Reflections one week later

Hello my friends,

I just want to let you know that all is well with me. I am slowly emerging from the 32 hour yoga marathon practice and this blissful 108 day journey. I am unharmed. My muscles were a little sore last Wednesday, the day after, but all and all, I feel good. (Especially after being a sloth for a couple of days. Here's a photo Craig took on Aug 4th, the 'day after'. Jamie, Craig and I sprawled on the couch eating pizza and watching a movie.)

I am still processing the events of the last week along with all the attention my story has received. (An article about the marathon was published in The Times of India on Aug 4. And yesterday one of the editors from Yoga Journal called the studio to congratulate me. I have know idea how all these people heard about this, but it is very funny to me. I suppose this is my 15 minutes of fame!) The whole experience is still surreal to me. I keep finding myself questioning, "Did I really do 108 days of 108 sun salutations? Did I actually do 32 hours of yoga? How did I do this?"

I am currently going through all the footage of the 32 hour practice and listing all 1008+ postures I did. (I need to submit a final list of poses for my Guinness application, which is nearly complete.) This is a tedious process and I've been working on all day, but the more time I spend looking at the videos the more emotional I'm becoming. It feels like I am experiencing the whole 32 hour practice all over, at least the emotions of it. It's intense.

I've actually been getting emotional quite a bit lately. I am so touched by all the notes and messages I've been received. One woman who came for the last two hours of my practice told me after that being in the studio at the final minutes of the challenge made her think of all the unmanifested dreams they still have and how they too could be realized. I become teary every time I am reminded that this wasn't just about me. This was a shared experience that I would not have been as powerful if even one of those people visiting, practicing or volunteering hadn't been there. It was like an alchemy of the energy of everyone present. I really felt like I was simultaneously being lifted and grounded by the people around me. I feel so so so grateful for all your support.

At first, it was strange to practice knowing that there were about a dozen sets of eyes on me, watching and noting my every move. But then I moved into a different space, where I was so intently focused on every aspect of my body and practice and they, the witnesses, timekeepers, camera operators, spectators and practitioners, became an integral part of this journey. They allowed me to enter even deeper consciousness, one that helped me let go and dive into unknown waters of transformational bliss. It was very powerful.

The hardest part of the 32 hours for me was 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm. One of the breaks got mixed up and I ended up having to do a four hour and twenty minute set, as opposed to a four hour one. It also seemed that at that point, I was still so far off my goal time and dusk was settling in. There were also a thunder storm, so it became dark very quickly, which didn't help

But, the night practice from 11pm to 7am was truly amazing. That's when, as Craig said, "All the rockstars came in." Len Blum, the reformed Hollywood writer of The Pink Panther, Howard Stern's Private Parts and other block busters, was the yoga teacher witness over night and he was so fantastic. He was alert the whole time and offered me several wonderful adjustments. My parents also came into the studio with their yoga mats in hand for the "2 am yoga class," and my brother hung out with us as well. The team of witnesses and timekeepers included some very cool people. However, the highlight for the night for me was when Miranda read Rumi poetry aloud for about an hour straight. She has such an amazing voice and she is such an intellectual. Marie-Marguerite Sabongui also joined us for encouragement. She was such a trooper. But alas, the MVP of the night, would have to be my boyfriend Craig. He was (and is) my right hand. He was so devoted to this whole project from Day 1 doing the photos, practicing with me, reading over my blog posts at night, and during the final 32 hours, he was champion. He dealt with and oversaw every issue that came up, he catered to not just my needs (smoothies, electrolyte beverages, etc.), but also made sure that every volunteer was comfortable at all times.

So now, one week later, it seems like a life time has passed since my 108 days. I admitted to Craig this evening that I'm a little nostalgic for the practice and the blogging days. He reminded be that this is a new beginning and that there is no reason to pause my blog. Very true.

I have been practicing here and there. I did 90 sun salutations on Sunday outside in the country, which felt amazing. My plan is to practice six days a week (Sunday to Friday) and do one 108 practice a week. As I said, I'd like to develop a practice that follows and supports the hormonal changes in a woman's body throughout the month. But first, I want to close this Guinness chapter and submit all my paperwork for their review. Hopefully, I will be able to send everything tomorrow and maybe go on vacation to Maine!

By the way, so far, we've raised close to $2500 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Thank you Thank you Thank you! My goal is $10,800. So, I'm continuing to fundraise until Dec. 1.

