Post on Group Blog

Hi! I'm still around. I posted on the group blog today. "The Watcher"

I'm cheering you all on from the sidelines! I'm still getting to Bikram, just not everyday.

Closure

A personal situation has cropped up in my life that needs my daily attention. Due to this, I will not be able to complete the 101 challenge. I will still do yoga whenever I can, however, it has to take a back seat and not be my priority right now.
Thank you for all of your support. For reading, for commenting and for writing amazing posts in your blogs. I have met amazing people in real life due to this blog and for that I am thankful. In fact, I have a couple more of you on the list when you come into town in the next month or two. You know who you are and we will keep in touch via email, can't wait to meet you.
All of you that are completing the challenge, best of luck! This is a huge undertaking and something to be very proud of.
This blog has been a huge source of comfort for me these past two years, but it's time to turn the page and start a new chapter.
Good bye, good luck and most importantly, may you find your truth and embrace it.

Day 74: Busy Little Blog

Today was 5:30 up at the old studio with Frank. I wanted to go back up to Westside, but Ashley was coming with me and she was afraid it would be too hot up there. He he. Once we arrived Reggi, Ray, Christian and a bunch of other regulars were there in full force. It turned out to be fun. The class was packed, hot and humid and took alot out of me. I felt strong during the standing series and then started to lose it on the floor. It took all I had to stay in the room and finish. My mind went terribly downhill after spine series. Well, at least I made it!

Sooo. You might be wondering what my little picture over on the right side is. Remember when I went to Tempe last week on business and wrote a post about my visit to the studio there? Well, some students from the studio saw my post and let the director know. She included a little blurb in her March newsletter about it! I was added onto the mailing list due to my visit last week, so imagine my surprise when I opened their newsletter and saw the article! I guess my little blog has been a bit busy!!

It's hard to read so here is basically what it says:

Don, BYT teacher spotted on the web!
This excerpt was taken from a blog by bikramyogachick who visited our studio this week.... (The rest is an excerpt from my post). **click to enlarge the pic. See, I was right about the smile!**
So exciting! I just want to take a moment to give a HUGE shout out to Bikram Yoga Tempe students! You guys are awesome! The studio has a great vibe, nice energy, and some awesome Bikram practitioners. In fact, Don had the gal next to me demo standing bow for us. She was amazing. My company has offices in Phoenix so I will be sure to come visit you guys again next time I am there!

Day 73: A yoga party, A new studio and A double

Last night I went to a yoga party at the Green Valley studio. It was a potluck with Dray and George (both instructors) spinning some cool tunes and also some live music by a student. They did a yoga fashion show and everybody had a great time. My daughter came with me and was a good sport about being at a yoga party with mom. I got to hang out with blogger Greg and I got to meet blogger Cat in person finally.

Today I took the 1pm class up at.....wait for it......BIKRAM YOGA WESTSIDE. The Las Vegas Bikram community has undergone alot of studio drama this past year, so even though I knew this new studio was going to open, I haven't been blogging about it. It's actually the Red Rock studio location re-opened under new ownership. The first week of yoga is free (starting today) so if you live in Vegas, come take some classes! Dray taught and oh how I have missed him! It was hot, humid and full of wonderful energy. The class was tough, I got my ass handed to me! To celebrate the grand opening they had a table with zico and fruit for after class. I drank some zico like I was going to die if I couldn't get it down fast enough.

After running some errands with my daughter, I convinced her to come to the 7:30 at the old studio with me since she opted out of the 1pm. She acquiesced and I dragged her to tall, dark and handsome's class. He had great energy tonight and was quite funny as well. The room felt pretty hot and humid when I walked in. I had to really focus on my breath to make it through and by fixed firm I ended up consuming a 1/2 liter of water already. I guess I was still not replenished from the 1pm class.

Two more doubles to do and I'll be caught up with you all! Funny thing is, I've done 74 hot yoga classes in 73 days but I can't count the power flow/Baptiste so I've got to get the Bikram classes caught up. I have promised myself to make them up before I hit the 90 day mark so I can coast through the last 11 days and not be stressed.

Hope you all had a good (albeit one hour shorter) weekend!

New studio! Dray getting ready to teach. I'm in the Green Top and the guy smiling directly at the camera is the new owner.

