Studio Profile: Years in business: 2.5 Director: Helena Monica Website: www.bikramyogastockton.com Location: Stockton, Ca Classes offered per week: 30 How many teachers? 7

How did you start to practice yoga? After running injury I started practicing at Elk Grove in 2002 Tell us about the feel of Bikram Yoga Stockton: Friendly, loving and super fung shui

How has being a teacher or a studio owner affected your practice? I have sooooooooooooo much more compassion

You recently hosted the Nor Cal Yoga Competition & did a fabulous job putting it on! For those out there that have never heard of a yoga competition before could you share what the competition is all about? Yoga competitions are a way to share yoga with the community and are a long standing tradition in India that spans thousands of years. A yoga asana competition is a competition in which individuals perform a series of Hatha (physical) yoga asanas (a Sanskrit word meaning postures). Although a majority of the points earned are for physical ability, there are points awarded to reflect the character (emotional, mental and spiritual) of the individual as a whole. The Nor Cal Yoga Competition is the qualifier for Nationals which is the qualifier for Internationals. These events are a part of a movement attempting to get share yoga with the world. One of the main ways we are trying to do that is to get yoga comeptition into the Olympics, in turn increasing the exposure of yoga to society and their interest in it.

This event brought yogis together from all over! Could you name a few of the athletes, judges or studio owners involved in the event? Judges were Brad Colwell from Canada, Ida Ripley for Canada, and Courtney Mace from New York. International Champions Brandy Winfield and Kasper van den Wijngaard were there for yoga demonstrations. Mary Jarvis, world renown yoga teacher and coach, was the guest speaker. Studios from all of Northern California donated to the event and many donated time through training competitors and volunteering at the event.

Anything else?? Thank you Mika for displaying your beautiful clothes at the Nor Cal Yoga Cup! Your colors brightened up the Expo area :)

Oh, 1 last thing!- what are yoginis in Stockton saying about Mika?? They love the colors and the cute feminine designs. Also, very comfortable!