I was feeling an amazing sense of accomplishment today on Day 7. The first major milestone. I was 25% of the way through the 30 Day Challenge. But then my Friend Sharon pointed out to me over Thanksgiving Dinner with her family that I hadn't reached the 25% mark yet. That would happen during tomorrow's class on Day 8. Allrighty then...tomorrow it is.
But for today, Thanksgiving Day, I have a lot to be Thankful for. Last Thanksgiving, I was "recovering" from a back spasm that forced me to take a couple of weeks off work and 9 months to feel good in my body again. For the first time in the past year, I can fully practice yoga again, run and teach classes without being in pain. That in itself is everything that I need today and everyday.
After 7 days of daily yoga, I'm more grateful than ever for the joy of movement. I'm breathing in life more deeply and more appreciatively. I'm getting more connected to who I really am and listening more closely to the voice that's always been there. More importantly, I'm giving myself a daily dose of the best kind of self love and self attention. I'm taking care of me!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Bikram Yoga 30 Day Challenge--Day 6: Wednesday, 11/23/11
You know what they say? You are indeed the company that you keep. In life...and in yoga. And so tonight I found myself in excellent company. 8pm class on the upper west side. Once again rushing from upper east side classes of my own. Honestly, I would have preferred to go home but the Challenge continues. Day #6!
I say this in class all the time. The hardest part of working out is getting there. Once you're there, it ALWAYS just happens. That's why the Nike "Just Do It" campaign is my favorite. I was setting my mat up when the guy behind me was jokingly making fun of how neat and perfect my mat positioning was. I told him that I was just trying to set up in a way that would not be in his mirror space and the mirror space of the guy next to him.
And then this is what he said to me. "It's good to learn that when you're new." He thinks I'm a yoga rookie??? Those of you who know me well know that was all it took for me to get into competitive Loi mode. Everything about yoga practice is anti competition. You're there for you only. Never in competition with anyone else. Well whatever... because now it was on.
That's all it took for me to have the class of my life. That's all it took to elevate my practice to the highest level so far. Competition can't be wrong, I think, if you direct it inwardly to make you better. I always think that in making ourselves better, we elevate those around us as well. Again tonight, there were such strong, focused people around me, that collectively we raised each other up.
It's a necessary question for all of us to ask. What kind of company do we keep? Are we in the presence of people who make us greater than we are? Do we make the people in our presence greater than they are? How can we contribute to a community of "we" instead of an island of "I"?
I say this in class all the time. The hardest part of working out is getting there. Once you're there, it ALWAYS just happens. That's why the Nike "Just Do It" campaign is my favorite. I was setting my mat up when the guy behind me was jokingly making fun of how neat and perfect my mat positioning was. I told him that I was just trying to set up in a way that would not be in his mirror space and the mirror space of the guy next to him.
And then this is what he said to me. "It's good to learn that when you're new." He thinks I'm a yoga rookie??? Those of you who know me well know that was all it took for me to get into competitive Loi mode. Everything about yoga practice is anti competition. You're there for you only. Never in competition with anyone else. Well whatever... because now it was on.
That's all it took for me to have the class of my life. That's all it took to elevate my practice to the highest level so far. Competition can't be wrong, I think, if you direct it inwardly to make you better. I always think that in making ourselves better, we elevate those around us as well. Again tonight, there were such strong, focused people around me, that collectively we raised each other up.
It's a necessary question for all of us to ask. What kind of company do we keep? Are we in the presence of people who make us greater than we are? Do we make the people in our presence greater than they are? How can we contribute to a community of "we" instead of an island of "I"?
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Bikram Yoga 30 Day Challenge--Day 5: Tuesday, 11/22/11
Today was a challenge all right; A scheduling challenge. Tuesdays is the one really hard day of my week. 8 classes! So exactly when was I going to fit a yoga class in? It was either going to have to be yoga or a nap today. So nap out and yoga in. 4pm class at Midtown location. I got an extra bonus in that Georgia was my instructor again. Great way to start Day 5!
