Bla, Bla, Bla Bikram Blog…Blame it on RIO

Bikram Yoga El Paseo is  getting  a  birds eye view  of  beautiful  Rio De Janeiro, Brazil  and the summer Olympics these days thanks to Yogini Mirena Bonczek.

Mirena Bonczek  is our “SPOTLIGHT STUDENT” this month.

So what does Mirena do when she is not Yoga-ing???

Mirena is Store Manager of Ralph Loren on El Paseo and was ONE of TWO employees chosen Nationwide from Ralph Loren to attend all three weeks at the summer Olympics in RIO.   Furthermore, she was the ONLY store manager selected to represent!!

This is not surprising to anyone who has had the pleasure of spending quality time with Mirena, or in our case ‘sweating time’ with her.     Bikram has always said that the balancing series identifies those with a strong work ethic.  The balancing series takes tremendous physical strength and endurance yet no matter how strong one is physically it’s difficult to master these postures without mental acuity.

Tremendous focus, concentration, memory and understanding are involved in reaching the full expression of the three asanas that comprise the balancing series.  As her teacher I’ve watched Mirena as she gracefully moves into and out of these asanas, finds her balance, and obtains stillness through exceptional focus and concentration.

It’s this mental sharpness that brings her success in and out of the hot room. If one can maintain that type of coolness under pressure in a room heated to 105 degrees it will surely translate into a strong work ethic and career success.

Beauty, class, physical and mental strength sum up our special spotlight Yogini, Mirena Bonczek.  As store manager to one of the most famous top designers, one would have to be at the top of their game to acquire and maintain such an impressive position.

Managing employees and dealing with a specific clientele while managing customer service  puts several demands on a designer store manager that has to be handled with finesse.   To be chosen over her peers to represent the company at something as prestigious as the summer olympics clearly demonstrates her ability to keep calm under pressure. As a Yogi she is focused and determined.  That type of discipline can only elevate the conscientiousness she demonstrates in the work force.

Here at BY el paseo we are proud of all of our Yogis and Yoginis but this month we celebrate just one. Congratulations Mirena Bonczek on the honor that has been bestowed upon you!! It is so deserved.

Mirena took a time out to visit Bikram Yoga Rio  and sweat it out with our extended Bikram family. We look forward to her return and her sharing of the experience. In the meantime I will see the rest of you soon in the hot room!!

Namaste`

* SUMMER SILENT CLASSES are for CONSISTENT Practitioners only who know the Bikram series!! ONE HOUR INTRO CLASSES are for EVERYBODY! They are particularly nice for brand new students to get a taste of the amazing 90 minute FULL PURE PRESCRIPTION of BIKRAM YOGA!!

Blah, Blah, Blah…..Bikram Blog: In Search of Solitude

Bikram Yoga Palm Desert El Paseo is my “Ohm away from Ohm” and after a week long vacation in Cabo San Lucas Mexico I was itching to get back into the hot room.

I did something that I never did in the entire 4 years that I have owned the Bikram Yoga studio. I came to the studio on a Tuesday afternoon to take a class all by myself. I came at a time where I knew I wouldn’t be disturbed. I had no appointments and no private or regularly scheduled classes. This would be a special class that would allow me to hold the poses as long as I wanted and have the heat as hot as I wanted. This would be the perfect transition back into full gear to resume my daily obligations to be the best I could be for my students, my dental patients, my loved ones and myself.

I was needing a little solitude.

The standing series which is roughly 50-55min took me 70 minutes because I held most poses longer than usual. I felt strong, connected and invincible. As I settled into savasana with an amazing tingling throughout my body, the reception room door opened with a loud crash and through the window I could see my cleaning man enter.

With a zen tone I quietly uttered, “ Luke, I.. thought.. you.. cleaned.. Sundays and Thursdaaaaaaays?”

“umm, well it’s kind of like Saturdays and Wednesdays now.”

So much for solitude – (I’m glad I’m well informed regarding my employees schedules…………)

My distraction now complete I awoke out of my Zen state and reacted: “ok, well it’s Tuesday…………….”

“…….. I guess I’m a day early…….. should I continue?”

“yes”

“Can I start with the mirrors, I wont disturb you?”

“Too late,” I mumbled to myself as I settled back into savasana this time with my eyes closed as Luke thoroughly and quietly washed each mirror.  I began Pavanamuktasa with my eyes still closed and have to admit it was easy to fall back into concentration and Luke actually was very quiet.    Back  in my zone I began the spine strengthening series. Upon completion loud noises were now coming from the opposite side of the room.

“Luke…..What… is…. that?”

“I don’t know, someone is messing with your window.”

Lying on my stomach facing the mirror opposite said window,  I could see the silhouette of a man and some tool clanging against the window then vanishing.

“Looks like you have a visitor,” Luke began to chuckle.

“Glad someone is amused,” I thought.

My sign guy also making an unannounced appearance decided to remeasure the window after his initial sign failed to have proper specs.

“HOW WAS CABO?”……he yelled to me as I lied on the floor.   “YOU KNOW…….I ONCE DROVE THE ENTIRE PENINSULA ALL THE WAY DOWN BAJA CALIFORNIA TO CABO.”

