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. :)
Showing posts with label West Seattle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label West Seattle. Show all posts
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
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
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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 :)
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 :)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Class #2, 2010
What a difference a day makes. And a few other things. Class today was 10 a.m. at West Seattle with Frances, after teaching the 8 a.m. I LOVE to practice *after* I teach (not a fan of before) - I'm all warm and gushy from being in the equivalent of a sauna for 90 minutes already, I feel like butter. It's still a challenge - 3 hours in the hot room requires good hydration and focus - but when I taught full time, many days saw 4.5 - 6 hours in the hot room, and I survived it just fine. Still, I can't lie - I'm always excited for some hearty lunch after 2 in a row!
There's something about knowing how your class is going to go from the first few breaths of pranayama that often happens for me. I realize right away my shoulders are super open, I feel stable in my feet, my breath is easy and strong - just like it should be. Then half moon usually follows in that I feel gigantic height and stretch with that sought-after "smooth, steady breath through the nose." This was class today. Strong, focused, no mental ramblings to the state of avocados in wintertime (special to Anthony: indeed, I'm sure I chose poorly, but no doubt I'm willing to risk failure to try again and again... :). I didn't even bolt from the room to lay on the sidewalk outside after class (did I mention that happened yesterday? Classy!). Nope, nice savasana after class, in the room, as it ought to be.
I am teaching just 2x/week most weeks, which is perfect with fulltime work, upcoming classes I'm taking (trying Baptiste yoga intro series, and a writing course), and other life obligations - plus, of course, my own practice - which is more important than teaching to me. As they say, you have to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. :)
There's something about knowing how your class is going to go from the first few breaths of pranayama that often happens for me. I realize right away my shoulders are super open, I feel stable in my feet, my breath is easy and strong - just like it should be. Then half moon usually follows in that I feel gigantic height and stretch with that sought-after "smooth, steady breath through the nose." This was class today. Strong, focused, no mental ramblings to the state of avocados in wintertime (special to Anthony: indeed, I'm sure I chose poorly, but no doubt I'm willing to risk failure to try again and again... :). I didn't even bolt from the room to lay on the sidewalk outside after class (did I mention that happened yesterday? Classy!). Nope, nice savasana after class, in the room, as it ought to be.
I am teaching just 2x/week most weeks, which is perfect with fulltime work, upcoming classes I'm taking (trying Baptiste yoga intro series, and a writing course), and other life obligations - plus, of course, my own practice - which is more important than teaching to me. As they say, you have to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. :)
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Class #1, 2010
Today was my first class of 2010. It sucked.
I'm not complaining, just reporting what happened. But it was good too, good to go and power through though my brain felt squeezed and my energy was low. During savasana, I pondered why avocados taste so crappy all winter when I buy them at the grocery, but at restaurants, the guacamole tastes as good as summer. There's some good yogic focus for you! It was with Suzanne, in West Seattle, and after I went outside and laid on my wet towel on the sidewalk at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday night until my heart rate recovered after about 10 minutes. Nice. Did I mention this studio is on the main drag of a populated business district?
In 2009, I laid down 2 times in class - both were Penni's, for those who know her. I'm not sure how many classes I did in total for the year, but I know I completed three 30-day challenges and practiced regularly otherwise, save for some serious sciatica in the spring (that was/is terrible, btw). I feel good about my year in terms of Bikram Yoga. I looked back over my posted goals from a year ago, and, well, you could said I failed. Epic. Miserable. Fail. But really I didn't. I just didn't reach those particular goals in all cases, and I'm ok with that.
For 2010, I'm not going to set yoga goals. I'm going to let it unfold, but I am going to try to write more about it. Here. :)
I'm not complaining, just reporting what happened. But it was good too, good to go and power through though my brain felt squeezed and my energy was low. During savasana, I pondered why avocados taste so crappy all winter when I buy them at the grocery, but at restaurants, the guacamole tastes as good as summer. There's some good yogic focus for you! It was with Suzanne, in West Seattle, and after I went outside and laid on my wet towel on the sidewalk at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday night until my heart rate recovered after about 10 minutes. Nice. Did I mention this studio is on the main drag of a populated business district?
In 2009, I laid down 2 times in class - both were Penni's, for those who know her. I'm not sure how many classes I did in total for the year, but I know I completed three 30-day challenges and practiced regularly otherwise, save for some serious sciatica in the spring (that was/is terrible, btw). I feel good about my year in terms of Bikram Yoga. I looked back over my posted goals from a year ago, and, well, you could said I failed. Epic. Miserable. Fail. But really I didn't. I just didn't reach those particular goals in all cases, and I'm ok with that.
For 2010, I'm not going to set yoga goals. I'm going to let it unfold, but I am going to try to write more about it. Here. :)
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