bikram yoga, class 8 -- a new view

8 yoga classes in 9 days.

today, the owner of the studio i'm now attending taught the class at 2pm that i attended. his sweet white dog cashew hung out outside doing her own form of yoga in the waiting room.

the owner's name is cosmo and he taught a great class, walking around and giving people adjustments and corrections.

at one point in a posture called "fixed firm pose" he stood next to me and suggested i try to go further. i said "i can't do it". he said "try". i did but only part way. he said, "now raise your arms over your head and see what that feels like". i said, "i don't think i can." he said. "try". i did and i went into the full beginner's expression of the pose. in this posture, you sit with your knees bent under you, but to the sides of each hip so your butt is on the floor and your knees are bent with your feet out to the sides of your body. you bend backwards towards the floor so the whole front of your body is facing the ceiling, except your knees, shins and feet. normally i stop with my elbows on the towel next to my toes, with my back arched and my head hung back.

today, cosmo got me to lay my entire back down on the floor!! and then to raise my arms above my head in a crossed position!! before, i had always thought i would break in half if i did this. or really hurt myself or have some kind of panic attack. but none of that happened and i rested there, felt that new view throughout my entire body and now have a new yoga move under my belt.

it was a great day.