Not only she recovered completely, but also 7 months after the accident she won 3rd place in the statewide asana yoga championship. Having experienced how her health, body, and mind have improved after practicing Bikram yoga, she decided it was the one for her and went on to follow her passion.She has studied many styles of yoga including Bikram, Iyengar, Baron Baptise Power Yoga, Vinyasa, Anusara, Universal Style, Kundalini, Anna Forest and Ashtanga. Mony is a certified Bikram Yoga, Kids Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga Instructor. "Learning is a never ending process, and my practices change with time. Why limit to one style, when I love it all". I am a yoga freak =)
Right after certification, she taught Bikram yoga in Chicago, USA; Sydney, Australia and Singapore. She is in the mission of sharing her passion and helping out students to experience the life changes as the one she had. Hence she opened and managed Bikram Yoga Jakarta, and soon in Bali. I want to create community and place for teachers, practitioners and people who need a place to escape the realities of their days while getting healthy emotionally, physically and spiritually."
Lauren
November, 2003. International Headquarters, Los Angeles, CA.
Lauren recalls the day well: "I ate halibut and cous-cous one hour prior to the class... pictures of erupting volcanoes and red-hot-lava hung on the studio walls. With a heavy gulp, suppressing my lunch I went into a hot, no, very hot room! A fiery red head taught the class, and I was sure she said every instruction two times and fast! Nearing the end of class, during camel pose, I seriously regretted eating the fish!! The class ended, and not a minute to soon! That evening I listened to Latin Jazz in an L.A. night club. Friends said my skin looked fresh and my eyes sparkled! I felt like a movie star!
The following day, at a stressful job, I tackled the problems facing me with full energy and a calm, clear head. Most impressive to me was the chronic back pain that I endured daily from a prior ballet injury was absent. I went to yoga again that night...
After years of limited mobility in my lower spine (L5, S1 fusion) and paying for pricy chiropractic treatments the problem of lower back pain was slowly eradicated from yoga practice.
I continued to do yoga five times a week. At first, staying in the room for 90 min was a challenge. The heat (42 degrees) was my nemesis. Years later I understood it was the heat melting the heavy ice blocks of stress I carried on my shoulders.
After one year of practice I learned to "Lock The Knee". I was able to step-up to my full potential, accepting that I was capable of more effort in yoga.. and in work.. and in my relationships with friends and family.
And in 2009 I finally got my knees to touch in Fixed-Firm pose, a personal victory for my "bad, broken, junk knees".
We all have our first Bikram Yoga class. We all start somewhere. We all choose to live a life of physical strength, mental clarity and spiritual peace; yoga is the fast track to help us all get there.
Yoga is, and lead me to the love of my life. Namaste.