The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Benefits of Hot Yoga › Bikram Yoga and Philosophy
The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Benefits of Hot Yoga › Bikram Yoga and Philosophy
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Hi. I’ve been doing Bikram yoga for some time and love the yoga. What I don’t like, however, is the fact that, as much as the teachers insist on everyone being mindful and present in the room, they themselves are not. Instead, they’re reciting a script they memorized and, rather than reacting to what’s going on in the room, how people feel, and the energy that may (or may not) be present–and responding accordingly–they simply regurgitate: “This is good for you. Breathe through it. It’ll make you stronger.” What it seems to me they’re actually doing–and this is true of all Bikram teachers and, in fact, results from the nature of Bikram yoga itself–is putting what Bikram taught them to say ahead of what is actually going on with their students at a particular point in time. In addition, they’re instructing people to ignore pain by pushing it off and saying, “It’s only temporary.” Yes, it’s only temporary, but ignoring it means ignoring a part of yourself, a very important part that’s hardwired to tell you something’s wrong. It’s a similar philosophy of “push through the pain” that kept women (and men) in bad and abusive marriages during the glory days of Catholicism. It’s also the same system that masters impose upon slaves when they tell them “Work is good for you. It will set you free.” In other words, when doing Bikram yoga you’re being told to adopt a particular individual’s way of thinking, whether you accept it or not, and whether your body agrees with it or not. You’re also told that everything will be “blissful” in the end. Can someone explain these inconsistencies between simultaneously being told “Be present” while also being told “ignore what your body is telling you or what may be going on in the room?” This seems to put people in a double-bind: they’re damned if they focus (because then they’ll be concentraing on what is happening and may react to it) and they’re damned if they don’t focus (because then they won’t be pushing through the pain). Seems like an approach based on power and the desire to control–the very antithesis of what yoga is about.
The yoga aspect of Bikram yoga is, without doubt, beneficial. The Bikram philosophy, however, has numerous drawbacks and could, in the long wrong, prove harmful from the perspective of actually learning to listen to your body & mind and respond accordingly, rather than respond according to someone who’s telling you not to respond.
On a related note, I might add that this is precisely one of the ways in which people are being taught to accept such things as the increase in gas prices: just breathe through it, it will all be ok. With such a philosophy, how do you determine which things to respond to and which to ignore? If a woman beats her child, should the child just breathe through it? After all, aren’t we taught that the pain will just–in the end–make the child stronger? Won’t the pain associated with a society that increases gas prices at the beginning of summer (the time most people are likely to need gas for family vacations), just be a new pain to endure–so that we can endure further pain later on? And isn’t it places such as Bikram yoga where we learn such endurance–where we learn to permit what was once considered bad or harmful in the interest, as Nietzsche said, of ensuring that what does’t kill us make us stronger?
If Bikram yoga simultaneously strengthens our bodies while weakening our ability to think for ourselves and listen (and respond) to our bodies & minds, what have we accomplished?
Yours,
Sarah
I read your post with great interest, Sarah. There is a lock-step aspect to the Bikram method that has kept me on alert for some time, and probably always will. It’s something that we all need to aware of, I think.
In the yoga, it has seemed to me that we ARE to focus on our own bodies and reactions, and act accordingly on an individual basis (e.g., to lie down if we feel as if we’re going to pass out). This is a much different thing than soldiering on when we are in great pain. I’ve never felt encouraged to do that by my instructors. They say in every session to feel free to lie down if we feel we need to. There is a low-grade current of expectation that we will not “modify” the poses, but from this forum and also from fellow classmates’ experiences I have seen that much modifying is being done, while still benefiting from the yoga. The instructors will usually say to go to the point of discomfort, try a little further, and then back off. The theory being that in time we will be able to untighten and stretch more.
I see your point about gas prices … kind of like the frog-in-a-kettle story? Sellers, however, have always claimed prices as high as markets will bear. For years we have known about our dependency on oil and should have started working far sooner on viable alternatives. Even Bikram probably sets his studios’ prices about where he knows you will hesitate but still pay if you feel like you’re getting some value.
I do agree that it seems the instructors are simply mouthpieces for the Bikram phrases and philosophy. I don’t think it’s that much different, though, from any yoga video or tape that we might use again and again, if we stop or modify when we feel it necessary. With any input to our mind, it’s our job to filter and come to our own conclusions.
Hi, Rebecca, and thanks for your thoughtful response. Let me give three examples of what’s been on my mind and, if you have additional comments, I’d be interested in reading them.
