Bikram Yoga: The Guru Behind Hot Yoga Shows the Way to Radiant Health and Personal Fulfillment

by Bikram Choudhury

Librarian's This is an alternate cover edition of ISBN13 9780060568085

Leave your assumptions—and your excuses—at the door. Bikram Choudhury, the world's foremost authority on Hot Yoga, is here to show you the true way to self-improvement and a new love of life. Based on a centuries-old and scientifically proven pathway to health, Bikram Yoga will whip your body, mind, and spirit into shape.

Based on Bikram's signature program of 26 postures and two breathing exercises, this book will help you combat a variety of afflictions—from stress and insomnia to arthritis and back pain—and maintain exceptional health for years to come. The various postures work your muscles, increase flexibility, and flush toxins out of your system—a completely natural, full-body workout without the unhealthy stresses and dangers of a gym. It isn't It's a rigorous, body-bending program, and Bikram gives it to you straight in his outspoken, charismatic, and tough-love fashion. But just like the hundreds of thousands of students who go to his studios across the country, you'll end up sweaty and exhausted but keep coming back for more.

Additionally, Bikram Yoga can help you do much more than drop inches from your belly. Bikram explains how practicing yoga is also a mental and spiritual mission that can help you create a path to true happiness. When it comes to love and marriage, realizing your full potential, or living a life in perfect balance, Bikram's yogic philosophy shows you how physical strength and flexibility can be a gateway to mental clarity and spiritual calm.

If you've never tried Bikram's yoga, get ready for the deepest, most beneficial class of your life. And if you're an old hand at it, your understanding of the postures and the sequence will increase exponentially, as will your results.

So are you ready to achieve lasting health and happiness? The time has come for Bikram Yoga. Grab your mat and get ready to change your life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Reference, Self Help, Spirituality

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Great read, but only if yoga is of interest to you. Otherwise, the author just comes off as an arrogant prick."
- Another's Goodreads review of Bikram Yoga
Ditto


I hate how non-yogi, self-centered, non-loving, and jerklike he comes off. This guy is harsh to the sweetness that is meant to be yoga. I don't like his total disregard for modern medicine- it definitely has it's place. I don't like his photos in the book. I don't like how the world revolves around him. He was definitely abused emotionally by his guru growing up & thinks that is the norm around the world for all people. It pains me to read his brash & immature bashing of all the amazing yogis before him, including Iyengar, who I really like, calling them all "misguided knockoff artists preceding me." What about those yamas of non- violence and non- judgement?
All his insane egoism and I have a hard time admitting it was good to deepen my understanding of the physical benefits of each pose. "I believed there was a beautiful song that the body could sing to the soul, so I attempted to write it. That song, as I heard it, is the Sequence. That's the best answer I can give."
All in all, can't stand the guy, but it's good to learn all viewpoints, right?

[Anthony · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whoa. . . this guy has a terrible personality, strong and repugnant like fancy cheese. And yet like bad tv, it was hard to put down. The impression of this self-help guru as a smug, vain, proud, greedy, and anti-spiritual man is striking, considering he is at the forefront of the huge Yoga phenomena current in America. He preaches the exact opposite of what classical yoga and Hindu doctrine are all about. And I think he is wildly successful exactly because this attitude thrives in L.A. where he is based.(At one point he declares himself the Mcdonald's of yoga teachers) For some strange reason, in this book about yoga, Bikram spends a lot of time talking about how many fast cars he owns, and the fact that he has the "longest swimming pool in Beverly Hills" !? It is disturbing that this passes as in contemporary america as a book pertaining to spirituality.

All the same, I do have to say, the yoga poses are a good physical workout. And yoga in a heated room is an innovative idea. As book about stretching and excercise this is all just fine. Great even. But his whole philosophy is lousy, simplistic, and shallow. It's as questionable as a book about Zen and bodybuilding, or Christian Mysticism + Football. It's just weird, awkward and unseemly.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I'm an avid fan and practitioner of Bikram yoga, I found this book very helpful as I finally got more "serious" about doing yoga, like doing it every day. I love hearing Bikram's philosophy behind the yoga, the what-where-when-why of its creation and intention. I loved learning more about the Indian philosophy of life, and how the yoga fits into that philosophy. Bikram yoga kicks my a$$ in every class, but this book shows how it's not just a physical discipline but something that goes way beyond that. It teaches discipline, focus, meditation and relaxation - cuz if you can learn to focus, meditate and relax in a Bikram class, then you can focus, meditate and relax anywhere!

