Shane Thornton, by his own account, was living a dangerous, reckless life until five years ago when, at a co-worker's prodding, he tried Bikram yoga and had his life changed.

It's the fountain of youth, is what I tell people, Thornton said about a discipline that had such an immediate impact on his well-being that he moved from his Montana home to become a Bikram teacher who competes nationally in executing the poses that make up yoga.

I feel better now at 38 than I did at 28 for sure, said Thornton, who lives and teaches in San Antonio.

Cathy Mondloch-Seavey said Bikram yoga also changed her life. A nine-week training program converted her into a yoga instructor and a nationally recognized practitioner who is passing on the benefits to others.

I've seen it work with so many people around me, said Mondloch-Seavey, who teaches with Thornton at the Union, a workout center with outlets near Hollywood Park and Alamo Heights and at 11255 Huebner Road. It improves their quality of life.

Yoga, generally, is a vast subject with a philosophical basis that is focused on the connection between the mind and body, Mondloch-Seavey said. But she cautioned, students should not view Bikram yoga as a lot of sitting and chanting.

It's for people of all beliefs, said Mondloch-Seavey, who started practicing yoga in New Mexico and found a valued mentor first in Austin and then in San Antonio. Yoga is a lifetime thing.

Bikram yoga, conducted in a super-heated room to help the body become more flexible and to promote detoxification, consists of a series of postures designed to address common health issues, like stiff hips and bad knees.

But while doing that, it helps people deal with mental and emotional stress, Mondloch-Seavey said. It's a physical exercise that also teaches people patience, humility, faith in themselves and compassion toward others, she said.

Thornton said anyone can do it, and that people often feel better after just one class. It works your whole body, from the inside out, said Thornton. It's benefits are endless.

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Yoga instructors call the discipline a life-changer