Backward Bending + Pada-Hastasana

Monday

This week we started our Posture Clinics and broke out into our individual groups.  Group 18 go us!  Day one we were mixed with Group 8 so there were about 40 of us in one breakout room to present the next posture.  Visiting and Senior teachers critique us, usually about 2 – 3 in each room.  We will continue to learn and present each posture this way straight to the end as well as practice together with our group on the same line.  

Monday we went alphabetical so I will present on Tuesday.  Brandy is in group 8 and presented today!  She rocked it – exactly to the dialogue!  I am losing my voice and getting a little sick, so I’m going to shut up for the next 24 hours.  :) I have felt great all along, no cramping, no sickness, no blackouts, no being carried out of the hot room, so I guess I am due for a bump in the road.  Also, I hear that typically we all get sick at one point or another because of all the toxins that are being flushed out of our bodies. 


Monday night we had our first class with Rajashree (Bikram’s wife).  It was so amazing!  Love her!  She said usually she welcomes us on day one (she has been out of town), but she was happy we graciously welcomed her to Week 3.  She’s a fantastic teacher, obviously. :) We get to have her all week!  I can’t wait for her lectures too!

After class,  I’m definitely sick and miserable and hating life.  It’s our first night of Anatomy with Dr. Preddy and we have so much to learn in the next two weeks, so many details.  He is great, but I was dozing off and catching myself, blowing my nose, coughing, and it felt like my head was going to fall off.  Although it’s important, I didn’t really care about the skeletal system, our bones and joints; I so badly just wanted my tired bones and joints in bed.

Tuesday morning class was with Emmy.  The first half of class I barely got by between again blowing my nose, hating that I was even here, and thinking about staying in bed all day.  Just miserable.  As soon as we hit the floor for the floor series I accidentally fell asleep!  I woke up at half tortoise pose for energy, fell back to sleep, and then woke up for final breathing.  This is 100% not like me!  I hate sitting out one posture never mind half the class.  I still can’t believe I did that, but as I have been thoughtfully told a million times before and will tell my future students ‘listen to your body’.  

In the afternoon we had Emmy lecture us on pain.  It was really informative to know the proper way to distinguish uncomfortable pain and sharp pain and how it connects with the nervous system.  I took a lot of notes.  Philomena – the most important thing for you to do is move your spine.  Get in the hot room, don’t wait for me.  We’ll talk more.

Tuesday night’s class:  Rajashree again!  I’m feeling a little bit better and trying not to talk to anyone so that I can conserve my voice to present my postures tonight.   Except, a familiar face!  Teri from back home was here as a guest teacher!  I, along with some close yogi friends, took her New Year’s Eve Class in Nashua this year!  I ran up to her and thanked her again and we chatted for a bit.  So much for not talking :) It was sooooo nice to see a smiling happy face from back home.  

During the class, Rajashree asked if anyone was home sick.  Um yah I thought sarcastically but didn’t want to do any extra work with my body to raise my arm.  The yogi next to me jumped up and yelled YES and started immediately crying.  Then, forget saving my energy, I jumped up immediately without even thinking and gave her a huge hug.  She needed it, and then I started crying.  She thanked me.  I really enjoy making people feel good, it makes me feel good that I can help.  And, all she needed was a hug.  It’s that simple :)  
 
Tuesday night – Posture Clinic!  GUESS who our lead facilitator is?!  Teri!  YAY!  Immediately I was a little less nervous.  Yesterday, our facilitators were totally strict.  We were told to come prepared to teach in our yoga clothes and one of the students was in jeans and a shirt.  So, they made him teach in his underwear (similar to yoga shorts) to teach him a lesson.  Can you believe that!  

Anyway, I went 2^nd to present my postures.  “My name is Kara, I’m your yoga instructor, and I’m losing my voice”.  Everyone giggled a bit and that broke the ice.  Off I went “You’re back is going to hurt like hell, don’t be scared”.  Teri and crew gave me wonderful feedback, my dialogue was perfect, I stayed engaged watching the student’s bodies while I taught, and I smiled the entire time.  Teri’s homework for me is to speak more from my stomach and chest, rather than my throat which I didn’t realize I was doing.  She said this is probably why I lost my voice.  All coming together!

We immediately went into the next posture, Awkward Pose and got about half way through the room.  I’m ready to go tomorrow, but again, thankful I got ahead back home.  We’re moving very quickly through the postures now and it’s getting more and more intense.  It’s really difficult to stay on top of everything.  It would be easy for anyone to give up – but that’s not why we’re here.  

I’m a bit behind on thanking everyone for the letters I opened this weekend and past two days!  Pubali thank you!  You have been so supportive to me :) Carol, Eileen, Kim, Lyn, thank you!  I can’t wait to see you all in class and wish you were here with me sometimes, a lot of times actually :) Laura Webster, THANK YOU!  Laura is my dear friend in Ireland.  I know I’ve said time and time again that I will visit, and I will, but now perhaps I can visit and teach a class at a Bikram studio!  There are a few fellas here from Ireland that I have on my mind to friend.  Hope all is well!  :) 

It’s so fascinating that each letter seems to really come at exactly the time I need it.  I don’t know what it’s like to be on “The Apprentice” but sometimes I feel similar to that only one hundred times elevated.  We’re under so much stress, mentally and physically, we’re sleep deprived, and we keep being pushed harder and harder.  We’re all going to breakdown at some point or another, get sick, get weak, and I think I’m really starting to see part of the lesson here – that’s life.  Big deal, you have to dig deep, you have to carry on, you have stay positive, because you have no choice.  :)

Favorite quote from Emmy today, “Practice Mindfulness” :)