Arms down side

I did the dialogue for Awkward Pose last night in front of Lynn and Misha. That was the hardest one for me to memorize, but it all came out just fine! Previously, my homework was to have my arms down by my side instead of clenching my Buddha belly, so I did that. My new homework now is to move my arms around and drop my shoulders and lighten up! :) Maybe by the end of week 4 it will be easier to get up up there, but right now it is still nerve-wracking!

So they say that Bikram yoga teacher training hasn't started until the ambulance arrives for one of the students. It happened last night to a Canadian girl from Victoria, BC. They said she was okay and likely wouldn't need to be taken in the ambulance, it was just a precaution, but still...

My back is feeling a little better [thanks for the healing energy, Audra!]. I have scoliosis (a crooked spine) in the lumbar area. The last couple of classes, the pain/stiffness has shifted to the left hip, thigh and knee. Lisa [from our studio, who is also a nurse] explained this is a shift in my body and part of my scoliosis. She gave me a couple of extra stretching postures to do to help relieve the pain. I am hoping that after 99 classes of yoga, at the end of the training, my spine will be straightened. I must ask Emmy or Dr. T. if that is a possibility.

I'm off to yoga class. I hope it is better than the last two. I have been feeling quite weak and spacey. The teachers say that if that is happening, then the yoga is working! I'll just hold onto that thought when I am lying on my mat and wanting to leave the room!!

Beginnings

So Monday was the beginning of Week 3 and Emmy as a teacher. For those of you that don't know, Emmy is 82 years old and a concentration camp survivor. She has been doing yoga for over 40 years and is the lead instructor for the Advanced Postures. When she walked in the room, she said that contrary to rumours, she does not have horns and a forked tail! She walks around in the class and does corrections as she's teaching, as opposed to the other teachers who stand on the 6-ft podium in front.

I did not have a good class. I felt dizzy and weak. My analysis of this was very poor eating over the weekend, plus at the beginning of the yoga class, my pranayama breathing sucked!! I went through most of the postures, but not with much enthusiasm.

Anatomy classes started today with Dr. T. His wife attends with him, and he said they have been married for 57 years, so I guess he must be in his mid-70's. Knowledgeable man who tells some really lame jokes...some so bad you just have to laugh!

Posture clinic also started today. I am in Group 8 [which is also my birth number - how perfect is that?!]. We are put with another group and we have to do the dialogue for the next posture in front of 3 demontrators, with 3 visiting teachers watching and then they give us feedback/homework. So tonight was backward bending and hands-to-feet pose. I jumped right up 3rd or 4th to get it over with right away, and I rocked it out!! They said it was perfect, I'm already there, nothing to correct. My homework was just to keep my hands down by my side [I had one hand clenching my stomach...nerves!] An fyi...all of the Edmonton sextet are each in a different group.

Dismissed by 11:30pm. Nice!

Pictures

The Edmonton sextet in front of the lecture tent after Saturday morning's 8am class. End of Week 2!

This picture was taken from the 20th floor central elevators. If you look at the top of the picture, you will see the tennis courts. According to Bikram, this will be eventually and in the future ;) the spot for the permanent yoga school.

View of the pool area and our hotel. Tennis courts are behind me.



Laundry and dialogue! Leanne doing Standing Bow Pulling Pose.

Week 2 done!

Looking back now on week 2, it's kind of a blur. I know that a shift occurred in me after my 'good cry' and I am feeling good right now. My lower back isn't hurting as much, although it is still pretty stiff in the morning yoga class. Now my hip joints and knees are aching! I am hoping this is because my spine is straightening and my whole skeletal system is shifting because of it.

Best anecdote of the week...
To preface this, all the staff are all Bikram Teacher Training graduates. Lynn is part of the staff here for tt. She taught one of our morning classes last week and I really liked her class - it was tough, quick-paced, informative and yet pure dialogue. She taught again [I think it was] Thursday morning. We were on the floor series between postures when she said "By the waaaaay, where's M---- in the room? Come on, fess up!" When M. put up his hand, Lynn said "You called me SATAN on Facebook?!! Satan?!" The whole class started laughing. They really, truly are everywhere and know everything that is going on!

Announcements...
Every day before lecture starts, while waiting for Bikram, either Lynn or Manoli (Bikram's niece and assistant) or Dom do some announcements or Q&A's. Best one this week is "Please don't take your yoga mat with you to the spa after class. Someone was seen washing their mat in the whirlpool!" Eewwwwwwww!

So that's it for the week. After yoga class on Saturday, I did my usual trip to the laundry mat, then to Trader Joe's for groceries. By the time I got back and got everything unpacked and organized, it was 3pm and time for a nap! Lisa and Leanne came by after dinner and we had a good little catch-up visit. Sunday was down by the pool for a couple of hours studying dialogue, then the spa for a whirlpool [the tt's get to use it for free!] then back to the room for a nap. Spent the rest of the day getting my food organized for the next week. I am going to spend another couple of hours studying dialogue then get an early night's sleep. Anatomy classes and posture clinics start tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for all the emails and notes of encouragement. They mean a lot to me.