The Healing System Behind Bikram Yoga

Brian Stern
Aug 4
4 min read

Updated: Aug 19

How a time-tested system became the foundation of Instrumental Yoga in Jamaica Plain

What is Bikram Yoga, really? Where did it come from, and why is it done the same way every time? In this post, we explore the roots of Bikram Yoga through the lens of one of its most trusted historians and teachers, Jim Kallett, and explain how this lineage forms the basis of what we teach at Instrumental Yoga in Jamaica Plain.

You’ll learn how Bikram Yoga evolved from traditional Hatha Yoga into a structured system of therapeutic yoga practiced in a consistent sequence. You'll also discover how the 26-posture method became one of the most effective tools for healing, longevity, and full-body transformation.

This is more than just history. It’s the origin story of the sequence we teach today in our warm, gently heated studio. While Bikram Yoga is traditionally practiced at 105 degrees, we offer the same posture sequence at a lower temperature, closer to 80 degrees, based on the space and tools we have available. Because of this, and to avoid confusion, we don’t refer to it as “Bikram Yoga” at our studio. Instead, we teach it under its traditional name: Hatha Yoga.

About Jim Kallett

Jim Kallett is one of the most respected and experienced teachers in the global Bikram Yoga community. He trained directly under Bikram Choudhury, completing one of the earliest teacher trainings in 1997, and went on to co-lead more than 45 Bikram Yoga Teacher Trainings worldwide.

Known for his clarity, precision, and deep understanding of yoga’s therapeutic roots, Jim has dedicated his life to preserving the original method and educating teachers and students on its history, purpose, and long-term benefits.

Much of what we understand about the development of Bikram Yoga as a system of healing and transformation comes from Jim’s firsthand accounts and years of research. His voice is a guiding force for the next generation of students and teachers.

The Origin of Bikram Yoga

As told by Jim Kallett

The system of Bikram Yoga began in 1965. It came from years of research and knowledge passed down from teacher to student, starting with Bikram’s guru, Bishnu Charan Ghosh, who himself learned from earlier masters.

Yoga itself is ancient. Nobody knows exactly when it started. But the specific system of Bikram Yoga, consisting of 26 postures and two breathing exercises practiced in a heated room, developed organically in 1965. Bikram Choudhury was sent by his guru to Mumbai to teach yoga to a wealthy family—the Jain family, who owned The Times of India.

At the time, yoga therapy in India was done one-on-one. A person in need of healing whether physical, mental, or otherwise, would go to a yogi for help. In a country that was newly independent and had been stripped of its wealth by 175 years of British occupation, there were few hospitals or doctors. People relied on yogis.

The yogi would have the person perform simple postures: bending forward, back, side to side. From this, they could see what was happening inside the body. They could assess spinal function, nerve roots, and internal organ health like an x-ray. They would diagnose the problem and even predict what could happen in the future if the person didn’t change their habits.

It was a highly individualized practice because every body is different. No one had yet figured out how to create a yoga system that everyone could do in the same way. Yoga was always done one-on-one, and that made it inaccessible to many.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Bishnu Ghosh had already tried to change this. After his brother Paramahansa Yogananda introduced yoga to the West in 1920, Ghosh continued that mission by trying to make Hatha Yoga accessible to the general public. In 1939, he and his disciple Buddha Bose published a book showing 20 beginner postures. Buddha Bose demonstrated the poses, and Ghosh provided the framework. But even then, the idea was that you still needed a teacher to tell you which ones to do and in what order.

When Bikram arrived in Mumbai, he initially continued the one-on-one model. But the healing results were so profound that word quickly spread. Soon, producers, celebrities, and financiers were lining up to see him. He was working 10 to 12 hours a day, seeing 24 people, one hour at a time, taking short breaks. The line was booked out for months.

Bikram began asking himself how he could help more people. He began structuring a sequence of beginner postures where every posture prepared the body for the next. He kept the holds short, 10 to 20 seconds, and repeated each posture twice. It was efficient, accessible, and incredibly effective. He created a dialogue that gave students simple instructions to follow. Over time, their bodies began to change.

He started teaching 30, 40, even 50 people at once, and it was working. When Bishnu Ghosh heard about this, he told Bikram it couldn’t be done. Bikram invited him to Mumbai. After observing the classes, Ghosh admitted, “You’ve done what I could not do. The disciple has outdone the guru.”

He then gave Bikram a mission: bring this healing yoga system to the world. Take it especially to the West, where people need it most. Bikram first went to Japan, then to the United States, where he eventually settled in Los Angeles.

From there, Bikram Yoga spread across the globe.

This Is the Yoga We Teach

At Instrumental Yoga in Jamaica Plain

At Instrumental Yoga, this is the system we teach. The same 26-posture sequence, the same breathing techniques, the same therapeutic foundation developed under Bishnu Ghosh’s guidance.

We practice in a warm room, not a hot one, and we call our classes Hatha Yoga . This honors the system’s traditional roots while making clear that the setting and temperature are adapted to the space and resources we have. Our goal is to make the practice accessible, consistent, and powerful without creating confusion or misaligned expectations.

We offer Hatha Yoga in Jamaica Plain to students of all experience levels. Our classes are structured, consistent, and focused on healing, balance, and strength. You don’t need to be flexible. You don’t need to be advanced. You just need to show up. Try out our Intro Pass today.

This is yoga you can rely on. This is yoga that meets you where you are. This is Instrumental Yoga.