Bikram Posture Tips

Chances are, if you’ve been practicing this stuff for a while, you already know a lot of this.  Some of these tips work for most people, but not all folks will benefit from all the tips.  Follow are hints I have picked up from instructors after over eighty classes.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This stuff works for me.  This is not in Bikram’s Beginner Script.  I am not certified.  The experts are your teachers. Please inform me, via the comment box below, if there is anything in this guide that is either inaccurate or worse, dangerous.  I will modify immediately.  Again, I am not an expert.  This advice is based solely on opinion.

These tips, btw, aren’t repeated as part of the primary script used by instructors.  Before trying any of these tips, I adamantly recommend you listen to the instructor’s guidance first.  Your first goal should be to do exactly what your instructor is telling you.  If you aren’t listening carefully, then please stop reading this.

Hey!  I just realized that this is gonna take a while to write.  So come back every now and then to check for updates.  And please fell encouraged to add to this via the box below.  Your advice will be accredited to you once I add it.

Certain postures that are avoided, are avoided for a reason.  Think about your reason for avoiding the posture.  Ask yourself (or someone else) if it makes any sense.  It’s got absolutely nothing to do (i am pretty sure) with your physicality though.  My guess is that we avoid them because:

1. We think we look silly in them,
2. we have allowed our mind to defeat us,
3. we are afraid,
4. we have made a routine out of skipping,
5. we are worried that we might fall face down on our neighbors mat, whatever.

None of these are valid, justifiable reasons for not trying your best.  If any of these fears come into your mind, chase them out.  Tell yourself you look beautiful, don’t be afraid, don’t skip it, and fall down (no-one cares)!

There are twenty six postures, following are things that help me:

General

• Every single word the instructor says is purposeful.  Listen.
• Clasping all ten fingers is important.  In fact, anytime I am told to clasp or grab, I take it as an opportunity to shift my focus from the area that is burning to my hands.  For example, During camel, I dig my finger nails into my my ankle. In standing head to knee, i clasp my ten fingers so tight that it really hurts. It helps me return to breathing and focus.
• Squeeze every muscle from your bottom to your toes in the first several postures.  Many postures that follow rely on the strength you are building in the beginning postures.
• Suck in your tummy, it’ll make you stand taller and lift your chest.
• Sit directly under Bikram’s image in the southern studio at downtown location.  Look at him.  Gaze at him.  Have a secret conversation with him.  Pretend his is talking to you and coaching you.
• I haven’t done this yet, but reading about the history of these poses, who came up with then, why they are significant, etc. might be something to inspire and assist.

Standing Deep Breathing (Pranayama)

• There is an excellent reason to be on time for class.  This is it.  If you come late and miss this part, you’ll have to work extra hard for the next 87 minutes.  If you do come late, drop your stuff on the ground and start.  Don’t set up.  The instructor will probably call you out (in a non-embarrassing way) if you try to get settled during this initial exercise.
• Don’t be stupid (like me) and make this a strenuous effort.  The idea behind this, i think, is to relax your mind, get you focussed on breathing, and get a ton of fresh oxygen pumping through your system.
• Relax, breathe.
• This is a great opportunity to see stars.  Go for it.  Seeing stars early in class is a great way to begin.

Half Moon Pose (Ardha-Chandrasana) & Hands to Feet (Pada-Hasthasana)

• Again, this is not the time to kill yourself.  Relax as much as possible and listen carefully.
• You can go back super far.  I had a horrible, debilitating, incredibly nasty lower back injury.  When the instructor says “Don’t be afraid” you should trust them.  I was terribly afraid. I didn’t trust them. It took at least 50 classes for me to realize I shouldn’t be afraid.
• Make your legs solid.  Tighten everything below the waste.  Rock solid.
• On the forward bend, go slow, if you are worried (like me) about your back.  Tighten your stomach, go slow, and keep your spine straight on the way down.
• Another great opportunity for star gazing.  Go for it.

