Nut butter is back!

It's been nearly three weeks since I couldn't find my favourite pre-early morning class snack of nut butter. I got a message from a fellow yogini who had found it and tried it out so I knew it must be in Perth somewhere. I know I said I was going to Thermomix my own but time has been short and organic raw nuts are pricey. Fret not I located the last jar on the shelf of the city store on Friday of Woolworth's own version in their Macro range. It's just the same as the Melrose spread ingredients wise but I am yet to try it out for taste. I'm sure you can't really go too wrong with blended nuts and oil. Other products I've bought in this range have been very good. The only down side is the price. Organic = more money. It's worth it, as the saying goes 'you can't put a price on good health.' 

This is one product I'll be stocking up on, bubble wrapping and taking to teacher training. I'm sure Wholefoods does something like this but for the first week in till I find my feet I can't risk not being without it. Hopefully California doesn't have any rules on food importing like WA has. No way would you get this past the oh so cute sniffer dog in customs. Sorry I am attaching to this one, just like my electrolytes!

 

Gratefully Received

I have very good reason to be grateful this week. On three separate occasions I was the recipient of three generous gifts. All were very unexpected but very much appreciated. The first was a handmade soy wax melt from my yoga buddy Lisa. Her sister, Charlene, makes fabulous homemade soaps, candles and home products. You can check out Scentual Flairs range on the blog spot here and make sure to follow them on Facebook too. Lisa had mentioned the day before how she's never been to the Lululemon shop but loved their bags. Being a pack rat of carrier bags I have kept all the bags I have from the store so thought I'd take Lisa a couple, a big one and a small limited addition super hero bag. They are designed to be reused so passing them on will fulfill their purpose. In exchange I was given the melt which has lasted about twenty hours now and still going strong. It smells so fresh and natural and doesn't leave the sticky mess like the oils do.

Gift number two was also from Scentual Flair. Charlene was promoting her products on Facebook last week and I dropped by the page to have a closer look at what else was available. I hit 'like' as I do with quite a few pages I go to and just happened to be the 100th person to do so. I had no clue there was a prize on offer until I received a message congratulating me for being the 100th person and i had won a prize. My prize is a box of gorgeous handmade soaps, a melt and an oil diffuser. I couldn't wait to get it home to try it all out. 

The presentation box was so lovely I felt bad ripping it open to get to my loot. The vanilla cream diffuser has filled my home office with delicious sweet scent. So much nicer and more environmentally friendly than air fresheners. The soaps are unbelievable. The rose vanilla is beautifully wrapped with handmade labels and the soap has real rose buds infused. I have cracked open and used the raspberry and mint soap which smells good enough to eat. I am truly grateful to have been given such a useful and generous gift. I highly recommend you all go check out Scentual Flair.

My third and final gift of the week was from one of my work clients. Ida has recently opened a franchise of the Coffee Club just down the road from my office. We've helped her out with her printing and design as well as teaming up to offer some of our clients a free coffee as a thank you for their business. As a thank you to us Ida gave myself and my three colleagues a card for unlimited free coffee at her store anytime, for an unlimited period. How nice is that?

I'm not the sort of person who only does things to get something back in exchange or befriends influential people to get ahead. I do try and do my karma yoga or selfless service when I can. When these unexpected gifts come my way it makes me feel very blessed to be surrounded by like minded, generous people.

Weekly Round up

This week I decided to mix up my usual schedule of Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday practice for Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This was to trick my body into doing something new. Always good to mix it up. I'm keeping up with moving round the room. I now fully appreciate not getting attached to a spot. I've noticed a few other students who almost always go to the same spot every time. That's cool, they can do what they want but I'm glad I'm a mover now.

Monday 5:45am
Since the challenge has finished the morning classes have been rather quiet. Fine by me, more room in the changing rooms and not waiting for a shower. It also means the instructor can really help out with individual corrections. 

