CrissYoga: The Yoga World of Cristina…

In the February 2007 issue of US Vogue (http://www.fashionverbatim.net/us-vogue-february-2007-featuring-renee/), there’s an article featuring “ONE WOMAN’S INSPIRING JOURNEY TO POLITICAL FREEDOM.”

I forget the exact name of this remarkable woman.  I also forget the exact quote of her interview.  But this is what stuck to me:

It doesn’t matter if you’re making me wear ugly jeans or a hijab, you are still making me hide.

What a statement.  Here is a woman who survived Islamic traditions (female circumcision), spouse abuse, political detention (and abuse), and is one of the most celebrated authority figure in her context.  In the interview, the writer narrates the interview setting.  How she took off her designer shoes and crossed her legs underneath her in a chair.  Seeing the writer look at the designer label, she says: I’ve had the heels changed several times.  Even went back to buy another pair but they said they stopped making these.   It took the writer by surprise.  How can a woman be as multi-faceted as this. 

It breaks the stereotype.  And I love it.

My first few classes in Bikram is peppered with embarassing moments.  How does Janet Jackson’s publicist put it…wardrobe malfunction.

The Bikram Yoga Manila website (www.bikramyogamanila.com) recommends that we wear a bathing suit.  Ah, yeah…like I’m at that confidence level.  So even if it said not to wear gym clothes or jogging pants, I came there with the closest to lightwear that I can get out of my closet.  A cotton white shirt and my trekking pants.  Why invest in proper clothing when I’m just checking this thing out. 

Since it was my first class, I didn’t sweat as much.  Also, I haven’t adjusted my water intake yet to 2 liters a day so there’s nothing to sweat out even if the sweat glands wanted to.  Day 1 was a temporary reprieve.

My succeeding classes were the ultimate.  I again wore a white shirt because of the thinking that white does not absorb as much heat compared to the other colors.  So there I was in a Bikram class looking like I unknowingly entered a wet t-shirt contest.  I finished the class with the mantra: Go ahead people and look.  I can’t do anything about being in a female human form.

Aside from baring/bearing that, I literally had to carry more weight — water weight as my cotton wear absorbed my sweat.  As the class drew to the end, my “weight” got heavier.

 That very weekend, I went shopping.  Over the course of a year my yoga outfit journey went from dri-fit long pants to dri-fit mid-calf pants to dri-fit cycling shorts to swimming shorts.  The tops I kept at dri-fit shirts since I am still self conscious about my belly and arms.  And even if I would occassionally try out the gym bra tops, they never fit right.  I feel like I’m wearing a corsette.   No freedom.  

Yoga clothes are darn expensive. 

Given this learning experience, I tell my friends who are about to try Bikram to put their yoga outfits through this test:  Go in the shower wearing your yoga clothes, wet yourself drenched, come out to the mirror.  If your psyche can handle what you see, then you’re all set for a Bikram class.

Men have this a lot easier.  Although I’ve seen a few “wardrobe malfunctions” as well.

I’ve been drawing up my Yoga Teacher spreadsheet…planning and assessing.  One question I encounter in Teacher Training application forms is “Why do you want to become a yoga teacher?”

A:  I want to help bring out the beauty hidden in people.

At the Bikram Yoga Manila Quezon City studio, there’s a poster of a beautiful woman doing the Balancing Stick pose — bare naked.

It would be nice when we’re all children of Eden again.

Blessed Holy Week to all.