Just Do It

Bikram Choudhury

by Campbell States

Sat., Oct. 4, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., $200, Loews Hotel, 1200 Market St., bikramyoga.com

"Don't you know you are the gods, idiot?" guru Bikram Choudhury once told yoga teacher and studio owner Mark Drost. If you, too, are looking for some punch-in-the-head enlightenment, the legendary yogi and founder of Bikram yoga will be in town this Saturday for an all-day seminar.

While Choudhury's classes at times seem like draconian trips to the gym, his core philosophy is of self-discovery. Bikram yoga is an athletic series of 26 postures performed in a 106-degree room designed to break down the body's physical resistance in order to transform the soul. Drost, who is organizing the event, explains, "The point is to come to a place of suffering. That's where the healing happens. Growth and change always happen in uncomfortable places." Drost credits Bikram yoga to relieving his back pain, which he dealt with for most of his adult life.

Wearing his trademark uniform of a Speedo and Rolex watch, Choudhury (pictured) will lead a group of 400 yoga enthusiasts, beginning with a lecture on Bikram philosophy. The day will also include a demo by advanced students, a posture clinic where he will go through each posture in minute detail, a beginners' class and a book signing.

Drost emphasizes that the event is not just for seasoned yogis, but also a good place for your first yoga experience. Don't expect it to be easy, though. "The postures are not difficult," he says. "If you find it difficult, then you need them."