Week 6

Wow what a week, this week was full and the days felt endless. Still week 6 flew by at the same time.

Due to Bikram’s lectures the first couple of weeks we were here followed up by two weeks anatomy with Dr Tropani we are behind on schedule when it comes to Posture Clinics.
For us and the incredible staff coaching us through all of the clinics weeks 6 ment posture catch up week. It was nuts!
Yoga in the AM then 4 hours of posture clinic, where we sit on the carpet covered concrete floor while we take turns presenting/teaching our posture to two groups so 40 people and 4 visiting teachers.
Then again 5PM yoga class followed by 9PM till midnight, same room, same group, same concrete floor. We kept up with that pace the whole week and there were days were we’ve done two postures in a day. We did get a lot done.

Bikram and Rajashree were both here during the week, not the whole week but off and on. The location of this training is so much more convenient for them. It allows them to be here a lot and also be with their family and do all the other things they do. We’ve really seen a lot of them and that has been very nice. Bikram was not here to lecture but we were blessed with two killer classes again from both Bikram and Rajashree.

Rajashree’s Guru Dr Professor Das was here for two half days to lecture us. He grew up with Bikram and shares the same Guru, Bishnu Gosh. He was also the one introducing Rajahsree to Bikram. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this week.
Dr Das’ lecture was interesting (I think), we could have used some subtitles with this one……..

Because of the posture clinics I did spend a lot of time with my group. I love my group! It’s a very humbling experience to be put in a stressful situation like we were this week and really pull through as a group. We are a mature and calm group, there is no sense of competition and nothing but support and as one of the teachers called it “good juju”.
It’s not easy to go up and present and some of us are more challenged in memorizing the dialog than others. Knowing your whole group is literally behind you is awesome.

While time is passing we get more involved with each other’s life. It’s been nice to slowly get to know a little bit more about the people in my group. There is this beautiful girl for example that always walks in a little late at posture clinic. And she always looks like she just came running out of the shower. She asked me the other day if she could interview me. She is here on a job. Lauren is a freelance reporter and is recording a radio diary of the Bikram TT. Taking the training as a trainee and recording herself for an hour after each class. She also interviews a few people and follows their experience along the way. I had no idea.
Today Lauren and I sat in a sound proof room of the hotel and she interviewed me for over an hour. It was cool, she is a pro and very comfortable in her role. Her questions allowed me to look at ‘me’ at this training and forced me to put my experience into words. We started at my initial impression of things at the beginning of the training then moved on to where we are now. We covered, expectations, frustrations, and life outside the training.
We’ll catch up again at the end of training and then again three weeks after the training.
It was time well spend almost therapeutic. Lauren and I connected well she was able to make the interview very personal. We had to end it with a big hug.
Just an other day at Bikram Yoga TT…..
One of the other people Lauren is following is a fireman from New York I can't wait to hear his story.

Week 6 is over and yes I am homesick, sometimes I miss my boys so much it hurts my chest. If somebody would offer to finish this training for me so I could go home to my guys I would be really tempted. Three weeks to go and I am counting. But I am still in the moment and determined to finish strong.

The support from our core staff and visiting teachers makes all the difference. They are sitting in these dark twilight zone hotel rooms on the concrete floor till midnight right there with us. Supporting us, coaching us and showering us in positive constructive feedback. They are here to give and they are giving a lot.

Week 7 bring it on. Rajashree will lecture this week, she is amazing and doesn’t require any subtitles so I am very excited to hear what she will share with us.

And of course some more yoga we've done over 60 classes in a row now,
still love it maybe I love it even….more and more and more and more.


Bikramism:

“When you teach your class and the students tell you it’s too hot it in the room, make it hotter!
If they tell you it’s too hard, make it harder!
If they tell you your studio stinks, fart in their faces!”

Rajashree’s slip up during the third part of ‘Awkward Pose’:
“sqeeze your balls between your knees as hard as you can”