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For information on weekly Bikram yoga classes please click Bikram Yoga classes in Burren Yoga and Meditation Centre, Kinvara, Co. Galway

Report of weekend
Our group of 10 people smiled for the photo before we began the Bikram yoga class.
Most of us had never experienced Bikram yoga before but all except one had experienced some form of yoga before.


A couple of people from the States also came over to conbine the weekend course with a holiday in Ireland. One of our participants managed to fit the weekend into a business trip to Ireland.




Bikram is for everyone according to Niamh Jones our instructor who took us ‘through our paces’ this weekend.




The sun was shining in from one side, the underfloor heating was smiling back up at us, Niamh was demanding and encouraging us, and the oil fired stove was packing out the heat so the sweat kept oozing out of us all the time. As one of our visitors from the States said….. I often become purple in my class back home with the sweating.


Its not quite a sauna, its not as dry, but the heat is so enjoyable a few people just lay there before the class and also after the class.


Its like being in the Summer right back on a cold drissly day in early March.


Some of the postures look easy, but in a photo you can’t see that heat, or feel the warmth inside, nor feel that focus of attention, and the determination felt inside as one worked knowing there were going to be 4 Bikram 90 minute sessions over the weekend.


Well in the middle of a class, maybe one would get a thought like that.


Chances are the thought was much more present, more like ‘right, can I go into this posture a bit deeper, still retain my nostril breathing, maintain enough energy inside for another 70 minutes of this’ and then sometimes changing to ‘hmmm this posture seems easier, time to regain a more even flow of the breath, stretch deep down, and almost relax down for a bit’ while still sweating comfortably and refreshingly.


That heat really helps you rest in a stretching posture more enjoyably, and lets the body open up more fully and easily. Not that there is much resting in a Bikram yoga sequence.




Seems ok this one,






Some people are lucky with their flexibility…




Balance can be tough, when you are tired….




Speaking of balance..




This beats sitting in a hotel room in between business meeting in Ireland!!!



Even the windows are heated to prevent any cold spots in the super-insulated yoga room. The walls are timber framed, with inner layers of super insulated timber, then a cavity air layer, then an outer layer of concrete 4 inch thick block and finally covered on the outside with a plastered layer to stand up to all kinds of elements thrown at in on the West coast of Ireland.


And boy does it hold in the heat.




Niamh shows how some of the postures should be done, if we had the luck to be as flexible, or had half the patience and dedication to work with ourselves.




That’s the additional stove which is used for the Bikram workshops in the Burren Yoga and Meditation Centre. It’s this stove that keeps the temperatures way up there to maintain the sweating in addition to the other heating.




This might not be like the usual Hatha trikonasana, nor may it feel quite like it, but definitely after the class ones feels great, no aches or pains or pulled hamstrings, but opened out and definitely loosened and more flexible. It’s not as hard on the knees as Astanga, nor does it use as much upper body strength, but yet definitely gives a great stretch and excellent alignments to the body and spine throughout the whole workout.


And yes it is a workout. It flows along, and keeps moving, even though some of the loosening sequences are certainly less impacting and definitely less strenuous than an Astanga vinyasa.


It has its own pace which can change depending on the teacher and the situation and energy level of the class.


But in general it flows along with postures of varying difficulty but yet each of them would challenge a practiced yoga teacher as well as being open and possible to varying degrees to the new and uninitiated reasonably fit healthy people to which it is limited to.


You don’t have to be flexible and be extremely fit to practice Bikram, but it does require a reasonable degree of fitness.








Its nice to have windows that look out into the wild natural landscapes of the Burren, that will be there for a refreshing walk breathing in the fresh air straight in from the Atlantic.

That's the biggest thing I missed most in India.

Fresh clean air.

And that's one thing there is in the Burren. Fresh clear air ionized by the Atlantic south westerlys which blow in across the gulf stream.



Plenty of space in the yoga studio which overlooks onto the magical countyside Burren views.


Have you never heard of the Burren before? Its worth taking an hour sometime and search the internet using "burren" as a search.

And the Burren Yoga showers which are so powerful due to the new pump installed at the bottom of the 100 feet deep well which delivers fresh Burren spring water direct to the taps for drinking and also the newly upgraded showers.


We were unlucky with our walk in that it was quite a short 20 minutes walk by Atlantic ocean as it reaches into Galway bay. The walk was cut short due to the misty rain which was blowing in on the mild temperature but strongly blowing westerly wind coming in over the Atlantic.


But the good side was, that due to the extra time available to us, we visited a couple of the ancient dolmens (disputed to be either tombs or ancient initiation rite tables or monuments).


And those rocks in the Burren are really impressive. Unfortunately the camera was forgotten as we all headed out on our adventure into the Burren invigourated and ‘full of life’ after our morning’s Bikram’s class, breakfast and showers.


And those roads through the Burren hills are certainly narrow even by Irish standards. One never knows what one will meet in the Burren. However the weekend is packed with richness of experience in this fresh envirouraging environment.

And then back for more Paddi’s gourmet vegetarian food. At least lunch was much lighter with the amazing home made soup, organic home baked brown bread, and ok




Just a small piece of banana cake after lunch. Paddi always gets something special in there.


And now some time to relax after lunch, relax and chat in the feng shui’ed brightly coloured comfortable Yoga centre.


The warmth of this house any time of year is really comforting. The bright huge windows make this an airy wide awake but relaxed atmosphere.
Its impossible to describe it. It has to be experienced.


A short rest, and then back into the studio to see if our bodies will be up to what Niamh has in store.


In the afternoon session, the funny thing is that although Niamh took us again through the whole sequence, it seemed a fair bit easier and more flowing this time. I’m not sure whether it was due to the muscles loosening slightly as it was now afternoon, or was it due to the ‘ok, seen it once before and I’ll know what level to pace myself’, or due to the slightly shortened length of time Niamh held us in some postures. Funny though, the session still lasted 90 minutes, but felt a lot more easier and manageable than this morning’s first Bikram class ever experienced by myself.


Ok here we go again….




What can I say.







Drinks of water were sometimes mouth cooling.










Hey I’m getting a bit used to this sequence..










Good idea to spread a towel on your mat to absorb sweat. No harm having another one close to wipe the brow ;-)





















Ok so, were slowing down. And it feels nice in that heat.







made it again….. phew….


Hey I’m floating….. ;-)


And did I hear right?


Paddi has spent the whole afternoon preparing our evening dinner of Stuffed (spinach and cheese) Cannelli pasta covered in a dripping tomatoe sauce which had aromas of fresh fennel and time.
Baked tomatoes.
Mixed peppers salad.
Green lettuce salad.
Home made salad dressing


And followed by this amazing blackberries (collected locally last Autumn and promptly frozen) and rasberry pie with meruinge filling on top. Well, ok we have earned it and with these workshops, no problems buring off a small bit of extravagant food.




Nice one Paddi.


And that was only Saturday!

Another night laughing and talking in the Burren Yoga atmosphere and then two more classes of Bikram tomorrow.

It seems like we know each other for a month. Some of us it feels like we have known for lifetimes.

When’s the next Bikram workshop at the Burren Yoga and Meditation Centre?


May 2nd – 4th. Cost €230 full board.


So where can I check out cheap flights?


Getting to the centre


How do I book….


Booking on a course


For information on weekly Bikram yoga classes please click Bikram Yoga classes in Burren Yoga and Meditation Centre, Kinvara, Co. Galway

What other courses are on at the centre over the next few months?


Courses for the next few months