My Bikram Yoga Challenge

BIKRAM YOGA: An hour and a half of intense yoga practice. It's HOT (100 degrees farenheit), it's HARD (as a trained dancer, I still find some of the postures harder than most of the dancing I do professionally) and takes 100% focus and commitment. There is a warm up to open all the joints in the body, a balancing series, a spine stengthening series, and a floor series. Part meditation, part physical challenge, all self enlightenment.

The sign on the toilet door said something like this -- "The Bikram Yoga Challenge: complete 30 consecutive days of bikram practice and get 20% off your next membership card. Change your life and your body." Underneath this slogan were testimonials of how much of a positive impact the challenge has had on various people, and reading them got my brain ticking. I've never wanted to change alot about my life or my body, but I do love a physical challenge and being recently unemployed, I thought that this challenge would give me something to aim for. It would give me a temporary sense of purpose. And this could be the ticket to that six pack stomach that has eluded me all my life. I've yearned for a six pack for as long as I can remember, maybe the bikram challenge was the way to achieving it.

So I started. And for about a week, it exhausted me, but I soon developed stamina and strength, and being unemployed meant I could go home and collapse on my bed after practice. Then I got a new job working in a bridal boutique. Then my family started planning a Christmas trip to Belgium. Then friends started inviting me to Christmas lunches and reunions. Juggle juggle juggle. That's what I did for 30 days. There were so many times that I thought, "shit, I'm really not going to make it to practice today." But I really surprised myself. Every day, I managed to get there. Some days I left work late and barely got to the studio on time, some days I had to arrive to a friend's party late, and some days my mind was in a million little pieces that the last thing I wanted to do was an hour and a half of intense yoga practice. But no matter where my thoughts were, no matter how much my new job made me feel insecure, I returned to my bikram sanctuary every day and felt safe. For an hour and a half I got to surround myself with nothing but positive energy and with people who, like me, wanted to enrich themselves and their lives with goodness and peace. Not that practicing the bikram is that peaceful. Not for me, anyway. I'm drenched with sweat by the end of every class, and am routinely dizzy after certain postures. But I always have an incredible sense of achievement after every session.

I completed the challenge on Dec 26 2007. I didn't change my body, or get a six pack. But my balance, muscle strength, core stability, and flexibility have all improved. I hope that when I go back to ballet class, I'll see and feel the results in my dancing. I didn't change my life, but I reaffirmed something for myself that I've always believed -- if you want something badly enough and work hard enough, it can be yours. I REALLY wanted to complete this challenge. Work, Christmas, parties, holidays, these were all little obstacles that could have kept me from achieving my goal. It would have been so easy to have that extra lie-in instead of doing the 10am practice before a ladies lunch, or to skip the 6:00pm practice because I was too tired from work to run to the train and race to get to the studio. But I didn't want to let myself down, and even though I don't really see or feel a difference, I believe that I have learned more than I realise. Sometimes in life, certain things don't present themselves to you until you're ready to see them. Maybe I'm just not ready to see my six pack!!! Hahaha.

ANYWAY, the point of this long winded note -- believe in the bikram!!! It has brought me peace, stability, happiness, trust, and exhilaration, and I can return to all these every time I step into my bikram sanctuary. I really recommend trying it out. For an hour and a half, your mind and body work as one soul, and it's a spectacular feeling. If you learn patience, strength, commitment, and focus in the bikram studio, you will bring these things into all facets of your life. I wish I could better explain the sensation of stepping into a studio where there is ONLY good and positivity. I've never experienced anything like it before, to feel completely safe, to not be judged, blamed, mocked, it's WONDERFUL. And, ladies, there are some REALLY hot men who practice in my studio, which only makes focusing a greater challenge!!!

Maybe one of your 2008 resolutions could be to do 3 bikram sessions in one week. I really wouldn't have wasted my time writing this if I didn't think it was worth it. Just try it...and let me know what you think. Namaste. :-)

http://www.hotbikramyoga.co.uk/home.html

http://www.bikramyoga.co.uk/home.html

copyright (c) 2010-2011 Celia Mei Rubin

PARADE: A Reflection

It's just gone midnight -- only a couple of hours after the "Parade" journey ended. We took our final bow (3 encores!) to a full and emotional standing ovation and headed out to the Covent Garden hotel for a glass of champagne, some dim sum, and some birthday dessert for Rob Ashford, our noble leader. (That chocolate cake was DIVINE!!!) I should still be out celebrating, but all I wanted to do was come home, sit by myself, and reflect on what has been, for me, three of the happiest and most rewarding months of my whole life.

