Bikram Yoga, a subset of the ancient Hatha yoga practice, follows 26 postures, outlined by Bikram Choudhury- a yogi who started in India, and brought his trademarked practice to the United States in the 1970s. The class has stringent rules: It lasts exactly 90 minutes, in a 105 degree room with 40% humidity. The class aides in weight loss, but more essential is its ability to flush organs, remove toxins and nourish the skin by sweating out impurities. Firsthand, I can say it makes every muscle and organ on the body feel like they’ve been gently massaged. Afterwards, I felt amazing.
Who would have ever thought curling your toes under your fingers and intertwining your limbs like a soft pretzel while dripping with sweat in a room with 30 strangers would ever be enjoyable?
Does it smell? I don’t know because I barely have a sense of smell. From what I can tell, a powerful flowerish smell permeates the room to prevent B.O. from wafting up everyone’s nostrils. (I did attempt to interview a Bikram Yoga representative about this, in addition to all of the health benefits, but a representative responded to me that their PR and social media policy prevents them from providing comments to bloggers.)
What does Bikram Yoga feel like? The heat warms your muscles, so that you’re able to stretch, ply and bend further than in a normal room temperature room. The class is about not just finding your center of gravity, but finding your inner center. The class begins and ends with laying flat on a yoga mat, allowing your mind to meditate and focus. The entire experience incorporates deep, diaphragmatic breathing while pushing and kicking your limbs into unnatural – but amazing-feeling positions.
My favorite pose is: Dancer pose.
Photo courtesy of: http://yogayearbook.wordpress.com/2010/06/03/hey-%E2%80%93-no-cheating/
In this pose, you are literally kicking your foot up above your head as hard as possible while counter balancing with your oppose hand, stretched out to your front. It looks hard. But it isn’t. To me, it’s incredible that by pushing your body into movement, the body is able to stay so still. The secret of this pose is not to stand still but to move. To push. To stretch behind your normal ability. Although instructors varied for each class, they each are reciting a basic script with their own personalities woven into the dialog. Although they’re required to say certain phrases, they also insert their own messages. Some are funny, some are serious and some have the feel of a holistic healer.
Doesn’t this class have an amazing life lesson secretly wrapped within it? “Bikram says….” One instructor repeated throughout the class before providing golden nuggets of pose wisdom.
Bikram says that by pushing further than you can, you will be able to go even further, and further, and further….
This class is a metaphor for life. Stretch yourself, then stretch more. Then, when you think you can’t stretch further, keep going. After that, you can still keep going – you can always go further.
I love this message.
Just like in life! Just when you think you can’t run a mile any faster, you can, because you just hit that next benchmark race.
Just when you think you’re never going to understand algebra, that one problem clicks for you and you’re able to pass your test.
Just when you think if you ever go on one more awful first date, you’ll end up single forever, you meet someone special.
Based on a few theories culled from multiple sources, I have heard that Many people quit right before the epiphany. Things look bleak and endless…and quitting seems like the logical next step.
You know why? Because things are the hardest right before success. After years of working towards a goal and just falling short time and time again, it can be frustrating. People want to give up. But that is after cumulative effort of years. To give up after all that, when one is exhausted and frustrated is the most human normal desire in the world. But that’s when we need that tiny extra push. Because that’s when success is hiding around the bend in the road.
That’s my cheesy metaphor for how Bikram yoga is like life.
That being said, go lock yourself in a 90 degree room, breathe deep and enjoy the slow burn in your muscles the next day. Before you know it, your forehead will be touching your feet.
Namaste,
Meghan