Wholistic Fitness

WF ONLINE STUDENT TAMARA’S AMAZING CYCLE SUMMATION!
“What does 12 pounds of Sweat and karma look like?”

“I have lost a total of 12 pounds! I have decided that these are not any ordinary lardy fat pounds. These are Wholistic fitness pounds. Many people use visuals when losing weight like mounds of sugar bags or lumpy lard piles. What does 12 pounds of Sweat and karma look like? How long does it take to shed? It’s not as easy as just not eating certain things … its changing everything. I’ve lost 12 pounds before. JUST losing weight is easy especially when your 250 pounds. Changing EVERYTHING is not easy! Especially when you are 250 pounds of fear and old baggage. I am more proud of these 12 pounds lost than anything. This shit isn’t easy. Wholistic fitness pounds are heavy.”
– WF Online Student Tamara (Clan Ananda)

Student Tamara (above). Since this photo was taken a few months ago, this Noble Fitness Warrioress has undergone a most Radical and Positive Total Body Transformation that has positively influenced deep changes in her mind, body, and relationships with herself, her family, and her coworkers. Stay tuned to DL for an updated picture of Noble Warrioress Tam!

One of the priceless joys of doing what i do, is to be able to help facilitate an amazing Transformation among our Most Noble WF Online Training Students. One such Student, who is soooo brave and soooo noble is Student Tamara of Burbank, CA who began her WF Journey with Ananda as her personal Teacher, then, accepted the JUMP into Online Training Studies. The Teacher/Student relationship that those two share, Tamara and Coach Ananda often wells my eyes with Sacred Tears as Student Tamara continues to face this Steep and Direct Path of Online Training that constantly spits out even the most seasoned athletes and yogis from other Paths. As deep as my Padmasana currently allows me, i bow to Student Tamara and her Noble WF Teacher Ananda. Below, with Tamara’s permission is her un-facilitated most recent Cycle Summation from her assigned Online Program: The Arjuna Ayama.

This is the REAL DEAL of WARRIOR FITNESS…do yourself a favor and be inspired by Most Noble Student Tamara of Clan Ananda:

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Dear Coach Ananda,

I’m writing this note AFTER finishing my cycle summation. During the first question something took me over. “I” didn’t write this. I used spell check but fought the urge to rewrite parts of it that seemed disjointed. These are the words that came out of me … not the ME that wants to say the right thing. Hopefully it makes sense.

Strength training:
1) You were assigned no strength training…how did this feel by the end of Arjuna?

I have a general feeling of “Want” now. I have felt over the past few weeks that my body Wants more. Whether it be yoga, cardio or Strength training. My muscles want to be moving and they are calling to me. I can feel it.

2) How can you find Arjuna’s spirit in future ST programs?

One word. Consistency. This has been my biggest challenge during my training. The first week on this cycle I was so consistent it was amazing. During the second week I fell into the intense pain of my knees and heart. Wow what a drop. As is write this the tears are flowing and a question. How can I really find Arjuna’s spirit when I can’t even find my own? Yuck.

Cardiovascular Training:
3) Summarize your CV process (and or progress) during this cycle:

During week one of this cycle I followed the program to a T. Walking Fryman, Runyun canyon, Yoga sessions and the amazing interval session. My first week’s average CV was almost 5 hours from Mon. to Sat. For me this was huge. By Sunday my knees were hurting so badly that I was scared. By the following wed. I had run to the chiropractor to get heated, shocked and X-rayed.. This began the downward spiral of my CV. and spirit. So many things came into play this cycle It’s almost unexplainable. The intense knee pain left me and then returned briefly( insert painting story here). It left last week after I had a conversation with myself. I asked myself why I was afraid. The first answer was, ” I’m afraid I can’t do this without Joy.” Then came this response… ” No, You are afraid you WON’T do this without Joy”. Bingo. That night I also had a dream about you and Steve at your new home. I was watching you from a window doing Ai Imawa in a Storm drain. Wow you CAN do this anywhere I said. I woke up and went to Fryman. Beginning again.

3b) How was the quality of your mind during interval day?

