Tremendous Changes
I began Yoga, against my wishes and better judgment (so I thought), on Feb 6, 07. Now I thank my sister for "forcing" me attend my first class.
I have seen a tremendous change, physically and in mind and soul. Everyone notices that I have become calmer, more determined and self-confident. I am better able to deal with my three children and approach crises and problems with a calmer and clearer perspective. I no longer have problems sleeping. My children have commented many times on how flexible I have become. They are impressed! Yoga provides many benefits which anyone looking at you can see - strength, muscle, flexibility, leanness and also inner peace, tranquility and the joining of mind and spirit. This is even more important than the physical aspect. Yoga allows me to release my stress, problems and worries one breath at a time. As I breathe I become lighter, less wound up, even somewhat carefree. Usually I am able to carry these new feelings with me for the rest of the day. This allows me to be a better wife and mother (and overall a better person).
Miranda F.
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Frozen Shoulder
I have a shoulder condition called Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen shoulder). It is painful, very slow to heal (sometimes taking up to two years) and ridiculously limits the range of arm movement. The muscles in both the arm and shoulder become atrophied and weak from disuse. Depression, as a result is very common in those who are afflicted by this condition.
I have been going to Moksha Yoga for a few months, averaging twice a week and the improvement in my shoulder is astounding. My range of movement is improving weekly and I feel my strength growing steadily. I have completely avoided needing any pain or anti-inflammatory medication. I found focus through the breathing, grounding and spiritual connection taught in each class and so I have managed to remain free from depression throughout my healing journey. I am so thankful for finding Moksha (hot) yoga and embrace it wholeheartedly!
Christine Paige
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Increased Flexibility
I have been a yoga practitioner for many decades and this last full year at Moksha Yoga Vaughan has been the time I have enjoyed the most flexibility increase ever. The heated yoga room also allows my tight ligaments and tnedons to relax after a strenuous day at work. As a Yoga instructor myself I find the instruction from the teachers to be well thought out, motivating and caring. Thank you to the Moksha Yoga Team!
Karen Widmer
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Injured Knee
Moksha yoga has transformed my entire mind, body, spirit and life. I am a personal trainer and a competitive soccer player. For 15 years, I have been in the gym, lifting weights, running, training, and stressing my muscles, joints and bones beyond healthy limits. I would wake up sore, tired and aching everyday. A few months ago, I injured my knee playing soccer. I saw a doctor who told me to take anti-inflammatory and to stop exercising.
I was apprehensive about taking the drugs and could not imagine my life without physical activity. I knew that the medication was only going to provide short term relief for my pain and that my liver would have to deal with the negative effects in the long run. I ended up listening to the doctor, and as a result, I did not get better and felt worse. I was looking for something more to help not only my body, but mind and soul. I came across this Moksha yoga studio and after hearing about all the benefits it provided, I decided to give it a try.
I began with the one week trial, and it is now 3 months past and I practice daily. Ever since beginning, my knee has recovered. My entire body is pain free, strong and full of energy. My spirit has been uplifted, my heart has been opened and I am so grateful for this practice. I thank all the instructors and staff for making my practice so successful, and I thank my entire self, mind, body and spirit for being present each day. Often words cannot describe the experience I have had thus far and the excitement in continuing my journey and discovering more about myself. I tell all my friends and family about this amazing gift on earth. It is something worth discovering. Namaste.
Jennifer C.
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Anxiety, depression, weight loss.
Moksha Yoga has been an open window in a room with closed doors to say the least. When I moved back to live with my parents for the summer after my third year in university it was a difficult time for me. I had been recently diagnosed with clinical depression and an anxiety disorder, with that, I also was going through a very difficult break from a serious relationship and was the heaviest I have ever been. I was unhappy with who I was and sought a change.
My mother suggested joining a gym to help boost my self-esteem and gain some quality time together. A family friend decided she’d join us and suggested hot yoga. Intrigued by this different type of yoga we all decided we’d try it out. After my first week I was hooked. Within one week I was able to loose 5 pounds a month later I signed up for a package and within 3 weeks of practice I had successfully lost 15 pounds.
Needless to say my mother was right again, I do feel much better about myself and overall much happier. Now that I am more relaxed, I can control my anxiety and am more able to deal with stress. I found that I can more readily control the negativity in my life and have found some peace within myself and can see it in others.
I cannot thank Moksha Yoga enough for helping me find the strength in myself that I needed so much.
Natalia R.
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High Blood Pressure, Physical Injuries
I am one of many students that have only good things to say about this type of yoga practice.
I have been a fitness instructor for many years and had to stop teaching because of the injuries that i had developed from it. not only physical injuries but i also was diagnosed with high blood pressure 3 years ago and was put on medication....how ironic...a fitness instructor with high blood pressure?
When I heard about this type of yoga i was ready and willing to try it. What did I have to lose......after several months of dedicated practice, i am now off my blood pressure medication and my injuries are no longer injuries....
Thanks for giving me a new life!
Angie C
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Anxiety, Whiplash, Golf
I have been involved with Moksha Yoga for five weeks. Although it may not seem like a great amount of time, I want to share with you how only five weeks have changed my life in many positive ways.
I came into this style of Yoga out of curiosity, not knowing of its benefits. After only one week however, I was hooked. Yes, I have taken other forms of Yoga but have found them less motivating. Always having been involved in aggressive forms of exercise, I found Yoga not challenging enough UNTIL I discovered Moksha Yoga and the challenge of completing numerous postures within 60 to 90 minutes in 37 °C temperatures. Even more challenging, trying to stay focused and remain ‘in the moment’ when so much is happening in daily life.
