101 Down: Why??? Because you have to show up for one extra class

# of yoga classes taken since Sept: 101
# of doubles: approx 15
# of triples: 1
# of times I did my laundry: countless


So last night I finally did my 101 class. According to the definition of the 101 day yoga challenge you do   

101-Days because you just have to show up for one extra day.

and basically in my mind it's because you can...what is one extra day after all is said and done?

I loved every minute of it and even though the last two weeks have been grueling practicing yoga every day and having some doubles thrown in...it has been so worth it. My body is so sore and I LOVE IT!!!

Last night in class Kate said I was an inspiration...which in my mind is laughable cos I'm far from inspiring. I started to think of what inspired me to get this done...Firstly my cousin Sue who is just an all round inspiration. She got me into this Bikram yoga malarkey and I truly love her for it. We live parallel lives on opposite sides of the earth and we often find that we have been doing and discovering things at the same time...Bikram was one thing that she gently nudged me towards and her gentle persistence finally worked.

When I first attended the studio the lovely Steve was just finishing his 101 challenege. Dude he made it real for me...he is so serene and always has a smile on his face...we got to talking and he told me he finished his challenge early!!! Lets just say when he told me what day he finished on my jaw dropped and my mind started working over time wondering if I could do the same... This dude is my hero nuff respect to him.

The lovely Claire and Joe the cutest couple on earth finished their 100 day challenge last week Friday in Paris...totally romantic. In my mind they held hands during the final savasana....err what can I say I'm a hopeless romantic.


Now I'm sitting here wondering what is next...I've been lovingly banned from the studio for a few days in order to rest up and will be back next week Thursday. This is a good thing because I know that my body needs to rest up and process the changes that are taking place from within. Unfortunately with the Christmas season I'm scared I may do more damage than good...I will show restraint....I will continue to blog but not as often. And I may even do another challenge God willing...but I think that once you have done 101 you stop counting and just keep going.

sidebar: I never got my forehead to my knee in standing separate leg head to knee pose..but I know I will one day.

100 Down: I'm Blessed and I'm Prettier

This morning was my 100th day!!!! I can't believe it y'all I can't believe I actually did 100 yoga sessions in the hot room...in 99 days!!! CAN I GET AN AMEN THANK YOU JESUS!!!! CAN I GET A WHOOP WHOOP. AH SHOOT LET'S JUST THROW A PARTY!

Class this morning was, simply put, AMAZING!!

On my 82nd class, the day I went back after the man flu,  the lovely Claire said "tell me when you get to 100 so I can come and practice with you". I almost cried when she said that. And true to her word she was there at 630 this morning along with her hubby Dennis. It was such a beautiful gesture and it meant so much to me. They got me a card and some spa magik dead sea bath salt...They so did not have to do that because it was more than enough being in class with me at that ungodly hour...I will never forget this until the day I die. I will be using the bath salt to soak in with my favourite glass of red wine tomorrow night. Claire has been a real inspiration from my first entering the Bikram studio she has always had a word of encouragement and her muscles are to die for...she says she only does bikram so there is hope for my arms yet.

I'm so grateful to everyone at Bikram Yoga Chiswick everyone there feels like family and I have so much love for them. Thank you for encouraging me and for helping me finish the challenge as you know how important it is for me not to fail this. It is true what they say: "how you deal with the situation in the room is how you deal with life." Many a time it was a struggle and I felt like giving up. But I saw it through with my own persistence and with the help of everyone there who cheered me on. What you put in to life and in yoga is what you get out of it. So here's hoping for that major positive shift in my life that I have been longing for for the longest time.

I definitely am feeling the effects of the last 100 sessions and all I can say is BOO YA!!!!!

Physically I am starting to get muscle in my arms. I've always hated my arms and always wear long sleeves even in the hottest summer. Come next summer I will be able to show them off next year.

People have said I look smaller...I don't really see it. I am going by the scale, which is bad I know. I'm not too happy with the numbers.  I hadn't seen a friend of mine since the beginning of the challenge and she said I do look smaller and my arms are getting defined (ever so slightly but the definition is there).

People also say my skin is glowing which makes me smile. I don't really wear makeup so this is good cos I really can't be arsed dealing with foundation and crap...Bring on the natural glow.

I have also noticed people smile at me when I'm walking down the street. The lovely Laura said it is because there is an internal light in  me that is shining through...so imma let this little light of mine shine

Mentally I am STRONGER...granted I get Bikram brain every now and again but I don't feel as depressed as I did before I started.