Awkward Pose (Utkatasana)

• This requires grit and determination.  Be determined.
• This also is the very first test of your concentration. Concentrate.
• If you listen to your instructor very very very carefully, you’ll rock this pose.
• If your legs are Elvis-shaking, make a mental note to have more electrolytes after class, and before class.
• You will have wildly succeeded in this posture IF you can maintain focus and balance while your nearby neighbors are falling over.  Go for it.  Be the most solid rock in your corner of the studio.  Imagine that nobody, not even William “The Refrigerator” Perry (the Chicago Bear), could knock you over.

Eagle Pose (Garurasana)

• A note to guy, this is a potential nut crusher.  Please read this.  If you are wearing you stuff loose (no spandex) there is a likelihood that you will crush your testicles.  To avoid this follow these simple steps: i. push your thighs together tight, ii.) arrange your junk (inconspicuously) in front of your thighs, iii.) when you go into the pose, do not “lift” your leg high over the other, rather, “slide” you thigh over the other.  This will keep the jewels out of harms way.
• If you’re a guy and enjoy the crushing sensation, disregard the previous bullet.
• If you do this posture well, you are gonna see star for sure.  Constrict everything and breath relaxed.  This posture feels great when you get it.

Standing Head to Knee (Dandayamana-Janushirasana)

• Now class gets more serious.  You need to focus deeper at this point.  Listen carefully to everything the instructor is saying!
• The most important tip I have is breath normal.  If you are struggling and gasping in this pose, the rest of the session is gonna be more difficult.  If you cannot go into the pose with balanced breath, go slower.  No need to rush.
• Another tip I learned from distance running: Run with a friend and talk.  If you are breathing too hard to carry on a conversation, slow down.  The more control you have over breathing, the longer you’ll be able to go.  Balanced breathing is an important factor for endurance.
• Edy emphasized this big time the other day.  ”Compress your abdomen!!!” He demonstrated the opposing force between the stretching forward of the leg balanced by stretching backward with the abdomen.  Pull your tummy back, stretch your leg out.  Push and pull!

Standing Bow Pose (Dandayamana-Dhanurasana)

• This posture requires even deeper focus.  Again, make sure your breathing is controled before you go into it.
• Once you grab your ankle, release the muscles in your holding arm, and begin a mini, preparatory kick with your held foot.
• You’ll hear that this is a “proud” posture.  What this means is that you really need to reach high, inhale deep, and straighten your body like an arrow.
• One Great Tip:  Ashley suggested that you count.  That’s right, focus on numbers and counting.  As you count, you forget about other stuff and you stay in the posture longer.  Count!!!
• I can’t do this posture right yet.  After 70+ classes, I am still wobbling bigtime.  Here is the point of this bullet.  Try harder every day, every session, don’t give up.  There was a moment when I got close to doing the posture right.
• If seeing your foot in the mirror distracts you, then look at the floor.  My concentration improves when I am not looking at myself during this posture.  It goes against the instructor’s suggestions.
• Instructors should note NOT to use names during this posture.  As soon as they call out my name and say “J! Kick back more!” I fall out.  That’s me.  I tune them out during this posture.  This is the only time I recommend, as a peer, to not listen to the instructor.  Make sure you hear all the instructions closely.  Make sure you understand them.  Listen for tips.  Don’t let them make you lose focus though.  Stay focussed. Or you will fall over and look completely silly and everyone will laugh at you and you will have to sit in the corner.
• Oh, this is a great pose for meditating on becoming rich.  I am pretty sure that’s why they say “Hold out your hand as if you were asking for money”.   Have fun with this.  Imagine that you will get a $100,000 if you do this pose perfectly.  All you have to do is not suck, and you’ll get paid.  Imagine that.

