By Suzanne Dooley
Superstar, Lady Gaga, swears by it. David Beckham, does it. Australian fashion model, Ashley Hart, makes it a part of her workout routine. Jennifer Aniston, Madonna and The Rockettes express great confidence in its effectiveness. ABC News’ Chief Anchor, George Stephanopoulos, performs it routinely.
So, what is it? It’s hot yoga.
26 x 2
Used here, the term “hot yoga” describes a Hatha yoga series, in existence now for centuries, that utilizes heat and humidity to replicate the heat and humidity of India, the country where yoga originated. This style of yoga involves two breathing exercises and focuses on holding 26 specific poses for a longer duration of time, with each pose done twice to accentuate the stretch equally on each side of the body. While done in a heated room, averaging 105 degrees Fahrenheit, classes are typically 90 minutes in duration and involve the identical 26 x 2 sequence of moves throughout any heated class, anywhere in the world.
And yes, you get results: a yoga butt, flawless skin, toned arms and lean abs. You also obtain a mental clarity and develop a steely concentration that make you unstoppable, inside and outside the yoga room. While yoga with goats and cannabis yoga are the latest trending yoga workouts, hot yoga remains enduring. Why? It’s not only a workout, but a lifestyle.
Undoubtedly The Best
As with any class, the instructor sets the tone and essentially determines whether or not a class is worth taking. So, where do you find one of the best instructors for this hot yoga series? At Sun Lotus Yoga in New York City, and his name is Joseph Encinia: an international sensation who is also a national yoga champion, successful business entrepreneur as Founder and CEO of Sun Lotus Yoga, and a loving husband. A trifecta that should be emulated.
Encinia began his yogi adventure in his early 20s because he was overweight and, despite his youth, was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. He also suffered a heart attack by the time he was twenty years old. Hot yoga was the cure-all for him. From such contrasting experiences and the discovering of the 26×2 hot yoga series, Encinia found his path in life and his unique gifts. Who knew that slowly stretching backwards would take you so far forward in life? Encinia did. And does.
Encinia attributes his personal and professional success to three yoga principles: intention, patience and perseverance. According to Encinia “[i]t’s not about what you do that matters, it’s how you do it.” Said another way, it’s not about quantity, but quality. There lies the intention, no? You get to decide what that intention is.
josephencinia.com
And you have the potential to be the champion of your life. As stated by Encinia, “fear and laziness hold people back most from reaching their potential. We have everything we need in this moment to succeed. We just need discipline which comes from a yoga practice to develop patience and determination. With these two qualities, patience and determination, all things are possible as is proven by nature.” This winning approach of Encinia’s, coupled with actually doing the 26×2 hot yoga series, builds a steady momentum that will sustain you as you strive to reach your goals. You’ll know when to break (patience) and when to put the pedal to the metal (perseverance).
Personal Experience
I’ve been practicing the 26×2 hot yoga series for about three years now. I signed up to nurture my creative muse. Little did I know it would put me back into the fast lane – of life. With me steering where I want to go, based upon where I’m at in any given moment. Said another way, consistently living in the moment. Occasionally I take a detour. But life’s not a straight course. If it is, you’re most likely not living it. Does deliberately creating the life you want sound impossible? It’s really not. Ask any mindful yogi.
Changes I have undergone have been physical, as well as emotional. I now have a toner, leaner body and a less reactive mental thought process. On any given day, I’m able to cruise in life’s express lane, bypassing any traffic jams. Yoga seems to have created an expansive space around me that allows more of what I want to come to me. Including ideas. And as a writer, that’s the equivalent of winning the lottery.
I’ve also had the privilege in Encinia’s class to witness magnanimous transformations in other yogis. One such transformation involves a raven-haired beauty named Ellen. She’s powerful, spirited and inspirational, and also happens to be in a wheelchair. Encinia carries Ellen cradle-style up the stairs to class, assists her in setting up her mat, provides hands-on support during class, and always makes time after class to carry her down the stairs to gently place her back in her wheelchair. Over the course of approximately six months, I’ve witnessed Ellen practicing a modified version of the 26×2 hot yoga series with intention, patience and perseverance.
And then I witnessed the miraculous.
One evening in the yoga studio, as I was putting my shoes on, I watched as Ellen slowly walked down the stairs. Yes, Ellen walked down the stairs! And she walked with the grace of a yoga warrior (albeit with Encinia holding her arm as she made her methodical descent down the stairs).
Ellen still makes use of her wheelchair but that will most likely be for a limited duration, given her tenacity. Ellen is a testament to the fact that the best miracles happen over time because they demonstrate the power, strength and will of the human spirit. Surely, this is an example of the intention, patience and perseverance to which Encinia speaks.
josephencinia.com
The Yoga Club
Remember the cult classic, The Breakfast Club? You know, the movie with the high school kids -the prom queen, the athlete, the bad boy, the weirdo- that were kept for hours in school detention. These kids initially reluctantly interacted with one another. However, as the afternoon of detention progressed, they realized the similarities they shared with each other, later explaining to their principal that “each one of [them] is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess and a criminal.” And I would suggest adding yoga warrior to this list too.
Your potential is fertile, despite the fact that you’re on the go, feeling the pressure to always be “on”, and undertaking those rigorous fitness routines to stay in shape. What if you were to slow down and savor your life with intention? Deliberately creating the life you want? It’s not only possible, it’s doable with hot yoga.
Practicing mind-body wellness is essential to creating a balanced life, and a consistent hot yoga practice supports that balance —from the inside out, from your physical health to mental happiness. The time is now to make practicing hot yoga your new happy hour and to get drunk on life.
Fast Fun Facts About Encinia:
Don’t Leave Home Without: Earbuds and Prayer Beads
Best Positive Professional Experience: Teaching in over 20 countries
Role Models: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Sadhguru Vasudev, Jay-Z, Barack Obama
Best Career Advice You Were Ever Given: The students can read your mind so keep your thoughts pure.
Best Personal Triumph: Being happily married!
Professional Experience In A Tweet (With Hashtags): I’m a #nyc #yoga #hustler distributing #truth to #seekers of #light with #sweat
Secret Vice: Playing guitar
Haute Spot(s): My community garden, Lydia’s Magic Garden at 118th & Park
Your Go-To Yoga Position When Stressed: Headstand
-SD
For more information about Sun Lotus Yoga, or to book a class with Encinia or to register for Encinia’s 2019 Costa Rica hot yoga retreat or other workshops, click here: http:/www.josephencinia.com
