Abhyāsa — In a World of Noise, Return
Abhyāsa — the Sanskrit word for consistent, long-term practice — is our Yoga Philosophy Focus this February at The Hot Yoga Chapel.
Each month, we’ll explore a different yoga philosophy teaching and weave it into our classes. Not as something abstract or far away, but as something lived. Something felt in your body. Something that meets you on the mat — and follows you into your life.
I chose Abhyāsa this month because it feels so relevant right now.
We live in a world that constantly chases novelty. New trends. New workouts. New stimulation. There is societal pressure to be doing all the things, all the time. The fitness industry is inundated with the next “must-try” method. Reinvention is constant. Attention spans are short.
And yoga studios are quietly suffering.
With the closure of yet another Leeds studio this week, THYC Leeds now stands as the only remaining city centre yoga studio. That concerns me deeply. But it also inspires me to speak more boldly about why what we offer is not just relevant — it’s radical.
Because yoga was never meant to be trendy.
It is steady.
It is rooted.
It is seeped in ancient wisdom.
And Abhyāsa reminds us why.
Don’t Do Many Things. Do The Same Thing Many Times.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali tells us that the fluctuations of the mind are stilled through two qualities:
Abhyāsa — steady, devoted practice.
Vairāgya — non-attachment.
Abhyāsa is often translated simply as “practice.” But it means something much deeper:
Practice done for a long time.
Without interruption.
With sincere devotion.
Not dramatic effort.
Not perfection.
Not constant progression.
Just steady return.
“Don’t do many things. Do the same thing many times.”
That is the spirit of Abhyāsa.
And to me, the 26&2 series is the epitome of this teaching.
The Energetic Backbone of 26&2
This year marks ten years since I completed my Hot Yoga Teacher Training — and around fifteen years of practising the same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises.
Thousands of times I have stepped into that hot room.
The same sequence.
The same order.
The same dialogue.
The same mirrors.
The same heat.
Repetition.
Repetition.
Repetition.
And what is extraordinary is this:
It never gets boring.
It just gets better.
I have practised through two pregnancies. Through heartbreak. Through loss. Through joy. I have watched so many different versions of myself move through that same sequence.
The class is always the same.
The body and mind are never the same.
The sequence doesn’t change.
You do.
That is why Bikram/Hot Yoga is built on Abhyāsa. It is its energetic backbone. Do it once and you will feel good, yes. But it is when you practise regularly and consistently that transformation begins to unfold.
Repetition as Moving Meditation
The Sequence Doesn’t Change.
You Do.
In Original Hot Yoga, the sequence is the same every time.
26 postures.
2 breathing exercises.
Same order.
Same structure.
Same heat.
From the outside, it can look repetitive.
But repetition is the point.
In this world that constantly chases novelty — new workouts, new trends, new stimulation — Bikram yoga offers something radical:
Depth instead of distraction.
When you practise the same sequence again and again, you remove the noise of decision-making.
You remove the ego’s need for entertainment.
You stop performing and start observing.
And what you discover is this:
The posture is the same.
But the body is different.
The breath is different.
The mind is different.
Some days Triangle feels expansive and powerful.
Some days it feels heavy and confronting.
Some days you wobble in Half Moon.
Some days you feel steady and strong.
The sequence stays constant — so you can see yourself clearly.
That is abhyasa.
Structure Creates Safety
People sometimes ask why we don’t change the sequence. Why not mix it up? Why not add more variety?
Because structure creates safety.
Predictability allows the nervous system to soften. When you know what’s coming next, the body doesn’t brace in the same way. It can go deeper. It can listen more closely.
The sequence is the container.
Abhyāsa is how you fill it.
Your practice in year one is not your practice in year five.
Your Triangle in winter is not your Triangle in summer.
Your breath after a stressful week is not your breath on a peaceful day.
Abhyasa is about quiet return.
It is about coming back to the mat.
Back to the breath.
Back to the posture.
Back to yourself.
Again and again.
The magic of 26&2 is not that it changes every class.
The magic is that it doesn’t.
And in that steadiness, you discover your self.
In a World of Chaos, Let Practice Be Your Constant
Abhyāsa grounds us in simplicity.
Don’t do many things.
Do the same thing many times.
Come to class regularly and consistently — especially when it feels challenging. Let the practice teach you about your habits, your thoughts, and the fluctuations of your mind. Let the asanas strengthen and support you through life’s changes. Let the predictability of the sequence create safety for your nervous system.
When it gets hard, don’t give up.
Just take a break.
Kneel down.
Breathe.
Join back in when you’re ready.
In a world of chaos, let practice be your calm consistent.
Again.
And again.
And again.
