Bend it in Bikram

I went back to Bikram yesterday after a 3.5 month hiatus. My #RWRunStreak over the summer didn't leave much room to do anything else but run. Then I went to the Philippines for two weeks. Then I had to fight jet-lag when I got back. Then it was too hot in August, etc, etc.

So many excuses. Truth was, I was afraid that I'd stayed away too long and I had to start from scratch. And that I had become a wimp and couldn't handle the heat anymore. Jim, the Bikram studio owner, said to me yesterday "well, its the same 26 postures so there's no surprise there."

And there really was no surprise. I still can't my toes to wrap around the standing leg in Eagle pose. I'm still able to kick out in Standing Head to Knee (but wobbly). I still really dislike Triangle pose. I still could only do Toe stand in one side. I still couldn't get my forehead to touch my knee in Rabbit pose. I still rock the Spine Twisting pose. And I still felt super after my class.

The body is a wonderful thing. The muscles remembers my practice. Being away for awhile, my mind was really present in class and in the "moment" (my mind used to wander sometimes when I was in class.)

Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Because I realized how much I miss sweating and stretching in Bikram.

My shoulders are sore today but I still plan to run later after work. But my yoga bag is packed and in the trunk of my car for tomorrow's class. May I be stronger than my excuses.

NAMASTE.