I used to have little panic attacks and dwell on stuff making my situation feel worse then it was...now I deal with it or let it go. Once in a while I do dwell on stuff but definitely not as much as before.

I have a voice now. Before I really didn't have the confidence to say what I felt...I now know that my opinion counts and I know that I am important if I wasn't I wouldn't be on this earth. End of story.


Spiritually there has been movement and I feel more in tune with the Creator. I haven't stepped foot into church since way before July to the disappointment of some people and I don't feel bad about that. The yoga has been my meditation with God as He made me and dwells within me showing me what I am capable of. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

95 Down: It's all about savasana baby

The last week I've been taking full advantage of the final savasana and all I have to say today is this:
If I could bottle up the final savasana and sell it I'd be rich and there would be no war. 

Taking the extra minutes I have realised that the healing truly comes from that stillness...Not only does your body cool down but it has given my body a chance to really recognise what the last 90mins were about and do it's cellular level work. Plus I kind of feel all high and go of into a litte dream world. LOVE IT!!!!

 

 

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91 92 93 94 Down: The best weekend

I have had the most amazing weekend and it was all Bikram related surrounded by genuine people I love with all my heart.

91 Down
Friday for my 91st class I went to Brighton and practiced at Bikram in the Lanes, alongside Caroline a dear friend of mine. I was scared I wasn't going to do well and had a minor panic attack on the way up but it was fine...I did enjoy it but there is no place like home. The rest of the day was spent eating the most delicious raw food...life could not have been any better thanks Caroline.

92 Down
I had a revelation in class. This year I HATE CHRISTMAS!!!  Towards the end of class the lovely Andy made a comment about Christmas, in my mind I said "fuck christmas!" and burst into tears. Yesterday was the first time I acknowledged to myself that I'm not happy about not going home (Zimbabwe) for the holidays. It's about family not loneliness.
 Saturday night was Bikram Yoga Chiswick's christmas party and it was lush. Yes I got drunk as I have no control when it comes to alcohol. But it was gooooooddddd!!!!! There was ZUMBA it was amazing and every single person who attends BYC is lush  I LOVE EACH AND EVERYONE!!!! Nope I'm not still drunk.

93 and 94 Down
0640 woke up hungover
0725 dragged my carcass out of bed
0800 left  home
0845 walked into the building saw the lovely Shvorne at reception and just shook my head.
0900 I was in class!
I honestly thought it was going to be like my red wine saturday where I felt it was pointless being in class but it wasn't. It felt like the best hangover cure in the world. I was so transformed I did a back to back double and I LOVED IT!!!!!

I discovered a way to love on my tummy... I am holding a grudge against my belly for not being smaller. Caroline suggested that I love on my tummy. And today it happened. I was meant to be standing with my hands down by my side but for some reason they were on my belly and the next thing I knew I had formed the heart symbol... just over my belly button...tiny steps to acknowledging my belly.

90 Down:Rituals

Last night was my 90th class I can't believe I've come this far. This week I've been doing doubles (not back to back) early mornings (0630) and late nights (2015) it's crazy I know...I get home just after 2300 and wake up at 0500 to get to my morning class. And I'm here thinking if it was for anything else there is no way I'd be sacrificing my sleep. But I'm not knackered once I'm up I'm up. Benefit of Bikram.

Last night I got to talking to little Alex before class. And I totally forgot to do my loo run 5mins before the start of class. I was screwing cos I hate having to leave class to use the loo plus I fear that I'll be the cause of groupthink and people start leaving class to use the loo. Thankfully I didn't need to go the use of the loo 5mins before class is one of my yoga rituals...even if it's a little piss I went so I'm good to go.(tmi I know sorry)

This got me thinking of my other rituals in the hot room.
1) when performing half moon pose I always do a little shimmy to try make myself taller...plus I love the way my waist and hips look in the set up of the pose it's the way my body is meant to look.

2) Standing bow is no longer a friend of mine. No matter how much I've tried to find common ground with the beautiful posture it hasnt happened. At one point I thought we had an understanding but now not no more. So whenever I fall out of the posture I try to become invisible by standing still looking down to the floor for fear of catching the teacher's eye and them telling us if you fall out get back in....nah it ain't happening.

3) When on the floor if i realise my mat is crooked I get crazy brain. So I place my towel straight over the top of my mat. Who knew I had a little OCD when it comes to straight lines.

4) When doing the sit up, just before putting my arms above my head, I always without fail touch my boobs!!! Weird I know. I'm trying to stop that bad habit.