For many years I have heard of a type of yoga called Bikram yoga. This class moves one through a series of postures in an environment heated to 105 degrees. The theory behind Bikram is a heated environment promotes deeper stretches (which for me this has proven to be absolutely true). It also tauts that through stretching and compressing muscles, muscles and joint health are restored through the delivery of fresh oxygen.
Looking through the schedule of classes I decided it was time to give it a try. I entered the class and quickly realized by listening to others as they unrolled their mats that those who follow this practice are true die-hards. Once we got started I realized I would never be one of them. It was the most miserable hour I can recall in my exercise history. The poses did not feel cohesive. It felt jagged, aggressive, and perhaps more for an advanced yogi. There was simply no smooth flow. It was misery from the first second to the very last. I was nauseous and ready to roll up my mat and leave, but decided to truly know my path, I needed to experience as many aspects of the yoga world as I could. So I participated, I took it all in, and I'm so glad I did.
After class and later that night after a hot shower, I sat back on the couch with a ginormous glass of iced tea and I felt AMAZING. My head was clear, my body felt relaxed and at peace. Although this is not a version of yoga that I enjoy or will pursue on a regular basis, I can say that it is worth a try. The practice I'm seeking is one where I enjoy the both the process and the benefits, which happily I found many,
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Yin, no Yang
Day 14, Yin Yoga. All I can say is DAMN! After all the different classes over the last two weeks, this class felt so amazing it was a spiritual experience. I have taken it before but at random times and without the focus and body awareness that has been developing for me in this self challenge. The instructor noted that this class exercises patience, but oddly for someone so incredibly impatient, my body really embraced the practice.
Yin yoga is a series of deep stretches that focus on the connective tissues in your joints. The instructor guides you through several asanas (yogic postures) for four minutes. I have no idea if four is the 'magic' number or if this particular teacher felt that this was the right duration. But for me, it worked great. It was not a heated environment (which I would like to try in the future if it's out there) but at regular temperature. It was at night, and since it's the middle of winter it was dark outside, making the wall of windows facing north a huge mirror wall exposing the reflections of all who entered the room. The lighting was dim and the energy was extremely calming as we moved from one position to another, inhaling and exhaling slowly and with purpose. I could feel the gravitational pull bringing me deeper into each pose and the blood flow getting into the tiny areas of my joints regularly neglected. I could feel my joints become internally 'lubed' and my overall posture felt strong and my movement flexible and fluid.
At the end of class, with a bow and a 'namaste', I left the studio with a sense of calm and utter happiness. When I had taken the class before I felt good, but not the overall sense of peace of this experience. This class, for me, seems the most effective and most powerful when coupled with other classes throughout the week that are more muscularly active .
Yin yoga is a series of deep stretches that focus on the connective tissues in your joints. The instructor guides you through several asanas (yogic postures) for four minutes. I have no idea if four is the 'magic' number or if this particular teacher felt that this was the right duration. But for me, it worked great. It was not a heated environment (which I would like to try in the future if it's out there) but at regular temperature. It was at night, and since it's the middle of winter it was dark outside, making the wall of windows facing north a huge mirror wall exposing the reflections of all who entered the room. The lighting was dim and the energy was extremely calming as we moved from one position to another, inhaling and exhaling slowly and with purpose. I could feel the gravitational pull bringing me deeper into each pose and the blood flow getting into the tiny areas of my joints regularly neglected. I could feel my joints become internally 'lubed' and my overall posture felt strong and my movement flexible and fluid.
At the end of class, with a bow and a 'namaste', I left the studio with a sense of calm and utter happiness. When I had taken the class before I felt good, but not the overall sense of peace of this experience. This class, for me, seems the most effective and most powerful when coupled with other classes throughout the week that are more muscularly active .
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Getting hotter
Through days six to twelve, my challenge was simply creating fitness discipline. There was always something I could be doing for work, so I'd always opt for making certain my clients were taken care of before embarking on a trip to the gym. And I think on a subconscious level it was easier to work than to work out.
