Strength – Flexibility
Yesterday was #20 in a row of Bikram Hot Yoga, 1/3 of the way to my goal of #60 where I was promised a new mind, body, spirit and a cool t-shirt. I questioned the whole t-shirt thing when I first heard about it but like yak colored blazers in Golf, in these circles it’s a big deal. Here are some very preliminary findings more will follow after #40 and at #60:
1. You can be strong or you can be flexible but Yoga will test both of these and show you quickly where you are neither.
2. You can get used to the extreme heat after a few days but the energy you bring or leave with will determine what a good session it was.
3. Sometimes the instructor that aggravates you the most helps you the most.
4. Like minded folks do similar things but not always for the same reasons.
5. Just by showing up and not leaving the room, you win. (strong)
6. I did not go there to lose weight or “work out” but positive physical changes are underway.
7. I’m a pretty spiritual guy but feel expansion and am grateful (flexible)
8. Mental clarity is an illusion (for me at least) but the Mitote’ have become exhausted and for the most part sit quietly.
9. No pain no gain is still true, As Leonard Cohen says “we ache in the places we used to play”
10. I ache when I wake up……(worse when Edy is gone)…………..and it goes away.
Edy woke me up this morning with a Ipad Message – It was perfect timing because I was dreaming of her. We chatted for a bit until it was time for her to go skiing and me to go for a bike ride. Its grey here but warm and I headed out with a fully charged bike computer toward Route #2. As I pulled the bike out into the hallway, I noticed our Indian (country) neighbors also heading out with the whole clan. Mom,Dad,Kids and of course, Grandma. There were dressed in beautiful saris and the boys had their glossy hair pasted perfectly to their skulls. The kids laughed out loud as I got on my bike and waved to them as I sped down the hall. Once I had zoomed my way down through the parking garage I met them again as they came out of the elevator. We went through the gates together and I caught the eyes of the boys and made a “vroom-vroom” motion with my right wrist on the hand grip before I took off……………..they laughed like crazy, parents frowned and grandma smiled. Grandparents get it.
We live next to the largest church in North America and throngs of good Christians lined the streets as I zig-zagged north. It’s a beautiful site to see all of these folks from all over the region dressed to the “9’s” converging to offer their devotion (strong). I’m always touched.
As I continued to make my way reality came blaring from behind me in the form of a road raged schmuck in a Chrysler laying on his horn because an elderly cat in a Cadillac “apparently” cut him off. (“I was there officer – he had plenty of room”) BLARING !!!...........Fist Shaking !!! Cursing !!!.............(in-flexible)
It was at this point Tom Wait’s Ballad of the Phantom 309 came into my head. I named one of my race cars after that song a long time ago. Great tune, kept me company as I peddled on. I noticed that my average speed had increased by over 16%, “ah, no wind – no wonder”. Kind of a depressing saying isn’t it “no wonder”……???…………”blog worthy for the future”, I thought as I rode onward.
I smelled them before I saw them, Gardenias ! I circled back around to take another whiff and make a mental GPS note to return this way more often. The recent rain and warm spells had all the flowers showing off again and it was lovely backdrop. I’m a big fan of flowers !
Last night as I waited for class I sat outside and watched a pair of Turtle Doves and Cardinals do their courtship dances for each other in the Oak Tree above. The males puffed and strutted, spun and replayed their “stuff” while the females pretended to watch traffic. Nature. (strong) I could not help but think about much fun Edy and I had last week with our spontaneous Mo-Town Dancing in the Kitchen and how lessons from yoga apply to “us”.............yin-yang (strength-flexibility).
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