I am very new to this or any practice of yoga. I began my practice in jan. and Bikram "hot yoga" a couple months ago. I find I crave the hot room and postures every other day. I love the extension I get in the postures in the heated room. I am working on this as a building block for other yoga postures. I consider the heat as a tool such as the bands. Even though I know little about yoga, I know there is so much more to learn. I am also a nursing student and I recognize this sort of practice can be harmful to asmatics, people with cvs,low or high blood pressure and countless other disorders. This is not for everyone! Do what you feel is right for your body. If you chose this path make sure you intake enough electrolytes. There are many packets you can add to your water. I do love the extension and relaxation I feel within the postures. However there are many other sensations you need to aknowledge such as dizzyness, and nausea. The heat may cause vaso-dilation within the blood vessels which may cause a drop in blood pressure which is potentially dangerous. At a contolled level in the healthy indidual it is probably harmless and gives us that "light" sensation when practicing this yoga, Just do what you feel is right within your body and mind. Of course, listen to your body's limitaions, everyone is different.

I agree w/ the addiction. I crave that post-class sensation too. My other FAVORITE feeling is right after camel it's better than any drug i've ever tried, it's amazing.

and based on the effect i get from the camel pose i think that the 'release' that you get from bending in directions that you would not otherwise be bending in is a big part of it. people have told me that we store not only toxins but emotions and memories in our bodies. when you bend backward (or any other way) your spine is moving in a way that it may not move in normally b/c your job/life/etc does not require it. and so much is released.

now, mix this with the fact that it's a fantastic rush of the good 'ol endorphins (body's morphine) , and that alone is enough for us crazy humans to get addicted.

but then you have the severe detox as well. I tend to think that the more toxic you are the bigger deal that is, b/c you have more junk to get rid of and you feel very different once you get it out.

i'm a big fan of the class also pushing me farther than i thought i could possibly go physically. it's really amazing. i think it's almost like going through a traumatic experience b/c it is so intense. it's like 'putting the body through a kind of war' (not to minimalize war)

and this also causes you to form a kind of bond w/ those around you. any intense experience (good or bad) will do this. and it's interesting that it happens in bikram b/c there is no verbal communication between participants during class. yet you are still connected to everyone.

the other thing that happens for me is that my body is being pushed so hard that my mind literally has no energy left to do its usual stuff. like worrying , projecting, criticizing, etc... all those things that keep me from being able to meditate. so, i describe it as a way to 'force' my mind into this focused meditative state b/c all you can do is concentrate on surviving through the class. it's beautiful.

the ritual comment was also right on. just like drug addicts, we take great pleasure in the rituals that surround our 'drug'. and the whole thing is really a ritual. same poses, etc... we are creatures of habit. we like familiarity and we like structure. do you ever go somewhere a few times and sit at the same table and when you goagain someone else is there and you fell upset that they are at 'your' table? that is a perfect example. i know i do it in the yoga studio too. i like my certain spot and am exicted when i'm early enough to get it.

the other thing i like is the support that you get from the teacher. even if it's a pushy one that yells at you, it's still b/c they are supporting you and il ke that. it is something that you can feel from certain instructors and you miss in others. i know that the teacher is a big part of why i am able to push myself to such limits: i do what they tell me to do. which is a lot easier than motivating myself to do something. we are sort of weird like that w/ authority (look up the milgram experiments that took place after WWII). but in the case of bikram i allow it to work in my favor, we all do.

ok, that's all the 'logical' explanations i've come up w/ so far. I also ponder this issue often. but i realize that there is also a very metaphysical spiritual part of Bikram that I'm not mentioning b/c i feel like i Know so little about it. but i know it's there.

long live the sweaty gumbys!!!!