Happy birthday Rajashree

This afternoon was my favorite Bikram lecture to date.  I could really relate to it and it struck a chord in me.  The lecture room was just so darn hot it's hard not to feel like it's an extra 4 hours of class without the poses.  Emmy Cleaves had to leave early on some personal matters, we all hope for the best.  I can't wait till she comes back.  Jim is back, yay.  

Anatomy classes are next week with Dr T.  Posture clinics also start next week.  Saturday is our mandatory CPR certifications.  Last night we watched a bunch of news clips and specials on Bikram, Yoga and Bishnu Ghosh, and got to bed early (before 1am!  yay!)  Ah the joys of sleep deprivation.  I am really appreciating my hands today.  They do not hurt.  It is nice to have a body part without aching, burning, or stabbing pain. Other than that... drinking all this water is HARD if you are not used to it.  And the pain and suffering is NOT worth not making yourself feel like you are drowning in water.

The class is starting to have some emotional breakthroughs (and breakdowns). At this point much less than I had expected.  For the most part attitudes remain positive.  We are all working through our own stuff, and it comes out in different ways for different people.  They really are a fabulous bunch of human becomings.

I love avocados

I really do.  Yum.  I bought this big bag at Costco the Saturday b4 TT started and stuck them in this stay fresh veggie bag.  I have 2 left.  Oh woe is me when I run out.  Some folks are apparently having PB and Jelly for dinner.  That would not fly with moi for sure!  With the coffee maker's hot water one could at the very least make instant oatmeal or ramen noodles once in a while.  The aches continue... whoohoo? At least I'm not dead right?  Actually the class did fabulously this morning, the last couple of mornings we had a number of people taking a knee or needing a breather.  This morning they were rocking it.  Emmy is the bomb, not only for classes and lectures, but also for just being Emmy.  Bikram is a very very very smart man with a substantial knowledge base. He is also a delightful entertainer who really puts a great deal of himself into his craft.  The two things (well as I see it at this point anyways) that he is not is succinct and able to relate his point to the masses.  After his lectures people try to phantom his point.  This too may be part of his bigger plan (and trust me, the man always has some devious plan ;))

Week 2 Tuesday

We had our first Emmy lecture after lunch today, and also the class finished up our Half Moons this evening.  Whooohooo!  I was nervous and kinda botched the first half of mine and then raised the roof in the second half.  I found it better to forget the room and focus on my 4 demo students, when I did that I was able to begin to relax into just teaching.  The truth is I am petrified of standing up in front of groups and talking.  I must therefore face that which I fear most.  The class honestly did a fabulous job with their dialogues.  Were it not for nerves Bikram would have had so much less to focus on.

Here is a picture of my roommate and myself before enjoying Emmy's lecture in the sweltering heat...

Some days you just have the shit kicked out of you...

Cinco de Mayo brought two crappy classes... argh... curses upon my currently dysfunctional digestive tract.  Okay I will give it Kudos for coming through in the second class (but Pox on it for taking me to the restroom during class... grrr) Nailed from floor bow onwards... actually nailed it better than it has been nailed since getting here.  Ahhh the little victories...  Here are the pix from b4 and after this morning's class.  

before and after class #11

Here we are... Monday morning

Does this sweat make my face look hot? (who cares about butts at this point?)

My practice

Other than the fact that I feel like a bunch of rabid monkey's broke into my room last night and beat me to a tender pulp (I must have been lying face down at the time) with baseball bats, I am doing better so far than I had expected myself to do.  Body pains seem as likely as sunshine here.  As I was warned, my practice varied A LOT.  What surprised me is that it did so from the very first class. As we all know, there are two kinds of yogis.  Those born strong and those born flexible.  I am NOT the bendo doll, trust me every millimeter I can move from perfectly rigid was earned in sweat (and many cases tears). Well, for the first 2 days I could not balance on one leg for more than 10 seconds at a time.  While it is getting better, all the poses I traditionally find "easier" have taken me work.  Elements of poses that formerly took no effort are now my nemesis :(  On the bright side I can forward bend all of a sudden.  The bad news is that I am so not used to being able to do this that I am struggling to find the happy medium between trying hard enough and injuring my back further than I have already (2 pinched nerves to date).  Please bear in mind that this will not happen to everyone.  I have some pre-existing conditions I have to contend with.

TMI ALERT

I knew before I came that I would have 3 cycles while here. I will tell you I had my PMS dialed up to a 12, Spinal Tap style.  OMG I wanted to punch everyone in the nose! I have never in my life felt so enraged. I tried to contain it but I would not be surprised if some folks are like "yeah I met her and WHAT a bitch!"  If you are not used to doing class during your TOM I advise you do some before coming to TT so you can gauge what typically happens to you (I typically get dizzy, and knowing this allowed me to be prepared and take some honey which is the one thing I've found to help).

I want to deliver a gargantuan THANK YOU to all the instructors that corrected my form and the form of those around me. I want to thank you for every "lock your knee", "straighten your arms", "flatten your hands", "keep still!", "heels together", "NO towel!", and other admonishment ever delivered before, during or after every class I was ever in. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. While it is true we have some rubber people here we also have many folks that are going to get such corrections delivered in a less nurturing way.  I accept I will be corrected, but I am grateful that it will not be for things I aught to know better about... things that you all cared about enough to make a habit for me.  So next time I suck in my gut, tuck in my tailbone and relax my shoulders away from my ears without so much as thinking about it... that's thanks to you guys!  I luv you and miss you all!!! (PS, thanx for all the texts, messages, emails, etc... keep em coming!)

Gratuitous pictures

As I said before the fridges are small.  So that takes a savvy brian to deal with.  At this point the hotel charges $2 a day to rent the fridge.  The minibar (52F/12C) is free, but will not properly keep certain foodstuffs (now is not the time to be inviting Salmonella to the party).  Internet and parking both run $12 a day (yes you can request the internet in your room for just one 24hr period per week (say noon Saturday to noon Sunday)).  I am using phone-as-a-modem for my internet connectivity, but for international visitors this may not be viable/cost effective.  The lobby/business center charges $3 for 30 min of internet (where they provide the computer).

We procured a small cheap microwave (hot plates are strictly forbidden and can bring the wrath of the Bikram staff down on you when the hotel complains about you) as the hotel did not have any available (despite the fact that we requested one way in advance).  The box worked out very well and serves as a "kitchen" holding our supplies all neat and tidy (saving much surface space.

We were glad for coming in a day early, not just for being able to scoot around in a rental car and pick stuff up, but also because we were not caught in the deluge of check-ins.

the final paces to the yoga/lecture room

Come hydrated, this place is very dry and thus very deceptive in drying one out!