Anthony took this class. He's still a fairly new instructor but if you didn't know you wouldn't be able to tell. When he jumbles up the dialogue or goes off track he laughs it off which I think is awesome. We did warm up stretching for half moon in both the first and second set. There was a few confused faces but we went with it and we carried on smoothly like it was meant to be there. Again if this was your first class you'd never have known this was out of place as he didn't let on. 

Anthony is one of the few instructors that actually says the "Mama give me money" line in the first set up for Standing Bow Pulling. First time I heard this I was like WTF, crazy visiting American lady! Then I learnt it was in the book. I do attach to individual instructors twists on the dialogue. It's what makes the class personal to them. My favourite Anthony-ism is "put your wings away" after Full Locust. A few people I've noticed keep them out to the sides and don't retract them.

The heat was having a malfunction that morning. I was right between a hot vent and a cool vent. Both were on. Hot one arm, ice cold the other. This was soon sorted out. We all like a refreshing blast but not before we've warmed up.

Wednesday 6pm
Shawn was back for the Wednesday night class. An opportunity not to be missed. I had a double reason to attend this class. Fellow regular Dee was finishing her 60 day challenge. She had been there to support us 30 Day Challengers on our last class so I wanted to be there for her. Another shining example of our strong BYJ community. Spirits were high. I managed to persuade Dee to come front row with me to finish off. She's never been in the front row and has been practicing as long as I have so is more than worthy to lead the class. At first I got the "I'll do it next week," but I'm pretty persistent and she came down to join me. Another fellow regular Keeley moved over too so we had a nice line of three going on. Nothing like finishing out front, excuse the pun. 

It was lovely and humid, sweat flying everywhere, dripping from my ears. Only us Birkam-ites can appreciate how good this feeling is. However the stream of sweat caused a few vision issues early on. I was blinded in Pada-Hastasana. I'd not washed my make up remover off properly so I had not only sweat but burning, stinging alcohol remover running into my eyes. Of course this made my nose run too.

Another set back was I'd had a massive lunch. I always try and eat well at lunch if I'm doing an evening class but I'd gone overboard with a huge serve of Thermomix chicken and vegetable risotto. Yes I eat carbs and I'm proud, with every meal in fact. One yogi friend was shocked to hear this but I believe in balance and not cutting out food groups. However a smaller serve might have been better as it was sitting like a lead balloon. This did slow me down. I felt a bit off kilter despite the food overload. I was craving my salty water which I drank on two occasions during the floor series. It wasn't till after class when I went to take my electrolytes and they weren't there. I'd left them on my desk and not taken them before class either. This is the first time in six months I've not used them for a class. I did feel it. I felt lagged, that could have been the food but I've over dosed on food before and this was different. I didn't cramp up but my muscles didn't feel right.

Overall despite my road blocks I had a fair class. It was fun celebrating Dee's achievement. Shawn is very motivating and inspiring. A few postures he actually did them along with us whilst delivering prefect dialogue smoothly. Obviously we couldn't watch as we were in our own but it was good to know he was right there with us. 

Friday 5:45am
I missed Thursday morning in favor of Friday so I could take a day to rest and have a lie in after getting home late Wednesday. A muscle just above my right knee has been niggling me. Especially in Awkward. I've wobbled and fell nearly every day this week in that one, parts 1 & 2. My strength wasn't there. I've been lashing on the Tiger Balm and backing off a bit but there still is something going on. Hopefully it's one of those tight muscles that lead to a breakthrough. Oh I've love to perfect Awkward before September. 

Karen was in charge today. She's just returned from Melbourne full of great feedback and new ideas for teaching. We had lots of Zhoom's and some good dialogue extras. 

The room was hot but not in a knock out, draining way. A good slippy hot. There's nothing worse than getting friction burn in Eagle from dry legs. (That sounds soooo dodgy!) I lacked strength which lead to wonky balance. I can't put my finger on it yet. Maybe I need to back off, take two days off at some point between classes instead of one. I'm feeling stiff and sore like I'm on a challenge. Usually in my normal practice a day off revives me and I go back feeling refreshed and ready. Now I'm just flat. My determination is there, my enthusiasm is high. I won't dwell on this. There must be a reason but I won't stress out trying to find it out.

