Day 8 of Challenge (60/60), Class #9 & #10 – Double Time

As you can see below, I figured out how to post pictures. I am still working on posting them in different areas of the post. I thought it would be fun to show you my bag lady look for the double class day. The next picture is of the E3Live I take everyday and totally depend on. I have been taking a lot more than usual (usually 1-2 ounces a day, now I take about 4-5 oz.) The 3rd picture is of my 2 Smart Waters in the freezer – thank God for Smart Water. The 4th picture is my typical breakfast of egg whites, Ezekial bread with almond butter and grapes. YUMM! The last picture is of the Chart at the Yoga Studio where I get to put my stickers for the 60/60. Today I officially have 10 stickers!

My plan is to incorporate pictures throughout this blog but I am working on getting plugins to make that happen. My dear hubby assures me we can make it happen. Keep checking back for that.

Last night I ate a late night snack of salty and sweet (chocolate cake – small piece and Lays chips and sweet potato tortilla chips). I know it sounds bad but I figured I would torch it all today in the double.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, I do have a love affair with food. I am trying to make it a more balanced love affair.  I am just letting you all know I am no perfect eater for sure. I take it one day at a time.

This morning I awoke with excitement knowing today was the day I was planning to do another double to make up for days I would miss during the 60/60. I made sure last night to put 2 bottles of Smart Water in the freezer as you saw above in the picture. I put all my bags and yoga gear  in hallway so I couldn’t back out. The thought did occur to back out a couple of times.  Then I knew I had to suck it up and just attack it. I decided to take a shower right before leaving and not put lotion on. I also had a thought that maybe the shower and my hair being wet already would keep the loose hair from sticking to me during class and annoying the crap out of me. I have to say I really recommend taking a shower right before class. I felt so refreshed and ready to hit class hard.

I was so happy to see Natalie at the West End studio this morning. I got there about 11:40am for the 12pm class and found out she would be teaching both the 12pm and the 2pm. I was so happy since she is headed out for a couple weeks for a seminar in Palm Springs. I knew the double would be great. She always says great things during class that just motivate you and make you really feel good. I was excited to see all my Yoga friends. Lisa and Donna, I found out were both planning to do double too! Woo Hoo! Power in numbers, definitely energy in numbers. I was back in my regular spot with Lisa in the  front of the mirror but there was this young guy in between us. He was super focused and I found his energy to help me throughout the 12pm class. I ran into Pavida in the locker room this morning. She took the 10am and she was commenting about the blog post I wrote about how I thanked the Yoga Gods I didn’t do a double the day she taught. We were chatting about when that day would come… what a blog post that would be. People pray for me when that day happens.

There was a surprising number of new people in class today. 8 people were new in the 12pm and I think there were only 8 or 9 oldies in the class. It made for an interesting class that is for sure. The heat was just plain perfect today. It was hot and humid but not so ridiculous that you were praying for the class to end. At least that is what  I felt. I am sure the newbies would report back a different opinion on the heat. My left rearview in the 12pm class was Briah, the teacher, and I was so happy to have her energy and stillness next to me. When you practice near a teacher it makes you want to be better in class. Thank you Briah for being next to me today and also thank you for telling all the chatterboxes in class to “hush, hush – No talking in the Yoga Room, I am a teacher here!” I wanted to reach over with all my sweaty goodness just give you a pat on the back for saying that. Some people just are not into following rules. I feel like  it is really about self control and being present and considerate of others. This yoga has taught me  to have more self control. Garland once said in class, “you have no control of what happens to you, we do have control on how we respond or act” This quote has helped me more than I can say inside the yoga room, as well as, outside the yoga room.

The 12pm class flew by for me today. I am not sure why. I was making a big effort not to wipe as much and not to fidget as much. Unfortunately my shower tactic didn’t work and I did find a couple annoying hairs on me that made me itch but I took care of them as quick as I could and went back to stillness. At one point Natalie said “It’s good everyone is still ok and alive”. That made me laugh out loud. I did have to tell my mind to shut up a lot today. It seems to help to say that to myself. “Shut up mind”. It really works, I recommend you trying that if you are having a wandering mind in class one day.

During the 2 minutes savasana (meditation) which transitions the standing series to the floor series, Natalie told us the story of her first class. She said she swore she would never come back and that the new people might also be like her and then become a teacher in 3 years. I thought that was a great story to tell new people especially at that point in class.  At the end of the 12pm class all the newbies practically jumped up to flee the room. Natalie made them stay and leveraged the cold lavendar washcloth. I thought it was kind of funny. I am sure after they received the washcloth they were glad they stayed. There is nothing like getting that ice cold washcloth at the end of class. It is just heavenly and so appreciated.

In between the classes I put my sticker on the chart from yesterday at Stony Pt and one for the 12pm class. You can see the chart above. I quickly ate a banana and showered again and changed into fresh yoga clothes. I also brought in my new towel and fresh water.  Donna moved her mat between Lisa and me. There was one other Yogini on the other side of the room doing a double as well. It was great to have all that energy in the 2pm. I felt a little fatigued from the 12pm class, but really psyched to take the 2pm and get my second sticker for the day. Also I knew from doing the double last week, I would be more stretchy and bendy in the second class. I was really looking forward to that.

The 2pm was a smaller class and only 1 newbie. I felt strong the whole class except toward the end, I was really starting to get hungry. Natalie talked about accepting the body you bring into the room that day. Each day is different for whatever reason and not to get upset or have expectations, but just to let go and go with the body you have at that moment in time. I love this and I am really working toward that. One thing I notice when you take 2 classes in a row, you hear all sorts of new things in the dialogue that didn’t seem to be there before. Apparently the dialogue never changes. I guess it’s like a game of “telephone”. What you hear that day depends on what is going on inside you and how open you are to hearing something.

At this very moment there is the big Teacher Training going on right now out in CA. We have two representatives from our studio, Amy and Kim. These two amazing women are taking doubles EVERY day, 6 days a week for 9 weeks. I believe they just finished their 3rd week out there. Whenever, I get whiny about this challenge, I think of them. It makes me stop whining immediately.

I got through the 2pm class and felt great and just excited I did it again! Another smiley face sticker for me today. Now I was ready to eat a huge meal. I decided on Papa John’s Thin Crust Garden Veggie pizza tonight. (I know not the best choice but SO good!) I did have my Chia seeds! I am gonna sleep so well tonight. I hope you all do too!

Namaste Peeps!