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.
Bikram yoga is so named after Bengalese yoga pioneer Bikram Choudrey who's theory on 'hot yoga' has redefined the way a lot of people now practice the art. He has dedicated his life to his practice and has become a notable figure, founding the Yoga College of India and retiring unbeaten after an illustrious career as the All-India National Yoga Champion. He is still an active member of the scene and in this article we will be looking at how hot yoga has influenced people for over twenty years.
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."
There have been many noted health risks to exercising like this in such a high temperature, including nausea, dizziness and fainting. All this and dehydration from sweating can cause heatstroke so it is not for those who can't bear the heat, and certainly not for anyone with high blood pressure or heart problems. Even though there are some negatives, the positive effects on how you feel during and after sessions are pretty hard to ignore.
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 Yoga is seen to be mainly about the physical side of yoga rather than some of the more popular ideas of spirituality and unity. Bikram Choudrey speaks contrarily to this and is an avid supporter and indeed champion of competitive yoga. He says - Competition is the foundation for all democratic societies. For without competition, there is no democracy. Perhaps he has taken this saying into his personal life as well; he has filed numerous lawsuits in the United States for copyright infringement and the unlawful use of his technique. He is seen as a rather strange character in the world of yoga, but the pioneering effect his theory is having on people is undeniable.
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.
Bikram yoga is so named after Bengalese yoga pioneer Bikram Choudrey who's theory on 'hot yoga' has redefined the way a lot of people now practice the art. He has dedicated his life to his practice and has become a notable figure, founding the Yoga College of India and retiring unbeaten after an illustrious career as the All-India National Yoga Champion. He is still an active member of the scene and in this article we will be looking at how hot yoga has influenced people for over twenty years.
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."
There have been many noted health risks to exercising like this in such a high temperature, including nausea, dizziness and fainting. All this and dehydration from sweating can cause heatstroke so it is not for those who can't bear the heat, and certainly not for anyone with high blood pressure or heart problems. Even though there are some negatives, the positive effects on how you feel during and after sessions are pretty hard to ignore.
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 Yoga is seen to be mainly about the physical side of yoga rather than some of the more popular ideas of spirituality and unity. Bikram Choudrey speaks contrarily to this and is an avid supporter and indeed champion of competitive yoga. He says - Competition is the foundation for all democratic societies. For without competition, there is no democracy. Perhaps he has taken this saying into his personal life as well; he has filed numerous lawsuits in the United States for copyright infringement and the unlawful use of his technique. He is seen as a rather strange character in the world of yoga, but the pioneering effect his theory is having on people is undeniable.
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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