Famous author Dr. Wayne Dyer discovers
the benefits of yoga
Lahaina News Thursday August 9th 2007
BY RITA SAKAJIANLAHAINA He walked in the door on October 1, 2005 and said he wanted to try doing yoga for 40 days, said Mary Katharine Wall, owner of Bikram Yoga in Lahaina.His face was familiar but I didn’t really know who he was. I asked him if he knew what he was getting himself into, and he said he was willing to find out.
That was two years ago!
She said if he was going to take her yoga classes, she was going to read his books.
The next day he brought in his book, The Power of Intention, and several of his other books. They have completely changed the way I look at life. I guess it was serendipity that brought him to my class that day, Wall said.
The man she is referring to is Dr. Wayne Dyer, world-renowned self-help advocate, author, inspirational lecturer and resident of Maui.
His 1976 book Your Erroneous Zones sold over 30 million copies and is one of the best-selling books of all time. He has written more than 30 inspirational books.
“I had been an avid runner from 1976 to 1998 and I was running between eight and 15 miles a day. Then I would go and play tennis for a few hours”, said Dr. Dyer.
“I knew my days of running would have to come to an end because I was living with chronic back pain. The doctor said I would also need knee surgery.”
He said that he heard different things about yoga through the years.
“My body was such a mess, I knew I had to do something. The first day of doing yoga at MK’s (as she is affectionately known) Bikram studio, I got through half of it, but I kept coming back, and after 40 days I was completely hooked. I don’t know where I would be right now without doing yoga the last two years,” he concluded.
Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury is the founder of the worldwide Yoga College of India. He was born in Calcutta, India, in 1946 and began practicing yoga at the age of four.
He taught yoga to Indira Gandhi at the tender age of 11, and now has more than 500 studios all over the world.
MK took over the ownership of the studio in December 2004.
I” heard it was on the verge of closing, so I moved to Maui and gave it some “TLC” and brought it back to life,” she said with a smile on her face.
The studio is heated to relax the muscles and help in healing and detoxing the body.
Some of the benefits of doing yoga are: reducing stress, increasing flexibility, increasing energy, increasing muscle tone, lowering blood pressure, losing weight, improving concentration and preventing injury and disease.
“Most people come to yoga to fix an injury to their back or if they have a knee problem. After doing yoga for a while, they find there are other benefits, such as sleeping better, eating better, and just an overall feeling of well being.” said MK.
“I’m an inch taller since I started doing yoga because it stretches the spine. It doesn’t just teach us to be flexible in our physical world, but to be flexible in our thinking and keeps us balanced. Because I am a public speaker, I first noticed a difference in my mind. I started thinking better and my lecturing was more focused. I didn’t have to take notes on what I was going to say. I also noticed I was sleeping better.” said Dr. Dyer.
He continued to say that practicing yoga works every part of your body not just the outer part, but the inner parts like your thyroid, pituitary gland, and your digestive system.
“Not only am I doing this interview because I want this business to thrive, but also to inform the people of Maui of all the benefits of yoga and how it can improve the quality of life. There is a miracle waiting for you in that hot room.” he concluded with a smile.
Bikram Yoga of Lahaina is located at 900 Front St., Suite F17, at Lahaina Center (across from the movie theater). You can call 661-6828 for more information. Introductory rates are available.
For more information on Dr. Wayne Dyer and his books, go to his website atwww.DrWayneDyer.com.
