There is an instant gratification that comes from a good sweat. (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. (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. (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. (more…)

What is it that makes yoga so effective? How is it different from working out or stretching or other forms of relaxation? Why must definitions and explanations of yoga include diverse interpretations from philosophical works, sacred texts and living traditions? (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…)

Sleep is the best medicine. (And I don’t mean the medicated kind, despite the annoying pop-up ads that may find their way onto this web site. My apologies, I have no control over these ad searches but I repeat I do not advocate use of sleeping pills.) Even though we’re still not quite sure what happens during the sleep state, we know when we’ve gotten enough sleep to feel healthy. (more…)

Every yoga pose (asana) can also be a meditation. These two functions of a yoga practice are often isolated. In fact, meditation can occur naturally while in one of the hundreds of asanas when you settle into the pose for an extended hold.

This does not mean hold your breath or hold till it hurts. The instruction to find a “comfortable, steady pose” is common in most schools of yoga. In this way each pose reveals itself to the practitioner. Experiencing a meditative quality while in sitting forward bend will feel very different from doing meditation while walking or sitting in lotus pose. (more…)