Good vibrations at Bikram on 11/11/11

One minute of silence at 11:00am on November 11, 2011
Lest We Forget

Apparently practicing yoga on 11/11/11 is particularly empowering as it is a date which offers particularly good vibrations. The number 11 is supposedly a power number and in numerology represents intuition, artistic genius and balance. It is also a prime number and has some special mathematical properties since when multiplied by itself it can result in a palindrome (11x11 = 121; 111111x111111 = 12345654321). People scattered across the globe are excited to be married or give birth on this date.

This may all sound very hippy to you, but at the same time.. why not just go along with it? What's wrong with opening your mind to an alternative way of thinking and giving something new a try. Isn't that what the practice of yoga is all about?

If practicality is more your thing then don't forget that November 11th is also a particularly important date in history. Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the armistice which ended World War I (1914-1918). Australians observe a minute of silence at 11:00am in memory of those who died or suffered in armed conflict. I know a number of Australians who also use the quiet time to reflect on how grateful they are to live in such a beautiful country. Try not to wait until next November 11th to reflect and be thankful for all that you have. Lest we forget how fortunate we are.

So I woke up bright and early with, or possibly even before, the sun. Rolled through the morning motions as quick as a flash and jumped in my car to arrive at Bikram Yoga Joondalup in time for the 5:45am class. My lovely colleague joined me in the class led by Karen, an inspirational woman who radiates positive energy wherever she goes.

I have heard people joke about the 'Bikram torture chamber' and I must say practicing for 90 minutes in a sauna-like environment is definitely a challenge. However I thoroughly enjoyed the holistic workout and felt the benefits of the practice on both my body and mind throughout the rest of the day.

Read my post from 28th September 2011 to learn more about the hot, sweaty fun you can get up to at Bikram Yoga Joondalup or just check below for a few quick facts...

• DETAILS: Friday morning, 5:45-7:15am. Unit 7/200 Winton Rd, Joondalup.
• COST: $18.00 per casual class.
• TEACHER: Karen
• BRING: You'll definitely want to take a large (mat-sized) sweat towel and a large bottle of water.
• WEAR: As little as possible! You'll soon realise that body shape and size doesn't matter - everyone in every size strips down to minimal clothing in this super hot environment. Tight shorts, hot pants and suitable loose but supportive tanks are available at lululemon athletica Perth City. My personal favorites are the Let It Loose Tank and a pair of Reverse Groove Shorts. 
• BEST BITS: Your muscles warm up extremely quickly in the hot yoga studio and you use muscles you weren't even sure you possessed. Constantly moving for 1.5 hours really gets the blood flowing, builds your stamina and regulates your breathing. Don't forget to rehydrate!!!
• BIKRAM YOGA JOONDALUP WEBSITE: www.bikramyogajoondalup.com.au

Ginny's Finding Fitness Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★