Comments on: Yoga ‘Don’ Bikram Choudhury Calls American Yoga ‘Fucked Up Circus’

By: Jane Cameron

Jane Cameron — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:58:38 +0000

Bikram is awful – the McDonalds of yoga, militarist, cultist, anatomically clueless.

By: McDonald’s McRib Shares Same Ingredients As Your Yoga Mat

McDonald’s McRib Shares Same Ingredients As Your Yoga Mat — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:05:01 +0000

[...] Yoga ‘Don’ Bikram Choudhury Calls American Yoga ‘Fucked Up Circus’ [...]

By: Sarah Hulslander

Sarah Hulslander — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:23:33 +0000

This article is ridiculous. Bikram Choudhury is a genuine man and his yoga is genuinely the best. Period.

By: Mimm

Mimm — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:24:03 +0000

I attended the Yoga Journal Conference in San Francisco this past weekend as a guest of a booth holder in the Yoga Marketplace. Yoga conferences are organized commercials for clothing, props and philosophies – I should know this – and yet I found myself battling feelings of cynicism and despair. When the classes I wanted to attend were sold out with no room for ‘guests’ I decided to avoid the conference completely. I turned the weekend into a writing retreat, practiced yoga in the privacy of my hotel room and watched the sunrise from the Ferry Building across the street. Real yoga. No commercials. Perfect.

By: Mel

Mel — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:58:58 +0000

I’ve been practicing Bikram yoga for about six years. I’ve never met the guy, don’t think much of him, find his public persona flat-out obnoxious but I like his heated yoga. I don’t do the yoga for him, never have. If and when I go thru yoga instructors training, it won’t be thru his school.

I started dabbling in alternative “mainstream” vinyasa flow yoga a couple years ago. Sometimes I have an awesome class and feel limber and strong afterward, sometimes not. The same goes for Bikram.

As for the young, uber skinny, flexible yoga snobs in the ridiculously over-priced workout clothes: those you can find in ANY discipline, not just Bikram or vinyasa.

I’ve seen the documentary “Yoga Inc” and I urge everybody to watch it, as well as “Enlighten Up”. According to these docus, all Western yoga is commercialized, very different from its origins, except maybe Iyengar who is 80+ yrs old and still teaches in India.

Some yoga schools/disciplines encourage a cult-like mentality, Bikram’s certainly does. Again, you can benefit from yoga but it doesn’t need to be your religion.

By: Caption This: BKS Iyengar Blesses Bikram Choudhury? (photo) | elephant journal

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:22:36 +0000

[...] Bikram, what a bulbous shiny dome you have, perfect for ‘circus’ tricks like headstand! Let me get you a strap, for your ego, [...]

By: Caption This: BKS Iyengar Blesses Bikram Choudhury? (photo) | elephant journal

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:22:36 +0000

[...] Bikram, what a bulbous shiny dome you have, perfect for ‘circus’ tricks like headstand! Let me get you a strap, for your ego, [...]

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:43:32 +0000

Personally, I’m grateful for Bikram yoga. I doubt I’d be practicing today if it weren’t for Bikram. There is a reason why it’s called Bikram’s _Beginning_ Yoga. It was just what I needed to get me started and prepare me for other styles of yoga.

By: Caption This: BKS Iyengar Blesses Bikram Choudhury in India? (photo)

Caption This: BKS Iyengar Blesses Bikram Choudhury in India? (photo) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:37:35 +0000

[...] Bikram, what a bulbous shiny dome you have, perfect for ‘circus’ tricks like headstand! Let me get you a strap, for your ego, [...]

By: Jill

Jill — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:36:30 +0000

Although I agree with most of the statements about Bikram himself, i truly enjoy the yoga. As somewhat of a newbie I was warmly welcomed not only by the teachers but by the people in the class. It isnt a focus on how flexible you are its a focus on improving your self weather it be mental, or physical. I have done other types of yoga trying to fix my dancers body and they didnt work for me. Bikram does. Ive even started to build more lean muscle and lots of my joint pain in my knees and ankles have gone away.
How ever, when the yoga instructors begin to compare him to a “saint” I must role my eyes. He has been pretty monopolizing, and trying to turn something like yoga into a sport? I dont think so..
Honestly though, each to his own right? What works for you might not work for someone else, and Bikram has found a way to make alot of money really easily. Thats more than i can say for myself i suppose.. He does need to be a little more careful about what he says.. that is absolutely unacceptable to put down other types of yoga that might be great for other people, and especially in such a manner that he did.. and that picture is very offensive in my opinion..