Happy Birthday to Me

Woke up this morning and soon after the phone rang. It was my brother calling to wish me happy birthday. Yay. I was talking to him on the phone and mixing the packet for the colon cleanse with apple juice when I happened to look outside and noticed my car covered in balloons and a banner wishing me happy birthday! How sweet! Well, normally I drink the concoction immediately followed by 8 to 12 ounces of water. But because of the surprise outside and my brother on the phone I forgot. When I returned to the kitchen, about 15 min later, I saw that the drink had turned to a beige sludge. I can't drink something that thick. ugh. Luckily, they had sent a few extra packets so I poured it out and started again.

Got my hair cut, colored and highlighted, and it looks great. Then I was surprised with a little birthday celebration by my husband and some of my in-laws. Unfortunately, my husband did NOT tell them that I was on this strict 'sand-juice' diet. So there was a cake that I could not eat. Dinner at an Italian restaurant that I couldn't eat and champagne that I couldn't drink! He should have told them. Amazingly, I didn't really crave anything. Though I did inhale deeply. Tomato sauce, garlic, parmesan. mmmmm... Actually, I felt bad for them that they went to this trouble and I didn't consume. I drank water from the champagne glass. As Cindy said "are you nuts to do a fast on your birthday?!" Yes. I guess so. But there is never a good time. I couldn't do it while I was in Oregon and I can't do it when work starts Monday. I feel great but I am having some trouble concentrating.

Going in to get some work done tomorrow. Plan to go to Bikram. Maybe the 4pm class.

Early Morning Class

6am class with Afton.

Wow. I feel great. I didn't know how it would feel. Six a.m. class on the sixth day of a liquids only fast. I felt better in many respects but noticed that my muscles fatigued during the standing postures.

Half Moon. Towards the end, my arms fatigued and I had trouble keeping them up. First time.

Standing postures in general. Muscles just fatigued towards the end and a tendency towards dizziness. Found myself just saying hang on until the floor postures. That way, if you do faint, you'll be closer to the floor...

On the way to class, I was wondering how many people would be there. There were only five of us. Not good. Less people means more individual attention from the instructor. And as predicted..... Straighten your arms! Point your toes. Can you go back further? And the silent reply .... no.. no ... and no...

Well, I can safely say that the nazi party is alive and well. And they work at my Bikram yoga studio. In comparison, Eugene is also very strict but they push you to ensure that your form is correct while here, they also push you to go further in the posture. You have to know your body and decide whether to push further or not. Of course, our lead instructors compete in yoga so I appreciate their dedication and keep that in mind when they ask me to bend backwards more more more.

Uh-oh. Bikram burns a lot of calories. I'm very hungry now. Thank God I purchased all my supplies at once. Going to the grocery store now could be very dangerous.

I think I'll skip a day while on the fast. So I'll plan to go back on Saturday.

Bikram Yoga - Eugene Oregon

My first week in Oregon, I traveled with some very good friends. We flew into Portland, a very hip town, and visited the Columbia Gorge and visited some wineries then drove down the gorgeous Oregon coast. If you haven't been to Oregon... go! Well, in the summertime. I hear it gets pretty cold.

Unfortunately, by the time we got to the University of Oregon, where I'd be staying for the next four weeks, I had caught a cold.

By the middle of the second week I was feeling better so I bought this really cool pink beach cruiser to ride to Bikram class. There's a photo of it in front of the famous Hayward Field where some of the Olympic trials took place this summer.

What a wonderful place to ride a bike! Bike trails everywhere. The weather was so amazing. Bright sunshine, cool air, flowers of all different colors everywhere.Did you know that lavendar grows there? Try that in Florida. Then with less than a week of ownership, late on a Sunday night, the bike was S T O L E N. Less than a week and I had already grown so attached to that bike. Yes, I had a bike lock. But obviously, I didn't secure it properly. I know how, I lived in a university town for many years. But I was preoccupied thinking about a dinner at the director's house and what I was cooking that night. Squash southern-style, yum. Argh. I had been really good about my diet knowing that I'd be hitting the Bikram place soon. But after that, I just had to go to Bepe's with my new friends for a carb fest to drown my sorrows. Homemade fettucine to die for. I felt so low, I would have ordered dessert if I could have found the room. But I had stuffed myself on the pasta (and salad, and wine, and bread...)

I was informed that Eugene is one of top cities in the country for bike theft. So I began to reflect on the state of mind a person that goes around stealing bikes. You know that since it is part of their consciousness that they see other people differently. They see other people as plotting to do/take from them. They live in their own private hell while I got to see that there is goodness in the world when someone generously and graciously loaned me her bike. Which I double-locked during the day and took up to the dorm at night... thank you very much.

