BIKRAM
and his HOT YOGA
Bikram Choudhury is the founder of
the worldwide Yoga College of India™.
Born
in Calcutta in 1946, Bikram began Yoga at the age of four with Bishnu
Ghosh, a celebrated physical culturist and the first to scientifically
document Yoga's ability to cure chronic physical ailments and heal the
body. At the age of thirteen, Bikram won the National India Yoga Championship.
He was undefeated for the following three years and retired as the undisputed
All-India National Yoga Champion. At seventeen, Bikram injured his knee
during a weight-lifting accident and leading European doctors predicted
that he would never walk again. But after six months at Bishnu Ghosh's
school his knee had totally recovered. Bikram was asked by Ghosh to start
several Yoga schools in India. The schools were so successful that at
Bishnu's request Bikram traveled to Japan and opened two more. He has
since brought his curative methods of Yoga therapy around the world.
the
POSTURES
Hatha Asanas
Bikram's
Yoga is a series of 26 beginner hatha asanas (postures) suitable
for all ages and physical abilities.
This 90-minute
series begins and ends with a breathing exercise. The same sequence of
postures is practiced in a heated room with mirrors and a carpeted floor.
The heat allows for greater depth in stretching and while keeping the
body warm prevents injury, speeds up metabolism and facilitates the release
of toxins through sweat. The mirrors give you a greater connection with
yourself during your practice and also let you correct and improve your
own alignment. Although many people question the need for a carpeted room,
the main purpose of the carpet is to prevent injury and provide traction
during the postures. Done sequentially, the 26 postures are designed to
not only tone muscles, improve strength and flexibility, but also realign
vertebrae, bones, joints, improve circulation, lubricate joints and with
the compression and release of different glands and organs, flush the
body, restoring vitality and balance.
The Bikram
studio in Kamloops
has a wonderful poster of the 26 Bikram yoga postures. Click
here to download the poster. You will need an Adobe Acrobat
reader to view the poster.
