Class #2

I taught my second class yesterday morning at 9:30. There were 23 people in it including my mom & Emily (a girl from my training who was in town for a few days before heading off to Canada). I feel really good about the class & I feel like I was able to relax a little more this time. My first class I was nervous of course so all I could really focus on was getting the dialogue out; I wasn't able to play around with the dialogue at all so I pretty much said the same thing for every set.  But this time I found I was able to pick and choose what I wanted to say for that set based on what the people were doing. That made it a lot more fun & relaxed....at least for me. So yeah, I think I'm getting the hang of this teaching thing :) The second class was just as fun if not more fun than the first which is super exciting. I've never had a job that I have enjoyed as much as this! I mean it's more than just a job, it's a passion. I won't be teaching any more classes until December because I go out of town for a week for Thanksgiving. I'll have to use my family to practice on in the mean time... : )

My first class!

Boy does it feel good to have my first class behind me! I was a little nervous, ok a lot nervous, before hand and continued to be slightly nervous through class, but it did get a little better as the class progressed. All I know is that I finished right on time and I didn't forget any postures or even to do the second set of anything! I feel pretty good about that. My dad & mom were there & so was my boyfriend, Jesse. That was Jesse's first class & from what I actually saw of him he did pretty good! I was actually trying not to look at him too much since he was a beginner he had no clue what he was doing so when I did glance at him it threw me off. I tried to focus on Miranda, another teacher, my mom, and a few other regulars. As a new teacher it's a bad idea to look too much at the new people, it will definitely make you forget what the heck you're saying. So overall I feel really good about my first class & I can't wait to teach another one. It was really fun!

Thanks to everyone who was there for my first class, by choice or accident :) It was so good to have supportive, familiar faces there. 

Just a few comments about the end of training...

The last few of days flew by. We had a couple of classes with Craig Villani, which were tough to say the least but it was pretty cool to see how far all of us have come since the beginning of training because pretty much everyone was up doing the postures.  Our last class with Rajashree Friday morning was awesome, she has a way of..."killing you softly". My mom got in Friday afternoon and took our last class with Bikram that evening. That last class was packed with visiting teachers & family members, it was pretty cool.  It was an awesome class, kind of sad at the end but no tears from me...I still had another "last" class Saturday morning. Friday night we had a talent show which was awesome. Some of the skits are supposed to be posted to YouTube so I will post a link to them when they show up. You've got to watch them, they're hilarious. 

So then my real last class Saturday morning was really a good class. It was cooler than usual which made it feel more like a "normal" class that I would have at home. Diane Ducharme taught & I really enjoy her classes so that was a good way to end my training. My mom & I then spent the afternoon laying out before getting ready for graduation which started at 4. Graduation lasted 5 hours! Man was it long! Afterwards there was a really nice dinner set up for us outside on an open green space the hotel had. That's when I started to get sad :( It was hard to say goodbye to people, but quite a few of us have good intentions of visiting in the near future. 

So now, 5 days after training I can say that that was the best thing I have ever done in my life. Yes, it was the HARDEST thing I've ever done but it was, so far, the most rewarding. I learned so much about life, myself, other people... oh & yoga :) I will never forget my experiences during those 9 weeks & I will never forget the people. I  now have connections all over the world & a new family of 309 people. That's pretty cool :)

Home at last!!

Well I'm home! I thought I'd never get here, lol! It's so good to be here! It does feel weird though not having anything I HAVE to do. Ahh, I'm going to have fun tomorrow doing whatever I want, even if that's absolutely nothing but hanging around the house. I have more to write about my last couple days of training,  I'm too tired to write right now. Besides if I do I will start crying. Every time I look at the picture of Lindsay & I at the airport this morning it makes me teary eyed :( So here's some pictures for now...

Our lovely calendar...it seems like just yesterday we had only one week crossed off!

Let us out...haha!

L-R: Linda, Rachel, Colleen, me, Lindsay

Our last class together :( (friday evening)

Graduation day

Love this girl! She's coming to visit in January!

