My Joy mantra, combined with the chill pill “the size of China” Mei suggested, has really helped my practice. Yesterday, I had my usual 6am Bikram class where every stretch in the mid region created an immediate desire to curl up in fetal position. The difference? I didn’t get angry or panicky about the impending vomit. Instead, I sat down Japanese style, head up, back straight and chilled. This is a huge breakthrough for me because I’ve always taken the “kill yourself more harder” mantra to mean, if you aren’t dying, don’t leave the room AND you’re not practicing right. Which means, I’m a total freaking mess by the time I admit to myself, yes, you are killing yourself, sit the fuck down! It kinda reminds me of calling in sick to work; I think I have to sound really bad or they won’t believe me, so I put on my best “poor me” voice. In my Bikram practice, I know I’m putting in 100% every time, so I can save the antics. The other bonus to chilling out is that I’m not an energy sucker to the folks that are still going strong.
Although I totally kept my peace in class, (and skipped half the postures) I still threw up. Twice. So, finally, I have let myself off the hook with 6am class. The water I drink, starting at 4:50am, clearly doesn’t sit well in my stomach. So, rather than beat myself up about it, I’m letting it go. If I have to take a 6am class because no other time will work, I’m going to see how NOT drinking before class goes. A woman told me after class that she doesn’t start drinking water until she gets in the studio and she’s fine. Hmmm, for now, I’m going to bask in the joy of knowing that I don’t have to do another 6am class if I don’t want to. Yea!
A quick thank you to Mei for introducing Despederata, a new Bikram blogger from Singapore writing about her first 30 day challenge. So cool. And for this article which I forgot I wanted to RT! (that’s twitter speak for retweet which is just more twitter speak!)
About my crushing oranges grip. I like it and will continue the hard way. ; >
You’re welcome!
Crud, it sounds like you’re having a rough time indeed, especially the part about having pain in the mid section.
Take it easy! Yoga practice, not yoga perfect, as my instructor said. Take care!
oh my god. 6 am practise? i get to the studio around 5:50. hopefully have a few strawberries on the bike ride in. hopefully get a whole klean kanteen of water in me. still waking up when class starts. as far as i’m concerned, the only good thing about 6 am practise is not being as flexible. i have to go a little slower and find out where i really am with my body.
my favorite time to go is the 6am bikram class - it’s the perfect way to start off my day and also forces me to sleep earlier!
to combat the water issue, i drink an entire bottle of water right before bed, then again first thing in the morning… by the time i get to class the water is all settled in my belly…
i’ve gone into class really dehydrated before so not drinking water is a nono - it was a horrible feeling and i almost fainted!
I think Duffy said it first. But only a Bikram yogi hears about somebody throwing up after class and wonders what they’re doing wrong that it has never happened to them. ;))