tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35230442821532885692011-08-01T20:59:53.836-04:00In pursuit of health.Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-32089342656594883352010-03-17T14:41:00.000-04:002010-03-17T14:41:59.993-04:00

Many classes, and many new experiences. Hot 90's, the 2 hour advanced class, Ashtanga, Vinyasa and Yin. Two doubles. All very different. All very wonderful. Range of emotions: elated to frustrated. Energy levels? From excess to non-existent. Little posting action as I still haven't made the call to Comcast to set up my internet. It will come, and all will be back on track. A break from my steady

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-46551114030208733262010-03-08T18:22:00.000-05:002010-03-08T18:22:46.888-05:00

Five more days of yoga; five more long evenings; five more days of moving; four more shifts at work; two more classes; one more lab and one more beautiful day. Days sixty three to sixty seven were a blur of work, school and tending to a sick sibling. Long nights running around Raleigh, setting up a new apartment, trucking my belongings around town...finding time to write about my Mala took a back

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-775962524276053442010-03-03T18:01:00.001-05:002010-03-04T10:55:13.534-05:00

I don't have time. No, not today. Too busy. Work. I'll make it up. Really, it's just too crazy. I have a million things to do...ugh, dammit. All the thoughts that race through my head on a busy day. So many, I barely know how to make enough room to breathe, let alone truck it to class. But I do. And I did. And I will. There have been a few times this challenge where yoga had to take a backseat -

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-30711079732368871762010-03-01T23:55:00.000-05:002010-03-01T23:55:31.065-05:00

I went to work. Catie rebalanced my energy with such much needed needles (thank you thank you). I went to the old place to pack. My swift steed carried me to Open Door. I did my yoga. And that is all I have right now.   Class: Hot 90 Instructor: Suzanne Studio: Open Door Wins: full, but not too crowded; strong series; almost no H20; learning to relax my tongue from the roof of my mouth...weird;

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-4414021673403120642010-02-28T21:10:00.000-05:002010-02-28T21:10:00.672-05:00

Moving and hauling and trucking and lugging and cursing. Today was about moving. Tonight will be 45 minutes of yoga at home before bed. This week will be tough, so I'm throwing in all three doubles...just to make it easier? Once the move is settled and this week is over, I need to write about food, camel pose, tears, quality cutlery, a good frying pan, growing herbs, composting in an apartment,

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-38281347642563811582010-02-27T22:29:00.000-05:002010-02-27T22:29:29.442-05:00

Packing up my belongings, sorting through the piles labeled 'summer' and 'lovebug' and 'forgotten,' the heaps of clothing and scattered socks - the ones that never quite match - is filling my mind with memory and foresight. It's opening up a channel, and that channel brought me to the pen and paper of today...the computer. And then I wrote a letter, but I'm not sure who it's to. Maybe my future

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-8381429541187104442010-02-26T23:08:00.000-05:002010-02-26T23:08:26.192-05:00

I have a tough time being vulnerable. I hide behind this exterior of humor; mask myself in a facade of well placed wit. It's easier being funny; the one that is never short on laughs. It's easier to be what people perceive you as; something more or less than what you are. It's easier to detach yourself from a person, group or emotion; something I am far too good at. Every time I leave someone

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-42633859789904218562010-02-26T15:23:00.000-05:002010-02-26T15:23:13.400-05:00

Today was a very, very strong class. Even though it was full to the fire limit and our mats were turned, the heat never became an issue. And the cap on my water bottle stayed firmly closed all the way until Camel...where I dumped some on my head, not down my throat. It's getting easier and easier to not drink water during class. I'm not sure why, maybe it's the constant hydrating prior to

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-25978624308199205792010-02-24T23:12:00.000-05:002010-02-24T23:12:00.291-05:00

I went to both and did my yoga. It felt great and I was very thankful for all the help (corrections, adjustments and support) the teachers gave me. Now, I will finish this demon of a biology test that I thought would be easy...since it is an online test. Nope. Obscure, ridiculous questions. I'm not cranky. Nope. Not at all. But still sensitive. very. Like boss lady told me today, "It's like you

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-45323506683019150772010-02-22T22:55:00.001-05:002010-02-22T23:03:11.343-05:00