Already I notice that I'm feeling much different in my mind and in my body. I'm calmer, less distracted, more focused, more alert. The heat is still there but it's becoming like a welcome foe and sometimes friend. The habit of coming every day for 5 days is starting to sink in and I find myself surrendering to the process.
The thing about yoga is that there are so many lessons to be learned on the mat. For me...patience, letting go of control. The list really goes on. And so on Day 5, I'm starting to make the connection between the anxiety that I bring to class that plays out in my head and the anxiety that plays out in my head all day long. I'm starting to understand that the way that I approach my yoga practice is the same way that I approach my life.
But for now, I'm really happy with myself. Happy that I gave myself the gift of 90 minutes that was devoted entirely to the care of me today. Happy to be happy!
Already I notice that I'm feeling much different in my mind and in my body. I'm calmer, less distracted, more focused, more alert. The heat is still there but it's becoming like a welcome foe and sometimes friend. The habit of coming every day for 5 days is starting to sink in and I find myself surrendering to the process.
The thing about yoga is that there are so many lessons to be learned on the mat. For me...patience, letting go of control. The list really goes on. And so on Day 5, I'm starting to make the connection between the anxiety that I bring to class that plays out in my head and the anxiety that plays out in my head all day long. I'm starting to understand that the way that I approach my yoga practice is the same way that I approach my life.
But for now, I'm really happy with myself. Happy that I gave myself the gift of 90 minutes that was devoted entirely to the care of me today. Happy to be happy!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Bikram Yoga 30 Day Challenge--Day 4: Monday, 11/21/11
Day 4!!!!!! After last night's 7pm class, having to do yoga again at 11:30am was not something that I was really looking forward to. But 11:30am was what was going to work with my schedule today and 11:30am meant that I got to take my favorite Bikram Yoga instuctor. Georgia.
Just to fill you in on a little bit about Georgia, she was one of Bikram himself's first students when he arrived in Honolulu to teach in 1971! Just saying she is a phenomenal powerhouse doesn't even begin to describe what makes Georgia's classes special.. One of the things that I love about Georgia is that just being in her space and presence demands that you elevate to your A++++ game. She has a gift for getting the best out of everyone in the room and navigating the class so brilliantly that you don't mind giving that extra percent that others can't seem to acces or that I can't seem to access by myself.
I hadn't been in one of her classes in a couple of years and she came over to talk to me after class. I told her how exceptional she is as an instructor. She said that the class today was so special for her. Special because it was a really strong group and special because everyone was working together with minimal distractions and lots of focus and positive energy.
She was right. It was the most special group I had practiced with so far. Each moment of class. Each posture. Each breath. There was an undeniable synergy and flow. It doesn't always happen but when it does, it is pure magic.
Even more magical though is when you are blessed with the opportunity to be in the space of someone like Georgia who always makes you feel good, who always brings out the best in you, who fills your cup up so that you want to give more to everyone else. And what makes her special most of all is her humility. Even though I had complimented her on how great she is, she turned it around and put the focus on how a great class is really about the students. A priceless lesson on Day 4!
Just to fill you in on a little bit about Georgia, she was one of Bikram himself's first students when he arrived in Honolulu to teach in 1971! Just saying she is a phenomenal powerhouse doesn't even begin to describe what makes Georgia's classes special.. One of the things that I love about Georgia is that just being in her space and presence demands that you elevate to your A++++ game. She has a gift for getting the best out of everyone in the room and navigating the class so brilliantly that you don't mind giving that extra percent that others can't seem to acces or that I can't seem to access by myself.
I hadn't been in one of her classes in a couple of years and she came over to talk to me after class. I told her how exceptional she is as an instructor. She said that the class today was so special for her. Special because it was a really strong group and special because everyone was working together with minimal distractions and lots of focus and positive energy.
She was right. It was the most special group I had practiced with so far. Each moment of class. Each posture. Each breath. There was an undeniable synergy and flow. It doesn't always happen but when it does, it is pure magic.
Even more magical though is when you are blessed with the opportunity to be in the space of someone like Georgia who always makes you feel good, who always brings out the best in you, who fills your cup up so that you want to give more to everyone else. And what makes her special most of all is her humility. Even though I had complimented her on how great she is, she turned it around and put the focus on how a great class is really about the students. A priceless lesson on Day 4!
