March, 2003
Upon recommendation of a friend, Rich Carrillo sought out Bikram’s Yoga to heal several football injuries he had incurred from years of playing the sport competitively. “My body was beaten down,” Rich stated, “and my injuries were only getting worse.” Two years later, Rich feels that “Yoga has healed my football injuries — and more.”
The “more” that Rich refers to is the healing that takes place on the many different levels unbeknownst to yogis first setting down the yogic path. “I welcomed the physical challenge of Bikram’s having had an athletic background,” Rich stated, “but I discovered quite quickly that it was more than just physical. I began to see that Yoga integrates the physical, mental and spiritual.” Because of this integration, Rich says that he started practicing Yoga and “low and behold, I came out feeling like I was a better person.”
Rich is now refereeing high school football, which is no small task keeping up with extremely fit 17 and 18 year-olds. Rich can do so, thanks to Yoga. Just as important, Rich thanks Yoga for helping him develop concentration, an essential aspect in refereeing. “Yoga helps me keep a level head while dealing with the kids, the coaches and the hundreds of other things going on in football.” With concentration comes the ability to think clearly and that, in turn, helps Rich to feel confident. “Coaches and kids feed off of that confidence,” Rich says.
Rich practices Yoga consistently six times a week. “It’s time-consuming, but it’s worth every minute I put into it,” he says.
We appreciate every minute Rich brings himself to the studio, because he brings with him an infectious positive attitude and a joyous energy that spreads among the students and instructors. Yoga has helped Rich heal old injuries, but, in turn, Rich has added to the healing environment of the Yoga studio.