Day 17

Tuesdays at 6:30 and Saturdays and 9:45 are the two busiest classes at BYA.  Tonight was amazing!  There had to been over 60 people, maybe close to 70, in that room.  Pranayama breathing felt unifying.  Mats were no more than 2 inches from each other and there were two people using folded mats at the back of the room.  After the standing series, I was asked to switch with a guy who was in a crunched spot by the fire exit.  Being short and tiny and all, it made sense and I was glad to relieve him of that spot.  It was an interesting and positive challenge.  I had to fold up a few inches of my mat and sometimes encroached on the mat of the woman in front of me.  Getting in and out of poses was a little bit of a juggling act to make sure no eyes got poked by toes.  Doing sit-ups was the most hilarious thing to me tonight.  When I'd lie down, I'd make sure my head was at the top of my mat and my feet had a little room between them and the wall.  Every time I'd think I had enough room for my legs to shift forward during the sit-up, but every time I'd be wrong.  I'd hear the cues and modify them in my head.  I'd flex my feet and scoot my butt up on my mat.  I'd put my hands over my head, putting them in prayer position on my forehead so I wouldn't hit the feet of the women in front of me.  I'd sit up and somehow my feet would slide into the wall and I'd be stuck against the wall with my body still half in the air.  Then I'd suppress a giggle, do my best to double exhale and get into the next pose, all while avoiding the woman next to me who was trying to not bump the door, the wall, or the heater.  I think I stayed pretty focused, despite the added challenges.  The standing series gave me some difficulty along the lines of dizziness and sore hip and leg muscles.  Spine-Twisting Pose somehow made my right tricep cramp up and my left one isn't too happy either.  I've stretched them the best I can, but time and lots of water will help.  I can't wait to be back tomorrow morning but it will be such a different vibe!