Amber - Bikram is my journey

Where oh where have I been!?!? I did not make it to yoga on Friday. I got distracted at work at the end of the day. Next thing I knew it was after 5:30. The last class on Fridays is at 6:00 pm. I had no chance of making it there in time for warm-ups. I was there bright and early on Saturday at 8 am. I remember feeling chilly in class that day. I doubt it was any cooler in there than it normally is. The class went well. No major change. I went from there to Shamrockfest in DC. I am normally good about being sober around drunk people. There were a lot of drunk people. That would have to be a blog all by itself. I woke up the next morning planning to go to yoga - but my knees hurt. My knees hurt so bad I could barely walk. I am sure it was from my adventures the day before in DC. I made the decision to not go to yoga. On Monday, I still hurt. I just couldn't bare to miss another day of yoga. I went. The first 20 minutes hurt, but the rest seems to relieve the pressure from my knees. I probably should have gone on Sunday. They say the best time to go, is when you don't think you can. It is when you need it most.

My instructor yesterday was the same one I had today. After taking from certain instructors repeatedly, you learn their style. Some will open the door occasionally to let a quick breeze in. Some will adjust the humidity frequently during the class. I even had a class where the instructor turned the humidity off completely because of the amount of people in the class. In the morning class, the instructors rarely open the door. That class is made up of the truly committed I think. They are the students that thrive in the heat and may actually enjoy it. I would suppose I now fall into this category. I wouldn't say I enjoy the heat, but I have learned to appreciate the benefits. Today's instructor never adjusts the humidity. It is always set at the highest it should be. Sweat is supposed to by nature's way of cooling the body down. That may be why I feel the least hot in her classes. I notice I drink less water during the class when I am in a higher humidity class. I work very hard at following Ashley's advice and not wiping the sweat off. This is still very difficult.

My goal for the end of my first month was to master the foundation of each asana. My first month ends on Thursday. While I have not mastered them all - I am only short on 2. I am very pleased with my progress. I may just get those last 2 by Thursday especially if I go twice tomorrow which I am considering. Tomorrow is a very important day. It is my friend of nearly 25 years 30th birthday. I have known her longer than I've known almost anyone else. So I will begin the day just like any other Wednesday - but in the middle of the day - I will celebrate with her the last big milestone birthday for a long time. For those of you that seek inspiration in what I write - she has been a main source of inspiration for me. She decided early she wanted to be a lawyer, and she went to law school. She met the man she knew she was going to marry - and she is now married. She wanted to buy a house - and she found the perfect one for her and her husband. She wanted a clerkship with a Judge, but the whole time had her sights on a law firm she wanted to be a part of. She spent the year with the Judge, passed the bar, and is now an attorney at the law firm she wanted.

All success begins with a goal. Success is a journey that is ever-changing as the goals are achieved and re-set. She is the most successful person I know. She never stops working towards her goals. Once she reaches them, she starts working on something new. Yoga is that same journey for me. There are a lot of measurements. I can measure my weight, which has changed. I can measure my size, which has changed. Each and every day - I can measure my flexibility, balance, determination, focus... which improves each and every day.