New episodes of the old television series Batman used to start like that. When we last left our yogi Frank he was talking about his 5th class and what happened afterwards. Well, classes #6 as well as #7 were pretty rough. My calf muscles and several little muscles that run along each side of the shinbone were really sore from all of the cramping. Try tightening your bicep like a bodybuilder and then hold it for 30 minutes! The next day your muscle says, are you crazy? We need to heal! And so it was and still is for me. Classes #8 and #9 were better as far as recover goes, but not so much with regards to the temperature of the room and my ability to perform the entire class. Lightheaded and dizzy are the main words that come to mind. I actually started to get loopy on the very first posture.
I have to tell you though; there are people who have congregated here from all over the world. You name the place and someone is from close by. Everyone seems genuinely willing to help each other through the experience. I think in a weaker moment though, I must confess that I actually did put a hex on someone who did a really weak triangle and made everyone else hold it until he corrected it. Either that or Bikram got tired of pointing it out. Honestly, I could have put the whammy on myself because my triangle had completely broken down and I can’t understand if Bikram is yelling at me or not! It very well could have been me causing everyone distress and I never knew it. Hope that wasn’t the case and I hope my mojo for hexes is weak!
I also have noticed that some of “The beautiful” people are starting to break down as well. They say everyone will hit the wall; it’s just a matter of when. I hate to say I find pleasure in this, but it was pointed out today that many people are the “rock stars” of their studios but here everyone is the same. Just like starting over again at some point. I am making it a point, now that I have regained my senses, to ask everyone how they are feeling when I meet them. I am also attempting to not take the same spot twice in the studio. I want to experience every square inch of the room and not allow my mind to say one place is better than another. Just like at home, it’s all a state of mind! I’m also attempting not to gravitate towards any specific group of people (i.e. those my own age). I want to experience everyone from everywhere to better round out the experience. I don't see that as much of an issue as meet & greets are one of my specialties! Quite a few people are older or the same age as I am, but most are considerably younger.
Saturday’s class was the best so far! Made it through every posture without going down once. I wouldn’t allow it to be filmed and sent back home for dissection, but good nonetheless. We have the rest of Saturday as well as all day Sunday off. Sleep is on the agenda along with replenishing food supplies and a little relaxation. One of the pools here is filled with salt water and I spent some time in it yesterday. Sort of like an Epsom salt bath but outside where you can talk to others and commiserate. Quite nice actually! It’s a real slick setup. Tomorrow I’ll be going around and taking more pictures of the grounds and people.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Pepto-Bismol
We were warned about bouts of constipation as well as diarrhea upon our arrival and were told that it was not uncommon, even in the states, to be hit by wacky intestinal issues as well as flu like symptoms due to anxiety and stress as well as the detoxification that is going on with all of the yoga being practiced. They also stated that not enough water was a sure fire cause of some of the constipation, which was affecting me. After my little boxing match with my nemesis (and current lightweight champion of the world I might add) Mr. Muscle Cramp, I decided to up the water intake. I had been drinking 1 gallon of water per day prior to this training and now I’m drinking 2 gallons. I actually now think that may not even be enough. I’m a heavy sweater and the rule of thumb seems to be, drink until you are peeing regularly. I feel like a ripe melon ready to burst! It’s hard to eat as well. The temperature is high, you just got out of a class that was grueling and you have an hour and a half to eat and rest. Now slap a giant plate of steaming veggies in front of your face and see if my reaction is the natural reaction. NO THANKS! You have to eat though and not just eat but eat for two. That’s two yoga classes a day! We had a chance to go to Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club today to get stuff like raisins and nuts and things.
We are provided a brunch buffet and they are working on perhaps changing it to a dinner buffet but I’m telling you that I’m not sure how much difference it will make except for the weekends. You think, buffet provided! I’ll just stay there for several hours and chow down! Sweet! It doesn’t work that way. One thing that makes me smile though is that I sometimes catch a look of horror from one of the other guests when they realize that 300 starving and confused people are descending on this buffet line like the swarm of locust upon Egypt in the Old Testament! They have to be thinking, what in the world is going on here. The staff is great and they keep everything full, but there’s a line at every station 6/7 deep. I just smile, strike up a conversation with people and reach in and grab something. I brought a hard-boiled egg cooker but have quickly turned on hard-boiled eggs. The omelets are great but the egg whites make me want to hurl! I’m going with what my body craves (which seems mostly to be sleep) and will probably hold off on the eggs until the body says go. They have some sort of spinach/cactus juice combo here that has to be the drink of some Mayan god. It’s even better immediately after class.
By the way, I think I will be making entries into a journal on my computer and then posting them online Saturday and/or Sunday. It seems to be what the schedule allows.
We are provided a brunch buffet and they are working on perhaps changing it to a dinner buffet but I’m telling you that I’m not sure how much difference it will make except for the weekends. You think, buffet provided! I’ll just stay there for several hours and chow down! Sweet! It doesn’t work that way. One thing that makes me smile though is that I sometimes catch a look of horror from one of the other guests when they realize that 300 starving and confused people are descending on this buffet line like the swarm of locust upon Egypt in the Old Testament! They have to be thinking, what in the world is going on here. The staff is great and they keep everything full, but there’s a line at every station 6/7 deep. I just smile, strike up a conversation with people and reach in and grab something. I brought a hard-boiled egg cooker but have quickly turned on hard-boiled eggs. The omelets are great but the egg whites make me want to hurl! I’m going with what my body craves (which seems mostly to be sleep) and will probably hold off on the eggs until the body says go. They have some sort of spinach/cactus juice combo here that has to be the drink of some Mayan god. It’s even better immediately after class.
