Well, today was 2:30 class. It was HUMID in the torture chamber today. So humid that I was dripping during the first set of breathing. The weather has been unusually warm around here and it has been raining a lot. I am sure that contributes to the high humidity. I find it difficult to focus on my breath when the humidity is so high. I had a decent class. Sat out one set of locus. I made the mistake of eating lunch at 1. All the pressure on my stomach made me want to vomit. I find that I can't eat a meal 2.5 - 3 hours before class.
Now that I am almost 30 days into my challenge, this might be a good time to review my goals and see how the progress is coming.....
Be in the moment, no fidgeting, or wiping. Completely focus. Right now, I find myself in a bad habit of being kinda 'lazy' in my triangle set-up. I put my arms down, don't get my thigh completely parallel...etc.
My focus has gotten a lot better. I find that if I just focus on the dialogue and not anticipate, that class goes by much quicker. I have really been working on triangle. After a tip/demonstration from an instructor to put more weight on the front heel, turn the back foot slightly, bend the thigh to parallel and then only twist the arms - triangle has almost gotten easier. The first day after the demo, I got a compliment in triangle. I rarely receive compliments in that posture. With the new knowledge, coupled with a nice compliment, triangle might be one of my new favorite postures :)
Standing head to knee: by the end of the challenge, I would love to be able to get my forehead to my knee and hold it. Right now I can kick out, bend my elbows, tuck my chin in, but the forehead just won't touch my knee.
My forehead is slowly but surely getting closer to my knee. I am really making an effort to get my forehead to knee and elbows down during the sit ups and I think it is paying off.
Standing separate leg head to knee: I struggle with this posture a lot. I find it one of my toughest. By the end of the challenge I would like to be able to consistently get my forehead to knee with my hands in prayer.
I have been really trying hard in this posture. On my right side, I am able to get my forehead to knee and get my hands in prayer for half the time. I realize that my hips are aligned and that is what I am really concentrating on right now. As for the left side, I am able to get my forehead to knee, but not with my hands in prayer. In time....
Standing Bow: hold the posture for one minute. On a good day, I fall out of it twice.
I am finding the most progress in this posture. Some days I am able to hold at least one side for the full minute. I started not bring my body down so much and work on the endurance first.
Locust: I struggle with lifting both legs up. I hesitate often in this posture. I would like to be more consistent and give it 100% each time.
This is the one posture that I am not really making progress. When I lie on my elbows, I have sharp pains in my right elbow. It feels very strained. I know I am suppose to feel pain in my elbows during this posture, but if I push it, the pain persists outside of class. When I first started practicing, the pain wasn't as severe and never lasted after the posture. So most days, I barely lift both legs.
Rabbit: I want to be able to get my forehead to touch my knee and lift, lift, lift! Compression postures are very difficult for me.
Happy to say that I am making some progress in this posture. Before the challenge I find myself making all sorts of excuses NOT to get into this posture and if I did get in, I wouldn't really try to get my forehead to touch my knees. Now, I am happy to say I am consistently getting in the posture and consistently getting my forehead to touch my knees. I rarely get the cramp in the abdomen so I know I need to suck it in more and lift more.
Spine twist: to be able to grab my inner thigh.
Still a ways to go in this. Sometimes I think my arms are too short to be able to grab my inner thigh. It just doesn't reach.
Water intake: cut down my water intake to two times a class (after standing series and before fixed firm)
I am still consuming a lot of water. It has just been so humid. I have water during party time, after standing series, fixed firm and sometimes after rabbit. The next 30 days, I am gonna try to take out the water after rabbit.
Now I just need to keep going to class, knock out some doubles, and things should just keep progressing....
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Day 30 - Letting go.
Today marks day 30 of the challenge and I am at 27. I was really hoping to be even at the 30 day mark but life got in the way. But I'm not letting it get me down. 3 doubles to make up won't be too difficult. I am planning on doing two doubles this week and the other next week. Goal is to be even by day 45.
Since my last blog I've had some tough classes. Classes where I felt like I was on fire. Classes where I was just plain lazy. Classes where the monkey mind just would not quiet down. Rough. Rough. Rough. So I was really looking forward to my vacation with my husband and kids to Disneyland for 6 days. When I first started the challenge I didn't want to go away and miss classes but I found a really cheap deal and just couldn't pass it up. I *banked* two classes before vacation and was intending to take at least two classes while on vacation. If I stuck to my goals, I would only be down one class. But Disneyland was soooo much work!!!! I almost need a vacation from vacation. We would be at the park walking from 9:00AM until 8PM. That didn't leave me much time to take class. Instead of stressing over missing classes, I just enjoyed my time with my family and resigned to the fact that I am down 3 classes. Normally this idea would stress me out and I'd throw in the towel, but this challenge seems different to me. I am more calm. More focused and determined. Able to let go of things that don't serve me, let go of all things negative.