First, you noted that Bikram instructors tell students that they should lie down and rest if they need to. This is true. They also tell them only to go as far into a posture as is comfortable. However, when some students (primarily the new ones) feel that they really can’t stay in the room any longer–maybe they even need to leave because they feel overwhelmed–my instructors haggle them: “Before you leave, just try to stay in the room. Lie down, sit down, but stay with us.” New students are told beforehand that the initial goal is simply to stay in the room. If, however, they know this but really feel they can’t stay, let them leave, and let them go in peace, without the haggling. Maybe Bikram yoga, at this point in time, isn’t right for them. That’s fine. Their bodies are telling them to leave and, if they’re allowed to do so without being made to feel guilty, perhaps they will return when they have processed their initial Bikram yoga experience. By haggling them, however, the instructors are effectively saying, “Don’t listen to your body, listen to me.” Or, because instructors are taught to say such things, what they’re really saying is, “Don’t listen to me, listen to what Bikram told me to tell you, even though he’s not here, has no idea who you are, and has no way of knowing what you’re feeling.”
Second, last week a new student had to leave class quickly because she was nauseous and had to throw up. She didn’t quite make it to the bathroom, and the instructor’s comment was, “Not to worry. It’s kust all the bad stuff coming up.” Maybe that’s true, but this is a woman who’s not feeling well, whose body is telling her that, at this time, the yoga is too much, and who’s nonetheless being told to return to continue class! Once again: a disconnect between what’s happening with the people in the room and the dialogue/mantra that’s been programmed into the instructor’s head.
Third, a new instructor recently commented, “When you do this (Bikram) yoga, you surrender your will to the dialogue, which tells you what to do.” What?! I’m not surrendering my will, I’m doing yoga. I respond to the dialogue, find the place where my mind and body meet, and enjoy the pose. This has nothing to do with surrendering my will. From where are people getting these ideas?
The above are examples of what worry me vis-à -vis the disconnect between the dialogue/commentary that Bikram yoga instructors are taught and the reality of what’s really going on—with living, breathing people—in class.
Any thoughts?
–S
Excellent points, Sarah. Those things have bothered me, as well.
I have a theory only about the “stay in the room” mantra. Bikram (and hence the instructors) know that if you stay in the room (even if you’re just lying there), you will continue to sweat profusely. Thus you will get the sauna effect and feel really good when you leave, and want to return for more of that good feeling (which you will pay $$ for).
As well, I notice myself that there is definitely a cumulative aspect to tolerance for the heat … my ability to stay in the room, stay standing, and keep doing the poses does increase with each successive class. Maybe people are urged to stay in the room so they can get that process underway and thus return for more classes ($$). The primary product Bikram yoga sells is that amazing feeling you get after going through the poses in the hot room. That feeling is what keeps people coming back and paying.
But you are 100% correct, I think, that we MUST listen to our bodies, despite the sometimes dubious ideology coming from the instructor. I Googled for injuries and complaints about Bikram yoga before I started, but couldn’t find anything that stopped me. I have concluded that Bikram Choudhury is probably a nice guy with something to share that might help some people. Still, as you say, Bikram is not there in my studio, and doesn’t know all the student’s medical histories. To my knowledge there isn’t a doctor there, either!
About the woman who needed to throw up … that is an excellent example of when, for me, the whole “stay in the room” thing breaks down. And “bad stuff coming up”? My bad science indicators are blinking red on that one. Intense heat and sweating, most likely. I learned early on that if I was going to be embarrassed by leaving or lying down or modifying a pose, I shouldn’t be there.
You’ve said it best:
I respond to the dialogue, find the place where my mind and body meet, and enjoy the pose.
The conclusion I reached for myself was that, like most things, I could take what I found made sense from Bikram yoga, and reject the rest. I am not a person who goes to yoga for the woo-woo effect, but rather to keep my Boomer joints moving freely! I think we can safely assume that most of the dialogue and philosophy are designed to keep dollars flowing freely to Mr. Choudhury. But! We must be discerning consumers, not lemmings.
Hi Rebecca & Sarah – just to let you know that Gabrielle & I are loving this conversation – it touches our own world-views in so many ways (and points to why Gabrielle started this particular forum).
I know Gabrielle is super-busy the next couple of days but is keen to join in too, so I’m letting you know that!
Some gems of advice in both of your posts, so thank you for the thoughtful and positive contributions.
