I first came along to a Bikram Yoga class in 1996 because I lived a life of stress and worry. From my first class I have never looked back – I loved the fitness and mental peace that Bikram Yoga gave me and the longer I practiced, the more I realised how much this amazing yoga was changing my life.

I trained to become a Bikram teacher in 1997 and opened my first school in Harbord the following year. In 2001 we moved to our beautiful school in Brookvale. Bikram Brookvale is now one of the longest running and most successful Bikram Yoga schools in the world. I truly believe this is because of the amazing community that has built up around the school – it is a very special and welcoming place.

Bikram Yoga teaches the same 26 postures in every class, giving everyone a chance to grow and learn so much about their own body, mind and life. I love watching the life-changing effects this yoga has on people. One of its most remarkable features is the power it has to change your whole attitude to life and bring a more relaxed, positive and serene outlook. It has been so rewarding to find that the longer I teach, the more I fall in love with Bikram Yoga. I am now Bikram’s senior teacher in Australia yet I continue to grow and learn through my own practice and through all my students. Bikram Yoga makes you look and feel fantastic – it keeps you youthful, happy and stress-free. I truly believe that this school makes the world a better place.

Yoga is my strength, my health, and my life. While suffering a long five-year illness, I discovered Bikram Yoga and it changed my life. It is the most powerful universal tool in the pursuit of truly wholistic health and personal growth.

Inspired by the practice, I studied yoga teacher training at Nature Care College for two years and completed Bikram teacher training in June 2003.

Now I can share my love of the practice, and the benefits of the practice, with you, the students, and say 'Hey' don't be sick, tired, unfit, discouraged by life - come and empower with yoga - Enjoy!

My first taste of Bikram Yoga was at a time (97) when my exercise routine consisted of weight lifting at the gym and a basic Hatha yoga class. I had been training at the gym for ten years (including sessions with a personal trainer for the last year). I was looking for a more challenging form of yoga so I tried several different styles – as I discovered, there was nothing to compare to Bikram’s Yoga! I was lucky enough to begin my practice at the first Bikram’s Yoga school in Australia and followed the locations, growth and progress from there. Before long I was off to LA to train with Bikram and finished teacher training in April 99.

While overseas, I taught in California, London, Thailand and back to LA, where I had the amazing & challenging experience of teaching Bikram, his wife Raj and their two children in a regular class, can you believe it???

Returning to Australia I studied yoga philosophy with Sri Rama Acharya and also began studying for a diploma of Shiatsu (including the practice of Ki yoga) to compliment my career as a remedial massage therapist. In addition I started teaching Bikram’s pre natal yoga (a modified version) as well as giving private and corporate classes.

Since then I have travelled and taught in Hawaii, USA and London further enhancing my teaching experience. In 2004 I completed yoga teacher training in Pune, India with Dharmavirsingh adding a different perspective to Bikram’s training.

As a teacher, I feel honored and privileged to share my passion and knowledge with you, as it is your dedication and growth that inspires me to further mine. With optimism and excitement, I look forward to continuing the journey of growth together on the yoga path.

For most of my life, I have enjoyed and participated in various sporting activities many of which were high impact.

As I got older I began to suffer from pain in my knees, ankles and back, mainly due to the wear and tear of my body as a result of sport. This severely affected me to the extent that I was unable to continue pursuing many of the sports and activities I had loved doing for years.

In 2004 a friend introduced me to Bikram Yoga and to my surprise it was one of the most challenging exercises I had done, giving me a complete cardiovacular workout without impacting on my joints. At this time, I had little balance, even less flexibility and had a very busy mind! After only a few classes I noticed the pain in my knees and ankles had lessened and I felt calmer.

In 2007, I completed the intensive Bikram Yoga teacher training course and qualified as a Bikram teacher which has given me a more positive, healthy and happy life.

