Amen.

Sometime last year, I became aware of allegations of sexual assault, which Mr. Choudhury has denied. When I asked instructors about them, most defended him vigorously, saying that while Mr. Choudhury was certainly bizarre, he was not a predator. One told me that she found the allegations unbelievable because no shortage of female trainees threw themselves at him with devotion and lust.

For a long time, I chose not to think much about it and figured I should give Mr. Choudhury, who has never faced criminal sexual assault charges, the benefit of the doubt. However, after reading the complaints filed by six women who have pending lawsuits against him, I felt sick. They portray a powerful man preying on vulnerable and impressionable students who made a huge investment in his training sessions. Their accounts, too consistent and numerous to dismiss, present Bikram yogis with a vexing dilemma of conscience.

Shephathiah Townsend, a Bikram yogi in New York, was feeling conflicted about what she should do. “These women are strong enough to come forward and tell their stories,” she said. “Shouldn’t we believe them? Is stopping my Bikram practice the small step I can take?”

Bikram studios are staffed by certified instructors who have been to Mr. Choudhury’s nine-week training sessions, which cost $12,500, but many studios don’t pay him royalties or franchise fees. The hundreds of studios around the world refer top students for teacher trainings held twice a year. Mr. Choudhury has been zealous about protecting his brand, taking on studio owners who deviate from his standards or teach his sequence without his approval.

Mr. Choudhury is due his day in court. But until the pending suits are settled, I would like to see studio owners take a stand by discouraging new students from going to training and fighting back on his rigid control of the practice, which he has unsuccessfully sought to copyright.

The practice has undeniably helped thousands of people change their lives for the better. Many people who have wrestled with substance abuse have found it keeps them anchored in sobriety. I feel happier, stronger and more focused when I make it to the studio three or four times per week. But what once brought me feelings of well-being now is increasingly a source of unease.

My yearly studio membership expires in November. That may be a good time to reluctantly walk away from something I love. Until then, I’ll be wearing nothing but green shorts to the studio.