More soon …
Namaste
Robert
Thanks again, Rebecca, for your articulate and insightful comments. I agree with you regarding the cumulative effect of the heat and learning to tolerate it, and I also agree that, if students are not to the point of either throwing up or passing out, their primary goal should be to stay in the room, in order that they can acclimate, even if this means they need to lie or sit down during various poses. Of course, as you noted, staying in the room also enables them to experience the “woo-woo” effect, which is both intoxicating, addictive, and will keep them coming back for more—until they start to question whether they’re supposed to be listening to Bikram or to their bodies. Perhaps this is precisely wherein the conundrum lies: if you’re addicted, you no longer listen to your body, you no longer want to listen to it—you just want to get high (“woo-woo”). This, in turn, is exactly what fuels the Bikram empire: addiction to the high, regardless of what your body is telling you. To get someone addicted, however, you have to keep her in the room; hence: “If you’re throwing up, no problem. Just get it over with and get back in here.”
As you noted, this isn’t to say or imply anything bad about Bikram himself. After reading his books, I don’t think he’s either nefarious or conniving. He simply knows that, with respect to the heat + yoga + “woo-woo,” he has a winning combination. Also, I wonder if there have been any studies done in which the chemicals released in the brain while doing Bikram yoga are examined. I think such a study would be fascinating. I suspect that the amount and quality of endorphins released may well be similar to the chemicals swirling around in someone’s head after taking heroin.
Last, as you indicated, the yoga component of Bikram yoga keeps the parts well lubricated. In this respect, I think there’s one more point to keep in mind. The yoga that Bikram teaches isn’t his, per se; it’s his guru’s. Without doubt, I believe that Bikram’s guru was a remarkable man and that it is this remarkableness/power that comes through in Bikram’s yoga. Bikram is, without question, a well-trained yogi. He is not, however, a guru—that was his guru’s job. What Bikram did was take his guru’s-infused yoga and find a way to market it. As to this I’m not passing judgment; I am, however, re-emphasizing the same point: Bikram’s yoga is a product and, as with any product, one must listen to one’s body to decide when, whether, and how to continue using it.
Thanks, Rebecca, for your responses.
–Sarah
Sarah,
I agree with description on a standard Bikram class. I have taken many different types of yoga classes and flows in my travels and I almost always find a traditional “Bikram” class always approaches the class the same way.
After the instructor sees that I have done this before they usually go on in the following ways during my practice.
Breathe through the discomfort.
Push it go you can go further.
I can’t hear your breathing!Now I am no expert but I go to Yoga for the following reasons.
1. Personal Meditation
2. A way in which to calm my mind
3. Sweat the toxins out
4. And any other added benefits are just gravy.I can’t stand this approach so it took me awhile to find a network of studios that do not do this and I also developed some standard approach stratagies when going to the studio for the first time.
1. Always tell them its your first time
2. Position yourself in the middle of the room (middle of the pack of practioners
3. Fake that you don’t speak english very wellThis keeps’em off your back.
If anyone is interested I have studios around North America that are very good to studios both advanced and beginner … and they approach the practice in the way I think traditional yoga is suppose to be taken. My full time studio is found here http://www.gotyoga.com and they people are amazing!
namaste
Hi. I’ve been doing Bikram yoga for some time and love the yoga. What I don’t like, however, is the fact that, as much as the teachers insist on everyone being mindful and present in the room, they themselves are not. Instead, they’re reciting a script they memorized and, rather than reacting to what’s going on in the room, how people feel, and the energy that may (or may not) be present–and responding accordingly–they simply regurgitate: “This is good for you. Breathe through it. It’ll make you stronger.” What it seems to me they’re actually doing–and this is true of all Bikram teachers and, in fact, results from the nature of Bikram yoga itself–is putting what Bikram taught them to say ahead of what is actually going on with their students at a particular point in time. In addition, they’re instructing people to ignore pain by pushing it off and saying, “It’s only temporary.” Yes, it’s only temporary, but ignoring it means ignoring a part of yourself, a very important part that’s hardwired to tell you something’s wrong. It’s a similar philosophy of “push through the pain” that kept women (and men) in bad and abusive marriages during the glory days of Catholicism. It’s also the same system that masters impose upon slaves when they tell them “Work is good for you. It will set you free.” In other words, when doing Bikram yoga you’re being told to adopt a particular individual’s way of thinking, whether you accept it or not, and whether your body agrees with it or not. You’re also told that everything will be “blissful” in the end. Can someone explain these inconsistencies between simultaneously being told “Be present” while also being told “ignore what your body is telling you or what may be going on in the room?” This seems to put people in a double-bind: they’re damned if they focus (because then they’ll be concentraing on what is happening and may react to it) and they’re damned if they don’t focus (because then they won’t be pushing through the pain). Seems like an approach based on power and the desire to control–the very antithesis of what yoga is about.