Hi, my name is Phiona. I did my first Bikram Yoga class one fateful autumn day in 2002. I remember clearly the horror that overwhelmed me when I first stepped into the yoga room. It was hot and kind of stinky. My face screwed up with disdain and I thought to myself, "What ungodly activity could possibly take place in this inferno? Is it too late to bolt for the door?" Too late. The teacher arrived and before I knew it I was flapping my arms about hopelessly in my very first attempt at Pranayama breathing. Before I knew what was happening I was swept away on a bodily tour de force that had me sweating, stretching and breathing in a way I’d never imagined possible. The class finished, I came outside and liquefied on the floor in a puddle of sweat and knew then, that I was completely, irrevocably in love with Bikram’s Yoga.

Since 2002, life has rolled by as it does. Things, people and places have come and gone, however Bikram’s Yoga is the one thing that has remained constant. It’s my rock. Bikram Yoga makes me shine, it keeps me happy, healthy and humble. In 2006 I did my Teacher Training course in LA. I am not sure how to convey how much I love teaching Bikram’s Yoga except to stress that I really, really love it! Getting the opportunity to watch all our students come to class and work their little butts off and transform their bodies, health and mindscapes is one of the greatest sources of inspiration in my life. Although I’m an alignment tyrant, I teach from the heart and always encourage students to use the class to find peace, surrender their worries and allow themselves to be nurtured by the amazing practice of Bikram Yoga.

I suffered with a bad back from the age of 19.  By the time I was in my mid 30s, everything was falling apart in my body, to the point where I could barely sit for more than 10 minutes in the car - using the clutch was agony on my sciatic nerve. 

I spent hundreds of dollars trying to find the “cure” for my back - visiting doctors, physios, chiropractor once, twice a week for years.  An x-ray finally revealed that I had less than 4% of the disc left between L4 and L5 and I was informed that the human body doesn’t have the mechanisms to heal that sort of degeneration.  The depression which had plagued me for most of my life set in again. 

So, with nothing to lose, I went along to try Bikram Yoga.  Everything in the class killed me, it was agony during and after the class and the next day it didn’t feel much better.  I was dubious that this was going to fix me, but was reassured by Jodie that I should keep going. So I did. 

18 months later the pain, and the depression, was entirely gone.

That was 9 years ago and I have now been National Bikram Champion twice and runner up twice.  10 years ago I couldn’t sit in a car for 10 minutes, now I sit on a plane for 18 hours flying to LA to compete in Bikram Yoga Competitions!

Bikram Yoga was changed my life 180 degrees and I believe it can change anyone’s life, but you must have faith and work through the pain.  If you don’t want to suffer in your life, practice yoga.  90 minutes a day = 90 years of pain-free happy life.

I did my teacher-training in 2006 after Bikram asked me during his 2005 Australian Seminar why I wasn’t a teacher.  In that position, you don’t really have a choice!

All I needed was a kick up the ass, and the rest, as they say………

I had practiced Hatha Yoga since my arrival in Australia (1999) and found it physically lovely, but not very challenging. I thought Bikram Yoga might be just the challenge I needed – and I was right! You never forget your first class! I remember being filled with awe and wonderment at the people bending and stretching in front of me – all  with ‘happy smiling faces’ - I seemed to be the only one with a face as red a as beetroot, absolutely exhausted by eagle pose!!! I was so inspired I came back the next day. I was hooked!

Working as a graphic Designer, usually bent over a desk and key board, I had started to develop Chronic pains in my neck – the yoga, the heat and the fantastic support from  the Brookvale’s  Bikram Yoga College’s fabulous teachers – I was well on my road to repair. I was so inspired by what I had experienced and hearing other peoples experiences, that I decided to look into becoming a teacher. After a long and inspiring chat with Jodie, I bit the bullet and flew to LA and to be honest – have never looked back. It was a truly enlightening experience. Life changing.

Bikram Yoga really is for everybody. To quote the man himself ‘You are never too old, it is never to late, you are never to sick – to start again’ and it is true. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you believe in, what your level of fitness or flexibility is – the magic of this process is that it works no matter WHO you are! I feel very honoured and privileged to be part of such a phenomenon!

Lara is also an artist and illustrator. Her work can be viewed at:
www.curldesign.com.au
www.prickie.com
www.redbubble.com.au
www.thecartepostale.com
Email Lara on lara@curldesign.com.au for any further questions.