When I first began to research Yoga and Yoga classes, I thought I would just be faced with a general search. I thought I could go only and search for Yoga by location, day and time. This was about 10 years ago, when Yoga, to me, meant the Yoga that we all have in mind when we think about Yoga (i.e. Hatha Yoga). Imagine how overwhelmed I was with the number of Yoga classes and styles of Yoga that I found. As I began to research the different styles, I found some very unique forms that you can practice. Just when I thought I had dappled in just about every type of Yoga, a few years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to Bikram Yoga.
Bikram Yoga is more commonly known as Hot Yoga. Let me explain something before I go any further. I’m not a person that likes to be hot. Now, I don’t mind a little sweat thrown into some Yoga when I am getting a good workout, but the thought of consciously going in knowing that I was going to sweat more than I’ve ever sweated while doing Yoga was not very enticing. This thought coupled with the idea that we live in the south and she wanted to take it outside in a Japanese Garden in the middle of August made me want to change my phone number.
However, I tried to keep an open mind and I found that I now love Bikram Yoga better than any of the other classes that I have taken in the past. Although Hot Yoga is typically practiced in a room with a controlled temperature, I highly recommend taking an outside class if at all possible. As I mentioned, we take it in a Japanese Garden and the nature just adds a whole new element to the experience. For me, part of the meditation means becoming one with the surroundings. Being surrounded by the serenity of the gardens really helped my meditation and concentration.
During the winter, and in many cases in general, you will take Bikram Yoga classes inside. The room temperature is typically heated to about 105°F. However, it is not just the heat element, but the combination of heat and humidity that is behind the foundation of Hot Yoga. So, in addition to the hot room, the humidity of the room is set to about 40%. There are two breathing exercises and 26 postures associated with Bikram Yoga. Don’t let the name scare you away. You haven’t fully experienced Yoga unless you open your mind to all styles and find the one that is right for you.
