Okay, it's been a while since I've written because I was on the road to Memphis and then too exhausted to even think about sitting at the computer and typing anything up! I'll get to Bikram's lecture in a later post - this one is solely going to be about my practice in the last few days.
So in going to Memphis for the Bikram lecture, my friend Sunny and I had decided to take the 4:30 class (since they only had classes at 9am and 4:30 pm) so we structured our day around that. We went to Graceland (my second time, and it's so much fun!) and ate at a really delicious vegan restaurant (in the land of barbecue, no less). I took a short nap while Sunny dabbled on her iPad and then we headed to class to find the studio locked up tight.
My stomach sunk to my feet as it started to dawn on me that I wasn't going to be able to practice that day. Apparently, the studio had changed their schedule around on account of the lecture later that night and had canceled the 4:30 class in favor of an added noon class. In the past, this would have absolutely wrecked me and made me give up on my challenge, but the new Katie was suddenly and strangely determined to knock out a double as fast as possible and get myself back on track so as to avoid the anxiety that comes along with putting off something you dread.
So, now back in Dallas, I decided to do a back-to-back double mere hours after stepping off the plane. The first class was great! I had one of my favorite instructors who always knows the right thing to say to make my body fall correctly into the posture. I really pushed myself and completed all the postures to the best of my ability with no pauses for sitting or catching my breath. I got a huge cardio workout in this class. I could feel my heart thumping like nuts from half moon all the way to final breathing. It was a really intense and great class.
After savasana, I headed to the lobby for a minute to reset for the second class. I was feeling really weak, which I think was a result of not eating as much as I should have before a back-to-back double. I grabbed a sports drink that had some calories in it and wished I had a few almonds or something to balance out all the sugar - sadly, I didn't. I went back into the room and tried to relax.
The second class was HARD. I didn't have the energy to do the simplest of postures. I felt shaky and weak right from the outset of pranayama breathing. I pushed as far and as hard as I could, but I wound up having to lay in savasana for most of the class. Any time I felt a little bit of energy surface, I stood up and tried to do the posture. Sometimes, I hit the deck right away after surfacing, and sometimes I was able to at least attempt the posture. Suffice it to say, it was definitely not my best class ever.
Interestingly enough, in the class while laying down, I think I might have experienced some kind of trance of sorts. It was almost like I lost time, really. It was a really strange sensation, I suppose it was some sort of meditation or something. It felt a lot like that feeling of being half-awake, half-asleep, but with a slight hum in my body.
Since the double, I've been really low-energy. My class yesterday was alright, marked by some weakness and just overall exhaustion. I have been eating sensibly, lots of protein with a nice carb balance, and I can tell that I'm starting to lose weight for real now (ok, I may have cheated and looked at the scale, whatever). My chest bones are starting to poke out, I'm getting major definition in my legs, and my ass is (incredibly sore &) becoming more firm. There are serious changes happening to my shape. I feel great about these body changes, which are really a result of the incredible changes that are happening in my mind.
Today's class was pretty solid. I only had to back out of standing separate leg stretching, which is an annoying nemesis pose for me now. Stupid hamstring. The pain starts when I lock my knee and any attempt to pull on my heels gives me a warning-warning-warning-STOP pain in my left hammy. I do what I can and if I can't stay in the pose, I come up and stand still with my hands by my side, attempting to breathe normally. That's really about all I can do at this point.
Camel was notable today, because I thought very deeply about relaxing my body and folding in half while pushing my hips towards the mirror. I felt as though I could hold it forever. It was really nice and, as you all know, I live for the feeling of humming and tingling throughout my body after releasing the pose.
Speaking of the humming feeling, I've started to feel it outside of class, too. There is pretty much always a slight humming feeling along my skin if I pause and allow myself to feel it. I don't know what it is - energy? blood flow? both? neither? chickens? - but it feels great and unlike anything I've ever felt before. I think this might be the "glow" people talk about when they suggest that yogis and yoginis have a certain air about them.
My poses are all certainly improving and it's starting to happen kind of quickly. So now that I completed the double class, I'm back on track to finish my 60 classes in 60 days. Here's hoping nothing comes up that forces me into a double again! I'm glad I had to try it, but in the future, I would definitely do a class early in the morning and then later in the afternoon, with some time to eat a big, protein-and-carb meal with lots of nutrient-rich vegetables. At this point, I think that's the smartest way to attack a double in the future.
...let's just hope that doesn't need to happen anytime soon, okay?
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