The yoga aspect of Bikram yoga is, without doubt, beneficial. The Bikram philosophy, however, has numerous drawbacks and could, in the long wrong, prove harmful from the perspective of actually learning to listen to your body & mind and respond accordingly, rather than respond according to someone who’s telling you not to respond.
On a related note, I might add that this is precisely one of the ways in which people are being taught to accept such things as the increase in gas prices: just breathe through it, it will all be ok. With such a philosophy, how do you determine which things to respond to and which to ignore? If a woman beats her child, should the child just breathe through it? After all, aren’t we taught that the pain will just–in the end–make the child stronger? Won’t the pain associated with a society that increases gas prices at the beginning of summer (the time most people are likely to need gas for family vacations), just be a new pain to endure–so that we can endure further pain later on? And isn’t it places such as Bikram yoga where we learn such endurance–where we learn to permit what was once considered bad or harmful in the interest, as Nietzsche said, of ensuring that what does’t kill us make us stronger?
If Bikram yoga simultaneously strengthens our bodies while weakening our ability to think for ourselves and listen (and respond) to our bodies & minds, what have we accomplished?
Yours,
Sarah
OMG! I am so upset by these posts in a profound way. It seems that at one time or another we have all had similar experiences. I feel very heavy hearted that a huge number of bikram yoga and hot yoga students have a bad experience at yoga. This poor yoga culture abounds and it has potentially far reaching results.
I am grateful to you all, Sarah, Rebecca and Jared for daring to share your stories and opinions. I have felt similarly on many of the points raised (with a few exceptions). This is precisely the reason that I created my websites and my forum. I care about people, and how they can get access to a high quality of instruction and personal outcomes.
It is regrettable that you Jared have had to come up with a story-telling strategy to meet your needs for peace, meditation and freedom. And although I laughed at your story (because of what could be perceived as its tongue in cheek element) I too found it ironic that such an approach was necessary for what is supposed to be a practice that opens oneself up to their own truth! Hey, whatever works! :cheese:
The yoga is a powerful tool: you keep going because it is so damn good. And the teaching style or the environment (or whatever your particular complaint is!) still does not tip the balance so much that you don’t go back. That is, the pain of going to yoga is not as bad as the pain you would feel if you stopped going because of the environment. So you still keep going because practicing the series is so satisfying even if you aren’t getting optimal results.
My point? Imagine how much more satisfying your experience could be, would be, if…
* you were treated with respect and encouragement
* you were taught as an individual who is part of a class group
* you weren’t ‘expected’ to surrender your will
* you weren’t subjected to the changing whims and moods of your teachers
* the class you were taught was not purely recited dialog
* the class had top quality precision instruction that allowed you to receive the holistic benefits no matter what
* you could bank on some skills in the room that allowed you optimal conditions to pursue your personal path and to feel safe, secure and nurtured.And when you get all that, you can focus on your inward journey and not just the external stuff that keeps confronting you and taking you away from your yoga.
I am shocked, angry and outraged that such treatment happens on a daily basis the world over.
I am delighted that you have a place you can come and discuss these points openly and honestly. This site and forum is here for this purpose and to let the world know there is another (and better) way to do it.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂PS: Funnily enough I am right now working on an extensive document giving heartfelt answers to how you can get all your needs met even if this culture is prevalent.
I am also sad for you Jared, and for you Sarah. I have never had an experience like that at any Bikram studio. I realize that everyone experiences good and bad with almost every kind of “class” or group exercise situation. I have had my fair share of bad experiences in gyms and classes and even in other yoga rooms. It saddens me to think that there are teachers out there behaving this way on the box, barking at students, and not showing compassion. This is completely opposite to the way I feel about Bikram Yoga and the way it should be taught and it is certainly opposite of the way I have seen it taught at my own studio.