Contrary to the surface opinions of Bikram the man, I think he's hilarious. Not that I've ever met him, but his words from interviews and even this book, I think it's a big big joke on everyone who takes the outrageous things he says so seriously. Coming from a man who created a system of yoga that puts you in 105 degree heat for 90 minutes, don't you think he's saying things just to provoke people? His yoga is about challenge - why wouldn't his words be also?

I found this book to be very helpful for me. It's definitely staying on my shelf, as something to reference as I continue to put myself through his daily "torture chamber."

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Bikram! Don't be fooled by his shiny clothes and cars. Although he does not seem like a traditional yogi, the opposite is true. He has studied and practiced and his whole life. He believes in himself and teaches his students to do the same through his series of postures to challenge and humble us Americans. You should see the variety of students that practice Bikram Yoga. Read his book and checkout a class.

[Deanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just SO disappointing. I have practiced bikram yoga for about a year and a half and was excited to finally get around to reading this book and deepen my understanding of the practice. First of all, there's only one measly chapter that actually talks about the postures and it really doesn't say much more than is in the class dialogue. On top of that, the pictures of the guy in postures who isn't Bikram is doing the postures incorrectly in almost EVERY single photo! Bikram comes off as a total ass, which I expected, but when he claimed all other forms of yoga were imposters, that was a bit excessive. Also his bashing of Americans got old after a while. I'm glad I checked this out from the library and didn't spend any money on it. I definitely don't recommend it for anyone.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is so hard to rate - on the one hand, it was useful to learn more about the postures but on the other hand 'the guru' is a dislikeable person. Hot yoga is great, I love the practice and have experienced the benefits but it is disconcerting that a person, who comes across as judgemental, arrogant and lacking in self-awareness is behind it all. I guess, nobody is perfect - even if they think they are!!

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great overview of the Bikram Yoga method. Say what you like about the author's personality (and there's much of it to be had in this book), he's honest about who he is and what he's trying to accomplish. I liked that fact that the book offered a background on the lineage behind the method as well as in-depth descriptions of the postures. It's well written and I had fun reading it.

[Lucy Ulmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go Bikram! Great book. Will forever practice Bikram Yoga. One life goal: teach Bikram Yoga.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book to learn more about the philosophy behind yoga in general. Bikrams' belief system, from purely the spiritual side, is a complete 180 from my belief system. However, the physical aspects of yoga, at least Bikram yoga, seem to be paramount. I don't know if any of it is truly substantiated by actual published studies or not. There are studies mentioned in the book to back up what Bikram already believed or claims. All I know is that it all sounds good, again from the physical/health benefits side of things Written in a very easy to read way, this book is a quick read and will make you laugh out loud many times. Bikram's blunt humor and matter of fact why he puts things had me rolling many times throughout!

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I LOVE YOGA! I LOVE HOT YOGA! However I found this book to be very disappointing to say the least! This man is extremely arrogant and rude which is not what yoga is about. There is only one chapter in the book about the poses and it is not very informative. His constant bashing of Americans got on my nerves. I was also disgusted with his repeated insistence that Bikram yoga is the only true yoga. On top of that, the man (not Bikram) who is doing the poses for the pictures is not doing some of the postures correctly. Luckily, I borrowed it from the library. Do not waste your time!

[Jodi Harstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I regularly practice Bikram and hot yoga and found the illustrations in the book to be good for analyzing my form when in the postures and the right breathing techniques to get the most out of the stretches. However, Bikram's ego is easy to see in his words throughout the text and yet the book left me needing much more information about whether or not this style of yoga is really as beneficial as he claims. Recommend for those wanting a picture book showing the 26/2 sequence but if you're looking for a plethora of information regarding each pose this is not the book you want.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are a Bikram Yoga fan you will enjoy reading about the individual postures and the benefits gained from each of them. Mr. Choundhury is a bit of an eccentric and you must keep that in mind as you read his book. His regimen works for many people and it's hard to argue with that, just not sure all his claims are quite accurate. Doesn't stop me from participating enthusiastically in the practice myself.

[Julie Puckett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've practiced yoga for decades. I read Bikram's book a few months after initially trying hot yoga (which I love). Bikram's ego is way too evident on every page, and there has been much research about his taking credit for an asana series he didn't create. Putting that aside, there are some valuable lessons here.

