My First Blog

I've put this blog together as a continuation of the private journal I kept for my 30-day challenge. If I have a yoga blog, then I am hoping that my devotion to my practice will stay alive by making me accountable. Writing a public journal is certainly one way of being accountable.

Today and yesterday I took it really easy in my Bikram classes. I got a $600 parking ticket yesterday afternoon for accidentally parking in a handicapped spot. I couldn't believe my eyes when my car was gone in a matter of 20 minutes (they towed it too). Needless to say, I was really upset and rattled but I needed to get to my class. I was ready to give up and throw in the towel (no pun intended, I assure you) since I was feeling sorry for myself. Instead, I dragged myself there with my miserable mood in tow and made it gently through my class. I nursed my crumpled psyche through 90 minutes of eventual bliss.

The day before the towing/ticket incident, I had missed the last day of my first 30-day challenge. Again, I was terribly upset. I even cried (?!). But the best thing about that day was realizing that my yoga practice is a lifelong pursuit. There will be plenty of days that I wish I could get to class and won't be able to because of traffic, work, weather, etc., etc. But I made it the next day (the day of the parking ticket) and am proud of myself for doing so since my old mentality of "Just give up, what's the point?" tried to creep back in. I think, too, I've been really caught up in what my teachers think of me and my practice. But, more and more, I am logically figuring out that I should be beholden unto no one but myself. I am a baby yogini and I'm proud of my little accomplishments.

Now, to my class journal since this is the real point to me having a blog. Today's class was relatively hot but not crazy. I think the teacher said it was 112F for most of the class. I noticed that my not pushing myself that hard these past couple days results in far less sweat. I like to sweat so, in the future, I will know how hard I'm pushing myself based on the amount of sweat dripping down me during the standing poses. I love making these little discoveries in each and every class. There's something new every day. Granted, I've only been going 6-7X/week since January 19th.

I took it easy on my knees today and avoided toe stand, even though I'm finally achieving balance when I'm down there. I have noticed that I am kept awake at night with the dull ache of my knees and if I avoid toe stand, there is less of that pain. My knees and my hips have been my biggest problems to date. My hips were starting to open when I began this rigorous daily practice and then all of a sudden they got tight and so did my knees! It was especially frustrating for me in class today. I was so angry in the intense stretching pose after stick pose because I haven't seen any bloody progress in my hips. It only seems to get worse. I also have a significant curve in my mid-lower back which makes it seem even more impossible to get that "intense stretch". I'm trying to be loving towards my knees and hips but since forward bends have always been the bane of my existence, I want to scream out in anger when we get to those poses. Patience is definitely a virtue when forward bends are involved.