Other Side of Town

I'm finding it hard not revealing myself freely as in a genuine journal. I'd like to say names and places, making it easier for me to remember people and places. I'll have to figure that one out.

I went to the other side of town today for a free class. They have a lovely waiting room with lots of yoga wear and products for sale. The change rooms were really nice too with Dr. Bronner's soap for showering. The room itself though has gone through a bit of rough and tumble with the heat, I'm assuming. It's a very old building, for starters and this room is under intense heat for most of it's "life". So, basically, what I'm saying, is that I understand the circumstances. But really, it's kinda shoddy looking with brown goo drops dried on the ceiling and around the floor boards. The windows have crappy plastic seal across them, falling away at the various corners. Don't get me wrong, through, I love the draft that was creeping through :)

The teacher was good and solid. She talked really fast and was pretty intense. She held some poses longer than other teachers but vice versa when I'm with those other teachers. One pose in particular that killed me was awkward pose. I KNOW she held it longer. Getting back to the intensity...I realized that I can handle that way of teaching now that I have a pretty solid base to build on. When I was first starting and had a teacher like that, I was ready to crumple under the pressure. But I realize that only I put the pressure on and if I don't want to or can't push myself further into a pose, then I don't have to, damn it!

The teacher said I had a good practice after class. That was nice of her to say. I certainly appreciated it as I go through my ups and downs with this style of yoga. Physically speaking, because of the side lighting from the windows at this studio, I'm actually noticing the muscles that have appeared in the last month or so. My upper body is really getting broad and muscular and my legs, while I'm reluctant to embrace this aspect, are getting stronger and therefore, bigger. Eek! Bigger! Never! I say that in jest. I'd rather be strong and healthy than weak and skinny. If my thighs get too big then maybe I'll figure something out but I'm thinking that if I stick with this practice, I'll eventually even out. Really, I think I've just got muscle forming under the "skinny fat" that I've had and that skinny fat will vacate the building soon enough. My biggest goal, though, if you call this vanity a goal, is to put some muscle in my flabby butt. Yes, I said flabby. I'm skinny (110 lbs - though hopefully heavier since starting my practice) but the muscle seems to be hiding beneath this flabby layer of fat. Granted, I accept that at my age, things start to sag a bit but seriously, this kind of yoga should firm it all up nicely. So, now when I am doing poses that require me bum muscles, I'm tightening them as hard as a rock. I'll get back to ya on this fascinating topic.