Surviving Week 1

Wow.  I just went back and reread my last post and I must have been in some kind of daze when I wrote it. What was I even saying? That just goes to show you what a wild ride this week has been.
The first day was very exciting. We were all buzzing around waiting to get hard core, waiting to meet Bikram, waiting to get going with our yoga.
Day 2 and 3 were a blur. Day 2 was our first day of having double classes, one at 8:00 am and one at 5:00 pm. The hot room was HOT. Never have I ever experienced classes this hot before. Like I said, it was very humbling. I've always been pretty confident in my practice; a part of the upper tier of people in class. But here, I am just like everyone else: struggling.

Here we are after our first day of doubles.
Kat is very cute and I clearly can't look in the proper direction of the camera.

Thursday and Friday were much better. Thursday, Kat and I recited our dialogue for half moon pose for Bikram. We both got great feedback. He told me that he could tell that I was actually teaching and connecting with my students. Kat got "piece of cake!" and "wonderful". This was followed by a promise that Bikram would come and visit us when we teach. Thursday night we watched some old TV shows in which Bikram had been interviewed: The Merv Griffin Show, The Tonight Show, Celebrity Lifestyle, The New Age Connection, etc... Bikram was apparently huge in the 70's and 80's as yogi to the stars. I think I knew this, but had forgotten. He's trained thousdands of celecrities and professional athletes over the years including Shirley McLaine, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, Juliet Proust, Andy Griffith, John McEnroe, Dan Marino, Jennifer Aniston, Beyonce,  Richard Nixon, and countless others. You may be able to find some of these TV clips if you "google" them, and you should because they are hilarious. There's one interview in which Charlie Sheen discusses how he loves how much Bikram kicks his ass and doesn't give him special treatment because he's a celebrity.
I've had several classes with Bikram so far, and I can totally see how he has become so famous. He's charismatic, hilarious, and very good at reading people; kind of like a used car salesman yogi. You can also tell that he really cares about the yoga and the students. He's smart, too. He's blended Eastern culture yoga with Western culture style and attitude. That's why he is so successful. Well, that and the fact that the yoga works.

You might be wondering if I have drinketh of the Kool-Aid.
Not yet, but I might...

I am currently basking in the glory of my almost day off. By "almost day off" I mean that I had to take a yoga class this morning, but that was all. Class this morning was great. I am finally beginning to remember why I came and here and why I love yoga. My body is beginning to adjust!
We are officially free until Monday morning at 8:00. I am so grateful to have a little time. I spent the afternoon studying my dialogue. Going to sleep nice and early is definitely on the schedule. My body is worked and needs to rest to let the affects of all the yoga set in.
Tomorrow, I plan to get out and spend a little time with Bekah. Can't wait!

Studying by the pool: a staple activity at Teacher Training.
Check out this tiny little dialogue I purchased here. It's laminated and tiny!