It's almost 6:30am here in Brooklyn and I'm awake from yoga teacher training weekend one, day three.
Going in on Friday night I was super nervous all day, convinced that I would be the oldest, most out of shape person in the room. Convinced I was doing the wrong thing, when I got there none of it was true.
So far the process has been incredible. Friday evening was a "getting to know you" it sealed that I had picked the right studio to train at, the owner Greg studied and worked for Bikram for many years!! Bikram!! He also does a great Bikram impression, at one point he used the phrase "trust the process" which got me super excited because we also use that in AA, so I'm wondering if he's part of that cult too....
Saturday was a loooooong day. I got to the studio almost an hour early at 9am because I really just wanted to be there. Of course I had to wait outside for 30 mins until someone let me in, but I met Erin a really nice teacher who teaches hot yoga (another name for Bikram if you don't have a franchise) and we discussed um...me.
The day officially kicked off with a wonderful Colombian speaker named German Bravo, a yoga history expert, as well as a laundry list of interesting things, he works with mental patients teaching them yoga, and most important to me studies the brain and effects that yoga has on it! Brain, hello!! I speak brain! German and I had a lovely conversation afterward and he emailed some of his writings on yoga and the brain. Once again "in the right place" check, yes I am and apparently I've picked up a lot of information over the years because I felt very confident listening to what he was saying, much of it was familiar.
The afternoon consisted of picking a partner and teaching them something called "The Flow" which is child's pose, downward dog, plank, upward dog, downward dog. Pretty easy (there is a longer version with warrior 1 and 2 that we worked on as well). Not so easy, talking through each motion, especially when you don't do these poses often. My partner and I were chosen to then teach each other in front of the entire class (aprox 50-60 people). It wasn't horrible, but I am going to make some flash cards for sure, this morning. Now if this was a Bikram sequence I could have taught the hell out of it, but I don't do vinyassa often enough to feel comfortable with the dialogue.
After class I was full of energy, bought myself a new pair of yoga pants at Lulu Lemon (the best yoga pants ever) and cruised up town listening to Eminem, I was feeling a bit like the underdog fighting my way out of the trailer park for some odd reason, which is funny because I'm from Beverly Hills and I live in Park Slope, I don't think I've ever been in a trailer except for a production work rental. But nonetheless, I was feeling feisty, and headed to 27th St between 6th & 7th Aves for Yoga To The People's Hot Yoga at 7pm.
We get all our yoga classes at all the studios free until training is over!! Yippee.
Hot yoga is the Bikram sequence almost word for word, at least at YTTP. The studio is nice but could you a bit more TLC, it's slightly creepy. Def not my type of studio if I was paying extra to practice. YTTP also has hot yoga on 26th St & 38th St in Manhattan and a new studio in Williamsburg, I'm planning on checking all of them out.
It felt really good to stretch, their room isn't too hot, I could have gone a bit hotter, it reminded me of the temperature in the studio at Bikram Maui. Teaching hot yoga is what I would like to do. I just need to get this vinyassa practice down first so that I can move into hot.
One thing I didn't dig was people making too many noises, Bikram wouldn't be having any of that, after practicing during meditation people were breathing weird and during class making all kinds of exasperated noises, um, that is distracting and wastes energy. Quiet! I'm focusing on me please.
Today is breaking down "The Flow" I hope that we work on our own postures because I don't want to be a teacher with crappy postures, I'm sure that comes along eventually. Oh so far my favorite teacher is Julia, she's got huge saucer eyes and a tongue ring, she's very friendly and to watch her move from one posture to another is inspiring.
