Temporarily saying goodbye to my beloved yoga studio and 2nd home for the last 7 years is very hard. I’m guessing I must be nearing 1000 classes taken here, so I’m really shaking up my routine. Gulp! I won’t be away for long.

My first taste of this studio and of Bikram yoga was way back in autumn 2008. I’d spent the summer in intense lower back pain and I was willing to try anything to get some relief. I’d only vaguely heard of hot yoga and when I was handed a leaflet at Oxford Circus, it seemed worth a try.

The Soho studio was one of the first Bikram studios in the UK so I had nothing to compare it to. The heat, the humidity, the cleansing sweat, the ingenious sequence of postures really helped with my back pain and halted the alarming rise in weight that was accompanying my lack of exercise. I’m hardly svelte now but its important to remember where I was headed back then!

And it wasn’t until a few years later that I realised what an incredible studio it was, because I had nothing to compare it to. The list of attributes is impressive: great Soho location (handily near to my office), the precise heat and humidity system, the hypo-alegenic flooring, the intimate feel, the wonderful owners and staff. And of course the occasional celebrities! I never thought I’d be hearing about the Master cleanse from Goldie in the changing room!

And most importantly the inspiring and supportive teachers, for the advice, the one on one chats, the encouraging words of wisdom when I felt defeated or was practising though all my injuries and joint problems. The standard of teaching at Soho and latterly Victoria has been incredibly high. Its hard enough becoming a Bikram teacher in the first place and becoming a Sohot teacher is even harder!

I still struggle with yoga now, but it’s important to remember just how stiff and injured I was at the beginning of my Bikram experience. Without it I wouldn’t be trying new things now.

Thank you & Namasté