Balancing Stick (Tuladandasana)

• I stood this one out for at least 40 sessions.  The Bow Pose sapped me so entirely that I could barely stand at this point.  My first suggestion therefore is don’t be a wimp like me.  Go for it.
• When you take that giant step forward and lock both legs, slightly raise your back foot, one milli-inch off the ground. Commit your entire body weight to your locked standing leg.
• One instructor, who is super cool, suggests that you trace a line from the ceiling down through the mirror as you are going into the pose.  It’s very helpful to do this.

Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose (Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Paschimotthanasana)

• The best tip I got for this was be flamboyant when entering into the posture.  Be as flamboyant as an eagle.
• As a former distance runner, this posture tore up many muscles in the back of my legs.  While it didn’t hurt (too bad) it looked horrible.  After 15 classes, the backs of my legs were black and blue.  I was embarrassed.  Like many other poses, listen to your body.  If there is a muscle spasm where there shouldn’t be, ask the instructor after class.  If you are bruising, ask the instructor.  What you will probably hear is that they have “seen it many times before”.  This assurance will make you feel a lot better.
• The reason this posture was killing me was entirely due to the fact that I wasn’t listening to either the instructor or my body.  Once I started to listen, my forehead was on the ground.  The only thing that kept me from getting it was that I was trying to “muscle” through it.
• One last note.  The next posture is a very sweet killer.  If possible, go easy on yourself during this posture.  Start getting excited for the next one.  The only way to get through the next posture is be as excited as possible.  Otherwise, it’s gonna suck.

Triangle Pose (Trikanasana)

• Make this your favorite posture.  Be wickedly excited when you get to it.  Imagine a marching band behind you and 13 thousand spectators.
• BTW, i think this posture is banned in many countries. Not in India, Mexico, Canada or the United States.  You have to do it.  As they say, “it’s the pinnacle” of the standing series.  Like I suggested earlier, don’t NOT try.  You have to TRY.   After all, you can’t do this in Rome.
• Get as much weight into your bent leg as possible.  Imagine that your foot is stuck in concrete.
• Arch and twist your back to put more weight onto that concrete foot.
• Of all the postures, breathing is the most critical in this one.  But if you can get through it without breathing, that’s cool too.  It’s all “downhill” from here.  That’s what they say. Don’t trust this.  Pretend the statement is true.
• Once you can do this posture, while maintaining controlled breathing, your fortunes in life will grow exponentially.  You will become more tall.  Your car will be more blinging.  Everyone will wave to you as you pass.  Flower petals will be delicately laid across the ground you travel.

Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose (Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Janushirasana)

• This pose, you may think, is gonna be easy.  It is in fact a good pose to catch your breath from the previous pose.  But if you do it precisely according to your instructors guidance, you might find this to be deepest challenge of the standing series.
• At this point, your body is smokin’ hot.  Your heart is trying to break free and escape.  Your eyes are blood read.  You’re slippery.  You are a bit dazed and possibly confused.  If so, great.  That’s how you’ll know you’ve done good work, that you have tried hard.
• Considering your current state, try and do this pose exactly as advised.  It’s really very difficult.
• But if it helps, consider this to be a simple, breezy pose.

Tree Pose (Tadasana)

• Not sure about this one.  Still unsure if I oughtta put both hands in prayer when my foot’s slipping.
• Thrusting your hips forward helps.  This is something that works great in life too, outside the studio.  Thrust your hips people.  Flaunt it.  You got it.

Toe Stand (Padangustasana)

• Really?  A beginner’s pose?  No way.  But wait.  It’s possible.  During your first 60 days, you will do this posture once and thing, “Dang, I am so awesome!”
• Don’t sit on your heal.  Don’t look in the mirror.  Breathe deep.
• Once your fingertips can hover over the mat, next to your side, then take the next step and slowly lift one hand into prayer. Otherwise, just chill.

