bikram

After 8 years in roller derby, Laurel suffered the injury every derby girl dreads: a broken ankle. Despite a looming fear that nothing would ever be the same again, Laurel, a determined Bikram-style instructor, embarked on a yoga journey back to skating.

A low ankle break is an injury that lingers and delays. The moment I heard the snap in my ankle, I knew it was all over. I saw my mediocre derby career pass before my eyes, abruptly destroyed. My life was at an end.

Ayurveda is an ancient system for holistic healing. This 5,000-year-old mind-body medicine of India translates to “the science of life.” It is rooted in the laws of nature and so it follows the ebb and flow of change, much like the seasons. There are three primary energies that circulate in the body and the world at large.

Picture a scantily attired competitor performing a series of stunts on a spotlighted stage at the Westin Los Angeles. Two billboard-sized screens broadcast every miniscule muscle twitch to a room of more than a thousand spectators, who are silent except for the MCs commentating between performances. A row of scrutinizing judges award points for each maneuver based on its difficulty and the skill and grace with which it’s executed.