By the way, I think I will be making entries into a journal on my computer and then posting them online Saturday and/or Sunday. It seems to be what the schedule allows.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
What was that?
Just got hit by the Bikram bus! Just completed 4 classes in a period of 48 hours. 94 more classes to go! 1st class I felt confident. 2nd class I felt confused, but completed the entire class. 3rd class I felt like some slipped a ruffie in my water! I feel like I fell off a moving train. Only thing to do is jump back up, dust myself off and start running to hop back on it. I’ve been told it get better after about the 2nd week. Let’s hope so. A good night’s sleep should help, we’ll see. This is without a doubt going to be one of the greatest physical, as well as emotional and spiritual challenges I’ve ever decided to undertake.
It dawns on me as I type these words that I had temporarily forfeited the rights to my digestive system, immune system and my heart & cardiovascular systems. In fact, every system in my body had been given over to “other masters”. I now begin the process of reclaiming my birthright. I want to regain control over the only domain that is truly mine. Exciting, terrifying, thrilling, taxing, exhilarating, exhausting and nerve racking all at the same time. It’s an emotional roller coaster the likes of which I’ve never ridden before. I feel as if I have a giant emotional obstruction stuck inside of me that at any moment might come bursting out sort of like the creature in the movie “Alien”. I’m sure I’ll have to come face to face with whatever demons lie inside at some point during this “healing process”. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later…
Come to find out that was not an emotional obstruction I felt, but an intense series of cramps about to strike my lower body and abs! I undoubtedly still have that “other” obstruction to deal with, but for now, an evening of body cramping is what was in store for me. I don’t know when the last time you had multiple areas of your body cramping (calves, shins, toes, hamstrings and abs), but it’s sort of like having a seizure. Remember in the movie “Forrest Gump” when Gump says, “something bit me” as he carried Bubba out if the jungle? Well, something bit me! It bit me over and over and over for about an hour and a half after class. It lasted into the evening with sudden bursts of cramping in single areas of my body, but after they poured electrolytes into me for about an hour, things started to settle down quite a bit.
This occurred after my 5th class and I sort of just laid there after class for about a half an hour wondering how I was going to get up. When I attempted to move, that’s when it hit me. I have yet to run into the one gal who was attending to me as I lay on the floor. She is a very sweet and compassionate female assistant of Bikram and I’m just wondering whether the grip I had on her thigh while in the throws of this “breakdown” left any bruises. To me it felt like they would need the “jaws of life” to remove her leg from my grasp. At that moment, I can honestly say that I could have cared less, but she calmly talked to me, asking me question about my food choices as I repeatedly cramped up. I can also honestly say that she helped quite a bit. So did the other female assistant who was pouring electrolytes down my throat. There was one other person present and I’ve given her a couple of hugs since. Carla helped to eventually get me back up on my feet and outside of the room. We have been looking out for each other in different ways since our arrival and I’m glad she noticed I had not made it out of the room. For the next several days I was sort of out of it and felt bad that Carla, Mary and I did not interact like we had been. I told them once I regained my senses that I had needed to recover and they were cool with everything, realizing apparently from the far away look in my eyes, that recovery was exactly what the doctor ordered as well as just a little distance! Nicely done ladies! I truly hope they realize I am also here for them should the need arise.
It dawns on me as I type these words that I had temporarily forfeited the rights to my digestive system, immune system and my heart & cardiovascular systems. In fact, every system in my body had been given over to “other masters”. I now begin the process of reclaiming my birthright. I want to regain control over the only domain that is truly mine. Exciting, terrifying, thrilling, taxing, exhilarating, exhausting and nerve racking all at the same time. It’s an emotional roller coaster the likes of which I’ve never ridden before. I feel as if I have a giant emotional obstruction stuck inside of me that at any moment might come bursting out sort of like the creature in the movie “Alien”. I’m sure I’ll have to come face to face with whatever demons lie inside at some point during this “healing process”. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later…
Come to find out that was not an emotional obstruction I felt, but an intense series of cramps about to strike my lower body and abs! I undoubtedly still have that “other” obstruction to deal with, but for now, an evening of body cramping is what was in store for me. I don’t know when the last time you had multiple areas of your body cramping (calves, shins, toes, hamstrings and abs), but it’s sort of like having a seizure. Remember in the movie “Forrest Gump” when Gump says, “something bit me” as he carried Bubba out if the jungle? Well, something bit me! It bit me over and over and over for about an hour and a half after class. It lasted into the evening with sudden bursts of cramping in single areas of my body, but after they poured electrolytes into me for about an hour, things started to settle down quite a bit.
This occurred after my 5th class and I sort of just laid there after class for about a half an hour wondering how I was going to get up. When I attempted to move, that’s when it hit me. I have yet to run into the one gal who was attending to me as I lay on the floor. She is a very sweet and compassionate female assistant of Bikram and I’m just wondering whether the grip I had on her thigh while in the throws of this “breakdown” left any bruises. To me it felt like they would need the “jaws of life” to remove her leg from my grasp. At that moment, I can honestly say that I could have cared less, but she calmly talked to me, asking me question about my food choices as I repeatedly cramped up. I can also honestly say that she helped quite a bit. So did the other female assistant who was pouring electrolytes down my throat. There was one other person present and I’ve given her a couple of hugs since. Carla helped to eventually get me back up on my feet and outside of the room. We have been looking out for each other in different ways since our arrival and I’m glad she noticed I had not made it out of the room. For the next several days I was sort of out of it and felt bad that Carla, Mary and I did not interact like we had been. I told them once I regained my senses that I had needed to recover and they were cool with everything, realizing apparently from the far away look in my eyes, that recovery was exactly what the doctor ordered as well as just a little distance! Nicely done ladies! I truly hope they realize I am also here for them should the need arise.
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