One thing that has been on my Summer bucket list for two consecutive summers has been Bikram Yoga. Bikram Yoga involves executing a series of twenty-six poses in a heated room, and I had fantasies of exiting the class five pounds lighter with a glowing complexion. I must have caught James in a moment of weakness because he agreed to go with me last week. We arrived at Bikram Yoga Harlem twenty minutes early and paid $20.00 for a week-long beginners pass. As we settled our mats and towels (included in the pass) in the studio I noticed how diverse the students were. Our instructor was black and there were people of all ages, races, and body types there. That was encouraging because I was expecting everyone to be young, skinny, and white. Yes, even on 145th Street.
The class started and my glasses immediately fogged up rendering me unable to look at myself in the mirror while attempting the poses. Then the salt from my sweat began running into my eyes rendering me blind. At one point I remember being unable to grasp my calves because of mix of sweat and Gold Bonds made them too slippery (note to self: do not wear lotion to Bikram). Each time I closed my eyes and attempted to relax I was kindly instructed to keep them open. How was this a 90 minute meditation?
I have blocked almost everything that happened in that hotbox out of my mind. However, I do know that I spent a significant portion of the class laying on my back doing Lamaze breathing in an attempt not to have a panic attack because of the suffocating heat. And what of poor James? He was down for the count too!
Bikram Yoga is not for the faint of heart. We were told that since it was our first session all we were expected to do was stay in the room That we did, but whether or not we will return remains to be seen.
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