The End And The Beginning

Where to start to recall the last week of TT.... it already feels like it's been a century since I left San Diego.
Since the Posture Clinics were all out of the way the last week was filled with lectures. Bikram went through each and every of the postures, gave advice on how to improve to some but mostly explained the posture and what to look out for! That was actually very interesting. There was a nice relaxed atmosphere in the bubble. Our last class of Yoga was to be on Friday evening and there were no more make-up classes scheduled, thus even if you missed the sign-in there wasn't a penalty (Other then the threat that you might not graduate). The evening classes were all taught by Bikram himself and none was overloaded with coarse humor, or maybe I just got used to it. We were also VERY fortunate to enjoy another great class taught by Emmy Cleaves. I admire her and think she is the most amazing woman connected with Bikram Yoga!!
After Friday's last class there was no holding us back: lots of cheering and many hugs even a few tears!! We still had to report to the Lecture tent at 9:00pm, even though many had hoped that that evening would be free. After all assembled for the lecture Dom finally passed on some tips about the timing of the class, which we all had been waiting for. After about an hour of what to do the next day (graduation), where to sit, how to get on and off the stage and a check on how all the names were pronounced correctly, we were informed that we were free to leave!! Bikram would still watch a movie later that night and everyone was welcome to join but it was, again, optional!
Jana and I decided to celebrate the end of the camp and our surviving it with a nice glass of red wine. On our way there we just dropped by the laundry room that the hotel had set up for us and that neither of us had been to in all the 9 weeks. In the end we just stayed there, practiced dialogue sitting on the washing-machines and talking to every Yogi that was coming by either to also do laundry or to use one of the two microwaves (another item I never used during the entire time). By the time the laundry was done it was so late that we just went back to our room. That had become quite strange, with all the suitcases on the floor. It already looked deserted. Saturday morning we went over to the mall to get some breakfast and enjoyed one last shopping spree. Then it was back to the room and the, very time-intense ;-), preparation of the 'looks' started. It was fun though and a very nice time to just talk! Jana's husband Jirka had also arrived and stopped by for a short while. He and two friends stayed at a hotel nearby. I talked to my family on the phone for a little and then it was already time to go to the graduation ceremony. San Diego must not have been happy with us leaving for it was raining 'cats and dogs' all the time. Once we made it to the big hall it was so nice to see everyone dressed up and put together nicely, such a difference from how we had gotten to know each other. In some cases you even had to look twice to be sure who it was, such a transformation!!! The ceremony itself was nothing spectecular, the biggest highlight being the demonstration of the postures by some selected yogies. Then it was time to line up, go on stage, get ones picture taken with Bikram and the certificate and exit the stage. That was it! After that we had an open buffet with Indian food as well as Sushi. Sad thing only that it wasn't enough for everyone. More food was ordered but by the time it got there some had left to get food somewhere else, which kind of broke the party up a little. After all the official part was over the hotel had very gracefully allowed us to keep using the rooms for our dance-party. So dance it was and it was a lot of fun,fun, fun!!!!
It also marked the time that I would see many of my new found friends for the last time for a while. So Jana and I tried to extend the time as much as possible but had to give in to being tired at some point.
Sunday it was only packing together the last few things, saying good bye to Jane before she took off with her Mazda and then the dreaded moment had arrived and Jana and I had to say good-bye as well. It was a tough moment, and I'm so grateful that she was my roomy!!! Someone that I got along with excellent, that had the same study habits as I and was just so entirely enjoyable to share this experience with!! Jana you ROCK!!!!! A visit to Prague is SO on the list!!!!
At the airport I met Catherine, from Sidney, and we discovered that we were on the same planes all the way to Victoria. Since we both had our first class to teach the very next day, guess how we spend the time?? Exactly: we studied dialogue!!!! When we arrived in Victoria we wished each other lots of luck for the next day before we were embraced by our families! It felt SO good to be back together with the kids and Hannes!
Monday had me VERY nervous and I was close to call the studio to tell them that I couldn't possibly teach a class! Thanks to the encouragement from Max and Hannes I gathered my stuff and took off. I forgot my water bottle and my watch and felt totally spaced out. Owl, Peter and Lisa were attending my first class and it was comforting to have them in class, very close to me ( in more ways then just sitting right next to the podium)! Needless to say that I didn't feel relaxed or in full control of what I was saying, but the students as well as me survived! I was SO happy to have the first one out of the way!! My second class was already way better and I even started enjoying myself. The next day my legs were hurting so bad that I could barely walk. Thinking about the cause of it I realised that I must have taught the full 90min. class with my knees locked and calves contracted..... always something more to learn!!
This morning I taught the 7:00am class and have to say that it was my best yet!! I have three more scheduled for the next week and might even get a class in the Westshore studio, if I finally get the time right and catch Jaqueline!
This last nine weeks have been very interesting and I edit one more entry on what it was like, but I want to have a little more time to digest the experience.