Mary H. Hines, 47, Decatur

I’ve been taking Bikram classes on and off since BYD opened. At first, I took classes because I thought it would be challenging exercise, and, of course, it is. But I keep coming back to Bikram, sometimes after an absence of months, because it is the best, most affordable, and most convenient therapy I can get.

I’m 47 years old, and my job as a judicial law clerk keeps me at a desk or a computer all day long, crunching up my neck and shoulders. I’m also an avid gardener and work my half-acre garden year-round – hauling rocks and digging holes and pruning shrubs. That’s hard on the back and joints. But an hour and a half in a Bikram class and I’m limber and pain free again. More importantly, I’m stronger.

Bikram yoga works the spine and back like no other exercise I’ve done. The 26 postures are designed to keep the spine flexible and the muscles supporting it very strong which helps maintain the core strength and balance needed to continue doing the things I love as I get older. The postures also work the internal organs and the endocrine system. Although I’m perimenopausal, and the occasional hot flash makes hot yoga challenging, it is worth it because the postures keep my hormonal systems balanced, too.

Finally, Bikram yoga is mental therapy, the perfect adjunct to my regular meditation practice. Ideally, yoga should be meditation in motion. During a Bikram class, I couldn’t dwell on the stresses and worries of the day even if I wanted to! Intense focus on the present, on how my body and breath work together to stay in the posture, pulls my mind away from nagging thoughts. After a class, my mind is peaceful, and that peace stays with me for the rest of the day.