Yoga @ 35°C – 44 °C
Yoga is also a pathway to find one’s happiness, or joy, or bliss. Among the different types of yoga, one of the yogas is Bikram Yoga.
Bikram Yoga is a rigorous form of yoga practised in a heated room. The temperature can range from 35°C – 44°C (95–108 °F) with a humidity of 40%. In this yoga, there are 26 postures with two breathing exercises and they are done in a time span of 60 minutes to 90 minutes. Each posture begins with a stretch opening up the body to the next posture. This yoga combines the Hatha Yoga techniques and became popular in the 1970s.
“It has been proved and experienced by millions that these 26 postures systematically work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, all the veins, all the ligaments, and all the muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. Each component takes care of something different in the body, and yet they all work together synergistically, contributing to the success of every other one, and extending its benefits.” –bikramyoga.com
Allison Wong Toi and her friend started a Bikram Yoga studio in Sweden. Allison is an expat of Chinese heritage, born and raised in New Zealand, studied and worked in the USA and Hong Kong. Her commitment to yoga teaching reflects the principles of authenticity, honesty, integrity, and transparency. And for her, yoga is mirror to yourSelf. She reckoned that Bikram Yoga is easy for anyone to start practising yoga and practised in 40 degrees heat in a session lasting from 60-90 minutes: the result could be a feel of being energised and refreshed. Her opinion about Bikram Yoga: “It is very accessible to absolute beginners, because the way we teach it is a dialogue based class, so we speak and we usually don’t demonstrate the postures so much … it is about students connecting the words to the body so it becomes very easy for people who have not done one asana (body posture in a specific way) in their whole life. And to come in and moving carefully to the words, listening … observing the people around them to get a cue. It is great, it is encouraging.”
According to Allison, the benefits of Bikram could go beyond physical and mental aspects of the body: it could help to cope with the issues of life with calm and patience.
“It is about falling down and getting up again, falling down and getting up again…and there always are going to be hurdles or stumbling blocks that come your way, in life. It is important that you continue, you persevere that you don’t just give up at the first turn. It is parallel to Bikram Yoga … where it can be challenging, it can be tough … and that you may you may fall over, you may fall out … but you should always endeavour, and you should always pick yourself up. And, at the end of the day you will find you have more inner strength. And, it is very rewarding in a way,” said Allison.
Bikram Yoga is attributed to Bikram Chaudhary. Since he is facing controversy, Bikram Yoga the eponymous name after him is changing (and changed) to Hot Yoga. The results of the yoga are known to the trainers and practitioners.