by Tony Bishop, E-RYT
Are you finishing your Christmas gift buying? Or are you like many of us and just beginning (or still planning) to collect those special treasures for this year’s tree? Making a thoughtful choice for and giving the perfect gift to your friends and family are very important tasks. So is giving to yourself. Have you noticed when you give something away, even a small amount of your time, you always receive more of a blessing than you give? That’s a gift from God through the practice of generosity. The greatest gift is love, and all others will come from that perspective.
Did you know that you can purchase the most popular yoga gift in this region… right here at Hot Yoga? Yes, the “Quick-Start Package” – for only $89. This includes a machine-washable yoga mat, Yogitoes Skidless towel, Hot Yoga t-shirt, and 1-week unlimited classes of Hot Yoga! This is an amazing savings of more than $40.
So, if you have folks on your list who are difficult to buy for, consider the gift of yoga! It benefits everyone, including you, as you commit a small part of your life to a more active routine and help motivate a friend or family member as they motivate you in return. If you have employees in your company, what better gift than a yoga series and gift card? Wellness is very important and leads to less sickness, less absenteeism, and positive motivation. We have some 50 local companies on our corporate discount program at Hot Yoga BG. See if you are in that group, or contact us about having your company added to our growing yoga family of wellness.
Health and fitness are the prerequisites to longevity and high quality of life throughout every stage of your journey in this world. And on that note, yoga is by far the most comprehensive practice for attaining and maintaining health, fitness, mental focus, deeper breathing and calmness. Yoga is not simply stretching and sitting, as some stereotypical images continue to hold. The vast majority of people who create those mental pictures have never stepped foot into a real yoga class. Experiencing true yoga with all the healthy benefits is something we should all plan to do… now and into the new year!
Yoga benefits are many and great
“Amazing” has been a popular word for many years, and it describes yoga perfectly. Some of the hundreds of positive benefits of yoga include:
Weight loss and control — Strength and muscle building without weights or apparatus — Increased flexibility — Healing, quick recovery from injuries or surgeries — Healthier back & spine with lengthening techniques — Improved breathing & lung function — Better balance — Better posture — Powerful core — Improvement for arthritis, healthier joints — Detoxification of the body — Positive attitude — Better mental concentration — Restful sleep — Recovery from high-impact exercise — Improved circulation — Safe, effective cardio — Excellent calorie burning (the best anywhere with Hot Yoga) — Improved blood profile numbers (per personal testimonies from actual practitioners) — Leaner, longer, proportionate body.
The first step is yours. Everyone at Hot Yoga Bowling Green had a “first class.” We love to welcome newcomers to our yoga family in our super-clean studio. Having fun is very important to us. Practicing safety and kindness is also very important to us. We are well trained to take care of you during your yoga experience. Our goal is to bring all of the good things about yoga to you… without any negatives. And nobody works harder or more joyfully toward those goals than the staff at Hot Yoga!
Gift cards for any amount are available at Hot Yoga, along with the aforementioned gift packages for “Quick Start” yogis and beginners, and we have the original shopper friendly yoga boutique – The Hot Stop Lobby Shoppe – which has operated for 11 years and features quality clothing, gear, and accessories at very affordable prices. Let us help with your gift needs all year, and get an early start today on your healthy resolutions!
And now, here it is… Your December, 2017 “Pause for a Pose” – The Seated Thunderbolt (Vajrasana variation)
This is a perfect posture for daily practice, especially during the busy Christmas and New Year’s seasons. It’s one of Yoga Daddy’s (Tony B’s) favorite restorative poses and effectively helps relieve sore feet, ankles and calves from excessive walking and standing. Sit down on your knees with torso vertical and feet behind you. Tuck the toes under (flexed foot) so your heels are straight up and sit back gently onto your heels. Gradually allow your full body weight to rest on the heels while breathing smoothly. Progress gradually and patiently until you can hold this posture for up to 3 minutes and relax the feet and ankles. If this feels overwhelming at first, or is painful at all, lean forward and place your hands on the floor in front of the knees. This takes weight off your heels. This pose stretches the calves, opens up tight plantar fascia and stabilizes the ankles. You may add some extra power by super-flexing the abdominals while breathing smoothly and evenly.
Now, enjoy practicing this pose all month, and we will see you this week at Hot Yoga. God bless, namaste’, and Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year to you and yours!
About the Author:
Tony Bishop, E-RYT/RYT/CYT, is director and chief instructor with Hot Yoga Bowling Green, Ky. He is certified and trained in a myriad of health and fitness disciplines including Hatha Yoga, Yoga Personal Training, Yoga Coaching, Yoga Teacher Training, Sil lum Kung Fu, Tai Chi exercise, spinning/indoor cycling, PowerHouse Pilates instruction, core conditioning, self defense programs and boot camp variations. He has more than 5,000 hours of yoga teaching experience, he is registered through Yoga Alliance and is an avid researcher, yoga marketer, entrepreneur, author and proponent of progressive yoga movement and development of more effective, deeper and meaningful training methodology. Contact: 730 Fairview Avenue, C-2, Bowling Green. Phone 270-793-0011, email hotyogabg@yahoo.com, website www.hotyogabg.com.
