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Yoga and Anxiety Relief: On and Off the Mat

Friday, July 16th, 2010

By: Sonia O’Brien

I am an anxious person. It’s a fact I have had to accept and learn to work around and it hasn’t always been easy. I fought this particular trait with all of my might. I started and stopped numerous self-help programs and read so many books on the subject that I became overwhelmed with all of the suggestions on how to “cope” with the condition. But, I was desperate to feel better, so I tried most of them. At least the ones I thought I had any chance of sticking with, but none of them really felt right to me and I would stop after a few days, or even a few hours, if it seemed too hard. I just couldn’t commit to any of it long term. Then, quite by accident, I discovered yoga.

I was getting a little older and I had decided it was time to take better care of my physical health, so I joined the local YMCA. I didn’t pick that gym for any particular reason, it just happened to be close by and it looked nice, so I signed up. One day, after working out on the treadmill, I walked by the front desk on my way out and saw a display of class schedules for the different locations around town. One of the locations was very close to my current gym and it advertised mind/body classes such as meditation and yoga. At the time, yoga was gaining popularity in the United States, but it was still something a lot of people were using to get in better shape physically. Everyone talked about toned abs and more flexibility, but I never heard much in the way of the mental benefits of the practice. But, being in the mood to try something new, I went to my first class, without much in the way of expectations, and promptly fell in love.

Even in that first class, as I fumbled my way through sun salutations and down dogs, I knew I had found something special. With continued practice, I have learned how to listen to my breath and my body. I can better identify anxiety triggers and work around them. Thanks to yoga, I am calmer, more relaxed, and better able to deal with the stressors of everyday life. I can’t believe it took me so long to find something I love so much, but I am grateful everyday that I eventually found my way to such a wonderful practice.

And, as any yogi will tell you, your appetite for all things yoga related increases the more you practice, so I have now begun studying Buddhism, meditation, and the Yoga Sutra. I have learned yoga will influence your life, on and off the mat, in ways you never expected. My next step is to obtain my teacher certification so I can share this life-changing gift with others.

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I Can’t Remember the Sun Salutation!

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

By Gaylene Thoeny

You don’t need to worry about trying to remember it. The Sun salutation is simply a series of flowing poses, linked together by breath. It’s also known as a Salute to the Sun or in Sanskrit (the original language of yoga) Surya Namaskar.

This series builds strength and flexibility in the muscles and spinal cord, it alternates flexion (forward bending) and extension (gentle back bending) of the spine through the series. It’s great as a warm up to the rest of your practice or just on it’s own. Different styles and levels of yoga have different variations of the series. There isn’t even a set number of poses in the series, but typically it’s twelve to fifteen poses. Ultimately you could piece together a string of poses that works for you and call it your own personal sun salutation.

A single round is made of two complete sequences of the series, one for the right side and one for the left. To get the most benefit I would suggest at least 2 rounds of the sequence you choose, or two on each side.

A Basic guideline:

Pose 1: Mountain Pose with hands at heart center

Breath: Exhale

Pose 2:Extended Mountain pose

Breath: Inhale

Pose 3:Forward Fold

Breath: Exhale

Pose 4: Lunge

Breath: Inhale

Pose 5:Downward Facing Dog

Breath: Exhale

Pose 6: Plank

Breath: Inhale

Pose 7: Crocodile

Breath: Exhale

Pose 8:Cobra or Updog

Breath: Inhale

Pose 9: Downward Facing Dog

Breath: Exhale

Pose 10: Lunge

Breath: Inhale

Pose 11: Forward Fold

Breath: Exhale

Pose 12: Extended Mountain Pose

Breath: Inhale

Pose 13: Chair (not typical but I like to add this one in)

Breath: Exhale

Pose 14: Extended Mountain Pose

Breath: Inhale

Pose 15: Mountain

Breath: Exhale

A few other basic notes about the series is not to stress out about the breathing. The key really to make sure you are breathing and not holding your breath, the rest will come in time. Making sure to breath in or out as the case may be with each pose will keep you moving along faster and warm-up your breath and your body very easily and very quickly.