I am finding that this challenge is more emotional then physical for me. Since starting the challenge I have had many dreams about my father (who passed away in 2004). In all of them he is in the yoga room with me. And in one of them he says it is time for him to go and that he is at peace and that everything is alright. And that he just wanted to say bye. I wasn't there when he passed away and I think that has really haunted me for the past 6 years. Through this yoga, I am beginning to let that go. I miss him every day, but I am beginning to start forgiving myself for not being by his side during his final hours.
When I started this yoga, it was all for the physical rewards. But the more I practice the more I realize how it has changed me and continues to change me - mind, spirit and soul.
Since my last blog I've had some tough classes. Classes where I felt like I was on fire. Classes where I was just plain lazy. Classes where the monkey mind just would not quiet down. Rough. Rough. Rough. So I was really looking forward to my vacation with my husband and kids to Disneyland for 6 days. When I first started the challenge I didn't want to go away and miss classes but I found a really cheap deal and just couldn't pass it up. I *banked* two classes before vacation and was intending to take at least two classes while on vacation. If I stuck to my goals, I would only be down one class. But Disneyland was soooo much work!!!! I almost need a vacation from vacation. We would be at the park walking from 9:00AM until 8PM. That didn't leave me much time to take class. Instead of stressing over missing classes, I just enjoyed my time with my family and resigned to the fact that I am down 3 classes. Normally this idea would stress me out and I'd throw in the towel, but this challenge seems different to me. I am more calm. More focused and determined. Able to let go of things that don't serve me, let go of all things negative.
I am finding that this challenge is more emotional then physical for me. Since starting the challenge I have had many dreams about my father (who passed away in 2004). In all of them he is in the yoga room with me. And in one of them he says it is time for him to go and that he is at peace and that everything is alright. And that he just wanted to say bye. I wasn't there when he passed away and I think that has really haunted me for the past 6 years. Through this yoga, I am beginning to let that go. I miss him every day, but I am beginning to start forgiving myself for not being by his side during his final hours.
When I started this yoga, it was all for the physical rewards. But the more I practice the more I realize how it has changed me and continues to change me - mind, spirit and soul.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Day 4, 5 & 6: Good days, not so good days
Day 4 was fantastic!!! I had a strong class. I was surrounded by yogis with very strong, focused practices and it pushed me farther. I could feel their energy and really fed off it. Didn't skip any postures. Standing bow is slowly getting better.
Day 5 was 9:15AM. Felt stiff. I find I have a really tough time with compression postures in morning classes. Separate leg forehead to knee and rabbit are extremely difficult. I can barely get my forehead to knee even with my hands separated and my knee bent.
Day 6, another 9:15AM class. I am finding the morning classes fit best in my schedule during the week. I drop off my kiddos at school for 8:45 and it gives me plenty of time to get to the studio. And after class, I have just enough time for a quick breakfast and shower before picking them up at 11:45. Even though I am more stiff and find compression postures difficult in the morning, I like to check yoga off my 'list' early on in the day otherwise I feel it weigh heavily on my mind until I go.
I chatted with another yogi that I have seen at the studio frequently. She mentioned that she did a 30 days straight in November without realizing it. I told her about that 101 challenge. Hoping she'll join. She's gone every day this year already. It'd be encouraging and inspiring to have others at my studio join.
Something the teacher said today really hit home with me, "The postures will always be the same, but no two classes will ever be the same". I find that I am hard on myself when one day I have a strong practice, but the next day I can barely make it through. But I am slowly beginning to realize that no two days will every be the same, and that there will be good days and some not so good days. Reading other 101 bikram participants blogs has really helped me accept my not so good days because I see that other people also have those days. Thanks everyone!
Day 5 was 9:15AM. Felt stiff. I find I have a really tough time with compression postures in morning classes. Separate leg forehead to knee and rabbit are extremely difficult. I can barely get my forehead to knee even with my hands separated and my knee bent.
Day 6, another 9:15AM class. I am finding the morning classes fit best in my schedule during the week. I drop off my kiddos at school for 8:45 and it gives me plenty of time to get to the studio. And after class, I have just enough time for a quick breakfast and shower before picking them up at 11:45. Even though I am more stiff and find compression postures difficult in the morning, I like to check yoga off my 'list' early on in the day otherwise I feel it weigh heavily on my mind until I go.
I chatted with another yogi that I have seen at the studio frequently. She mentioned that she did a 30 days straight in November without realizing it. I told her about that 101 challenge. Hoping she'll join. She's gone every day this year already. It'd be encouraging and inspiring to have others at my studio join.
Something the teacher said today really hit home with me, "The postures will always be the same, but no two classes will ever be the same". I find that I am hard on myself when one day I have a strong practice, but the next day I can barely make it through. But I am slowly beginning to realize that no two days will every be the same, and that there will be good days and some not so good days. Reading other 101 bikram participants blogs has really helped me accept my not so good days because I see that other people also have those days. Thanks everyone!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Day 3: From A to Z
7:45 tonight. It is amazing how a challenge can make me go to yoga when I am not 'feeling' it. Usually when I'm not feeling it, I just bag it and have a night in. But because I am doing a challenge, I dragged my butt off the couch and tonight I was soooo happy I did. I felt nauseous all day - not sure why. Before class I decided to have a coconut water and leave all expectations at the door. As a result, I had a very strong class, one of the strongest I've had in awhile. I set up in the front row to push myself tonight and not slack off in any of the postures or take a knee. There is no rule at our studio about taking a knee in the front row, but I've made that rule up for myself. If I am going to go front row, I will do all postures.
