Not only did I survive my first day of Bikram yoga, but I returned just 24 hours later for more of the same.
This morning found me in the same room, in virtually the same spot as I was just a day earlier for my inaugural yoga class. Today, I felt perhaps a teeny bit more comfortable, and I was ready to enter the ‘torture room’ once again.
One thing that immediately struck me as I finished up with my first yoga class yesterday was just how little I truly cared about getting up so early to attend. Normally, I would balk at rising before the sun to attend any sort of organized exercise class, but this just felt…..different. It felt relaxing and challenging at the same time.
I never thought that was possible.
For those who might not know, I had previously participated in CrossFit before bowing out gracefully a few months back, and with a return to running, I honestly didn’t see CrossFit fitting into my life anymore. I missed running, and all those endorphins. In the end, I identified more with running and less with CrossFit.
To each their own, right?
I had heard about Bikram yoga from a friend who raved about it. She claimed it literally transformed her life.
Well, shit. How could I NOT attend at least one class to see what all the hullabaloo was about?
After yesterday’s successful debut, I decided pretty early on yesterday afternoon that I was going to get up and do it all over again today. I am so glad I did.
Today was a bit harder and a bit easier all at the same time. Some of the poses that I struggled with yesterday seemed just a tiny bit easier to find today. While I am far from gracefully completing the Eagle pose, at least I figured out exactly how to interlock my appendages while my body carefully found its sweet spot. After each of my two classes, I feel refreshed, energized, and the flush from the workout doesn’t leave my face for hours.
As we women can attest, we are always our own worst critic, right? In Bikram, you are in a brightly-lit studio with no lack of mirrors to view your own reflection. I’ve never actually participated in anything that truly made me take a good look at myself as much as I have in the past two days. It’s humbling. It’s real. It’s me.
In some respects, I love what I see as my reflection greets me. In other respects, I see just how much work I have to do. After only two days, I can see how accountable yoga will be for me. I will face my own reflection day after day, and only I can see changes that may inevitably occur.
I find the heat therapeutic, cleansing, but most of all I get a sense of intimacy. The heat cannot be ignored. The heat is there to help you push through and gain a new sense of what your body can actually accomplish. I am more flexible in the past two days than I probably have been my entire life. I like that.
So, with two days under my belt, I have made a commitment to myself to attend daily as many days in a row that I am able. I have my schedule made out for at least the next eight days. At the end of those eight days, I will see where I stand and how I feel.
We shall see.
