Day 30

The last day…


The last day of hot yoga was a not hot yoga. For the second time I tried the "not hot" yoga. I was expecting the muscle yogi, but instead found a different teacher. There were several students who came in asking if she was teaching this class. I thought, "Hey, she must be good if people are requesting her." So I was excited that my last class was being taught by a yoga master.

The yoga master went around to each person and introduced herself. She asked me what my practice was like. I replied, "This is my 20th class. I'm taking the challenge. " I would regret this little bragging later. I continued, "I did my first backbend yesterday after two yoga classes." She wasn't impressed. Strike one.

I obviously didn't answer the question right and switched gears to talk about my tight shoulders. "It's difficult to get my palms to touch behind me," I said. She proceeded to demonstrate how to open up my shoulders: lay a yoga brick or a phone book on the floor, place your forehead to the brick and your palms to the floor, slowly roll your head to one side without lifting your palm. Repeat on the other side. It looked painful and I made the mistake of saying so. Strike two.

The yoga master used blankets, straps, bricks, and bolsters. It was all a new experience. My bragging about this being my 20th class came back to bite me. So she kept coming over to me and saying, "This is the last day of your challenge, make it count." Me and my big mouth. In warrior three she really let me have it, "Come on, reach up! Touch my hand." I couldn’t. My thigh was burning and my leg was shaking. I fell. Strike three.

The yoga master didn't criticize, but let me rediscover that I didn't know anything about yoga. After doing one backbend I thought I was all that, but realized that I'm still a fogi- a wannabe yogi. And that's fine because after meeting this challenge I have decided - I'll be back for more yoga hot or not hot.

Challenge Counter:

Number of Yoga Classes: 20 with a lot of help!