2.28.16- 9am

Today's class was so much better. Even though the teacher wasn't my favorite the atmosphere both in the room and I guess in my state of mind was completely different, phew! It really doesn't matter who is teaching or what they are saying when you get in to the mental state where you are totally focused on doing the task at hand.

2.27.16- 9am

This was the hottest, lamest class I've had in a long time. I had to sit out a couple of postures, not something I usually do. And by the second Blowing And Firm I was barely able to do it at half the time. Just really hot, and crowded...6ams are so much better than weekend classes.The silver lining was Marguerite did class with me (and was about to pass out as well...it wasn't just me!) and then we went wine tasting and had a fabulous day. So that made up for it.

2.26.16- 6am

Made it through another week of 6ams. Inching my way slightly closer on third part of Stretching pose but still not there. Noticing my shoulders and hips creaking and popping a bit more in Standing Head To Knee and Triangle...almost like i'm getting an adjustment. I consider this a good thing! Was able to lower my bad knee several inches more than I have in weeks during Tree pose. Baby steps. Did some new stretches before class to get me in to Hanumanasana...the splits!

2.25.16- 6am

Had a good night's sleep and am feeling better today. Had a stronger class. Am able to do "Fixed Firm pose" again and well as "Spine Twisting" as the knee continues to improve. Right now more than ever  I am determined to focus more on really doing "Savasana" correctly...which means to completely relax and stay focused on relaxation and meditation in the moment. This is by far the hardest thing for anyone to master and I haven't even really been trying until now because I didn't understand it...it's just that foreign to me to be totally relaxed and in the moment...but the light is coming. I've never done anything that simple yet that challenging, however. DAMN!

2.24.16- 6am

Feeling incredibly burnt out today but got through class much to my surprise. Of course you always feel better once you go but I still feel exhausted thanks to work being a neverending onslaught lately. Is it Friday yet? FUDGE. Nothing much else to contribute today I'm afraid.

2.23.16- 6am

I am now able to bend both knees while doing "Spine Twisting Pose" this is great news...my knee is healing! The bad news is that the chiro I was going to is out of network and since I'm not really able to spend $1000 on alternative medicine this month I had to cancel my next appt. The silver lining is that whatever he did the first time is really working so at this point I don't think I need to go back. Hopefully I'm right.

2.22.16- 6am

I have realized over the last few weeks that I am developing callouses on my knees and upper feet as well as on both of the tips of my middle fingers (!?!). I knew the knees and feet were caused by the kneeling poses but what could these middle finger issues be from?  I mean yes, I do use them alot and it seems only appropriate they are getting calloused but why now? I paid close attention in class today and determined it's from "Standing Seperate Leg Head to Knee" that's doing it. Only in the last month have I been consistently putting my hands in prayer position during that pose and it's very challenging for me but when done correctly the middle fingers bear the brunt of the carpet. Mystery solved! And I'm kind of proud of them...although my manicurist will be horrified.

2.21.16-9am

Colin and I had a good Jeannie class today. It was packed and I was bold/brave enough to stand right next to the podium knowing full well Jeannie would pick on me but now I love when she does that. And sure enough...2 poses got some attention. On "Standing Bow Pulling Pose" I was able to hold full posture while she made me keep bringing my body down to a level I had never gotten to before. Three things I need to remember: 1-keeping kicking the back leg, 2- don't lower my arm 3- breathe better. Second correction was on 3rd part of "Stretching Pose" where I am about 3 inches from touching my head to my toes. Jeannie sort of yanked my butt out from under me and it caused me to go forward more and gain a bit more stretch. Close but still no cigar.

2.20.16-9am

Today I touched my forehead to my knee on the second side, second set of "Standing Head To Knee". Steve caught it at the end and made the observation that it must be that if he doesn't say anything I'll do it! He hadn't actually given the cue to do it. Steve quote of the day: when discussing the level to which one should perform a pose if they are trying to push past too much pain..."It's like pissing up a rope...it ain't gonna happen!". These entries are becoming very Steve-centric. I guess he's my guru...I'm lucky!

2.19.16- 6am

For the record I did 6am yesterday as well but was unable to post a blog about it because my site was temporarily disabled because google wasn't convinced I was not a robot. I mean I realize this isn't the most exciting blog in the world but GEEZ! So I'm back. Steve lent me the biography of Steve Jobs (lots of Steves in this post)...I'm already 5 chapters deep. I was sort of averse to reading it because I didn't feel like reading about another rich, white, male mogul...but this is a really good read. How this post relates to yoga at all is unclear but it's my blog, I'm not a robot and I can do what I want! Good Steve (not Jobs) class today.