Day 70: It's Perfect Bikram Weather

5pm up at Summerlin. Owner Stephanie was teaching. I signed in and went in the room to lay my mat down. Ahhhhhhh. Heat, humidity, perfection. I quickly sent up a silent plea for the class to be better than last night. Somebody was listening. The cinderblock arms and legs were gone, replaced by my limber Bikram limbs. Yoga body is back! Yay! The class went pretty well overall with one highlight. Second set of standing bow, first side Steph looked over at me and started coaching me. Get your body down more Michelle. More! Body down even more! Each time she said it I went just a tiny bit further, still able to breathe and luckily not falling out. By the last "more" it felt like my body was not going to go down any further. I put more power in the kick, stretched my arm out further, exhaled and made it down a bit more. My eyes widened a bit in the mirror, a little surprised at a new feeling in my spine. It's hard to explain, but I felt something in my lower spine, something like a "hey there, I just went somewhere new!" After saying change Steph paused and said "that was really good Michelle, your feet were lined up" So that means for once I was kicking pretty darn straight up and not tilting over to the side as I sometimes tend to do. What a great feeling! Hard to believe we are now just down to a 30 day challenge +1. I guess that means it's time for me to get serious about the three classes I have to make up. I have my daughter this weekend, so it will have to be the weekend after.

Day 69: Summerlin is calling....

Today was one of those days where my arms and legs felt like cement blocks. My left wrist hurts like hell, I can't even make a fist (thank you Power Flow yoga) and my hamstrings are tight. Every movement in Dominiques high energy 530 class at the old studio proved to be agony. By the time an hour had passed, I was ready to throw in the towel. I gave the clock the hairy eyeball the last 30 minutes, cursing the low heat. Today was a day I could've used a nice hot class to get my cinderblock arms and legs loosened up. I haven't been to summerlin since late last week. It's time to head back up there. I miss that hot hot room with the hardcore Bikram instructors.

Day 68: Motivation

Do you ever get motivated by having handsome (or if you're a guy, pretty) teachers? Normally it doesn't phase me because lets face it, there are alot of beautiful yogi and yoginis. However, feeling a bit burned out at this point in the challenge (I'm THREE Bikram classes behind, but actually one ahead overall if I were allowed to count my baptiste/power flow classes) I need some help. Last night I was in Phoenix on business. Tempe to be exact. So after my conference was over, I hopped in the rental car and headed to the 615 class at Bikram Yoga Tempe. A handsome gentleman named Don was teaching. He had salt and pepper hair, was tan, and had a smile that reached up and gave him warm crinkly eyes. I wanted to throw him in my suitcase and take him back to Vegas so he can teach me here all of the time. The studio was cute, the room small and crowded and the students were great. It felt like home to me. That's the nice thing about Bikram. It's the same no matter where you go. I flew back home today and went straight from the airport to 630 Bikram at the old studio. Tall dark and handsome was teaching (Michael). He just graduated with the last class and I've only taken his class once before. His dialog was much improved, his style smooth and encouraging. It was a great class.

So yes, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed being three behind again. I was also exhausted and wanted to go straight home from the airport. So having adorable handsome male teachers two days in a row was great motivation for me. Hey, I'm only human.....

Day 65: Traveling Yogini

So tomorrow I leave town for two days on business. I already found the closest yoga studio to the hotel and have it all mapped out. Schedule printed and all.

Wish me luck!

As for today, I'm going to head up to Summerlin for a nice juicy Saturday class.....

**Update***

It's official. I have gone over the deepend. Instead of heading up to Summerlin for a nice juicy class, I pulled up the schedule of my old studio. There was a 1:30 Bikram with Dominique as the teacher then at 3:30 her husband Don was teaching Power Flow. I have never done Don's class but have heard good things about it. You already know the ending to this story. Yes, I went and did BOTH classes. The room wasn't warm enough for Bikram at 1:30 so we had to work a bit harder. It only got up to 100 by the end of class. It ended up feeling like a warm up class to open me up for Power Flow. I liked the Power Flow class, but not as much as Baptiste. They do alot of really crazy advanced stuff that I am very far away from. I'm glad I tried it though!

Day 63: Namaste, Namaste

Today was 5pm up at Summerlin with Frank. Instead of boring you with more "I feel so strong right now, this is awesome!" stuff, because we all know how fast this can and will change for me....I'm going to share a video with you.

I'm not sure if the authors of the video did this tongue in cheek, or if it was malicious, and it doesn't really matter in my opinion. I personally thought it was hilarious and played it a couple of times so I could quote it.

Hopefully you will find it funny too!

Atha Yoganusasanam

Day 62: Body Changes

Today I did my Baptiste/Bikram double.