Bikram Yoga 30 Day Challenge--Day 3: Sunday, 11/20/11
I don't know much about most things, but there is one thing that I know for sure. The more you do something, the more you practice anything...progress happens. And so on Day 3, I walked into the HOT room after a long day of teaching classes. 7pm class at 72nd Street location. The last class of the day... the room is always hotter and 72nd street location always feels way hotter than the other locations.
I was rushing from my last set of classes on the upper west side. Definitely not the way I like to arrive to a class. But when you're doing 30 days of non stop yoga, you fit it in when you can. I'm struck that after only 3 days, I'm sitting taller, standing taller and feeling more open in my body and my mind. It was apparent from the first moment I walked into the studio that tonight's challenge was going to be the heat.
That's the thing about Bikram. The 26 postures are really easy to execute. The Challenge is doing the practice in the heat. Which is the real reason I'm drawn to this Challenge. Sitting with discomfort is something that is good practice so I embraced that challenge tonight. As I fought the heat and all the feelings and emotions that come from being overwhelmed at times in a posture, it occurred to me that in only 3 short days the class was not getting any easier. The class was getting way harder.
Harder because I was pushing more and allowing myself to go deeper in each posture. Harder because my body was understanding and remembering where to go and how to go there more completely. And thus the work begins on Day 3. An ex Coach of mine once told me that "It has to be ugly before it can be pretty." And yes the work tonight felt "ugly" in many places but I look forward to the beauty which is the reward of patience and hard work and the eventual letting go and just letting the practice happen.
That's the thing about progress. It only happens one day at a time!
I was rushing from my last set of classes on the upper west side. Definitely not the way I like to arrive to a class. But when you're doing 30 days of non stop yoga, you fit it in when you can. I'm struck that after only 3 days, I'm sitting taller, standing taller and feeling more open in my body and my mind. It was apparent from the first moment I walked into the studio that tonight's challenge was going to be the heat.
That's the thing about Bikram. The 26 postures are really easy to execute. The Challenge is doing the practice in the heat. Which is the real reason I'm drawn to this Challenge. Sitting with discomfort is something that is good practice so I embraced that challenge tonight. As I fought the heat and all the feelings and emotions that come from being overwhelmed at times in a posture, it occurred to me that in only 3 short days the class was not getting any easier. The class was getting way harder.
Harder because I was pushing more and allowing myself to go deeper in each posture. Harder because my body was understanding and remembering where to go and how to go there more completely. And thus the work begins on Day 3. An ex Coach of mine once told me that "It has to be ugly before it can be pretty." And yes the work tonight felt "ugly" in many places but I look forward to the beauty which is the reward of patience and hard work and the eventual letting go and just letting the practice happen.
That's the thing about progress. It only happens one day at a time!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Bikram Yoga 30 Day Challenge--Day 2: Saturday, 11/19/11
There are some things that are within our control and many that are not. Yesterday was such an amazing start to my 30 days of hot yoga that I took it for granted on many levels. First, the teacher Kathryn was simply spectacular. An amazing presence, soothing voice, the ability to say exactly the right thing at the right time. Tremendously gifted individual.
It was my intention to make her class again today but opted for the 7pm class instead.When I walked into the studio tonight, I made another choice. Patrick, as you will recall from yesterday's blog, who was my 30 Day Challenge buddy in 2004 and who is now a Bikram Yoga instructor was such a pleasure to practice next to last night. Standing next to him simply elevates your practice. So when I walked into the studio and saw Patrick I should have set up court next to him but opted for a space on the other side of the studio instead.
Big mistake as I ended up next to obnoxious loud breathing guy who spent most of the class blowing his nose and coughing loudly! I'd like to think of myself as tremendously focused but in such close, hot quarters, this was no bueno. The instructor tonight kept blab, blab, blabbing about things that took too long to connect to a point and I found myself getting a headache just trying to listen to her while really just wanting to yell at the top of my lungs "Shut the F*** up!" Obviously on Day 2, I have not yet learned the yogic art of patience, no judgement and real focus. Just as I thought that I could not take any more I heard her say to me "Loi you need to make sure your foot is flat on the floor." "Which foot?" I asked. "Your left one" she said sweetly. OMG my left foot wasn't flat on the floor!!! I had been thinking as she was blabbing on that after years of on again/off again Bikram classes, my positioning on this one posture was always off and I didn't quite know why. And just like that she fixed something that no one else had ever noticed!