I told Mechelle this after class. We laughed, and then I apologized for leaving the room for a minute to finish what I started on the mat. I was happy it was just a wee bit; it could have ruined a lot of people's yoga. Laughing so hard a little pee comes out? Awesomely funny. Urinating on yourself because you compressed your bladder during a sit-up? Eh...funny hours later in story form over

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-60624185135623831532010-02-21T19:45:00.000-05:002010-02-21T19:45:36.195-05:00

After that bout with the flu, I came back full force today. I feel great. Being off for a few days forced me to relax, sleep and recover - something I have not been doing, at all. It was almost nice, if you cut out the part where I was near-vomiting and felt like everything hurt; apart from that, it was awesome...right. As my friend Tomi told me during my first attempt at making chutney, "

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-47098980809288835872010-02-21T12:25:00.000-05:002010-02-21T12:25:38.762-05:00

Happy to be back and my body feels great. Super win today. Super Big Awesome Win. Class: Hot Silent Flow (Barkan Method) Instructor: Claudine Studio: Open Door Wins: Strong Series; Clearing out stagnant death left over in my lungs; delightful musical accompaniment

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-53584944199333409902010-02-20T14:54:00.000-05:002010-02-20T14:54:08.952-05:00

To get back on the yoga express. After 4 days of recuperating from whatever nastiness plagued my body, I'm going back to the studio tonight. Monica told me to be restorative in the heat. "Wait until the fever passes, then come back with 50% energy, and do what your body says," she instructed. And now, I will follow. It's been a crazy few weeks and everything, quite literally, has rocked my daily

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-22044168324826808272010-02-18T12:42:00.000-05:002010-02-18T12:42:46.964-05:00

I feel like death. Not the cool death from Jose Saramago's book. The bad death with the coughing and the headache and the sore muscles and the flu-like badness. Son of a whore. This sucks. No yoga today. Plenty of sleep. Doubles on Friday and Sunday, if I feel better. Not sure what happened. I was all alright, but just a little tired the other day. Then I woke up to massive congestion, a fever

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-33796206487037558292010-02-17T16:34:00.000-05:002010-02-17T16:34:26.597-05:00

I tried to use a neti pot and overdid it on the salt content. Do not use enough salt to saturate the solution, leaving undissolved crystals on the bottom...stupid. Also, do not attempt to do anything involving measuring or your brain or focus or well, anything, when you are nearly sleep walking. Really. It's better just to remove the walking out of that phrase and gently rest your body on a comfy

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-90443801513006471822010-02-16T18:31:00.000-05:002010-02-16T18:31:00.516-05:00

No footing. Zero footing. I completely lack my footing. And it's really fucking me up. I keep slipping as I attempt to plant my feet firmly on the ground, any ground, to feel grounded. I'm not floating, more like perpetually slipping. My feet are wobbly; spastically flailing for a stable surface. groping. longing. hoping. The ground is just the idea of the ground. it lacks physical substance and

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-85998218687590537502010-02-14T21:43:00.000-05:002010-02-14T21:43:56.672-05:00

Tomorrow, I will be transitioning back to vegan (nearly), gluten-free, super health mode style and pursuing a healthy body, focused mind and peaceful soul. The tower of terror emotional drop I had this past week was enough to push me into a mega-coping pattern that would rival NFL plays (though I'm not sure such a reference is good, since I know all of zero patterns in football). But really, I

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-85350095771337421152010-02-14T14:50:00.000-05:002010-02-14T14:50:34.372-05:00

I love Zely & Ritz. They have the most amazingly delicious food. And, it's mostly organic, local fare. Awesome. Appetizers: House marinated olive with assorted nuts; Local pickled vegetables (from their CSA partner farm, Coon Rock). Entrees: Roasted Beet salad with organic mixed greens + walnut vinaigrette; Bottles of wine (love on some cotes du rhone); Roasted vegetables from Coon Rock; many,

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-38361909028991860962010-02-12T22:44:00.005-05:002010-02-12T22:49:45.463-05:00

My body said "no" today, mainly with the feeling of lunch in the upper regions of my esophagus. From the onset of class, I had nausea to the point of tasting partially digested vegan energy bar swimming in coffee. I barely got through 3 breaths in the first set of pranayama and struggled to fully exhale for 6 seconds. This was the first time in over a month that I struggled with breathing. But

