Oh I could not possibly get to yoga soon enough today! I was in so much pain from my first day of xfit. So, I was working from home and decided to hit the nooner at Sweatbox with Gary. It was lovely! After feeling so sore and tight, my body was thrilled for the heat and stretching!
However, my gawd did parts of me hurt. My standing head to knee was a mere shadow of its former self. But in some ways, having everything in your body hurt gives you a keen muscle awareness - you feel every movement really profoundly, which I found helped me with adjusting and even moving deeper into certain poses.
I do believe the two (xfit + Bikram) are going to work well together. I love the yoga, but my body needs a shake up, and from my first day of xfit alone, I can see how I have lower-than-desired upper body strength and core strength. Hopefully xfit will improve my yoga, and vice versa!
Showing posts with label Gary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gary. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Class #29, 2010
I'm a little embarrassed it's the past mid-February and I've not even done 30 classes! I also know that sometimes, we don't always get to have what we want. In this case, I would like more time. Please. Yoga is a huge time commitment and those of us who do it, know this to be true. Indeed it's worth the time! That is, if you have it on a given day. I'm struggling with this, and in fact, having lunch last weekend with a teacher friend in the same boat (fulltime work, teaching a couple, a fiance, and -gasp!- other interests). She asked how I was doing it and my answer was, "Well, not very well." Hence I reduced my classes in March (well, they got reduced for me - but unlike last month, I didn't go seeking sub opportunities which in February got me too many classes!).
Right now, I've been practicing at 3 different studios owned by 3 different owners. And it has been a nice variety for sure. Different teachers, different students, different vibe. The one on the eastside near Microsoft is...well, lots of Microsoft. The one in my neighborhood is 'home' and is filled with people I know as both students and as fellow yogis. The other is on Capitol Hill, my old neighborhood once known as the 'gay hood' but really is more a 'counter culture' hood, and I dig the variety of people who go there (not a class goes by without a fully tattooed body in class).
Today I taught 8 a.m. at still a different studio - but I just wasn't up to the 10 a.m. - so I didn't take it, and instead planned to go to 4 p.m. on Capitol Hill. I find going to the yoga when your head is not in the game usually produces a less-than-optimal outcome. If I have the time in a day, I will go when I am moved to go - it's better that way.
Class today was so strong for me!! OMG. The heat seemed light but then of course by Balancing Stick I was feeling plenty of heat. My postures were surprising me left and right - my body on point for every request of the teacher (and my mind).
Lately, I've had two postures unfold for me. I cannot believe sometimes there is still more to learn, but there is! What makes this yoga so amazing is that you are truly never done. I feel like I'm on a trek, and most days I move forward but sometimes, I come to something amazing on my path. Like seeing a forest creature right before your eyes on a hike, or stumbling upon a gorgeous field of wildflowers. For me, Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee and Separate Leg Head to Knee - obviously two related but very different postures - have all the sudden opened up to me in a new way.
In the standing version, I've kept my knee straight and taken a wider step. Bikram always says "No one takes a wide enough step" and indeed, it is a whole new posture to me right now. Crazy, but I feel like I've been doing this posture for 1 week, not 3.5 years. In the floor version, at the end of class, I've taken to grabbing my foot, locking my knee, bending my elbows to the floor and then putting my forehead on my knee; well, currently it's on my shin just below the knee, but sometimes I'm getting it all the way to my knee. My standing head to knee is poo right now, because I think I'm working on the same concepts in other postures or something. But I'm ok with it! It feels exciting.
Whenever people say they get bored with Bikram or who haven't even tried it and expect they would get bored and use that as an excuse for not going, I want to tell them about things like this. I realize they wouldn't likely 'get it' - but this is why this yoga is so titillating - you do face some boredom, sure - but then you come upon a field of flowers and all the sudden have new aspects to explore and learn from. It's so worth powering through to the next big thing, because it's always going to show up!
Right now, I've been practicing at 3 different studios owned by 3 different owners. And it has been a nice variety for sure. Different teachers, different students, different vibe. The one on the eastside near Microsoft is...well, lots of Microsoft. The one in my neighborhood is 'home' and is filled with people I know as both students and as fellow yogis. The other is on Capitol Hill, my old neighborhood once known as the 'gay hood' but really is more a 'counter culture' hood, and I dig the variety of people who go there (not a class goes by without a fully tattooed body in class).