Lindsay & I with Straud & Chris

Pamela & I

Carolyn & I

Sunday morning sunrise

I miss her already :(

Aww....our last picture together @ the airport. 

L-R: Lindsay, Colleen, Linda's husband, Linda, me

Boss (Bikram) & I @ the airport

Graduation Day!!!

There are lots of pictures I want to post but don't have time right now. Graduation starts at 4!

So I had 2 last classes, lol. I forgot to sign in again so I had an extra class this morning. It was a really good class though, not as hot as usual! And now I can say I did 100 classes instead of 98 :)

 I am soooo done!! I can hardly believe it. 

More to come soon....

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Lol. The end is so close! To be quite honest, it doesn't seem real though.  I can't quite comprehend it because I have been doing this for so long it just doesn't seem like it would ever come to an end. And what will I do with myself when I get home? It will be so strange to not have a set schedule from 8 am to 11 pm. I will have so much free time! And I will get to make so many more decisions, ahh I can't wait! What food I want to eat & when, when & how long to sleep, etc., etc. It will be awesome. After this intense training real life will seem like a breeze. Or at least that's how I feel as of now. 

Yesterday was pretty much the same as ever. Bikram lectured until about midnight last night. 

This afternoon we had posture clinic in the yoga room from 1 to 4 so it pretty much felt like we never left the yoga room all day. People got to get up and teach all 309 of us, it was pretty cool. I didn't do it, there was only 3 hours and so many people were in line to do it, not even half of us got to go.  We have lecture with Bikram tonight. Tomorrow afternoon I think we will be watching the advanced series class. That will be interesting. 

Don't know much else right now. I can't wait to get home and see everyone!

The Last Sunday

The reality of training being over didn’t really sink in until today. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ready to go home but there is so much here to leave behind: friends, breakthroughs, pain, delirium, exhaustion, a yoga class of 309 + people with more energy in the room that I’ve ever experienced, the hottest yoga room I’ve ever been in, disgusting smells in the yoga room, doubles, triples, Bollywood, Chula Vista, sunshine & beautiful weather all the time, weekly $20 massages, dreaded trips to Wal- Mart, earthquakes, waking up at 6 am just to chug a protein drink then hit the sack for another hour & a half and the list could go on and on. This has definitely been the most valuable learning experience in my life thus far. I still have so much to learn and I’m sure I will never stop learning when it comes to teaching yoga. This experience in my life coming to an end is both somewhat depressing & exciting. Lindsay & I were talking to Lynn Whitlow today (a senior, senior teacher) & she was saying to be prepared to be depressed when we get home, it’s normal. She said it happens because for 9 weeks of our lives we have been focusing on ourselves, not in a selfish way but in a learning and developmental way. We have been in a yoga community for 9 weeks, somewhat secluded from the real world. Ok, maybe a lot secluded from the real world. We don’t have to do laundry or cook, do dishes, clean houses and we have no obligations or responsibilities other than being at yoga on time in the am and pm & lecture in the afternoon and evening. But don’t think for a second that it has been easy or leisurely. We have been completely submerged into a new way of thinking and living, all the while pushing our bodies further than we ever thought we could and further than we ever even wanted to. So going home will be a big shock. Our little yoga community will be no more; we will be back in the real world with responsibilities and focuses beyond ourselves.  Not to mention the fact that it will be weird not to have a roommate! I will definitely miss Lindsay but we plan to meet up soon, probably in February.

So today, our last Sunday, I spent no different than rest although probably lazier than usual. This past week really drained me! This morning we went to Wal-Mart…it was our last Wal-Mart trip! Aww.  It was really short and sweet seeing as we no longer are in survival mode stocking up on anything and everything we can find. We basically just bought produce. We than ate lunch at Chula Vista and then I went to the beach for a massage- my last massage L After that I laid out but  it was really overcast today so didn’t stay out for long. And that’s absolutely all I did today. I’ve been relaxing in my room since about 4 & started packing a bit seeing as we won’t have time this week and I don’t want to spend all graduation day packing. So tomorrow is the beginning & end of week 9, once it’s Monday it’s already Friday it seems like. 

