One of my biggest pet peeves is waste. It bums me out like crazy every time under some condition or another, I light that match and ‘accidently’ throw it onto the pile of money I ‘accidently’ covered in gasoline so that two things are wasted: gas and money. So after I found out I had 12 days of my Bikram membership with 15 days to do them in, it was originally all about the money. Then I thought about the commitment it would require from me considering it was smack in the middle of the festive and fun holiday season and it became all about a personal challenge. Is this something I would even be able to manage? I’ve never practiced more than three days a week.
I feel so silly saying this as there are so many brilliant bodies who do 30 and 60 day challenges all the time. There is even a wonderful gal at my studio who goes twice a day every day of her life and must be pushing her 60s (maybe older as she is clearly drinking from the fountain of youth). I would have never known this though had I not jumped into my puny excuse of a twelve day challenge and witnessed the kind of magic that really goes on at my studio. Magic I say because I knew before I started that this event would change my life, and it did! Even as I write, my blood is flowing into a different direction, but future Martina will dive into that bizarre blog another day.
It was challenging at its best because it became a routine. All other priorities ceased; I had to find my way into the studio one way or another. After late nights of drinking and celebrating, my body broken in the morning with hangover thinking to myself: ‘I am going to die. The heat will kill me and I will die in a standing bow’. This never happened. These were my best practices. As soon as the instructor walked into the room and turned on the lights, I had my first experience when I really let go. I decided: OK! My body is broke! My mind is useless! There is nothing else I can really do right now but let the instructor be my mind and through the dialogue my body will do all the work. I’ve heard this idea before, but at that moment I truly tried it and because of it my body went into postures like never before; my mind into dimensions like never before. If you want to know where I went, I suggest packing your bags for a very personal journey you’ll never forget to a land where everything makes sense and everyone understands your nonsense.
And after it was over the experience didn’t stop. I noticed I was drinking out of a Chargers water bottle with the name Gina written across the side. Seriously?! Who is this Gina and how did her water bottle find its way into my kitchen, how did her water find its way into my body?! I’ve never even used this before, is the universe playing a joke on me?! I received constant nameless attention as did a gentleman named ‘Gino’ who practiced next to me one day. Really?! Gino?! Of all the names…
Towards the end of my challenge, though, I was a little disappointed because I expected great sadness upon its completion, but I had none. In fact I was happy it was over, rather thrilled. I felt I couldn’t handle anymore epiphanies, my neurons were saturated and I feared poetic tachyphylaxis. I welcomed the reality of my familiar universe as I returned home from my ‘trip’.
I had decided a while ago that I would start practicing primarily at home. One reason being that we recently installed a furnace in our house along with actual doors to hold in the proper heat. Another reason being that I wanted to save money (here it is about the money again) for my wedding in May and my dear friend’s wedding in India in February where she has asked me to be one of her bridesmaids; I am overflowing with honor. There are other financial reasons but in the end it is not about the money. I’ve decided to practice on my own because I believe I am ready. This jellyfish has been swept away into the current of independence and the journey has just begun.
* These black beauties came into the waters of San Diego this past summer...symbolism at its finest!
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