I’m a yogi and it’s been 1 month, 11 days since my last practice.
The body needed a break and I was looking forward to not feeling anything, not an ache, stiffness, pain – good or bad. It took a few days before I awoke and felt.. nada! Ah yeah that’s it.. oh no, wait.. hehe, false alarm: just the faintest, little stretching at the corners of my mouth.
I tried to enjoy my last 19 days left in South America (without yoga). I hung out in Buenos Aires, and when the passport finally arrived, took a snappy 26 hour bus ride north to Florianopolis, Brazil (don’t ever spend that long on a bus!). I bid farewell to Bikram Yoga Buenos Aires and for the first time in many months, looked into the sweaty mass of bodies and held back the urge to tear off my clothes, run in and join them. Could I be missing it already?!
With a silly grin and spinning compass, I jumped on a plane heading home, although, unfortunately, not back to Australia. Somewhere new, exciting.. somewhere very, freakin’ cold.
First though, back in Budapest – deja Vu (plus snow), ironed and lovely smelling clothes, shots of Palinka, Unicum, home made wine, Hungarian cuisine and finally.. total relaxation! Big hug and many thanks to Veronika’s family.
During this time though, I went through a little post 365 day challenge disorder: I didn’t want to talk about yoga, my challenge, how I felt, changed, gained, lost or remained the same. I wanted to say hello to old friends but laid low, shuffling the snow.
Turn page. I wake in my new home to a freshly brewed espresso, stare out the window at my little hill of bare trees and snow, and start a set of the deepest, most enjoyable Pranayama yet. I continue to Standing Head to Knee then collapse – cold stiff, weakness has crept in already.. wf?! Haha but it was enough – a familiar tickle as the first droplet of sweat snaked its way down my bum-crack.
I am alive again!
The blog continues.. at home: Stockholm, Sweden.
With Mine Taylan (
Getting home at 1am in the morning we jumped online, booking Erik in to the 8am class. With only one place available for the 10:30, I strategically convinced Erik he should sign up (my escape clause) and I would try my luck on the day. We then fueled up: 2 beef steaks for Erik, 2 salmon fillets for me, both grazing over a mountainous Feta Salad before getting 5hrs shut eye.
Joshua’s class was up there with the best and it’s hard to believe he’s only been teaching since Spring 2008 training. His international English flavoured the dialogue with trusted knowledge and good humour, although by camel pose my lump was in the wrong place and I slowed a little before the final savasana, bathing in the sweat bath that remained around our mats. Yeah.. ewgh!
But amongst the blues, I had my best class (in like, forever) on Sunday: an 8am session guided by Allison Wong Toi, a Bikram teacher hailing all the way from New Zealand! Allison teaches with just the right mix of strength & grace, spiking her dialogue with energetic inflections when her flock stray. Before class, Allison greets, relaxes and stimulates us in a gentle apéritif, fortifying us for the class ahead, which I’ve found unique to 
