Well October was not a great month for yoga. I kept up with the daily practice until 10/9 which means I did 132 consecutive days. But then I fell off the wagon. No worries. It's not like I stopped completely. I had a whole lot going on in my life and ended up skipping a few days here and there. Regardless, I plan to myself back into the groove for the rest of Nov & Dec. Here are my October statistics:

1563 total minutes of yoga in 31 days
Average 50 minutes of yoga a day

Starting tomorrow is my six week countdown until the big move. And I am still a bit in denial. Really need to get sorting, packing, getting rid of stuff. But I'm also going to try to follow Alissa Cohen's living foods plan for the next six weeks. I will write more about that on the Raw Mana blog. The yoga goal is to get my dailly average back up to 70 minutes and to finish out the remaining 23 or so classes I have left to go on my 40 pack. Oh yeah... And get a "B" in my Anatomy & Physiology class. ;))

Day #125/216

Yes we are already a couple of days into Oct - can you believe it!?!! But I still haven't had a chance to post my stats for the month of September:

1807 total minutes of yoga in 30 days
Average 60 minutes of yoga a day

Although 60 minutes a day is significant, it's a bit down from where I'd like to be. I knew that my daily average would be lower this month because I've been doing too many of the shorter yoga videos. Sort of a resting month after completing my 101 days. But I still haven't missed a single day. And I am ready to kick it back up a notch starting tomorrow (Sunday) with at least 3 Bikram practices per week for the next 11 weeks until I make my big move back to CA.

So I went through and calculated my yoga minutes for the whole year just to put things in perspective.

Jan 1st - May 31st 2009
91 Bikram practices
8190 minutes of yoga in 151 days
Average of 54.24 minutes of yoga per day

June 1st - September 30th 2009
125 varied yoga practices
8180 minutes of yoga in 125 days
Average of 65.44 minutes of yoga per day

YEARLY TOTAL:
16370 minutes of yoga in 276 days
Average of 59.31 minutes of yoga per day

Now I realize that this is not exactly scientific or even technically accurate because there were occasions prior to my 101 day challenge where I went for a whole week without doing yoga at all. Regardless it gives me an idea of where I've been and motivates me to make the commitment to get where I want to be.

By keeping up my daily practice through the end of the year I should significantly raise this daily average and continue to improve my overall health and well-being. Yoga has been a god-send for me. It is slowly, but surely changing my life from the inside out.

Day #114/205

So... Just in case any of you were wondering...

I have not stopped my daily yoga even though the 101 days are over. ;))
I have just been super swamped with work and school so blogging has taken a back seat.

Somehow during the last week a major yoga milestone passed unnoticed. I reached the 200 class mark for the year. AMAZING. I did 91 Bikram classes between Jan 1st and May 30th followed by 114 daily yoga practices of a mixed variety since June 1st. I guess I am officially a yoga dork because I find this progress very exciting. In fact I decided to start posting my consecutive days number alongside my practice number for the year. That way I can see very plainly how close I am to my goal of 300 yoga sessions for 2009. The other goal I am toying with is to just keep up with the daily practice for a full year which would mean no skipping days all the way through June 1, 2010(!!!) Pretty ambitious. But the more time goes by the more feasible it seems.

I have sort of gotten out of the habit of going to the Bikram studio, though, and am really feeling the need to get back into it. Nothing like an intense sweat session to clear your head and rejuvenate your body. Of course, I do sweat a lot during my home practices. But it's just not the same without the heat and the group dynamic combined with the dialogue.

I also just ordered a 3 video Budokon set off Ebay. Budokon literally means "way of the spiritual warrior" and is a blend of yoga, martial arts, and meditation. I've been hearing that a lot of celebrities swear by it. Went to the website and really resonated with the philosophy behind it.

Read about it here: http://www.budokon.com/aboutbudokon.php?selected=aboutbudokon

Or check out video promo for the Flow & Flexibility dvd:

Yoga Adventure in Africa

Join Linda-Sama of "Linda's Yoga Journey" February 26-28, 2010 for this once in a lifetime opportunity in Arusha, Tanzania...

http://lindakarl.net/yoga-retreats/

Day #101

Home Practice - Jivamukti (53 min) # 190
Monday 9/7/09

Home Practice - Bikram #191
Tuesday 9/8/09

Home Practice - Rainbeau Mars (30 min) #192
Wednesday 9/9/09

Actually 101 was yesterday. I just didn't get around to posting stats until today...

I DID IT!!!! I practiced yoga for 101 consecutive days; for a total of 6898 minutes, which is an average of 68 minutes per day. And most importantly, did I mention that I did not miss a single day !?!!! I am very proud of myself, but now that it's over it doesn't seem like that big of a deal. I plan to keep going and complete another 101 days beginning today 9/10/09 and ending 12/19/09.

I will be leaving Hawaii for the mainland on December 20th of this year. My decision to leave is bittersweet. I'm going to really miss living in the islands but it is time for me to go. At least for now. I plan to get my RN and nowhere else can touch the California Community College system in terms of cost. In addition, my sister is having twins at the end of the year and this has made me realize that I want to be closer to my family.

Just a little over 13 weeks to soak up all this paradise has to offer.

Day #98

Home Practice - Rainbeau Mars (37 min) #184
Tuesday 9/1/09

Home Practice - Bikram #185
Wednesday 9/2/09

Home Practice - Baptiste (70 min) #186
Thursday 9/3/09

Home Practice - Shiva Rea(73 min) #187
Friday 9/4/09

Home Practice - Seane Corn (40 min) #188
Saturday 9/5/09

Home Practice - Shiva Rea (42 min) #189
Sunday 9/6/09

Day #92

Home Practice - Bikram #177
Tuesday 8/25/09

Home Practice - Shiva Rea (42 min) #178
Wednesday 8/26/09

Home Practice - Bikram #179
Thursday 8/27/09

Home Practice - Seane Corn (60 min) #160
Friday 8/28/09

Home Practice - Chakra Balancing (55 min) #181
Saturday 8/29/09

Home Practice - Bikram #182
Sunday 8/30/09

Bikram Kaimuki - class #183
8:15 pm w/ Kevo
Monday 8/31/09


Monthly Stats for August:

Bikram - 9x (810 minutes)
Baron Baptiste - 6x (325 minutes)
Shiva Rea - 5x (315 minutes)
Seane Corn - 5x (290 minutes)
Chakra Balancing - 4x (220 minutes)
Jivamukti - 2x (113 minutes)

31 daily yoga practices

TOTAL: 2073 minutes of yoga
Average of 67 minutes a day!!!


That's down a bit from the last 2 months. But I plan to get my average back up to over 70 minutes per day in September with more regular Bikram practices - at least 12 for the month.

Day #85

Home Practice - Shiva Rea (73 min) #173
Friday 8/21/09

Home Practice - Seane Corn (40 min) #174
Saturday 8/22/09

Home Practice - Baptiste (60 min) #175
Sunday 8/23/09

Home Practice - Chakra Yoga (55 min) #176
Monday 8/24/09

Started back to school today. I am taking the second semester of Anatomy & Physiology, both the lecture and lab together this time around. It's going to be a challenge, but I am determined to keep on top of it and get even better grades than I did in the previous semester. I really want an A in the lecture and a B in the lab, although I'd still be pretty happy with 2 B's.

I am really enjoying another new DVD I got a couple weeks ago - Chakra Balancing Yoga w/ Sharon Gannon. It's not as rigorous a workout as the other Jivamukti videos, but I feel pretty amazing after. Like my whole body is buzzing from the inside out. I highly recommend it for anyone who'd like to get in tune with their energy centers and work through any karmic issues they might have.

Day #81

Home Practice - Chakra Balancing (55 min) #169
Monday 8/17/09

Bikram Kaimuki - class #170
Tuesday 8/18/09
8:15pm w/ Kevo

Home Practice - Baptiste (70 min) #171
Wednesday 8/19/09

Home Practice - Chakra Balancing (55 min) #172
Thursday 9/20/09

Day #77

Home Practice - Jivamukti (60 min) #165
Thursday 8/13/09

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #166
Friday 8/14/09

Home Practice - Seane Corn (40 min) #167
Saturday 8/15/09

Home Practice - Shiva Rea (73 min) #168
Sunday 8/16/09

Had a huge event this weekend that my company's been gearing up for over the last several months. I am so relieved that it is OVER.

Several good home practices, regardless how tired and crabby I've been in the evenings. Yoga is my constant. And no matter how bad I may feel - physically, emotionally, etc... - my daily yoga helps to release the day and make everything a little bit better.

Tomorrow night it's back to the studio for me. I need to sweat out all the built up stress along with all the junk food I had over my long working weekend.