Dead Body Pose (Savasana)

• As soon as I am in position, I take a short, sharp inhale, then sloooowwwwly release through my nose.  I might do it twice.
• Eyes open does NOT mean focussed.  I cross my eyes, roll them back behind the lids, try to look through the ceiling into the sky, etc.  My eyes are always open.  They are just not looking at things.
• This should be known as the “deceiving pose”.  It’s so frickin’ simple, right?  Just lay back and chill, right?  Wrong.  They repeat over and over that it’s the MOST important posture.  The instructors make a really huge deal out of it.  Why?  Because is too dang simple.  By western standards the term “relax” often indicates an opportunity to drink (beer, soda, wine, whatever), flop down, feel the breeze, blow our nose, scratch our tortured behinds, fix our fancy costumes, etc.  This pose is the exact opposite, the extreme polar, of the western denotation of “relax”.

Bikram Style Sit Up

• Really be dramatic with your exhale.  Sometimes I make gun shot explosive noises on the blasted exhales.  It’s fun.  It lightens me up.

Wind-Removing Pose (Pavanamuktasana)

• The other day, Kathy reminding class that this is the easiest posture to fake.  BUT, she continued, it is also one of the most important postures to do right.  If you focus and really pull hard, you will receive incredible medical benefits.
• It took me about 45 sessions before I could grab my elbows.  I found it helpful to slide my forearms across my thighs until I was able to fold my arms in.  I did this while on my back.  Slide arms and gram elbow.
• “Eventually, your whole spine, from top to bottom, will rest on the floor.”  Until I get to this point, I will focus on either the top or bottom of the spine.  Trying to get the entire spine on the floor is too difficult for me.
• Compressing the abdomen allows for me to go deeper.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

• Huge insight or clarification.  I am not sure this is real!  We are told “Take a deep inhale, look up, and with 100% back strength look for the ceiling”  100 percent, really?  Here is the clarification.  Start with 100%.  Lift up with 100%.  When you can’t go more, use your arms, to raise yourself so that your belly button is touching.
• If the only part of your leg touching the ground is the top of your foot, it helps.

Locust Pose (Salabhasana)

• This one is definitely the easiest one to give up on.  Don’t.
• If you don’t feel tremendous pressure in your arms, if your fingertips aren’t shredding holes in your towel, you might need to adjust yourself.

Full Locust Pose (Poorna-Salabhasana)

• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here
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Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

• Use your legs.  Relax your arms.  Pretend your arms are just sticks and your fingers are hooks.  Kick.  The instructor says it all the time. Kick.

Fixed Firm Pose (Supta-Vajrasana)

• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here
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Half Tortoise Pose (Ardha-Kurmasana)

• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here
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Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

• In my opinion, this is the greatest posture in the history of the time and space continuum in the universe of yoga, forever, since the creation of the universe.
• I have found recently, that relaxing everything from lower back down, helps me go further.  When our beloved teachers recommend that we “push” forward, I push with my arms.

Rabbit Pose (Sasangasana)

• Kathy D. just schooled me on this trick last Saturday.  Btw, every Sat from 2-4 through Sept, Kathy D is gonna give posture clinics.  They are loads of good fun.  Anyhow, she suggested simultaneously pushing down your ankles while pulling.  As soon as I pushed my ankles (while pulling) I felt a wicked awesome feeling in the stretch.

Head to Knee Pose and Stretching Pose (Janushirasana and Paschimotthanasana)

• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here
• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here
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Spine-Twisting Pose (Ardha-Matsyendrasana)

• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here
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Blowing in Firm Pose (Kapalbhati in Vajrasana)

• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here
• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here
• blah blah blah bulletts goeth here

Obvious, (un)commom: Yoga Rules

I developed these simple guidelines during my Bikram challenge (60 sessions in 60 days). There are other guides. All of which are really very truly sincerely helpful. You’d be dopey not to read these guides.

For example: You will need to hydrate. You have to modify your consumption of caffeine and alcohol (cut it out!). Rest is important, you will need to sleep. Having a laundry machine that works is a great benefit. Vitamins, yep! Whole grains, absolutely! Massive volume of Electrolytes, hell yeah!