[Rachel]

borrowed from library

not sure about him, I will try Bikram Yoga but this guy seems different.

[Virginie · Rating 3 out of 5]

1 star only for the writing (and the "megalomaniac" character of the author)
4 stars for the descriptions of the 26 postures of the bikram yoga class.

[Aldi]

*diplomatic non-committal noise*

[Binoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to Bikram's Hatha yoga in three parts.

Part One: My Story and The Meaning of Yoga
This first section gives a little history on him and his guru, then describes his move to the United States to teach yoga in the early seventies and the increasing popularity of his method over the past 40 years. He also explains that in his practice yoga ("to join") means union of body and mind. He contrasts this with other forms of yoga, explaining that his method is specifically for creating and maintaining health (i.e. it's not tied to religion).

Part Two: The Bikram Yoga Practice
The bulk of the book is a distilled version of his book, "Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class" (the distilled version is superior to the original, believe me). This section describes how to do each of the 26 postures and what it is intended to prevent or cure. Photos are included. If you simply want to understand the sequence of postures and their purposes, this section could be read in isolation.

Part Three: Living Yoga
I found this section a little strange, but interesting. It's largely about learning to control your mind, reaching Self-Realization and the "Four Stages" that our lives should be organized into, according to Indian yogi thought. While his yoga practice and its benefits transcend time and cultures, the advice given here is not as palatable (he believes that yoga is superior to all other forms of exercise and that all children should be taught yoga in school, for example). Some will appreciate learning more about Indian culture and the ways that yoga practitioners can extend their yoga practice to include integrity, peace, moderation, concentration, etc. in other areas of life.

This isn't one of the greatest books I've read, but it serves its purpose and is pretty user-friendly, so I give it four stars. I understand how other reviewers grew frustrated with Bikram's arrogant personality, but I found this book to be a HUGE improvement over his other one in this regard so I was more relieved than annoyed.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I went back and looked at my rating of this book, I changed my rating. Yes, I agree with some people's opinion of the author, but whether I'd want to have dinner with him on a routine basis is secondary to the fact that he has done a good thing here.

I've practiced yoga all of my adult life. I am not an athlete, but yoga makes perfect sense to me. I have no doubt that Bikram was trained in hatha yoga by very serious yogis who gave him this pattern of discipline. It is a gift, regardless of whether you like Bikram's script, his affection for cars, his criticisms of America. Whatever. I dare say I agree with him about the way Americans overindulge in food, booze and then try to run it off with long distance running.

Whatever.

Truth is truth, wherever you find it and I really believe this type of discipline and training in yoga can yield great results. I found benefit in going through the book with his tips and instruction and I'm working on three poses a day on the days when I can't make it to class.

Yoga is a gift. I'd rather learn from someone who is well trained and can pass that on, then someone who decided it would be "cool" to do yoga and then try to water it down to something Americans could easily digest in order to sell more of it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

What, no downward facing dog? Baah! says the master of tough-love yoga instruction. Anyone who's spent more than 5 minutes around me lately has gotten stuck listening politely as I gush about my hot and steamy love affair with my developing yoga practice. As I've become a voluntary repeat prisoner in Bikram's "Torture Chamber" I wanted to go to the source for greater understanding of the asanas and their physical benefits. However, because I was drawn to a dedicated yoga practice more for the spiritual than the physical, I found his philosophy and teachings on how to achieve a fully realized life to be of even greater benefit. And after reading much soft and tender writing about yoga, I love the sass in his style -- an example: "What's right is what works, so it follows that I am actually doing a better job than most specialists and cardiologists--Western allopathic doctors--are doing. Maybe that's why they don't like me, those fakers. Don't get me started on them."

Hey, want to know more? Please ask me ... when you don't have to be somewhere else in five minutes. :-)

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I regularly practice Bikram yoga, and while I love the classes and feel wonderful when taking them regularly, I think that Bikram is a bit of a nut. I'm intrigued by his assertion that his yoga is the only true yoga, that all other forms have been Westernized, as well as his assertion of the multitude of health benefits available to regular practitioners. Do I believe it all? Nope, but anyone knows that if you don't use it, ya lose it, so since I enjoy it and can see benefits, I'll keep practicing and hope he's right about the rest (bonus for me!).

