Friday, April 3, 2009

Bikram Dialogue... what-it-is and why-it-is

Here is an explanation of the Bikram Dialogue, for those of you that are unfamiliar: The dialogue is a script for the Bikram yoga teacher, as an actor learns his/her lines, a Bikram yoga teacher learns his/her dialogue. The dialogue provides a clear and precise means of directing the students into and out of each of the 26 postures and the 2 breathing exercises. It also provides the backbone for this 90 minute moving meditation. Some could argue that the dialogue should be called a "monologue", but since there is a metaphorical conversation between the teacher and the students, there ARE two parties involved in the conversation (the teachers words and the practicoiners body). Using the dialogue as a medium for teaching allows for the removal of ego from the class, so that everyone (teacher and student) is in a meditative state.

It is this raw-ness, this simplicity that I love about Bikram yoga. The heat is great, the arrangement of the postures really works, it is SO accessable to everyone... and it is the dialogue that maintains all of these elements. Within the context of a very structured environment, you are able to deal with greater amounts of chaos on every level (physical, mental, emotional... everything). And the structure allows YOU to figure it out and deal with it however you need to. It reminds us that life really is simple and structured and that we can handle the chaos in a strong, flexible, graceful way. This is why I want to become a Bikram Yoga Teacher.

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