If you want to make a donation, here's the link to my online fundraising page:
http://stephenlewisfoundation.akaraisin.com/p/yasminyoga.aspx



PS I started writing this post on Friday, Aug 6 and finished it on Wed. Aug 11

Day 105 - final prep

Wow, I don't really know where to begin to describe how I'm feeling. Generally, I feel relaxed and ready for the challenge ahead, but undoubtedly, I'm also a little nervous. I couldn't fall asleep last, although I think it had more to do with the noisy neighbours having a dinner party then nerves.

I spent the day planning out my practices in blocks of four hours. I'm not quite done yet, but I'm enjoying the process of visualizing the practice and thinking about which poses I will do when and where. I am going into greater detail than I initially planned because I found yesterday morning that the Guinness World Records actually requires me to count and document all the poses I do, which I didn't realize before. I think it's better I plan this out ahead of time. So, I need a bit more organization, but I think that's a good thing. Plus, when I get tired, I may loose creativity and will need some guidance.

I've been listing all the variations of the poses I wish to do (and trying out a bunch), because each variation counts as a unique pose. This is lots of fun. It's allowing me to stroll down memory lane and dig up ideas from all the workshops I've been to and all the teachers I've studied with from myriad traditions from Anusara to Bikram. I'm also using the Dharma Mittra and Yoga Journal websites for a little inspiration. I even spoke to Leigh at Sea of Tranquility bookstore and I'm going pick up DM's famous poster of 908 asanas from Leigh's store tomorrow so I can hang it in the studio for motivation during my 32 hour practice. Leigh is also lending me a large Nataraj (statue of Shiva) to put in the studio.

So, everything is under control. I know what I'm going to eat-- Vega smoothies, Vega bars, avocados, bananas, dates, maybe even oatmeal raisin cookies. I know what I'm going to wear-- lululemon offered me a couple of tank tops and I'll wear my favourite pants. I know whose going to be there-- as of Thursday evening, we filled our volunteer schedule thanks to Frances! I know friends, family and students are going to be there through out the practice to cheer me on. And in my heart, I know this is a beautiful transformational experience and one I am meant to go through.

(Thanks to Craig for sharing his perspective of these 108 days yesterday.
He's my rock, you know.)

* Want to sponsor my 32 hour yoga marathon and Guinness World Record setting attempt? Donations for the Stephen Lewis Foundation can be made in person at Om West on Aug 2 & 3 or online anytime until Dec 1:

http://stephenlewisfoundation.akaraisin.com/p/yasminyoga.aspx

Day 68 - St Jean Baptiste Day

It's Quebec's "National" holiday today. It's a time to reflect on our Quebec-ness and celebrate our unique culture. Typically, nothing is open and most people are off work for the day.

I am not, and neither is most of my staff. We celebrated St Jean Baptiste in the studio preparing for the inauguration post-renovation's party. However, I did wear blue and white for the occasion, and not much was going on in our little Village, so we had relaxed day. The woman who will do henna tattoos for our guests tomorrow night came in this afternoon and decorated our hands and feet, which was fun. I also had a reiki session with Real, one of my students. It was a really powerful and amazing experience that I haven't yet digested. So I can't really write about it yet, but I think my shoulder feels better.

I'm now at home, sitting in my living room. There is a mix of loud music coming from various St Jean festivities on Parc Ave. I love summer holidays. I remember how exciting St Jean was for me as a kid. It marked the official beginning of summer vacation. I was so happy at the thought of having two full months off of school and eagerly anticipated all the great adventures that lay ahead. My friend from across the street usually had a sleepover birthday party on this day. After the BBQ and cake, we would all walk down Cedar Ave in our pajamas and watch the fireworks explode over the lake.

Unfortunately, I won't make it to the fireworks tonight as I still have 90 sun salutations and a bunch of other things to do. But I hope to make it out to the Canada Day celebrations next week.

Je vous souhaite tous une joyeuse St-Jean! J'espère que vous avez passé une belle journée en bleu et blanc!

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Post-practice note 11:45pm---

I struggled to get into my practice, so Miranda and Andrew from downstairs came up and joined me for 18 sun salutations. (We're in the hallway in this photo, because there isn't much room for three people to practice in my apartment.)

Day 50 - Prayer in a rainy good time

There was wonderful energy in the practice group this morning at Crudessence. Most of the people had done a 108 with me before, but was a couple of newbies as well, which is awesome. We started with a seated meditation to centre and set a personal intention for the practice. I suggested everyone choose a mantra that begins with "I am," so the intention would be simple and clear. An 'I am' mantra can be as simple as "I am happy," "I am healthy," or "I am confident."

