"Taking" Back The Studio.

I apologize to all my fellow practitioners in tonight's 6pm Bikram class at the Bloor Street studio. Tonight, I was a "taker." Not a "giver."

As our teacher pointed out in tonight's class, when you come to practice your yoga, "It isn't just about your energy." You utilize the energy from others (taking) and you then push that energy back out (giving) and help create a positive practice for everyone.

How exactly do you do the "giving?" Well...

• You don't fidget.
• You don't play with your yoga costume.
• You don't fix your hair when it comes loose.
• You don't sip water at inappropriate times.
• You don't give up on postures.

I did all of the above... I was purely a "taker" tonight. I sucked up all the energy. I had a pretty good practice. I mean, for someone who hasn't been to the studio in over two weeks and was practicing with regenerating pinky tendon.

I fell out of Standing-Head-to-Knee repeatedly. I gave up in Standing Bow pose and got called out by the teacher for it. ("When you fall backwards, it means you are giving up. If you fall out, you should fall forward.") My shorts kept riding up, and I felt the need to constantly fix them. I made the mistake of putting on lotion before work today, and that made for a really fidgety and slippery Bikram practice. I held off on taking water after Eagle pose, only to charge for my bottle after Balancing Stick.

Also, with the fidgeting... In a few poses I found myself getting a headache. Half Tortoise, Rabbit... Don't know what that was about, but it bothered me.

So, sorry y'all. Sorry for being a "taker." In my next class, on Thursday, I will do my best to balance the "giving" and the "taking."