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-22150040820113802002010-02-11T22:36:00.000-05:002010-02-11T22:36:15.003-05:00

Yup. I came in a few minutes before class and wedged myself into a space, which unfortunately put my in line with another person. So, gazing forward, I saw another yogi's derrière instead of my reflection. And man, did I say the nastiest things in my head. Hello 5 year old me...what a nice temper tantrum you just had! Oh no, she's not an "inconsiderate bitch" for failing to move to one side. Nor

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-69573425839567264662010-02-10T19:37:00.002-05:002010-02-10T19:40:33.857-05:00

Work was long and sleep was short. After 8 hours at the shop, my friend Catie spent an hour talking to me about my yoga practice and re-balancing my body with some much needed acupuncture (she even brought me slowly back to myself with tuning forks - awesome). Post needles, I went home and started working on a chem lab report, homework, reading and prep-work for a new lab assignment; all of which

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-18002087994621603242010-02-10T16:56:00.005-05:002010-02-10T17:04:46.359-05:00

My emotions are going fucking crazy. crazy. I'm on the verge of a breakdown in the morning, with little things like wind in my face or discovering new policies at work pushing me to the point of crying. crying. Shedding tears like I just found out my penis is going to fall off on the same day I'm destined to meet the most perfect disney-prince-charming lad...all while the the storm of the century

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-52494091492233747642010-02-09T07:26:00.000-05:002010-02-09T07:26:09.609-05:00

Stuck in a rut. Stuck. Oh so stuck. Looking up, maybe over. Seeing the rut. Staring at it. Rut. There you are. Procrastinating. Putt-putt-putt. Moving so slowly. Distraction is my motivation. Everything is shiny, bright. Attention. Attention. Here. Have it. Yoga. 90 minutes of shutting all of that out. Not being consumed by the rut your in, or fixating on how you got there. The rut disappears

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-91610507385708159312010-02-07T22:30:00.012-05:002010-02-11T22:38:33.879-05:00

Class: Samana Instructor: Renee Studio: Open Door Wins: Everything. Samana. We lacked the usual pleasantry of musical accompaniment today. The class was stacked in two full rows, 12 in each. We twisted, folded, stretched, bent, lifted, lengthened for the first 50 minutes. Oh, and we toned...for real. We contracted abs in isometric holds, saluted the sun many times and became intimate with our

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-33367942079234660032010-02-06T22:10:00.000-05:002010-02-06T22:10:02.023-05:00

Hot Silent Flow happens every Saturday. Claudine studied the Barkan Method in Florida and teaches his flow-style hot yoga in a candle lit room. Awesome. It's a smooth, steady flow based on Bikram's 26 postures, but with added variation. At the start you do two sets of pranayama breathing, and then move into a sun salutation series to warm-up the body. After several of the intro poses, you move

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-70306905898021338182010-02-06T21:00:00.000-05:002010-02-06T21:00:11.953-05:00

Today was a fairly good day. Work was long and even though a monsoon moved over Raleigh, it was still a pleasant afternoon. I even managed to make it to the studio without skidding into a ditch. And dying. So that marks a great day. As for class, it was awesome. Awesomely full of corrections. I really appreciate a "hands-on" approach when it comes to yoga. It's so easy to be turned off by

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-58526794354463334032010-02-05T22:29:00.001-05:002010-02-06T14:58:07.559-05:00

Today was a half-ass day. I tried just enough on my first chemistry exam to probably walk away with a high B, maybe low A. No extra cramming for it. Not even a last minute "I need to remember this" sweat. I daydreamed for the full hour and 20 minutes of Biology. I ran through my lab assignment just so I could leave an hour early, hoping to catch some extra mid-day-break reading time (which I

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-51981357726396626442010-02-03T17:41:00.000-05:002010-02-03T17:41:49.734-05:00

Today was a coconut brownie sort of day. This day doesn't come around too often for me. Maybe once every 2 months (okay, sure...sometimes a little sooner). But I knew it today. Everything pointed me in the direction of sweet toasted coconut atop rich chocolaty goodness complete with toasted walnuts. The infamous coconut brownie at the Morning Times. I didn't even look at the fruit bowl. My

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-54937031239511871642010-02-03T16:57:00.001-05:002010-02-03T17:27:03.775-05:00