Day #73

Home Practice - Seane Corn (40 min) #159
Friday 8/7/09

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #160
Saturday 8/8/09

Home Practice - Shiva Rea (85 min) #161
Sunday 8/9/09

Bikram Kaimuki - class #162
Monday 8/10/09
8:15 pm w/ Gail

Bikram Kaimuki - class #163
Tuesday 8/11/09
8:15 pm w/ Kevo

Home Practice - Shiva Rea (42 min) #164
Wednesday 8/12/09

Day #67

Home Practice - Baptiste (60 min) #156
Tuesday

Home Practice - Sean Corne (85 min) #157
Wednesday

Home practice - Bikram #158
Thursday

Day #64

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #153
Saturday

Home Practice - Jivamukti (53 min) #154
Sunday

Home Practice - Bikram #155
Monday

Day #61

Home Practice - Jivamukti (60 min) #149
Tuesday

Bikram Kaimuki - class #150
Wednesday 8:15 pm w/ Jeremy

Bikram Kaimuki - class #151
Thursday 8:15 pm w/ Jeremy

Bikram Kaimuki - class #152
Friday 6:30 pm w/ Barbara

I've had several good studio practices in a row. But I especially enjoyed Barbara's class. She taught the first Bikram class I ever took way back on March 1st, 2007. I loved it from the very start. Even tough it took me more than a year and a half to develop a regular practice that lasted more than a month or two.

She is a bit older than most of the teachers, maybe in her 50's (or 60's even?), really hard to tell for sure. She has a wonderfully calm, wise energy about her. I remember thinking on that first fateful day that I would love to be in that great of shape when I'm her age. Hell, I'd love to be in that great of shape NOW. And I am well on my way to making that a reality. ;))

I am pretty blown away that it's already the end of July. And since another month is finished I have more exciting stats to report:

31 total yoga practice sessions:
9 Bikram - 4x home, 5x studio (90 min each)
9 Baptiste - 4x 45 min, 2x 60 min, 2x 70 min, 1x 85 min
9 Jivamukti - 4x 60 min, 5x 53 min
2 Shiva Rea (85 min each)
2 Sean Corne (85 min each)

That's 2180 total minutes of yoga this month!!

Which is an average of 70 minutes of yoga per day!!!

I am now over 60% of the way to 101 consecutive practice days!!!!

Day #57

Home Practice - Sean Corne (85 min) #148
Monday

Yes, it is official. My new favorite yoga teacher is Sean Corne. She reminds me a little bit of Marianne Williamson in her ideology - which I so completely resonate with. Some people may be turned off by the heavy dose of spirituality infused into the yoga practice. But I just love it!!! It is EXACTLY what I need at this stage in my progression.

Weird, but I feel like I am going through tremendous changes. My body is shrinking and tightening. I am getting stronger and more competent with all of my yoga routines. But the really big changes are not on the physical level. I feel like I am changing energetically and spiritually. I feel like I am melting off layers of old attitudes and behaviors that don't fit with me anymore. And I am burning off some pretty heavy karma too. Each yoga practice brings me closer to my truest and highest self. I am so grateful to be on this incredible journey.

Day #56

Home Practice - Sean Corne (85 min) #143
Wednesday 7/22

Bikram Kaimuki - class #144
8:15 pm w/ Gail
Thursday 7/23

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #145
Friday 7/24

Home Practice - Jivamukti (60 min) #146
Saturday 7/25

Home Practice - Shiva Rea (85 min) #147
Sunday 7/26

So not too many studio practices over the last several weeks. Moving forward I really need to do 3 every week. Home practice has been great but I need to make it in for a hot sweaty studio class much more regulary to completely flush everything and get out of my head.

I feel a little bit more comfortable with the Shiva Rea routine. It's still very unorthodox but good variety for my body and mind.

The teacher who I think I like best so far, though, is Sean Corne. She is just delightful. A slightly different take on the Jivamukti style of Sharon Gannon and David Life. She really spends a lot of time on the foundational stuff that I need the most right now.

I have ordered another Sean Corne and another Shiva Rea dvd and am very excited to those into my rotation when they get here.

My weekly goal is 3 Bikram studio days and then one home workout each: Sean Corne, Shiva Rea, Baron Baptiste, and Jivamukti. I am getting stronger, leaner, and more supple every single day. ;))

Day #51

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #135
Tuesday 7/14

Home Practice - Jivamukti (60 min) #136
Wednesday 7/15

Home Practice - Bikram #137
Thursday 7/16

Home Practice - Baptiste (70 min) #138
Friday 7/17

Home Practice - Jivamukti (53 min) #139
Saturday 7/18

Home Practice - Baptiste (60 min) #140
Sunday 7/19

Home Practice - Jivamukti (60 min) #141
Monday 7/20

Home Practice - Bikram #142
Tuesday 7/21

Day #42

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #130
Thursday

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #131
Friday

Home Practice - Jivamukti (53 min) #132
Saturday

Home Practice - Bikram #133
Sunday

Home Practice - Shiva Rea (85 min) #134
Monday

Haven't missed a day even though I have not made it to the studio in almost 2 weeks. Tomorrow I plan to go to Jeremy's class in Kaimuki.

Tonight I got my first actual taste of what a Shiva Rea class is like. Her style is very different than what I am used to, but the workout will certainly add variety to my practice. I can see how the free form can be very liberating but I also see how some more traditional yogi's would think it's just weird. Personally, I need to do the routine a few times to get the moves down so that I feel a little more comfortable with the flow of the practice.

I have to get up extra early and make it to a 7 AM meeting tomorrow morning. So I am going to sign off. Goodnight & Namaste.

Day #38

Home Practice - Jivamukti (60 min) #127
Monday

Home Practice - Baptiste (70 min) #128
Tuesday

Home Practice - Jivamukti (53 min) #129
Wednesday

So I haven't made it to the studio yet this week. I have 2 rooms vacating at my house so I've been interviewing potential roommates in the evenings. Several good candidates so far, each with their own pros and cons. Hopefully we will be able to make a decision by the end of the weekend. I pray that my intuition will guide me to select the right people to mesh with our household.

Day #35

Home Practice - Jivamukti (53 min) #124
Friday

Home Practice - Baptiste (60 min) #125
Saturday

Home Practice - Bikram #126
Sunday

Well I didn't make it to Manny's class but I did the Bikram audio cd at home. Overall decent practice.

Yesterday I watched the discussion w/ David Life, Sharon Gannon, and Michael Franti that came with the "Power to the Peaceful Yoga" DVD. The Jivamukti practice is sort of like a blend between the Baptiste and Bikram styles in that it flows but then holds static poses. It is still pretty different, though. Generally less intense - especially since I need to modify some of the postures as a beginner - but I do like it. And their philosophy TOTALLY resonates with me. They are all about making the world a better place through your everyday actions and using yoga practice to become a better person from the inside out. Really wonderful food for thought.

Day #33

Bikram Kaimuki - class #120
Monday 8:15 pm w/ Kevo

Home Practice - Jivamukti (60 min) #121
Tuesday

Bikram Kaimuki - class #122
Wednesday 8:15 w/ Jeremy

Home Practice - Baptiste (85 min) #123
Thursday

Well today I wanted to post some stats for the month of June.

30 total yoga practice sessions:
14 Bikram - 3x home, 11x studio (90 min each)
14 Baptiste - 8x 45 min, 4x 60 min, 2x 70 min
1 Barkan - 60 min
1 Jivamukti - 60 min

That's 2120 total minutes of yoga this month!!

Which is an average of 70 minutes per day!!!

YAY! I got my new yoga videoes. So far I have tried "Transform Yourself with Jivamukti Yoga" w/ David Life & Sharon Gannon and "Foundations of Power Vinyasa" w/ Baron Baptiste. I think I will do "Power to the Peaceful Yoga" w/ David Life, Sharon Gannon & Michael Franti this evening and then go to Manny's class in Hawaii Kai tomorrow.

My plan is to start with the 2 Jivamukti DVD's alternating w/ Baptiste workouts for a few weeks until I sort of learn those routines. Then I will incorporate the Sean Corn and Shiva Rea practices into the rotation one at a time. I don't want to overwhelm myself with too many new routines at the same time. If I add them in slowly and give myself a chance to learn one new style at a time, I think that I will avoid getting frustrated and enjoy the process a lot more.

Almost 1/3 of the way to 101!!!!

Help Send a Friend to Teacher Training

Aloha everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to request your assistance. My blogger friend, Crisitunity, is trying to turn a negative situation (job lay-off) into a positive opportunity (yoga teacher training). She will be selling her original short stories for a small donation towards the cause.

Please visit her blog to read more about her and donate if you are able.

http://crisitunity.wordpress.com/

Day #28

Home Practice - Baptiste (70 min) #117
Friday

Bikram Hawaii Kai - class #118
Saturday 6 pm w/ Manny

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #119
Sunday

I forgot how much I like Manny's class. He moves a bit faster through the 26 postures than other Bikram teachers I've had. But I really enjoy his take on the series. I also really like the radiant heat. It seems much hotter than the Kaimuki studio. Feels like it heats you through to your core and I am able to get deeper into the postures in a shorter period of time.

My roommate helped me put up a 30" x 60" mirror in my yoga room. Tonight's practice was the first one I did in front of the mirror. I love being able to check my alignment while I am doing postures now. Such a helpful tool, don't know how I ever got along without it.

I am really happy with my progress so far. Still not proficient at the Baptiste videoes, but getting better every day. I really can't wait for my new yoga dvd's to come this week. I am so excited to try classes with Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, David Life, and Sharon Gannon. I am going to be in yoga heaven with all the new insights and the variety in yoga styles. I feel almost like a kid counting down the days until Christmas!