In fact, read as much as you can, often. Especially stuff posted by Nora Jeanne. She is a good writer. I think it’s partially due to her listening skills. Good listeners often make good writers.

I read them. They helped a lot. I also made a few of my own. Here they are:

1. Smile. This might be the goofiest of all. But something happens to your brain chemicals when you smile. Frowns make stuff hurt. Smiles make stuff sweet.
2. Think ROI. Oh there are sooo many meditations on this. If you think of money as obessessively as others, then this mediation requires little sweat. This practice is waaaay less expensive than hockey or duck hunting. You’re avoiding expenses related to butt implants. You’ll be able to re-use your sexy college clothes. And if you are really super dope … you’ll get a Tesla. “Momma, give me money.” Isn’t it obvious what Mr. B is teaching us?
3. Show up. Once you get there ask for help. Bikram and other Yogi-peoples are super duper sweet. They practice sweetness. Let them be sweet to you. All you have to do is show up. Like Ice Pick Edy said, you don’t have to be mega-disciplined to do this stuff. You just need to show up. Everyone is looking out for you once you show up.
4. Make a friend. Seeing people you know makes you happy. You cheer for them, they cheer for you. I met a totally sweet person that started the challenge the same day i did. She inspired me in a ton of ways. We’re not ever really friends; acquaintances at best. But she totally motivated me. If you are on a team, great. If not, make a few buddies.
5. Listen. After 20 days, I was bugging out with the repetition of the instructors. On the 23rd day, about to die, I heard something. Mardy said “Breathe Dammit!” (she didn’t say “dammit”, of course not). Our instructors repeat stuff 100s of times, expecting us to “listen” just once. On the 27th day, I did my best to listen, to every word, to every inflection, to every priceless piece of advice. Day 28 was excellent.
6. Mess with your mind! The most challenging part of Bikram is our big fat super smart good for nothing heads. Since it is out to get you, retaliate. Shut it off. Stop thinking. Whenever I am fighting with my mind, I think about gumdrops or pickles. I don’t like gumdrops or pickles, it’s how I punish my mind when it’s misbehaving.
7. Do it for Yourself. I love this one, totally. I got it from Lisa. For the first 30 days, I was doing Bikram for others. I wanted to prove something to Jonathan O. and H. I wanted to show them that I was awesomely excellent. I wanted to show someone special (who left me) that I was disciplined. I wanted to save my friends. I was NOT practicing Bikram for me though. Once I started thinking about myself – how I was benefiting – I began to experience new wondrous things. Give yourself a big huge hug during the “wind removing posture”.
8. Set micro-micro goals. This is a trick I got from ultra trail runs. Don’t think in terms of hours or days or weeks, even minutes. Think in terms of seconds. “I am gonna one more posture.” When you reach the goal, set another, do the next posture. When running 30 miles, I would always look for a tree in the distance. I’d tell myself “Just make it to that tree, then you can stop.” When I got to the tree, I would look for another and keep running. When you are struggling, concentrate on the moment, where you are right now. This is a pretty good way to live.
9. Plan to celebrate success. Celebrate by giving yourself something more challenging. I learned this from a Marine, a real tough dude. After my 27th straight arm pullup, he said. “Way to go! now you try for 30 pullups!” I wanted a t-shirt, but got something better.
10. Be Thankful. Just live that way. Thank everyone. Even the jerkwad that cuts you off on 5th street. The universe has it’s reasons. Thank your instructors. When you say “Namaste” (even if you have no idea what it means, like me!), say it as if you are thanking them for saving your life. Say it with feeling.
11. Stevie Wonder. This is the most important of all. Listen to Stevie Wonder. Buy all of his compilations and listen to Stevie before and after every session. Crank it up. Sing along. Move your spine and shoulders. Sing until you’re eyes fill with tears of joy.
12. Turn off your hot water or even more radical, shut off your plumbing. I actually did this for a few days. Without running water at home, I was forced to go to the studio. I had to shower. An additional value add: You can justify eating out for a few days considering that you can’t wash your dishes.
13. OMG. This was the MOST IMPORTANT ONE of all. But I can’t remember it.
14. Tweak your diet. No “sacred cows”. Really. Nora Jeanne helped me with this. I asked “What should I eat? My endurance is pitifully weak.” She asked me if I was a vegetarian and if yes, for what reason. I liked that she wanted to hear my motives for not eating meat. She suggested that I slowly introduce some meat into my diet. It worked. Plus, I have a new found love for Mr. P. Terry. Those doubles w/cheese are freeking excellent. I am ending this blog right now. I am gonna get my double w/cheese on.
15. In Case of Emergency. Have a bag ready to go. Call it your “no-excuse” bag. Think of it like that storied suitcase pregnant families would put next to the door in case of sudden contractions. One of the easiest reasons not to go somewhere is to think you are not prepared. I have missed class for this reason a few times. Now I have at least one set of towels, water, mat, etc in my car. I have no excuse.
16. Come Early. The oddest part of this practice is that we tend to stress too much about getting there. If possible – fully aware of life’s franticness – show up 20 minutes early, and chill out in the heated room before class. Prepare your mind to stop.
17. You look Awesome. Take it from me, i look like hell in class. Sometimes, I am purple, other times black and blue. I don’t care. More important, neither do you. I am not in class to get dates. I am not there to indulge my inner-narcissus. Bikram is about fading out of your hyper-judgemental dispositions. I like to imagine I am a gazelle or a bird or a leaf blowing in the wind. I go to Bikram to purify my imagination.
18. Dedicate. During the first moments of class, maybe even when you checkin, dedicate your practice to something. A person, an event, a thought, a word. Focus back to this dedication when you are struggling. Imagine your practice is critical to the existence of this dedication.
19. In case you didn’t catch this, the “dead body pose”, the savasana, is the most important of all to get right. Don’t waste a single second. Get into it fast. Go back to breathing controlled.

