Friday was the last class for the Spring 2010 teacher trainees. Fellow yogini Carmen and I decided to meet down there. We both got there pretty early and immediately started running into teachers and students from other studios. We set up on the left side of the tent about three rows from the back. The back 4 or 5 rows are reserved for guests. As more teachers and students arrived from our studio, we kept laying down towels to save spaces. I ended up being surrounded by students and teachers I knew, which made for an amazing class. The tent was packed to the gills. 365 teacher trainees and probably close to 300 guests. It was also HOT. HUMID and HOT. This was my first class with Bikram himself and I was excited to see what my own reaction to him would be. I have practiced at so many studios, read so many blogs and talked to so many yogi's that I've heard alot of his quotes, mannerisms...everything. It's like I've already been around him, but I hadn't. Standing there with all of those yogis, getting ready to start breathing was an experience that can hardly be put into words. The love, energy, excitement, joy, acceptance was tangible in that big white tent. The heaters worked, steam came out of misters in the ceiling and droplets of sweat formed on bellies and backs before we even got started...and then there was boss. Standing up on the platform, in front of his large throne-like chair, headset on, little black shorts and hair back he looked exactly like every other picture of him posted on the Internet teaching. He doesn't change....he is timeless. He started to talk and the trainees stood there, tense with excitement, looking like live wires. Nine weeks of yoga bootcamp over....their excitement bubbling over. Right away Bikram is making jokes. We are trying to do pranayama breathing and he says something so ridiculous that we are all laughing. Try to laugh during breathing. It doesn't really work. We get to awkward posture and he decides he needs to adjust his balls. Suddenly he goes behind his chair, fixes his balls, then gets down into third part of awkward and starts hopping around. "See. Balls fixed. I can do this forever" **bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce.....freeze** applause and laughter. A huge smile was plastered across my sweaty face. I was absolutely charmed and delighted. I love him. That's my reaction. He picked on a few people during class. No, it wasn't directed at me, but I can say with absolute certainty that if it were I wouldn't have taken offense. He does it with love and humor. You can tell it's not malicious. The class was very hard but at the end with Bikram playing music and trainees dancing around the tent I was very glad I did not miss this. Training is in San Diego in the fall. No more Las Vegas training. I picked the perfect class to go to!
I did run into DancingJ but it was just briefly before class so no picture. Sorry. She was glowing. I am so proud of her....so happy for her! She did not teach here, went right home to teach first thing Monday morning at her home studio. No worries, I will take her class someday! She lives 30 mins from my home town, so I will get to her class....eventually....or in the future.
**I'll go ahead and clarify something I said, because I got asked this in the comments, but I'm sure more people will be wondering as well. The fall 2010 teacher training is officially going to be in San Diego, not Las Vegas. Bikram himself made the announcement before class Friday night. He said he had just signed the papers and that it will definitely be there. I'm sure they will update their website soon.
Me and Carmen after class (What's up with my freaky yoga eyes??)
this sounds amazing! i sooooo want the experience of practicing with that many joyful yogis!
ReplyDeleteis fall 2010 TT really in San Diego??? the info on the Bikram website still says Las Vegas Hilton 9/19 - 11/20.
Great post, Michelle. I'm so glad you got to take a class with Boss himself before it moves to San Diego. If you ever want to come to SD, I have an extra room! :-)
ReplyDeleteI am so, so happy for you!
ReplyDeleteI can really feel all the excitment and happiness you experienced during Boss class and I know what you mean. I felt the same when I took my first class for him in Barcelona.
Lady Yogaga~ It's like none other!
ReplyDeleteYolk E~ thank you so much for the offer!
AHappyYogi~ Awesome wasn't it? :)
oh, sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteI would love to take one of Bikram's classes one day. It's not often he is up on the west coast of Canada though.
Wish I could have been there. I was out of town (see my recent posting). Sounds great though!
ReplyDeleteHaha, I like your yoga eyes! You look like you're on cloud 9 :-)
ReplyDeleteI love yoga, but Bikram scares the bejesus out of me! Is there a way to ease into it? Or do you just have to get over the hottt factor and go all in?
ReplyDeleteEllen~ the easiest way to do it is go to your first class knowing you won't be able to do all of the postures. Just go in with the goal of staying in the room. Go in the back, kneel down when you feel dizzy or overwhelmed and as one of my fave teachers says "enjoy the yogi show!" :)
ReplyDeleteThe Yoga Teacher Training practiced today bears little resemblance to the discipline that began humbly almost 5,000 years ago, but in its rich and varied history, yoga has always evolved to meet the needs of the culture it serves. In this combination of how-to guide and inspirational text. Linda Sparrowe blends a historical overview with a wealth of exercises to help readers strengthen the mind and body. In brief, lively portraits, the author describes the 20th-century masters who helped bring yoga to the West and, indeed, the world. the centerpiece of the book contains 400 "asanas, or postures. Rendered in sumptuous black-and-white photographs that illustrate the development of modern physical postures derived from ancient Indian tradition, the asanas and the accompanying text show how the flexibility and stamina achieved on the yoga mat can transform all areas of life.
ReplyDelete