There are many variations of this series online, in books and elsewhere and they will all work. Don’t worry about following them word for word or movement for movement. Let the movement take over and enjoy your practice, these should not be a memory test!

This article by Gaylene Thoeny, a 500hr Registered Yoga Teacher, Personal Trainer, Lifestyle Manager, Yogi and mom. Go to http://www.groundinglifestyle.ca for more information. Gaylene specializes in creating a grounded life on and off the mat. You can also follow her at gaylenet on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Yoga – Eccentric Mechanism For Replacing Drugs

Saturday, May 22nd, 2010

By Charu Mehta

How about beginning a day with the blessings of ancestors? One biggest gift and blessing to the new generation is the art of living with Yoga. This ancestral and traditional way of exercising is not only making the body free from various diseases, but is also making it possible for the people to avoid drugs and other medicines. The universally accepted benefits of this art form is making it popular and is also being recommended by the medical professionals for minimizing the use of medications in curing diseases.

Yoga! It is not just a way to exercise, but it helps to improve immune system too. This fact is known since ages. The exercising techniques and the various postures used to perform this kind of art are externally easy and can be done anywhere anytime. Some efforts to learn such exercises can actually pay in the long run. It helps to maintain body weight, body shape, decreases the probability of heart diseases like stroke and blood pressure and also helps in curing diabetes and asthma.

Health Benefits of Yoga

Among so many disorders affecting people worldwide, blood pressure, increased cholesterol and heart attack are very common problems. It has been found that people suffer from such troubles due to multiple factors like unhealthy eating habits, environmental factors or may be due to stress. Performing some basic exercises of this art can reduce cholesterol and prevent blood pressure and heart attacks.

It has been medically proven that Kapalabhati Prayanam helps to strengthen the diaphragm and due to its extensive breathing techniques, it purifies blood and increases blood circulation all over the body. It works like a magic for asthmatic and blood pressure patients.

Obesity

Obesity! It surely scares everyone globally now. Yoga mountain pose is a complete set of postures from standing to sitting and involves all muscles of the body. It tightens the thigh muscles, stiffens up the knee caps and calf muscles of the body. This can facilitate people in keeping their body toned up and free from extra fat.

Poor Concentration

People who often complain about poor concentration, lack of interest and stress can now benefit from these yogic exercising principles. The art of deep inhalation and exhalation in numerous postures helps to meditate and keeps away all those negative symptoms and distractions.

Personality Development

A hump back and lean body often reflects a non-confident and inferior structure. People who lack tone and confidence in their work often feel depressed which enhances a great inferiority complex in them. Practicing such art form can help them in building confidence and making their body immune against various diseases. This can even assist them in handling extreme work pressures, thereby performing better in the professional fronts.

Diabetes

Diabetes is another ailment that is affecting every second person, even the children. Yoga acts as miracle for the patients of diabetes. It helps to regulate the release and production of many hormones like insulin and thus regulates the blood sugar levels. So, when a simple art form has so much to offer, then why not introduce this effective technique in the daily schedules from today.

Charu Mehta is a free lance content writer from past two years and has written almost 3900 live articles for different clients. Her experience in this industry has helped her to sharpen the skills and expertise in this field. She has the potential to write on any subject or theme and endow clients with all what they want.

Personal URL: charu.freelancer@gmail.com

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How Yoga Can Help You Get in Shape

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

By Ntathu Allen

When was the last time you looked in the mirror and felt good, real good about yourself? When you looked did you take time to smile and admire your figure, your womanly curves and lustrous lips? Or did you tug the spare tire round your waist and suck in your cheeks in the vain hope of looking “thinner”?

How about your thighs? Or your ankles? Are you happy with the shape of your legs? Do you wear clothes which flatter and enhance your figure? Or do you think you are too fat, too unfit, too old or even too ugly to wear stylish, colorful clothes?

Like most of you, I am aware of the effect stereotypical images of women have on our minds and bodies. Every where you look there are images of women, who look young, youthful and dazzling. Success is equated with being young, slim and beautiful. If you don’t shape up then you are considered out of the race.

