30-Day Challenge: Bikram Yoga - Final Update!

Well, I did it!  I completed 30 classes in 30 27 days!  I have to say, it feels really good to reach the finish line of this challenge.  I am so proud of myself for sticking it out and completing what I set out to do.  And I may or may not have shed a tear as I laid down for my final savasana of the challenge.

It has also inspired me to do another challenge.  Not necessarily the physical sort, but something that I can tackle over 30 days that I might not otherwise do.  Stay tuned... I'm sure there will be another challenge in the near future.

Rounding out my challenge updates, I began to notice another cyst forming in my bad knee over the past week or so.  Discouraging, of course, but I still managed to do every yoga class since it started to form. And I am hopeful that it won't lead to a stiff and swollen knee by bursting yet again.  I have been careful not to overdo it.  I have also noticed increased flexibility (though still laughable by most standards), better form and depth in all of the postures, and slightly better balance.  I hope to continue with Bikram 3-4 mornings per week, and perhaps return to Dailey Method on the weekends since it is much nearer to home.

It occurred to me yesterday that three of the past 27 days included: 9 hours at work, 1 hour commuting and 3 hours of yoga!  Phew!

Here are the final 5 postures in the series.

 22.  Ustrasana  (Camel Posture)

This posture is by far the hardest for me.  I can do it outside of the heated room, but as soon as I try it in 105-degree heat, I get nauseous and dizzy.  Even thirty days in!  It is the biggest back bend of the series. The teachers often say the whole class is a warm-up for this pose and the Rabbit pose.  That is one LONG warm-up!  This posture, is however, very beneficial for the body.  It creates maximum compression of the spine, which stimulates the nervous system.  It improves flexibility of the neck and spine, relieves back ache and helps degenerative spinal problems.  By stretching the abdominal organs, it helps digestion and also stretches the throat, thyroid and parathyroid glands.

23.  Sasangasana  (Rabbit Posture)

The biggest back bend is followed by the biggest forward bend.  Maximum extension of the spine increases mobility and elasticity and does the same for the back muscles.  It expedites the feeding of the nervous system with fresh blood and oxygen.  This pose relieves tension in the neck, back and shoulders, and helps alleviate colds, sinus problems and chronic tonsillitis.  Compression of the thyroid and parathyroid glands rejuvenates these glands.  Rabbit is also therapeutic for insomnia, diabetes and depression.

24.  Janushirasana and Paschimotthanasana  (Head to knee pose and stretching pose)

This pose is excellent for the immune and lymphatic systems, increases circulation to the liver, pancreas, thyroid, thymus and intestines.  It improves digestion and is good for allergies and arthritis.

25.  Ardha-Matsyendrasana  (Spine Twisting Posture)

This is the only posture that twists the spine from top to bottom which increases circulation to all the spinal nerves, veins and tissues, and improves elasticity of the spine.  It helps to relieve lower back pain and prevents slipped discs, rheumatism of the spine, scoliosis and arthritis.

26.  Kapalbhati in Vajrasana  (Blowing in Firm Pose)

This pose improves digestion and circulation and increases elasticity of the lungs with every forceful exhale.  You generate prana and push out every ounce of carbon dioxide, replacing it with life-giving oxygen.  It also helps to increase abdominal organs and increases circulation to them.  Bonus: it also stimulates the digestive system!

Keeping myself honest, here are all of my check-ins from my 30 classes!  Feels so good to look through all of these and know that I accomplished my goal!

Happy Friday!!  I am looking forward to my first day off in 27 days!  Sleeping in, here I come!

I Need a 30-Day Challenge in My Life

I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I need to challenge myself to push through the not-so-good times.  For some reason, I just haven't been myself lately.  I honestly told Chris last night that the only way I can describe it is that I feel like an alien has taken over my mind and body.  Sounds silly, but I honestly have struggled to get back to feeling like myself.  I know that there is one thing that is likely to help above all others, but when I am not feeling so great, I struggle to make it a routine in my week.

