Hell yoga

this is funny Max. Never done Bikrams but sounds like a franchise kinda deal...sort of the Mcdonalds of Yoga. Never been to a class though so I can't judge it.

This was such a hoot to read! I'm sorry you had such a horrible experience, but it was extremely hilarious to me only because I had the exact same thing happen, only it was not a Bikram class but a  vinyasa flow class. . . which in a way, is even worse!  Granted I'm new to LA, but I never would have guessed that even the yoga would be so Hollywood. . . Let me just sum it up for you. . . We did our practice to Coldplay.  While I was standing in eagle pose I catch myself singing the lyrics to Yellow.  Sound centering?  Then when I would try to regain my focus and sit with myself, I would hear the drill sergent's voice singing the song!  Good Lord, I give up.  I know I'm on the path to blocking out the environment around me, but apparently I have a long way to go:)

And, in regards to your post, I think you should give it one more try. I have done some very intense Bikram classes. It IS different than what we are used too, and yes, its a bit more for the athlete trying to "do yoga" but you really can get a great workout from it.  Just like anything, you have to find the right place that gels with you.  Hope you try it, somewhere else!

Well dear Max....This is funny because I was at Kripalu months ago when Bikram came to the building. It was the rave. Many of my fellow volunteers were all about it. I would come thru the staff entrance and the whole hallway was filled with heat and steam and closed off to not let any of the heat out. So I went to check this woman out. It was against everything I knew to be yoga as well. And to just back up my intuition the certain people that were into it that I knew had a long way to go internally from what I gathered. I encountered the teacher a few times and she seemed to be in such a place that caused her to be very abrupt and nasty, and I had been in a place where our interaction was me basically devoting myself to helping her have a pleasant experience while she was there. Yet she was so mean to me. I at the time just took it as my own lesson of humility and seeing the love in some one no matter what. I chalked it up to this...everyone has there own path that will hopefully lead to the same place, and maybe they all needed to be pushed very hard and at times having someone or thing to  raise their pitta to such a point of aggravation. However i was also saddened by the fact that I as a reiki practitioner was called to help a number of people that were actually physically hurt  by the Bikram program. As well as having to deal with certain people that seemed to go seemingly out of control as a ripple effect of the program. I still dont think that it is good or bad, however maybe it may ignite in certain people things that would surface in many other ways that could be even more harmful. Some beings thrive in that kind of atmosphere. It is safe to say that it lacked in my experience spirituality and love. But more of the athletic push of going to our limits no matter what the cost, yet wouldnt that eventually bring someone to their knees and surrender. Not everyone does yoga to center. I later after my stint at the Krip was looking after a perfume shop in Brooklyn and a woman came limping in with her foot in a cast and I approached her to see what kind of scent she was seeking. And she just kind of broke down explaining to me that she had unknowingly went to try a Bikram class and hurt herself due to the teacher pushing and pushing her when she hurt herself, she was told to just keep going as well  and not to be a baby to the pain. After she left she ended up in an emergency room with a broken ankle. The woman never brought any perfume but rather cried on my shoulder wanting an explanation as to what kind of practice would hurt her so badly? She was hurt physically yet much more internally. We talked and talked and I did my best to help her to not walk away from yoga completely , she said she was dealing with friends that still insisted that Bikram was the best and she felt less than because she couldnt hang with it so to speak. In her cast and in a small store I lead her threw a mediation a little bit of a gentle flow of asana to show her that yoga could be very soothing. She actually left limping less and without the beaten down slup of spine she walked in with. As well as when she walked out she spoke of her friends being on a different journey and that it was okay for her not to be on the same journey as them. A yoga flow should not be so harsh. But for many it may be exciting and invigorating for it to be just that. And I do feel the need to say that I being brought up doing kundalini yoga had only known of sivasana as corpse pose. I was clueless that it was also known as sivasana until I walked into Kripalu. So that is not souly   a bikram term. I am not in a place where I down one for loving bikram however it is not a practice for me or a practice I find necessarily benifical.

Your experience with that instructor is so unfortunate! Bikram himself specifically outlines key instructions for the class, which are specific directions so the student can take their mind out of the equation and safely move and breathe through the postures and breathing exercises.  Thankfully (but unfortunately not in your case) Bikram’s instructions do not include “try to rip yourself in half” or “it's only a good stretch if it hurts” or any of the guidence you received.  As a Bikram Yoga instructor I am sad to hear a fellow insturctor has swayed from what the actual insturction should be.  

I can only assume that you tried this class with the intention of trying something new.  If this is the case, why were you not open to trying something new? i.e. keeping your eyes open.

It is much easier to meditate while in your comfort zone.  But this class, like real life has it’s frustrations and challenges, and in this case the instructor was annoying you.  Why did you let her take away your peace?  I believe by embracing the experience you may find a deeper meaning of this journey and a deeper meditation.

Yes, I also enjoy other yoga classes, and have experienced many. But I have never felt so alive and connected in body, mind, and spirit than after leaving a Bikram Yoga class.

In response to Martin’s comment;  Bikram yoga is not a franchise and there is no monetary involvement outside of what any non Bikram studio would have.  All Bikram Yoga studios world wide provide the same classes simply because we all believe in the yoga and our guru.

I would urge you to try again a couple more times (I hope with a different instructor).  There may be more to it if you are able to get past what you saw as distractions.

I've enjoyed a Bikram class or two. I have never felt more invigorated or felt so challenged! I've found that if you tend to be a fiery type it does tend to increase the fire. Which can prove to be very interesting if you are not centered and in a chaotic state.

I also found that I am not as comfortable with nakedness as much as I could be. There's just something about half naked men in tight bike shorts with body odor that isn't good for me or the sight of naked women having open conversations in a very small dressing room. I think that this is a little different from Eugenius' blog (http://tinyurl.com/yr7g97). Or is it?

Maxx...Bro...Ive never taken this style of yoga, and after reading your blog..Dont think I'll be breaking down the studio doors to get into a class any time soon...yeah not so much...

I have not yet tried a Bikram class, though I am open to it, mostly because a friend of mine (who is a supercool chick) is an instructor.  I believe that it is really the teacher and their energy  (voice/tone counts to me too) that makes or breaks a class - not the postures or 'routine' that they teach.  That being said, there is a lot of 'aggressive' type yoga being taught and followed these days, which, to me, is really a reflection of our society and how most people live.  Go,Go,GO!  On and off the mat.  So many people are attracted to these types of classes (power, hot)...  and I am not saying that they don't have their place, however, the other thing is that most people are not so mindful of their bodies in this hot, achievement oriented state, which is how the injuries occur.

I just feel that there needs to be balance.  As with everything, the ebb and the flow...  it just makes sense - within a yoga practice, within life.  

To me, it's about being mindful of your own practice, being honest with yourself, and finding the perfect balance for you.

Oh, my God, that was soooo funny Max.  I felt about the exact same thing after experiencing my first Bikram yoga, hotter than hell, might as well be in a bathing suit, because every ounce of me was drenched.  And, like your experience, my teacher was encouraging us to "feel the pain" and "get ready, because this one is going to kick your ass." Not really my style of yoga, preparing the body for enlightenment concept.

I really do appreciate hearing your story though, because I thought I was a bit unique after my experience, which was so aweful that I didn't even really talk about it with many other people.

Thanks for sharing and bringing us to Light.

With love and gratitude

~ Janan