Day 59 -- Hold On For One More Day

I'm not gonna lie: I'm tired. I'm looking forward to my regular practice, which will be 4-5 days per week instead of 7.

But I've made SO MUCH progress during the Sixty-Day Challenge. I'll do measurements and weight and stuff tomorrow (TOMORROW!), but here are some things I've noticed:

• I'm way better at delayed gratification. I drink less water during class, and I don't bother wiping my sweat away anymore. I can deal with a dry throat and a wet face/neck/everything through the poses; I can ignore them and focus on the work I'm doing. 
• I'm far more calm during class. No more panic or anxiety. I really do get lost in the rhythm of it and am often surprised when we get to the final breathing exercise, because I realize we're done. 
• I can stay still. When I started, I'd fidget with my hair and shirt between every set. I'd scratch my nose, wipe my forehead, etc. Now I just stand there (or lie there) and breathe, for the most part. 
• I'm stronger. I can lift higher in Cobra and farther back in Camel, for example. And I don't want to shoot myself or the teacher as I approach muscle failure in Half Moon. 
• I have better balance. Yes, I still fall out of Standing Bow on a regular basis, but I can hold the posture for much longer and with much better form. 
• I'm far more calm out of class. Traffic bothers me less. My kids' issues don't get me as wound up. I'm less obsessive about...everything. "Oh, well," I say to myself. "Let it go."
• My mind is clearer. I'm less foggy, less depressed, less vulnerable to downward mood spirals. 
• I'm better at savoring every moment and being present. This is probably my favorite change.

At the end of class today, Byron gave the usual exhortation: "Practice this yoga five to six times a week, and it'll change your life. Try it for two months and see if we're right."

I definitely agree.

Day 19 -- Connections

Today was our family day at Disneyland, and we had a fantastic time. Fourteen hours/23,000 steps/nine miles took their toll on my aging body, but we made lovely memories that will last a very long time.

One cool thing that happened: Patrick and I were in line for the Buzz Lightyear ride with our two youngest kids. Just as the line progresses to the turnstiles, a human-sized Buzz states the urgency of the riders' mission (defeating the evil Zurg, etc.) and exhorts everyone to do their best. 

Right behind us in line was a three-year-old boy with his parents. When he saw the giant Buzz, he just about leapt out of his skin. "BUZZ!" he screamed, frantically beating his hands on his chest. "IT'S ME!! It's me, Buzz!"

Patrick and I nearly died over the adorableness. This kid clearly expected Buzz to recognize and acknowledge him. His connection to the character went that deep. 

It reminded me of another recent incident. Our thirteen-year-old daughter probably has (next to me) the deepest connection to our corgi, Moneypenny. She loves corgis and is constantly reading about them online. She knows, of course, that the Queen of England has several corgis, and decided earlier this week to write a letter to Her Majesty. 

She looked up the proper forms of address, wrote the letter, labeled the envelope, and asked me for postage. She mailed the letter off on Wednesday. She knows she likely won't get an answer; the Queen receives over 200 letters per day. But I was impressed and proud that she had the courage and humility to reach out and attempt a connection with someone with whom she has something in common. 

What does any of this have to do with yoga? I see many benefits to developing a Bikram practice: better health, stamina, and flexibility; increased calm and perseverance; heightened discipline and focus. 

But for me, the biggest benefit I've seen so far is increased connection: to my own body; to my teachers; to my fellow students; and to the rest of my life. I have a greater desire and capacity to reach out to others, to make new connections and to strengthen old ones. That takes bravery and vision and heart, just like that three-year-old; just like my daughter. Better connections were not something I was expecting to find in my challenge, but I'm appreciating them now.