The educator must believe in the potential power of his pupil, and he must employ all his art in seeking to bring his pupil to experience this power.” ~ Alfred Adler (Austrian physchiatrist)
A Bikram Yoga class is not Cirque de Soleil. It is just a group of people who get in their body and move. To an end of course. Not all the same end. Not all are seeking enlightenment. Or at least many will not believe they are seeking enlightment/it may not be something they identify with (at this minute). Because isn’t that some esoteric state that only certain people are allowed to seek and only 3 people in the whole of existence have ever attained? Not for anonymous Bikram Yogi?
And any way WHAT is enlightenment? Many of you will know the “Chop Wood, Carry Water” proverb (this helps with grasping its effect). But don’t think I am qualified to comment on what it is. But for the sake of simplicity let’s say that whatever it is we believe it will give meaning to everything and be infused with fulfilment. In all likelihood though, we would reach enlightenment and find the whole act of seeking it to have been pointless. Isn’t seeking a desire? Another form of ‘want’? It is focusing on some indeterminate point in the future? It is rejecting the present, the right here, right now? Besides, like I said, the enlightenment side of things might be just a tad too ‘out there’ for many and Bikram IS a beginning Yoga class. But that doesn’t mean it is limited to what we can get out of it. I don’t believe there is a ‘limit’ to beginning. The long term practitioners of this method are testimony to that. I don’t think they are stuck; I think they are still growing, learning and therefore fresh and beginning. WOW. What a GREAT way to LIVE.
From a student point of view I believe in the hot room we are each uncovering our live’s POTENTIAL using the medium of body/mind work. This Yoga is so CLEANSING and ENABLING. As an instructor I would say there is no such thing as an unsuitable candidate for this Yoga method.
You know in the past I frequently used the analogy of ‘journeys’ to describe what goes on in our Yoga classes but here is a phrase that captures the core of the truths and fruits of a Yoga class “WHY SHOULD YOU TRAVEL WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY HERE.” 🙂
Om Om Om ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES…
Namaste ~ Trisha