How does that make you feel? How can you possible feel good about yourself if you think you do not match up to the “typical view of women-hood?” How can you stand tall, be proud and happy if your body shape, race or religion is not represented in mainstream society – do you feel ashamed and embarrassed or are you able to hold your own and be happy with the way you look?

Sometimes life sucks and no matter how much you diet, change your hairstyle or even stay at home and hide yourself away, there comes a time in your life when you want to shine, feel happy and glad to be recognized for who you are.

How Yoga Can Help You Get In Shape

Yoga is coming to be considered as a modern day remedy for many of society’s ailments.

It is my belief that the practice of yoga offers you a set of tools – yoga asanas, meditation techniques, breathing exercises and a healthy attitude to eating – which enables you to get in shape from the inside out.

Learning to love and accept yourself – as you are- not as you think you should look like – is one of the most important life lessons you can learn. It is good to “look good” on the outside. For some people, ‘looking good and in good shape’ means looking radiant and healthy, for others, this means being a size 8 and wearing designer clothes.

Yoga is about balance – to feel good and look good on the inside and outside. To be in shape, means to be happy and contented with yourself on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. As a holistic health care system, yoga equips you with all the tools and mindset needed to achieve this state of being.

Yoga Inspires You To See Your Inner Beauty

Meditation helps you to see through the illusion portrayed by the media and amplified through your mind to the ideal view of women. Regular practice of meditation supports your desire to accept your present body shape whilst working to improve your health and well- being.

Yoga exercises give your body an internal stretch, helps to realign and rebalance your energy. Yoga postures improve your sense of body awareness. So you feel lighter, your posture is enhanced, you become more flexible and more in tune with what your body needs in the present moment. All necessary life skills to support you feel good and in love with who you are.

Yoga breathing exercises helps to calm and focus your mind. A few rounds of deep yogic breathing shifts your focus and puts you back in the zone, your higher creative way of being. This technique is particular useful if you are having a “bad hair day” or “feel fat and ugly”.

Yogis traditional eat wholesome, natural and animal-free diets. A healthy yogic diet, one that is rich in seeds, nuts, fresh fruits, vegetables and easy digestible foods all help to keep your body nourished and your brain hydrated and healthy.

When you eat well, meditate and exercise regularly, you shine. Your skin glows, people are attracted to you. You radiate positive vibes. You are in good shape and feel good from the inside out.

So rather than trying to conform to societys’ worn-out view of what it is “to be in shape” – practice yoga. The mixture of yoga poses, deep breathing exercises, meditation techniques and emphasis on wholesome healthy eating all help to make you healthier, happier and best of all love the shape you are.

And now I’d like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to “Wake-Up With A Smile – Simple Yoga Stretches To Do In Bed To Get You Fit And Ready For The Day” when you visit http://www.yogainspires.co.uk .

From Ntathu Allen, The Yoga For Stress Management Consultant

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Elementary Yoga Practices

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

By Sally Janssen

There are some simple practices that will be found common to all yogic teaching of Hatha Yoga.

Preparation before exercising includes having an empty stomach, and suitable clothing before…..

BASIC LIMBERING EXERCISES

All physical practices in Yoga require some preliminary limbering movements to prepare for the Asanas and in order to prevent muscular strain and injury to tendons. There is no specific breath control required with these as total attention is upon awareness of the muscles.

- Preparation for Lotus and x legged positions – involving limbering exercises to ankles, knees and groin

- Lunge exercises to stretch achilles tendons, groin and thighs

- Limbering forward to stretch hamstrings through exercises involving legs and feet

- Gentle limbering of the spine to prepare for further spinal movement

ASANAS

The importance of these basic positions requires constant work until they can be achieved with comfort.

- Good Standing Posture – Tadasana for every-day application

- Seated Posture – upright cross legged Asana or upright in chair for breath control and meditation

- Comfortable Prone Posture – lying in Savasana for Relaxation or Yoga Nidra (“the yogi’s sleep”)

- Inverted Posture – Sarvangasana or modified to increase circulation of blood to the brain

- Beginners are carefully tutored before assuming inverted positions because of possible medical conditions. Children are to hold for short time only. In good physical fitness regular practise of this Asana is encouraged.