Which got me thinking. How often do I miss out on getting the lesson out of a situation because I either become a creature of comfort or habit or start to tune someone out because I think that what they are saying or doing has limited value. On Day 2, it's a great lesson to learn that out of the MORE challenging situation comes the biggest rewards and sometimes out of the mouth of the most unlikely source comes the most valuable information.
It was my intention to make her class again today but opted for the 7pm class instead.When I walked into the studio tonight, I made another choice. Patrick, as you will recall from yesterday's blog, who was my 30 Day Challenge buddy in 2004 and who is now a Bikram Yoga instructor was such a pleasure to practice next to last night. Standing next to him simply elevates your practice. So when I walked into the studio and saw Patrick I should have set up court next to him but opted for a space on the other side of the studio instead.
Big mistake as I ended up next to obnoxious loud breathing guy who spent most of the class blowing his nose and coughing loudly! I'd like to think of myself as tremendously focused but in such close, hot quarters, this was no bueno. The instructor tonight kept blab, blab, blabbing about things that took too long to connect to a point and I found myself getting a headache just trying to listen to her while really just wanting to yell at the top of my lungs "Shut the F*** up!" Obviously on Day 2, I have not yet learned the yogic art of patience, no judgement and real focus. Just as I thought that I could not take any more I heard her say to me "Loi you need to make sure your foot is flat on the floor." "Which foot?" I asked. "Your left one" she said sweetly. OMG my left foot wasn't flat on the floor!!! I had been thinking as she was blabbing on that after years of on again/off again Bikram classes, my positioning on this one posture was always off and I didn't quite know why. And just like that she fixed something that no one else had ever noticed!
Which got me thinking. How often do I miss out on getting the lesson out of a situation because I either become a creature of comfort or habit or start to tune someone out because I think that what they are saying or doing has limited value. On Day 2, it's a great lesson to learn that out of the MORE challenging situation comes the biggest rewards and sometimes out of the mouth of the most unlikely source comes the most valuable information.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Bikram Yoga 30 Day Challenge--Day 1: Friday, 11/18/11
The first day of anything is both easy and hard. As I discovered today, the hard part is finding the time in my schedule to do anything daily let alone yoga. I had done this challenge before in 2004 but really out of necessity. My mom had just passed away and the yoga kept me together both emotionally and physically. It was my safe place for 43 days in a row. I learned many truly amazing things in those 43 days. Since then, I have been in and out of Bikram Yoga. I guess you could say that I have a love/hate relationship with it. I love the practice but the sameness of the 26 sequences ends up boring me invariably. But, I can't deny that the contentment I found in those 43 days was something special; Something that I need at this particular moment in my life.
I ended up at a 7:30pm class tonight and one of the few open spaces when I arrived was next to Patrick, one of the Bikram instructors. Patrick and I did the 30 Day Challenge together all those years ago, so it really was special and coincidental to practice next to him tonight. And so it begins...Day 1 done. In the beginning of class, the instructor mentioned one of the students was on his 134th day of Bikram Yoga!!! Makes 30 days seem like a breeze.
That's the easy part...the first day of any challenge. Hard to get started, but so easy if you can do it one day at a time!
I ended up at a 7:30pm class tonight and one of the few open spaces when I arrived was next to Patrick, one of the Bikram instructors. Patrick and I did the 30 Day Challenge together all those years ago, so it really was special and coincidental to practice next to him tonight. And so it begins...Day 1 done. In the beginning of class, the instructor mentioned one of the students was on his 134th day of Bikram Yoga!!! Makes 30 days seem like a breeze.
That's the easy part...the first day of any challenge. Hard to get started, but so easy if you can do it one day at a time!
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