Bikram Yoga Manila

I woke up and checked my cell phone. It said 5:30 am. I woke up just like that without an alarm and without prompting. I took it as a sign. I've been wanting to go back to my yoga practice since I returned to Manila last April 2009. I signed up at Bikram Yoga Manila because it was 1) conveniently located at the same building where I worked; 2) my little cousin Jonah, who ain't little anymore, had been raving about hot yoga and I've been inspired by his poses; and 3) it was my cross training for cycling.

So I signed up for the initial trial last August 2009. One thousand pesos for the first week. It's the initial membership fee. Unlimited. Easy right? No. You try it out for the first time and it shocks your system. Imagine, I started my yoga practice in Canada and it's usually in the dead of winter when I go gungho into it because I feel I need to keep working out even when it's not possible to ride my bike. You're overheating, from yoga or from pilates, you make sure you're bundled up before you head out to your car. Because the cold hits you and your body gets confused. But you have to bundle up because you can get pneumonia from the sweat and the cold combined.

So the first time that I tried hot yoga, I wanted to give up on the first 5 minutes. The room is extremely heated and you feel like you're going to suffocate. The poses were secondary to the heat. I was familiar with most of the poses. Getting into them is a different story altogether. But no matter. The heat, the sweat and the dehydration. You just feel like crawling into the crack on the floor and staying there, hoping that the fit chick in front of you won't look at the mirror and see that you're about to fall flat on your face because you can't balance, your knees and toes are shaking and your face is covered in sweat like someone threw a bucket of water at you.

So the second time... well, there was no second time after that. I did have one week to try it out. But work got in the way. Events. Friends. Excuses. Until the rest of 2009 rolled by. Since the studio is in the same building, I see the others who come to class. They're easy to spot. Yoga mat, dry fit clothes. Confident stance. Maybe I'm the only one who notices because it feels like I'm the only one who gets envious each time I see them go by the lobby and or get into the car waiting right in front of the building.

This week I checked out the schedules and the rates once again. Let's face it. It doesn't come cheap. I noticed the early bird offer. 35% off the monthly unlimited rate. The catch is that you have to wake up at 5:30 am and get into the 6:30 am class. Nice right. It forces me to 1) sleep early, 2) eat properly the night before, and 3) wake up early.

So I did it. Today was my second class. I survived all 90 minutes of it without wanting to give up. OK maybe I thought about it once or twice. I didn't feel faint. I didn't have to sit out any pose. I have yet to get my balance back but over all I would say I did well today. I give myself 85% and a pat on the back for starting my day and getting back into my yoga practice.

It feels like I'm getting back on track. Maybe I need to re-read Eat. Pray. Love. Or maybe I simply need to continue my own journey. Yoga. Ride. Love. Tomorrow it's back on the bike.