Letters to things July

Things are a bit nutty around here. Tomorrow I teach my yoga practicum, 25 minute class for the first time and Wednesday we sit for our final exam (three hour exam). Thursday we have graduation (assuming I pass) and Friday morning I fly to Colorado. (Excited). Saturday I  am going to pick up my car from Winter Park and Sunday I move into my old/ new house. So ......... I may be a bit quiet on here......

For now I am soaking up my last few days in Costa Rica and Central America while trying to digest the last eleven months..... But for now here are some letters to some special things... as I get ready to go home.

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To Zip Lining,

I knew climbing in the trees, zipping over huge waterfalls and giant cliffs would be exhilarating but you were more than that. You were awesome. I have not in a long time felt so limitless. It was beautiful, breathtaking, stunning and just a lot of fun. Proof is in the photos... (Ps all nine of us girls did it together, it was a blast, even when it started raining).

Best view of the line below over the waterfall.....

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Dear July 4th Holiday,

Yes I know, last year Munich now this year Costa Rica.....I promise that although I have not celebrated you in the States for now two years in a row.....You have not been forgotten. This fourth I had the joy of driving across Costa Rica towards the Volcano Arenal with nine of my fellow yogis. We laughed, danced, ate junk food, dodged pot holes, climbed hills and drove in the dark and toasted to your honor when we arrived at our hostel that night.

Thanks for reminding me of where I am from and being a wonderful place to return home too
Cheers from this Traveling American
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Dear Yoga Teacher Training,

You are Emotionally, mentally and physically exhausting.... but so good... I know that the end is near, but the exam and practicum that I still must do are the giant elephants in the room. I have to study ( a lot) before I can officially say I graduated and completed Teacher Training. I am looking forward to hopefully teaching in Colorado and getting deeper into my own practice. I can flip backwards now, go straight into headstand and am so close to forearm stand. More than anything though I have learned the value of taking time for yourself, taking deep breaths and living in the moment..... greatest lessons of all.

So glad I did this
From A New Yoga teacher

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Dear Passport,

I did not realize how valuable you were until you were gone. I am so glad that the hotel remembered that they took you from me. I thought I was loosing it. So if all goes as planned I will be reunited with you in two hours time. Remember that you are my only way to go home, so you are VERY IMPORTANT. Your copy I have, US government says is not good enough. 

So here's to having you in my hands soon
Your owner Kristina
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Dear Last 11 months,

Deep Breaths. It is over on Friday and I am in awe. Awe of what I have learned, what I have seen, the stamps in my passports, the laughter, the friendships, my global family, the tears and the deep rooted life changes that have occurred. You have far surpassed my even wildest expectations...... gave me more, stretched me more and for that I am deeply deeply grateful. Thanks for not disappointing, for challenging me and for making me feel more alive than I ever have been before.

love me

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Dear Family,

Thanks for everything. For your words, for your unwavering love no matter what. I cannot wait to see you all soon.

Love Kristina

See previous Letter posts here:

Letters December 

Letters January

Letters March

Letters April

Letters May

Love Letter to My Kids

More truth about yoga school

I am almost two weeks into my yoga teacher training. I am getting in the routine more and have given more thought about the fact that I will be moving back to Denver in two and half weeks. (excited!) (As well the Rockies season is in full swing and the Broncos are just behind that).

My thoughts on my time here are a bit mixed. I love it one second, I hate it the next. It is hard...... but overall it has been really fun. I must admit this has taught me more in the last two weeks then I think I learned in many of my months at University....... Below are a few of more truths about yoga school. Enjoy:

• Your sweaty.... like all the time. I now shower twice a day. (I am going to try to minimize it to just once but it is nearly impossible.) Sweat dripping from your forehead onto your mat, the floor around you, on the person next to you. Its really wonderful experience. (kidding kind of gross).
• You change clothes all the time... I go from yoga clothes to more yoga clothes to then maybe a sweatshirt over my yoga clothes till I have nothing left to wear.
• Sleep is incredible.... I can assure you that if you are in class nearly from 6 to 9 every day with breaks for meals.....all while practicing four hours of yoga ..... you sleep like a baby. So might I recommend, that if you have trouble sleeping... give yoga a try, I promise you will sleep real good.
• It is a bit like summer camp.... Put 22 women at a resort for 28 days straight. We eat, do yoga sleep and study together.  It is every bit of late night sneaking in junk food, to sharing clothes, to sleepovers..... no matter what the age some things will never change.
• Chocolate is hard to come by........ The only complaint about our resort food.... Where is all the chocolate?????..... It was non-existent until we find out that Milka (German chocolate) is sold just down the street at the local grocery store and we all stocked up. All of us seemed to crave chocolate after doing two hours of yoga. Some of the girls as well bought bags of chips and cookies... to satisfy cravings after eating all natural, fresh food and a practically all vegetarian diet for now almost two weeks straight.
• I am not flexible.... before I came here I considered myself a flexible person. Someone who was capable of putting my head between my legs easily. I could place my hands around my feet in a forward fold. While those things are still true.... I have learned that I have such a limited range of motion in my hips. I am working on opening up my hips more.... and working every day but there are some ladies (no matter what the age) and my goodness they are bendy. I was asked today if I was a biker, and I said yes. She then explained that because my legs are used to going in the forward motion and not turning out this is why I do not have the fleibility in my hips....So hip openers are on my new agenda.
• An ego is not welcome here..... getting competitive in this only makes your practice worse. The very best yogis flow in and out of posture and recognize their own limitations and flexibility. The goal is not to compromise the integrity of the pose by folding in on your muscles or dipping in your back. But rather extending long and stretching  So while I would love to do many things... Rome was not built in a day so I have a ways to go. 
• Anatomy...... anatomy anatomy anatomy.. While I am very much enjoying learning about what all of the funky bones and muscles are in my body and being able to identify exactly what hurts, this stuff is really complex and very difficult. I have a new appreciation for the doctor now. For example when I want then to just tell me what is wrong, I now understand why..... There is a lot going on in there.
• 6 Pack is far away....... So yes this was news to me. Did you know that your six pack sits under two layers of abdominal muscles...??? Me either. So now I am using that as my excuse for why you cannot see mine and why they are so hard to get to show... They are far under there. I rest my case.

Well I must get going.. my breakfast break is finished. But I had a breakthrough this morning... I can now go from headstand into the half fold. (Victory). More yoga move breakthroughs later... Happy Hump day (Wednesday).