I should preface my comments by saying that I am a passionate Bikram practitioner and plan to attend Teacher Training in two months. Having said that, I do have a few comments on your thoughts about the Dialog. I believe, and have come to find that the Dialog is an elemental part of the Yoga. BUT, it is NOT the Yoga. The Dialog serves many purposes both for the student and the instructor. It IS important and Bikram is very adamant about HIS Dialog being used. Since I’ve been preparing for Training, I myself have been learning Bikram’s quirky Dialog. I realize that for many, a “fixed” Dialog seems strange. However, the “sameness” of the Bikram series is foundational to the structure of the way the system works. Bikram’s system is designed to be done in the same sequence, same timing, same structure, every..single..time it is done. I believe one of the only ways to achieve this is to use a Dialog. We all love the benefits of the series, or we wouldn’t go back. We all love the glow and the feeling. We do, we all agree. I also think there is a *right* and a *wrong* way to deliver the Dialog. Teachers should ALWAYS be attentive to students. They should be aware of any injuries, limitations, special situations BEFORE class begins. I firmly believe it is inappropriate and out of line for any teacher to “badger” a student in an effort to see them perform or go deeper in a posture. The teacher is there to guide the students, watch, be attentive, encourage, give energy, and lead the class. The teacher is NOT there to bark or push or offend.
Bikram is a quirky man. He is passionate and of course believes in his Series. I think it’s important to remember that Bikram Yoga has always been this way. Bikram does not sell his class as “meditative” or “calm” or “relaxing.” Bikram yoga is hard work from the first breathing exercise to the final Savasana. It’s hot, it’s hard, but it WORKS. Bikram himself says, “I don’t sell cheesecake.” He’s not misrepresenting himself. But, I do believe there is a fine line between pushing students who are ready to do deeper and pushing students who are not. At my studio, we DO ask students to stay in the room. However, if they walk out, that’s their call. We encourage people to sit and lie down if they need to.
I also believe that ultimately your practice is YOUR practice. In the end, the Teacher cannot be responsible for making choices for you. The Teacher is not inside of your body, doesn’t feel what you feel. Just today in class, I was pushed in Salabasana in the second set. My teacher said, “Join us Karen” when he saw that I might sit out. I ignored him, because I was the one in MY body. I was the one nauseas.
I again, cannot imagine dealing with some of the things you all have dealt with. I hope that somehow you find some healing from the unpleasant experiences you have had with this yoga. I believe in it with all of my heart. I believe it can heal and change lives. I look forward to teaching it and bringing MY own heart and soul to the Dialog. Using Bikram’s framework of words to develop my OWN style of teaching. Ultimately, I think this is the goal. He gives me the basics, I have to add the heart. It sounds to me like some of your prior teachers may have missed that very critical step.
Namaste.
Sarah, you say Bikram is not a “guru.” What is a guru, and why wouldn’t Bikram be one?
Last, as you indicated, the yoga component of Bikram yoga keeps the parts well lubricated. In this respect, I think there’s one more point to keep in mind. The yoga that Bikram teaches isn’t his, per se; it’s his guru’s. Without doubt, I believe that Bikram’s guru was a remarkable man and that it is this remarkableness/power that comes through in Bikram’s yoga. Bikram is, without question, a well-trained yogi. He is not, however, a guru—that was his guru’s job. What Bikram did was take his guru’s-infused yoga and find a way to market it. As to this I’m not passing judgment; I am, however, re-emphasizing the same point: Bikram’s yoga is a product and, as with any product, one must listen to one’s body to decide when, whether, and how to continue using it.
Thanks, Rebecca, for your responses.
–Sarah
Bikram isn’t a guru mostly because he doesn’t work one on one with students in the way that he used to work with his guru.
Bikram himself says that he isn’t a guru, instead he calls himself a “teacher”.Hmm… I am new to this forum and well just love it. I love reading all the posts and understand the concerns and questions regarding Bikram Yoga and philosophy… It just seems as though some much energy is being wasted regarding your unpleasant experiences..
Just let it go… If the practice is not for you well it’s not for you.. Leave it peacefully and don’t dwell on the unpleasent experiences that you have had.. Learn from them and move on…
AliNYC
Hi AliNYC
Welcome! and thank you for your comments.
I have to assume that VERY fortunately you have not been exposed to the type of teaching that has been referred to above! :cheese: or at least at a level that has offended your sensibilities.
There is a lot of merit in what you say. We often experience stuff and stand back and examine the impact of it, either in the moment or retrospectively. We either realize it was our stuff, or consider that it is some kind of violence or inappropriate behavior. Thankfully, for the most part, we can ‘let these things go’.
However poor treatment or experiencing dogmatic teaching is not an uncommon occurrence. I won’t go into details but something similar happened to me to prompt me AND my husband to NEVER go back to a particular studio. I can tell you right now, that several readers from this forum have now abandoned their studio because the treatment was so bad, that they have now rented office space. They have formed a co-op where they can all get their yoga needs met! 😉
What I read into the preceding comments is that these people (like thousands of others) have experienced a style of teaching which has for them, abused their values. One where their basics human needs for respect, courtesy, kindness and maybe things like peace and harmony or the ability to make their own decisions has either been ignored or overriden. Although there are common human needs, there will be a line you draw in the sand when it comes down to whether you will put up with certain conditions.