Only eight days till the Craig Villani workshop which is a good reason to ease up, rest and be on top form for next Saturday. It felt very real yesterday when I finalised the tickets and got them printed. Not long to wait now. I'm so excited, there's so much to learn!!  

A happy place

A favourite blog read of mine is that of Bikram Yoga Manahattan. A recent post I just read today is about home studios. It got me thinking. One of the main reason's Bikram Yoga has become a big part of my life is because of my home studio, Bikram Yoga Joondalup. Bikram yoga is very new to Western Australia. The first studio, Bikram Yoga Perth, opened just over a year ago in North Perth. Then BYJ and Bikram Yoga Scarborough Beach opened in May 2010. Then later last year BYP opened a second studio in Myaree, South Perth. Bikram Yoga is literally on fire here!

I chose BYJ as it is the closest studio to where I live. In saying that it is still a 25 minute drive but it's only a five minutes from the station I take the train to work from. Perfectly organised. I'm a stickler for good customer service and manners. Maybe it's my British up bringing shining through. I can easily be put off a place if these two things are lacking. But they are fully in place at BYJ. Happy smiling faces greet you at reception. At my first class I received a full briefing of what to expect in the next 90 minutes. Being a brand new studio everything is shiny and modern. There is a team of staff and Angels that keep the place spotlessly clean and organised.

Staff and instructors are approachable and friendly. If you have any concerns or questions these are answered with knowledge and professionalism. You may need to get in line though, as they are so friendly everyone likes to have a chat after/before class. 

The studio is a good size, not too big, not too small. I think the fullest class I've been in was about 45 people and that was a tight squeeze. The carpet is antimicrobial and antifungal making it hygienic and soft under foot. It is vacuumed daily with a huge industrial cleaner thing. I can say it has never smelt either. This might be down to the good air circulation as well but even going in to the room after a class has finished it doesn't smell sweaty. Unlike the cycle room at the Arena which is vile after back to back classes. 

This next paragraph I've pasted from the BYJ website as it explains the environmentally friendly hot water system. "Hot water for the studio is produced by heat pump systems which absorbs energy from a renewable and free energy source – The Sun. The systems use significantly less energy, (approximately 75% less then traditional electric hot water heaters), therefore dramatically reduces the amount of greenhouse gasses produced." There one thing we are not short of here in WA it's sun. 


The change room are clean and actually nicer than my home bathroom. Lots of bench space and hanging hooks. A full length mirror, hair drier (not that I ever have time to use this), lots of power points and lovely smelling body wash. 


Towels and mats are available for hire. There are mat cleaning products to wipe down your own mat after class. A wide variety of hydration products are for sale as well as yoga wear, mats, books, towels, bottles, candles and audio cd's.


The reception and chill out area is airy and spacious. Lot's of room to relax before and after class. Quite often students are so busy socializing the instructors have to round them up as the class is about to start. Last week a gong was introduced to gong five minutes before hand. 


It's a fabulous studio and a great credit to Jo who moved all the way from her home in Melbourne to set it up and run. All the students and staff are so nice we have such an awesome community going on, it's the main reason I keep going back day after day. It's a nice, happy place to be and practice.


Here's some photos from the BYJ facebook page. These are from when it first opened so now there are loads of posters, pictures, notices and photos adorning the walls and the retail sections has grown!!

 

Trikanasna sorted

The powers of the mind never fails to amaze me. If you think positively about something it somehow sorts itself out. After writing about my problems with Trikanasana on Saturday I had them fixed in Sunday afternoon's class. It was quite spooky actually but goes to show I needed some serious help with this one.

