Sunday, August 24, 2008

66/68 Back to Normal

2pm with Miranda

These weekend classes present a challenge all their own.  Today, I had nothing but water before class.  So while stamina wasn't an issue at all yesterday, today it was something of a problem.  

The room was hot.  I started sweating even before I got my mat rolled out.   And it felt really humid.  I took a new spot, mostly because my usual spot was already taken.  But it had good circulation (I prefer a convection oven.), and it was just fine.

I put some extra effort into pranayama today.  I think its a bit too easy to slack off in this exercise, so I really concentrated today on honing in on all the dialogue hints as they came up.  I think the humidity, combined with the extra effort here really took away some of my limited energy.  By the second half of Awkward Pose, I was already struggling for air.  I tried concentrating on my breathing, but it didn't get better for awhile. 

So I was sucking air for much of the standing series.  On the plus side, my hip felt a bit better today.  I did the first forward bend with good form, just to the point of feeling the stretch in my hip.  And I did the same in the other forward bends.  For the most part, I felt like I was back in about the same form as I was before the five day break.  So all that was good.

Then I got a bit overwhelmed in Triangle, and had to sit out a set.  That doesn't happen much these days.  The main cause here was how hard it felt in my left butt when trying to bend the leg.  Between that, and the humidity, I just felt like I couldn't hold it and gave up.  It's funny, if it were Zeb's class or Libby's, I probably would have stuck with it anyway.  Well, maybe.

By the floor series, for some reason, things had cooled down quite a bit.  And the floor was like any regular class over the last couple of weeks, with one exception:  In Camel, first set, I got the overwhelming rush that I have heard about from others but never really felt before.  I don't know what happened, but I just got this incredible dizzying feeling coming to my head and felt a bit disoriented.  I had to come out of the pose early.  My breathing was normal, but I felt so weird.  Second set, and it was gone.  At least now I know firsthand what they are talking about when they say that Camel can do strange things to your head.  If it happens again, I think I will probably be able to stick with it.  I came out today, I think, as much from the surprise as from the feeling itself.

Other floor poses were good, especially back strengthening and Fixed Firm.  I felt like I was working harder in Full Locust and Bow.  And I got back on my elbows again in Fixed Firm.  

The near breakthrough, however, came in Final Savasana.  Recently, I've had little patience for this.  I think that may be a result of just having spent so much time in the room.  Today, Final Savasana was actually relaxing and a pure pleasure.  I think I may have a harder time meditating than most people.  My mind tends to race, and making it sit still is a trick I still haven't learned very well.  But today, I felt some stillness at the end while lying still.  For the most part, I find more meditation in focusing on what I'm doing in the poses themselves.  But I think there is a huge difference in the effect of that sort of concentrated focus, and in just trying to be still while lying there.  For some reason, today I got a taste of that sort of meditation, and it encourages me to put more time into Final Savasana later.

On the hip healing front:  during the afternoon, it felt a bit sore, but it has gotten better again as the day has gone on.  So, no signs so far that I have re-aggravated anything.  Bill Johns told me that the best advice that he has gotten about Bikram is:  "Be kind to yourself."  Maybe treating this hip/butt/nerve problem will give me some lessons and experience in being kind to myself.

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