Today I taught 8 a.m. at still a different studio - but I just wasn't up to the 10 a.m. - so I didn't take it, and instead planned to go to 4 p.m. on Capitol Hill. I find going to the yoga when your head is not in the game usually produces a less-than-optimal outcome. If I have the time in a day, I will go when I am moved to go - it's better that way.
Class today was so strong for me!! OMG. The heat seemed light but then of course by Balancing Stick I was feeling plenty of heat. My postures were surprising me left and right - my body on point for every request of the teacher (and my mind).
Lately, I've had two postures unfold for me. I cannot believe sometimes there is still more to learn, but there is! What makes this yoga so amazing is that you are truly never done. I feel like I'm on a trek, and most days I move forward but sometimes, I come to something amazing on my path. Like seeing a forest creature right before your eyes on a hike, or stumbling upon a gorgeous field of wildflowers. For me, Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee and Separate Leg Head to Knee - obviously two related but very different postures - have all the sudden opened up to me in a new way.
In the standing version, I've kept my knee straight and taken a wider step. Bikram always says "No one takes a wide enough step" and indeed, it is a whole new posture to me right now. Crazy, but I feel like I've been doing this posture for 1 week, not 3.5 years. In the floor version, at the end of class, I've taken to grabbing my foot, locking my knee, bending my elbows to the floor and then putting my forehead on my knee; well, currently it's on my shin just below the knee, but sometimes I'm getting it all the way to my knee. My standing head to knee is poo right now, because I think I'm working on the same concepts in other postures or something. But I'm ok with it! It feels exciting.
Whenever people say they get bored with Bikram or who haven't even tried it and expect they would get bored and use that as an excuse for not going, I want to tell them about things like this. I realize they wouldn't likely 'get it' - but this is why this yoga is so titillating - you do face some boredom, sure - but then you come upon a field of flowers and all the sudden have new aspects to explore and learn from. It's so worth powering through to the next big thing, because it's always going to show up!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Class #24, 2010
For months now, I've wanted to go to the other official Bikram studio in Seattle, The Sweatbox, to catch new teacher Gary's class. I took his first class after training and was stunned and amazed at his dialogue, his comfort (he is in a rock band (two, actually), so being on stage is not foreign to him) and his lightness. So, today I was up in time to make it to Capitol Hill, found great parking and was in the studio with a good 5 minutes to spare. That particular studio fills up in the front row first, so to be up front, I had to take the wimpy spot by the bathroom (there's a wee bit of cool air that flows underneath the door, which provides actual oxygen that is, well, a treat...).
It was my best practice in ages.
Still coming off my trauma from last Monday, I was delighted to enjoy myself. My postures felt yummy and my body was right on! I used to teach there (now I sub) and was next to a regular student, who has a great practice and whose husband was behind me, taking his very first class! Gary was awesome. He is so good, really, just a gifted teacher whose got the energy, skill, interest and personality to get it done in a really endearing way. My two favorites from today:
1) During Camel, "Don't think about how much this sucks. Think about how good it is for you!"
2) Between sets of Rabbit, "You know, the paper you sign says emotions may come up. If they do, just do like your parents told you and suppress them." It got quite a chuckle.
Man it felt good to be in a different space, different teacher, different energy from the students...nice energetic change!
It was my best practice in ages.
Still coming off my trauma from last Monday, I was delighted to enjoy myself. My postures felt yummy and my body was right on! I used to teach there (now I sub) and was next to a regular student, who has a great practice and whose husband was behind me, taking his very first class! Gary was awesome. He is so good, really, just a gifted teacher whose got the energy, skill, interest and personality to get it done in a really endearing way. My two favorites from today:
1) During Camel, "Don't think about how much this sucks. Think about how good it is for you!"
2) Between sets of Rabbit, "You know, the paper you sign says emotions may come up. If they do, just do like your parents told you and suppress them." It got quite a chuckle.
Man it felt good to be in a different space, different teacher, different energy from the students...nice energetic change!
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