Yoga

I think i never told you all about my yoga lessons now did I?

About 2 months ago i took a trial lesson of Bikram yoga.
Now i don't know about you, but for me yoga has long held a certain aura. I see bendy people, hippies, vegetarians, men with beards, communes, stuff like that.

Bikram yoga, as a colleague of mine explained though, is a series of postures in, well, basically a sauna.
The room is heated up till 40 C and you well, basically sweat like a pig.

But that is not all the charm.

My first lesson (o yeah, lessons are 90 minutes and once in the room, you are not allowed to go out)I fainted about 4 times. Like it said on their site, i came on a empty stomach, so it wasnot so much the desire to throw up (which, as i learned other first timers had) but i just couldnot take the heat anymore.
You started with 2 series of breathing exercises and while swallowing the hot air, my lungs almost exploded.

Sweat was pouring where it hadnot been for a long time.
and with a bit of luck, if you are standing with your head down, it will pour into your eyes or even your mouth.

What.
In godsname.
Am I doing here.
I thought.

Needless to say, during that first lesson i seriously thought OK, this is not for me. To be honest the other people in the room on fore hand didn't look that fit to me (some were plainly old!) but they were still standing, so respect, where respect is due brothers and sistas!

The teacher persuaded me to come a second time (for free) to prove that the 2nd time really was going better.

And yes. it did. I only sat down once i think and when i focused real hard on my breathing (not easy to keep your mouth shut when all you can think of is AIR AIR) that was going better too.

But.
do you remember that guy from "the green mile"? The HUGE black guy i mean?

That guy is in my yoga class.
Seriously.
I didn't know where to look the first time.
At his hands (HUGE).
His lenght (about 2,10 m)
His chest (HUGE).
Actually he's doing pretty ok and once the sweat pours into my eyes i don't see much more anyway so..

And then there's the sayings.
The teacher i had is now gone and i don't know if that is related to her yoga speeches, but i really had to shut my ears (and brain) for things like:
the road to satisfaction is not getting what you want, but appreciating what you have.

And then she would repeat it.
Slowly.

UURGGG!!!

And last but not least; everything is taught in english.
I now know words i had never heard before.
Posture for instance.
Or coxys (have no idea if you write it like that).
Or how about Namaste.
See, at the very,very end, once you are finally allowed to lay down and close your eyes ("don't close your eyes, stay in the present") everyone mumbles something.
pay attention here, coz it took me about 3 weeks before i gathered it; Namaste.
Have no idea what i am saying, but i mumble it too now when the lesson is done.

On the bright side;
i have lost about 3 kilo and for a 42 yr old i dont look too bad, if i say so myself.

maybe next time i will tell you about the time i finally persuaded robbert to come with me :)