SPINAL ASANAS

These are included in all general practice and classwork exercises to help maintain youth.

- Forward bending -for example, Paschimottanasana

- Side Bending Posture -for example, Nitambasana

- Twisting Posture -for example, Matsyendrasana

- Back bending – for example, Cobra, or Camel – Bhujangasana or Ustrasana

PRANAYAMA

Special attention to respiration used in exercising and in Asanas is designed to replace energy expended and ensure total refreshment of mind and body. Specific exercises in Pranayama are routinely included in preparation for relaxation and meditation to calm the nervous system.

PREPARATION FOR MEDITATION

Initially some simple concentration exercise to assist in focus of the mind is required. A theme may be given as a general class discipline or students encouraged to formulate their own choice of image, prayer or affirmation. e.g focus upon a word ‘peace’ takes a little mental effort – when after a while it is easily held in the mind, we are ready for beginning to recognize the relaxed state of meditation when we no longer try to think of ‘peace’ – we are feeling peaceful.

It is anticipated that each teacher uses knowledge of traditional techniques that have been applied and tested through personal experience. The teacher is responsible for modifying techniques and guiding students appropriately, in relaxation and meditation as well as physical disciplines. It is important that the spiritual aim is seen as integral to all the yogic disciplines.

Sally Janssen is a writer, and Yoga teacher well known both in Australia and abroad for her skill in demonstration of the Hatha Yoga practices and her wisdom in applying the principles of Raja Yoga -the study of the mind and consciousness. More details at http://www.essence-of-yoga.net

Her book “Mental Fitness: A Complete Self-help Guide” explains the principles of mental fitness that can be applied by us all. The book may be found here: http://www.mentalhealthandfitness.com/blog.

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Bikram Hot Yoga

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

By Disele Long

There are many types of yoga practices that you can venture into or try. Most are relatively simple to begin and enjoy the benefits of. However, there are also styles of yoga that may be too challenging, and potentially harmful for beginners to try. Bikram hot yoga is one of those styles.

Founding of Bikram Hot Yoga

Bikram Choudhury was an Olympic champion. In the 1960′s, he won the gold medal for weight lifting. He adapted traditional yoga techniques and incorporated the naturally hot and humid environment of India. He designed Bikram yoga as a form of yoga which increases muscular strength, endurance and weight loss.

Choudhury has gone to great lengths to keep his form of yoga intact and guarded from misinterpretation. To even teach this form of yoga, you must be licensed by Choudhury after attending his Yoga College of India in California. While there may be similar sounding yoga classes throughout the country, in order to legally be considered a real Bikram hot yoga class, these criteria must be met.

How is it Different from Traditional Yoga Practices?

Bikram hot yoga is done in a room heated to 105 degrees. The humidity levels in the room are typically from 40% to 60%. It is the only kind of yoga which utilizes heat as part of the components of the sessions. The heat is essential to making this more of a workout technique rather than a relaxation time. An extreme amount of perspiration is expelled, cleansing the body of toxins. It is important to be properly hydrated before beginning to avoid any dehydration issues. The heat gets the cardiovascular system pumping for an ultimate workout and allows the body to stretch further and hold poses longer, which increase endurance and strength.

The session involves a total of 26 postures, or asanas. These are done in a specific order and repeated again. The poses are each held for roughly 10 to 60 seconds. The session lasts for 90 minutes. The first twelve poses are standing poses. The others are all done lying on the floor and sitting.

