Past the halfway point and now the 2/3 point. We had some really great lectures this week and some really hot classes. Really hot. I've had some personal insights that I've noticed in myself these past couple of weeks.
It is really amazing what the heat can do for you. Aside from the physiological benefits (of which there are many) it is a huge factor in improving your focus and concentration abilities. Here at TT the difficulty is raised way higher than in normal classes, whether it be the heat, the length of the class, or any other odd factor. All of these things serve to improve our mental fortitude and make us stronger yogis by improving willpower, which is the most important benefit of this yoga in my life.
As I overcome more challenges in the hot room, fewer things seem challenging outside of it. Lack of sleep, sickness, hunger, boredom, overwhelming emotions, even many types of injuries... are all things that can be overcome and worked through with willpower alone, and I have learned a lot about how to do that from the rigors of the last couple of weeks. I also learned a lot about when to push harder and when to relax. I reached my limit on multiple occasions and I found that it was okay to admit that and move on.
So next time you feel like you're burning up and you can't take it anymore; go to your limit and stay there for a while. You'll be amazed at the benefits to your mental strength.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Week 4
We finished our intro to anatomy with doctor Jim Preddy. Not only was he a fantastic teacher but he is the first person who was able to identify and tell me what my knee problem is. I have Osgood-Schlatter disease. It's a growing disorder that usually goes away on its own, but for me it never did. The reason my knee hurts so much is because the bone grew to be sharp and pointy, so it pokes me from the inside. At least now I know I'm not damaging myself further when I feel pain.
My birthday was this week. It was pretty cool to have 300+ people sing to me in yoga class and wish me happy birthday all day, and my parents sent me some chocolate in the mail. All-in-all it was a good birthday.
I got my first ever massage this weekend. It was really nice, but I wouldn't say it was life-changing. I could see myself getting one occasionally, but I won't be going often.
Fresh pineapple juice from whole foods is actually life changing. No joke.
I forgot to mention how awesome miso soup is. I get miso paste from whole foods and make some high-quality miso soup in my thermos to help me get through lectures with enough sodium so that I can be hydrated during class. Not to mention it's delicious.
This week is going to ramp up the difficulty as we reach the halfway point. It's going to get interesting...
My birthday was this week. It was pretty cool to have 300+ people sing to me in yoga class and wish me happy birthday all day, and my parents sent me some chocolate in the mail. All-in-all it was a good birthday.
I got my first ever massage this weekend. It was really nice, but I wouldn't say it was life-changing. I could see myself getting one occasionally, but I won't be going often.
Fresh pineapple juice from whole foods is actually life changing. No joke.
I forgot to mention how awesome miso soup is. I get miso paste from whole foods and make some high-quality miso soup in my thermos to help me get through lectures with enough sodium so that I can be hydrated during class. Not to mention it's delicious.
This week is going to ramp up the difficulty as we reach the halfway point. It's going to get interesting...
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Weeks 2-3
I am still surviving and having a great time. I wish I could write more about what we are doing but those pesky NDAs seem to be following me wherever I go. That said, here are a few snippets from the last couple of weeks.
Re: food; I have found a pretty good balance and I seem to be getting proper nutrition now. A few things that are working really well are peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and fillets of hot-smoked salmon, which I also make into sandwiches - usually with something spicy. This week I am going to try and incorporate more veggies in - I got some kale to add go my smoked salmon sandwiches. I have also been eating at the nearby Thai restaurant a few times a week - gotta have some comfort food.
When I wake up now I am already thinking in Spanish. Sometimes I have to stop myself from greeting people in Spanish when I am walking around. I keep remembering more and more from my classes, it just takes a while to resurface from old memory storage I guess. My roommate is learning a bit of English too, but not enough to be conversational yet. We'll see what happens after a few more weeks!
My energy levels are fine, but my body is feeling pretty bruised because I am working really hard in the yoga classes. It's especially tough on my knees, which always hurt anyway. It's usually in the morning classes that I struggle, and by the evening classes my joints have loosened up a bit. Fixing my junk body is definitely a slow, painful process but I can tell things are changing, even if I can't define those changes yet.
The content of the classes is great too. I am starting to get a much clearer picture of why this yoga is set up the way that it is and it really is quite brilliant. I guess that's what the NDA is for ;D
I'm still meeting many cool new people every day, and the community as a whole is getting more friendly now that we are all in the swing of things. Meeting so many people from all over the world is giving me the itch to travel and teach. Who knows what the future holds?
Until next time~
Re: food; I have found a pretty good balance and I seem to be getting proper nutrition now. A few things that are working really well are peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and fillets of hot-smoked salmon, which I also make into sandwiches - usually with something spicy. This week I am going to try and incorporate more veggies in - I got some kale to add go my smoked salmon sandwiches. I have also been eating at the nearby Thai restaurant a few times a week - gotta have some comfort food.
When I wake up now I am already thinking in Spanish. Sometimes I have to stop myself from greeting people in Spanish when I am walking around. I keep remembering more and more from my classes, it just takes a while to resurface from old memory storage I guess. My roommate is learning a bit of English too, but not enough to be conversational yet. We'll see what happens after a few more weeks!
My energy levels are fine, but my body is feeling pretty bruised because I am working really hard in the yoga classes. It's especially tough on my knees, which always hurt anyway. It's usually in the morning classes that I struggle, and by the evening classes my joints have loosened up a bit. Fixing my junk body is definitely a slow, painful process but I can tell things are changing, even if I can't define those changes yet.
The content of the classes is great too. I am starting to get a much clearer picture of why this yoga is set up the way that it is and it really is quite brilliant. I guess that's what the NDA is for ;D
I'm still meeting many cool new people every day, and the community as a whole is getting more friendly now that we are all in the swing of things. Meeting so many people from all over the world is giving me the itch to travel and teach. Who knows what the future holds?
Until next time~
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