I’ve done Hatha off and on for years but stopped completely for about 5 years. I’ve recently taken up Bikram and I enjoy the heat/humidity. I also enjoy hatha. The expense of going to two studio’s is a little much but I’d like to do both considering that the Bikram studio only has class twice a day and the hatha studio has tons of classes all throughout the week. Your take?
The implication of the term Hatha (in today’s context) is a practice with a physical focus. Ergo the practice you mention, the Ashtanga practice, the Iyengar practice, the Vinyasa Flow practice … these are all Hatha practices. So by and large you are still doing Hatha yoga.
In my view the evaluation of yoga is determined by one’s living rather than by one’s tastes or one’s finances. That is to say the enjoyment of your practice is absolutely required, necessary, and crucial and yet the effect it has on your living beyond the moment, the residue it leaves within you, this nectar is paramount.
If the one practice you currently “enjoy” is moving you forward, facilitating your connection with your self, manifesting more light both in your body and your living, then it is enough and more is not necessary.
Of course the question can be reduced to “I like this and that but choose only to afford this” and that is a much easier question to answer. If both are necessary (for you) then find ways to manifest the finances to make it so. Otherwise just enjoy the one you choose with all your being.
Bikram is a form of Hatha yoga as Gordon mentioned…
I would go to the studio offering a variety of hatha classes…Bikram class is always the same…the same 26 asanas is the same order for the same length of time along with the same instruction…every time…every class…the same…no variety…
I got bored within a very short time of doing Bikram…I much prefer to have some variety and enjoy vinyasa flow type classes (for the fluid movement and strength challenge) as well as some Iyengar type classes (for the detail and precision).
Whatever you choose ENJOY it!