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My meeting with Shauna on Prezi

17/43/-3

Almost died in Yoga tonight.  Not pretty.  But I showed up.  I was in the room.  No more excuses.  I am three days behind ... three days to catch up. But I am not thinking about that today. 

Each class the instructor says, do what you can TODAY. Each day is different.  Body, mind and Spirit all different each day.  I honored myself today.  I felt nauseous and dizzy. So I laid down and sent thoughts of love and acceptance to each part of my body.  Instead of railing against it for "failing" me I thanked my body for everything it gives me...

"Inside and out. Bones to skin."

Have you ever seen one of those dual images? Like two profiles facing each other, but the negative space is a vase?

I feel like I always just saw the two people and now I am learning to see the space between.  Literally and figuratively... I have space in my posture and in my spine from all of the physical stretching,  but I am also beginning to look at life with a new perspective.  I am beginning to see the 'vases' that have been there all along, just hidden from my limited vision. 

I hope that someday soon I will be making flower arrangements in my new found vases.

:)

11/49

5pm class. I'm not a fan.

Plus, I'm a bit more bendy from being warmed up from the day. Minus, the other 40 people in class.

It gets hot hot hot with all the extra bodies in the room.  I had to leave the room.  I'm not happy about breaking my record so far in.  But, this Yoga challenge, for me, is about caring for myself.  Leaving for air, was not cheating it was self care.

2012 is my year to care for myself.  Yoga for the mind...

10/50

Went to evening class today.  It's definitely different. There's a bit more flexibility because the body's warmed up from the day.  But on the flip side... it's been a long day.

My feet still cramped a bit, which surprised me.  I drank so much water I felt I was floating away... so it cannot be from dehydration. I've been focused on getting potassium in my diet.  But it looks like I may need to try a supplement to get my levels up.  It's the only other thing I can think of. I cannot stand (quite literally) the way the soles of my feet clench when I am doing the standing balance postures.  No one else screams and grabs their feet as they fall to the floor, so I think it's just a me thing.

Otherwise I feel that I have adapted to the habit. I really look forward to class.  I haven't missed a class yet and feel that if I do have to skip a day that I will truly miss it!

Keep checking back for further updates. :)

L

9/51

Today I didn't notice the heat. I didn't notice because my thoughts were my guest in class. They took up residence on the mat next to mine. They were rude, talking through the entire class. Chatter chatter chatter.

But as they say in class... You CAN choose a better feeling thought.  Take that (!) thoughts on the next mat over!  You can stay only if you help me.  You can help by cheering me on, thanking my muscles for holding me up, telling me it's not that hot, better yet just think about snow.

Yoga for the mind. 

Stretching my brain around this idea feels strange and new.  All this stretching is exhausting!  But I'll let you know if thinking of snow helps.

8/52

I propose that there are truly 27 postures (Asanas) in the Bikram Yoga practice.  As I made my way back to the showers after class today I wondered what the name is for that last posture in the practice; peeling off the resistant sweaty costume with weak trembling muscles.

Donya pona peel ya costuma ra asana?

eh? 

Can I get an Amen?

And the sun rises on 30

So here I am. Made it to thirty. All of my crazy driving and bad choices have left me unscathed.  I am here.  Present.  Alive. Grateful. 

So many things could have gone wrong.  Just this week the spring that lifts my garage door snapped just after I backed out.  Had I been underneath it, the door would have crashed down on my car causing severe damage.  Apparently garage doors are heavy to the extreme. 

My life is littered with stories of "almost".

My life is a miracle.  That it happened and  that I am still here.  I wonder how my life will change if I wake up every morning with that as my mantra?  Today is a miracle!  How will my thoughts change... my actions... my life?

That sounds like an interesting experiment. I'll keep you posted on the results.  ;)

6/54

My nose touched my knees today.

photo by http://bit.ly/wL7El0

4/56

Better today. The heat didn't feel so hot. They say the constant voice in your head screaming "IT'S HOT IN HERE!" fades. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I didn't sweat out a gallon, I just didn't mind so much. I was even able to crack a smile at a few yoga jokes the instructor made when we were in some of the most challenging poses. It really does get you out of your head, laughing at the precise moment you realize how you look right while holding yourself up on your hands and wrapping your feet around your neck and touching your ears, for instance. Just kidding. I can't touch my ears yet.  Hmmm, maybe that's why I looked so ridiculous.