The Poses of Bikram Hot Yoga

1. Standing deep breathing pose

2. Half moon pose and hands to feet

3. Awkward pose

4. Eagle pose

5. Standing head to knee pose

6. Standing bow pulling pose

7. Balancing stick pose

8. Standing separate leg stretching pose

9. Triangle pose

10. Standing separate leg head to knee pose

11. Tree pose

12. Toe stand pose

13. Dead body pose

14. Wind removing pose

15. Sit up

16. Cobra pose

17. Locust pose

18. Full locust pose

19. Bow pose

20. Fixed firm pose

21. Half tortoise pose

22. Camel pose

23. Rabbit pose

24. Head to knee pose

25. Spine twisting pose

26. Blowing in Firm pose

Aside from the obvious benefits of Bikram yoga, there are other benefits to doing Bikram hot yoga that may not be seen right away. Choudhury and others who are devoted followers of this type of yoga claim symptoms of various ailments can be alleviated by doing this type of yoga at least ten times a month, if not daily. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis and autoimmune disorders may be helped by doing Bikram yoga. Because of the intense cleansing of toxins and opening of pores, some have found their skin is healthier, brighter and free from issues such as eczema.

While some may feel this hard-core version of yoga loses some of the spirituality and calming effects yoga is meant to enhance, others feel it is the best way to combine the benefits of traditional yoga with a cardio workout.

Please click here for more information about Bikram yoga dangers.

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Is Yoga More Than a Recent Phenomenon?

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

By Emily Taggart

You may think that yoga is a recent exercise craze, but in fact, this practice has been around for centuries. Experts have found yoga poses carved in stone that date back as early as 3000 B.C. However, that’s just what the physical evidence supports; in fact, scholars estimate that yoga has been around since what was literally the Stone Age.

You can see, then, that yoga has been used for its benefits almost since the beginning of time. The ancients had it right, too. Yoga’s proponents don’t just rave about its exercise benefits. Instead, it’s a holistic approach to body or mind and spirit wellness that keeps everything in balance and therefore healthy — and attractive, too.

The premise is that yoga focuses on the whole body as a structure. In addition, though, the mind and spirit are also incorporated, so that the three come together. Rather than focusing on overt strength or “muscle building” as other traditional exercises do (like weightlifting), yoga focuses on balance and flexibility as well as strength. It incorporates all three. Some yoga masters, in fact, state that those who have done traditional exercise programs like weightlifting are in fact very challenged by yoga because they don’t normally focus on balance or flexibility — nor do they focus on mind and spirit, either. Therefore, yoga is a holistic practice that makes you healthy, balanced, peaceful — and strong — by concentrating on the poses and incorporating other changes into your life as well.

Yoga’s history

Yoga’s history began with the Vedic period, where rituals and ceremonies were used to break free of the mind’s limitations; this is also the core of Hinduism.

The Vedic period was followed by the Pre-Classical Yoga period, and among the things it introduced were the Upanishad scriptures, which further the Vedic teachings. This was followed by the Classical period, which introduced to the Yoga Sutra, the first attempt to standardize yoga practices.

Finally, this was followed by the Postclassical Yoga period, today’s modern yoga. This practice focuses on living in the moment, proper relaxation and exercise, good nutrition, proper breathing, positive thinking, and meditation.

Yoga as exercise

What makes yoga today so successful as an exercise practice is its focus on core muscles. Because many of the “asanas” or poses specifically focus on core muscles, it also helps improve posture, which “opens up” the body and makes it easier to breathe, stand, and simply improve “flow.”

Yoga has always focused on “perfect alignment,” in which the spine returns to its natural positioning over time, as yoga is practiced. Because of yoga’s focus, relaxation must actually be achieved at the same time as the asanas are being performed, which can actually be a challenge to those who have only done traditional exercise. Nonetheless, this “relaxation and focus” is key to yoga’s benefits, and teach students concentration; as poses continue, focus can intensify to a meditative state.

This article was brought to you by Emily Taggart and ifitnessgear.com, an online retail company specializing in fitness equipment. We offer products like the Omgym and thumper massager. To learn more about fitness visit our site or call 1-800-746-1191.

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Yoga Central – Camel Pose

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

By Mercedes Aspland

This is the second article in our yoga central series and today we will be looking at a pose known as camel pose or Ustrasana. We will look at how to properly carry out the pose, the benefits you can get from it and anything that you need to consider before beginning. Please read the entire article before trying the pose.