2.17.16- 9am

Peaced out on the first part of work today so that I could sleep a little and go to 9am yoga with Colin. About to head to lunch at Nearly Normals with Roz so I'll keep this short. Great Steve class...but I feel like if I don't touch my forehead to my toes in the 3rd part of "Stretching Pose" soon Steve might start getting bummed. Is there a little pressure, yes...self-imposed...but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Come on, body!

2.16.16- 6am

Had a great visit with chiropractor Dr. Lawrence...he practices naturopathic medicine and was very gentle and honed in on the knee issue right away. Brilliant! He did a few various things included adjusting my pelvis which is twisted causing my bad knee leg to be 1/2 inch shorter. This is a common issue for most people but it causes one to put more pressure on various muscles in the shorter leg. So he yanked on my leg as well...by the end of the hour my knee already felt better, it's all connected. Class today was much less painful than it has been. I'm so stoked about this I didn't get bothered by the dude in the back row staring at my crotch during "Camel" pose. Enjoy the view, homeboy! Oh and today I have acupuncture...can life get any better!?!?

2.15.16- 6am

Slept so much this weekend that I think I made it out of the slump I was in...although I'm on the grind like a mofo at work and that isn't going to get any better any time soon. I shall persevere, however! I have a chiro appt. shortly to look at my knee. I am realizing that I have underused my quad muscles for probably my whole life and this could be partly why my knees have issues. "Standing Seperate Leg Stretching" is the posed that brought this to light for me and I went deeper in it today than ever before because I was unrelenting about pulling up on my quad muscles. Even though I always thought I was doing that I don't think I really was until now. I hope I like this doctor!

2.14.16-9am

Valentine's Day, I have never enjoyed this day...but it was nice to see that because all classes were free today, lots of people brought in their "mates". I doubt many of them will return but at least they gave it a try! I did 9am with Colin and even conceded to being next to him in the back row next to his spot that he never deviates from. I prefer front row where I can see myself but it was nice to be next to him. He really has made so much progress and is responsible for encouraging me to try Bikram and meditation. I love him very much! But I still don't like Valentine's Day.

2.13.16- 9am

Went to bed with a sore throat and woke up with the same one...had a pretty good class: was able to exit "Standing Head to Knee" with head on knee, exiting with at least a little control for a sec...baby steps. That said, it was clear when I left that I was still sick. I zombie-like walked in the house, took a shower and then passed out on the bed for 3 hours. I'm better now but wow, something was/is passing through me....could be a combo of the challenge mixed with the overtime being put in at work. In other words, i'm suffering from "exhaustion" just like Whitney back in the day. I can testify, it's REAL. Just ask my PR rep.

2.12.16- 6am

Today is Colin's bday so I left a little early (after Rabbit) and we had a little bday celebration then Colin went to 9am. It's official...we're addicted! Really focusing on lifting up and getting taller...if I just stand still in Mountain Pose and just feel my skeleton particular my rib cage, I can visibly make myself taller, or at least it feels that way. It makes sense...gravity is always on us, the weight of the world is always on us. BKS Inyengar explains this process in a much more eloquent and lovely way...the term is "Dynamic Extension". Hope Colin has a great class...it will as Steve says "set the tone for his day".

2.11.16- 6am

Today Jeannie gave me a "good one, Jane!" on "Rabbit pose". I don't think I've ever received kudos on that one and especially not from Jeannie (she's tough!)...so it made me very warm and fuzzy inside just like a fuzzy little rabbit, how appropriate. I am only now understanding the point of that pose a year and a half in to my Bikram yoga practice. Something special happened,  my lower spine released more today and I felt it lift higher than ever before. I can't express what a great feeling it is when you make substantial progress in a pose like that. YIPPEE!!

2.10.16- 6am

Today, for only the second time ever, I was able to touch my forehead to my knee in "Standing Head to Knee" and come out with control vs. falling out. The first time I did it was in a Steve class and so was this time and on the same leg as last time (even though my standing leg is my bum knee and doesn't like a lot of weigh on it). So that was exciting, WOOT! The other thing I have to report is that my secondary 60 day challenge goal is now to touch my forehead to my toes in the last part of "Stretching Pose". I have about 2inches to go...so close yet so far away.

