Bikram Kaimuki - class #56
4:30 pm w/ Jeremy

I really didn't feel like going to yoga today. I took a nap after having a late brunch and didn't want to motivate. Boy am I glad that I did. First of all, I didn't break my no-skipping-more-than-one-day-in-a-row rule. Second, I felt great after. Third, it was quite a learning experience for me. During class I was in a complete funk, which I'll explain below. Class wasn't too hard physically but mentally it was difficult for me.

Let me just begin by saying that most of the regulars at my studio are truly wonderful. But there are several who kind of have a "yogi-er than thou" attitude. I get that they've been practicing for many years and they've seen people - both students and teachers - come and go, blah, blah, blah. That doesn't mean that they are any more important or entitled to be there.

One of this second type of regulars came in too late to take her usual place up front today. So she decides to set up next to me in the second row. I moved over a bit to give her room. But then she proceeded to inch over closer and closer to me after each posture so that she could see herself better in the mirror. No concern that she might be blocking the view of the person behind her. No concern that she could be invading my space. I scooted my mat over a couple of additional times because I felt like she was right on top of me. GRRRRR. Very annoyed.

All class long I was worrying about what was going to happen in full locust when we had to spread our arms to the side like a 747 taking off. Then getting into the posture the girl on my other side gave me a little smile and staggered herself forward. Problem solved. I staggered back and the annoying lady staggered forward. I had spent the entire 70+ minutes up until that point worrying about something that turned out to be a non-issue.

How is it that I could let my peace and good humor be disrupted so easily? I was seriously shooting daggers at this woman the entire class, wallowing in self-righteousness and indignation. Through it all I'm pretty sure that she was completely oblivious. It was only myself that got all worked up into a tussle. Towards the end of the class after the situation w/ full locust had been resolved, I started actively trying my very best to embrace compassion and even love. The only thing that worked to turn my thoughts around was for me to imagine my dog and how completely loving I feel toward her. (I posted the picture above to show you what I mean.) How could I continue to be angry when I had that precious face in my mind? Buddha- bazoodle to the rescue.

Once we hit the floor for final savasana, the teacher had barely stopped talking when this lady popped up and was stomping across the room to the back to get her stuff. But then she was gone. And just like that her type A, pushy, overbearing energy was gone too. At this point I was able to crack a smile and almost ready to laugh a little.

WOW. I am sure that I do things that irritate others while in class. But from now on I will try to be especially mindful not to disturb anyone's peace. And now that I've vented a little I will try to let all this go so that I can keep my own peace as well the next time something like this happens to me in class.


Today's Food Choices:
coffee w/ milk & sugar
macadamia nut pancakes
(12 pm - Big City Diner)
vegetable briyani
vegetable curry
vegetble samosa
(7 pm - leftovers @ home)
2 pieces veggie pizza
(9 pm - home)