It's good to laugh. At life. At yourself. At not being able to touch your ears with your toes. It's just good to laugh.

3/57

Frustration.  That is what I felt today.  Frustration.  I am surprised that I could even think to identify the emotion. It was hot.  Damn hot. And I was miffed. Not for any particular reason, I was just feeling ggrrr...

Why couldn't I do the pose like that girl over there?! 
Eyes on your own eyes in the mirror...
Ok, I'll look at unbalanced, inflexible me.  Why can't I do what I could do yesterday?! I am flopping like a fish! 
Push, Push, Push further...
I AM TRYING! (insert graceful fall to the floor) 
If you fall, pick yourself up and try again. You get another chance...
Great, a metaphor... thanks (insert weeping) I am so tired! I am trying to pick my foot up to stretch it over my head backwards and upside-down but I am just so weak!!  I feel like a wet noodle. Agha! 
CHARGE FORWARD...Stretch... Stretch... Stretch...
(gasping) Ok, I'll try this again.


I don't think I drank enough water again... I am going to have to chug bigger gulps of water through the day.  I just don't think that I drink enough on a daily basis. A big chunk of time was spent on the mat recuperating in between postures because of it. Some I had to skip entirely. This morning I changed my mind at the last minute and went to an earlier class than I had planned, which meant that I hadn't eaten anything all day before the 10:30am class. Urg.  My body was not a fan of the decision.

But, I stayed in the room. Goal accomplished.

Off to drink more water...

2/58

Day 2 or 'If you can't stand the heat, just stay in the kitchen'

It is said to be an accomplishment to stay in the room during a 90 minute class of Bikram Yoga at 105 + degrees.  That alone should have sent me running to the hills.  But being the hardheaded contrary type I said 'sign me up!' I am just stubborn enough for a challenge of this nature.  Their marketing people had someone very much like me in their crosshairs when the were doing their target market analysis.

The ideal in my head was something like this: Glistening skin and deep breathing with the soothing voice of an instructor guiding me through the postures while I feel more revitalized and refreshed with each move...

The reality feels like I am are trying to breathe, not gasp, while being on the business end of a hairdryer.  And at the end I feel more like half baked cookie dough on a hot baking pan rather than an enlightened being with a strong body.

When faced with a challenge of any sort my typical M.O. is to read. Research. Dig in. And this is what I discovered; The temperature is a multi benefit. Most obviously, increased flexibility.  I put that together when my nose magically touched my knee today whilst trying to be a 'Japanese Ham Sandwich'.  As I write I think that maybe I should be concerned that I am even attempting to become like a Japanese Ham Sandwich!

But a surprising tidbit of information is that the 105* temperature raises the body temperature
inducing a mock fever effect.  This increases the white blood cell count aiding the body in fighting various maladies. It basically works to reverse the effects of stress on the body over time.

So really, just staying in the room really is a beneficial accomplishment. I'll remember that the next time I feel that I am breathing in a hair dryer.

1/59

First day of the Bikram Yoga sixty day challenge.  It's Saturday so there are fewer classes at the studio.  Fewer classes + higher demand = uncomfortable. 

There were no fewer than 60 attendees today. I thought it was the 60 DAY not 60 that PAY challenge.   It was in a word; crowded.  I couldn't complain because I was too busy being splat, I mean flat, on my back from being dizzy.  Didn't drink enough water today and it is evident in my practice. 

Note to self: don't do that again. 

Second note to self: go in the mornings, when no one wants to be awake and sweating.

1 13 2012 30

Next Friday. Friday the 13th. In the year of our Lord 2012. In '12 I'll be thirty. 

30. Thirty. Three zero.

It's big and round and staring at me with piercing eyeballs, like the Geico stack of money.  I wonder if I'll save a bunch of money if I switch my car insurance this year. 

As I am fond of blogging I think I might enjoy having a record of my 30th year.  The highs, the lows, the break downs, the triumphs.  I might have waited until the day of turning to begin a blog, but tomorrow I begin a challenge thirty years in the making... a battle of the body mind and spirit; the Bikram yoga 60 day challenge.  (Ka-chow!)

Most people throw a party. Drink too much. Do inappropriate things. Let their hair down. Go a little wild. Not me. My plan?  Lock myself in a 105° room at 50% humidity while attempting to stand on my head. Repeat daily for two months of that ought set my year off to just the start it needs.

That starts tomorrow.

I'll keep ya posted.

L