Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Spring 2011: Week Five Already?

Friday the 13^th Posture Clinic was so fun! Lucie and I had the giggles big time! It started with Alyssa getting up to present balancing stick with tissues, she’s so sick. Lucie whispered ‘trust the process’ to her sickness which we hear like 80 times a day and then we couldn’t stop laughing. Next, Ellen pulled out her dialogue from her bag and it looked like it had been run over by one of the 747’s here at this airport hotel. What is wrong with your dialogue Ellen? Oh, I dropped it in the bathtub. Then, to top it off, Johannas got up to demonstrate the posture and imitated Boss from last night by throwing his pants and shirt into the crowd. Everything was just hilarious! We were crying because of all the laughing. I guess that’s what happens when you’re sleep deprived. :)

Saturday Morning we had class with Mike from Chicago. It was an okay class – it didn’t seem very hot so I didn’t push myself too hard, I don’t have time to get hurt. One of the teachers that was practicing in the back row later said, ‘it was boring, I had to sing to myself in my head to stay awake.’ Funny stuff. Saturday afternoon was lunch with Jimmy Mags! Jimmy is a friend of mine from home that just moved to LA a few weeks before I got here. It was so nice to leave the Yoga Bubble for a bit and catch up. I’m holding him to coming out for a Bikram Class before the training is over! It’s going by too fast, I keep thinking week five already? Really?

Saturday Night was Thai night! The food is so good out here, like 10 times better than back home. We eat out of our hotel rooms all week so Saturday night’s we treat ourselves. It’s usually pretty cheap too without any wine or cocktails on the check :) Our 10 pm Anatomy final hallway study party started right away with review on the digestive system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and urinary system. I was getting sleepy so I didn’t last long – but now its 1 am and I’m still up. Sleep proof! I missed the hotel staff break up the hallway party just after midnight! Ha! I was wondering when that was going to happen.

I have to say that the hotel staff has been phenomenal. I am the worst critic, having worked in hotels for the last 8 years, everything from luxury to not luxury at all :) Every morning and afternoon before class, they have a few managers stationed to welcome us and hand out towels as we enter the hot room. Every class! I always wonder if that’s on a schedule like a ‘lobby duty’ schedule. The gentleman at concierge or the mail station I only met once and each week I check the mail he remembers my name. Use of guest name increases guest satisfaction scores! Remember, there are 430 of us and still ‘normal’ guests here too. They’ve also had the General Manager, Director of Sales, and few other managers join us for lecture and greet us.

Last week we had the Safety committee also join in lecture and say a few words. Housekeeping comes once a week to do a full cleaning, and pops in randomly to take out trash. So impressive! We’ve gotten to know our housekeeper and she is so so sweet. The Executive Chef created a special menu and grab and go buffet focused on health. Once, we had a small issue with the fan vent in our room and called maintenance, they were up in our room in less than a minute. When I didn’t know the code to use the laundry room, I asked the housekeeper that was very busy on floor four. When she didn’t know, she jumped on the phone and got it for me in a flash. Every single manager and staff member all go out of their way to introduce themselves to us in passing. And – they reconstructed the Ballroom entirely into a Hot Room. When Boss didn’t like the color of the walls the first day, guess what, by the weekend it was repainted. I think he said it looked like ‘the cat piss’. Can you imagine one Ballroom, one lecture room, a pre-function space, and at least 10 breakout rooms all on overnight holds for 9 weeks? And the heating bill! Burke, what is that in room rentals in Boston?

Anyway, just a few examples, I could go on all night. I know it’s not just me noticing too. I will surely write a nice letter to the management team when all is done. It’s not easy to take care of one guest in some instances, nevermind 430 atypical conference group guests for 9 weeks – two showers a day, towels towels towels, puddles of sweat on elevator floors after class, random yogis stretching and practicing dialogue everywhere, etc. In Sheraton speak, I feel like ‘I belong’.

Sunday’s plan is to brush up on the next five postures – three are in my head which is already ahead of the game – then re-study anatomy and relax. I really can’t believe week five is here already!

Your greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give.