On our walk to Wal-Mart

Goodbye Acapulco Wal-Mart!

...and I lived to tell about it.

 Yesterday, Thursday, was anything but uneventful. The day started with a class from Lisa from Vegas then we had an afternoon of posture clinic with Bikram. The 5:00 class was taught by Yana from Australia, it was an “easy” class except for the fact that I ate some candied peanuts right before class, which made me queasy almost immediately after class started. Good thinking Danielle.  I got through it though and was happy and relieved when class was over. So as people started to get up to leave the room Manalie walks in and tells us all to go back to our mats and stay in the room. You see 5:00 class was supposed to be taught by Bikram so we all thought it a bit weird that Yana tought it instead…. So then Manalie walks in the room with Bikram’s orange towel (he always puts it on his chair for class & lecture) and everyone’s face dropped. Next thing we know in walks Bikram, “Check, check, 1-2-3-4”. (He always enters class saying that). So we had another class less than 10 minutes after the last. The beginning breathing exercise was so pitiful, about half, maybe more, of the class was sitting down or running out of the room to refill their water bottles, which I eventually had to do as well. Some people were straight up panicking, some crying and some, myself included, laughing out of pure disbelief. It was HARD. Maybe if we had been told that we would have a double, or triple I should say, then we could have prepared somewhat, more mentally than physically. But it was a complete surprise and shock. At first I was laughing, then I got a little angry, then I just got over it and did the class the best I could. So many people were sitting out that those who had the strength to do the postures had no choice but to do them. I don’t know if I should call it strength, maybe more like ability to stand up somewhat zombie like, simply going through the postures blank faced. I mean really, everyone looked like they were dying & I’m sure some people really thought they might be. I did almost all the postures, for as long as I could, and as deep as was humanly possible for me at the time. My muscles were totally fighting me the whole class and by the middle of the class my head started throbbing. But before I knew it it was over, thank God! Everyone lived and the doctor they had waiting outside didn’t even get any business. We then had 1 hour to eat and shower and get back to lecture by 10. We were all so exhausted after that 3 and then Bikram decided to keep us up until 2:30 am.

This morning a guy from New York taught- it was probably the hardest class I’ve had in a while. My whole body was stiff and sore, which is nothing new it was just worse than normal. We had posture clinic with Bikram again this afternoon; they gave us until 2:00 to  start posture clinic which was awesome because they usually only give us until 12:30 or 1. 5:00 class was taught by Ren, which had everyone a little worried after the stunt they pulled on Thursday because Bikram pretty much always teaches evening class when he’s here. But thankfully they let us go after just 1 class.

So now here I am waiting to go to lecture at 8:30. I can only assume that it will be another late night. Boy it would be nice to get some sleep though….I know what I’m doing this weekend!

Once again the week has flown by. Only one week left! It’s going to be a bittersweet last week. Our last class is Friday evening because our graduation is on Saturday. So after tomorrow mornings class only 10 classes left! Sweet!

We have the night off!!!

Last night during lecture it was presented to Bikram that we get to watch the election tonight….he said maybe we can all watch it together in the lecture room. Thankfully, tonight he decided that we earned the night off & were free to watch it in our rooms or do whatever we want. What an awesome surprise!  This is just what I needed to lift my spirits a bit!

So lasts night’s lecture wasn’t so bad, we got out at 11:30. Bikram said he was tired because Manalie fed him Chicken Curry. He never eats before a lecture for that very reason but he was hungry, which is unusual for him. So that worked out great for us! Way to go Manalie! J

Ren, from Headquarters, taught morning class. His class is the most enjoyable to me…at this point. Lately it has been hard to really enjoy any class but his are alright. Bikram’s classes, of course, are my favorite.J No really, I do like his classes. Last nights class was 2 hours and he was being really tough on us but it really didn’t faze me. I was pretty worried about him being back but it has turned out to be not as bad as I expected. If he would have taught classes like he is now back in the first or second week I probably would have cried, so it’s cool to see how much stronger, mentally & physically, I (& all of us) am now. After last nights class he said he was testing us and that we passed. Whew! It’s always a relief to see Bikram happy. Tonight’s class was 90 minutes and it was much quicker pace than last night. Bikram said last night’s class was the best we’ve done so far…and he said that again tonight. So now he says every class has to be better than the last, and I have no doubt that he will hold us to that standard. Which is good, we are all well prepared for it.

