Graduation

It hardly seems real that today we go up on the stage and receive our certificates from Bikram and Rajashree! Well, I can't say I haven't earned it. For sure. I have gone through some things this past 9 weeks that I never thought I could go through and................ I'm still here! Of that, I'm very proud. There is one thing for sure and that's the fact that without the help and support of the friends I have made here, I wouldn't have made it. The people are what make this training work. We are all like one huge family. There's nothing like adversity to bring people together!
To recap the week, Monday, I frankly don't even remember! It was the usual two classes and two lectures, but other than that, it's a blur. Tuesday was the day that stands out in my mind. We were waiting for Bikram and the 1:00 PM lecture and for some unknown reason, he never showed up. We were quickly herded back into the stinky, smelly yoga room where we were informed that there was to be an impromptu posture clinic. People were to go up on the podium and recite several postures in a row while the rest of us demonstrated. Needless to say, there was a huge amount of grumbling and groaning! That would mean an all day, marathon yoga class. Well, as usual, we had no choice in the matter so that's what we did. About 20 or so people went up there and we had to do the postures as they recited them. Of course, being beginners, a lot of them stumbled and held us in postures for what seemed like forever! Aarrrrggghh! Finally, they got a clue and started having us divide up into rows so the odd numbered rows did one person's postures, while the even numbered rows did the other, and so on. At least we got a little rest that way.
After that debacle, we were treated(!?) with another Bikram late night movie. One of those Indian mythology things that is played at deafening decibels until 2:00 AM. I just plugged in my ear plugs and tried to nap sitting up in the totally uncomfortable chairs they provide. So, after all day yoga and a 2:30 AM bedtime, I passed out like a rock on my bed and the 7:00 AM alarm came immediately, or so it seemed.
As an aside story, we are divided up into groups of 15 or 20 people according to our last names. I am in Group 13 and they are the best! It's funny how you get more attached to your group members than anyone else in the training. They are REALLY like family because you go through all the posture clinics together and, believe me, posture clinics are the most stressful part of the training. Anyway, each group was asked to nominate 2 or 3 people to represent us at graduation doing a dance like demonstration of all the postures. Meaning, the people in the group with the best postures. I couldn't believe it, but my group chose me as one of the people. I was honored beyond belief. I have many good postures, especially the ones that are strength dominated like Triangle, Locust, etc. However, my Standing Bow Pulling and Standing Head to Knee leave something to be desired and they are the showcase postures. We had to gather in front of Bikram while he chose the ones he wanted to do the "yoga dance". When we got to Standing Head to Knee, I fell out. Mine is just not strong enough yet to hold on indefinitely. I know it will be, but I still have some work to do. He said, "Maam, you go. Your Standing Head to Knee no good!" I thought it was funny. He also said, "No hard feelings" which was nice of him. As I said, I was honored that my group chose me and that's enough for me. It was funny because right off he eliminated everyone with a tatoo. He hates tatoos and it's kind of a shame because some of the best people in the group were tatoo people. I guess it's the first lesson in life for some of these kids that you will be descriminated against if you have large tatoos on your body.
Wednesday was interesting because we had the advanced class demonstration. We all went into the yoga room after lunch and were treated to an hour and a half of 8 or 9 people doing advanced postures. I have done advanced class several times in Bend and took an advanced seminar with Jason Winn, so I am familiar with the postures. All of them are difficult and some of them are possible only if you are strong and flexible on the Cirque du Soleil level! Bikram and Emmy were part of the demonstration. "Yellow" (her nickname) and Esak were the two super humans in the group, demonstrating postures with perfection that looked completely impossible. However, I must say that I am prejudiced here, but Emmy was the stand out.....hands down. Now, this woman is somewhere in her 80s ~ probably mid-80s ~ and she was doing things that the vast majority of 25 year olds in this country can't even think of doing. Splits, backbends, putting her foot behind her head, headstands, etc. She is ABSOLUTELY my idol and role model. I mean she is old enough to be MY mother even! I am going to be just like her when I'm her age ~ only taller ~ she's a tiny one. What an inspiration! That night we were treated (!) to a ranting, rambling 4 hour Bikram lecture. How can anyone talk for 4 hours???!!!!! To be fair, the first hour was clear and interesting but, alas, he digressed!
Friday, however, was truly magnificent! Not only did I get to have over 300 people singing happy birthday to me, but everyone was jubilant because it was the last official day of training and we only had TWO MORE CLASSES!!
Rajashree taught the morning class and it was a really good one. Bikram taught the last one and he took it kind of easy on us, which we couldn't believe. When it was time for final Savasana, everyone went crazy! Bikram always plays this cheesy disco song that he recorded after his classes are over, so he played it as we were lying in final Savasana. People started going nuts, getting up, singing and dancing, crying and hugging (sweaty bodies and all!) I remember looking for Sheila, since she has been my closest companion throughout this thing, and when I found her, we hugged and sobbed for a long time. What a celebration! Amazing!
At 9:00, we had the talent show and I enjoyed every minute of it! It didn't end until 1:30, but it was OK cause everyone was just so happy that this whole thing is finally over! There are some really talented people here. I especially enjoyed the "Saturday Night Live" type skit of two girls who meet for lunch a year after training and still display their "teacher training mentality". It was a riot. One of those things that "you had to be there" to get it.
I woke up at 8:00 this morning (I guess I'm not needing as much sleep as I used to) and my plans are to pack and go to graduation. That's it! Graduation is at 4:00 PM.
My flight leaves tomorrow at 12:15 PM. I'm meeting Kate (from Houston) and Erin (from Chicago) so we can share a cab because they are on my flight from Acapulco to Mexico City.
Thanks so much to all of you who have been emailing me and sending positive comments to me via the blog. You have no idea how much help and support you have been.
So now I go home and teach this remarkable yoga. I know my teaching career will be a journey just like the training, but I'm so looking forward to getting started with it. Nervous, but mostly excited to share all the knowledge I have gained with everyone that I can share it with.
I'm sure I will do a lot of reflection on this experience, but for now I can say that I feel such a personal growth from this. I have faced my strengths as well as my weaknesses and I plan to go out and use my strengths and try my best to work on my weaknesses and become a really great teacher someday. I know that throughout history, it's been the duty of the old to teach the young. I want to be a part of that, but I also want to revise it a bit. I want to teach the young how to never grow old!
I'll probably do this blog through my first few classes in case you're interested in seeing how things go. After that, I'll close it and start a new one when I get on with my next adventure in life, whatever that may be!
Oh, and when I get to Salt Lake City, after my flight from Mexico City, I might get out of the plane, down on my knees and kiss the ground of the good old USA!!!
Thanks for the beautiful birthday wishes and to Christen, my birthday sister, I hope yours was as great as mine was!
Love to all............