There is an instant gratification that comes from a good sweat.

The cleansing effect on the skin and glandular system is apparent within a day or two. I was especially aware of how the lymphatic and adrenal glands are being activated through the Bikram posture sequence. (more…)

Remarkably, I don’t experience any muscle soreness after the Bikram yoga session. Considering how abruptly we’re moving through the yoga postures and how extreme some of the tight holds are. (more…)

A good yoga class still depends on the teacher. No matter that they all have the same “script,” their insights and energy is what carries the class.

In my 10-day Bikram yoga adventure, I’ve had 5 classes with 5 different teachers and although the order of the sequences is identical and the timing the same to the minute, the mood permeating the class is the one factor that changes. And this I can only attribute to the teacher and his or her intention. (more…)

There is a precision to the Bikram postures that does not allow for any variations. Some of them surprise me like the emphasis on palms together, knees locked. I try to keep a smile on my face but the rigidness of it all snaps me into the postures as if I were in boot camp.

I notice that I’m not really feeling any joy during the whole class. I’m concerned about doing it right, I’m concerned about my heart racing, my skin hot and not sweating (a bad sign) and whether this really is good for the body. (more…)

There is something to be said about feeling sweat coating every inch of your skin. But I notice the mood today, how unfriendly everyone is in these classes. Is it just too personal, a self-consciousness with all that sweating and imperfect bodies exposed in minimum clothing? (more…)

Although the flyer says, “beginners welcome” I would not recommend stepping into a Bikram class if you’ve never done yoga before. The instructions are never modified, so although the teacher knew it was my first time in a Bikram studio, there was no attempt at a more detailed explanation or suggestion for a modified pose.

And then there’s the heat. I can’t imagine someone with blood pressure or heart issues being able to go through the rigor of a 90 minute session in 105 degrees and not collapsing. (more…)

I’ve signed up for that ultimate marketing savvy yoga class offer -Bikram’s 10 classes for $10 for 10 days. In case you haven’t heard what Bikram yoga classes are about; room temperature is kept at 105 degrees and it’s all about the sweating.

Now I’m not a big fan (no pun intended!) of a lot of hot air (pun intended!). I can barely withstand a couple of minutes in a sauna cause it doesn’t really relax me when I feel like I can’t breathe! (more…)

Nico asks:

“I’d like yoga to get me into spring since the weather won’t cooperate–Saraswati do you think you need to be fairly strong in yoga practice to be able to properly meditate?” (more…)

Something happens during a yoga class that is different from going to a gym or taking a nap (two activities that students will often try comparing with yoga).

I’ve already mentioned that the nature of coming into yoga poses, moving with breath, staying with the yoga poses for extended periods of time followed by a deep relaxation creates a type of whole body meditation. While many forms of meditation encourage a complete stillness of the physical body in a “lotus” sitting pose, yogic meditation can happen within each pose. So that you may experience a profound meditative state while in the head stand or the tree! (more…)

It’s a very different feeling creating your own yoga session than it is showing up for a yoga class. In my 20 years of yoga practice, I’ve gone through periods of knowing that I needed the structure and guidance of another yoga teacher and other times when I was able to go much deeper into my own yoga practice by going solo. (more…)