With the intense schedule at the summer institute, I wasn't able to go to Bikram as much as I had hoped. But I went and that was the main point. I just felt that it was very important to make the effort to keep the momentum going. Upon arriving, I was wondering how I was going to suffer and was surprised to find that I didn't. Could it be the lack of humidity in Eugene? Eugene has around 30% humidity while Florida has around, I don't know, 100%?! The dry vs wet heat was the difference between doing yoga in a sauna or a steam room. I didn't get enough sweat on my legs to wrap my legs around as much as I normally do for the eagle pose. So my toes didn't show.

Eugene is a very low-key place but they still care about the integrity of the yoga practice. So while there's no place like home, I enjoyed the difference.

I flew home on Saturday and got home very late at night. I decided that was a good time to start the nine-day colon cleanse. I ordered a colon cleanse kit from Blessed Herbs. Basically, I'm pouring a packet of clay/psyllium/ginger into a cup of organic apple juice 5x a day. I'm call it 'sand-juice'. Not to get graphic but if you click on the testimonials and look at the photos, well, that's what it looks like.

I started work on Monday. So travel-lag, time-lag, work-lag AND colon cleanse had me a bit preoccupied. However, the alarm is set and I plan to go to Bikram for an early morning SIX AM CLASS. Yes. Yes. Yes. I WILL DO IT. I AM BACK.

Gettting there

Well, I'm in Oregon. The trip with the friends part really left no time to get to a Bikram studio. We were up so late each night.

Now, I've got a frickin' cold and am too exhausted to walk the 1.5 miles to the studio. I'm coughing and hacking. Will wait one more day.

Back is Back

4pm with Afton.

Wow. I can bend! The rolfing session with Atarah went very well. I was a little sore and a little apprehensive (I don't you but you are in my house. I don't know you but I'm almost naked....) but it seems like she's good. Of course, I was wondering later if she was licensed.....

So, I just held my right foot during the standing forward bend. And I didn't do the situps. No sense aggravating the back. But everything was so much better. I'm still tender. But I realized at the end of the session that it's probably been three months because I now remember it hurting from walking. I guess I got used to the pain.

News says that first hurricane of the season has formed in the Atlantic...Bertha.

ROLF'D!

No Bikram

I got rolfed! She gave her name as Atarah but when I wrote the check it was to Nadine. During the session, which lasted two hours, I heard the question form in my head, "ask her what her given name is".

It took two whole hours because, as Atarah/Nadine explained, she has to work the areas so that when she gets to the point in question that I don't come screaming off the table. Also, when the muscles relax they need someplace to go, so she needs to soften/move the muscles that have been holding things in place (compensating).

She did what she did in the beginning "cranial" work. It was very "soft" i.e. another way of saying it didn't hurt.

I can't quite remember the name of the muscle all this two hours was working towards, the quadramus lumbar (?).

Anyways, afterwards I could bend and touch my hands flat on the floor and able to pick my right leg and hold the foot with both hands. Could not do that before. So this is most definitely an improvement. In just two hours!

Happy Birthday USA!

10am class with Britton.

YOGI TIPPING

Walked into the class and it was FULL. More people than spaces. Really. I had my towel and mat and water and stood just inside the door scanning the room. I couldn't see any spaces so I took a step to my left to see on the other side of the door when I my leg touched something cool, then an "oof" sound followed by a soft thud. Just on the other side of the door was a young man suspended, WAS suspended, in a rather complex yoga position. Oopsies, says I, I couldn't see you on the floor there with my mat, towels, etc. Sorry! :) Then, I realized that the only spot available was next to him. Too bad. It's usually a better view when you're directly behind. Not my type but I'm married and not looking for a liasion, just inspiration.

This very out of shape lady with wild hair was talking to the very fit yogi. I heard her say 'rolfing' and immediately said "rolfing?" to her and before I knew it all her attention had shifted to me. I mean, she was standing on my yoga mat! She said she did bodywork on a lot of the instructors. I wanted to verify that. I was polite, of course! But she was a bit overwhelming. I thought I'd like to try her but then I didn't want to give her my phone number. At first I thought that would be convenient, considering my schedule, to have her come to the house. Except when she asked for my address I hesitated. I didn't want her to know where I live. Maybe someone could blindfold her and drive her over? I don't know. It was just happening too fast. Then, as I was leaving, she was talking to Britton who said how amazing she was. Does Britton owe her money? Have a hidden gambling/drug problem mebbe? OMG, I'm so suspicious. Finally, I said "OKAY" and the appointment was set for 4:30 tomorrow IN MY HOUSE!