Fueling The Yoga Fire

I took my first regular yoga class in 1998 in South Jersey.  I found the teacher in the Yellow Pages, and the class was held in his home. He warmed the room with space heaters and let his kitchen faucet run to make relaxing running water sounds.  I thought it was funny, but it worked.  I will never forget the feeling of deep peacefulness, relaxation, and calm I had after that first class like I'd never felt before.

I continued practicing with that teacher for a couple of years and began training to become a Pilates instructor under the tutelage of Romana Kryzanowska, who is to the Pilates world what Bikram is to hot yoga.  I was about to apply and "audition" for the Pilates instructor training program, a two year process, when my Pilates teacher asked me if I wanted to go to a hot yoga class with her.

She and my students had been telling me about these yoga classes in the city, Philadelphia, which were the same 26 postures and crazy hot.  So, looking for more challenge, I tried my first Bikram Yoga class.  I was hooked after one class.  I remember thinking that I'd found what I was looking for and wished that I was starting Bikram teacher training rather than Pilates.  I loved the intensity, the challenge, the heat, the sweat, and the amazing feeling I had after a hot yoga class.

I continued with my Pilates training, while commuting into the city every day the rest of that summer to take Bikram classes.  Then, I found out about a woman, located close to where I lived, who taught hot, hot, hot classes out of a converted barn which she heated with a wood burning stove.  Talk about hot!

The barn studio became so popular that she eventually had to open a "real" studio in a strip mall.  I practiced with her for two years, went to Bikram teacher training in the Fall of 2003, and have been teaching ever since.

Yoga has taught me to be patient, more kind with, and accepting of myself.  Yoga has helped me to work through anxiety issues and has given me a new found confidence that I didn't have before.  The best way it has changed my life is through teaching.  When I teach yoga, I'm my happiest and feel that I'm in my element.

I have met so many interesting, wonderful people through yoga.  It's been an honor being a part of people's practices and seeing them go through their yoga transformations.  The yoga is truly life changing and to be a part of that is very special.  I love teaching hot yoga!

I've been waiting for a hot yoga studio like RHY for a long time.  Greensboro has been in need of a studio offering a new, refreshing take on hot yoga, where there's a strong-knitted community of like minded individuals looking to grow their practice in a positive, supportive, healthy, clean, friendly, inviting, and warm atmosphere.  At RHY, I like that the teachers are free to learn and share their knowledge from their personal backgrounds and other sources, not just hot yoga sources, in order to encourage and support growth in students' practices.

This is Erin Alexander's yoga story.
 RHY's awesome addition to our teaching line up.

Go to Revolution Hot Yoga website