Day thirteen arrived and I decided to attend an hpf class, hot power fusion yoga. I walked into the studio and introduced myself to the instructor, asking her what I could expect in class and how it varied from the others. She shared with me her philosophy and what made this option stand out from the others. 'It's like a regular hot yoga class, but we move slowly, really feeling our poses and focusing on the breath.' I went in feeling optimistic. As I opened the door the mighty fist of walking from a 68 degree room to one of 108 almost knocked me over. I had taken a hot yoga class before, but this room had visible steam. Even the mirrors had streams of condensation running down from ceiling to floor. After a barely audible 'ah shit' I looked around to see I was the first to arrive and chose a piece of real estate in the front left corner to place my mat. Within the next ten minutes the class was completely full. Everyone had roughly eight inches of space between them. This, I thought, must be a good sign. It's popular so it must really achieve the inner peace the instructor had sold me on only moments earlier. I mean, that must be the case.....right?
We began class. And it is was brutal as the name suggests. After the first ten minutes, my clothes were drenched all the way through and no matter how many times I wiped my face off with the towel, by the time I put it down the sweat was back to dripping in my eyes. The term 'feel the burn' is an understatement. My muscles were on fire mustering the strength to hold the positions. However I noticed that I was going far deeper in the poses than I ever had before. Maybe there really was something to this strange torture I had signed up for...
The instructor's voice was quite soothing. She would walk around the class making adjustments to ensure we had good form and explained what the purpose of each pose was. Different twists massaged different organs, squeezing out toxins with every deep inhale and slow exhale. 'Life is in the breath. Breathe it in deep.' We continued through class, which by the mid point felt like aqua aerobics. Although we were moving slowly, my heart was racing and I had to focus to not lose my breath. I was dripping wet and feeling the weight of my clothes get heavier and heavier as the room got hotter and hotter. Towards the end of the hour, I almost fell flat on my face while attempting my final downward dog. My rubber mat had become a slip and slide and I was courting danger with every move. Finally, this our hands to heart center, eyes closed, and a group namaste, we ended our hour long session in the yoga oven.
I walked out of the studio with a slap of cold air hitting me as my clothes were still dripping on the way to the car. It would typically be at these moments where I'd run into a ex boyfriend or business associate looking like a drenched dog recently pulled from the river. But luck was on my side and I made it home incognito.
Never has a shower felt so good. Never has lunch tasted so good. Never has the couch felt so warm and welcoming. Five large glasses of water and a full stomach brought me back to life. And as traumatic as the experience initially was, my body felt grateful. Any impurity that had been stored in the recesses of my body felt as if they had been purged. It had been a very good day.
Day thirteen arrived and I decided to attend an hpf class, hot power fusion yoga. I walked into the studio and introduced myself to the instructor, asking her what I could expect in class and how it varied from the others. She shared with me her philosophy and what made this option stand out from the others. 'It's like a regular hot yoga class, but we move slowly, really feeling our poses and focusing on the breath.' I went in feeling optimistic. As I opened the door the mighty fist of walking from a 68 degree room to one of 108 almost knocked me over. I had taken a hot yoga class before, but this room had visible steam. Even the mirrors had streams of condensation running down from ceiling to floor. After a barely audible 'ah shit' I looked around to see I was the first to arrive and chose a piece of real estate in the front left corner to place my mat. Within the next ten minutes the class was completely full. Everyone had roughly eight inches of space between them. This, I thought, must be a good sign. It's popular so it must really achieve the inner peace the instructor had sold me on only moments earlier. I mean, that must be the case.....right?
We began class. And it is was brutal as the name suggests. After the first ten minutes, my clothes were drenched all the way through and no matter how many times I wiped my face off with the towel, by the time I put it down the sweat was back to dripping in my eyes. The term 'feel the burn' is an understatement. My muscles were on fire mustering the strength to hold the positions. However I noticed that I was going far deeper in the poses than I ever had before. Maybe there really was something to this strange torture I had signed up for...
