Have you ever gotten an email about an event and you didn't really read the whole thing in a normal sequence, only certain words stood out like a flashy PowerPoint presentation?
FREE! YOGA! BIKRAM! NOON! TIMES SQUARE! SOLSTICE!
My response: YES! I'M THERE!
That is what I experienced when I got an e-vite to the Yoga in Times Square event. Never mind it was in the middle workday, I had it all worked out. I would take a long lunch since I my job was 5 blocks away from Times Square, wear a dress for easy access to my yoga clothes underneath and bring my yoga mat (scratch that- yoga mat too obvious, bring a towel in my bag instead). I even convinced my work buddy to join me, in hindsight I probably should have considered that she is a yoga novice and Bikram is a challenge even for those who have been practicing for years.
We were a bit late, but we made it. The up side to our tardiness – we missed standing in a long line; the down side - there were only spots left on the edge of the yoga space, which meant being exposed to the curious camera ready tourists and New Yorkers (yikes!) walking by.
Despite my initial discomfort and distraction due to the photo-click happy people on the sidelines, I had a great time and felt grateful to experience Bikram as it is meant to be experienced in the natural heat under the rays of a summer sun. I felt as I always did with Bikram, powerful and free, at times in amazement that we were in the middle of Times Square. Yes there are yellow cabs driving by, tons of people and concrete under our mats (or towels), but we're New Yorkers, so what! Proud of myself that even with a long break from yoga practice I could still do most of the poses and even prouder of my friend who was holding her own as a first timer, I sweated away my stress. We happily collected our freebies, water, snacks, and tons of free certificates to yoga studios all over the city (Yay! to Divine timing), then gingerly limped to the bus stop back to work. I couldn't think of a better way to bring in the solstice.
Today's Yoga Reflection: When an opportunity you have been waiting for arises, rise to the opportunity!
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