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At first it felt a little like cheating.
Are you going to Bikram?” They’d ask.
“Umm. No. Other Yoga.” I’d respond, nervously picking at the edge my yoga mat.
It started as a joke. There was “Our Yoga” (Bikram) and then there was “Other Yoga.” That was the yoga that was in other places – the yoga that other people did.
We weren’t disparaging it. We just weren’t into it. It just wasn’t our thing.
But then things changed.
When the studio where I practice moved locations, they started offering Other Yoga (AKA hot Vinyassa) as well as Bikram. Wanting to be supportive of the new endeavor, I went.
And it’s fabulous.
We do Downdog and Child’s pose and Warriors with different numbers. There is music and flow and something I totally can’t do called a bind.
What I love most about this Other Yoga is it’s essential Otherness. It’s just different. I have now been doing Bikram for almost 5 years. It is my heart. It is my home. But this Other Yoga has it’s place, too. There is room in my heart for both.
I now practice Other Yoga once a week, and I’ve been thrilled to realize that it strengthens my Bikram practice. My arms and shoulders are getting more defined. My balance is improving. And because Vinyassa integrates different postures in a different order, it keeps me on my toes. My mind can’t wander, because it’s not like I know we are going from Half-tortoise to Camel to Rabbit. Other Yoga sharpens that muscle of attention, so that when I am back in the Bikram room, I am more focused.
Best of all, Other Yoga has brought me back to the roots of this tradition – I had to return to my beginner’s mind. As I walked into the room, I didn’t even know which direction my mat should face. I struggled to keep up through a basic sun salutation. And with each new posture, each time I fell over trying to attempt it – I learned something new.
I invigorated my capacity for patience and compassion.
It’s so easy to get dogmatic about a specific branch of yoga. Once you’ve found the thing that changes your world and opens your mind, sometimes we narrow our focus too sharply. In doing that, we might close our hearts to something that might help us in a new way as we move along our path. Something that could bring a different glimpse of enlightenment.
Bikram remains my home and my happy place.
But Other Yoga is a pretty nice fling on the side.
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Just here. Just now. 
I love “other” yoga! Bikram introduced me to yoga; my world is open wider. I agree with your whole post except for one thing. Other yoga isn’t a fling for me. It’s become my mainstay 🙂 try Yin during the quiet times when hot yoga gets too much — it’ll hook you!! ENJOY!!
Well, I’m only a couple of months into this Other Yoga relationship….I always was hesitant to commit. 🙂 So glad you and Other Yoga are happy together!
Yes! Yes yes yes. Totally relate and just recently had the same epiphany also. Cheers to the other yoga and how it strengthens my Bikram practice.
Good for you!
Although Bikram will always be #1, I have enjoyed going to the Sumits Yoga studio just down the road. It is just as hot but has more flowing parts to it. It’s a great change-up to Bikram.
That’s wonderful! It’s always nice to have something new to throw into the mix.
It’s nice to be open to trying any kind of yoga, isn’t it? I find even if it’s not my ‘thing’ I always learn something. I suspect I wouldn’t like Bikram yoga as I’m *terrible* in the heat…but I will give it a go sometime, if I’m ever near a Bikram class!
I’ve been practicing Bikram for 15 years on the spot, and it fixed my back I had to have surgery on, it changed my world – but that “other” yoga kept calling, and I kept coming back 1-2 times a week, until now Bikram is simply not enough. Baptiste Power (or Hot Vinyasa) is where my heart and my home is. Welcome in:)
I’ve only ever done Bikram yoga, but just the same the studio I attend is a little more open to incorporating music and other poses. I was hesitant with the change at first, but why limit yourself? Learning to love it as well!