Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Namaskar,

I came to yoga through Bikram yoga. I loved the intensity of focus that was demanded of me on my mat. I loved that I had no choice but to do as told or leave. It was what I needed at that moment on my path. Bikram yoga brings many to the mat for the first time, especially Westerners who are often overwhelmed by the number of choices and decisions they are faced with daily . My beloved calls it the McDonald's of yoga. It doesn't matter where in the world you are, if you walk into a Bikram studio you know what to expect.

Bikram is a man of high ego and incessant talking. But he is part of my lineage and I honor him for bringing yoga to me.

My path has changed. I study with other teachers of other systems. I have found that too much of any particular asana system will lead to deficiencies in the body, just as an imbalance in pranayama can lead to nervous system deficiencies. Bikram students lack in upper body and core strength. Astunga based systems lack in balance and promote shoulder injuries. Aligning oneself with a particular system will help to give focus to the study, but it can also lead to dogmatism.

Shanti, shanti, shanti, Om

Rommy