Part 1: What the heck is our Flagship Hot 26 yoga series?

By Barbara Schuette on August 16, 2021

What the heck is Hot Fusion 26, Hot 26+2, OG Hot Yoga, Ghosh Yoga and Bikram Yoga? They are all one and the same and come from the Ghosh lineage. Well what is the Ghosh lineage? Bishnu Ghosh was a Hatha yogi from Kolkata, India who practiced postures and breathing exercises that were therapeutic. He prescribed them for his patients’ specific ailments. I have been involved with Ghosh yoga for 7 years teaching, practicing and promoting this healing practice. Every day there is something new to learn, new to experience, and new to teach. I love educating my students on the benefits of this practice and reminding them of why they are doing each posture or breathing exercise.

This yoga practice truly is a science. Yoga gurus used to prescribe yoga postures to heal bodies in India. If you had a problem you would go see someone like Bishnu Ghosh, and he would prescribe yoga postures (asanas or poses) and explain how to do them.

Previously there was no existing sequence to a yoga series, especially for beginners. There were thousands of postures on charts which were on paper, books, or posters. Most of them looked like you would have to get into a pretzel shape and therefore did not seem possible for the average person.

Ghosh was Bikram Choudhury’s guru and taught him everything he knew about yoga. The “26 poses + 2 breathing exercises” were sequenced and “prescribed” in the same exact format to every student in the 1970’s when the practice was westernized by Bikram. Many famous teachers have come from Bikram’s school including Tony Sanchez and Emmy Cleaves (pictured above with Bikram) and they still prescribe this yoga in the exact same format to their students. Many famous actresses, singers, and athletes practice the Hot 26 yoga series, including Jennifer Anniston, Lady Gaga, and David Beckham (and maybe Posh!)

You don’t need to be graceful, talented or even athletic to do yoga. All you need is a little space and honesty (and a decent yoga mat). The simplicity and ingenuity of the “26 postures + 2 breathing exercises” is accessible for EVERY body! It is truly a modern day miracle 💫

Namaste 🙏

**Pictured above:

Emmy Cleaves ~ Age: 85

Bikram Choudhury ~ Age: 66

Any doubts about Hot 26 = Fountain of Youth?

Part 2: The benefits of this self-healing, life-changing series will be discussed in my next blog!