Class #36, 2010

Erika, Fremont, 4 p.m.

Class #23, 2010

I was stuck. Thank god for Jill for just making me go today - it'd been three days since the brutal class on Monday and I just couldn't get myself there. Without looking at who was teaching, I just went to 4 p.m. - and it was perfect. The instructor was a newer one who I really have enjoyed watching as she's grown into her confidence. Her class was so good! I was thinking how proud of I was of her, though that is not appropriate really while practicing :)

Heat was great, my practice felt good, but mostly, I was just glad to be back! Phew!

Class #11, 2010

I wasn't going to take class today, nope. My week is a little wonky and I am taking a friend to his first class on Tuesday, my usual day off, so I thought I'd take today off. But then I taught 8 a.m., and well, watching all my students going through the series I just started to crave it. I crave yoga. That is weird, no? Maybe not to others who practice yoga...plus, I had kind of a weird night sleep - more anxiety dreams over I-don't-know-what. Honestly on the surface, things are going pretty well in life!

So, the craving + anxiety said "practice!" - so I did, and it was great. Nice soaking wet one for me, since I'd already spent 90 minutes in the room. Heat was great, I struggled a bit around triangle as is normal, but the rest of the time I felt like the heat was on my side, helping - not wrecking me mentally and sending me off to fight the tizzy I'm headed toward.

I'm not sure what's up with my Bow pose on the floor, but dear gawd, it's doing something new and amazing lately. I love seeing my body shift and change! Of course, as it usually goes, something else goes to poo like a game of whack-a-mole, so my standing head to knee seems broken at the moment. But I just keep trying the right way, right?! I teach again tonight at 6, and I'm sure to be better for it now that I took class. :)

Class #6, 2010 + A yoga-related "guest post"

First, there are a bunch of toughies out there doing a 101 days of Bikram Yoga in 101 days! They started on January 1, and will wrap it up on April 11. They are allowing doubles, as it's impossible to think you'd never need to miss a day in 101 of'em. They have a blog, and asked for "guest posts" on Sundays - so being that I'm recommitted to writing every day, I offered. My post is up as of today - my take on the concept of surrender during our practice - stuff we've all heard many times, but honestly, I don't mind hearing it over and over in different voices and perspectives. Hence, I added my own out there on the www:

http://bikram101.blogspot.com/2010/01/surrender.html

--
I taught 8 a.m. and took the 10 a.m. again today - but oh, how nice today was! I do believe rough classes are often balanced out with a stunning class, and maybe I wouldn't call it quite stunning, it was a great class with good heat and a new teacher who just graduated in December from TT. I set up in front of two new women to keep myself honest and focused. Did I mention I love boundaries? And that I need them so I create them for myself all the time? Ok, the secret it out. (ha!)

Not a lot to say about the class, really. Well, two things actually. One of the new folks who struggled through, left a few times, etc., but after class, said to me, "Wow, that was A-MAZE-ING!" and I got all gushy inside thinking, "Wow, that could've as easily been 'I'm never coming back, that was terrible...'" but it wasn't. And I was so excited for her!! Second, the teacher who is still so new, was so different even than two weeks ago when I took her class! She said, "the more I teach, the more I realize how much I still have to learn..." Ah, so true - about teaching AND practicing. We all have so far to go, yet it's doing it day in and out that teaches us, and it's worth it :)