We used this mantra during the sun salutations as way to align the mind with our physical yoga postures. For example, if the mantra is "I am happy," then the work is to find happiness in the pose by adapting it accordingly. I love this way of practicing. It's super simple and extremely fulfilling, because it allows us to express what our intention (ie what we want) through breath, body language and emotion, so that it becomes true in the moment.

I can't remember why I started playing with this mantra style yoga, but I believe was germinated in my practice four and half years ago. I remember doing my first solo 108 on my 24th birthday. I was told that doing 108 sun salutations was auspicious and brings power to prayers, so I made a nine different prayers, one for each set of 12 surya namaskar. I don't know exactly how I phrased them then, but eventually I think the prayers were simplified to 'I am______.'

Today, I decided to return to my mantra from the day: "I am letting go and allowing the universe to take of me." With each silent repetition of the mantra, I made a conscious effort to let go of the urge to work too hard, so I could be guided into an easier way to move. It was really nice.

(Special thanks to Anthea and Miranda guiding of some lovely surya namaskar variations. Anthea taught the vijnana sun salutation in more detail and Miranda chanted beautifully before leading us through the traditional Sivananda salute.)

Create your own 'I am' mantra:

What quality do you need? How do you want to feel?

* Care to share your I am mantra? Post it here!

Day 14 - Garage Sale Bonanza + a Walk down Memory Lane

The garage sale is an amazing event: It signifies the official beginning of summer. It's a great way to meet neighbours. It's a wonderful opportunity to support the process of recycling, repairing and reusing. And it's an incredibly nostalgic experience.

Today, Craig and I found ourselves in the epicentre of garage sale mania. We were in Dorval picking up my forgotten computer and happened to see a couple of garage sales side-by-side. We decided to stop and have a look. I bought a $1 Thai cooking book for my friend Julie, who did an exchange in Bangkok. We then turned the corner, only to discover bumper to bumper traffic and a whole street of drive ways selling boxes of basement artifacts. Even though we both agreed that we absolutely cannot afford space for anymore junk, we had to stop and see what this suburban street party was all about. Apparently, this is 31st annual event and more that 40 Dorvalians are participating, which, one of them pointed out, is less than last year.

We were immediately sucked in and spent close to two hours wandering the neighbourhood, stopping at about 24 different drive ways, and I'm not exaggerating. We saw VHS tapes galore, tons of tole painted crafts, numerous empty cages and aquariums of long-deceased pets, and out-of-fad exercise gimmicks (remember the ab roller?). We had so much fun, we complied a list of useless items people were peddling, as well as a list of the coolest stuff we found.

The Top Ten Useless Things found at a Garage Sale
10- A portable NBA basket ball hoop with smashed backboard
9- A beaded necklace decoration thing for wine bottles
8- A 15 piece 1973 Tupperware set
7- A deflated pogo ball
6- A hammock with a big hole in the centre
5- A square pot with a lid that looks like a drawer
4- Three finger hockey gloves... for a Ninja Turtle?
3- An extra small Pet-Saver life jacket in case a yappy little dogs falls off a boat
2- One flip flop
1- AND a 1339 page book of Brian Mulroney's memories (it was clearly unread)


The Top Ten most interesting or coolest things found at a garage sale
10 - The C.S. Lewis Narnia collection
9- Superman comics from 1979
8- A Barbie jumbo jet with accessories sold to the mother of a really excited six-year-old
7- A 1984 Honda C74 motorbike (I don't think this should be on the list, but Craig insisted)
6- 100-year-old screw on skating blades
5- A functioning gramophone from 1905
4- A four sided Lite-Bright cube
3- A lavalamp with CD holder
2- The complete Time Life Library of Photography for $8
1- And an all-in-one TV/Radio/Flashlight/Siren/Lamp thingy with AC adapter, which the vendor pointed out is "ben important pour le camping."

In the end, we were out $17. Craig bought the Time Life Photography series, and I got the aforementioned Thai cook book, a fantastic red folding chair for backbends and a vintage Avon tin, which I plan to use as a pencil case. (The photo below is of me demonstrating how I will use the chair. The seller, who was standing next to Craig, was clearing confused.)

Ok, and now the sun salutations. I managed to convince Craig to do 54 with me this afternoon and then I finished the rest on my own. Here's the yoga photo of the day along with a video we did to demonstrate a new sun salutation.

Surya Namaskar Recipe: Day 14 - The Knuckle Salute