How to Carry Out the Pose

Although the name may make you feel this will be a simple pose to carry out, it may not be the case if you spend most of your day sitting so take it slowly at first. Below we have put together step by step instructions on how to carry out this pose successfully:

1. Begin the pose by kneeling on the floor with the thighs straight up and the knees hip width apart. Turn your thighs in slightly and narrow your hips. Firm but do not harden your bottom and imagine you are pulling your sitting bones up into your body. Firm your shins and the top of your feet against the floor.

2. Place your hands on your bottom with the base of the palms at the top of the bottom and the fingers facing down to the floor. Press the tail forward but make sure your pelvis does not push out. To help stop this from happening press your thighs back. As you inhale lift your heart by pressing the shoulder blades against the back.

3. Lean back against the tail bone and shoulder blades leaving your head so that your chin is near your chest. If you are new to this pose then this is probably where you should stay. Alternatively you can lower your hands to your feet. If you need to your can lower one hand, slightly twisting your body and then when you come back to a straight position you can lower the other hand. If this action causes your back to compress then you should lift your heels by turning your toes under.

4. Make sure your lower ribs aren’t sticking out as this can cause the belly to harden and the back to compress. Lift the front ribs up from the pelvis and then lift the back ribs away from the pelvis to lengthen the lower back. Press your hands against the soles of your feet with the base of the palms on the heels of the feet and the fingers pointing towards the toes. Turn the arms so the elbows face forward by squeezing the shoulder blades. You can leave your head in a neutral position or drop it back but be careful not to strain the neck.

5. Stay in this pose for 30-60 seconds. To come out put your hands on the front of your pelvis and roll up leading with your heart. Push back into child pose and rest for a short while.

Tips and Precautions

You should not practise this pose if you suffer from either high or low blood pressure. In addition you should avoid this pose if your suffer from migraines or insomnia or if you have any injuries to your neck or back.

Many beginners to this pose can find it difficult to get their hands on their feet without straining their back. There are a number of things you can do to help. Firstly try raising your heels but if this is still no good you can try resting to blocks at their highest just outside your feet and leaning back on them. If you find this difficult then you can use a chair. Place the chair over the shins and rest the seat against the bottom and lean back on the chair.

Benefits and Focus

The pose will help to stretch out the front of the body, the ankles, thighs and groins as well as strengthening the lower back. It can help to improve posture as well as stimulating the organs in the abdomen and neck. Therapeutically this pose can help with a number of respiratory ailments as well as mild backache, fatigue, anxiety and menstrual cramps.

This article has been supplied by Mercedes Aspland alternative therapies directory. You can also find more information on our Yoga page.

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Yoga For School-Age Kids

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

By Rick A. Lee

Not every child is good at sports and it’s sometimes difficult to know how to get your children to exercise, when you know they don’t enjoy competing. Forcing children into competitive situations can be damaging to their self-confidence and reinforce their dislike of exercise of any kind. When your child isn’t getting enough exercise, it can be quite a problem thinking of ways to get them away from the computer or T.V. Well, I want to tell you a little about the benefits of yoga for children and how it can help them to stay physically and mentally active.

Yoga differs from sports, the usual school activities or regular children’s play principally because it is a non-competitive activity. There are no winners and losers in yoga and this can make it more appealing to a child who doesn’t do very well in ball games and other sporting activities.

Children of school age sometimes feel overwhelmed by the amount of school work they have to do and by the variety of computer games they play, some of which cause over-stimulation and behavioral problems. Yoga is an excellent preparation for studying because it acts of the mind, as well as the body, to produce a calming and relaxing effect.

Yoga classes for children permit them to improve their sense of well-being through physical, mental and emotional balance which helps to develop their sense of spontaneity, creativity and communication.

In a yoga class children learn to understand and respect their body and to move with agility through the co-ordination of slow movements. This exercise strengthens the muscles and trains children into developing a good posture, as well as developing their attention span, concentration and memory. Yoga teaches good breathing habits and is useful in helping children with asthma to know how to control their breathing and anxiety during an attack.