Jo was taking the class and I'd parked up front row right next to the podium. I'll just say now Jo hadn't read my blog for a while and wasn't aware of Saturday's post. Therefore it must have been very obvious I had some crazy things going on that weren't right. She came straight over and realigned my hips, opening up the bent knee and pushing down the thigh and opening the straight leg hip. Oww I could feel it. I still need to take a smaller stride and get down low to start with before windmilling the arms. But now I know how this one should feel and where the hips should be. Back at the start of the challenge I was concentrating on 'just moving the arms' not bending/moving the whole body over. I think this lead to me to neglect what was going on with the legs. So much to think about here in this master posture.

I also got some much needed help in Head to Knee with stretching (Janushirasana with Paschimottanasa). I have seriously rounded shoulders which screw up my alignment and stops my elbows going where they should. With an adjustment and some gentle persuasion my shoulders opened up and it felt like a whole new posture. This is great as the head to locked out knee, heel off the floor is there but the arms and shoulders are all over the place.

Sunday's class was good, I felt strong and could really focus once I'd forgotten about the shorts. Jo also made the announcement to the whole class during the two minute savasana that they'll be seeing more of me around the studio as I am going to training. Ekkk, I did freak out a little hearing someone else say it out loud. I'm not having any second thoughts at all, by spreading the word is setting my intention. But not in an ego boosting way of 'look at me, I'm so awesome, I'm going to training' this is so far from it. Apart from talking about it in here I haven't been telling people in person, I wait for them to bring it up first then I'm happy to talk about it. The intention is set but I'm still a little shy about it. As Shavon over at Bikram or Bust commented a few posts back, "we can be our very worst critics and it doesn't help the heart heal." So I must hold my head up high and get used to the fact everyone will know soon. I've mentioned before I've had very positive feedback from those who do know so what am I scared of?! I must keep up the positive affirmation that I need everyone's support and they are behind me on this one.

Small shorts

The reason this post is called 'Small Shorts' is because for the first time yesterday I practiced in small shorts, really small shorts, butt cheek skimming shorts. (Mika Lucia style to be precise) This is another hurdle this fantastic yoga has got me to overcome. 

It took me nearly four months of practicing to get out of capri pants but with the Australian summer looming it forced me to change my yoga wardrobe. Like most women out there I have some body issues, especially my legs. The size, shape and length of them are fine it's the skin covering them!!! I have keratosis pilaris which is a common skin condition in which a protein in the skin called keratin forms hard plugs within hair follicles. The result lovely angry red bumps all over my thighs. It doesn't hurt, sometimes gets irritated, it's just there. I have tried every treatment in the book and spent a lot of money trying to expel this. So far nothing has worked. Apart from when I burnt my legs to a crisp in Thailand but this is something I don't wish to repeat. Fake tan covers it but there is little point me doing this as it would sweat off quick time in the studio. I also have a lot of scars which aren't that noticeable but I know they are there. Hence I was reluctant to let these shocking thighs out in public. 


But I did. Mainly because no one cares in the Bikram studio, it doesn't matter, you are their for yourself not to think 'urrg look at her scabby thighs.' Plus it's blooming hot in there, the less clothes the better. I started with the longer mid thigh length Lulu Groove shorts which I love, good coverage of the thighs, butt and belly. However we had a fresh shipment of Mika in at the weekend and Janette suggested I try the Lucia's. Wow they are small. They have tied sides so I attempted to make them longer by letting the strings out but pretty much after Eagle they had ridden up to where they were designed to be. I admit, I did faff, I did try pulling them back down but they still rode up. A quick whisper from Jo that "The shorts look good" decided it, I left them alone. Whole thigh out to show the world. They were comfortable and very light weight (& halfthe price of Lulu). Once I let go of their size I breezed through the class and focused on what I was supposed to be doing.