My Experience with Bikram Yoga

I am not an expert. I have never practiced Yoga. March 2, 2010 was my first experience. I do not know how to meditate. My ability to concentrate is poor. I have puny self discipline. In 39 days, I have completed 40 beginner sessions. I am not an expert, I am merely a beginner.

Why the disclaimer … to emphasize that this testimonial is my own personal experience. For example, if you and I were to sip from the same glass of wine, we’d taste the same thing. However, your sipping experience will be waaaaay different.

My personal experience with Bikram Yoga will be different than yours, but it’ll also be the same.

On March 1st, 2010, I was in many respects spiritually, emotionally, financially and physically unfit. On March 1st, I was midway through my 39th year of living; the downward velocity of life was remarkable. A close, trusted friend encouraged me to join him for a hot yoga session. I declined, opting to re-watch an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

On March 2, 2010, I accepted his offer.

A brief, personal, pre-Bikram physical account:  My ribs were hurting due to pressure from fat stored behind them.  I had reached the last hole on my leather belt.  I found it hard to discern where my chin ended and neck began.

At 33 yrs old I herniated my L3/L4 disc.  Several months later, apparently unsatisfied, I ruptured, tore, decimated, etc. the same disc.  My solution was a standard western medicine approach.  I got an steriod epidural.  I took pain pills.  I used a heating pad.  And I stretched every day, just a bit.  I continued along in life – with less physical activity – as if nothing really bad happened.

I was born with severe allergies (inflamed skin, red eyes, straw breaths, killer sinus, etc).  Living in LA in the early 70′s made it exponentially worse.  Moving to Detroit in the late 70′s didn’t help either.  By the time I reached Austin, my allergist exclaimed “Damn, you’re the worst I have seen!” A compliment for an early teen.

