July 5th--Day Six

I’m ready to go today. I don’t even care about sleeping in. I’ve agreed to spend a few hours in the office after my practice today and I just want to get to the 8 AM class (the only class today), grab a quick shower and get over there. I recognize three other girls from yesterday’s class, which makes me wonder if they are among the six other people who have agreed to do this 30-day challenge. I am amazed to find that in my standing head to knee posture, I actually kick my leg out and hold it there. To some that may seem like no big deal, but when I first started this yoga last year, I not only couldn’t kick my foot out, I couldn’t even grab my foot with my leg bent let alone balance on one leg for 60 seconds. Today, I am balancing on my left leg, focusing on that left knee, locking into one solid piece, like a lamppost, like I had no knee and from somewhere across the room I hear Anita’s voice “go ahead and kick out Judy.” And there I am, in a place my body has never been before. So it’s a huge big deal to me. It feels so tremendous that I have to giggle after I come out of the posture. Interestingly, I find I cannot possibly do the same on the other side, which makes me giggle even more. Our bodies are so amazing. We are not like anyone else and not even like ourselves from left to right. We are complicated and constantly changing. It has been something that has intrigued me from early on and one of the things that drew me to chiropractic. I am flying high and grateful that I have agreed to this undertaking.

At the end of practice Anita introduces me, Joy, Heather, and Wendy (the three gals I noticed) as four of the people doing the 30-day challenge. I feel like a celebrity. We are ordinary people doing something extraordinary.

Later, at the office, I’m apologizing to the gentleman I work with for not getting there a little earlier. I explain about the 30-day challenge and how the 8 o’clock class was the only one and I didn’t want to double up and he says, “Don’t worry about it. Whatever you’re doing, it's definitely working for you.” He can’t put his finger on it, but I definitely look different. So it’s not just in my head. Well, it’s definitely in my head but it's not just in my head. I am lovin’ the challenge and I wonder how I’ll go back to not taking class everyday.

July 4th--Day Five

Hmmmm…in the past, I may have thought a holiday a good time to sleep in, but not today. Generally, Scorpion Athletics offers several yoga classes through the day for members’ convenience, but today, tomorrow, and Sunday there is only one each day because of the holiday so I have no choice. (I suppose I still have choices: I can skip a day and then double up and do 2 classes in one day which I’m trying not to do or I can give up, which is not really in my nature.) I am delighted to learn that Leah is teaching the class. She is the amazing woman who brought Bikram yoga to Philadelphia (I suppose to the entire state of Pennsylvania) many years ago. Since then, the Philadelphia Bikram studio downtown has changed hands a couple of times but after a bit of a “sabbatical” she is back teaching classes and I am always happy to be in her class. She appears to me to be obviously serious about the yoga, but not too terribly serious about herself or anyone else or anything else which is so refreshing. She is easy to be with and always makes me smile.

I am also pleased to learn that Anita will be taking the class with us. I hope to watch her and see if I can’t improve my postures. However, as it turns out, the class is packed and afterwards I am struck with thought that even with a full house I don’t see anyone else during the practice but myself. It also occurs to me that not only did I not sleep in today, but I won’t be sleeping in tomorrow or any other day for the next 25 days and I am OK with that.

July 3rd--Day Four

Well, for the record, I would certainly not have gone to yoga today had I not been doing this challenge. I am a chiropractor in a rather busy office and because we will be closed tomorrow for the 4th, we were exceptionally busy today. I love my work but it is physical and more than that it is often emotional. Many of the people who come to our office use chiropractic as a means of staying well as opposed to treating some musculo-skeletal condition. These folks don’t just come and go with their aches and pains. They come regularly and lots of them have been doing so for years. Consequently, we have developed relationships and so on their visits they share the good and the bad that is occurring in their journeys through life. I love this part of my work as well, but it can be a heavy burden on a day like today when I see 146 people in one day.