Stretching pose. The one that follows head to knee pose. You set up by grabbing your big toes and inching your butt back...resting on your sits bones. Okay. I got this. I'm not rounding too much. Look how low I am getting! wow...this is..."Chris, pretend I'm grabbing your butt and pulling it back," Monica says, interrupting my feelings of awesomeness within this posture. Okay, my butt is back. "

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-22674317861172471592010-02-02T11:55:00.001-05:002010-02-02T21:29:58.777-05:00

The heat is less and less and less...oh, and less of a distraction. Even when it's thick in the room, I just do the inhales that help me. The long, slow and deliberate ones. I don't yell at myself when I fall out of bow, or when I get a bend in my "it's supposed to be locked solid" knee; I just lower my leg and start over with a fresh breath.  I am amazed with the amount of energy and focus I can

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-84881926239137243312010-01-31T20:49:00.001-05:002010-02-11T22:39:07.195-05:00

Doubles! First double since I started my 108 Day Mala. Back to back double, too. Boom. Though I drank way too much water between class and felt one esophagus muscle away from returning the water...all over the mirror. Spine strengthening almost became how-to-deal-with-someone-who-vomits-in-the-room strengthening. That's strong enough. No one wanted a class in that. So, my third and fourth set of

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-78020894826095795512010-01-31T20:11:00.001-05:002010-01-31T20:11:45.522-05:00

Raleigh shut down due to some inclement weather. And I mean Shut Down. What to do when you can't make it to class? Do yoga at home! Think of your favorite poses, or mimic the series the best you can. Better yet, explore other styles or try out new poses. This is a great moment to push out of the normal series, whatever style you may do, and try something new. Awesome. Class: Hot (enough) 90

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-52916717991023090322010-01-30T18:36:00.002-05:002010-02-11T22:39:34.696-05:00

Class: Hot 90 Instructor: Kate S. Studio: Open Door Wins: A long day off; watching hours of the Daily Show; indulging my cravings (curry, peanut butter and coconut hot chocolate (Just like the hot chocolate of childhood winters, but sub rich and delicious coconut milk for that cow milk). Rabbit Pose: Benefits of Rabbit: Stretches and elongates the spine Promotes mobility and optimal function of

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-75426497298517162672010-01-29T16:59:00.001-05:002010-01-30T16:45:29.976-05:00

Hot like a jungle. Or razor burn. Not so much itchy...or anything you would need ointment to take care of. More like thick, hot soup. Heavy soup. Cream based. That was class, and I liked it. The heat is the biggest challenge for many people in the room. It's hard to breathe and you can feel claustrophobic. My breath has been so stifled in there, I was sure all the oxygen had been sucked out. It's

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-22768349909606242352010-01-27T21:18:00.001-05:002010-01-28T17:11:01.139-05:00

Class: Hot 90 Instructor: Kate S. Studio: Open Door Wins: Calm, smooth breathing; steady focus; setting up next to Mechelle; recognizing distraction and accepting it in the moment, then letting it go; more Mountain Goats; looking forward to the sweaty room as my daily escape. One sweaty, foggy half tortoise:

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-63535545426241456112010-01-27T16:00:00.001-05:002010-01-27T16:29:20.732-05:00

Hi Monica, Class was really, really swell today. I've never been in a session that turned the mats. What a unique perspective (usually a neighbor's bum) and interesting moment to let go of all that social constraint! People! We are all people! "We all have butts. Say hello to your neighbor's as you swan dive forward," you joked. I laughed into my neighbor's butt as I swan dived forward. This

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-74720775412764733172010-01-26T21:12:00.000-05:002010-01-26T21:12:15.972-05:00

How many choices do you make throughout the day? Beyond just food, or the shirt you put on in the morning; more than the time you walk out the door or whether you stop for breakfast; bigger than the dollar you give to the sad-faced man sitting with all of his belongings. Choice. Choices. We make countless decisions each day. We decide to do one thing or another. Choices can be simple, like

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-4038768521854398352010-01-24T20:05:00.001-05:002010-01-25T15:33:31.604-05:00