Day #25

Bikram Kaimuki - class #115
Wednesday 8:15 pm w/ Tom

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #116
Thursday

Solid class w/ Tom Wed night. Decent home practice tonight. Not much to say about either.

Hard to believe that I'm done w/ 25 days in a row and almost a quarter of the way to 101!!!!!

Day #23

Bikram Kaimuki - class #113
Monday 8:15 pm w/ Gail

Home Practice - Baptiste (60 min) #114
Tuesday

I *really* didn't feel like doing yoga tonight. I had one of those days where I can just tell that I am about to start my period any second now. Feeling really grouchy and low energy and uncomfortable and just blah. But I practiced anyway. And I know that it did my body a lot of good. Still kinda achy but my attitude is 1000% better.

Last night I took class with Gail - who I am not at all crazy about. I guess that I should consider myself lucky that she is the only teacher I've had here that I really don't care for. I purposely went to her class, though, because Kevo was teaching the 6:30 and my body needed an easier class. My back was still pinched last night but now after tonight's home practice it feels like it has relaxed a bit.

There were several men in class last night and somebody had serious BO. And then there was someone breathing out really hard with all kinds of drama after every single posture all through the class. I was a little peeved cause the teacher didn't say anything to correct whoever was doing it - but I knew better than to have high expectations for a cohesive class. I started to just tune everything out and actually had an OK practice in spite of it all.

Day #21

Bikram Kaimuki - class #111
Saturday 4:30 pm w/ Kevo

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #112
Sunday

WOW. 3 weeks straight doing yoga every day. I feel fantastic. Although I must admit my back is kinda sore after 2 days in a row of Kevo classes. He just has a knack for getting me to push myself to the edge. And maybe a little past the edge sometimes. I'm hoping that after tonight's fairly mellow workout it will be better tomorrow.

I'm really going to try to alternate studio days w/ home days so that I'm not doing the exact same sequence (including Bikram) any 2 days in a row. I feel like my body does better with that kind of variety. At least for now. But I am really stoked to keep on going strong without skipping a single day of yoga for the next 11 weeks and maybe even beyond.

Day #19

Home Practice - Baptiste (60 min) #109
Thursday

Bikram Kaimuki - class #110
Friday 6:30 pm w/ Kevo

Back to the Kaimuki studio and an ass-kicking Kevo class. I really missed his teaching style. Such a great class. Definitely hard, but not quite as hard as I remember. I was able to hold his long count for both sets of the second part of awkward. I was also able to hold the entire count in the second set of standing bow pulling pose for probably the first time ever. And I was able to get down all the way on both sides of toe stand - which is another first for me - but then couldn't navigate myself back up to standing without falling out. I wasn't able to hold his extra extended version of both sets of camel, either, because by that point in the class I was running on empty. Still, I didn't sit out any postures even though I wanted to. I made it through strong to the end.

The Baptiste DVD, "Soul of Strength - Power Vinyasa LIVE!", that I did on Thursday is another excellent workout that I highly recommend. In fact, I would recommend all of the Baptiste DVD's that I have done so far. He has a very calm manner and relaxing style. Which is not to say that the workouts are easy - he definitely pushes you to your limits and makes you sweat a lot.

I am getting ready to order a 3 DVD Yoga Journal "master teachers" set that features 3 live 85 min classes - one each with Baron Baptiste, Seane Corn, and Shiva Rea. I am very excited to try these teacher's styles and expand my yoga repertoire. I'm also going to try taking Bikram studio classes from at least 3 different teachers per week going forward if at all possible. I really feel like the variety is helping my practice. I will also allow one of my weekly Bikram classes to be done at home w/ his cd a couple times per month just because I like it so much. ; ))

Still feeling strong and like I am constantly improving.

Day #17

Bikram Hawaii Kai - class #107
Tuesday 7:30 pm w/ Manny

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #108
Wednesday

Really just glad that I got in a yoga workout at all today.

The DVD I did tonight, Baptiste's "Power Yoga Level 3 - The Ultimate Challenge", is really tough but only 45 minutes long. So it's very good to do at home when you're on a time crunch. I am not nearly proficient at any of the Baptiste DVD's yet. But I know that my skill level will improve with time. Especially as I get stronger and lose a little bit of bulk. Any workout that I could do at all well the first couple times through would have me bored in a couple of months anyway. These give me something to work towards.

Yesterday I took another hot class w/ Manny. I was a little annoyed because this was the second day I've been at this studio when he let students join the class late. Significantly late. During pranayama breathing is one thing, but people kept trickling in through the whole first set of half moon and hands to feet pose. I do understand that the class time has changed recently, but still. This was a crowded class so people had to shift their mats over to make room each time someone else came in. What is up with that?

As you can probably tell, I started to really get my panties in a bunch about it. I know it is the teacher or owner's prerogative as to when to cut off latecomers, but in that moment it seemed grossly unfair to those of us who took the trouble to get the time right and make it to class early. But then I decided to just stop and began working on my focus to breathe through the annoyance and let it go. That way I could at least enjoy the rest class.

SIGH. I hope that this does not turn out to be a regular thing because I really don't like starting out the class with a big fat chip on my shoulder. And to be honest, it has slightly tarnished my otherwise high opinion of this teacher. Whatever. Clearly, I am *not* the boss of the universe. Much as I seem to think I should be sometimes. ;))

Day #15

Bikram Hawaii Kai - class #105
Sunday 6 pm w/ Manny

Home Practice - Baptiste (70 min) #106
Monday

Did the Baptiste DVD, "Power Yoga Level 2 - The Next Challenge", tonight. So far it is my favorite non-Bikram workout. He incorporates most of the 26 postures from the Bikram sequence (or at least variations thereof) along with several additional poses into a vinyasa flow series that is pretty strenuous, but really enjoyable. Lots of "plank position" and "downward dog" so my shoulders are burning a little.

I only did 3 studio workouts last week so my goal is to do 5 this week. Shouldn't be too tough. I am just really liking alternating studio days w/ non-studio days. So it will be interesting to see how my body responds to going to the studio 3 days in a row.

I am feeling really good. School is a bitch right now and I don't know how I'd be able to deal with the stress if it wasn't for the daily yoga. I've been sort of wondering why in the world I wouldn't keep practicing every day after the 101 days are up. It hasn't really been a struggle at all. I will have to see how I feel 12 or so weeks from now. But I'm predicting that I'll be even more addicted to getting my daily yoga glow.

Day #13

Home Practice - Baptiste (60 min) #103
Friday

Home Practice - Barkan (60 min) #104
Saturday

So I got a new yoga DVD. It's The Barkan Method, a 60 minute yoga routine that is sort of like a hybrid of the Baptiste and Bikram styles. James Barkan was a student of Bikram Choudhoury and Bishnu Ghosh back in the 80's. Over the years he has developed his own approach to hot yoga. I bought the DVD because I was curious about his take on the practice. The workout was just OK. I am never able to do a new routine very well the first time through so we shall see how I like it after a few times. The thing I am excited about is that the DVD has a tutorial on each posture - which I hope will give me a better understanding of the proper technique.

I also bought "Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class" book which goes through the 26 postures in great detail with benefits and modifications for each. It also has some great photos of actual students he's had over the years. I read his most recent book when it came out a few years ago and got so much out of it. Now I'm *really* looking forward to going through all the postures one by one and getting his personal insights into each.

This book will have to wait until I am on break in July and August for me to read it, though. Right now I am pretty swamped studying Anatomy & Physiology to keep up with my summer class. Man do they cram a whole lot of information into six short weeks. I will be really happy to have a little bit more free time at the end of the summer.

Anyway it is late and I am pretty beat, so I will sign off for now.

Aloha & Namaste to all of you.

My Tattoo

So it's not completely healed but pretty close. The colors should be a little richer once the skin has finished peeling and it's not so flaky. The location is my right inner ankle and represents putting my best foot forward into the world. The tattoo design is not exactly what I had in mind, but I actually like it even better. This tattoo has many layers of meaning for me. I will try to explain them as best as I can.

The small stick figure in the center w/ the heart for a body is a representation of the Spearhead "Stay Human" logo. I decided I wanted to get that logo in a tattoo about 6 years ago when I first got turned on to Michael Franti.

A few weeks after seeing him perform at High Sierra Music Festival for the first time we heard about a cd signing at Amoeba Records in the Haight. We thought it would be a typical cd release - he'd sing a song or two and close up shop. What actually happened completely blew us away. The band played an acoustic set that lasted 3 hours straight, song after song, inside the record store. Then Michael stayed around for another hour and a half to talk to EVERY SINGLE PERSON and give them a hug. He made eye contact with each person like he was looking into their soul. It struck me so deeply that this man is a walking, talking manifestation of the word namaste. "I honor the divine in you that is also in me." Seriously, he is a musician who walks the walk and talks the talk. And an inspiration for me to do the same in my own life.

To me "Stay Human" means first and foremost to honor the sacredness of being human. It is a reminder to stay authentic, stay genuine, stay present and stay true to myself. To lead with my heart and to honor what makes me uniquely me. But at the same time, to realize that we are all the same. Through the process of recognizing and honoring my own humanness, I will automatically recognize and honor that same humanity in everyone I meet. Every life is sacred, every soul is pure.