Yoga classes for children differ from adult classes, because the child is in the moment of learning to be part of the world and how to deal with its highs and lows. In a children’s class they are taught breathing exercises, physical postures known as Asanas, concentration exercises, visualization and relaxation, using games and stories as the way of teaching and learning.

In this way, whilst the children are enjoying the activities, they are also learning about co-operation, paying attention, body movement and ultimately the pleasure that can be gained from doing the right type of exercise for them.

If you’re finding it hard to get your child to exercise, why not try to find a yoga class in your area and help your child to discover the many benefits it can bring?

Rick A. Lee has been a dedicated writer for many years. He mainly focuses on health and fitness articles, but also regularly writes over a variety of niches. You can check out his latest site on cool air mist humidifier which also reviews the best evaporative cool mist humidifier.

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Bikram Yoga – The Real Deal Or Just a Lot of Hot Air?

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

By Ama Singh

Recently I’ve been going through a serious health phase. It’s something that I do occasionally, alongside raw-food weeks and long distance running. It’s alright though, as these phases are short-lived and in-dispersed with bouts of home-cooking and an over indulgence in cream teas. Most recently, a friend and I have tried our hand (and legs) at Bikram yoga. Being a regular yogi, I thought I’d take to the sweatiness easily. I’ve been stuck in a car in hot weather before, so surely yoga in a heated room wouldn’t be a challenge. Not so. What I thought would be my next health fad – transpired to be something very different.

I started preparing for the classes a few weeks before hand. It being sweaty yoga, I knew it would probably involve getting down to the undies. With this in mind, I aimed to be as toned and groomed as possible, although on arriving most people were of various different shapes and sizes – so it didn’t really matter. I thought it may be awkward with my friend Christine, but it really wasn’t; we gave each a once over and then just got used to it. We’d registered and mingled with the other class-members, most of whom seemed like regulars. Then we went inside the heated room and started the trademark twenty-six postures. Initially the heat was calming. Then it was cranked up – and the dripping began. The postures seemed to start of fairly easy, but had their own Bikram twist. I thought, being a regular practitioner of Yoga, I’d find this reasonably tolerable; however it soon got tougher and tougher.

As the instructor rolled through the poses, I was astonished at the speed at which the class was progressing. Barely had I moved into a pose, when we were asked to move on to the next. This was unlike the philosophy that I’d gotten used to. I thought you were supposed to ease your way into the poses through breathing. What I felt with the Bikram class was something far removed – something a lot more entwined with boot-camp than the serenity of yoga. Shortly, I began to feel incredibly drained, light headed and like I was going to pass out. Apparently this is normal. I can understand why some people might argue that pushing your body to such extremes helps attain a level of single mindedness and physical endurance which is like no other; but at the time, all I could think about was whether or not I’d ever be able to do this again. One hour seemed like four.

I got to thinking, I’m sure this isn’t what it’s all about. What about the relationship of working closely with an instructor to understand the movement and control of your body. What about learning to breathe before learning to move? All of these things were quickly brushed upon in Bikram and never fully investigated. I wondered whether that was because the class was heavily full and stringently scheduled. The venue that I’d gone to was obviously very busy, and would clearly continue to operate like a business than a place of discovery. For me, the battle between enterprise and methodology seemed to undermine the purpose of the class. Could these have been better classes with smaller numbers and more time? Eventually, this got me thinking about Bikram Choudhury himself. He’s clearly thought long and hard about the technique. Did he believe it would really kick-off the way it did? As a millionaire, is he still involved with the quality control of classes around the world?

I know that I will always appreciate the benefits of yoga, and I know its practice will be experienced differently by each practitioner; but for now, I think I’ll stick to the kind that I’m used to. On considering recent career choices, I was speaking with my yoga teacher about the prospect of learning to teach it. She asked me how much I expected to earn, and then went to say, it won’t really be much, ‘not unless you’re on TV or have a DVD of course’. Maybe Bikram’s got something going for him, I just wonder what the exact philosophy behind it is.

The Non Resident Indian

http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2009/10/bikram-yoga-a-load-of-hot-air/

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