Rainy – Day Two

Woke up this morning with my arms feeling a bit sore – something I haven’t felt in a while.  I scheduled a 10am yoga class and even with waking at 8am this morning there was a part of me that wanted to delay.  But, I got going and got to class.  

Today I had Paul as a teacher.  I like Paul too – he keeps the class focused on the right things; being efficient with your movements, paying attention to your breathing, and trying to maintain a meditation.  He said today that we had perfect Bikram yoga conditions:  105 degrees and 45% humidity.  Often the temp and humidity are a big “secret” in the yoga studio and not revealed much.  One of interesting things about Bikram yoga is there are many opportunities to focus on things beyond your control: the heat, the humidity, how close someone is to you, what it smells like (something my husband couldn’t get past).  Bikram yoga helps you accept these things and just be – avoiding a reaction to them.  In this way – everything is yoga and all of these mental and physical obstacles are ways to help you learn to accept what is and do your best to turn your attention away for those things and back to what it is you are doing and what you can control – your breath primarily.  

I really notice the clarity of thinking and equanimity that often accompanies me outside of the yoga room – this is indeed why yoga is so important to me.  The physical strength, flexibility and health that yoga supports is great and has always felt like an investment in my long-term health and happiness.  As I watch some of those around me struggle with health issues it reminds me how without our health (both physical and mental) we really have nothing. 

Today’s class was a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of my performance.  Not great, not bad – I couldn’t really approach the first set of camel (as is often the case when it feels humid to me).  I’m looking forward to my first class in this challenge where I do everything and don’t rest at any point.  That used to be the status quo for me!  Time to get back to that.