Monday, November 2, 2009

Flexible of body and mind

Tonight was 530 with Roberta at Dray's new studio. Today was his first official day being open. The studio is gorgeous. I can already feel his awesome energy and presence embodied in every detail. The first 8 months I practiced yoga my studio was smaller. It had old smelly carpet, small locker rooms and oodles of positive love and energy. I felt so at home in that small cozy studio. There was something hardcore about it too. The small hot room, the bikram carpet smell, and then packing into the locker room afterwards, everybody navigating carefully around each other so as not to collide, naked sweaty bodies. Then our studio moved. Down the street. The new place is huge...two yoga rooms, a large locker room...state of the art. The yoga rooms have this different kind of flooring, kind of plasticy and they don't smell. They are a bit slippery when your feet are wet, so we just turn our towels. I love my studio, I really do, but tonight, practicing in Drays new digs, it felt just like that small old place where I started and I felt a yearning, a pull, a desire to go make a new home. I must confess, the pull is strong, especially in light of the changes at my studio. It's official so I can blog about it now. Starting yesterday, my studio offers both Bikram and Moksha classes. There are two rooms, so you would think this would be something easy to do without disturbing everybody. Well, on a very selfish note, my nightly 530 class will no longer always be Bikram. On Tues and Thurs the "big room" will be Moksha. Mon, Wed, Fri, the "big room" is Bikram. I'm not opposed to Moksha. Or any other form of yoga. I'm just having a hard time adjusting to the change, as my love affair with Bikram still burns hot and bright. I'm sure someday I'll need something else. I know it's good to "mix it up" and work other muscles. I know all of this in my mind. But in my heart, I feel unsatisfied, confused, uncomfortable. If I want Bikram Tues and Thurs then I just have to go at 630 in the small room instead. That's not a big deal. The other problem is some of my favorite teachers have left to go teach at other places.
I can't just plop down a large sum and go get an annual membership elsewhere. I'm paid up for another year where I am. So now that I've had my little "vent", it just comes back to accepting the change. To being flexible, of both body and mind. I will for sure benefit from some moksha classes, and maybe even learn to love them. If I don't, then I just have to adjust my schedule a couple of days a week. No big deal.....right?

14 comments:

  1. Dray's studio sounds great! I definitely want to check it out, although it's not in a great location for me. I know what you mean about the changes, losing teachers, etc. My favorite teacher (Heather) just moved to Washington state last week. Sad.

    Greg

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  2. Greg~ I've been through so much change in the past two and a half years with this studio..moving to a bigger place (good), then losing some teachers I love as they move or as new studios opened (green valley, summerlin) and I've always rolled with the punches. This feels a bit different though. Strange. Yes, Dray's studio is AMAZING. Just like him. :)

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  3. Wait, wait, wait - who SAYS you have to have something else?! 26 and 2 are for LIFE, baby! You don't need nothing else. Just go with your gut. ;)

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  4. J~ yes, my gut is telling me that I'm a bikram girl. Looks like I'll be adjusting my schedule. :)

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  5. Try talking to the owner about getting some money back. Since they are no longer a Bikram studio you should be able to get some money back. Bikram studio's don't teach other styles of yoga.
    I know it's getting weird there with studios. The good feeling you get from Dray's studio is because it's filled with passion and dedication.
    Yes all yoga is good, sure other styles are great, but there is no harm in sticking with Bikram for life.

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  6. It took me six long months to fully adjust to and accept the studios here in Boston, after moving up from D.C. We are SUCH creatures of habit, especially when it comes to our exercise---rather, our Bikram. So, I hear you, lady!! Loud and clear! I think your reactions to all these changes is perfectly normal, natural.

    That said, as you know, I'm a firm believer in the theory that change is good, healthy, necessary. Hence: move to a new spot in the room; practice at different times of day; attend classes with various teachers. Who knows what this slight upheaval in your day-to-day Bikram world will do for you and your practice! All good things, I have no doubt. :)

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  7. Thank you everybody for your words of encouragement. Change is good. I'm going to try my best to be flexible right now! I'll also put it out there in the universe that I'd like to transition over to Dray's studio and see if I can make that happen eventually or in the future. :)

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  8. Bikram is great, but there's a ton to be learned from different styles as well. If my studio started offering another style on top of Bikram, I would be really excited about it. The worst that could happen is that I could find out how much better Bikram really is.

    That is, unless you are like the kid who says: "I hate broccoli. I hate it so much that I won't even try it. And its a good thing too. Because if I tried it, I might like it. And I can't stand the stuff."

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  9. Duffy~ I will try very hard not to be that kid! But I must confess, I'm waiting around work an extra hour tonight and going to 630 bikram. :) Plenty of time to try broccoli!

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  10. I was all set to be witty but then Duffy just cracked me up with the broccoli nonsense. I am SO THAT KID.

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  11. Hi, My name's Linda and I practice Bikram in Miami. A friend turned me on to your blog which I LOVE!. But I was so mad when I read what your Bikram studio did where you bought your annual membership. When you bought your annual did the studio tell you they planned on substituting other yoga classes in place of Bikram classes on the schedule? If not I think they were being very deceptive, maybe even fraudulent. Hey, You signed up at a Bikram studio for Bikram classes!!! You're entitled to get what you paid for and I would demand some type of refund! If this happened to me and I didn't get satisfaction, I'd make my feelings known -- to other Bikram students I take class with, Better Business Bureau, even Bikram Choudhury if I could. You can probably tell I'm not shy. LOL I really hope things work out for you so you can attend the Bikram classes you want.

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  12. Lilu~ yup. I can picture that. Only you'd figure out how to hide the broccoli, maybe feed it to your adorable cats. :)
    Linda~ Hi! Thanks for stopping by! The whole thing has been pretty strange, and there have been alot of changes (teachers leaving etc) due to it. I'm biding my time, going to bikram classes waiting to see the collective reaction. This is the first week with the new schedule. I'll keep you guys posted!

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  13. Imposed change can be a mixed bag; sometimes good, sometimes bad. So you don't have to go along with it just because it presents itself. It is okay to push back and ask if it really is the kind of change you want; e.g., whether you should ask for a refund. You're allowed to pick your own challenges. God knows we get enough surprises.

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