So much love

So I'm home now.  Home.  It is as surreal to me as TT was when I first arrived there.  But, I am settling back in, practicing, getting back to work, and of course teaching.  It is nice to be back home, in our space, seeing everyone, and really feeling the love.  Seriously, everyone from TT, students and teachers alike from my home studio, family, friends, everyone has been tremendously supportive and giving during this entire year and the process of TT.  And of course the husband who picked me up from LA and traveled cross-country with me for an extraordinary week.  He even endured visiting several Bikram Yoga studios and practicing during our trip.

My first class was packed with 48 students this past Monday night, including 1 newbie, the husband, several teachers, and numerous regulars that came out to support me.  I was less nervous than I anticipated that I would be, which was a pleasant surprise.  I stuck to the dialogue, felt more settled once we got to Eagle, and finished class at 87 minutes.  It felt sort of dreamy afterwards, like, "Did I just do that?"  Amazing.

My second class was last night, packed with 43 people this time, several of which had also taken my class Monday night.  It was fun hearing their feedback about the differences from Monday to Wednesday and directly from the source, the students I have known and practiced with.  My teacher-friend also came and I was so grateful to have her there as she was such a huge part of the reason that I ever believed I was capable of TT.  My love for her is endless <3.  I had a few moments on the podium where I thought to myself, "Holy (insert your choice of cuss words), I am UP HERE.  These students trust me to get them through class."  It was that moment that I knew I had already made the best decision of my life to go to TT.  Ushy gushy, yes, but true.  Looking forward to my 3rd class tomorrow and many more.

Peace.

I share this picture of me and a friend from TT during our last week of training.  It sums up the emotions from training for which there are no words.  NOTE: We were allowed to take pictures at this point ;)

Last 2 weeks, graduation, and other stuff

I'm sitting in our (me and my hub's hotel room in San Diego) and decided it was time to finally sit down and sum up the last 2 weeks here.  Weeks 8 and 9 were the shortest 2 weeks of my life, packed with more lectures, classes, sleep deprivation, and fun.  It has only been a day since I left LA and it already feels like a century ago.  Graduation happened in a blur and I didn't have the sobbing breakdown that I thought I would.  I guess I cried out all those feelings in classes during week 9.  The last class on Friday night was amazing.  All of us trainees wore black costumes and Bikram said it looked like we were attending his funeral, but he liked it.  The class was filled with energy and we had a disco dance party instead of savasana. 

I have made amazing friends and it is true that BY is a worldwide family and community.  I now have places to visit and stay all over the world from London to Australia.  I am looking forward to keeping in touch with them all, visiting, taking their classes, and growing together as teachers.  It feels strange and wonderful to be able to say that I am a teacher now.  I was supposed to teach my first class yesterday at Bikram Yoga Temecula, but they had some more delays in opening, so my first class is scheduled for Wednesday 11/28 at 5:45pm back at home.  Everything happens for a reason and as they are supposed to.  I am looking forward to being on the podium next week. 

I've had a few people ask me about the TT experience and I can't really seem to answer that question yet.  There are just no words to fully explain it.  I truly do feel bulletproof.  Nothing can get to me.  For now, I am going to enjoy my road trip home with the hubs from LA to Detroit.  We bummed around San Diego yesterday, took a class at BYSD, and are off to the Natural History museum this morning before heading towards the Grand Canyon.  Adventure awaits!

In just 2 short weeks

Week 7 is done?  Crazy how fast this time goes.  75 classes in 49 days and only 21 more to go.  I feel like I could do 21 classes in my sleep!  The yoga, the physical practice, is really the most beautiful part of TT at this point.  Everyone is so strong and focused now, moving together, no one ever really sits down anymore, or leaves the room.  Truly remarkable considering their are 443 of us.  Back at home I always noticed how strong, yet calm, all of our teachers are when they take class, even on those particularly hot and humid Michigan summer days.  I get it (at least a portion of it) now.

This week we continued posture clinics, but put 3 or more postures together as opposed to 1 at a time.  We are the first TT group to do this (tooting our collective horn).  It was fun to see people's nerves start to fade away, personal growth, and get a glimpse of what their first class might look like.  As for me, I'm scheduled to teach my first class on Sunday at 10am, the day after graduation, at a friend's new studio which is opening here in California.  Whoa!  I'm nervous, excited, and every other emotion about it.

Bikram threw us a Halloween party this week on Wednesday night, complete with food and dancing.  Most everyone came in costume and danced their hearts away until about midnight.  It was a nice break from the routine of TT.

I had my ups and my downs this week, but have decided to just observe the downs, learn, and move on.  It is hard to believe that I will be certified in just 2 short weeks.