Who needs Bikram's torture chamber...

when U.S. Air is doing a bang up job? OMG it's been a long day. My fellow yogis are in orientation. I, on the other hand, am getting oriented with the Phoenix airport. I should have been in Palm Springs hours ago. GAH! Deep breath in .... long, slow breath out. Too much to bore you with on all the problems with my experience today, but just know it has *not* been fun. I am so sleepy I am getting loopy. I feel like I should be studying rather than blogging, but my brain hurts.

They say I am leaving at 4:45 - I'll believe it when I am in California.

Me. I do not look happy. I do *not* look fresh. This is because I am neither. Because of nerves, I went to bed at midnight. Because of a 5:30 flight, I woke up at 3am. Because of U.S. Air I am in Phoenix at 3:46 Pacific time (that's 6:46 Eastern time), writing an incoherent blog.

Blog title

Hooray, the adventure has officially started! I have left and am waiting to board a flight to Phoenix. It is "free wifi weekend" in the Philly airport, so I thought I'd take advantage of the few minutes I have and write a quick post. I realized that the majority of people reading my blog won't get the blog title, "Like a flower petal blooming". It comes from the dialogue, in the first posture, Half Moon. In the end of this posture you are encouraged to "Push your (right/left) shoulder forward, opening up the chest like a flower petal blooming." It's just one of the metaphors (or would this technically be a simile?) that you roll your eyes at after about 15 times of hearing it, come to accept after about 50 times, and eventually ('in the future' ... sorry, another dialogue-ism) you come to love. Everyone's favorite, of course, being the 'Japanese ham sandwich' you're supposed to turn your body into. So, I thought the 'flower petal blooming' was a little silly, but appropriate and just natural for a blog following my yoga journey.

Namaste, y'all.

Bikram assisting Charlie in Half Moon, during his training :)

Oh sweet ... they just announced we have a 'maintenance issue' with the plane and can't give us an estimated departure time, but suggest we check with the ticket counter if we have connecting flights leaving before 11am. My connecting flight is at 11:35 .... hmmmmm....

Packing List

Shopping for all the silly little things I need to take with me has been a lot of fun, and, most importantly, an awesome distraction! I have studied the Dialogue (the 'script' written by Bikram by which an instructor leads a class), practiced my yoga, and now having my packing list complete makes me feel I am really prepared to go! (And I like being prepared!)

On top of regular clothes, the usual toiletries, camera, laptop, ipod, cell, and needed charging devices, here's a sample of the stuff I am hoping to get into one checked bag (weighing under 50 lbs, mind you) and one carry on bag. (Thanks again for the luggage, mom and dad!)

The list consists of:

• A new bathing suit (that my butt hangs out of. It was the best I could find, really! I figure A. I can sit on my butt and B. Crazy intense yoga twice a day should help that some.)
• LOTS of comfortable clothes for posture clinics
• Two cover-ups for going to and from yoga class - so the other guests aren't "offended" and for the pool!
• Lots of headbands
• New slippers
• A TON of awesome new Shakti fancy pants - so I can wash the funk out easily, and lay them out to dry - no fuss, no muss (Thank you, sweet Charlie :) )
• Dr. Bronners tea tree oil soap to wash said funk out of said Shakti fancy pants
• Tea trea oil to mix with water and clean my mat
• Happy, BRIGHT yellow yoga mat (which, by the way, pretty much doesn't exist in 1/8'' size)
• 2, count 'em, 2 water bottles - see which one I like best
• The biggest container of powdered Gatorade ever created
• Powerbars and granola bars galore
• Hot pot
• Individual serving size blender - it promises to be able to handle ice - we shall see if it lives up to these promises
• Protein powder
• Knock off brand of Emergen-C
• Cutting board and knife
• Earplugs for the Bollywood movies that are said to be played at deafening volumes
• An AWESOME Wonderwoman notebook - a sweet gift from Cindy - she wanted to inspire me to channel my inner Wonderwoman
• GUMMY VITAMINS - HA! They make them for adults, too!!
• Tennis balls - not to hit, but to roll around on - feels good on your back - try it! I have a feeling I'm really going to need those!
• Nail polish for the toes - this is a necessity when most of your time is spent barefoot
• Tupperware - to steal from the buffet!
• New flip flops
• More food stuff - applesauce, fruit leathers, etc.
• LAMINATED AND SPIRAL BOUND DIALOGUE! Oh yeah! So I can study in the hot tub!

A sample of the fancy pants with Wonderwoman in the background. My goal was to buy the most ridiculous print shorts they had. I succeeded!

GUMMY VITAMINS??? How lucky can I get??

Pretty cover up I found at my favorite dress store in town.

So yeah, now I have to *pack* all this .... we'll see how that one goes! I leave at 5:30 am tomorrow!!

The adventure!

For the past two weeks or so my emotions have been swinging between incredible excitement and crazy nervousness. If you have a life outside Facebook, and have not experienced my endless announcements about this big adventure, let me give you some background:

I am leaving for Palm Desert, CA on Sunday, April 26 to take on a nine week training course to become a Bikram Yoga Instructor. About 2 years ago I roped my dear friends Erin and BC into going to my first Bikram class with me. I had been curious about this "Bikram Hot Yoga" since college. The Bikram studio in Raleigh, when I first noticed it, was behind Meredith College, and I was so intrigued by it. What did they *do* in there? The windows were always fogged up, so I couldn't figure it out by simply peeking in. I had to take a class. That first class kicked. my. butt. And I loved it! A regular practice was not in my budget at the time, so I did not return to a Bikram studio until this past July. I have taken to it like nothing I've ever tried! Not familiar with this style of yoga? Bikram yoga consists of 26 yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises. It is the same class, every class. It is 90 minutes long, and the room is heated to about 105 degrees with 40% humidity. The series was created by this man, Bikram Choudry:

This yoga does wonderful things for your body and mind! The training is going to be tough, but the hard work will definitely be worth it! Here's an example of our daily schedule (taken from bikramyoga.com):

Monday - Friday
8:30am - 10:00am Bikram's Basic Yoga Class
10:00am - 12:15pm Lunch Break
12:15pm - 4:00pm Posture Clinic/Lectures
5:00pm - 6:30pm Bikram's Basic Yoga Class
6:30pm - 9:00pm Dinner break
9:00pm - ??? Posture Clinic/Lecture
Saturday
8:00am - 9:30am Bikram's Basic Yoga Class
Sunday
Day of Rest
A typical day at the Teacher Training starts at 8am and lasts until at least midnight including two daily Bikram Yoga classes.

SWEET! (Or do I mean 'sweat'?? hmmmmm....)