Bikram's beginner yoga series includes 26 postures (asanas). Designed by Bikram Choudhury, the class is intended to deepen muscle stretching and allow for healthy detoxification. Among the many benefits of the series is the reduction of many chronic disease symptoms such as high blood pressure and obesity. The series is also hailed for its calming benefits which allow for deeper breathing, focus and meditation.

The first posture in the series is a breathing exercise which sets the tone for achieving this deep relaxation and meditation which will bring your practice to a new level. Practicing Pranayama at the start of class warms up the body internally, gives you energy for class and promotes a calm state of mind for meditation.

"Prana" means life force or energy and "yama" means control or restraint. "Pranayama" means control of breath.

Our deep breathing exercise in Bikram Yoga is done through the throat using the nose and mouth as passageways. By breathing very slowly we expand the lung capacity, slowly calm down the central nervous system and promote circulation of oxygen throughout the body.

You must make sure not to close your eyes during the deep breathing. Closing your eyes will make you extra dizzy. You'll be dizzy enough with all that extra oxygen to the brain.

Pranayama breathing can be done anytime to give you energy, peace and clarity of mind. Make sure, at the end of every inhale, you stretch all the way up from your waist and push the oxygen into the lower chambers of the lungs.

Georgia was one of Bikram's first students when he arrived to Honolulu to teach in 1971. She received her official certification to teach in 1997. The greatest joy in her life is "seeing her student's happy smiling faces." Her deepest gratitude is to Bikram for never giving up on her. Georgia has been teaching at Bikram Yoga NYC since the studio opened in 1998.