Lastly Ali, while I am taking a stance on certain issues, I don’t agree with all the issues brought up in this thread. I am really excited however that many contentious items have been brought up and that there has been great discussion.
Thank you for your lovely comments re the website and for your participation.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I’ve had some more thoughts about this subject.
Bikram, and yoga, are from India, a country of intense and varied spiritual approaches to life that can result in intense and varied experiences, of the kind that we in the West usually work hard to avoid: chaos, inefficiency, in-the-moment thinking, and blurred definitions of everything from cleanliness to justice.
In the “West,” we are prone to a more rigidly-inspected approach to everything we do, resulting in over-analysis, questioning, and extrapolation. Plus we may be more likely to have vague feelings of guilt about spending money on ourselves, staring at ourselves in a mirror, and focusing our entire attention on our bodies and ourselves for an hour and a half on a regular basis!
Especially if we are women, we will have been “taught” through societal and perhaps religious conditioning that our purpose is to nurture others and ignore our own needs (and hence ourselves).
I am a female AND a left-brain thinker type, so I get the double-whammy. The very first time I walked into a yoga class (Iyengar, not Bikram) and started to follow the instructions, I began to cry, then laugh, then laugh and cry simultaneously. Why? Probably because the yoga was bringing the right and left sides of my brain together, causing an intensively emotional, healing experience.
There’s a penultimate irony here! Despite its origin in a deeply poetic, chaotic and unstructured country, yoga proceeds along the same lines as does solving an equation in math: whatever you do to one side of the equation (or the body), you do to the other as well, resulting in The Answer.
It’s possible that in this concept lies the solution to our issues with the repetitive nature of the Bikram dialog. Its very order and predictability introduces the discipline necessary to pull our two brain halves together in a setting where the instructions eventually become so automatic that we are freed to experience the experience.
I was shocked reading these !!!! I feel very strongly about respecting your own needs whatever they may be. Bikram changed my world in so many ways. I have an endocrine disorder and digestive issues that the yoga regulated. My doctor is fascinated by my results and encourages to practice on a daily basis. We cut my thyroid meds in half, I no longer check my blood sugar levels, and my left ovary went from being limp and lifeless to plumping up and producing estrogen!! not to mention I’m reg like clock work have peace of mind ect ……
however my sister felt sick every time and did not enjoy it and did not keep going. It is for me but not for her and we encourage each other on our own journeys instead of me saying go go go and her saying don’t don’t don’t. My studio ecnourages me and supports me and respects my sisters ( and others who feel unsure or sick) needs w/o pressure. My teacher is in it for the spread not he $$$$ and it shows in the way he treats his students. ( the money is nice too I’m sure don’t get me wrong) any way keep searching for what works for you and good luck on your journey!!!!! I can’t wait to hear what you find along the way!!! thats the fun of looking and exploring
Wow, this is a cool place. I just discovered it by accident three days ago, while trying to send a Bikram website to a friend. I was shocked to read about pushy and bullying teachers. It made me sit back and think back over my last eight years of doing Bikram yoga and all the fabulous teachers that have come and gone through my favourite studio. I cannot think of a bad one. Well, okay, maybe one, and it was just that she was really young and had a chippy attitude. She wasn’t there long. I like the fact that they all teach differently, I learn different things from different teachers, but it’s all been really, really good.
I’m on day 18 of a 30-day challenge and am really enjoying it. I’m eating less and feeling great. I’ve also pulled out my juicer from the ’90s and am re-using it after reading YogaBody’s recommendations on drinking greens before yoga. But, of couse, now I can’t tell if I’m having good classes from drinking greens or because I’m on day 18!
😆So, there I was, complacent and happy going to my local studio after many years, and on Halloween I go there and there’s a big sign on the door that it’s closing immediately, due to a rental/lease dispute! Yikes. Now I’m having to travel half-way across town in traffic to a smaller studio and it’s jam packed with people, of course, all coming from my studio. Today it was packed to bursting at the 4:15 class, but I’m on Day 21 of my challenge, so I can’t stop now! As I was leaving I heard them turning away people from the 6 p.m. class as it was completely full. Oh dear, at least I got to do my class.
I’ve had some more thoughts about this subject.
