Yesterday I was having a casual conversation with a friend about the different schools of yoga. Well, as casual as any conversation can be on this topic with me right now! I started explaining the different approaches and what each school seems to emphasize in the physical postures and he asked, “How do they come up with this? Why would Bikram be all about building strong thighs and Anusara all about standing on your hands?” (more…)

So I get that there is no set yoga sequence in Anusara Yoga. Although they seem to favor the upper body balancers and rotating thighs – somehow – still not clear about which direction we’re spiraling.

The yoga teacher is then responsible for choosing the order of the yoga postures and deciding how long students hold the pose and when to allow rest breaks. So if the teacher has something on his mind, you will be the recipient of it. (more…)

It’s difficult to explain this, but what keeps me coming back to a particular yoga session or teacher is the overall “tone” of the class, comparable to describing the aftertaste of a good wine or dining experience. The ingredients may all be there but it’s in how it’s all put together and experienced by the students that makes it effective and memorable. And so far my experience with the Anusara classes is, well – a jerky kind of energy – where students don’t know what’s coming or how to get out of the yoga poses and so it’s stop – go – stop – next go… (more…)

Yoga has to be experienced to really understand what it is and what it does. So, convinced that a fun and educational way to begin to understand all the different yoga approaches is to immerse myself in these 10 day mini-training yoga sessions, I headed to a new yoga studio in the Los Angeles area whose teachers are Anusara schooled. (more…)

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…)