The instructor's voice was quite soothing. She would walk around the class making adjustments to ensure we had good form and explained what the purpose of each pose was. Different twists massaged different organs, squeezing out toxins with every deep inhale and slow exhale. 'Life is in the breath. Breathe it in deep.' We continued through class, which by the mid point felt like aqua aerobics. Although we were moving slowly, my heart was racing and I had to focus to not lose my breath. I was dripping wet and feeling the weight of my clothes get heavier and heavier as the room got hotter and hotter. Towards the end of the hour, I almost fell flat on my face while attempting my final downward dog. My rubber mat had become a slip and slide and I was courting danger with every move. Finally, this our hands to heart center, eyes closed, and a group namaste, we ended our hour long session in the yoga oven.
I walked out of the studio with a slap of cold air hitting me as my clothes were still dripping on the way to the car. It would typically be at these moments where I'd run into a ex boyfriend or business associate looking like a drenched dog recently pulled from the river. But luck was on my side and I made it home incognito.
Never has a shower felt so good. Never has lunch tasted so good. Never has the couch felt so warm and welcoming. Five large glasses of water and a full stomach brought me back to life. And as traumatic as the experience initially was, my body felt grateful. Any impurity that had been stored in the recesses of my body felt as if they had been purged. It had been a very good day.
Monday, January 25, 2010
And away we go
At the beginning of this challenge, I was excited. I could mentally picture my body transforming. My waist stretched out long and lean. My legs growing a space in between as my muscles became strong and the fat melted away to reveal contour and definition. I envisioned my posture auto-correcting after a lifetime of shoulders unconsciously tensed up towards my ears while pushing forward to create what I was convinced would someday become a hunchback. I would walk with the grace of ballet dancer, no longer crave foods that weren't pure and organic, and would learn French only to find I was a natural. People would mistake me as a French woman due to my long, lean, graceful posture and the uncanny beauty of my 'r' dancing from the back of my throat to engage in exquisite conversation. Ah yes, it would be a beautiful thing....
[insert reality here]
So day one I felt great. I felt the first building block of my rebranding had been laid. I walked out of class elated that my journey had begun. Day two and three I was stiff and realizing that the poses weren't as easy as I had thought. I also learned that the flexibility I had had all my life had also been effected by my career focus. Flexibility, strength, form - all of it takes nurturing. It takes a respect of your body to take the time and maintain and grow your body into what you want it to be. (one of many 'a ha!' moments to come. I opted to try out all the different classes my yoga studio had to offer. Beginning, intermediate, hot, warm, regular temperatures. Everything would be experienced to find what I liked and what effect different types of classes had.
Day five was agony. I had taken an intermediate hot yoga class (my second thus far) with the heat gauge set at 105 for 60 minutes. Never had a class made me push myself so hard. I walked out of the class exhausted, drained and becoming stiff almost immediately. I got home and laid down, my entire body aching and throbbing as I tried to find a comfortable position without success. I stared at the ceiling and became aware that I could feel the outline to some of my internal organs. In my mind I could trace the perimeter of my kidneys, my liver, even my spleen. Every organ seemed to scream at me. Judging me for my years of being irresponsible. Was this challenge a bad idea?
As I lay there groaning in pain it suddenly occurred to me that I had not increased my liquid intake since beginning yoga. I crawled to the refrigerator and quickly filled a 22 ounce glass full of decaffeinated iced tea and drank it down without so much as a break. I did this two more times and went back to take my position sprawled out on the couch to let my body rest. Over the next 30 minutes I felt the cold liquid trickle into my stomach, intestines, arms, legs, head and face. I felt the sensation of my organs suddenly relaxing as the hydration made its way throughout, filling in the fluid spaces that had been sweat out during the last few days. With this rebirth came new hope that I had not completely destroyed myself over the years of neglect. Maybe there was hope for me yet. Onward and upward....
