Study, Study, Study - Yoga, Yoga, Yoga

Heya!

So I have been basically been practicing yoga and studying dialogue. I did my first back-to-back double this past Saturday. I have done quite a few doubles now but never back-to-back and it was pretty fun. I felt like a million bucks in my first class and then just tired but mentally okay in the second class. I had half a banana in the 30 minute break between and that sat in my stomach for about the first 30 minutes of the second class. A bit of energy helps but if I do it again I'll have to sort it out some other way cause food is not a good option with so little time.

I can't even describe in words how excited I am about training and San Diego. I have spoken about the fact that I was not in a good place when I moved away from San Diego and for some reason I am SOOOOOOOOO excited to go back. It's funny cause that city always kinda pissed me off when I lived there but I think I am starting to understand it all now. I was pissing myself off - it wasn't the city. I'll see how I feel once I'm there again but I think that might the case!

There are a couple of other themes that I can seem to get out of brain lately either. The first being Costa Rica - I am drawn to that place. Holy cow - I don't know what my deal is but I am always thinking about it. And, then I'm also thinking about surfing constantly. I don't even really surf. I mean, I have surfed, but I'm not good and I am certainly not a surfer....but I'm a thinking a lot about surfing. I even watched two surf movies in the last two days. So, I guess I am doing more than just studying dialogue and practicing yoga! Just realized that now as I write this!!! I don't know how those two are going to play out in my future but they are consuming my thoughts when I turn my brain off of yoga. Gosh life is good.......all I think about is yoga, dialogue, San Diego, Costa Rica and surfing - no worries!!!! I have nothing to complain about :)

Also - in my last post I wrote that no one really cares about my postures in class. Well, apparently they do. If I want to talk the talk then I need to walk the walk! I have to start kicking my leg out AND KEEP KICKING IT OUT throughout all of standing head to knee. Got a bit of flack after class yesterday for slacking off in that posture. Time to get real and make it happen. I was making excuses for myself and as soon as I got called out I realized that I had been letting myself off the hook. I didn't practice today so tomorrow it will be time to walk the talk! Is that how that saying even goes? You know what I mean though!

Whoop whoop - 25 days until San Diego! CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry for neglecting the blog....

I have been busy with summer coaching and just returned from Ontario, where we had our last regatta of the season. I am now done coaching and am in full-on yoga mode. I have moved out of my place downtown and am living with family in Sidney, which means that I am spending a lot more time at the studio out there.

I can't believe that I leave in just over 4 weeks to start training. I am now working hard to learn the dialogue, which is way harder than I ever imagined it would be. I have the guidance of an experienced teacher, which has been huge as I totally underestimated the difficulty of actually saying the dialogue out loud in front of somebody. I am so grateful to have a partner to work with.

I'm not exactly knocking out the postures yet but I'm making progress....that is until yesterday - I felt like I was a 10-year-old again at piano lessons and I hadn't been practicing my scales and I just didn't even know where to begin. You just sit there feeling like a dumb-ass, wasting somebody else's time. Well, that was me with the dialogue. But, then there was this morning when I stood up on the podium with a microphone and spoke to an empty room and managed to deliver Half-moon pose and most of Awkward before stumbling. It felt so cool! I felt so cool! And, it felt so right :) I guess it's all a part of the process - just like practice - you have your good days and your not so good days but they all serve a purpose and you take them for what they are, you don't make too much of them and you move on.

As for my practice in the room - I have not been as strong as I usually am. I'm not sure why but I'm trying not to worry too much about it. I am just committing to each day, each class, each posture, each breath and the rest will take care of itself. I am concluding that the only reason that it is bothering me is because of my own ego - because does anyone else really care if I am not kicking my leg out in standing head to knee or if I am not touching my forehead to the floor during standing separate leg stretching pose? - NOOOOO! That's right - nobody else cares but me....so, it's time to let go! We'll see what Bikram has to say about that though....

Okay - that's about it. Not much to update. This blog probably won't become interesting until I actually get to San Diego but I will try to write anyways, just in case someone is interested.

Here are some parting words that have been inspiring me to live the best life possible.

FAITH, SELF-DISCIPLINE, CONCENTRATION, PATIENCE, DETERMINATION, GRATITUDE, COMPASSION, KINDNESS, COURAGE, LOYALTY, SELF-AWARENESS, RESPECT.

I also have a wise friend who shared 4 mottos that he tries to apply to his everyday...

1. Be true to your word
2. Don't make assumptions
3. Don't make it personal
4. Do your best

So, there it is - some food for thought!