Many of us have tried yoga as a form of meditation and relaxation. But, Bikram Yoga? Well, that’s a whole different beast, or should I say “third eye” all together. I say “third eye” because that’s what my yoga instructor calls the point of concentration and focus. I’m not really sure where it is, nor where to look for it, so please don’t ask me to define it. When I look in the mirror of the yoga studio, trying to perfect my pose and maintain my balance, I see, but in an abstract way, almost like not seeing. And if this does not make sense, maybe that is the point: to remove oneself from the “sense” part of things and focus on nothing else except the pose. Let the mind quiet down to nothingness except focusing on maintaining balance as a venue to meditation–healing body and soul, my instructor calls it. Bikram is a hot (temperature hot) yoga. The yoga studio is heated to 108 degrees before the class begins.
I was introduced to yoga by a colleague a few years ago, and while I prefer the more active/aerobic exercise, I cannot dismiss its benefits; one of them is building core strength. That being said, I diligently stayed with it for a year, or so, and then dropped it. Recently, at the encouragement of my sister–a Bikram lover– I began it again. Of course I picked the hottest part of the summer to do this. One hundred degrees outside, and 108 degrees in the yoga studio! All through my sweat and tears, yes, tears, as perspiration runs into my eyes blinding me and causing me to lose my balance, I’m trying to remind myself why I’m doing this. It’s all I can do to stay in the room, and in the now, as I see new members in the class, of both genders, exiting the room ready to faint.
A Brief history of Bikram
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Bikram Choudhury (born 1946) is the founder of Bikram Yoga, a copyrighted series of 26 hatha yoga postures that are performed in a hot (105 degrees Fahrenheit or greater) environment. Bikram is a disciple of Bishnu Ghosh, brother of Paramahansa Yogananda, (author of Autobiography of a Yogi). The Bishnu Ghosh guru lineage has focused on translating Eastern philosophies and practices into a language that is more closely attuned to the Western mindset than can be found within their original traditional Indian contexts. While I promised myself that I will stay for the completion of my yoga course, I have also decided that, along with long hikes, swimming is what I truly enjoy. Body and soul? Yes, why not? The coolness of the water and the quiet when I’m in it also heal the body and soul. I love swimming, always have–pool, ocean, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that does is that I’m swimming and enjoying every bit of it. And as the summer comes to an end, I expect I will be seeing quite a lot of the pool.
Happy Last Days of Summer! Namaste! |
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