We often tell you how much the Bikram series benefits you but sometimes people are seeking more information on why it is the way it is. Why is the dialogue always the same? Why do we do two sets? Why is the class always the same?

There is a reason, and Bikram says it’s logical, practical and scientific. The words in the dialogue are a song or nursery rhyme they may seem crazy at first, but overtime you will notice that they have a hypnotic effect on your brain. You can switch your brain off from all the ‘monkey business’ that clogs it up and for 90 minutes you experience an eye open meditation. When this happens your body starts to sing to your soul.

There are two sets of each posture for a reason too. The first set you explore where you are at, at that, given moment (and that will be different every time you come to class). The second set you go deeper with more confidence. You get better. This is always challenging for everyone regardless of their experience.

Practicing the same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises at every class means that you can actually learn the postures. You gradually get better and better each time. All Bikram Yogis will tell you it is always challenging and there is always room for improvement. Each day, each practice you will have a different experience.

Bikram Yoga is a 90 minute moving meditation too. This is because you have to face yourself in the mirror you cannot escape. You soon forget there is anyone else in the room. You soon forget anything going on in your outside life. The room is hot, you feel uncomfortable you have to focus your mind 100% on what the teacher is saying. You have to focus on yourself, on your body and in doing so you calm your mind and eventually you are able to become aware of yourself, or spirit, or god, or what can be called self-realization. Practicing Bikram Yoga can be particularly beneficial to people suffering anxiety or depression because they struggle with stillness. Their mind will not slow down in a traditional meditation where you have to be still.

We have been asked can you practice Bikram in silence? The answer is simple, you cannot. Bikram is practiced listening to the dialogue. Maybe if you are on your own and have no access to Bikram’s CD you will practice on your own. But it is virtually impossible to get the full benefits of the sequence. Your mind will wander. You will struggle to do everything correctly and shorten postures, skip bits. You might be doing a version of yoga, bit it is not the pure Bikram method.