Why imagine what you fear? Instead, try imagining what you want your life to be. You might surprise yourself…

When I opened my Bikram Yoga studio, I wanted to make it a safe and comfortable space for our clients. In my teacher training with Bikram Choudhury, he modeled a lot of behavior that I was intent on avoiding. Yoga Journal dubbed him the yoga community’s “bad boy,” and he reveled in the notoriety by frequently berating and abusing people in his classes. At the time, I thought it was a schtick, and I still believe it began that way, but the schtick grew into an abusive megalomania.

He loved fat shaming people, especially women. He framed it as truth-telling…

This is part of a series of articles describing the the Bikram Yoga beginning class posture sequence.

Half Tortoise is primarily a relaxation posture. It is said to enhance longevity by slowing the breathing.

Benefits:

• Tones and strengthens muscles of the legs.
• Increases blood flow to the brain.
• Releases tension from shoulders and neck.
• Increases flexibility of shoulder muscles.

Technique

Start in a kneeling position, legs together, hips on the heels, sitting upright. Raise the arms overhead and bring the palms together in prayer position with thumbs crossed. Keep the palms pressed firmly together throughout the posture. Try to keep the hips…

I am seeking collaboration and submissions from male survivors of sexual abuse, sexual assault, or any form of sexual victimization, at any age or time in your life. Any kind of content will be considered: poetry, personal essays, fiction, flash, public interest, even any kind of artwork.

Original content is preferred but it’s fine if it’s been published elsewhere.

Content can be published anonymously, if you prefer. My email is kaos at protonmail dot com, if you want to reach our privately.

I lived a turbulent life, suffering in silence for decades, constantly struggling with depression and anxiety. Breaking my silence and sharing my story had a profound healing effect and I continue to find benefits from writing, creating art, and talking about the effects of my abuse.

Women contributors are also welcome provided the content contains some relevance to male survivors.

Many people practicing within the Western yoga tradition, and perhaps as many who are not, share a belief that “hatha yoga” is an ancient spiritual practice. It is not. Yoga Off the Path refers to the fact that I don’t consider my yoga practice and instruction to be in accordance with this belief nor even explicitly spiritual. I say, “explicitly” because I also believe there is nothing we do, nor any part of who we are, that is not inherently a reflection of our spiritual existence. This is why I refer to myself as a non-practicing atheist.

Contemporary hatha yoga…

This was originally posted on my yoga studio’s website in 2013. It was my first public admission about being a survivor of sexual assault.

I am 53 years old. I was 40 when I first told anyone that I had been sexually abused as a child. Having kept my secret for more than 30 years it wasn’t easy to admit or talk about but I was fortunate to have had the support and guidance from some incredible people, including my wife, a very small group of close friends and some exceptional therapists. But even with all that help it still…

After Standing Deep Breathing, the first posture in the Bikram Yoga series is a combined sequence of three individual postures: Lateral Half Moon; Half Moon Backbend; Hands to Feet Pose. This article is concerned with Lateral Half Moon. The Backbend and Hands to Feet Posture will be discussed on their own.

The primary purpose of this sequence at the start of class is to warm up the spine by bending and stretching it in four directions. …

The following is adapted from a Yoga Studio Instructor’s Guide that I wrote for my hot yoga studio. The heat specific references won’t apply to everyone, obviously, but I hope they are still instructive.

A professional yoga studio should allow instructors a good amount of autonomy in how they teach their classes. However, there are certain unwritten principles and standards that should be expected: greet people as they arrive; be nice to everyone; encourage people to take it easy, work to their own level and rest when needed; don’t do “hands on” adjustments (no touching clients); stay as close to…