The heat is a tool to get deeper into the body

We use the heat as a tool to get deeper into the body. Heat softens the tissues and muscles and makes the body more malleable. It is said that if glass is cold, you can’t reshape it, but if you apply heat to glass, you can form it and bend it and mold it into shape. The same principle applies with the body. Physically, you can shape your body in a way that might not seem possible when you first step onto your yoga mat. As you create this melting away of perceived limitations of your body, you start to see where something else might be possible that you once thought couldn’t happen. The heat melts away layers of resistance and old holding patterns, physically and energetically.

 

Sweat naturally heals the body

Sweat helps the body release toxins and excess debris. And when you add heat in the room, the results multiply. We live in such a fast-paced and toxic environment today that it’s important to be in some sort of practice of rinsing, renewing, detoxing, and purifying. A heated classroom can be uncomfortable at first, but once you access that power of purification, it feels really good.

 

The heat gets you out of your comfort zone

It’s easy to build a very comfortable life and avoid situations that don’t feel good, but being uncomfortable is part of growth. It helps you move forward and transform. When we feel physical discomfort, we build energetic and muscular memory that being uncomfortable is OKAY. It’s an important part of rewiring your body and seeing things in a new way. Being able to tolerate the heat for 60+ minutes teaches you how to “stay” while you’re uncomfortable, on and off the mat. When you stay uncomfortable with the commitment to burn off that which is no longer necessary, you begin to tap into a deep reservoir of inner power that can serve you at work, in your relationships with loved ones, and in a sweaty Eagle pose.