Day 5 and still thriving

Day 2, Tuesday, was literally the worst day of yoga I've had other than times when I've come into practice sick or just started back up after a long time off. I was hydrated and ate well all day, but sometimes the yoga truck rolls over you anyways. It was a pretty crowded 6:30 class that got so ridiculously hot that 3-4 people left the room and 1/2 the class was sitting out at any given time, including another teacher that was taking class. Normally if I sit out at all, it will be for one set of one posture, I'll catch my breath and feel my heartbeat return to normal, and be good to go. This time I made it through the standing series and only sat out a posture but my body decided that it had too much during the floor series. I was down for more than half of it with my heart pounding through my chest, my brain boiling, my skin on fire, and there was a period when I had to keep wiggling my fingers and toes because I felt they were starting to lose sensation.

Nonetheless, as soon as I walked out of the room after class and chugged a bottle of water standing in front of the fan, I felt better. They say that the classes that are more difficult, and the postures that are more difficult are the ones your body needs the most. Often, I feel more accomplished after a class I struggle with as opposed to one I glide through. Day 3 was one of those days where I found myself enjoying the postures and breezing through the class. It's hilarious that your experience can be so different from one day to the next. Day 4 was more of a mental challenge because I forgot my water bottle and I'm used to drinking at the same exact points in every class. I made it through without water but certainly felt it during the last 15 minutes or so of class and stopped to get a HUGE blue gatorade on the way home. mmmm, electrolytes. Day 5 was a calm 6:30pm practice with lots of space and tolerable heat. My balance was not on point at all- it's hard for me to figure out if it's a matter of focus or a matter of strength.

So far the best benefit is that I have really started to LOVE rabbit pose which I used to hate, and I feel my upper back really craving that stretch every class. Off to day 6 now,- 9:45 on a Saturday