As a Christian, I disagree with his beliefs about the spiritual role of yoga, so I skimmed most of Part 3.

For those looking to finetune their practice, I think his first book offers more detailed guidance on each of the postures than this book. Additionally, I suspect one can find more biological info from the book "The Anatomy of Hatha Yoga."

[Kimber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because I wanted to better understand the poses. The pictures were a nice reference, but it was only somewhat helpful in addition to attending classes. I did find some parts of the remainder of the book interesting. What Bikram said about relationships got me thinking. His marriage was arranged of course and it made me think that having a list of requirements in a mate probably isn't the way to go. It made me realize that I may not be willing to get to know someone because I'm afraid I'll have feelings for someone that doesn't fit my ideal. I also liked what he had to say about our elders. I hope my mom exercises into her 80's and I plan on encouraging it.

[Kimberly Hallahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book nearly two years ago, when I started doing Bikram yoga. I still remember vividly his learning yoga at age 4. I am persuaded by his assertion that American yoga in many instances is watered down, significantly altered from the intent of original Indian yoga. I could spend pages telling you what Bikram yoga practice has done for my strength my flexibility, reducing physical pains, raising spirits, strengthening and healing me in so many ways. Well, my local Bikram studio was forced to close this week, so I'll be trying some other style. I'll have to see what I think. Maybe I'll resort to heating up my bathroom and doing the 26 asanas and 2 breathing exercises from memory. The photos and descriptions in this book would aid my memory....

[Anda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes -- Bikram is a crazy and arrogant man. If you cannot get past this fact, do not read the book. I, however, love Bikram and believe his style of yoga to be the most fitting for my lifestyle and personality. I think this book is best used after the reader has been practicing Bikram yoga for a while. The poses are not described very well, but I found the descriptions to be a nice complement to an already disciplined yoga practice. I enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book, and would rate is five stars through that point. The last 1/4 is repetitive and boring (both in content and writing style). I would still keep this book on my shelf as a useful reference source.

[Lilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was too cheap to buy a copy of this book, even though I've done Bikram classes for 2 years on and off. The book is an excellent companion to his course, or any yoga practice. And in fact, it makes the 'leader of the cult' quite likeable. His explanations have helped my practice, and it was a good new source of motivation. Discussion of the poses is rounded out with a bigger discussion of karma and life benefits, which probably sets it apart from most instructional yoga books. Good stuff.

(Susie, stop rolling your eyes. I'm not obsessed.)

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never done any yoga before walking into my first Bikram Yoga class 7 months ago. I prepared by reading a lot of blogs on what to do the first time you go etc. that led me to have a really great experience with the practice.

I'm now hooked to Bikram Yoga now & just finished my first 30 day challenge! Reading this book while doing the challenge was really helpful to taking a deeper look at the roots of what I was taking part in.

I felt the reflections back onto Bikram's guru Bishnu Ghosh were absolutely fascinating!

I would recommend this book to a truely invested Bikram Yogi

[Corinne Vivers · Rating 1 out of 5]

After 61 pages, he continues criticizing Americans while boasting about his own success, revealing a conceited and pompous attitude. The book still hasn't started to describe the asanas, which is quite frustrating. I wish I had even a fraction of the life he assumes his readers possess.

I finally forced myself to finish reading this. While the author shares words of wisdom on living a peaceful, humble, serviceful life, he's constantly pandering to the most wealthy, privileged reader, and o found it very difficult to identify with him.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, but only if yoga is of interest to you. Otherwise, the author just comes off as an arrogant prick. Choundhury goes into such detail on each of the 26 postures (pictures included) that even someone who has very little experience with yoga could probably work from this book alone. The long list of health benefits for each position is very motivational. I now have a much better idea why I am putting myself through this torture!

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, a complete re-write of the first book; much more informative and, what I particularly liked, some side issues and a more interesting part about a Yogi's outlook on different life issues. Of course, as with all Bikram related things, you have to like his approach to life, yoga, politics, and everything else.

What I was missing is a little bit of Bikram's own phrases and words in the book; something that was special about the first book.

[Lynlee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am disappointed that this is the man that helped to develop the yoga style that I connect with. The book begins in a condescending and arrogant tone which assumes who the reader is and what the reader thinks. I did however like the detailed description of each pose and the explanations of Bikram yoga benefits. If you can stomach the beginning the rest of the book lightens up. I also only found one reference to the health claims.