Intro to Baptiste 40 days to personal revolution night

This is the greeter at the yoga studio

I pride myself on being a transparent person.  One that has never been shy or quiet.  So I thought I would blog about this journey I am about to take, also I am required to keep a journal and typing is much easier than writing (truth).  So how did I wind up here at this night?  I am still not quite sure.  My mother has been a yogi for years and opened her own Baptiste studio a year ago.  Maybe there is some draw to being a tofu eating yoga doing girl.  I would love to turn into one of those tree hugging emaciated vegan yogi, but not sure if this middle aged , slightly fluffy, wife, mother of 4, and full time ICU nurse has it in her to make that drastic a change.  Hubby hit mid-life, lost 60lbs, and began meditation and yoga as a new hobby.  I guess maybe I want to check out the competition or keep up with him so I have decided to enter his world. Maybe I just want an hour out of the house to myself.  Who knows why I here and what is going to become of this.

Orientation Night (Tuesday Sept. 15, 2010):

Okay so I decided to check this yoga thing out.  Can't hurt right?  An hour kid free! So what if I have to stand on my head to get some peace. Got to help my running. Since I don't have enough to do I am also training for a marathon.  I didn't want to be late so I arrived 30 minutes early. Sat in my car already realizing I had left the comfort of my suburban life and drove to a really groovy part of the city.  I am sure my hubby loves this area, me....wondering where the soccer fields and playgrounds were.  As I sat there I sized up the studio.  In was in an old house down in what used to be know at the gay area of our city.  Had to text my hubby to find out where the entrance was.  Okay I'll admit I was very nervous.  Got out and walked around the back of the house to the entrance and as I was about to enter and instructor was walking out to unlock to back door to let a class out.  Wonder why they lock them in?  Prevent escapees?  The instructor was soaked in sweat.  I thought should I make a run for it.  She told me to just wait til the class cleared out (aka-the sweat funk smell) since the studio was small.  I sat down on the back porch and look straight at a Budha statue staring at me.  Seriously?  What is a suburban, church going, soccer mom doing here?  Are they gonna try and convert me to Hinduism?  Am I sure I want to go in?  Next thing I know is the class starts coming out.....every last one of them soaked.....wondering are there misters in there?  They began to clean the sweat off their mats and some of them had to put clothes back on since they were half naked.  Oh my.....I am not showing that much skin in there.  Don't they know I have had a bunch of babies?  I finally enter the room and wonder what happened to the air conditioning and the aroma therapy?  It has been replaced by a heater and the smell or sweat socks.  Wondering if they locked us in already so we can't make a run for it.  As I sat there I thought I can do anything for 40 days even be a sweaty yogi.  They explained the program.  I will need to do yoga 6 times a week (at least 4 at the studio), read, meditate twice a day, and try to follow the recommended diet.  I was relieved to hear I wasn't gonna have convert to Budism actually this was going to enhance whatever spiritual practice we have......mine could use a boost for sure.  It was basically a program to make me a better person.  I was now excited.   I always need to be a better person.  As we got ready to go we did an affirmation circle....kinda reminded me of AA not that I have been, but we went around and said "I am..... or I will....."  Then everyone responds "yes you are or yes you will."  I said, "I am open to new experiences."  I figured you couldn't argue with that since I was sitting in a circle with grown people sitting on little bitty cork blocks as chairs.  I actually opted for the floor cause I thought I surely that didn't look comfortable.  Well I as I left I signed the commitment contract and plopped down some cashola for the course (that will keep me committed).  So I will be a yogi for the next 40 days.  Actually won't really start til Monday, but I will post each day through the journey so my accountability person can just read up on how I'm doing.  Sounds like AA still.  Maybe all the guru's got drunk and said "let's see what happens when we twist your foot this way-ahhh looks cool we'll call it lotus."