Oy Vey Namaste: Low, Slow, Flow

During class our teachers explain that our breathe should be low, slow, and flow. I have made this phrase to be my mantra for how I survive teacher training. Teacher friends of mine had told me before coming to training to try to stay off the radar and to just blend in. I have found this to be great advice, especially during Bikram's classes. I call this my lay low strategy. I do everything possible not to get noticed by Boss, as everyone calls Bikram. Some people flock close to the podium to get noticed, I go as far away from that thing as possible. You may be wondering why I came so far to be taught directly from the source but then I run away from him. If you really want to know why, just ask and I shall tell. Just not on the worldwide web.

Slow - second part of my mantra. I take everything here, especially in class, slow. 2 classes a day, 5 days a week and one class Saturday can make a very sore and tight body. In class and everywhere I go, I move mindfully and cautiously and with 3 weeks behind me my body is thanking me. I feel great!!!!

Flow is the final part of my mantra. We have no other option then to go with the flow here. We have very little control and really don't know what is coming our way. Usually this kind of non schedule would make me very anxious but here, it doesn't bother me one bit. Everyday I know I will do yoga and study dialogue. Anything in between is a surprise. I have nothing else that has to be done, no laundry (we have a laundry service), don't have to clean, don't have to go to work, get on the metro. Getting ready for yoga takes me 2 minutes. All I have to do is put on my clothes and fill up my water bottle. It's hard to be disappointed with the way things turned out for the day when you didn't even know what you were going to do. Go with the flow- easy peasy at teacher training.

Overall week 3 has been lovely. We had anatomy lectures at night, so no late night Bollywood. Just learning about bones and muscles until midnight every night. It is strange the times we have lectures at. But like Bikram says, no other place in the world do you learn in the middle of the night. Well, he is right about that. This week we also started official posture clinics. I recited up through Awkward pose. I got pretty good feedback so far. These are the postures I learned before coming here so this week should be interesting.

Many of you have requested I add photos to this blog. So here you go!

First night in LA. Kelli and I had dinner in Redondo Beach.