What is it, you ask?  Exercise.  

Since I am limited (still) on what I can do, physically, I am turning back to Bikram yoga for this challenge. Starting Sunday (because we have friends in town this weekend), 30 Bikram yoga classes in 30 days.  It might seem extreme, but it is very doable and I feel like I need a reason to get up and go every day.  And a challenge to tell myself that I can commit and follow through.  You see, I often give up on things when I lose motivation, and that is a difficult habit to break.  So, I am telling you this so that you can help keep me accountable!  I will post an update on my progress twice a week, and be honest about if I have missed any days (though that is allowed, if I double up and do two classes another day - eek!).  

So here we go.  Sunday March 9th through Monday April 7th. Complete 30 classes.

Wish me luck!

Seeking Mindfulness

Most people, upon hearing that I am about to turn thirty, jump to the same question: when are you going to have kids?  It's a perfectly logical question, I suppose, but truth be told it is one I often struggle with.  Hear me out.

You may call me a daydreamer, but I often fantasize about traveling to remote places of the world and helping those in need.  Or living somewhere very culturally different to the West for a year or two.  And let's not forget about my ongoing need to realize my true passions in life and fulfill my own potential.  

Why can't you do those things at the same time as starting a family, you ask?  (It's okay, I ask myself this question, too.)  The truth is, I am not sure how to balance these priorities in my life.  And they really are all priorities.  I may not need to move halfway around the world, but I do need to feel like I am making a difference.  Like I am not falling into the life that is expected of me, but instead, that I am creating the life that I want to lead.  How do I balance finding inner peace-of-mind, gratitude and life balance, while surrounded by faster, better, more, more, more, here in the west?  And if we do start a family, how do I impart these important things on a little one?

We read so many books, watch so many documentaries, and can recount all kinds of a-friend-of-a-friend stories about people who move to India and return a changed person.  A more centered, grateful and happy person. Which I suppose is part of the appeal.  But how then do we manage to make these necessary changes without an intercontinental move?  I think immersion in this case, as in so many others, is very important and helpful in achieving your goals of inner piece and mindfulness. 

And therein lies my struggle to find this without disrupting my life, along with many other goals that I have.  I dream of using my creativity to impact the lives of others, and often brainstorm ways to combine my two passions, both in a way that is true to who I am, yet unique to me and only me.

My solution will be a work in progress and will likely (hopefully!) evolve over time, but I have a few action items that I plan on taking to get me started.

The first priority must be focusing a bit more time and effort into meditation.  It may not be meditation in a small tribe of Monks, but rather an old stone building in downtown Denver, however the concept remains the same.  Clear away the clutter and achieve the ability to calm my own mind.  I think this small step is the most important, as it is so much easier to tackle difficult challenges when you can control the thoughts and noise of your own mind.  So for me, that means attending regular meditation sessions until I am able to achieve successful meditation at home, or anywhere, on my own.

Priority number two is one that I have already made some progress on, at least in terms of research.  I may not know how to combine my own caged creativity with giving back to the community just yet, but that doesn't mean I can't start giving back a bit more.  After a lot of research over the past few months, I have found a nonprofit organization that feels like a good fit for me to start volunteering my time with.  It requires a minimum of 2 days a month, which should be very easy to begin incorporating into my schedule of work and play.  Hopefully it will grow from there.

And my final priority to get me started down this path, is making my friendships a more vital part of my life. Having moved around the country a fair bit over the last ten years has meant that my friendships are also scattered around the country.  I plan on nurturing those existing friendships a bit more, and focusing on creating a more stable network of friends locally in an effort to feel more settled and happy here in Colorado.

I hope to continue adding to this list, as I progress through this journey, and I'm sure I will learn a lot along the way.  One thing that I find extremely important when it comes to all of these things, is believing that I am enough.  I heard this quote from a motivational speaker recently, and realized that I fall victim to this more often than I realize.  So just a little reminder to myself every day, that I am enough.  Simple, yet powerful.