I chose to incorporate the "Stay Human" logo within a mandala. The Tibetan word for "mandala," dkyil-‘khor , literally means "that which encircles a center." A "center," here is a meaning, and "that which encircles it" - a mandala - is a round symbol that represents or even amplifies that meaning. The goal of the mandala is to serve as a tool on our spiritual journey since it symbolizes cosmic and psychic order. And this particular design is a mandala within a mandala that reminds me of a flower petal blooming - which of course is a metaphor used frequently in Bikram yoga. To me this symbolizes that my life is in the process of opening up right now.

The colors I chose also have special meaning:

Orange is the color of the sacral chakra and represents creativity. This chakra is the center of the emotional body. It offers the opportunity to lessen "control issues" and find a balance in life, teaching us to recognize that acceptance and rejection are not the only options in relationships. The process of making changes in our life stream through our personal choices is a product of second chakra energy.

Red is the color of the kundalini or root chakra. It represents the element of fire. This chakra is the center of physical energy and vitality, the energy to succeed in business or material possessions, and the center of manifestations. The root chakra is the grounding force that allows us to connect to the earth energies that empower our being. When it is balanced we experience a steady flow of vitality.

Purple is the color of the third eye chakra and represents intuition. The third eye is the avenue to wisdom - learning from experiences and putting them in perspective. The ability to separate reality from fantasy or delusions is connected to the healthfulness of this chakra. Achieving the art of detachment beyond "small mindedness" is accomplished through the development of impersonal intuitive reasoning.

I know... Pretty deep. And now I will leave you with a YouTube video featuring Michael performing "Stay Human" that really captures his essence and the energy of being at a live show. All the freaky people DO make the beauty of the world.

Day #11

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #101
Wednesday

Bikram Hawaii Kai - class #102
Thursday 7:30 pm w/ Manny

Another awesome class. I was really tired all day and on the way over to the studio I made a deal with myself that I'd take it easy. Well, that didn't happen. As soon as I got set up for the first breathing exercise I couldn't help but give my hardest, best effort. It seems that every time I set foot in the studio lately each class builds on the last and I am amazed, yet again, at my constant progress. Tonight I touched my head to the floor for the first time ever in standing separate leg stretching posture. Then I nailed both sides and both sets of Triangle. And standing separate leg head to knee. That's just to name a few. It seemed like I achieved new ground in almost every single posture(!) I've only been back in the studio 3 times now and each has been an incredibly strong practice. I'm a little dumbfounded.

I have decided that Manny just may be my new favorite teacher. He is the owner of Bikram Hawaii Kai and totally old school, like 1970's style Bikram. His dialogue is not really by the book. He adds a couple of (optional) extra postures - like push ups before fixed firm. He talks a lot about the mind body connection and self realization. Tonight he mentioned that he doesn't believe in the typical 30 day challenge for those w/ moderate fitness levels because if you're overly tired then you won't improve as much or get as much out of your practice. He says that if you're out of shape, unable to get through all the postures, and just kind of cruising through class *then* coming every day has a lot of benefit. But he encourages everyone else to come to the studio 4 times a week and really work 100%, full out in every single one of those classes.

I know that all of this will sound blasphemous to the die hard Bikramites, but it makes so much sense to me. The danger of over-training is very real in any repetitive motion exercise. Why should yoga be any different? And so far w/ my little yoga experiment I feel like a living, breathing example of the benefit of working the body with different postures and even different styles of yoga in order to deepen my Bikram practice. I have never felt stronger or more limber. Or more committed to this practice for that matter. We'll have to see how this plays out during the full 101 days. But even in this short time frame I am pretty sold on the benefit of yoga cross-training.

Day #9

Home Practice - Baptiste (60 min) #99
Monday

Bikram Hawaii Kai - class #100
Tuesday 7:30pm w/ Leigh

Whoa... I made it through 100 yoga workouts so far this year. Now that's a major milestone.

Tonight I completely got my ass kicked, but in such a good way. Leigh used to teach at the Kaimuki studio when I first dabbled with Bikram back in 2007. I'm pretty sure that she is a master instructor because there are pictures of her teaching at TT on the official Bikram website. I always loved her class way back when. And having her tonight confirmed that the Kaimuki teachers are indeed much harder, at least than the other Hawaii Kai teachers I've had so far. My arms and legs felt like jello and I was completely loopy on the ride home.

Tonight I was also blown away by the progress I've made. Really. The improvement in my practice over the last several weeks is remarkable. Is it because I started listening to the dialogue w/ Bikram himself and am therefore executing better? Is it because I took a long break and so my body is fresh? Is it because cross-training with different styles has worked my muscles in a different way and given me a deeper appreciation for Bikram's 26 postures? Or could it be a little bit of all of these combined with my body just being ready to change? Who knows. But the last few Bikram practices I have felt a bit like a rockstar. Even tonight when it seemed that Leigh was mopping the floor with us.

So glad to be back in the studio.

Day #7

Home Parctice - Bikram #97
Saturday

Bikram Hawaii Kai - #98
Sunday 6 pm w/ Manny

Last night was my first time back in the Bikram studio in 3 weeks. I went to Hawaii Kai because I bought a package of 10 when I was there before my trip. And even though it was only my 3rd time at that particular studio, it still felt like I had come home. I even got a little bit emotional during the first pranayama breathing exercise because I felt so deeply that I belonged there in that room doing that practice at that very moment. This yoga is truly amazing. It has worked its way down into my soul.

I had a really strong practice, probably my best yet. I was able to get deeper into most of the poses and my focus was really good. The class was really crowded and I barely even noticed. I was also able to stay in most of the balancing postures longer than usual. Overall a really fantastic class. Everything just clicked. The instructor even commented to me after that he appreciated my focus. That's always nice. ;))

I feel like the yoga cross training is working. I am not sore any more, I just feel worked out. My Bikram postures feel like they are getting better. I am going deeper into most of the positions and I am holding my balance longer. On the Baptiste side, I feel like I am getting the routine a little better each time I do it. We shall see how the weeks progress. But so far I would say that this experiment has been very beneficial. I have a renewed passion and respect for the practice of yoga.

Day #5

Home Practice - Bikram #95
Thursday

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #96
Friday

Yes. Five days under my belt. One more Bikram home practice tomorrow and then I will venture back into the studio on Sunday. I am excited to get back into the swing of things.

The soreness is going away. I gave my body this week to sort of get used to the 45 min Baptiste workout. Next week I want to do the 60 min Baptiste workout at least 2x and the 45 min only once.

I do already feel a bit skinnier, but I am refraining from weighing myself until Sunday. I feel so much better both physically and mentally now that I am getting into a daily exercise habit again. And I realize that I have a tendency to be a little bit obsessed with the scale. So during the 14 week challenge I'm gonna try my best to weigh in once a week instead of daily.

Today I happened upon an old blog post from Bliss Chick about how she got rid of her migraines. (You can check her blog in my blog roll if you're interested.) For me, I think it's been almost a year since I had my last migraine. And it's also been a whole year since I gave up diet soda.

In her blog post BC talks about triggers and mentions dairy as a big one. Reading her words it was almost like something clicked in my head. When we consume most commercially available milk, cheese, etc. we are ingesting a BOATLOAD of antibiotics and synthetic hormones. How could this intake over years and years NOT screw with our bodies delicate hormonal balance and upset the natural intestinal flora of beneficial organisms?

So, drumroll please... Beginning tomorrow, 6/6/09, I am hereby giving up dairy for an entire year. I may add some organic and raw products back into my diet at a future date. But not until I've gone cold turkey from all milk and cheese for a full year. You reading here are my witnesses.

It's going to be hard. But that's what I thought about giving up diet drinks and it really wasn't too difficult once I made up my mind to do it. This is my health we're talking about. And that is of the utmost importance.

Day #3

Home Practice - Bikram #93
Tuesday

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #94
Wednesday

Three yoga sessions down, ninety eight still to go. ;))

I am actually pretty sore. The particular Baptiste video I've been doing is only 45 minutes long but it has a lot more arm work than I am used to with Bikram. I feel it all through my shoulders and deep in my adominals as well. Exactly the kind of cross-training I am after. I'm not strong or limber enough to do all of the postures very well. But so far I like that it gives me something new to strive for.

I decided to err on the side of caution and stay out of the Bikram studio until Sunday. That should give my tattoo ample time to heal completely. It is getting better every day. I just want to be careful and make extra sure that it's 100% before exposing it to the sweatbox.

It's late so I am going to sign off now. Goodnight everybody!

Day #1

Home Practice - Baptiste (45 min) #92

So today I began my own yoga challenge. I am going to do yoga every day consecutively for 101 days(!!!) However, I have decided that I will not be doing the Bikram sequence at the studio every single day.

I want to experiment w/ a couple of Baron Baptiste videos that come highly recommended by an old roommate of mine. One is a 45 minute beginner's Ashtanga practice and the other is a 70 minute Vinyasa flow sequence. I am hoping that this "yoga cross training" will keep my muscles guessing and get me into better shape faster than just doing Bikram alone. Not to mention trying these other styles will help make me into a more well rounded yogini in the long run.