It's one of the most confronting things in Bikram practice to face yourself in the mirror. Even fully clothed some people may find this hard. To face yourself half naked with every lump, bump, self proclaimed flaw on show and to a room of often twenty or more people is a recipe for a freak out. No one cares what you look like, you're in their to improve your health not to judge others. The smaller, lighter clothes you have on the more you and the instructor can see how well you're doing in the postures. I will make sure I keep wearing these short to build my confidence in them and maybe buy them some friends in the future. (Stock piling yoga clothes for TT has started, the less time I spend on laundry = more revising dialogue, well that's the theory!)

Tricky Trikanasna

Saturday 9:30am. I was wide awake after nine wonderful, restful hours of sleep and could have made the 7:30am. It would have been awesome as Jules (blog photo model!) was taking it and I can't remember the last time I took her class. But no, my man was due home from night shift so I grabbed some time with him before he went to sleep. It also gave me chance to get some food and water in. My small protein fixes before the 5:45am's work well, but it can't compete with being nourished and hydrated.

Not such a busy class today. I went second row for a change of scenery and there was no one on the front row. I had a nice crowd of regulars around me which was great, we formed a strong circle of energy. Dom was leading us through again. I think I am over my fear of his classes now and as I have not been left for dead afterward since the Yoga Bus incident during the challenge. 

Straight away he was onto all of us with corrections. I do like corrections, even other people's I take note of as they might help me too. I want to know I'm doing  this right so I can fully benefit. Mon over at Don't Sweat It wrote a great post on Thursday about this subject. To quote, "it's good to know that the teachers have an eye on how you're getting into the postures and that you are doing it correctly and not just going through the motions of talking you through each posture."  I agree, I think it's fantastic how instructors get the dialogue out, are watching the room and can give corrections all at once. Classes would be very dull if they just went through verbatim and didn't offer any guidance. 

My half moon, Ardha-Chandrasana got sorted out first. I was next to Peta today who can almost get parallel to the floor in this one, very inspirational, which gave me a boost to try harder. I know I've been hanging out half way in this. I used to sink down into my waist/lower back to get depth but since being corrected a while back not to push until I have the lift up and out of my waist I've not been pushing at all really. It's remarkable how the tiniest, lightest adjustment can take you to the next level. It was uncomfortable, things were stretching and pulling but isn't that the reason why I'm doing this?!


I've decided my Triangle/Trikanasana is shocking. I need help. I got some pointers the other week which I've been trying to put into practice but still I feel I'm in the wrong place. I'm paranoid about my bent knee over shooting my toes and causing an injury. My legs are always too wide apart too as I find this way it's easier to get my thigh parallel to the floor. I've been pulled up on this a few times now. In the mirror I look so gumpy, I have long thigh's, even when I'm down there I don't look neat and tidy, it's legs all over the place. Now I have my hands in the right spot it's easier. I had some adjustments on the twisting back and getting my straight leg hip forward. This felt right, it felt good but I couldn't seem to repeat it on the other side. There is so much going on in this posture. It works every muscle, bone, ligament and organ. You're heart is pounding. You're hips are opening. Everything working together. It's not easy but it's what's called The Master Posture.' At least I have six months to work on this and it does need some work!

Trikanasana as its should look on a Perth beach. Courtesy of BYJ.

The rest of the class ran smoothly. We were treated to an icy blast of cool air during Standing Head separate head to knee. The room was hot but not dripping in humidity. It was very manageable and I wasn't crying out for a drink at any point. Maybe my mind was just on the job today. 

I was pushed hard again in Cobra. Last Saturday I was doing 'damage control' where I don't go into the full expression straight away, I come up slowly as I know we will be there a while. My mat buddy was doing the same and we were called out to go higher. Same today, except I had to go up more and Peta need to come down. I found this quite amusing. I was going to go up more but was just waiting till the last possible moment. So bad I know. 


On a final note, after sharing with everyone the brand of nut spread I get I now can not find it anywhere. Perth has run out of nut spread. Three Woolworths I have tried and no spread. Time to get Thermomixing my own, which is better I suppose instead of being lazy and buying shop made.