Completion!!

Eric had this waiting on me after my Day 30 class!

Today's blog is accompanied by photos of some of my crazy adventures over the past few years.

Well, it has been 3 days since the final class of my Bikram 30 Day Challenge.  I wanted to sit on it a bit before blogging and I'm glad I did.  One thing I learned about this challenge is that my attitude changed from class to class, including the final class.  Some nights I would leave the studio feeling complete, at peace, elated, grateful, and thinking "This is the best thing I've done for myself in a long time".  Other nights, I would be in the class thinking "What the hell am I thinking?!  Why am I subjecting myself to the heat, the injuries, the 'torture chamber'?"..as Bikram Choudhury himself calls it.

Zip-lining

It became quite the love/hate relationship, this 30 day affair between myself and Bikram yoga.  And, unfortunately, I had a pulled hamstring for the final 4 or 5 days of the challenge and was unable to do a few of the poses properly.  I think that is why I left my final class in a kind of lackluster mood.  I didn't feel the pride and the sense of accomplishment that I had expected.  And that led me to think that Bikram wasn't in my heart as much as I had thought.


Until Tuesday evening.


I felt a sense of loss not going to class.  I missed it...even though my body is sore and aching and I have a pulled hamstring.  The same thing happened yesterday; I kept thinking of class and of the poses.  After a dinner with the family (that included some of my much neglected wine!) I came home (yes...slightly buzzed) and proceeded to "teach" Eric all 26 poses of Bikram!  I've stated in previous posts that my balance leaves a lot to be desired in class...well, as you can imagine gravity was NOT kind to me while drunk-yogaing.  (yes, I think I just made up that word...go with it).

Helicopter ride over NYC

So I've determined that, love it or hate it, it's in my heart now.  I want to continue going and continue to reap the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits.  I just wish it weren't so darn expensive.  $17 per class, $125 for 10 classes, or $1350 for annual unlimited!!  Wowza!  But I'm going to try to budget to do at least 2 classes per week.  Eric even insisted that I find a way to make it work because he can tell it's something I really like (sometimes!).  And I found out through a friend there is free yoga in the park on Sunday's...not Bikram...but with our summer heat it will be close enough!

In the end, after 30 days of 90 minute classes at between 105~110 degree heat, after a pulled neck muscle and a pulled hamstring, after the tough classes and the great classes, I am very glad that I got this wild hair up my (now tighter) butt and took and completed this challenge.  Having never taken a Bikram yoga class in my life, I think it's a pretty great feat to have jumped right in to 30 straight days.

Rappelling

I have to say thank you to my family, friends, coworkers, and Facebook peeps for putting up with me as I pretty much made my life about Bikram yoga for the past month.  I'm certain I was annoying and incessant about it.  And I'd like to thank Eric for dealing with a very dull and uneventful July; I was always either at class, too exhausted from class, or had to go to bed early to go to an early class.  Not to mention the stinky, sweaty clothes and towels that were always hanging from the shower door.  Thank you my love.

And thank you to my yogi's at Bikram Yoga North Scottsdale.  There were times when I really struggled, but everyone at the studio was so kind and inspired me so much.  I certainly picked a great studio in which to learn.

Trapeze

I can now add this 30 day challenge to my list of adventures that includes (but is not limited to) zip-lining, rappelling, trapeze school, helicopter ride, X-Scream, Insanity, and the Big Drop.  Keep watching for what's next!

 Breathe and all will be revealed, love and all will be healed. This is yoga. -Seane Corn

Day 10 - Double Digits / Beautiful Brittany

Day 10 Blog accompanied by Bee Photography photos based on Photography Adventure Club daily theme of 'Celebration'

Celebration of Life

Well, today was day 10 of my Bikram yoga 30 day challenge!  I'm into the double digits now!  Yay for me!  10 down...20 to go!  And once again I'm writing about my 'tough' instructor, who taught tonight's class.  You may remember that this time last week I felt picked on by her and brought to tears by the end of class.  I was dreading her class this evening.  She is a by-the-book Bikram instructor.  She takes every word of Bikram Choudhury to heart.  She can do every pose perfectly and seems to expect the same of her class.  She will call you out if you're not doing it correctly and toss the rare compliment if you happen to do it perfectly.  That's why I'm on cloud 9 tonight...I received FOUR...count them...1- 2- 3- 4... "Beautiful, Brittany!" comments from her tonight!

Wedding Celebration

It turns out that she is also a school teacher.  And just as I have been from kindergarten on, I am that student who wants to do her best and please the teacher.  So, as tough as she is, her approval has become important to me.  I want her to be proud of my poses.  And tonight was the best class I've had so far!

It's a nice turnaround from a tough weekend.  I strained my neck on Friday during rabbit pose and had to set out a couple poses for 2 days.  But tonight I came back like a true yogi!  :0)  I currently have delusions of grandeur that I can become a Bikram instructor!  I finally have most of the rules down (or so I think...it seems new ones pop up every few days depending on the instructor):

Indy 500 Celebration

1.  Breath through the nose; close your mouth.
2.  Heels together toes fall to the side.
3.  Arch your back, way back!
4.  Lock your knees!  Lock your knees!  Lock. Your. Knees!
5.  Keep your eyes open during Savasana.
6.  Try not to use your towel to wipe off sweat.
7.  Don't drink water between poses.
8.  Touch your chin to your chest.
9.  Get into Savasana as quickly as possible!
10.  Touch your forehead to your knees.
11.  Toes together heels fall open.
12.  Look at yourself in the mirror...don't even blink.
13.  Breath through your nose!
14.  Lock your knees, lock your knees, final chance...LOCK YOUR KNEES!

Okay, okay, there's much more to being a great instructor I realize.  And I suppose I should first become a great student!  I'm just on a Bikram high at the moment.  Another great class of connecting with my body, mind, and soul.  I can promise you there will be a night soon enough where I can't touch my forehead to my knee and will be scolded...if not by the instructor than by my own self.  But until that night I'm going to float on the high of "Beautiful, Brittany" for just a bit longer.

A photographer gets people to pose for him. A yoga instructor gets people to pose for themselves.

T. Guillemets

Celebrating Halloween in the Big Apple