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Bikram. It will still be my foundation and I will go to the studio 4 days per week religiously. But I really feel like I want to expand my horizons a bit. So I will do one of the Baptiste videos at least 2x per week. And then the last weekly practice will be my choice - either the Bikram audio cd at home or one of the Baptiste videos. Who knows? Maybe at the end of this I will return to doing strictly Bikram or maybe I will like the variety of practicing different styles. Never know until you try.

In addition, I have been invited by Penni Shelton to join her "Big Fat Raw Experiment". For the next 14 weeks, or the duration of my yoga challenge, I will be trying my best to eat a high raw vegan diet and tracking my progress for the world to see. Check out my "Raw Mana" blog if you're interested in the details.

This is sort of active research for a book she's writing. So I am very excited to see what kind of effect the combo yoga and eating a much cleaner, higher water content diet will have on my body. The two seem like perfect compliments to each other.

My ankle tattoo is still healing. I had no problem doing the Baptiste video at home tonight but I'm a little worried about the heat. I'm gonna have to see how it feels tomorrow before I decide if I'm quite ready to get back into the studio yet. If worse comes to worse I'll just do a couple extra Bikram workouts at home this week. They say everyone heals differently and it takes as long as it takes. I really love it and promise to post pictures once it isn't all crusty looking. ;))



Anyway thanks for reading & sorry for the extended absence. I assure you that I'm back with a vengeance!!

Home Practice - Bikram #88
Wednesday (5/5/09)

Home Practice - Bikram #89
Tuesday (5/6/09)

Bikram Hawaii Kai - class #90
Wednesday (5/14/09) 8:05 pm w/ Fiona

Bikram Hawaii Kai - class #91
Friday (5/15/09) 7:00 pm w/ Manny

I took a couple of classes at the Hawaii Kai studio just to change things up a bit. The studio is really nice. Wood floors, radiant heat, very clean and not at all smelly. But after taking these classes I realize that the teachers at Kaimuki are generally more difficult. They tend to hold most of the postures longer, sometimes a lot longer, even compared to the audio cd w/ Bikram himself. I guess that's a good thing. I am learning from the hardcore of the hardcore. A new perspective is still nice, though.

I leave for the Bay Area tomorrow. I am so very excited to see my family and a little nervous to get my tattoo. That means no yoga for me for the next couple of weeks. But I do promise to start back on June 1st - even if it's just at home. And I also promise to post pictures of my ankle once it has healed a little bit.

Aloha & Namaste

Home Practice - Bikram #87

I had a really good practice this evening. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, what with the fasting and all. I didn't sweat as much without the heat, of course. So I wasn't able to go as deep into a few of the postures. But much to my delight and amazement, I was actually able to go deeper into some of them. I was able to touch both hands to the floor pretty easily in toe stand, although I have still not figured out how to bend my standing knee to get my body down yet. And I was able to grab my elbows for the first time ever in the last part of wind-removing pose. Hmmm. Maybe I'm just less sore and stiff than usual after taking a week+ off. Overall I was very pleasantly surprised.

I really like doing the Beginner's Series along with the audio cd. I just love Bikram's personality. He reminds me of a dance teacher I had when I was in my teens. Tough as nails and always pushing you to your edge, but doing it with so much love and genuine concern for your personal well being. I enjoy the insight into the man, the legend. And I love feeling at least a little bit like I am taking yoga from the boss himself. When I move back to California I definitely want to drive to LA at least a couple times a month to take classes when he's in town.

Next time I think that I will try a space heater so that the room is at least a little bit warm. I mean it's not cold in Hawaii by any stretch of the imagination, but it's nowhere close to 105 degrees either. Hopefully that will get me a little bit hotter and juicier.

The Master Cleanse is going great. My sense of smell is on overdrive and foods smell *really* good, but I am not at all hungry and know that I will not break it. I am seriously on a mission this time. ;))

Hope everyone's doing well with their challenges, practices, teacher training, etc.

Aloha & Namaste

Bikram Kaimuki - class #85
Tuesday (4/21/09) 6:30 pm w/ Jeremy

Bikram Kaimuki - class #86
Sunday (4/26/09) 11 am w/ Gail

Sorry that I haven't written for a while. Life has kinda been happening and I've been slacking on the yoga. I had an old roommate of mine come to visit for 10 days. And then I went to stay with my sister and her family out at the Ko`olina Resort on the other side of the island for a few more days. Besides that I was also pretty busy with work and have been furiously studying for my final on May 13th whenever I can find a spare moment. SIGH. I have had a *really* hectic schedule and let the yoga slide a bit. The bigger problem is that I let my eating habits slide too.

Well now that the visitors are gone and I'm down to the 2 week countdown before my trip I have decided to do the Master Cleanse to wipe the slate clean. (I will be posting the nitty-gritty details on my Raw Mana blog.) While I am on this detox program I will be doing yoga at home and not going to the studio. I'm afraid that the heat will just be too intense for me while detoxing. And at home I am a lot more in control... I can stop the cd and take a rest if needed, I can go get more water/lemonade from the kitchen, etc... But I do hope to practice at least 10 times in the next 13 days before I leave.

Then I also plan to get my ankle tattoo while I am in the Bay Area. Which means another 2 weeks that I'll need to stay out of the studio. So basically, I need to keep up my practice at home for the entire month of May. But to *sort of* make up for being out of the studio for a month, I'm thinking about doing a 30 day challenge in June. I've checked my calendar and as of yet there are no events that will prevent me from doing the full 30 days consecutively. I do hope to do 101 days at some point. But 30 days without skipping would be a start.

Bikram Kaimuki - class #83
Saturday 11 am w/ Noa

Bikram Kaimuki - class #84
Sunday 6:30 pm w/ Noa

Two good classes w/ Noa two days in a row.

Saturday I felt much stronger. Noa even commented to me after class how great I look and how well my practice is coming along. And even though I know it's true, I just never get tired of hearing it. ;))

Sunday was really hot and I was tired coming into class. I ended up sitting out second set of triangle and both sides of toe stand because I was feeling exhausted and overwhelmed towards the end of the standing series. Once we hit the floor I recuperated a little and was able to finish strong.

Something Noa said in class yesterday has really stayed with me. She said that as you develop a regular practice one of the hardest things to remember is to come into each class with no expectations and leave with no judgments. But it is crucial to learn to do this. I feel like I already knew that on a certain level but still have much work to do in this respect. I've made tremendous progress over the last few months. I need to recognize how far I've come and cut myself some slack when I have a rough day.

The green smoothie challenge is still going really well. I feel like it is the perfect complement to Bikram Yoga and I highly recommend it.

Bikram Kaimuki - class #81
Thursday 6:30 pm

Bikram Kaimuki - class #82
Friday 6:30 pm w/ Michele

So last night I high-tailed it over to the studio early cause Jeremy was supposed to be teaching and it was actually the teacher I don't really like instead. I was a little bummed but powered through the class anyway. Then tonight I thought I'd have her again cause she was listed on the online schedule; but was pleasantly surprised when I arrived to find that Michele was teaching. Both classes were HOT and CROWDED. And it doesn't help that the weather has started to get really humid here. Summer is definitely on its way.

It's weird, since taking off for several days I almost feel like I'm starting over or something. The room feels hotter, although I am able to make it through class with more composure in spite of the fact that I'm suffering. I'm getting the lower back pinch that I have to work through again. My triangle and camel have backslid a lot so that I cannot hold the full time in either set of the postures. But my toe stand is getting better. The last 2 classes I was actually able to touch the floor with both hands while keeping my standing knee straight. Bending down into the full expression is another story, but this is progress nonetheless. My separate leg stretching on the floor has gotten better, too. I can now straighten my knee on both sides while keeping my head firmly planted on my knee.

I have been on green smoothies for 3 days now. But really I've just been having them for breakfast so far and then making a fresh veggie-based juice in place of an evening meal. All I can say is WOW. I have so much energy and without a drop of coffee(!!) I feel alert and focused all day and really conscious of my food choices. Besides that I've lost 7.5 pounds in just 3 days(!!!) And I am not even following the green smoothie challenge to the letter. I feel like I have finally found the magic bullet: whole foods and yoga are an amazing combination for getting healthy from the inside out.

It's late and I am pretty beat so I will sign off for now. Hope every one is doing well in their own challenges/practices/trials & tribulations/etc...

Aloha, Namaste, & Goodnight!

Bikram Kaimuki - class #80
8:15 pm w/ Jeremy

Finally, a decent class. Not too hard, not too hot, no major breakthroughs but everything just kind of flowed. I really needed the reminder of why I love this yoga. After the struggle I had with the last two classes, I think I'm gonna swear off alcohol once again. I did have a lot of fruits and vegetables because it was the first day of my green smoothie challenge. But other than that, no alcohol the day before is the big difference.

I also lost 2 lbs from yesterday - I guess just deciding to do the challenge got my body back into losing mode. ;))

I took a personal day off work so that I could spend the whole day studying for my A&P exam. The test kicked my butt anyway. It covered the nervous system, the spine, and the brain in pretty complex detail. Fascinating stuff, just a tremendous amount of information. My brain is seriously overloaded and I am going to call it a night. I'll try to get back into the daily meditations tomorrow.

