Amazed at the approach of this style of yoga and the way this business at Scarborough is run. The owner /instructor is a beginner and more interested in business returns than any of the principles of yoga.
Not supportive instructors predominantly rude and dictatorial. Treating participants as if they can make any decision about what or how they do anything. Only exact replica of the instructor – so not permitted to vary, extend or sometimes even contract a pose. Otherwise you are rudely singled out in from of the class and told not to. Room is hot so you’re sweating and floor is slippery and they won’t let you turn your mat to the side to have feet on your mat to protect from an injury from slipping. If your towel is sticking out even an inch from your mat you are told to change it (for no reason – ridiculous!).
You are only permitted to take water on 2 pre-set times over 1 and ½ hours at over 103 degrees - so unsafe!. You are not allowed to wipe away any sweat – if it is getting in your eyes or you need to for correct contact of a pose. You are not allowed to spray water on your face – even if you get migraines if you don’t. Not allowed to spread fingers wide being a common yogi aspect. Forced to have locked knees which is seen by many experts as unsafe or contraindicated. Bent knees may be preferred for a range of reasons - if a beginner, knee injury, older members, or are ok with the varied style of pose/stretch.
The style is empty of any or the true yogi beliefs – that everybody is differently put together, developed, stages of advancement, health, injuries, arthritis, flexibility etc. Each of us are the best judge of our bodies and how we can do and where we are at. Instructors are a guide not a dictatorial dictator. This was not at all non-judgemental or permissive, supportive positive mind body experience as you would expect. (I have 15 years’ experience with almost every different style of yoga all over the world)
It is like a 1970’s school gym class. Which makes sense when you read about Bikram and his style and the civil litigation cases against him over the years for alleged sexual harassment and abusive behaviour (amongst other things). What a shame as many of the poses are have a good base and the hot style is good at times. The owner is rude, arrogant, ignorant and not interested in customer service and most of the instructors follow in this vein – just parrots speaking only word for word from a script – and never any variation. though a few good instructors – though they’re restricted by the rigidity of the set up – which is again needless, unnecessary and completely the antithesis of yoga.