Snacks. I love them. You love them. We all love them. Yummy morsels of bite-sized goodness. Fried, baked, popped, in ziplocks or plastic wrapped, covered in chocolate or mixed with nuts. I. love. snacks. And they serve a purpose. Snacks are your in-between-time treats. But all snacks are not created equal. America loves snacks like sliced and fried potatoes, double-mega-chunk chocolate cookies

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-52404312352100664202010-01-23T22:34:00.002-05:002010-02-11T22:40:50.726-05:00

I really like The Mountain Goats right now. Heretic Pride is really good...and I just went on a serious downloading binge on e-music. You can listen to a sample of some of their songs on lala. I like Sax Rohmer #1 and Michael Myers Resplendent, both in the left hand column. So good. Class: Hot Silent Flow Instructor: Claudine Studio: Open Door Wins: Muscle confusion; music. Not Wins: nasal

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-86785299209596094502010-01-22T23:12:00.001-05:002010-02-11T22:41:21.195-05:00

So it's been just over three weeks. Actually, today is the start of my fourth consecutive week of yoga -  mostly hot, all beneficial. Today I opted for a rejuvenating simple class with Jill. The best part about this class is the opening meditation, where we all focus on our intention. What is it that we want to do? Why are we in the room? How can we take that motivation and share it with others,

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-300379778471165952010-01-21T23:12:00.001-05:002010-02-11T22:42:32.266-05:00

Class: Hot 90 Instructor: The beautiful and funny (in that silly, youthful way) Jana. Studio: Open Door Wins: Strong breathing-my exhale is powerful and long; buck wild standing series, including bow and standing head to knee; my steady, intense gaze; forgetting, just for a moment, everyone around me and finding my own eyes, my own space, my own body; movement; delicious dinner of butternut

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-64404901164343999552010-01-20T18:21:00.008-05:002010-02-11T22:43:06.669-05:00

My sleep pattern is really crazy. Just all over the place. Some nights, I crawl into bed and hug my comforter, cozying up to imminent sleep; slowing my breath, just as I would in class; focusing on long, smooth exhales; blurring my gaze; holding onto nothing; accepting memories as they pass; clips on a motion picture recap of my day, week, year, my passed loves and summer-long excursions. My life

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-14370333584627546912010-01-20T14:50:00.002-05:002010-02-11T22:43:26.590-05:00

Death. "Yoga Dead," Monica said, as she glanced at our corpse-like bodies and broken faces. Class just ended and I drunkenly stumbled around the lobby. Nearly fell twice. Dripped enough water to fill every student's bottle for the next class. Everything came out of me. My energy, my spirit. Months of backlogged toxic crap. My pores secreted this foul scent, something my body (especially my

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-71610314988896227592010-01-19T00:00:00.002-05:002010-02-11T22:44:10.354-05:00

Class: Hot 90 Instructor: Suzanne Studio: Open Door Wins: All proceeds from today went to the Haiti Relief Fund!; New heaters=103 degrees and 50% humidity...instead of 95 degrees and 90% humidity-Yes, yes and yes; Strong standing series, followed by a nice floor series; Volunteer Appreciation Party for Toxic Free NC; Conversation with the esteemed Casey Porn about my disappearing butt...and

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-39842277668937956092010-01-17T22:20:00.003-05:002010-01-17T22:22:35.980-05:00

Class: Samana Teacher: Renee Studio: Open Door Wins: Dolphin push ups; standing splits; mountain climbers; isometric holds; awesome sorbet treat; long, rejuvenating shower; warm and beautiful day Black and Blue Coconut Sorbet Recipe:   1 can of full fat coconut milk 1 bag of frozen blackberries 1 bag of frozen blueberries Agave Syrup (optional, to taste) Sprinkle of awesome. to taste.  Magic

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-75773585076694721142010-01-17T10:28:00.001-05:002010-02-11T22:44:51.272-05:00

Class: Hot Silent FlowInstructor: ClaudineStudio: Open DoorWins: New Heater; Nice humidity level-no more milkshake air!; Lots of extra poses incorporated into the flow. Recipe: Green Soup from Yoga Journal. It is so tasty, and a great way to up your greens in a warm, delicious way during the cold months! Ingredients: 2 tbls. olive oil 2 yellow onions, chopped sea salt (to taste) 1 1/4 lbs. sweet

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-65888631004027761062010-01-16T21:00:00.002-05:002010-02-11T22:45:33.800-05:00