Green Smoothie Experiment

Well I have decided to begin the Green Smoothie Challenge recommended by Green Smoothie Girl. Or at least a modified version for right now. This is an experiment to determine the combined effects of Bikram Yoga and a living foods lifestyle. I have been toying with the idea of going raw for a while now and this seems like a doable step in that direction. Go to the website to read more and to sign up for her email newsletter: http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/weightloss.html

Because I'd like to reserve this blog for yoga and related insights, moving forward I will be documenting my food choices and weight loss progress on my "Raw Mana" blog. (http://ellen96816.blogspot.com/) I am sure there will be a little crossover but I invite anyone who is interested to read about the fine details there. ;))

No yoga for me for for the last couple of days. I swam Sunday and then felt a migraine headache coming on in the late afternoon. I was able to cut it off w/ Excedrin Migraine very shortly after it started, but was still left with a tension headache for the rest of the evening. Then yesterday night I had a friend's birthday dinner so I skipped yoga again. Now I'm feeling a little bit hung over from drinking a bit too much wine so I'm not going to make it today either.

Boy I sure am piling up the excuses. One just seems to snowball into another. Tomorrow I must re-group and get myself back on track. I still may to try to make it to 110 classes before I leave. Which would require doing a few doubles (4) to make up for the days I'll be travelling. We shall see.

Bikram Kaimuki - class #79
4:30 pm w/ Noa

Well tomorrow came and it wasn't better. In fact it was much worse. Maybe cause I drank 4 beers yesterday when my limit these days has been 2. Maybe cause I had so much salty, greasy bar food. Maybe cause I got a little bit of sun during the day before class. Maybe I just didn't drink enough water. Most likely a combination of all of the above. I had an extremely hard class. Probably the most difficult class I've had to date. My head was throbbing and I sat out one set of several postures. I never do that. I usually power through. But not today. I just couldn't. SIGH.

Bikram Kaimuki - class #77
Friday (4/3) 6:30 pm w/ Tom

Bikram Kaimuki - class #78
Friday (4/10) 11 am w/ Tom

Yes, you read that right. I went six days in a row without going to yoga. I worked late every night getting ready for our big event this week. But that's no excuse really. I still should have made time to go to class. I gained a little weight back and after this morning's class I felt pretty awful - polluted almost. I like to think of Bikram as taking a shower from the inside out. So, in essence, it's like my insides hadn't been properly cleaned for 6 days.

Class this morning was HARD. I started out with a little headache and by the end of the class my head was throbbing. I drank a coconut water before class, which I've never tried and I also downed a bunch of water in case the headache meant I was dehydrated. I went to the bathroom twice before class started just to be on the safe side. No matter. I felt like I needed to pee from about party-time on. I made a deal with myself that I'd wait until after standing series was finished to leave the room. But when the time came I decided to tough it out til the end of class. I got through floor series but couldn't go too deep into any of the spine-strengthening or compression postures cause it was too uncomfortable on my bladder. I am certain that tomorrow will be better.

Today's Weight: 217.0

Today's Food Choices:
coffee w/ milk and vanilla syrup
Kona chocolate chip pancakes
(11:00 am - Mulvadi Cafe)
couple pieces of fried calamari
2 fried crab & macademia nut wontons
french fries
couple of onion rings
couple of buffalo wings
4 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale's
(6 pm/8 pm - Hula Grill)

No class again tonight. =o(

But I did take measurements last weekend so I have some fun stats to share...

2/1/09
Weight: 223.0
BMI: 33.0
Bust: 43"
Waist: 38"
Hip: 49.5"
Bicep: 15"
Thigh: 24"
Calf: 16"

3/28/09
Weight: 211.0 - 12 lbs lost!
BMI: 31.1 - almost 2 points lost
Bust: 40" - 3 inches lost!!!
Waist: 36" - 2 inches lost!!
Hip: 46" - 3.5 inches lost!!!!
Bicep: 14" - 1 inch lost (x2)
Thigh: 23" - 1 inch lost (x2)
Calf: 15" - 1 inch lost (x2)

So I only lost 12 pounds in 8 weeks. However - thanks to the magic of Bikram Yoga - my body mass index dropped almost 2 points and I lost more than 14.5 inches!!! That is a cause for celebration. I wish that my waist was shrinking faster than my bust. But I can see that what I'm doing - however imperfectly - IS WORKING. ;))

17 & 18/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #75
Sunday 6:30 pm w/ Kevo

Bikram Kaimuki - class #76
Wednesday 8:15 pm w/ Jeremy

So as you can see I missed a couple days in a row of yoga. I had a weird pinch in my hip that made it painful to even walk. Was it truly bad enough to miss class? Maybe on Monday, probably not on Tuesday. Oh well. My 60 day challenge is pretty much kaput. But I do want to make it to AT LEAST 120 classes before I leave 5/16 for my visit to the mainland. That's 44 classes in 47 days. So I will still need to do some doubles in order to make up for the 5 days I know I'll be off island between now and then.

I'd also like to reach 40 lbs lost - which means I need to step things up a bit. That's 6 weeks away so I believe it's totally doable. My diet has got to improve, though. More fruits and vegetables. No more fast food. Green smoothies every day. As a reward, if I reach 196 lbs or lower before I leave then I will get my first ever tattoo on my ankle while I'm in the Bay Area. I figure it's the perfect time since I'll be on vacation and it won't be too hard for me to stay out of the studio for a week or so. Staying out of the water will be a little more difficult, but that's the price I've gotta pay.

I apologize again for not writing so much lately. I am crazy busy at work these days. Hopefully, after our big event next next week my life should get a little bit back to normal. At that point I will resume working through Meditations from the Mat.

Best of luck to everybody in their challenges! I have the utmost respect for you who've done 30 or 60 or even 90+ days. Maybe I'll complete one eventually. Just not in the cards for me right now.

Today's Weight: 214.5(!!)

Today's Food Choices:
vanilla iced coffee
pancakes w/ margarine & syrup
(9 am - McDonald's)
6" tuna sandwich on honey oat
bag of Doritos
(3:30 pm - Subway)
chocolate chip cookie
peanut butter cookie
sugar cookie
(5:30 pm - work)
2 small brownies
(10:30 pm - home)

15 & 16/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #73
Friday 6:30 pm w/ Kevo

Bikram Kaimuki - class #74
Saturday 4:30 pm w/ Jeremy

I brought my friend, Suzy, to yoga Friday and then she brought her friend, Anne, today. Both really liked it and signed up for the $30 intro special. They're going to try to come every day for the 30 days. Wow. Usually it's hit or miss with friends. My roommate who I brought over a year ago absolutely hated it. She tried 2 classes but then never wanted to come back. She is much more into the flow vinyasa style a la Bapiste. To each his own, though - you know?

Two solid classes for me. Lately, I have been getting my forehead much more squarely on my knee during standing separate leg stretching. Today I actually grabbed my knee on both sides during spine twisting. Got a compliment from Jeremy on my form in standing bow-pulling. That is probably my favorite posture. I can't keep my standing leg completely locked the whole time and I usually fall out after about 20 seconds in the full expression. But I am able to stretch my foot way back and over my head so I actually look pretty good in this pose. This excites me because I can see myself making it to a full standing split sometime in the distant future. I have a background in ballet and I used to be able to do the splits against a wall. That was years and years ago - but if I was able to do it at one time I am determined that I will get there again.

In addition I went swimming today at the pool by my house. I did 1100 yards at a leisurely pace - which is not really a lot for me. I want to work up to doing 1700 yards which is about a mile. It felt really good to be outside and to be in the water. Water energizes me. I love the smell of chlorine, too. I know that sounds funny but it reminds me of swim team. I did find that I was extra hot in yoga - probably from getting a little sun this afternoon.

We observed Earth Hour from 8:30-9:30 tonight by turning off all our lights throughout the whole house. We actually sat down and shared a glass of wine and conversation by candlelight. It was very nice. May try to make it a regular practice. Hawaii is a little apathetic, though. It didn't seem like many people here were willing sacrifice their electricity for an hour on a Sat night. Oh well. We put our good intention out there and that's what matters.



Today's Weight: 211.0

Today's Food Choices:
coffee w/ vanilla soy milk
kona chocolate chip pancakes
(11 am - home)
taco salad w/ lettuce, salsa, beans, rice, guacamole
served in a cripsy tostada shell
(6:30 pm - Cafe Mulvadi)
1 glass Calumbia Crest pinot noir
(8:30 pm - home)

13 & 14/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #71
Wednesday 8:15 pm w/ Jeremy

Bikram Kaimuki - class #72
Thursday 6:30 pm w/ Jeremy

I love Jeremy. He's probably my favorite teacher if I had to pick one. Not much to report from either class. Both were solid and neither too crowded. Last night I stayed in camel for the full time both sets - but I do that a lot these days, I'd say at least 2/3 of the time. Tonight I stayed in triangle for the full time both sides - which I've been doing about half of the time lately. I did - for the first time ever tonight - touch my knee in spine twisting on both sides. I kind of shifted the way I was sitting and what do you know? There was my knee. Exciting stuff.