At this point I’m up and walking toward the door hearing about all the little towns he past through on his journey. He then looked at my carpet and said, “ You know…..  I’m a carpet cleaner too.   How come I’m not cleaning your carpets?”

“Let’s get the proper sign up then we’ll talk carpets…….

So much for solitude. Yet, I am very grateful that I had it for 70 minutes.

Seventy minutes of pure bliss. Seventy minutes of focus, concentration and breath. I cant really remember the last time that I had even five minutes so SEVENTY is awesome! I took that feeling with me the rest of the day and then returned to the studio to take the 4pm class, energized and ready to enter the world again!!

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Coming soon, our next blog: Spotlight on a very special student that not only excels in her yoga practice but at her work place. Find out who she is and what she does when she is not ‘yoga-ing.’ Hope to see you in the hot room soon, its busy these days with 30 day challengers and visitors and the energy is amazing!  It’s not too late to sign up for our 30 day charity challenge and you will have tremendous support!!

Namaste`

Blah, Blah, Blah……Challenge YOURSELF, create your own Luck!

Bikram Yoga Palm Desert – El Paseo kicks off the summer with a very special 30 day challenge!!!  Its worth a fortune!!

A fortune so special you can’t put a price tag on it!

It’s  SPECIAL  because it’s about YOU.  It’s about challenging yourself to committing to  the best you can be inside out, bones to skin, fingertips to toes whether or not you can lock the knee!

It’s SPECIAL because its about supporting a cause that has been a silent killer and often  misdiagnosed.   Help increase awareness of this deadly disease by making it a part of your challenge!!

The Bikram Yoga Palm Desert – El Paseo Charity Challenge is particularly SPECIAL because like all great causes – individual or team- there is group support!!

WE HAVE THAT BUILT RIGHT IN TO OUR  CommUNITY!

Starting June 1st- 15th, (yes you can start any day during that grace period and end exactly 30 days after your start date)  you can make a huge difference in your life and in the lives of others!!

Why not make that commitment to yourself and your fellow Yogis to change your body, change your mind,  and change your life  while helping Ovarian Cancer Patients!

SIGN Up and COMMIT  the end of May to CHALLENGE your self the first of JUNE!!

Hope to see you in the hot room soon!!!

Namaste`

Blah, Blah, Blah… Bikram Blog: When not ‘Yoga-ing’ —What?

Bikram Yoga Palm Desert El Paseo is known as the students studio due to the resiliency of the core group. I know this because I am one of the core. When I purchased my home studio from the previous owners, I did so because I knew in my heart the strong resolve of this community. I had already been a member, both as a student and teacher for a combined 10 years. I sweat it out with the best of them, most of which have been right here with me the whole time!

None of us wanted to see our home studio close its door; none of us wanted to practice anywhere else, and all of us knew how special this studio was because of the camaraderie and authenticity amongst the members.

I recently posted on face book that our studio is like the old sitcom “Cheers”…… ‘where everybody knows your name.‘ You are not just a student here – you are family to us. Even our out-of-town guests comment on the special vibe and energy they feel when they come to practice.

We are family and family members help each other out. Our community board has business cards of our members and more and more I witness an amazing networking amongst the students. Two of our members even found employment through a third member.

It’s this fellowship that gave me the idea to put the spotlight on an individual student member each month in my blog.

When we are not ‘yoga-ing’ what are we doing?   What do we do for a living?  Where do we work? Can we help service another member with our knowledge and expertise?

This month’s spotlight is on student Jesse Kruszynski.  Jesse’s passion for his occupation is truly amazing and what drew me to choose him for this months spotlight.

So what does Jesse do when he’s not in the hot room generating natural body energy? He deals with natural solar energy!

Jesse is a solar consultant with Renova Solar. (Incidentally, Jesse’s Boss, Vincent Battaglia, CEO of Renova Solar, is also a student here at Bikram Yoga Palm Desert- El Paseo and the affiliation through our studio is how Jesse found his job there.) He works to educate and inform people about solar, the different financing options, and if solar makes sense for them.

Jesse’s excitement as he discusses his company’s mission statement and future plans was not surprising knowing the strong leadership of this Company. In its short 10 year history, it has grown leaps and bounds and for the last three years in a row it was listed by Inc. Magazine as one of he Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in the nation. Renova was also the first company in the country to be accredited by the leading national solar non-profit NABCEP and won Best of the Valley in the last two years.

During our discussion, Jesse invited me to take a tour of one of Renova’s two buildings. “We have the most amazing offices and people,” he explained. “And if you take a tour, it’s also very educational because there are many displays about solar. We welcome the community to come and visit our facility.”

Maybe that is our next yoga outing: touring Renova Solar and learning about the amazing benefits of renewable energy and how installing solar panels can help homeowners save money and our planet.

Until then we’ll be generating our own energy in the hot room. We’ll sweat it out with the best of them, detox our bodies, and keep our internal organs and glands in perfect working order – naturally!

If you are passionate about your job and would like to be interviewed for our next spotlight please let me know.

Hope to see you in the hot room soon!

Namaste`