Day 38: Hooray! and Day 39: extend

(Heh heh. She said extend.)

Yesterday, I went to the 8 AM class at my usual beloved studio. Krista taught. Maybe I looked like I was struggling because after class she asked "How ya doin' there, Colette? Doin' OK?" But in fact I had a strong and happy practice, although in Half Moon, the very first pose, my mind was doing backflips. I was panicky, and almost WEEPING. Very weird. I really had to think very calmly, trying to smooth out my forehead. I don't think I was struggling physically, just emotionally. After Half Moon, my mind was pretty easy.

A few hours later, I taught two friends the Bikram series in my living room! It was fun, but very challenging. My one friend had done the series once or twice before, at least six months ago while my other friend had never been through the series before. Both, however, practice yoga regularly. I was (according to my friend) nervous at first, which means I was talking fast! but toward the end she said I slowed down and got more comfortable. Because I basically had two Bikram newbies, I had to demonstrate the poses while talking. Even when I tried to just talk while observing their poses, though, I felt compelled to do the pose myself! It's really very difficult, this teaching thing. I'm using a very different part of the brain trying to put the poses into words than I do when I'm just doing the poses. Or as my friend said "You're using six parts of your brain at once!" However, I really enjoyed it. I DO need to memorize the dialogue, though. Too many LOOOONG silences. And my timings of the poses were very approximate. They said they had fun, felt good afterward, and that I did well. One even said "You're a natural!"

Later in the day we went to see "Stick It," the gymnastics movie (from the folks who brought you "Bring It On.") It starred Jeff Bridges! It was lots fun, I highly recommend it. Especially if you go see it with three girlfriends.

This afternoon, I went to the 5 PM class taught by Camille. MSH came too, his first time in a while and I thought he did very well, considering. His arms were straighter in Half Moon than any of the other mens'. :) I had a strong second set of Standing Bow Pulling, and in general, a very strong series. Rabbit felt very good, really extending that spine.

Very close to the end of Autobiography of a Yogi, then I'm going to really devote myself to the dialogue, before I start another book. I am itching to read Iyengar's Light On Yoga.