Is there a wrong way to practice yoga?

Yes, unfortunately we Americans seem to be able to screw up even an ancient form of health and vitality by letting materialism, ego and attachment get in the way.

I would like to warn my students and website visitors against participating in "hot yoga" or Bikram yoga. I have personally practiced this style several times myself. My first Bikram class was a couple years ago. I had nine years of yoga experience already, and I must admit I went in with an ego. "Oh, this will be no sweat." But it was a sweat, a really intense one. I stayed in the miserable sauna for the entire 90 minutes, doing the lopsided series of poses, twice each, with 20 second savasana between each set. I hated every minute of it. This was not the yoga I knew and loved. This seemed competitive, wholly physical and just too damn hot. After class, I did feel good, but who wouldn't after an hour and a half of deep stretching and misery? The balmy 90 degree day in Austin was chilly compared to the inside of the yoga room.

I have done probably ten Bikram classes in my life, and after consistently overstretching myself due to the heat, as well as reading articles like these (see below), I'm officially retired from it. Also, I have had students who are current or former Bikram aficionados who complain that there are no shoulder openers in his series. They come in with loose hips, overstretched knees and tight shoulders and necks.

-From the New York Times, March 30, 2004
When does flexible start to mean harmful?

-From the Denver Post, May 2, 2004: Hot Yoga linked to Increased Injuries

-From Yoga Journal, 2001: Some Don't Like it Hot

Sure, some people are die hard Bikramers and that's great for them, as long as it doesn't lead to pulled muscles and torn ligaments. But I must ask: what is the draw? The intensity? The sweat? The workout? To me, all those things come equally well with other powerful practices like Ashtanga and vinyasa flow. Building heat from within your body using pranayama (breathing) instead of having 100+ degrees imposed on you from outside, not to mention the smelly guy the next mat over.

Everything that Bikram stands for is counter to all of yoga philosophy (nonviolence, noncompetition, nonjudgment, and the like). The man himself is filthy rich, lives in Beverly Hills and has opened over 300 "Bikram Yoga College of India" franchises around the world. He recently caused a huge uproar in the yoga community by trying to sue for the rights to some of the asanas (poses). Wake up! They're not YOURS. They're FREE for all.

I attended the Bikram Yoga Expo last September in LA and went to the "World's largest yoga class," taught by Mr. Choudhury himself. He was up on a small platform, pacing, ranting and raving, wearing only a teeny loin cloth and a microphone. It was the furthest thing from yoga that I've ever experienced. And the room wasn't even hot!

All in all, Bikram is a bastardized branch of hatha yoga which, when combined with arrogance in practice, can lead to injury and stunt spiritual enlightenment.

Yoga Freedom. Health. Abundance. Freedom. (c) 2004. All rights reserved worldwide.