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paparazzi

From Tony "The Tiger" Levelle (at teacher training)

May 3, 2008 12:32pm

Hi Guys!

Week 4 of training is over.

Lynn Whitlow taught last night, and she was awesome. People have been
coming up to me all day and saying "THAT was your teacher? SHE
recommended you? You are a VERY lucky person!"

I tell them that I studied with Lynn for a year and thought
Lynn's level of teaching was standard for all Bikram yoga teachers.

Since arriving here I've learned that Lynn is one of the
best Bikram teachers in the world. We've had some awesome teachers in
Acapulco, but Lynn's class was one of the best, if not the best, of
all the classes we've had. And this is NORMAL for her. We're very,
very lucky to have Lynn in Lake County.

I'm continually amazed at the backgrounds of the people who study and
teach Bikram.

Ashley (one of the tiger girls) is one of Australia's top models.
Claudia, (whom I talked to at lunch) is a nationally ranked Tango
teacher and Tango competitor who lives in Amsterdam.

Jim (a guest lecturer) was a filmmaker whose last film was a
documentary on Micronesia. He came to Bikram when his health
deteriorated so much that he had to stop working. He is now completely
healthy, and runs a Bikram studio in San Diego. While making his
micronesian film, he had traditional Micronesian "dolphin marks"
tattooed to his legs. Micronesian navigators sail with one leg in the
water to sense currents and water temperature. They learn chants to
memorize currents, water temperature, wave patterns, weather and other
elements of navigation. The dolphin marks fool sharks and keep them
from attacking the dangling leg.

Tiger day keeps getting a little bigger each week. This week we got
our official Tiger Photographer, Cecile. In everyday life she is a
professional portrait photographer. We clown around before class, and
generally look for ways to make class enjoyable. Other people in class
get a kick out of it, too. Saturday class is often one of the hardest
classes of the week. Everyone comes in the training room tired. We've
all done 10 classes in the previous five days, and are all a bit
cranky first thing in the morning. The tiger clowning helps get
everyone going and gives people something to smile about.

The yoga training is starting to bite. Many people are having physical
problems as the pain from old injuries resurfaces. This happens when
the surrounding muscles begin to heal. My lower back is going into
spasm every time I do a deep forward bend. The spasm is in the *exact*
spot where I had an injury and surgery years ago. Craig, the training
director, showed me how to straighten up without re-injuring the back
muscles. Each day my back muscles are getting stronger, and the spasm
is a little less intense.

This yoga is extremely powerful. If you practice consistently the body
will heal itself of an amazing array of illnesses. When the injury
or illness is too severe to heal, Bikram yoga will extend improve the
life remaining. It's really true as Bikram says, "never too old, never
too sick...". I've heard dozens of stories from people who came to
yoga on the verge of death or lifetime disability and who are now
completely functional and healthy.

It's becoming increasingly clear that I have to start teaching
immediately after training. Waiting even a week before teaching would
be a serious mistake. I hope to teach in our studio when I return, but
I still have much, much work to do before I am ready to stand up in
front of a class. My major challenges now are to learn the dialog
precisely, and to learn how to modulate and project my voice.

I'm enjoying my Saturday by having a vanilla latte at the local
Starbucks, and writing this email. I talked to Marsha this morning,
and I'm realy missing Lake County and home. Marsha said I'd be spoiled
by maid service and gourmet meals by the time I got home...

No way! Home is where I want to be! I'm really looking forward to
seeing Marsha, everyone at the studio, our friends in Lake.org and our
dog Mitzi.

That's about all for now. I have many things to talk about, but I'll
have to save them for a later email.

Cheers,
Tony

Here are 5 pictures for you:

All the girls love Guillermo! (Tony is on the left...)

 

Tiger pride grows larger

 

Lovely Tiger Girls

 

Tanya, after class

 

Luke, main man on the teacher training staff, with surfboard