In June 2006, I was in a car accident which resulted in whiplash. This pain has carried with me throughout the year. Moksha Yoga has helped bring flexibility back into these pained muscles as well as given me the courage to challenge them in postures such as the ‘Back Bend’, ‘Camel’ and ‘Rabbit’. Better yet, I have become flexible throughout my entire body. This flexibility has helped me with my Chiropractic and Physio sessions.
It has even helped me with my golf lessons allowing me to have a lot more movement in my hips that never existed before. Working at a desk for eight hours a day can have extreme negative effects on the body especially when one comes from already existing pain. Last but surely not least, Moksha Yoga has helped me with anxiety. The instructors always stress the importance of deep breathing advising students to focus on the breath keeping it at good pace while forgetting about everything else around us. This is vital for the mind and most definitely the nervous system.
Thank you Moksha Yoga for being accessible in location, for having a variety of daily classes especially those at 6:30 am and for having a wide range of instructors coming from different walks of life. I look forward to continuing my practice with you.
Namaste
Melisa C.
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I am an entrepreneur with a North American business in a highly competitive technology sector. I live a very busy life and am consumed with my work all the time. When not working I think about work and the things I have to get done. I live with constant stress and tension that has manifested itself in a variety of physical and emotional ailments over the years.
I began practicing hot yoga regularly in November 2002 and since that time my life has changed. Literally. I am more self-aware and have learned to listen to my body. I am able to concentrate longer and more deeply. I am able to detach myself from things and let them go in moments where I used to hold on for hours or days. Physically, I am stronger, my balance is much improved and my flexibility elevated. Moreover, the vast majority of the aches and pains have minimized or disappeared altogether.
Hot yoga is helping me to push the outer limits of what I can accomplish mentally and physically. It forces me to look at myself, and in the end, that's where all the stress, tension and judgment come from in the first place.
Eric Yuzpe
Vice President
Kaboose Inc.
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When I first tried Hot yoga, I was blown away by the intensity of it. It was such a perfect challenge for the mind and the body. As a training actor, Hot yoga has helped me be aware of my body, move consciously, focusing the mind, finding stillness, staying centered. After my first class, I was absolutely hooked. I love how each class is a challenge. I love how the challenge brings growth. I love how the growth brings peace.
When I started, my mind was so quick and active, and my life was taking that form too. With hot yoga, I started to take the yoga out of the studio and into my daily life. I am more focused and try to remain in the present as I am talking to people, truly listening. I now use the 'letting go' that we do after a posture in my day-to-day life. When I feel frustrated or angry with something, I just let the frustration wash away, and start with a clean slate.
I also look for that joy in things that I do that seem tedious, or boring or frustrating. And of course, I am more aware of my physical state, and am less abusive to my body. I give it food it wants, not something that will fill some other kind of void. I just feel a lot healthier, more energized. I feel like I am using my potential rather than burying it.
All I can say is that I love it. I feel so grateful for my practice, because I feel it's saved my life.
Serena
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I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder three years ago. I take a combination of medications that help me manage my moods. But it is really practicing Hot Yoga that has enabled me to manage my illness. I started practicing Hot Yoga two years ago. I have experienced difficult side-effects from various medications, including weight gain, apathy and difficulty waking up. Aside from helping me control my weight, practicing Hot has helped me to motivate myself when I am feeling apathetic, and slow down when I am feeling manic. It also helps when I am feeling down. Through practicing Hot - I quit smoking (used to be a pack a day) and stopped shopping (used to be a thousand dollars or so per trip); two unhealthy addictions that often come along with manic depression.
I have come to see the practice as a microcosm of my life, in that if I can get through difficult postures I can try my best to get through difficult days with the same focus and optimism.
Taking up the practice was challenging at first, but it has become nurturing and fulfilling. I would recommend Hot Yoga to anyone as a stress management tool, an anxiety management tool, and an overall great addition to any mental health program.
All the best to you. Namaste.
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Unexplained emotional intensity, lack of confidence, sleepless nights and hot flashes are only a few of the challenges that menopause has presented to me. On some days a simple decision can be as challenging as programming my new cell phone! On some days nothings seems to be clear.
About 6 months ago my daughters introduced me to Hot Yoga and my life took a different turn. Standing for 90 minutes and looking into my eyes has given me the opportunity to feel my own strength. Each day the yoga presents new challenges that I am shocked my body has met. There were so many postures that I was sure my 56-year- old body would never be able to do. It was a slow process but gradually, I started to strengthen and my muscles started to stretch. My hot flashes slowly diminished and are now gone. Both the chronic pain in my toe and that in my shoulder have disappeared. All these benefits have given me a great sense of confidence and a feeling that I am invincible.
On top of all these physical benefits, and the confidence that accompanies them, I find I sleep better. And best of all I feel more connected to my personal abilities. I highly recommend that every woman experiencing these menopausal times try at least a few classes to see how they go. The rewards are astounding.
Janet Robertson, Teacher
I will get straight to the point. I was molested as a child and raped when I was in grade 9, and by the age of 15 a childhood friend had been murdered and my best friend had committed suicide. To say the least times were tough.
Most of the time the toughest challenge was just getting out of bed. Sleepless nights filled with anxiety and fear made mornings overwhelming. Some days I physically was unable to get up out of bed.
In the thick of my depression I found Hot Yoga. I went into class skeptical and came out wide-eyed and hopeful. It was the first time my mind had stopped thinking and spinning for as long as I could remember. My body and mind felt amazing. I became completely hooked. I started sleeping through the nights, waking up well rested, began being interested in trying new things. I even became excited to wake up.
Not only did Hot Yoga keep me from drowning but it made me fly above the waves. To anyone who feels depressed, tired, uninspired, etc, I so suggest you try this. I truly don't think I would be here today if I hadn't found this yoga.
Anonymous, Toronto
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