90-Day Yoga Challenge

This is me, falling out of dancer's pose on Lamma Island. Balancing is harder on the sand than in the yoga studio!

For my 50^th birthday I decided to tackle something I’ve wanted to do for a while: practice yoga consistently. I’ve done yoga home videos and dvds over the years but it’s been pretty hit and miss. I usually enjoyed following along but if the phone rang or someone (anyone) in the house needed anything, yoga was abandoned for more “urgent” matters.

Then last January my son, Colton, told me about the 90-day yoga challenge at his favorite studio, Be Hot Yoga, in St George.  They encouraged participants to attend at least three classes per week and offered a special rate for the 90-days. I joined and ended up averaging six classes per week except when I went out of town for spring break.

The hot yoga was challenging. Holding poses correctly is much more difficult than I thought it would be, especially in a hot, humid room.  Even though class was only 60 minutes long, it usually felt like forever before the wonderful final savasana (corpse pose.)

I remember struggling through most of the classes and then one day, about one month into it, I realized how much progress I’d made. I noticed my arms and legs were stronger and more toned and hard poses weren’t as hard. I know yoga is all about acceptance but I’m a competitive person by nature and I love results. While I did find it easier to be kind and accepting of myself, I was also excited when I was able to do my first chaturanga (like a yoga pushup) without plopping down belly first.  

I also lost a few pounds during the challenge. It wasn’t because I was exercising more. In fact, I probably did fewer cardio workouts while doing a daily yoga class. But I did notice that daily yoga helped make life seem less stressful. I felt more peaceful, more grounded which meant less need for comfort eating.  Perhaps meditation class is just as important as cardio for healthy weight loss.

On Fridays, Matt Fehrenbacker teaches a 75-minute version of the foundation class. Which is wonderful and awful. It’s nice to have a bit of extra time to really get into the poses, unless of course, it’s a pose that you don’t necessarily want to really get into. I remember one day we were in a warrior II pose for what felt like a painfully long time. I kept sending the telepathic message “release the pose” to Matt but he wasn’t receiving and stubbornly refused to say those magic words. I was about to tap out and escape into child’s pose when he said something that really hit me. “This pose will build your determination as well as your strength.”  What???? I could actually use some more of that determination stuff in my life. Could I really get it by holding my body in an uncomfortable, silly shape? It must work a little because it took some determination on my part not to slap Matt’s face as he walked by calmly talking to the class as though we all LOVE hanging out in Warrior II for endless minutes. Let me just say it was an aha! moment for me.

And I must tell you about Matt’s mom, Jane Fehrenbacker. She was the first person I met at Be Hot Yoga. She welcomed me and encouraged me after I struggled through the first class. She’s like the yoga poster child. Who raised a bazillion kids.  And survived to tell the tale.  And is soooooo loving and kind. She is such a bright light.

She is a beautiful, radiant, gray-haired grandma who kicks yoga butt all day long. I was so impressed with her after that first class. And even more so when I walked into a class the next week and she was teaching it! Wow, I think I’m all out of excuses.

I’m not sure if it was the hard work, or the hot room, or all that focused breathing, but lying on my mat after class was surreal. I would breath slowly and deeply for a few minutes while most of the class quietly left the room. By the time the last person left, the room would grow quiet and a peace would descend on me like a fog. I stopped focusing on my breath and just let go. I felt joyful and weightless, as though I was floating. It was a pretty great way to start the day.

Building determination on the beach

Be Hot Yoga hosted a party May 22nd for all the 90-day challenge participants. It was an opportunity for everyone to share their journey while enjoying yoga, food and music. I was sorry to miss it since we had left for Hong Kong the day before and didn't return until mid-June. But I think it's safe to say I am not the only one who found this challenge to be an eye-opening, life-changing experience.