Mind, body and soul are the three aspects that make up the holy trinity of spirituality. Many people spend their whole lives looking to attain even one of these three and the primary practice of people wishing to get the point where these three things marry up is yoga, and a particular form that has gained notoriety is Bikram Yoga.
The inventor of this controversial form of yoga is Bikram Choudrey, an ex-All-India Yoga Champion who remained undefeated until his retirement from the competition. Having practised yoga since he was four, he has dedicated his life to it and has established himself as a prominent character on the scene - his much-talked about technique is the reason why.
Hot yoga is practised in a room with 40% humidity and a recommended temperature of 105 degrees. These intense conditions have a notable effect on the body, including the relaxation of muscles and breathing. Bikram Yoga consists of a series of twenty-six yoga positions, also known as 'asanas', which include two breathing excercises. The heat is said to affect the capacity of the lungs, allowing for deeper breathing which aids in the achievement of each position. The heat is seen as a challenging aspect and many, including some professional sportsmen, have cited Bikram Yoga as a real test of endurance. Professional tennis player Andy Murray said of the practice, '"Until you do it you can't comment on how difficult it is. It's tough. It's ugly."
Moreover, Bikram's technique has some dangers. The body's reaction to unnatural heat levels during exercise can be unpredictable and as such, some people have experienced severe dehydration due to sweating. It is advised to keep oneself hydrated and sip on water during the ninety-minute classes. It can also cause hypothermia, the overheating of the body, and can lead to heatstroke so it is not to be practiced by anyone who suffers from high blood pressure or heart problems. While it's potentially negative effects cannot be ignored neither, it seems, can it's positives.
The twenty-six specially designed yoga poses, or asanas, are composed of two intense breathing exercises at the beginning and end and twenty-four stances designed to promote the body's unity by making all muscles work one after the other with each pose preparing you for the one that follows. Michele Pernetta, who introduced Bikram Yoga to the UK and is a fundamental influence in the idea of sports and yoga, says, "Most sports have long-term effects but yoga is the science of putting the body back the way it's supposed to be." The asanas are done over the space of ninety minutes, a long enough time to get the body working hard, yet the breathing exercises help reduce the negative effects.
Bikram Choudrey has a different view on yoga from most. Having been a champion of competitive yoga he feels that competition is what democracies are based on. Some say he's a bit of a character, well known in the U.S.A for suing a lot of people for copyright infringement, but people are still going crazy for his idea, and the benefits seem to be obvious!
This brings us onto the soul, surely the most important of the spiritual holy trinity. Many people who practice yoga have said that Bikram is focussed too much on the physical and less upon the spiritual side, however seasoned Bikram fans say the key to the spiritual side is self-acceptance. The pressure of the heat and the intensity of the twenty-six asanas are mentally-challenging in a way that other forms of yoga lack. While the temperature can be suffocating the simple fact that it also aids the relaxation of the muscles and the humidity has a powerful detoxifying effect on the body, allowing the release of all pollutant products in your body which leaves the body in a state of oneness. Bikram Choudrey is a controversial character, having filed many copyright lawsuits in the US and being regarded as somewhat strange, however this has only made his technique more talked about and the benefits have yet to be argued, so, provided you are up to the challenge, Bikram Yoga could be the way to reach the oneness of mind, body and soul in today's hectic, fast-paced age.
The inventor of this controversial form of yoga is Bikram Choudrey, an ex-All-India Yoga Champion who remained undefeated until his retirement from the competition. Having practised yoga since he was four, he has dedicated his life to it and has established himself as a prominent character on the scene - his much-talked about technique is the reason why.
Hot yoga is practised in a room with 40% humidity and a recommended temperature of 105 degrees. These intense conditions have a notable effect on the body, including the relaxation of muscles and breathing. Bikram Yoga consists of a series of twenty-six yoga positions, also known as 'asanas', which include two breathing excercises. The heat is said to affect the capacity of the lungs, allowing for deeper breathing which aids in the achievement of each position. The heat is seen as a challenging aspect and many, including some professional sportsmen, have cited Bikram Yoga as a real test of endurance. Professional tennis player Andy Murray said of the practice, '"Until you do it you can't comment on how difficult it is. It's tough. It's ugly."
Moreover, Bikram's technique has some dangers. The body's reaction to unnatural heat levels during exercise can be unpredictable and as such, some people have experienced severe dehydration due to sweating. It is advised to keep oneself hydrated and sip on water during the ninety-minute classes. It can also cause hypothermia, the overheating of the body, and can lead to heatstroke so it is not to be practiced by anyone who suffers from high blood pressure or heart problems. While it's potentially negative effects cannot be ignored neither, it seems, can it's positives.
The twenty-six specially designed yoga poses, or asanas, are composed of two intense breathing exercises at the beginning and end and twenty-four stances designed to promote the body's unity by making all muscles work one after the other with each pose preparing you for the one that follows. Michele Pernetta, who introduced Bikram Yoga to the UK and is a fundamental influence in the idea of sports and yoga, says, "Most sports have long-term effects but yoga is the science of putting the body back the way it's supposed to be." The asanas are done over the space of ninety minutes, a long enough time to get the body working hard, yet the breathing exercises help reduce the negative effects.
Bikram Choudrey has a different view on yoga from most. Having been a champion of competitive yoga he feels that competition is what democracies are based on. Some say he's a bit of a character, well known in the U.S.A for suing a lot of people for copyright infringement, but people are still going crazy for his idea, and the benefits seem to be obvious!
This brings us onto the soul, surely the most important of the spiritual holy trinity. Many people who practice yoga have said that Bikram is focussed too much on the physical and less upon the spiritual side, however seasoned Bikram fans say the key to the spiritual side is self-acceptance. The pressure of the heat and the intensity of the twenty-six asanas are mentally-challenging in a way that other forms of yoga lack. While the temperature can be suffocating the simple fact that it also aids the relaxation of the muscles and the humidity has a powerful detoxifying effect on the body, allowing the release of all pollutant products in your body which leaves the body in a state of oneness. Bikram Choudrey is a controversial character, having filed many copyright lawsuits in the US and being regarded as somewhat strange, however this has only made his technique more talked about and the benefits have yet to be argued, so, provided you are up to the challenge, Bikram Yoga could be the way to reach the oneness of mind, body and soul in today's hectic, fast-paced age.
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