Day 32 -- Waves

I just finished class #30! I'm halfway through the Sixty-Day Challenge.  Cue the Bon Jovi.

Changes I've noticed so far:

* I have a lot less tension in my shoulders and neck.
* I've experienced much less "mental fog," depression, and anxiety.
* I've lost many inches, including 5.5 at my waist and 2 at my hips. (FIVE POINT FIVE!)
* I've lost four pounds.

That's pretty significant, if you ask me.

But I was dragging this morning after yesterday's double. I might have skipped yoga today, but the thought of adding ANOTHER double--when I still have two more to go--to my calendar persuaded me that I could gut it out and go. I wasn't feeling sorry for myself--not quite--but my enthusiasm was low.

And then I walked into class and saw Eva.

Eva started doing Bikram at about the same time I did--about six weeks ago. Eva is severely disabled with Cerebral Palsy and comes to class with her aide, Megan. She does the standing series in her wheelchair, and then gets on the floor with the rest of us for the second half of class. Val led class today and remarked several times on how much progress Eva has made in the past six weeks through hard work and sheer grit. She. Is. Awesome. If Eva can strengthen her mind and body through Bikram's yoga, so can I. She has no idea how she's affected me for the better. (But I did ask her permission to write about her today.)

We all affect each other, for good or for ill. When you're in a very hot, humid room with fifty other students and focusing on stillness, you notice the slightest movement of the people around you because of the motion of the air. When the class releases upheld arms after Half Moon, or turns as one in the full expression of Triangle, it makes a very slight breeze that you can miss if you're not paying attention. I've written before about the waves of blessedly cool air that come into the classroom as people leave, but this is much more subtle. Today I noticed when the woman next to me got up for a minute to get a tissue. The wake of her passing by felt good on my sweaty skin.

Basic physics tells me that we're all making these waves in the air as we move around all the time. We affect one another, even when we don't realize it. But I do want to realize it; I want to be more aware both of the waves of influence that wash over me and those I cause for others. We're all connected, I feel, but we'll miss those waves and connections--unless we're very still.