Many people often ask me how I can stand the heat in the yoga room.  The answer to that question ultimately comes down to breath, however, in order to control your breathing you must first Lock Your Knee!

When I say you must first lock you knee, I mean you must clear you mind, and FOCUS on one objective, the asana (or posture).  A good yoga teacher should be delivering dialogue, instructing you step by step what your body should be doing.  Therefore, all you need to do is have you brain tell you muscles and body to do what the teacher is saying.  Simple:  Their words–>your brain –> your muscles=Mind/Body Connection!

The problem is, most of us don’t just focus on what the teacher is saying.  We are checking out our neighbors’ yoga top, fixing our hair, thinking about what to have for lunch, or counting down how many more postures we have left.  All these extra thoughts make us fidget, making us feel hotter than we should be feeling.

The next time you take a yoga class, really listen to the words your teacher says.  You might hear something you haven’t heard before deepening your practice.  You will stand stiller in between postures, helping keep your pranayama (breath) always normal, and just maybe if you do both of these things you will get a smile on your face as you feel a cool draft float through the room that you’ve never felt before.

Remember, just like one of my favorite instructors always says, “It’s not hot, YOU’RE hot!” 😉  Think about it!