Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Karma Chameleon

I know, I know, I'm way behind on updating everyone but I didn't have any words ready.

There was nothing too weird in the curriculum this time, or maybe laying on each other like a tic-tac-toe board or being forced to drop it, drop it, drop it low to "Bringing Sexy Back" in the middle of a circle of your new yoga friends isn't weird anymore.

I guess it's pretty weird, now that I think about it.

It felt okay, though.

We got to watch a movie Saturday night, called The Shift. With Dr. Something Dyer (a real self-help guy or something, playing himself) and Portia DiRossi and a lot of bad acting but a good message. The floor was hard and I was exhausted after hours and hours of yoga (and dancing) but it was better than regular circle time where people cry. Also, we were allowed to lay down. That's good stuff, when you can feel intense gratitude for being able to lay your sore body upon a cold, hard floor for two hours. I'm not being a smart ass there, it felt absurdly nice.

Everyone feels really nervous before each session, mostly because of the chaotic group practice teaches. It is so loud, and they call time and you give one word feedback, and the next person rushes up to take over where the last left off. It's so confusing and loud and distracting. I did surprisingly well at it, though, and it was almost fun. Instead of thinking, "I freaking hate this kind of craziness," like usual, I thought, "If I can do it under these insane conditions, I can do it."

I think I might really want to be a yoga teacher! Which is a big relief because this is too much effort and transformation for simple self-help.

I only have two teacher training weekends left and a scary amount of homework. I have to write three 3 page essays, practice teach including meditation (ugh) 3 different times with friends, assist two regular classes (that means touching sweaty strangers), take and give feedback for 3 different styles of classes (that means critiquing my friends who work at the studio to their boss), and read a bunch of stuff by January 12th. I also work there 2-3 days per week. And then also, life.

And I guess it's Christmas or something?

I don't know.

Do you all remember my experience with the yoga goblin?

She was doing what I will be doing tomorrow night--assisting a class as a teacher trainee. 

Oh, how the universe brings it all back to us!

But I won't be anywhere near that weird.

7 comments:

Sasha said...

Why did I remember the word gargoyle as "goblin"? I am such a weirdo.

Unknown said...

No, you're right, Sash, I think it was Goblin and I used both terms.

By the way, my hip did not pop out of place. So that was just a story after all.

(It did kind of hurt though.)

Cindy * GoodHaus Design said...

In my family, we still periodically reference the Yoga Goblin. I already provided you with photographic evidence.

My old lady hip (I have always called it that too - haha) has been really bad this week. Bah.

Lisa said...

Are you standing on the outside watching the evolution of "yoga Ashley" and wondering WTF happened? It sounds like a profoundly transformative experience and I'm a little envious!

Unknown said...

Yes, Lisa, it is surreal. Even though there's still a lot of the old Ashley left and always will be, I can't believe how much my entire life has changed since starting!

shelly said...

I just wanted you to know that I took my first yoga class today, and loved it. The instructor was really awesome and the class was super small so it was perfect for my first time.
But, what really helped me with it is your blog, and your experience through the teacher training. I understood why the instructor was saying the things he was saying.
So, I just thought you would like to know that you vastly improved my first-yoga-class-experience and I really appreciate that.

Unknown said...

That's so great to hear, Shelly!! Thanks for the comment. I have been struggling a bit with how much of my yoga stuff is okay to share so to hear that it's helpful and making people like or understand yoga was nice!