Our Story.
From small beginnings in 1998 in Albert St Harbord, we moved in 2001 to our Wattle Road Brookvale studio, home to possibly the largest yoga room in the world. Room for all, open for all!
Our Story
In 1998 a little yoga studio in Albert St Harbord opened its doors as the first ever Aussie run independent Bikram yoga studio in the world.
The founder of that studio was Jodie, the first ever Australian to undertake Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in the USA. She pioneered Bikram Yoga in Australia in 1998. The first ever hot yoga in Oz!
Jodie didn’t know how the Northern Beaches would take to this yoga that she loved. Well, they loved it too!
Word spread that Bikram Yoga changed lives, fixed broken bodies and screw-loose minds, queues for class were out the door and within 3 years the little studio was bursting at the seams so in 2001 we moved to our current home in Wattle Road Brookvale where we have a gorgeous light-filled leafy overlooked yoga room and an abundance of therapists as part of our renowned Wellness Centre.
The Story of Bikram Yoga
Bikram Yoga was created by Bikram Choudhury in the early 1970s from a lineage that stretches back thousands of years. The philosophy of Bikram yoga is steeped in ancient wisdom and knowledge of the body and the mind.
Choudhury trained in the 1950s and 1960s under his guru Bishnu Charan Ghosh, one of the most respected yogis and physical culturalists in India. Ghosh in turn was trained by his elder brother, most commonly now known by his spiritual name, Paramahansa Yogananda.
Ghosh’s writings influenced the development of modern yoga as exercise in India.
As Bikram yoga has its roots in the physical culture aspect of yoga, it has a reputation for being necessarily challenging and tough. The purpose of the physical challenge is to build mental resilience and self-awareness.
Through learning to know and understand our body and its capabilities and working on improving those capabilities, we can improve our mental and emotional wellbeing. Ultimately this brings a life with perspective, full of vibrancy, strength and peace.
Realising the incredible benefits that yoga could bring to the west, Choudhury founded Bikram Yoga based on Ghosh’s teachings. He developed the series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises in the early 1970s working in Japan with scientists and doctors.
“The great thing about Bikram yoga is that you don’t have to be good at it…. you just have to be persistent”
Who can do Bikram Yoga?
Our Bikram Yoga community is enjoyed by regular and casual yoga practitioners alike – some students come every day, others come a couple of times a week. What makes Bikram Yoga different from other forms of yoga is the intensity of the workout you receive during a 90 minute hot yoga class. It can be challenging and confronting, however students are in a safe environment with highly experienced teachers and you only need to do as much as you can each time you come to class.
Although Bikram Yoga is perceived to be a hard form of yoga, it really doesn’t have to be. The challenge in Bikram Yoga is predominantly a mental one – the postures themselves are not difficult and can be easily learned. After one or two classes your body quickly remembers each posture and you attempt it the best you can.
About Our Community
Bikram Yoga is popular with all ages. At our studio we have teenagers practising alongside grandmothers in their 70s. You are never too old to practice Bikram Yoga!
Bikram Yoga Studio caters to yoga students throughout the Northern Beaches – including the suburbs of Manly, Balgowlah, Seaforth, Manly Vale, Allambie Heights, North Manly, Curl Curl, Dee Why, French’s Forest, Collaroy, Mona Vale, and even up to Palm Beach and Avalon. We also have students travel from Roseville, Lindfield, Turramurra, Mosman, Neutral Bay, Cremorne, the Inner West and North Sydney.
Our Classes
Join A Class Today!
Bikram Yoga
A therapeutic 90 min Beginners yoga for all ages and all abilities. Absolutely no experience required
Himalayan Kriya Yoga
Dissolve all that is not you. HKY is a new form of yoga, that works with your energetic body to burn the karma that we carry on our physical body. Come join us and discover the real you.
No heat!
Hatha Intermediate
More challenging yoga with less heat. Open to everyone with some yoga experience. 75 min class
Individual Yoga Session
A private one on one session created for you to target specific chronic and acute injuries and conditions or deepen your practice.
Do you like a
challenge?
An intro pass is perfect to
begin your journey.
Try as many classes as you want
in 14 days!