Moving Forward With Yoga

Before coming to Revolution Hot Yoga (RHY), I had only tried yoga a few times in the past, and it never spoke to me on a deeper level or inspired me to practice regularly. However, upon trying hot yoga at RHY last year, I felt compelled to continue.

One of my close friends mentioned that RHY was offering free classes as part of their one year anniversary celebration. I knew on a gut level that I needed to go, even though I had never done hot yoga before. Since then, I have become a regular student and can say that my yoga practice has been a crucial part in my own transformation.

Not long before visiting RHY, my spiritual teacher committed suicide, and I subsequently escaped from an emotionally abusive relationship. It became very clear to me that if I was to progress through the poses (and with my own life) I would have to face my discomfort and pain from these recent experiences.

The crux of working through my discomfort was strongest in the Camel pose. When first attempting the posture, the lingering trauma from the suicide and destructive relationship surfaced, and I collapsed face down on the mat in submission. This pattern continued for several classes: the demons of my past made me collapse.

Yoga is very effective in bringing up any issues or glitches within the body, as well as past trauma. Early in my practice with RHY, it was overwhelming. Sweating in a room full of people and looking at myself in the mirror made me feel completely exposed. The poses brought up the "stuff" I had been struggling with, and in my early classes, it was terrifying. So much so that one time I had to leave the room.

In the beginning, it was difficult to face my own body in the mirror, let alone be comfortable with the fact that my body was so vulnerable in front of other people during the class. Along with the emotional discomfort, there was the physical aspect of asking my body to do things I never thought it could do.

I am very grateful that Rebecca (Jordan-Turner) gently coached me by encouraging me to breathe through the discomfort, and eventually, the power of my old fears faded. Being able to do the Camel pose was a huge milestone for me and represented the conquest of my demons.

Physically, I've noticed that my body is completely at ease after each session. Over time, my core has gotten stronger, and my flexibility has increased. The strength I've gained in yoga has translated into the rest of my life by confronting fears, embracing vulnerability, and finding a richness that was always there!

My spiritual teacher always emphasized how important it is to be in your body and trust its wisdom, and I feel that I'm honoring her teaching by practicing yoga. Hot yoga has given me a tremendous amount of peace and the ability to move forward.

Thank you, RHY!

This is Anna Sibley's yoga story.

Go to RHY website.