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Bikram Yoga, also referred to as hot yoga, follows a sequence of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises each time you attend a class. ANTHONY INSWASTY PHOTOS

Pat Murray brings Bikram Yoga’s benefits to Fort Pierce

Pat Murray recently celebrated Indian River Bikram Yoga’s one-year anniversary at its new location at Seaway Plaza on the corner of North U.S. Highway 1 and Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce after spending the previous five years in Vero Beach. 

So far, the move and reception have been quite positive, says Murray, the personable certified instructor and studio owner.

Indian River Bikram Yoga studio owner Pat Murray is a certified yoga instructor.

“I really like Fort Pierce,’’ said Murray, who discovered the benefits of Bikram Yoga in 2010 while working in the Bay Area of California and is now in her seventh year of teaching it. “I like the area. And I like that it’s near downtown. It seems to be up and coming with a lot of growth in progress [including the $140-million King’s Landing mixed-used development].’’

There are many styles of yoga to choose from, but Bikram Yoga is a system of yoga that Bikram Choudhury synthesized from traditional Hatha Yoga techniques and popularized in the United States, beginning in the early 1970s. 

Bikram Yoga, also referred to as hot yoga, is usually conducted in a 105-degree room [Murray has her studio set at 100 degrees and 50% humidity since this is South Florida], following a sequence of 26 postures and two breathing exercises each time you attend a class.

The 26 postures systematically work every part of the body to give internal organs, circulatory system, ligaments, and muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. Each posture focuses on different areas of the body.

Murray conducts 90-minute class sessions every day of the week, some as early as 5:45 a.m., or as late as 5:45 p.m. The appointment calendar can be found on the informative indianriverbikram.com website.

She also holds a chair class on Thursdays from 11 to 11:45 a.m. There’s no heat and postures are modified to support any age or fitness level.

The studio can accommodate 16 students, although most class sizes are around eight. Murray does offer private lessons.

“Whether you’ve been practicing for the first time or you’ve been practicing for 10 years, we’re all in the same room,’’ Murray says. “It’s the same — the same 26 postures, and two breathing exercises. We work on strength, flexibility and precision in the postures.’’ 

As for the number of sessions one usually attends, it varies.

“It depends on your goals and availability,’’ says Murray, who grew up in the Miami area. “Attending three to four times a week is best for maximum results. The yoga does not give you anything beyond what you already have. It opens, sheds, peels away, releases tension in areas where we feel tight. The mind and body feel lighter and calmer through stretching, compressing, and releasing the body to maximum relaxation. It teaches us to be patient with ourselves and  ‘trust the process.’  Repeating the process is what takes us there. The more you come, the more you will notice the difference in your body.’’

To commemorate Indian River Bikram Yoga’s first anniversary in Fort Pierce, Murray is offering these specials:

New students: Five classes for $35.

Beginners: One month for $75.

Monthly unlimited AutoPay: $125.

For more information on Indian River Bikram Yoga, including illustrations of all 26 postures and the benefits of each, as well as uplifting testimonials, visit indianriverbikram.com. 

See the original article in the print publication

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INDIAN RIVER BIKRAM YOGA

602 North U.S. Highway 1, Seaway Plaza
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
772.925.9697
indianriverbikram.com
Pat Murray, studio owner
pat@indianriverbikram.com