Friday, September 25, 2009

Is it really a week away??

A week tomorrow I board a plane to Vegas. I've been waking up early these last few days asking myself "what the hell are you doing? Would it not be better just to focus on your practice and stay here in Toronto?" Those thoughts pass and are replaced with utter excitement blushed with nervous anticipation. I've bought a ticket for one massive roller coaster ride and I'm fastening my seat belt!


So why Bikram Yoga you ask? Well, here’s the thing about Bikram Yoga: toss out your perceptions of yoga being a spiritual, relaxing opportunity to stretch with moments of chanting, incense burning and quiet meditation. What you are entering with a Bikram class is a room heated to at least 105 degrees for a 90 minute workout that is about as challenging a workout as you can get. There is a cardiovascular component to Bikram Yoga too which is atypical of many other yoga disciplines. The intense heat conditions and works all the internal organs and focusses the mind to work synergistically with the body. Bikram himself starts his class saying ‘Welcome to Bikram’s Torture Chamber’. It can often feel like that, but the compounding effects of Bikram Yoga are very rewarding and it's why I love it. I've had a perpetual gym membership for 20 years and I see no reason why Bikram Yoga cannot be anything less than a commitment for at least as long, or better yet as a lifetime journey. To teach would be adding another dimension for me - to guide and inspire others to reap the wonderful health benefits.  


Anyway, in case your wondering what my day will look like here it is. My biggest fear at the moment is wondering how to deal with the sleep deprivation. 11:30 pm often extends to anywhere from mid-night to 4 am. Its all part of the process I'm told. Embrace it!

Monday - Friday
8:30am - 10:00am • Bikram's Basic Yoga Class
10:00am - 12:15pm • Lunch Break
12:15pm - 4:00pm • Posture Clinic/Lectures
5:00pm - 6:30pm • Bikram's Basic Yoga Class
6:30pm - 9:00pm • Dinner break
9:00pm - 11:30pm? • Posture Clinic/Lecture/movies
Saturday
8:00am - 9:30am • Bikram's Basic Yoga Class
Sunday
Day of Rest

2 comments:

  1. The sleep deprivation would kill me, but I'll bet you'll be having so much fun that you won't notice!

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  2. Good God. Nine weeks? For some reason I thought it was two! Imagine the shape you'll be in at the end of it, and you're in damn good shape already!

    I need a doughnut just thinking about it.

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