Preparation

Less then a month until I arrive in Palm Desert for the 9-week Bikram yoga death camp. It sounds appealing, no? Yes. I am preparing to change my life, all over, inside-out, from bones to skin, fingertips to the toes with my smiling happy face. Brain washed, yes... what can I say? This stuff works - on so many levels!

So, here is my list of things to take to training:

-Yoga clothes, lots of them (easy)

-yoga mat (maybe 2)

-comfy clothes for lectures, posture clinics, etc.

-swim suit (never leave the house without one of those... thanks mom!)

-a couple of "fancy" outfits, especially for graduation (keeping in mind that my body will change in unforeseeable ways by then)

-Bikram's books and yoga anatomy books

-an electric strip (or 2) to ensure that there are enough electrical outlets for myself and my roommate

-my IKEA closet hanging drawer (could come in handy if there is not enough space, if it is not needed no big deal, it is small).

-travel neck pillow

-electrolytes (emergen-c, elete, potassium pills, sea salt)

-Magic Bullet (blender)

-protein powder

-George Foreman grill (?)

-elecric tea kettle

-cooler (?)

-notebooks, journals, pens, markers, post-it's, etc.

-nesessary toiletries (including enough -and extra- artillery for that female time of the month x 3)

-camera

-earplugs

-a couple of cases of coconut water and kombucha

-I am sure that I am forgetting something... oh well

Right now it is dialogue, dialogue, dialogue. I have memorized up to Cobra, leaving me with time left to get through the spine strengthening series and at least up to camel. I feel good about that. Hopefully this studying will stick with me in training, allowing me to gain me some sleep and lose some stress.

Thankfully, the people at the Sugarhouse studio (in Salt Lake City) have been very motivated in making sure that those of us going to training are well prepared. Three times a week they meet with us for posture clinics. Meeting this often has kept me learning three postures a week and made me learn how I memorize. Never before have I had to imprint 90 minutes of script and information into my head. It is a big download. When I am not consciously studying, I am listening to voice recorded postures on my iPod. DIALOGUE!!!

Okay, onto more studying and then class.

Cheerio!