Bikram 101 Reboot: Awakening The Snake.
Alrighty, people!
This yogini is on a mission! Three years ago, I started the Bikram 101 Challenge. It was 2010, and I wanted to do 101 days straight of Bikram yoga.
I knew I was going to "fail" on the "straight" part. The reality was, with my busy schedule, I was going to have to double-up on certain days. So my mission was "101 days of yoga in 101 days."
And on that... I succeeded. In fact, I finished a few days early because I had to travel a bit right at the end.
My practice was AMAZING by the time I hit the mid-point. I could kick out in Standing Head to Knee pose AND get y head on my knee...
I fully straightened my leg ONCE in Standing Bow pose. But I could get almost there every other time....
My thighs were solid. I could FULLY wrap my legs on both sides and tuck my foot in Eagle pose....
I had a beautiful and strong practice. But since then, it has all fallen apart.
After the challenge, I took a break. And then I only got around to practice two to three times a week. Up until Teacher Training. And at Teacher Training, my practice just got worse.
At least, I think it did.
And I told myself, "When I am teaching, I'll get back into it. I'll have to, in order to be a good example for my students."
But life got in the way.
When I got back to Toronto, I was teaching in the early mornings or late evenings (and on weekends) two to six times a week. And at my corporate job, my boss had to take a leave of absence that ended up lasting almost seven months. So I had to run things while he was away.
I got no yoga done. If I was lucky, I got in twice a week to practice.
I thought moving to NYC would get me back into my practice. I should have known better. Even though the city had late night classes to accommodate my long work days (there are classes at 9:30pm some nights!), I had absolutely no energy to go to class at the end of the day. I would walk out of the Daily News Building and into a cab waiting for me downstairs.
I was pathetic.
So I am doing it all again. Inspired by some yogini friends who have done challenges this past year (in one case, someone is doing 365 days straight!), I am doing the Bikram 101 again.
Yay!
I even set up the blackboard wall in my home office to keep track...
It begins January 1st, when I get back from New Year's in Bermuda. And it goes until April 11th... Which is the day before my 36th birthday.
This is a significant birthday, as it is also the year of my Chinese horoscope symbol... The Snake.
And in teacher training, we learned about the Kundalini... the snake of energy and force that lives at the base of the chakras in the body. Through deep meditation, it is believed you can awaken this snake... And the energy rises up through the chakras to open a sense of enlightenment in the soul.
It is a beautiful thought.
So snakes... They're symbolic for me. And 2013 being the Year of the (Water) Snake means it's time to let some things go, heal the fiery anger that is still hanging around in me, and focus on making me happy throughout my core.
The Water Snake will cool the Fire Snake... That's the goal of this Bikram 101 Challenge.
Who else is in, this time?
This yogini is on a mission! Three years ago, I started the Bikram 101 Challenge. It was 2010, and I wanted to do 101 days straight of Bikram yoga.
I knew I was going to "fail" on the "straight" part. The reality was, with my busy schedule, I was going to have to double-up on certain days. So my mission was "101 days of yoga in 101 days."
And on that... I succeeded. In fact, I finished a few days early because I had to travel a bit right at the end.
My practice was AMAZING by the time I hit the mid-point. I could kick out in Standing Head to Knee pose AND get y head on my knee...
I fully straightened my leg ONCE in Standing Bow pose. But I could get almost there every other time....
My thighs were solid. I could FULLY wrap my legs on both sides and tuck my foot in Eagle pose....
I had a beautiful and strong practice. But since then, it has all fallen apart.
After the challenge, I took a break. And then I only got around to practice two to three times a week. Up until Teacher Training. And at Teacher Training, my practice just got worse.
At least, I think it did.
And I told myself, "When I am teaching, I'll get back into it. I'll have to, in order to be a good example for my students."
But life got in the way.
When I got back to Toronto, I was teaching in the early mornings or late evenings (and on weekends) two to six times a week. And at my corporate job, my boss had to take a leave of absence that ended up lasting almost seven months. So I had to run things while he was away.
I got no yoga done. If I was lucky, I got in twice a week to practice.
I thought moving to NYC would get me back into my practice. I should have known better. Even though the city had late night classes to accommodate my long work days (there are classes at 9:30pm some nights!), I had absolutely no energy to go to class at the end of the day. I would walk out of the Daily News Building and into a cab waiting for me downstairs.
I was pathetic.
So I am doing it all again. Inspired by some yogini friends who have done challenges this past year (in one case, someone is doing 365 days straight!), I am doing the Bikram 101 again.
Yay!
I even set up the blackboard wall in my home office to keep track...
It begins January 1st, when I get back from New Year's in Bermuda. And it goes until April 11th... Which is the day before my 36th birthday.
This is a significant birthday, as it is also the year of my Chinese horoscope symbol... The Snake.
And in teacher training, we learned about the Kundalini... the snake of energy and force that lives at the base of the chakras in the body. Through deep meditation, it is believed you can awaken this snake... And the energy rises up through the chakras to open a sense of enlightenment in the soul.
It is a beautiful thought.
So snakes... They're symbolic for me. And 2013 being the Year of the (Water) Snake means it's time to let some things go, heal the fiery anger that is still hanging around in me, and focus on making me happy throughout my core.
The Water Snake will cool the Fire Snake... That's the goal of this Bikram 101 Challenge.
Who else is in, this time?
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