For two-and-a-half years, Sujin Kim couldn’t sit her hips on the floor between her heels and rest on her elbows in fixed firm pose, the first seated posture in the original hot yoga series. For three years, she couldn’t get her upper body relaxed on the floor.
“I thought I would never be able to master this pose,” she said. “For this particular pose, I just did not know what to do with my body…”
Through a consistent yoga practice, Sujin slowly but surely strengthened what she described as a weak lower back, knees and ankles to finally progress in her expression of the posture.
“I truly appreciate all the encouragement, commitment, dedication and, more importantly, challenges that every instructor provides for students’ best yoga experience and practice,” she said. “Without their loving and caring “pushes,” I couldn’t make it this far.”
That’s not the only changes Sujin has experienced in her last three years practicing yoga, all at Sterling.
“After practicing the 26-posture sequence of hot yoga in the same order EVERY class for 60/90 minutes in the room heated to 100+ degrees, I get an exhilarating sense of freedom and fulfillment from the satisfaction that I pushed myself through all the physical and mental challenges of each posture,” she said.
Outside of the hot room, Sujin pursues an intense, goal-oriented lifestyle, but she said she needed something to help her achieve more mindfulness, presence and calm.
“I needed something to draw me to the present moment in order to enter a deeper and balanced relationship with myself,” she said.
Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness was an ideal choice for her to begin her yoga journey because of its convenient location. The reason that she started her practice is the same reason she keeps coming back.
“I really enjoy and welcome the mental and physical challenge of the 26-posture sequence that forces me to give the best with my body at that very moment,” she said, “by embracing the present moment with a calming mind and being totally present with myself.”
Getting to that point took some time. During her first class, Sujin said for the entire 60 minutes of her first class she “wondered why in the world was I putting myself through this.”
Now, Sujin is motivated to practice regularly because she is so in tune with the benefits it holds for her.
“The benefits of hot yoga can be manifested in many different ways. One of them is preparing myself for whatever today has in store: pain and sadness or celebration and joy,” she said. “Being able to embrace myself and push through a tough class helps my attitude toward the ups and downs of daily life – bring it on!”
