thank God for the support and encouragement I received along the way from the BYD staff, the yogi’s who I practiced alongside, and the support of my loving husband was more than enough, bringing tears to my eyes and warmth to my soul as I celebrate the benefits of practicing Bikram.

Emmy Cleaves on Bikram Yoga

Emmy Cleaves on Bikram Yoga…

“People ask me if I ever get tired of doing the same posture flow. My answer is that the practice is never the same because I am continuously being changed by the practice. The daily practice challenges you on many levels. Concentration and attention are quickly sharpened. Character issues of patience and perseverance come up each time. The practice offers a chance to explore deeper levels of Self and develop awareness of the emotions and thoughts that the postures evoke”. Read more…

You will hear us speak of Emmy from time to time. She’s an inspirational woman and yogi who has been practicing Bikram Yoga for more than 30 years.

Don’t Let It Steal Your Peace

By now, many of you have heard about the recently announced sexual harassment lawsuit that has been filed against Bikram Choudhury and Bikram, Inc. If you hadn’t yet, I’m sure I just prompted you to go to Google. The lawsuit also includes charges of discrimination and defamation. It brings me great sadness and dismay to learn of these allegations. At this time, I am not going to say much more than that. I reserve the right to say more as the story evolves but for now I do not feel that I have enough knowledge or information to respond at length.

Of course, I do not and will not condone, nor excuse, any such behavior as is alleged. As a sexual abuse survivor, I take these allegations very seriously and I will be greatly troubled if they are proven to be true. But it is not my place to judge the merits of the lawsuit. Bikram Choudhury has the right to be considered innocent until proven otherwise and the Complainant has the right to present and try to prove her case.

The bottom line is that suit has nothing to do with Bikram Yoga Decatur or the many hundreds of Bikram Yoga studios that operate with integrity and student safety in mind. BYD has a strict code of ethics including a clear policy against sexual harassment.

As you can imagine, there is much discussion occurring within the Bikram Yoga community. Please know that we are all going to pay close attention to the outcome of the lawsuit. For now, we must let the suit play out in the court system.

Cleaning Trade Positions Available

We have two spaces available for cleaning trades. To be eligible for a cleaning trade position you must meet the following criteria:

• Have practiced at BYD for more than 6 months
• Commit to attending a minimum of three classes per week
• Be available evenings and/or weekends (for 2 or 3 shifts totaling approx. 2 hours per week)
• Make a 6 month commitment
• Be reliable and available (no regular travel)

If interested you must inquire IN PERSON at the front desk. Simply tell whomever is teaching that you are interested. This is not a first-come, first-served situation. We will select some of the interested persons for an interview.

Alice Istanbul, 2013 USA Yoga Championship Competitor

BYD Instructor and 2012 SE Regional Champion, Alice Istanbul in a stellar demonstration at the 2013 National Championship in NYC.

Bret Havey, 2013 USA Yoga National Championship Competitor

Please congratulate Bret when you see him in class on his competition effort this past weekend at the USA Yoga Asana national Championship. Bret was 4/10′s of a point shy of finishing in the top 10 of the men’s division. We are all very proud of him.

update – a previous version of this post inadvertently linked to the wrong video – this is the correct one

All Classes Are Go!

Sometimes it’s nice just to be able to say…

it’s business as usual at BYD.