[insert reality here]
So day one I felt great. I felt the first building block of my rebranding had been laid. I walked out of class elated that my journey had begun. Day two and three I was stiff and realizing that the poses weren't as easy as I had thought. I also learned that the flexibility I had had all my life had also been effected by my career focus. Flexibility, strength, form - all of it takes nurturing. It takes a respect of your body to take the time and maintain and grow your body into what you want it to be. (one of many 'a ha!' moments to come. I opted to try out all the different classes my yoga studio had to offer. Beginning, intermediate, hot, warm, regular temperatures. Everything would be experienced to find what I liked and what effect different types of classes had.
Day five was agony. I had taken an intermediate hot yoga class (my second thus far) with the heat gauge set at 105 for 60 minutes. Never had a class made me push myself so hard. I walked out of the class exhausted, drained and becoming stiff almost immediately. I got home and laid down, my entire body aching and throbbing as I tried to find a comfortable position without success. I stared at the ceiling and became aware that I could feel the outline to some of my internal organs. In my mind I could trace the perimeter of my kidneys, my liver, even my spleen. Every organ seemed to scream at me. Judging me for my years of being irresponsible. Was this challenge a bad idea?
As I lay there groaning in pain it suddenly occurred to me that I had not increased my liquid intake since beginning yoga. I crawled to the refrigerator and quickly filled a 22 ounce glass full of decaffeinated iced tea and drank it down without so much as a break. I did this two more times and went back to take my position sprawled out on the couch to let my body rest. Over the next 30 minutes I felt the cold liquid trickle into my stomach, intestines, arms, legs, head and face. I felt the sensation of my organs suddenly relaxing as the hydration made its way throughout, filling in the fluid spaces that had been sweat out during the last few days. With this rebirth came new hope that I had not completely destroyed myself over the years of neglect. Maybe there was hope for me yet. Onward and upward....
Friday, January 22, 2010
Ouch.
Some unconscious changes have occurred in my life, along with many actions of purpose. To start (and to reduce our grocery bill) I quit drinking soda and vitamin water, swapping it instead for decaf iced tea and ice water with lemon. I made the change thinking I'd 'curb' my soda intake back in November. Now, two months later I have found myself no longer craving the magic elixer of corn syrup and carbonation....well, for the most part.
The next change to my life was marrying the love of my life. The man I spent 30+ years searching for. The man who made me feel comfortable writing sentences ending in prepositions regardless of what many of us had been taught to do. His awareness of work/ life balance is well defined, where mine is (was) completely out of whack. Now I feel emotionally complete. I am blessed with friends, family and my guy. How lucky am I.
I then moved on to challenging myself to improve my health. This has proven to be an exercise in getting to know my body. There is a new relationship being forged between the idea of my body and health and its reality. To cannonball myself into this effort, I opted for '21 days of yoga' - the only exercise that seemed innate to me. As a child watching endless hours of television I would do random stretches to keep myself physically occupied while watching Dallas or Dukes of Hazard. Unknown to me at the time, many of these 'stretches' would resurface in my yoga classes as 'poses'. I am not a runner, a weightlifter, a talent in team sports - my body and mind just don't seem to connect the dots and make those things happen. Yoga found me long before I found it.
The next change to my life was marrying the love of my life. The man I spent 30+ years searching for. The man who made me feel comfortable writing sentences ending in prepositions regardless of what many of us had been taught to do. His awareness of work/ life balance is well defined, where mine is (was) completely out of whack. Now I feel emotionally complete. I am blessed with friends, family and my guy. How lucky am I.
I then moved on to challenging myself to improve my health. This has proven to be an exercise in getting to know my body. There is a new relationship being forged between the idea of my body and health and its reality. To cannonball myself into this effort, I opted for '21 days of yoga' - the only exercise that seemed innate to me. As a child watching endless hours of television I would do random stretches to keep myself physically occupied while watching Dallas or Dukes of Hazard. Unknown to me at the time, many of these 'stretches' would resurface in my yoga classes as 'poses'. I am not a runner, a weightlifter, a talent in team sports - my body and mind just don't seem to connect the dots and make those things happen. Yoga found me long before I found it.
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