Do you think it's possible to master the art of mindfulness while living in the chaotic West?  I do, too.  With a little patience and a lot of effort.  Who's with me?  :)

Meditation Download

Success!  We went to the meditation course last night and I got exactly the result I was hoping for!  

During our first foray into meditation, our instructor told us one of life's lessons: "expectations reduce the joy in life."  So with that sentiment, I went into it with an open mind, knowing that whatever happened, I just wanted to feel better afterwards.  And I am happy to report that I did!  I still do!

This particular course is only $5 and starts with a 20-25 minute "lesson" on meditation, followed by a 30 minute guided meditation.  Last night's talk focused on how well-known Colorado is for being one of the healthiest states.  Physically.  But that we don't always do the necessary "exercises" for our mind.  Insert meditation.  We focused on the importance of being able to control our minds when toxic or negative thoughts threaten to take over.  Sounds so simple, but in all honesty, I think we allow these types of take-overs more often than we may realize.

Our instructor gave a very simple example, and again, it sounds so obvious.  Yet, I have found myself in this situation more than I care to admit.  Say your car breaks down on the side of the road.  You have a problem.  If you allow this inconvenience to take over your mind, you now have two problems.  And the one you added to the mix does nothing to help you.  

These are welcome challenges for me.  As I have mentioned before, Chris is so much better at this than I am. The first time we traveled together, I remember getting in late to our destination after missing our first flight. Chris called the rental car company from the terminal to figure out how to get to the rental pick-up.  He was so polite and nice to the person on the other end, thanking them for their help before hanging up.  I looked to him for direction, asking which way we needed to go.  His response?  "They're closed. We can't get a car." You never would have been able to guess that this was the answer he was given on the phone, because he was still so positive and happy.  

This continues to be a lesson for me, one that I call on quite often.  It is easy to let things bring us down, but how much better will we feel if we roll with the punches and laugh our way through it?  I have some really good friends who are pros at this.  My hope is that I can continue to learn from their example.

I left last night's class feeling more calm than I had in recent memory.  Peaceful, really.  It was a welcome surprise for me, and I hope I can continue to make this a priority in my life.

Well, another thing checked off my Summer Bucket List!  Feeling energized and motivated to continue my journey of self-growth.

Buddhist Meditation

One thing that has been on my to-do list for a while is to attend a Buddhist temple and try a meditation session.  Although I have done a similar form of meditation in the past, I have been hesitant (nervous?) to go on my own. So in an attempt to actually make it happen, I added this to my 2013 Summer Bucket List.  And the form that is at the top of my list is Loving Kindness Mediation.

{ from our visit to Hong Kong last year }

I think many people turn to religion in hard times, allowing their faith to pull them through.  I have never been a very religious person, though that does not mean I do not have my own beliefs.  I find that Buddhism calls to me in a way that traditional religion does not.  To me, Buddhism is more a way of life.  A life practicing wisdom, compassion and awareness.  I appreciate the ability to see the good in any situation, and although I do feel like I an fairly good at this, I want to challenge myself to follow this path even in hard times.

I also appreciate that with Buddhism, it is not about convincing others to follow the same principles, but is more about leading by example.  Those who choose to follow certainly can, but it is never pressed upon anyone that they should believe what you believe, when it comes to Buddhism.  

In my endless attempt to continue to grow and evolve, I hope that this is an area that I can make some real progress.  It is so easy to allow the negative things that surround us to take over, and I hope that in times of struggle, this meditation can be my solace.

The result of my desire for growth?  I am going to the temple tonight!  I am very much looking forward to it, and am happily dragging Chris along with me.  Hey, haven't you ever heard of safety in numbers?!  Luckily, Chris is just as interested in all of this as I am.

Have you tried meditation?  Do you feel like it had a positive impact on you?

Wish me luck!