I've been slipping back way too much into the dairy again lately. I read somewhere that milk has feel good hormones intended to increase bonding between the calf and its mother. These basically have the effect of an opiate on the human system. When people say that they are addicted to dairy - that actually has some physiological truth to it. And with cheese it's worse since it is a much more condensed product.

I know that I am so much better off going cold turkey. So tomorrow I will do just that. Again, butter will be the exception because it is a much weaker product since it's just the oil run-off. But even that has got to be in moderation. I will also try to step my consumption of fruits and vegetables way up and avoid processed food. That should get my weight moving in the downward direction again.



Today's Weight: 211.5

Today's Food Choices:
large vanilla iced coffee
cinnamon roll
(9 am - McDonald's)
falafalel w/ pita bread & hummus
Greek salad
(12:30 pm - Leo's Taverna)
8 oz Kombucha
(3:30 pm work)
2 small brownines
(8:30 pm - home)

11 & 12/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #69
Monday 8:15 pm w/ Michele

Bikram Kaimuki - class #70
Tuesday 8:15 pm w/ Kevo

Sorry for not posting yesterday. I did not miss class. It's just that my work is going to be a little crazy for the next couple of weeks. WE're gearing up for one of our biggest events of the year. So I will try to post my classes and food but will have to keep the longer posts for the weekend.

Hope everybody's doing well in their own respecticve practices and challenges. ;))

Today's Weight: 212.5

Today's Food Choices:
large vanilla iced coffee
2 hashbrown patties
(9 am - Mc Donald's)
tofu & vegetables w/ long rice
(12:30 pm - Baile)
1 Ghiradelli's dark chocolate w/ caramel
1 Ghiradelli's dark chocolate w/ mint
(3:30 pm work)
1 piece home made manicotti
(6:30 pm - home)

9 & 10/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #67
9 am w/ Jeremy

Bikram Kaimuki - class #68
6:30 pm w/ Noa

Two decent classes today. The AM class was uber crowded. I think they set a studio record or something. Jeremy was wonderful as usual. I don't like crowded classes so it was a little bit of struggle for me to make the best of it. I did get several compliments on my form, specifically in standing bow pulling and triangle. The PM class was almost too small - just 16 people. I tried to kind of cruise through cause I was feeling stiff and sore. Probably went a little too deep into my back in the first class. But I still had a good, focused practice without sitting out any postures.

Tonight Noa also commented that I have been really consistent in coming to class and how far I've progressed. Always nice to hear. She probably notices it more cause I only take her class maybe once a week or so. And it's hard not to feel like a rockstar when you've just completed 2 classes in one day. One double down and five more to go.

Again I am really beat so that's going to be all for today.


Today's Weight: 211.5

Today's Food Choices:
coffee w/ vanilla syrup & soy milk
Kona choclate chip pancakes
(12 pm - Cafe Mulvadi)
vegetable briyani
vegetable korma curry
naan bread
(9 pm - leftovers @ home)

8/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #66
4:30 pm w/ Jeremy

Really strong class today. Jeremy is always a good teacher, but when he is on his game he is exceptional. Today was one of those days. The group energy was cohesive and he led us through a flawless dialogue. It wasn't until the end of the class that I found out that it was the fourth class that he had taught for the day. I never would have guessed. The room was super hot but the class wasn't too big. I held the full time on many of the postures - most notably triangle and camel. It could be my mind playing tricks on me but it sure seemed like my body was thanking me for taking a day of rest.

I watched "Rock of Love Bus" on the DVR tonight. It is my favorite trash TV. I just can't get enough. Like one train wreck after another that I am compelled to watch in some sort of horrified fascination. Besides that I don't watch a lot of TV. (At least not until the new season of Entourage.) Movies on Netflix - yes. TV - not so much. Last week I watched "Vicky Christina Barcelona" twice. What a fabulous movie. I think that I will have to add that one to the collection. Next in my que is Milk which I also can't wait to see. Again, such are the silly little things that make me happy these days. ;))

I am gearing up for a double tomorrow so I am going to stop there.


Today's Weight: 212.0

Today's Food Choices:
coffee w/ vanilla syrup & soy milk
mango macademia nut pancakes
w/ fresh strawberries on top
(11:30 am - Cafe Mulvadi)
vegetable briyani
vegetable samosa
vegetable korma curry
(8 pm - Cafe Taj Mahal)

No class for me today. Which means I have another double to do in addition to the ones I already scheduled in order to make 60 classes in 60 days. =o(

I was planning to go to the 6:30 w/ KEvo. But had a friend invite me to dinner and to check out the new Target. At first I declined, but as the day wore on I changed my mind. I guess the pull of shopping w/ girlfriends got the best of me.

Hawaii just *finally* got its first 2 Target stores last month and there's been so much hype. Maybe it's cause I haven't been a regular Target shopper for the last several years. Maybe I just find ridiculously great bargains when I visit the mainland. Maybe this store is too new to have much clearance stuff yet. Maybe they are still in the process of stocking cuter, hipper merchandise. Maybe Target has just gone downhill. Regardless it was a big disappointment. It was nice to hang out with friends. But I sorta spent the whole evening wishing that I'd gone to yoga.

Today's Weight: 211.0

Today's Food Choices:
coffee w/ vanilla syrup & soy milk
glazed doughnut w/ chocolate filling
(10 am - The Patisirrie)
vegetable quiche
fruit salad - pineapple, melon, grapes
(12 pm - work)
green salad w/ carrots, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers
poppy seed roll w/ butter
(3 pm - work)
vermiccelli w/ veggie spring rolls, lettuce, & sprouts
(6:30 pm - Pho One)

7/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #65
8:15 pm

I've only had this teacher (who will remain nameless) once before and didn't really like her class. Tonight was no different. Her energy is low and her voice is monotone. Her cues aren't very strong so everybody kind of goes into and out of postures using their own timing. By the time we made it to the floor I was pretty annoyed.

But then, laying in savasana, it hit me. To my warped mind she sounded a little like Mr. Garrison from South PArk. After I made that connection I had a hard time keeping a straight face. I kept mentally adding "Mmm Kay?" to the end of each sentence and just about cracking up. I am sure she is a lovely person but her style simply doesn't jive with mine. I'll do what I can to avoid her class but try to make the best of it if/when I ever have her as a teacher again.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning and my weight was actually 206 on their scale. 206!!! That's 5 pounds lower than mine and fully clothed at that. I am still going by my scale cause that's what I've been using all along. But it certainly brightened my day.

And with that I will sign off cause I'm not feeling very yogi-like.

Today's Weight: 211.0

Today's Food Choices:
burrito w/ black beans, rice, lettuce, salsa, guacamole
served covered w/ enchilada sauce
(1 pm - work)
Itoen green Tea
2x Hershey's 100 calorie packs
(3 pm - work)

6/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #64
6:30 pm w/ Michele

Tonight's class was freekin' HOT. Michele doesn't open the doors very much either. So I had one of those classes where I felt that my skin was melting off. I felt dizzy during several of the postures and I even contemplated sitting out camel completely. But then my work ethic got the best of me and I tried the pose for about half of the time in each set.

During class Michele told us that when she got pregnant with her son she stopped doing Bikram because she had, had a previous miscarriage. She let herself eat whatever she wanted and gained 60 lbs. Now Michele is not a big girl. If I had to guess I'd say maybe 5'4". And I think that I've mentioned before that she has *the* most incredible body. Like she could model Brazilian bikinis and get paid for it if she wanted to.

She told us that once she went back to doing Bikram every day she lost her baby weight in 4 months! This give me solid hope. I want to lose another 60 lbs or so. And the fact that she looks this good after losing 60 lbs makes me even more confident about what I might be able to accomplish with my own body through losing the total of 80-90 lbs that is my ultimate goal.

Back to meditation #25 and the idea of humility. Gates says that, "Our postures become the embodiment of the exquisite balance between holding on and letting go, action and nonaction, ambition and restraint." He is so spot on with this. I am working on finding this balance in every class. And I'm already seeing the effects spill over into my daily life. This is after just 6-7 weeks of regular practice. I am excited to see what will happen a year into it and 5 years and 10 and even more.


Today's Weight: 211.0

TOTAL OF 25 POUNDS LOST SO FAR



Today's Food Choices:
fresh pineapple
(10 am - work)
Teeccino w/ vanilla soy milk
(11:30 - work)
3 slices veggie pizza w/ garlic butter
(1:30 pm - work)
Snickers bar
bag of Fritos
Itoen green tea
(3:30 pm - work)
small bowl of rice w/ Earth Balance
(8:30 pm - home)

5/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #63
8:15 pm w/ Kevo

Tough class tonight for me. Kevo sped through the dialogue cause it was St. Patrick's Day, the class was small, and I'm sure he wanted to go out and join the revelry. The limited rest between postures made it much more cardio-intensive for me. But I think my bigger issue was too much sugar again today. I felt nauseous and out of breath throughout the class. And I really wanted to sit out several postures - especially when it came to spine strengthen series. But I did not. ;))

I am pretty spent and still need to study more. So I'm going to cut this short. More insights on Meditation #25 to come another day.