2.9.16- 6am

I am definitely feeling the effects of doing yoga every single day. It had been a least a few weeks since before the 60 day challenge since i've skipped a day and for the most part the effects are great...but I'm also dragging a bit. It's not called a challenge for nothin' I guess! The positive is that on certain postures that I can still do well given my knee I can really go deeper. Even on "Standing Bow Pulling Pose" which bugs my knee a little I was able to concentrate today in a way I never have before. It was fairly brief but when I got there, it really did feel like I could "hold it forever" like the dialog says! Will I continue to try for that...we'll see how it goes. I need to take it easy on my knee.

2.8.16- 6am

Back at the celebrity sighting lacking Corvallis studio. I love it though...always a comforting and friendly place to be. In Corvallis there is 1 degree of separation from everyone and you find that out quickly when you start talking to people in class. Today I am focusing more on tightening my quad muscles when I am in "Standing Separate Leg Stretching" pose. I think not REALLY locking my leg and using my upper leg muscles contributes to my knee pain. I also need to be more mindful of where I am balancing the weight on my feet. Who knew it was so hard to think about your feet. It really is, though.

2.7.16- 8:30am Portland Sellwood Studio

Well today was an exciting class! Not only was I in Portland at my fave studio in Sellwood but we had a rock star in class. None other than Mr. Steve Malkmus...indie god of the 90s band Pavement. Of course my first thought upon recognizing him (he was front row, I was behind him) was "Colin is gonna be so freakin' jealous!" I made sure not to look at him much but I did notice one thing and that is that he also keeps his eyes closed during pranayama breathing...a big no-no and continuing source of discussion between Colin and I because he does the same thing and refuses to change. What does it mean!?!? Well probably nothing. A couple other things about Steve is he has a kind of gross old light purple yoga mat, he's really skinny and has a big scar on this stomach and he's not very flexible but he tries hard. Not a great shot but I made sure to get proof of this event. I made sure to lie to the person at the front desk and say I needed to prove I did a class for my 60 day challenge:

Happy Sunny Sunday....namaste!

2.6.16

Good class with Elizabeth. She reminded me to lift up and out...to keep searching for that space between each vertabrae, muscle, etc...there's always more to give!

2.5.16- 6am

First work week of the 60 day challenge complete....it was an incredibly draining week at work, jammed schedules every day and moments of near desperation facing challenges I had to deal with but the yoga carried me through. Colin and I actually look forward to class. When I was a little girl, my grandma, Ya Ya, had this little bowl of cards, each one having a drawing of a different angel...love, patience, good will, etc. and we'd always pick an angel of the day when we'd visit. I was surprised to see the same bowl of angels when I started at Bikram Corvallis and make sure to pick one every morning. Today I got the angel of "Tenderness" and that seemed appropriate. I'm going to try a little tenderness on my knee, on mySELF, and with others.

2.4.16- 6am

Was a rough class because of my knee but Steve was very helpful and reminded me that everyone goes through this and just don't let it get you down...back off on postures that strain the injury. So I did, and it helped. I am trying to focus on going deeper in the postures that still feel good...and there are many!

2.3.16- 6am

My knee must have been mad at me for calling it a bitch in the last post because it did something weird during and impromptu dance party in the kitchen last night and now I can't even DO "Toe Stand". Not going to let it get me down though. OK, maybe I'm a little down. Still had a good class, though but can't do standing head to knee for very long on the bad knee side which is a new thing. Lame.

2.2.16- 6am

The good news, I figured out a new way to balance in "Toe Stand" that really changes the posture for me. By making sure my heel is directly tucked in to basically my crotch, directly in the center line of my body, I can get the leverage I need to stay balanced and move in the direction of lifting my hips off my heel. I can't lift up yet, and honestly it could take a year before I even come close...but I now get how it's done (i think?). The bad news, I can only really do it on one side right now because my left knee is still giving me problems. It has been a couple months now...really ready for that bitch to heal.

2/1/16- 6am

Today was the first day of the 60 day yoga challenge at our studio. My goal is to go to class every day and maybe even squeeze in one or two doubles. It will be tough since we'll be traveling during some of the time but there are Bikram studios where we are going to there are NO EXCUSES! Today on "standing seperate leg head to knee" I tried a tip from my husbro, pushing my forehead strongly into my knee...and it helped with my ability to even out my hips and balance. Thanks, honey!  This article makes me want to perfect that pose even more. The thyroid fascinates me and I think gave me lots of problems before I started yoga (though tests never showed any issue...but doctors aren't that smart). http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/10/07/the-secret-to-staying-healthy-the-lymphatic-system/