MEDITATION #1

Bikram Kaimuki - class #36
6:30 pm w/ Kevo

The jist of today's meditation is that a spiritual practice works by bringing us full circle - not to a new self but back to the essence of our true selves. Gates mentions Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz who had the power all along to get home. But in order to realize that power she had to go through a series of fantastic adventures which brought her to the point where she could finally believe it.

For me, yoga makes me believe in my own strength again. Bit by bit, posture by posture, class by class - I am becoming reaquainted with what I am capable of. And I am tuning into my higher self at the same time.

Tonight's class was very difficult. Kevo's nickname is "the sargeant" and he's known for being really hard. He holds all the tough postures longer than usual (like the second part of awkward and triangle) and then seems to breeze through the easier postures (like half tortoise and separate head to knee stretching). I have a really hard time pacing myself in his class. I usually push too hard during the standing series and then I'm exhausted by the time we hit the floor. I have to figure out how to save more energy for the end so that I can finish strong. But I'm well aware that those things that do not come easy for me are the ones that I probably need to do the most. So I try my best to do every last posture even if it's not full out. And what do you know? I always get through it somehow. Not only that, sometimes his class feels just a little bit more doable and I actually feel like I am making progress. ;))

Today's Weight: 221.0

Today's Food Choices:
2 med apples
chocolate chip pancakes w/ butter & coconut syrup (YUM!!!)
iced coffee w/ milk and 2 squirts vanilla syrup
1 piece of high fiber, multi-grain toast w/ peanut butter
baked macaroni & cheese
small piece of pork tenderloin