Open Door, my yoga home, installed a new heater this past Friday. All of us will benefit from a more regulated temperature, though a vacation from swamp-like heat was nice. Since the installation was a near all day process, Open Door shut down as to make sure the process was smooth and that everything was working properly post new warmth maker. As to stay on top of my practice, I ventured to a

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-51747457305342046582010-01-15T23:32:00.003-05:002010-02-11T22:46:08.161-05:00

It was a hot class. The room holds 32 people and we were pushing that limit with 30. After the first set of breathing, the room was at least 10 degrees hotter. My internal senses alerted me to the heat as beads of sweat slid down my back. Hot. It was hot already. And the air was thick, like a milk shake. Control. This was the moment, in the early part of class and again during spine strengthening

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-73864522171609122472010-01-14T13:36:00.001-05:002010-01-14T13:43:47.074-05:00

After a hard class yesterday, I was a bit worried about how I would cope with a full day of work and yoga. Plus I'm sick, or getting sick, or I'm detoxing and all the crap that I've ingested over the last 8 months (since my last mega-juice-fast) is causing my nose-head-ear-throat region to feel like a mucus filled bag of death. Bleh. I need to invest in a neti pot so I can flush this gunk out.

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-46871930881756457462010-01-13T09:56:00.000-05:002010-01-13T09:56:03.613-05:00

Eating is important. We know this. Eating well is very important. We know this, too. Not eating all day because your school's idea of food is a Subway? Shit. Shit on a 12" roll. Poopy roll. Lame.  Today was not a day for eating, healthy or not. So after a full onslaught of classes, including a 3 hour lab, I bussed it home, hopped on my langster stallion and road off into the already-darkened

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-89786255082195423612010-01-12T14:17:00.003-05:002010-02-11T22:47:49.078-05:00

From early on in day 10 up until the very end of day 11, my schedule was packed. I worked early both mornings, squeezed in some reading and homework, dashed to two awesome yoga classes and supported the wondrous Beehive Collective's ashtray auction at the Borough (which raised $1,900!). The Beehive is a community giving circle in Raleigh and straight up great. Check out the website to see how you

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-48062864671296465002010-01-10T16:39:00.002-05:002010-02-11T22:48:29.591-05:00

The studio is really picking up. It's wonderful that so many new people are coming to class; the community vibe is great, as is the added energy. Class today is my favorite of the week, since we break from the straight 26 postures in a row and do more of an ashtanga/vinyasa flow with every movement following the breath (and usually worked through a sun salutation). We cover almost all of the 26

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-31128964868643053042010-01-10T16:14:00.001-05:002010-02-11T22:49:06.776-05:00

I'm too tired for a real post. Lame? Lame game. Yes. Class: Hot Silent Flow Teacher: Claudine Style: Hot series with several added poses-sun salutations, twists, dancing shiva, and many others. Wins: Flow style class: no breaks = more poses; strong bow; floor spinal twist with eagle legs. Balancing stick:

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-11186207677273312312010-01-08T13:19:00.007-05:002010-02-11T22:49:39.923-05:00

I showed up at Open Door at my usual time, which is 1-2 minutes prior to class beginning. I would really like to be that person that arrives early. The dude who has 10 minutes to change, pick a good spot, relax and settle into the room. But I'm not. I bike like a maniac across town, a brisk 2.5 miles, coast on one foot up to the door, roll my bicicleta into the corner and start disrobing as I

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-45277649962374928352010-01-07T23:25:00.001-05:002010-02-11T22:51:55.585-05:00

Do you ever wonder what 'great' feels like? Beyond the "Hey, I feel good today." Even more than just the high you achieve from any random number of positives-new job, great dinner, rockin' sex. The me of yesteryear, say about yesterfiveyears ago, thought that good lay somewhere in the not feeling tired and not having a stomach ache region. Good was smiling after my sugar buzz from a kit kat big

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-55137034004648280322010-01-06T21:58:00.001-05:002010-02-11T22:52:37.578-05:00

I doubled up on yoga today. Hot 90 at Open Door this morning followed by a vinyasa flow class at this great studio called evolve with the sweet and super spiritual Carson. You should try it. Usually when I encounter a free spirit anywhere outside of isolated locales (eg: a true hippie's home, like the woods), I'm a little guarded towards his persona as "one with the planet." But Carson? She is

