jaketterer

Just today having finished my first 30 day challenge and feeling such a sense of achievement and
feel so strong, I feel so sad for the experiences of some of the reports i have just read. My own
challenge was full of many of those feelings and bad days when I did cry in class and did wonder what had i taken on and why but then I decided that i would just have to take each day as it came and do the best I could I focussed on the postures I knew really helped my body and my joints and muscles ( I am 48 and alo newly fairly recently diagnosed with fybromyalgia, and so I know my energy will be challenged yet i also know that my joints and muscles really do benefit from daily stretching in the hot enviorment of Bikram yoga. So I sat out the odd posture when my legs would not hold me up, I woudl do one and a half sets of postures if I could not do 2 and I really worked on reminding myself that I was there every one of those 30 days to benefit my body and also my mind (geat escape from the trauma that can be every day life !!!) I should tell you that it was largely due to reading Gabrielle’s e mails about “curiosity” and being present that saved me from a ” slavish” practice and I think I perhaps would not have completed the challenge if I had not taken on board what she said. So to anyone who feels let down or inclined to give up on their Bikram practice as a result of a 30 day challenge that turned into a bit of a nightmare, please dont. Try one again eventually but with a different focus. I finished 30 days today, I will go to a class tomorrow because my fybromyligia symptoms are so much less when I practice a Bikram class, even if I just do as much as I can on any given day. But I am very lucky to attend a small studio where all the teachers are very supportive and encourage every student to do their best, it is your practice, no judgement, no comparisons after all its Yoga its meant to be healing and supportive to the rest of your life. I know Bikram Yoga has been a life saver for me on both a physical and emotional level, so plese to anyone who has been “traumatisied” by a 30 day challenge, dont give up give it another try another time when you have regained the benefits you fist got when you first were drawn to Bikram Yoga, and try again with a different outlook and approach, with the support of kind and good teachers and co-challengers! that helps a lot also. Also remember that the challenge you have just completed or might be struggling to complete is still a huge credit to you, you have still kept going through all that pain and anxiety! So you must be stronger than you think!