Bikram Yoga
Los Angeles, Feb.24, 2009
Gary Singh
Bikram
Choudhary
Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram Yoga, is one of the most
popular fitness gurus in Hollywood. He is also the founder of the
worldwide Yoga College of India.
Bikram Choudhury with his wife, Rajashree.
Bikram Choudhury was born in the city of Calcutta in 1946. He
was introduced to the technique of yoga at the age of four years
only. Bikram underwent yoga training under Bishnu Ghosh, one of
the most popular physical culturists of that time, at his 'College
of Physical Education'. Bishnu is the younger brother of Paramahansa
Yogananda
Bikram practiced yoga rigorously, devoting four to six hours every
day towards it. When he was only thirteen years old, he won the
National India Yoga Championship. Thereafter he retired as the undisputed
'All-India National Yoga Champion'.
Injured in the knee during a weight-lifting: At
the age of seventeen years, Bikram Choudhury got badly injured in
the knee during a weight-lifting accident. Renowned doctors, from
as far as Europe, gave up the chances of his ever walking again.
However, having faith in his teacher, Bishnu Ghosh, and his yoga
techniques, Bikram went back to his school.
- Six months later, he experienced total recovery in his knee.
Thereafter, Bishnu asked Bikram Choudhary to start a number of
Yoga schools in India. Bikram received fantastic response from
people and his yoga schools become extremely successful.
- Bikram traveled to Japan and opened two yoga schools. Since
that time, he has being promoting the curative techniques of Yoga
therapy around the world.
Bikram Choudhury introduced a new style of yoga, known as the
Bikram Yoga or Hot Yoga. This style is practiced in a room that
has been preheated to a temperature of 105 deg F (40.5 deg C) and
has a humidity of 50 percent. The training course goes on for nine
weeks, during which the temperature is slowly taken to, as high
as, 130 deg F. The entire course involves the training of 26 postures
and two breathing exercises.
You will realize a magical moment when biomechanically you feel
a state of relaxed awareness utilizing the 3 primary aspects of
Bikram Yoga: Breathing, Freezing/Holding the postures and Savasana
(relaxation). Bikram Yoga has been described by its creator as a
"moving meditation". Physically it cultivates strength,
flexibility and balance. Mentally it trains the mind in five ways:
to build faith in your abilities, gain self control, increase personal
determination, improve mental concentration and build patience.
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