Baptiste was at 4:30 and it was packed...mat to mat, sardine style. Reggi was there and fellow blogger Dorothy. They were both in the front (I was in the very back of course, so I can see what the heck is going on) and have both done Baptiste quite a bit. I have seen changes in both of their bodies, the upper body especially....they keep getting leaner and more toned. Zeek was amazing as usual and I tried my best again. There are many things I will need to work up to and many things where I am already strong from Bikram. For example, I didn't even attempt crow, I just watched Reggi and Dorothy both do it, however, during the spine series there is a modification on floor bow second set where you grab at the ankles, flex your feet and make a U, a next step up modification and I can do that one quite nicely. My spine is very flexible on the back bending (side bending, not so much "I hate you half moon!"). I can really see how Baptiste will be a perfect compliment to Bikram. I'm thinking two Baptiste, five Bikram a week after the challenge at first. The Bikram helps me with the soreness from Baptiste. It also helps me re-align when I do something wrong in Baptiste (i.e: my right shoulder hurts a bit, I guess I messed up downward dog tonight)

Bikram at 7:30: I was a bit nervous going in because I must confess, my body was feeling TIRED. I have done alot of yoga in the past week and a half! A double last Tues, Fri, Sun and today. Two Bikram/Bikram doubles and two Baptiste/Bikram doubles. My poor 30 pounds overweight body was going "are you f*ing kidding me right now!!!" as I walked in to set up my mat for Bikram with Roberta. My fear was for nothing. The class was tough for me, being so tired, but I just kept going back to my breath and I made it through ok. There was an entertaining new person behind me and that helped. She was blond, tan, perfect body, pink yoga outfit, pink in her hair, pink fingernails, puffed up lips, purchased girls. Usually the gals with nice figures are either dancers or they work out alot so they normally do pretty well their first class. I don't think she was athletic in the least bit. Must be genetics. This girl was lunging and lurching and going full boar into the fullest expression of the posture with knees bent, arms bent, face contorted, breath racing, 100 percent wrong, then would fall to her knees. She did this the entire standing series and then left on the spine series. I have to hand it to her, the enthusiasm was off the charts and I hope she comes back. I tried to set a good example for her but she kept looking at Roberta...who of course is not doing the postures. After class, in the locker room, the girl that was next to me in the front row said "you have some great postures". My eyes got a bit wide (because she does too!) and I thanked her. Nice to hear a compliment like that when I was dying inside, all tired from doing crazy yoga doubles.

Then the icing on the cake: on the way out I was chatting with Roberta, telling her how much I will miss her (she is moving away next week) and that because of her pushing me, I am further along in my standing head to knee. She said "Michelle, you're standing head to knee is much better, but more importantly I can see your body is starting to change, from your challenge".

Day 60 thru 90....our bodies will change. It's starting.......

Day 61: Blessings

Yesterday I went to 5:30 at the old studio with Roberta. I was extremely sore from my Baptiste/Bikram double the day before. Of course she didn't know this so she rode my butt hard and at the end of class I looked like a sad drowned rat. I was glad in a way because without her I would've totally babied my sore self and instead I pushed through it and the soreness was gone this morning.

Today I was going to go to 5pm up at Summerlin. Yoga BFF Mark texted me "7pm with Frank?" How can I say no to that? Frank + my Yoga BFF = heaven. So I stayed at work til about 5:40 taking advantage of the quiet and putting a nice dent in my pile before heading up to Summerlin. When I got there, in the locker room a lady asked me if I was Michelle from the 101 blog. I flushed with pleasure and said yes. I have a Summerlin audience (of at least 1!) **waves shyly**

Class was very busy, very humid and very high energy. Frank was "on" tonight telling jokes, really engaging the students and working the room. As I was surfing my breath and flowing in and out of postures, sweat pouring down my body like rain, I felt like I would burst with gratitude and love. Zeek's voice from Baptiste the other day flitted through my head. He likes to say some things, that may or may not be construed as positive then he will say in his soothing little voice "blessings....". I kept hearing that...."blessings" and images were weaving in and out of my consciousness.....grateful for my job, grateful for my family and friends, grateful for my health, grateful for the yoga community....grateful for so much and full of love for all of the people around me. Driving home I wondered if I was riding some sort of yoga high (I've done 11 yoga classes in 8 days) or if the Baptiste had some sort of affect on me.

The answer is not clear in my mind. More investigation is warranted. I'm thinking 4:30 Baptiste with Zeek again tomorrow and then 7:30 Bikram with Roberta all up at the old studio. I know, you are shaking your head at me, muttering under your breath something like "this chick is bat shit crazy right now!" What's the worst that can happen to me? I could get run over by the yoga truck and end up in savasana half the time in the second class. It's worth the risk!