Testimonials

Bikram Yoga Helped Heal Spine After Auto Accident

A few years ago I was involved in an auto-vehicle accident that left the lumbar section of my back deeply fractured. The neurosurgeons who examined my injury advised a major procedure through an incision on one side of my font body, as I was in no condition to be moved or turned around for fear of the fracture futher injuring my spinal cord.

I was rather scared of the risk therefore I refused that option. I had to then be put in a body brace for the next six months to heal naturally. It was only after five weeks of wearing the brace that I could actually learn to walk again.

I started practicing Bikram yoga to help strengthen my back again. What took me by surprise was that yoga would help me far beyond that. From a physical standpoint, I was all too pleased to notice that my back is actually in much greater health and shape now than it has ever been (even including the time before the injury).

I have also been experiencing less and less of any residual post-traumatic stress that stemmed from the accident thanks to my newfound discipline in the practice.

I regained my positive outlook on life and my sunny disposition, which I had lost for years following the accident.

Bikram yoga went from being an alternative method of exercise to a whole new lifestyle for me.

Before Bikram yoga, I had a difficult time committing to any forms of exercise because of the difficulty in engaging my mind full to them. Yoga compels me to be fully aware and mindful of my body, mind, and spirit when carrying out each of the 26 poses.

Whenever I practice yoga, I also learn the virtue of struggle: the struggle to gain physical strength and endurance, the struggle for a quiet and focused mind, and so on. On one level, the struggles only serve to encourage me to push (but never abuse) the limit of my strength and flexibility. On another, the struggles help to ground me as a person and gear me towards being more loving and compassionate towards others since struggling is such an inevitable and inherent part of our life.

Lastly, through ever small progress in yoga I learn not to take anything in life, including my health and well-being, for granted.