On to Week Eight

Week seven is done and moving intpo week eight! Two more weeks left and I will be on a plane to Vermont.

This week started out great as I was well prepared for presentations. Nick, Glenn, and I spent the weekend studying together all around the LAX area. We memorized three of the scripts so we were several days ahead. My presentations went well and I had some great feedback along with the feeling of really teaching, rather than just reciting a script (more like a dialogue, which is what Bikram calls the script).

The yoga twice a day hasn’t ever really been a problem, though I have had some pains, and some successes. The pain has been mostly in my left shoulder and neck, from a snowboarding accident I had months ago. I have finally noticed much less pain this week during and after the yoga. I also have noticed I can stretch much further in a side and back bending posture. I can really feel the stretch on my sides, an area I don’t think I ever really stretched in the past; one of many ignored areas of my body!

At the end of the week over 130 teachers came to re-certify, so the yoga room was extra hot. Normally the temperature is around 105F, with some humidity. On Friday it was well over 105 and many people had to leave the room. I walked out with stomach aches, but was able to get right back in during the next posture. I finished very strong and realized I probably was a little water-logged.

The end of the week was filled with dancing, great food, and some sight seeing. On Friday night there was a pizza party and disco with Bikram. I will say, the man has some moves! On Saturday we went to Little Tokyo, Hollywood, Malibu, and a party in Santa Monica. Los Angeles really has some fabulous diversity and great beaches. We also viewed a sea lion up close eating the carcus of a sting ray some fishermen threw back in, quite fascinating.

These next weeks will be more lectures, review, and probably some swimming pool time!