Today's Weight: 213.0


Today's Food Choices:
cafe mocha w/ soy milk
glazed doughnut w/ chocolate frosting
(10:00 am - The Patisserie)
fruit salad - pineapple, grapes, melon
Cranberry Jubilee trail mix
(12 pm - work)
green salad w/ carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions
sesame seed roll
(4 pm - work)
hot chocolate w/ soy milk
slice of coconut cake
(6:30 pm - Coffee Talk)

4/60

MEDITATION #25

Bikram Kaimuki - class #62
8:15 pm w/ Michele

Good class again tonight. Very hot and steamy. I felt strong and even got a compliment from Michele on my standing bow. Chatted it up in the lobby after with a couple fellow yogi's - which I don't usually do. Michele asked how much weight I've lost and told me how great I was doing. Which, of course, I already know. But hearing it really made my night.

This is right in line with something that I have already been thinking about for the last couple of days. Sometimes I re-read my blog and feel like I sound terribly vain and ego-centered. I know, in all honesty, that I am certainly neither of those things. But sometimes I almost feel guilty for the glee I feel when I look in the mirror and see the slimmer, fitter body staring back at me.

It's sort of like I'm afraid that I will turn into some kind of brainless Barbie-doll type if I continue to lose weight and shape up. Yes - I do know how completely and utterly ridiculous that is. But somewhere in my childhood or adolescence I got it stuck in my head that it was bad or at least silly to want to look good.

Major news flash - I DO want to look good. We all do. And on the one had I don't think there's anything wrong with that. But on the other hand I feel on some deep level that I shouldn't care so much about my outward appearance. This is something I struggle with. Weird, huh? But also pretty typical of the contradictory messages we are bombarded with from the time we are very young.

That brings me to today's meditation which is about pride. Gates talks about how putting truthfulness into practice during yoga is an exercise in humility. But he also says that humility has two sides. There is the letting go of the good as well as the bad. But the aspect he discusses that really hit me is that humility is also the awareness that we cannot afford to play small.

I feel that this is sort of what I've been doing. For the last several years I've been kind of just hanging out. I've used the extra weight as an excuse not to go out into the world and interact more with people. I've used food to comfort me instead of dealing with my emotions head on. Today's Daily Om deals with this exact issue - using outside influences to numb your feelings. WOW. I am really getting a double or even triple whammy here. I think that I should revist this meditation again tomorrow because there is so much for me to contemplate and sit with.


Today's Food Choices:
cafe mocha w/ soy milk
glazed doughnut w/ chocolate filling
(10:00 am - The Patisserie)
green salad w/ tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, & onions
(2 pm - work)
8 oz Kombucha
(5:30 pm - work)

3/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #61
6:30 pm w/ Noa

I got another body wrap today. Didn't do measurements, but I feel really slim. In yoga class I couldn't help noticing that the reflection staring back at me looked much thinner. ;))

Noa taught a great class. She is a tough little girl. She's really big on staying calm and in control between postures. I've often witnessed her call people out for drinking water and wiping their faces too much. Personally, I appreciate her reminders to "just breathe and act like nothing happened" especially after giving my all in a tough posture. I had a solid class. I even held both sets of Camel for the full time. And I almost held Standing Bow-Pulling for the full time in second set. Ahh, the small things that make me happy these days.

Speaking of which, I had a delightful lunch with my friend, Suzy, today. And yesterday I spent a lovely afternoon with my friend, Joy, who accompanied my to get my "nose job" as she likes to call it. I am feeling so blessed to have these two wonderful ladies in my life.

But now I really must study because I have an exam Wednesday. So I'm going to cut this entry short.

Aloha, Thanks for reading, and Namaste.



Today's Weight: 214.0


Today's Food Choices:
1 banana
Itoen green tea
(10:00 am - 7-11)
ginger soup
Thai vegetables w/ rice
Thai basil w/ red chili & tofu
(12 pm - Phuket Thai)
1 small brownie
(5:30 pm - home)
3 slices veggie pizza w/ garlic sauce but no cheese
(9:30 pm - Papa John's)

2/60

MEDITATION #24

Bikram Kaimuki - class #60
11 am w/ Kevo

I had a great class today. Yes, Kevo is still my favorite even though he's the hardest. The more I take his class the better I get. It's not that the other teachers don't help me improve or try to push us in class. It's just that I always seem to work harder w/ Kevo.

In other news, I got my nose pierced today. It was kind of a whim, although I've thought about doing it on and off for quite a while. I wanted to celebrate losing 20 lbs for good. This is a nice little reminder that I am returning to my old self but at the same time I'm embarking on a journey to a newer, truer version of me. It is also a tribute to my funky and creative and rebellious side. And it was totally no big deal. It did bleed a bit cause it's on the face. But in all, was not that different from piercing your ear. I got a small diamond-looking clear gem stud. Very tasteful and delicate. I LOVE IT!!!

Having the courage to get my nose done made me decide that I'm *finally* going to bite the bullet and get the stay human logo tattoo on my ankle that I've wanted for years now. I think that I'll get it done when I reach 40 lbs lost. Hopefully, that will coincide with my trip to San Francisco after this 60 day challenge is finished. The tattoo will be my next little reward for myself and memento of the new phase of my life I'm beginning. I'm a little scared but also very excited.

Today's meditation talks about letting go of pretense and telling the truth about ourselves as part of the concept of satya. Gates speaks about, "holy moments when we come out of hiding and allow ourselves to simply be truthful with another human being without trying to be cool." I think that yoga helps with the ability to just be without pretense. But I still find myself needing to be cool. I do strive to be authentic above all else. But some days even that is a struggle. Interesting the many layers to an idea so seemingly simple and straightforward as "truth".


Today's Weight: 215.5 - before yoga
Today's Weight: 212.5 - after yoga ;))

TOTAL OF 23.5 POUNDS LOST SO FAR



Today's Food Choices:
green & peppermint combo tea
(10 am - home)
spicy veggie roll
tempura veggie roll
tempura shrimp roll
1/2 California roll
(2:30 pm - Sushi Man)
scoop raspberry sorbet
(4:30 pm - Bubbies)
2 glasses champagne
(7 pm - home)
pineapple, spinach, acai, orange juice smoothie
(9 pm - home)

1/60

Bikram Kaimuki - class #59
6:30 pm w/ Kevo

Well it's official. Tonight I started my first ever 60 Day Challenge. I also just found out that my sister and her family will be coming to Maui the last week of April. Which means I'll have to bank some doubles so that I don't have to worry about yoga when I go over to meet up with them for a long weekend. No matter. I am psyched to see them and I am psyched to complete this challenge. I've just got to plan ahead from day one.

I haven't had Kevo as a teacher in a while. And tonight's class still went surprising well. I didn't hold the super long version of camel. But I did try my best in all of the postures. I even held his long version of all 3 parts of Awkward - so I was proud of myself for that. And I wasn't completely dead tired by the time we hit the floor - so I must be learning to pace myself better. I may try to make his class again tomorrow. I sort of missed being pushed past my limits.

Looking at my food choices I just realized that I didn't eat any vegetables today. How did I let that happen? Wow. I really need to make sure that I get in at least one big green salad per day. I know my body needs it. Maybe I'll make a green smoothie tomorrow morning before I head out to yoga to try to start making up for the lack of live enzymes today.

It's been a long day so I think I'm going to crash. I will go into the next day's meditation tomorrow. I figure it'd better wait until I'm a little bit more articulate.

Aloha & Namaste


Today's Weight: 216.5


Today's Food Choices:
cafe mocha w/ soy milk
glazed doughnut w/ chocolate filling
(10:00 am The Patisserie)
fruit salad - pineapple, melon, grapes
3 oatmeal cookies
(1 pm - work)
bag of baked Chex Mix
Aloha Maid iced tea w/ lemon
(4 pm - work)
microwave popcorn
(9 pm - home)

MEDITATION #23 (RE-REDUX)

I took a sick day from work today. I woke up all achy and feverish. Thought I might be coming down with something but it turned out just to be the return of my monthly friend. I've been crampy and bloated and really low energy all day. So tonight I decided to have a glass of wine or two and skip yoga. I don't think I could handle a Kevo class right now.

I have decided to start my first ever 60 day challenge tomorrow. Why wait a week til St. Patrick's Day? Time is of the essence. If I feel strong I'll keep going for a total of 64 days straight before my trip to the mainland. The goal is to make at least 120 classes prior to leaving. 60+ added to the 58 I've already completed for the year. Then I will plan to do 4 classes while I'm gone - most likely 2 at El Cerrito and 2 at San Rafael.

I am excited. I think that right now I really need the discipline that committing to a 60 day challenge entails. And I appreciate the advice and well wishes from those of you who have completed your own challenge. ;))

Back to meditation #23 in Gates' book. I've been thinking a lot over the last several days about being truthful in thought, word, and deed. This proves to be an area of difficulty for me. Which just means that I've got to work harder at it and give it more attention. I am noticing more when I'm not being completely honest or authentic - so I guess that's the first step.


Today's Food Choices:
coffee w/ soy milk & vanilla syrup
kona chocolate chip pancakes
(1:30 am Cafe Mulvadi)
breakfast potatoes w/ salsa & guacamole
(3 pm - home)
2 glasses pinot grigio
vegetarian samosa
vegetarian pakoras
vegetarian padum
(8 pm - Cafe Taj Mahal)