I am a female AND a left-brain thinker type, so I get the double-whammy. The very first time I walked into a yoga class (Iyengar, not Bikram) and started to follow the instructions, I began to cry, then laugh, then laugh and cry simultaneously. Why? Probably because the yoga was bringing the right and left sides of my brain together, causing an intensively emotional, healing experience.
omg, this was very similar to my very first yoga class (which also was an Iyengar class)!
This thread has been such a great read. It took me years to start doing Bikram (sticking to a mainly Hatha/Iyengar yoga diet) because I had heard stories of Bikram teachers being firm, almost Militiristic in the approach to the practice. Not being in the best of shape, I was alway thinking I needed to get in to start Bikram. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to do the poses and would be singled out in class. It was a throwback to grade school gym class. I had friends who told me their experiences at some Bikram studios in the Bay Area were less then stellar.
I’m, of course, extremely grateful for finding a great Bikram studio that has wonderful teachers who made the practice accessible to me and inspired me to keep going deeper when they see I’m almost there and who remind me that it’s ok to “take a knee” (how my teacher says take a rest) when I need to. I feel very lucky that I have this practice in my life and never had to experience some of the negative things I’ve heard about Bikram.
I find it interesting that people who have negative things to say about Bikram yoga – after you talk to them for a few minutes, you find out they’ve NEVER ACTUALLY ATTENDED. But sure enough, they have an opinion on it and it’s negative!
I guess that goes for everything in life, people have negative things to say about issues they really know nothing about.
Hi BonMar
I can totally confirm what you are saying. In my experience the strongest opinions about this yoga come from the people who know the least about it. I am guessing it has something to do with the fear of the unknown and practicing in a heated room. Of course the bad press that it gets sometimes doesn’t help.
Come to think of it, many of the poor reviews in articles I have read have been written by people who have decided to try it out. They go once and once only. The results are usually directly related to what their radar is seeking. So if they are writing it because they have friends who have told them it is great, or if it is in response to hearing the negative side, then the article reflects what they generally anticipate.
Of course what many of us learn as a result of going regularly is to drop the judgment and just observe. It is obviously just one of those human foibles – and a healthy cynicism can sometimes just be a little too healthy. :cheese: The trick, as we all (now) know, is to go several times before taking a stance. Or to stand back and let your body do the talking. I know that many say that they hate it at first and then can’t work out why they turned up the next day. 😆
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi, I am new here and I am a Bikram Yoga teacher. I have read all the threads here and I feel like I need to contribute something in regards to the way some people teach.
First of all: all teachers out there teach Bikram yoga not to bully anyone, but because we love the yoga series and we want to pass the wonderful benefits of the yoga on. Everybody has a different story, history and has fallen in love with the yoga for different reasons. They can be physical, mental, emotional – whatever reason for which we have chosen to become teachers: we want to improve peoples lives.
Some of the teachers, including myself, love the yoga so much because it has brought discipline to their lives. Discipline in my life has helped me to control my bad habits, addictions and weaknesses. In the past, I found myself often letting myself be easily distracted in my practice. Only thank to strict teachers, who told me the importance of staying in the room, keeping my mind focused, I have developed a mental strength, that has not only shown in my practice, but also in the outside world.
I have learnt to see the yoga room and my practice just like my life. As soon as it gets uncomfortable I want to run out. Of the room. Of my life. But staying makes you deal with it. And solve it.
I agree completely, that Bikramyoga is not for everybody (I wish it was, I wish I could share the wonderful effects of this yoga with everyone), and that strict teachers might seem selfish and crazy. But please be aware, that all of us come from a place of love. and if we try to encourage you to stay in the room, think twice if you have to leave or not, we dont want to bully. we want you to become aware, get stronger and if you still have to leave: NOONE will judge you for that.
I could talk so much more about this topic, but my main point is: we teachers are humans. we are trying the best to make the yoga practice as good, challenging, rewarding, benefitting for you as possible. If there is someone who you dont agree in teaching styles with, write them an email, maybe a note. Or maybe just be a yogi, and let it go and noone steal your peace-because our intentions are only the best.
Much luv to everybody out there-I love this community. namaste!!!!
Bikram Yoga is to be applauded because it does make an immediate and real reaction in people. There is a clear effect right from the beginning and this creates controversy. I believe some of the controversy can be contained and I believe studio owners need to on their own, take control of the fact that a minority of newbies will have a bad reaction to it. Problematic newbies could be screened far better. My first class was really fine–no problem but I have witnessed many bad first impressions and I believe it is in the interest of yoga studios to turn some people away by putting a burden on them to indicate that they really want to give it a try–hearing and understanding what it is about.
