Brigitte Gilbert: The Angel That Inhabits a Modern Day Hell

When I first caught a glimpse of Brigitte Gilbert, a tiny twenty-something Asian with spiky black hair, it was a few years back when I was an avid Bikram Yogi enthusiast. For two years, I literally inhabited that sweatbox of a torture chamber and refused to go a day without deepening my practice. After a year at my local studio, I began to become accustomed to the teachers that taught there, knowing exactly what they would say (including their corny jokes that they would add in for some comic relief in the whole obliteration) for the full 90 minutes before they even stepped inside the room. When I walked in one Saturday morning after a particularly stressful week, I was exacerbated to find a new teacher, Brigitte, that would be teaching Saturday mornings from here on out.

Who was Brigitte? Would she allow me to drink water after tuladandasana? Would she hold salabhasana longer than she was supposed to? Would her voice annoy the hell out of me?

All of my qualms were silenced as soon as she entered the hot room. I may be making this up, but I’m pretty sure her spiritual energy carried her to the podium, without her feet touching the ground. I’m kidding, but seriously, her energy literally put my mind at ease before she even opened her mouth, and when she did open her mouth, it was as rhythmic as a song.

She spoke with such peace and proficiency that you would’ve thought she was Bikram himself.  She made it a point to help each and every student in the class (on a Saturday morning, that meant about 40 people) and made it her duty to explain why we were doing every pose and the benefits that would result from them. Her subtle touches throughout the class put me so deep into poses that I realized I had executing some of the moves incorrectly for over a year! That single class completely changed my outlook on the entire Bikram Yoga Practice, and a Brigitte idolizer was born.

Two years and many brutally beautiful Saturday mornings later, I’m surprisingly still in love with her. She’s extremely busy shuffling back from New York City Bikram locations to Long Island locations (because everybody wants a piece of her) but I was lucky enough to get her on the phone for a few minutes to pluck her brain about why she got into Bikram Yoga and what she loves most about the life-changing practice.


KG: TELL THE TRUTH: why did you start your Bikram Yoga practice?
BG: Haha! As if I’d lie to you. I first started my practice when I was 17, and it was primarily for the physical benefits, but I was quickly drawn in to the challenge of breaking down the barriers that I had instilled in my own mind. I enjoy doing things that scare me, and practicing Bikram yoga on a daily basis whilst trying to quiet my rampant thoughts scared the hell out of me. So I did it everyday until I was able to silence every negative thought that entered my headspace.

KG: Wow. I imagine I’d be a lot more pleasurable to be around if I had that skill. Why did you decide to take your practice a step further and become a certified Bikram Instructor?
BG: I’ve practiced yoga for as long as I can remember, but Bikram Yoga was the first time I felt deeply challenged- mentally, physically, and emotionally – all at once. After I fell in love with the practice, I felt there was nothing left to do but become a teacher, so I could inspire others in the same way that I am everyday.

KG: How vigorous is the process of becoming a Bikram Yoga Teacher?
BG: What others view as hell, I see as heaven. The harder you are forced to work for something, the greater the sense of accomplishment will be in the end. Bikram training includes the study of Bikram’s history, therapeutic application, asanas (poses), alignment, nutrition, human anatomy, and physiology. The part that scares most people off, however, are the twice daily 90 minute (or longer) classes that you must take for six weeks straight.

KG: What is your favorite part about the Bikram Yoga Practice?
BG: First and foremost, I love how it’s made for everyone. There are no requirements or prerequisites for anybody stepping into a Bikram Yoga class. The goal is to try your best, and whatever your best is, is always enough. I also love how it simultaneously forces you to let go of your ego, while also building it up. Bikram can synchronously break down a big ego, while giving you the self-confidence you lack to help grow into your true self. It’s the most humbling, gratifying, extraordinary experience I have yet to encounter, and somehow everyday is completely different than the last.

KG: For all the non-kram’s out there, that’s pretty hard to believe, considering the practice consists of the same 26 poses day after day.
BG: Yoga is a practice, not a perfection. Everyday I am faced with different challenges and obstacles that I must overcome, forcing me to further my practice and learn things I never knew I was capable of comprehending. The 26 postures systematically work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, veins, ligaments, and muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. In a mere 90 minutes, the 26 poses force the body to self-regulate and self-adjust to life’s complications, and since I am faced with new challenges every day, the self-adjusting process is different every day.

KG: Last question: Do you do anything besides Bikram Yoga?
BG: Nope, that’s it Katharine.

KG: That’s what I thought. Thank you so much for giving me the wee bit of time you had between classes today. Get back to the room of the doom, and I’ll see you soon.
BG: No, thank you for allowing me to share my deepest passion and life-long journey with your readers. Namaste my love, have a wonderfully peaceful day.
^Seriously, was this girl sent down from an angel asylum?

If you ever feel the desire to tango with the devil, I HIGHLY recommend you go to one of Brigitte’s classes. She is regarded as one of the best Bikram Yoga Teachers in all of New York City and can quite literally be the spiritual healer you never knew you needed.