Playing Those Mindgames

I jumped a cerebral hurdle today - I did a double!  For non yogis, this means I did two classes in one day.  I dragged my sorry ass up all 29 stairs to the yoga studio at 5:45 a.m. to be ready for the 6 a.m. class.  Then back for 9:30 a.m.  Two bags of fresh towels and different yoga clothes.  (Reusing yoga clothes is not an option because I am quite certain I could wring a cup of sweat out of my outfit after a class.) 

Lest you think I did a double for no good reason, think again.  I am not that far gone.  I am out of town tomorrow at a conference and Saturday at a wedding.  So, in order to honor my 30 day yoga challenge, I have to double up today and Sunday.  My yoga teachers insist this is kosher and I will heed their good, albeit wacky, advice. 

I've done doubles before.  I don't know why I did them and I seriously think I've repressed the occasions to maintain sanity.  While this particular double is fresh in my head, let me tell you what I learned:  Thinking about doing a double is far more menacing and difficult than actually doing a double.  I probably spent more time worrying about getting up (did it), having coffee (had it), and being nauseous (didn't happen) than I spent doing the yoga itself.  Between classes, I fueled myself with a banana and a small yogurt, plus a huge Passion Tazo Tea at Starbucks.  I also kicked back some electrolytes as well in order to help my muscles fire more efficiently.  The second class was like a dream; it flew by, no issues whatsoever.  (I do, however, recall an F-bomb being dropped under my breath when I did the last part of locust pose - for the fourth frickin' time this morning!  It takes incredible back strength and it looks like this:

 
So, as you can see, this deserved a barely audible, muttered "fuck!" under my breath.

There are some who may think this is a crazy waste of time.  My response is that it may be a waste of time for them, but not for me.  I have made a pledge (to myself) that this 30 day challenge will happen and I am just stubborn enough to see it through.  Promises to ourselves are important and should be honored just as much as those we make to others.  Maybe moreso.

So, three hours of yoga in one day?  I have spent three hours in various ways and yoga is just about the healthiest way I can think of.  I've spent three hours lying on my sofa in the afternoon, at the movies shoving popcorn and candy in my face, and far more than three hours at a time on my computer doing homework.  I know some of my children people spend that much time and more on video games.  Perspective is everything, and for another 18 days, my perspective will be viewed from a yoga mat.

Excerpt from Bikram Yoga, 2007, p. 215:

"You will also require the will to insist on going - even when people are telling you you're stupid to do so - and the discipline to make yourself try over and over again, to never give up no matter what the obstacles, until you reach your goal.  You need both mental toughness and physical toughness.  In all there are five qualities of mind that you will have to instill:  faith, self-control, determination, concentration and patience."