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-5432994336961666992010-01-06T21:42:00.007-05:002010-01-07T22:00:19.620-05:00

Today (being yesterday), I took class with Monica, who owns the studio and teaches several classes throughout the week. Over the past few months, the heater at Open Door has been slowly dying...like my love of peanut butter, and hopefully the roaches that have moved inside to escape the cold weather. Side Bar: you can take care of these pesky non-friends in a super safe, non-"that shit is super

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-85701364399740400322010-01-06T08:32:00.002-05:002010-02-11T22:54:21.112-05:00

After four days, I feel amazing. Incorporating daily practice into my schedule wasn't hard. It did require some fine tuning to fit class in everyday, but it's worth it. Yes. It is. From here on out, I will be chronicling my class time with updates on what is happening within my body (including ze' brain), my outlook, perception, and general being. I'll also be posting snazzy pictures of myself to

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-14119109663115628292010-01-03T20:32:00.002-05:002010-01-04T20:24:08.164-05:00

Day 3, baby. Boom. Boom, baby. Yes. That's it. Today started with a brisk ride to work. The bike is still serving me well, but Raleigh's reputation for a pleasant winter is not serving anyone well. 25 degrees this morning with a wind chill that made me shake like a seizure. Only 1 mile. 5 minutes to work. I have perfected the hands-in-pocket and head-bent-low riding position that provides a

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-61115620190672795952010-01-02T22:41:00.001-05:002010-01-03T18:23:54.489-05:00

I woke up this morning and struggled to get out of bed. Struggled. Like I had to crawl my way through bleary eyes and a thick fog of "whathuhwhere...what time is it?" This is my 6th shift in a row and the lack of sleep is hanging tightly around my ankles...forcing the pathetic foot-drag routine. And the sad bags under my eyes? They could carry all my belongings to Thailand. I long for sleep. 8

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-45241173351361346722010-01-01T21:22:00.002-05:002010-01-01T21:43:16.721-05:00

Today was tough. Trying. Today was irritating. Like a rash. A rash covered in wool. During the Summer. Today was a "Hey...Douche Monkey. I really don't know what waving your hand like King-Master of Raleigh means in reference to what you want to eat. Or drink. Use your words. Use. Your. Words. And lose the entitlement. It's making you suck more." Yup, it was all right there. Zero buffer, All edge

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-52798870059795537142009-12-28T15:49:00.005-05:002009-12-28T22:39:17.539-05:00

Part of the magic of yoga (especially ze hot yoga) is the effect it has on your appetite. After any class, my priorities are simple. I want water, about a liter of that sweet H20. And fruit. Oranges, Pineapple, berries, grapefruit and any other water-rich and refreshing treat. During an intense workout, you can sweat enough to fill a bucket...ringing out my towel looks like I just cleaned up a "

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-26194409247182084662009-12-25T16:08:00.003-05:002009-12-26T00:04:53.400-05:00

My teacher's favorite saying in 11th grade. Also in 12th. Mrs. Flaxman. She taught any variation of English requirements that my school implemented. I enjoyed her wit, and her gusto for discussion after finishing a novel. My favorite part of class would happen when this line was brought out: snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. That always made me laugh...or grimace...or wake up from the

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-40776005037249611292009-12-23T18:22:00.000-05:002009-12-23T18:22:09.253-05:00

This is where the magic happens. Well, has been happening since the early summer. And more aptly, will continue to happen throughout my 101 day challenge. Open Door Awesomeness is a local studio in Raleigh, NC, founded by the yoga-driven Monica Bradfield. Since I started going, they expanded the studio offerings to develop a more rounded yoga experience. In addition to the founding classes (

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3523044282153288569.post-36755552951822577602009-12-19T21:33:00.001-05:002009-12-19T22:23:05.061-05:00

ary? izing? ist? I don't want to rely on the common practice that January 1st marks a pivotal moment where one (being any of the millions of Americans) claims that a revolutionary shift is to take place. The day is so symbolic already. Beginning. Start. First. It's fresh; new. People hold on to the magic of this day so desperately, as if it will disappear. And that's because it does. The first

Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03678307665244101178noreply@blogger.com0