Prior the spine injury, I was undaunted by my ailments.  I became a superstar at indoor rock climbing gyms.  I ran marathons and ultra-marathons.  I did 20 fully extended pullups in DC to get a Marine t-shirt (had no idea they’d be calling me for a year afterward.)  Having asthma increased my lung capacity. I could hold my breath for 90+ seconds.  At 33 years old, I was in pretty dang good shape.

Then my previously mentioned disc exploded.  I gained at least 40 lbs between 2005-10. Doctors thought I was depressed, so they prescribed SNRIs and sleeping pills. [Unrelated: Hallucinogenic NYTimes Article]

Aside from health, I lost a few other important things. But this post is more about what I gained.

Without anything better to do, I went to Austin’s Downtown Bikram studio.  Following are a few, life enhancements that have materialized before reaching my 60th class in 60 days.

1. The belt that I wore in my 30′s became too big.  I am now wearing the belt I wore in my 20′s.  I think I lost 10 pounds yesterday.  My body was becoming more balanced.  My ribs don’t hurt anymore.  [An aside: When a dude's ribs begin to hurt, is Eve to blame?]
2. I can take deep breaths.  I can feel fresh oxygen entering my system.  Instead of my trained puff of albuterol, I relax and breathe.  Unless it gets really bad, then I take a puff off the inhaler.  I don’t want to croak yet.
3. My mindset is different.  Prior to Bikram, I perceived my ailments as a controlling force of my actions and decisions.  At this moment I am the manager.  I control my ailments.  I tell them whether it’s OK or not to flare.  Well, sort of.  The pollen season this year was pretty dang rough.
4. I can concentrate.  I can sleep. I can balance on one leg. I can go deeper with a smiling happy face.  I can lock the knees, I can lock the knees, lock the knees (even if the ligaments and muscles in my thigh and calf are getting shredded).  I am eating better foods.  My senses are heightened.
5. Newton’s 1st and 3rd laws are real.  Well of course.  Theoretically, these laws make a a lot of sense.  Yet, knowing the theory and actually seeing it demonstrated are entirely different.  In accordance to the 1st law … my body was at rest and was tending to stay at rest.  Then, my aforementioned friend (acting as a physical force) set my booty in motion.  With regard to the 3rd law: It’s plain to see that anything that really sucks has the potential to become super sweet. Lemon flowers are sweet; but the fruit is not.  My life was sinking toward a nadir, then rocketed with Bikram toward an unanticipated apex.

At first, I scoffed at the shiny, happy motivational stories about Nixon, Kareem, McEnroe and others.  ”Yeah, whatever!” I thought.  The scoffer was taken to school.  The skeptic is now a believer.  I have transformed.  I have personal evidence it works.

I don’t want to jinx myself and write more.  I don’t want to fall into the trap of confident complacency.  I want to go for 120 classes in 120 days.  My back still hurts.  I still have wicked allergies.  I still have a bit of a buddha in my belly.  I can’t yet get my freaking forehead on the ground (almost there!).  Can’t bite my toes on the penultimate pose. I fall out of postures.  I gasp for air.  I even started crying one day. Crying! But no-one could tell because my face was red, eyes already bloodshot.  And finally, I haven’t done my taxes yet.  So I really have to stop.  I have 4 days left.

And the best for last.  I know when I go to class today I will be taken care of.  The staff of BYDAustin bear witness to the sweet fruits of continued practice.  Mardy, Nora Jeanne, K(C)athy D(M), Karen, Donna, Jonathan, Ashley, Ice Pick Edy, Susan, Suzanne, Jeff, Tyler and all of my sweaty peers inspire me.  When I am feeling really super duper crappy, and I drag myself into the studio, hiding my eyes with my oversized hat, I feel welcomed.  Warmly welcomed.

Postscript:  Here are a few not so obvious guidelines I followed to get to 60 sessions in 60 days.  They are silly, like this post, but pretty dang serious too!