bikram vs moksha yoga, the verdict...

Let's cut to the chase: Bikram wins! By a landslide. Unanimous verdict. Not even close. No contest.

bikramyogarh.com

When I debated the pros and cons of Bikram Yoga vs Moksha Yoga last year, I didn't arrive at a concrete conclusion. It was a tie. I tried to convince myself that Moksha was just as good as Bikram to make myself feel better about settling.

You see, my home Bikram studio was having some management issues at the time. I didn't renew my membership and joined a brand new Moksha studio. Loved the Moksha studio (oh those pretty new sinks, the cubbies for shoes, the showers!). Hated my Moksha practice.

bikramyogarh.com 

I missed so much about Bikram yoga:

• The intense, toaster-oven heat and humidity. Entering the Bikram hot room is like landing on a different planet--my home planet. Here, we're all barefoot and barely dressed, and our language is broken English.
• The mirror. My reflection under fluorescent lights. Most days I roll out of bed, go to the studio without an ounce of makeup on, and grey ponytailed hair barely brushed. I'm a scary sight. But somehow, after sweating profusely for 90 minutes, I think I'm beautiful. Goddamn miracle. 
• The sameness. No matter who teaches, the 26 poses and dialogue are exactly the same. It's comforting.
• The repetition. If I didn't get it 'right' the first time, I get a do-over. And I can come back and try again.
• The regular students. I'm not an outgoing or friendly person, but I feel a certain camaraderie with my fellow diehard Bikram yogis. We're kindred spirits--addicted, type A, perfectionists in the guise of hippie health freaks.

bikramyogarh.com

Six months later, I heard via twitter (naturally) that the old studio reopened with a new owner. I cancelled my Moksha membership, and stepped right back into Bikram's hot room. I unrolled my mat on the new cork floors, and lay down in savasana. *sigh*

I'm home.