I was able to put my hands in prayer and get my forehead to knee in separate leg head to knee today, but only on the right side but both sets. This is one of the more challenging postures for me. I was also able to do both sets of rabbit AND feel the stretch in my spine. I guess compressions are getting a little bit easier for me. I just have to remember that the postures that are the hardest are the ones I need the most. In stretching pose, I relaxed more and straightened out my spine and found I was able to get my forehead to touch my toes.
Tonight, the teacher said something interesting. He said that Bikram decided on 26 postures because there are 26 letters in the alphabet. There is that saying, "From A to Z" (meaning you've covered everything). After the 26 postures, we've worked our entire body, inside and out...from A to Z.
I'm thinking of taking my kids to Disneyland for a week later this month, so that means I might miss some classes. In order to account for that, I think I am gonna start doing a double or two over the next few weeks to 'bank' them incase we do take off to Cali. And if we don't go, I'll just have classes in the 'bank' and that ain't a bad thing :)
I was able to put my hands in prayer and get my forehead to knee in separate leg head to knee today, but only on the right side but both sets. This is one of the more challenging postures for me. I was also able to do both sets of rabbit AND feel the stretch in my spine. I guess compressions are getting a little bit easier for me. I just have to remember that the postures that are the hardest are the ones I need the most. In stretching pose, I relaxed more and straightened out my spine and found I was able to get my forehead to touch my toes.
Tonight, the teacher said something interesting. He said that Bikram decided on 26 postures because there are 26 letters in the alphabet. There is that saying, "From A to Z" (meaning you've covered everything). After the 26 postures, we've worked our entire body, inside and out...from A to Z.
I'm thinking of taking my kids to Disneyland for a week later this month, so that means I might miss some classes. In order to account for that, I think I am gonna start doing a double or two over the next few weeks to 'bank' them incase we do take off to Cali. And if we don't go, I'll just have classes in the 'bank' and that ain't a bad thing :)
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Day 2: 90 minutes of moving meditation
Didn't make it to 7:30AM this morning as planned. The snooze button on the alarm clock won out. Instead I went to 2:30. I find my body stiff and unforgiving in the mornings and after yesterday's tough class, I needed all the help I could get. I usually like to set up in the front row. I find the mirrors help me focus and balance. I know that I should mix it up. Class was quite busy today and the front row was already full when I entered. I set up in the back row, right next to the door (one of the coolest spots in the room). I saw a sliver of myself in the mirror; enough to help with my balance.
Because I was not able to see myself fully, I had to listen to the dialogue and to my body. By focusing on the dialogue, I found myself more still and focused. I was able to hold both sides of the second set of standing bow for the full time. I think being in the back helped with my focus. I didn't have to look in my own eyes, see the strain in my face, or second guess myself. When it got tough, I just took another breathe and before I knew it, it was time to come out of the posture. Now to work on the first set.
When it was time for the last breathing exercise, I found myself thinking, "So this is what they all mean when they say it is 90 minutes of moving meditation". Class flew by without me sitting out any postures. I was in the moment and when things got tough, I remembered to breathe. I'm looking forward to more classes like today's. But I know that there will be good classes and not so good classes. Bring it on!!!
Because I was not able to see myself fully, I had to listen to the dialogue and to my body. By focusing on the dialogue, I found myself more still and focused. I was able to hold both sides of the second set of standing bow for the full time. I think being in the back helped with my focus. I didn't have to look in my own eyes, see the strain in my face, or second guess myself. When it got tough, I just took another breathe and before I knew it, it was time to come out of the posture. Now to work on the first set.
When it was time for the last breathing exercise, I found myself thinking, "So this is what they all mean when they say it is 90 minutes of moving meditation". Class flew by without me sitting out any postures. I was in the moment and when things got tough, I remembered to breathe. I'm looking forward to more classes like today's. But I know that there will be good classes and not so good classes. Bring it on!!!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Day 1: It can only get better
Went to 4:15 today. What a tough class. The room was packed wall to wall with yogis starting the new year doing something amazing for themselves. The temperature was 115 and humidity was high. After the second posture, I was already a prune. I haven't had a class this tough in a very long time. I sat out one set of balancing stick, one set of standing separte leg forehead to knee, one set of cobra, one set of camel, one set of rabbit....it doesn't sound like I did much of the class at all :) During balancing stick I felt nauseous and tried to just breathe but couldn't get a handle on it until after rabbit. I suppose that is the price one pays for only doing yoga twice in the last two weeks. It felt like my first class all over again. But on the bright side - class can only get better.
I am planning on a 7:30AM tomorrow. I think I need to try to get the class done before the day starts. Have a good one everyone!
I am planning on a 7:30AM tomorrow. I think I need to try to get the class done before the day starts. Have a good one everyone!
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