Sometimes, if you're lucky enough, the universe smiles down upon you. Call it faith, call it karma, or call it pure luck, but in that one moment, it seems as if everything conspires to come together for you in ways you never even dare to hope. For me, that moment happened when I got the phone call telling me I'd been offered a role in the fothcoming Donmar Warehouse production of "Parade." I was awed, shocked, and disbelieving. I didn't even think I'd get an audition! People like me don't work at the Donmar. That reward is reserved for those of far superior talent and experience. Somehow though, I'd snuck past the Theatre Gods and in that moment, my biggest dreams (the sorts of huge fantasies everyone has but never actually think could ever come true) became a reality. Oh my gosh, I was going to work with my idol and my hero, Mr. Jason Robert Brown! On "PARADE!" At the DONMAR WAREHOUSE! And it was all being led at the helm by Mr. Rob Ashford, a man I wanted to work with desperately after auditioning for him a couple of years previous. I didn't get that job and was GUTTED. Isn't it wonderfully bizarre how life has a way of coming full circle? I guess it's really true that patience is a virtue.

Fast forward to a few months later, and here we are at the end of a glorious run. It has been better than everything I wished for and dreamed about. So so so so special. If you remember any of the following, it means we shared a smile, so I thank you:

-- poo, sex, and food
-- food for thought farts
-- iphone
--"take your top off!"
-- Lara's engagement ring and wedding dress
-- Shaun's engagement
-- pics with Ewan Mcgregor
-- OMG, James Mcavoy is in!!! (Mark should know, he kissed him!)
-- Harry Potter's watching!
-- Kim Catrall giving all the girls a kiss and a hug
-- Steven Page rewriting the lyrics to the opening
-- "Hey!"
-- CHURCH.
-- Matt Lucas is in again????
-- Runners up for best onstage fall: Jo in Tea Dance, Celia in Factory Girls, Steven when his stool collapsed
-- Scrabulous
-- "you made me cry you fuckers" -- Alfred (darling man, our Jewish grandpa)
-- Doughnuts!!!
-- Gary's mom's cakes
-- Bailey
-- Playing with Maddie and Ed Bowman
-- Meeting Molly Brown
-- Watching Stephen Webb get spat on every night by Bertie in "hard to speak my heart" and not flinching once
-- Swing night!
-- Bertie taking his top of at Helen's birthday party
-- Dim sum!
-- Cybercandy
-- Watching Tom Murray make the lovliest faces on the moniters and waving to him even though we KNOW he can't see us
-- JRB in concert
-- Dancing to angry girl music in physical warm up
-- RECORDING THE ALBUM!!!!!
-- Tea Dance ad libs
-- Beat the clock at Belgo's
-- Jo = resident matchmaker
-- Changing Gary's ringtone
-- Changing Stu's laptop wallpaper
-- SHUT UP MAMO! Gypsy Queen!
-- Parade hangman
-- Borough Market
-- Parade VS Hairspray, WSS style!
-- Stephen Webb's truncheon
-- Old soldier's grotto
-- Massages (Mark you still owe me one!)
-- Helen's house almost burning down
-- "your ass is grass!"
-- Stardust the movie
-- "It means whale's vagina" hahahahahahahaha
-- Jo, Celia, and Mark not being able to look at each other in "Flood"
-- Amazing Grace
-- The live sex show (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!)
-- Mooncup!
-- Stephen Sondheim applauding vigorously
-- Backwards monkey
-- Essie's limp
-- Pigeon toed walk
-- "Class"
-- lady's knickers and the lady's bras
-- Chicken and bacon sandwiches
-- Nanny Mcfee

"Parade" has carved it's own special place in my heart and will stay there in it's little cubby hole always. I'm a lucky lucky lady. I'm left feeling a little empty, but I am smiling and grateful that I got to be a part of this extraordinary experience. Thanks for the laughs, and girlies -- never forget our dressing room!!!! I hope my path crosses with all of yours again someday. Wishing everyone the very best for the future.

NOW EVERYONE GO BUY THE CAST RECORDING!

copyright (c) 2010-2011 Celia Mei Rubin