Again, I go back to my gym as a model. Before you join, they sit you down and when they see you are overweight or maybe on medications–they steer you in a clear direction since they do not want trouble. I know of no attempt by Bikram studio owners, as a matter of strict policy to screen people in good faith. Yes, I know there is a release which is signed–this is not what I am speaking about. Most people do not even read the form, they sign at the bottom, as the line behind them is pushing them to sign and move along. People need to be told that if they are not in good basic physical shape, they will have a hard time with the postures. They should be screened to ask them if they are ready and willing to lose weight, eat better and seek to better their practice over time. The gym is oftentimes a 6 month or one-year commitment. A significant minority–perhaps 10%-20% of newbies are one class and they don’t come back. This is a huge number of unsatisfied people and I believe that many of them could be saved if handled differently.
Gabrielle is a hero. I would venture to say she would save almost all of them if everyone could come to her studio.
Yoga is still sweeping the country and I believe the Bikram ship could be a bit tighter as interest continues to expand. My own wife is sadly, a one-and-done Bikram student. She is unbelievably flexible and tolerant of the heat. She could easily go further, faster than myself. Yet, her bad first experience (despite the fact that the studio was the coolest and the instructor the most calm and kind)will mean she is likely to never return–my positive experience notwithstanding. Like medications, people will have varying reactions to Bikram Yoga. Some could potentially be mollified, others–never.
I really disagree with you on that one. I don’t believe that any studio owner should ever screen potential new members for suitability to the practice. How could one possibly screen for “problematic” newbies? How would you even define a “problematic” newbie? Everyone who wants to try Bikram should have a chance to try it!
Not everyone is going to like it. I didn’t particularly like Bikram when I started. I had two years of “I’m ok-You’re ok” type yoga under my belt and was used to a very gentle and permissive teaching style. However, I continued to attend Bikram and, after about a month, developed a deep passion for it. I intend to continue with Bikram as a lifetime practice.
I do not believe that you have to be in good physical shape to start Bikram. I believe that you can be in any shape to start and that practicing Bikram will get you there. I think that the following quote applies here:
“It’s never too late, you’re never too old, you’re never too sick to start again from scratch.” Bishnu Ghosh
There are some people in my Bikram classes who do not appear to be in great physical shape, but they are continuing to attend and are quickly improving their condition. I know one woman in particular who is quite overweight and she LOVES going to classes. They give her great satisfaction and purpose. What if she had been turned away before she ever had a chance to begin?!? That would have been tragic.
There are unsatisfied people out there who want to “talk smack” on the Bikram style. One of them is a former instructor of mine who teaches Hatha flow. I adore her and her class, but Bikram was just not for her. I say “so what?” It’s not for everyone. That is no reason to make it into an exclusive practice that only allows suitable practitioners.
I do not wish you to misunderstand my point here. One of my pals is a guy who is horribly obese. He loves hot yoga and everyone encourages him. He was once a marine and had a series of physical problems and now his weight is out of control. He loves it and no one can talk him out of it and indeed–no one should.
Bikram yoga is not for everyone. To say that there is no downside in anyone trying it, I believe is a mistake but I am not a studio owner. As a small businessman–I am very sensitive to the problem and this is the focus of my concern. I believe it is good business to radically reduce the number of people who show up at a studio and have a bad experience. There is no current mechanism for this to happen and I simply wonder if this is good policy. In my opinion, from a business perspective–this is not a good policy.
If I interviewed my friend who is horribly overweight and he told me he would be committed in all likelihood, I would take his blood pressure, give him a pep talk and let him go. How can a studio screen for a fragile newbie? It is tough. My point is that this can be done the same way it is done at the gym and if a good faith effort is done–that is enough and it would both protect a studio owner and would give a fragile newbie pause about even showing up the first time. I am not a paranoid–it simply seems reasonable that some disgruntled newbie could sue a studio for not giving fair warning. Again, it is not MY issue since I am fit and largely coordinated. But such a suit could get a sympathetic ear– a lame release form, uneven instruction, a crowded hot room, a slippery floor, disorienting postures, peer pressure–etc. I loathe these kinds of accusations but is it a credible threat under the current set of circumstances–my guess is yes, it is a threat.
We live in a society where short step ladders have really dumb warnings and shower soap warns people “for external use only.” In context, Bikram Yoga’s unhappy newbies seem to be an accident waiting to happen and it does not matter if this does not apply nine out of ten times or even one out of 100. Just my thought here.
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