This afternoon we had posture clinic with everyone in the lecture room. The people each group chose to do Spine Twisting got to get up and do it. Each group went up and demonstrated for the person they chose. After that we had about an hour to fill so they let us ask questions to all the senior teachers that are here right now.

And for our night off, Lindsay & I are going to rent Get Smart. We’ll tune into the election when the movie is over. 

Group 12 pics from this afternoon: (Anita is who we chose to do the dialogue)

Week 8 has begun!

Wow, so we are in the 8th week already.  Like I've said before, it seems like time has gone so fast but at the same time I feel like I've been here forever! Only 12 days left! I can't believe I'm saying that. Bikram is back so I suppose he will be teaching this evenings class. I'm honestly a little nervous about his classes this week- I know he will be hard on us. But then again I know we, well most of us anyways, can handle it. While I am more stiff than I EVER have been in my life, I feel stronger than I ever had. So while I many not be able to do a posture well (to my standards), I can at least hold it until the teacher tells us to change. So that is a big accomplishment in my mind. They keep telling us that our practice here may suck- that part is so true- but they say that when we go home,  within a couple of weeks, our practice will improve drastically. Boy do I hope they're right. 

This weekend was very relaxing- Lindsay & I got massages Saturday morning then laid out pretty much all day. Lindsay went out with her group for dinner to see the cliff divers & I staid in & watched movies on TV. It was nice to just be alone and chill. About the cliff divers- there are 3 that started coming to yoga classes last week while my p's were still here. They have been coming every day since! It's really cool to have them there. Anyways, Lindsay said that while they were eating dinner one of the divers was preparing to dive & he looked over at their group and waved then he started doing Half Moon! I thought that was pretty cool. 

Sunday we got up early and went to 100% Natural for breakfast the hit the mall for a few hours. And then we got Starbucks, ahh.... Starbucks, lol. The first time I've had it in 7 weeks. Then we made it back to the hotel in time to get some more sun then another massage. Two things I will really miss when I go home is 100% Natural & the $20 massages on the beach! I have really gotten used to weekly massages :) And quite honestly I know see how beneficial & necessary massages are in conjunction with yoga. The two are pretty much inseparable & totally compliment eachother. Anyways, we then ate dinner in the room then went to Wal-Mart. I think that was the quickest & cheapest Wal-Mart trip we've had yet. Only one more Wal-Mart trip left here, yay! That's one thing I won't miss. I really don't mind grocery shopping, it's just not what you want to be doing with your only day & a half off here at training. 

We have posture clinic this afternoon, people will be finishing up Spine Twisting. Turns out one person from each group is chosen ( by the group) to do Spine Twisting dialogue in front of Bikram ( & everyone else). Our group hasn't nominated anyone yet. Lindsay got nominated for her group. I think we will probably nominate the person who was made the most progress instead of the person who has had the "best" dialogue all along. I shouldn't say best, more like the person who has known every posture perfectly and has been consistently confident & strong in their delivery. We'll probably choose this afternoon. We have lecture from Bikram tonight- I'm totally preparing myself for a LONG night. I'm sure he's going to be cramming as much information into these last 2 weeks as possible. And we have been "warned" by some teachers that we will get little sleep this week....oh boy. But they also say that we are prepared for it, we have spent the last 7 weeks preparing for these last 2. I'll let you know how it goes....

I found out yesterday that my mom will be coming back down for my graduation! I'm really excited about that. It will be fun. Don't know why my dad isn't coming, but I've decided to let him off the hook for this one :) Haha, love you dad! ( & mom!) 

I'm getting so excited about coming home, it's hard at times to keep my mind here in Acapulco! 

I can't wait to see all of y'all!