I get home a little later than I normally would because of the crazy day, kiss my husband hello, change my clothes, get my water and my mat, kiss my husband goodbye, and get on my way. As Nike has so skillfully coined the phrase—“I just do it.” As my practice begins Anita tells us, “Just breathe and begin to focus on yourself as we start our 90 meditation.” It’s as if the words themselves gently shut the door on my day and I’m off to another world where everything is OK. There are no judgements and no expectations, just the present moment. Somewhere in the middle of my standing bow I realize I am more focused than I may have ever been in my life. I experience the posture like I never have before and even then wonder am I further down? Is my leg further up? Are my abs tighter? What is it? I don’t know and I don’t really care. It feels good. Now, I am struck with the realization that there may be no better way of letting go after a busy day whether you’re doing a 30-day challenge or not.

July 2nd--Day Three

Already I notice something is different about me. I have only done three days in a row once before and that happened to be my first, second and third classes ever, so I have nothing to compare my experience with. My husband’s recovery continues to my great relief and I wonder am I just enjoying the departure of the stress that situation has brought into my life or is this yoga challenge making a difference already. I look at myself in the mirror and I don’t know what it is. I can’t see it. I’m not even sure I can feel it. I just know I am changed. I am at peace.

July 1st--Day Two

I am not brand new to Bikram yoga, but I am no seasoned veteran either. I was first introduced to this yoga in May of 2007 during a visit to my brother who lives in Minneapolis and has not only practiced regularly now for years but also recently completed the Instructor’s Training in Mexico (a grueling and extraordinary accomplishment in anyone’s estimation). He blogged his experience the entire time he was there (yogashorts.blogspot.com) and it was incredible to journey along with him—me in the suburbs of Philadelphia and him all those mile away in Mexico. Anita, (Scorpio’s partner), knew of this and actually suggested that I start my own blog of my 30-day challenge on my Day Eleven. Consequently, these first entries have been written at a later date to the best of my recollection. They are things that one does not quickly forget, may never forget.

While I first learned of Bikram yoga over a year ago, finding a studio once I got back to Pennsylvania was somewhat challenging. The Bikram site lists only three studios in the state: Philadelphia, Lancaster and Berwyn. I started practicing in Berwyn, but its distance from my home kept me from being regular. However, it was how I heard of Spa Elysium in Chestnut Hill, which was conveniently only about 15 min from my home. Unfortunately, as I became regular with my practice, the studio closed. The opening of Scorpion Athletics (also only 15 min from my home) brought me much joy six months ago. If anyone questions the quality of the yoga there because it is not listed on Bikram’s website, they can rest easy. The hardest core Bikram practitioner will not be disappointed at Scorpion Athletics. It is the classic, 110-degree-torture-chamber, Bikram yoga you have come to know and love. Suffice it to say though that my yoga experience is somewhat limited. I am strong, but not particularly flexible. I am not young, but not yet old either (45 to be exact). I have no particular expectations for my next 30 days but think I will enjoy a great sense of accomplishment if I even manage to make it to the studio every day for 30 days straight. I am pleased that my challenge started on June 30th because it happens also to be my brother’s birthday and I see it as a sign of the good that will come of my willingness to commit to this.

June 30th-- Day One

I’d first considered doing the 30 day challenge earlier in June--prior to our studio being struck by lightening. At the time I was concerned that I was going to be out of town right in the middle of the challenge, for the July Fourth holiday, and I didn’t know if I could double up the classes to make up for the time I would miss. Fortunately for me, the date was changed; unfortunately for me, it was changed to the weekend that my husband was released from the hospital following a completely unexpected and very upsetting episode of congestive heart failure. I remember that first day: I was due to sign up for my next package and I told Joanne (the sweet and beautiful woman who welcomes us at Scorpion Athletics in Elkins Park, PA) that I wanted to do the challenge but that I was experiencing some personal challenges at the time and was uncertain about whether this was a good time to do it or not. She said, “Well, whatever you think is best for you right now?” She may not have meant to emphasize the “you” part of it, but that’s how I heard it. Scorpio (partner and co-owner of Scorpion Athletics) was sitting right there and as I looked over at him I thought to myself it might not be the best time but it’s the only time I have; all I have is right now, because none of us are promised tomorrow. “Given everything I’ve been through in the last week or so, thinking I was going to lose the dearest person in my life, I’m thinking it might be the perfect time.” He just smile and nodded—never said a word. And so I started.