I can only write about the interval day at Balboa since this is the only day I successfully completed it. That day I was nervous and excited but very clear. The first set of Jogging intervals was intense. The quality of my breath was much improved I noticed. It was the deepest and fullest I think I have experienced. I did have trouble keeping the rapidity if it down. I had an emotional response of intense anger when I realized I was going to have to do 2 more interval rounds! That was kind of funny to work through. I felt intense defiance/anger but I was able to laugh at it because it seems so silly to be angry.

3c) Log CV hours:

week 1: 5
week 2:2
week 3:1
week 4:2

Note Bodyweight gain/loss:

I have lost a total of 12 pounds! I have decided that these are not any ordinary lardy fat pounds. These are Wholistic fitness pounds. Many people use visuals when losing weight like mounds of sugar bags or lumpy lard piles. What does 12 pound of Sweat and karma look like? How long does it take to shed? It’s not as easy as just not eating certain things … its changing everything. I’ve lost 12 pounds before. JUST losing weight is easy especially when your 250 pounds. Changing EVERYTHING is not easy! Especially when you are 250 pounds of fear and old baggage. I am more proud of these 12 pounds lost than anything. This shit isn’t easy. Wholistic fitness pounds are heavy.

Yoga :

4) Which poses annoyed you the most? Why?

The most difficult pose I encountered this time was Pigeon in the wed night class. I was able to get into it and hold it on my right leg although the tears flowed. When switching to the left leg I could not hold the pose at all. Then in combination with my knee pain ANY standing pose with bent knees became frustrating and painful.

Excited you the most? Why?

Although it’s not a pose per say I am very excited about the progress with my Step through. This is getting much better as I am making the connection with lifting up and not turning my legs out to drag them through. I still have an issue with thinking about it too much. If I just go with it happens on it’s own. I come up short and have to do a little half step but it’s improving!

How can you erase the duality of annoyance and excitement?

I TAF I can achieve this by stopping the cycle of expectation I have. I hold myself to some imagined standard that I will never really reach. If I just let go and do it my practice won’t be good or bad, exciting or annoying. It will just Be.

5) Read this quote, then, apply your personal insight to it derived from your practice:

“As a result of practicing asana, you begin to understand your own body language. The body develops its own sensitivity and knows whether the food you eat is “right” or not. your internal clock regulates your schedule precisely, and your body lets you know if your exercising too much, if you’re sleeping too much, and so forth.”
-Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, in INNER QUEST

I feel like I am experiencing this for the first time as an aware adult. My eating habits have been changing as well as my sleep. After feeling these effects of change through training this quote is very real and understandable. My sleep has become so regulated that I no longer use an alarm clock. My body aches if I stay in bed too long. Foods I used to enjoy now just sit in my belly in a miserable lump. I feel the color and taste of beautiful fresh foods calling to me and thankfully I am answering the call by eating them!

Meditation:
6) How is your Zazen?

Zazen suffers. I feel as if I get nowhere in this practice. My monkey mind is a terribly scattered monkey. I sit … focus … slouch … fidget… grrrr.. sit up. Repeat. If I sit with my back against something I feel as if I am cheating. I used the chair while my knees where out of whack and that helped. But… Is this cheating? Is the point to sit and clear your mind in any posture however easy? Or, is it to get it to clear through the fidgets and slouching? Zazen confuses me the more I do it.

7) Describe your leg position progress ( or lack thereof!) in Zazen over the course of this cycle:

please see above

8) Did your practice benefit from the email updates? how so?

I believe they did during week 1. After week 1 our email updates were understandably interrupted. Week 2 update has not been answered. Week 3’s was not sent. I fell off the W.F. wagon pretty completely this cycle during week 3.

Nutritional:
Describe EXACTLY what you ate yesterday and the manner in which you ate it. Include all supplements and fluids.

Breakfast:
Juiced. 2 fuji apples, 1 lemon, 1 handfull parsley, 1 handfull spinach, one slice ginger, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots.
Sunrider herbs. Spirulina x 3, Joi x 2, Ese x 2, Alpha 20c x 2, Beauty pearl x 1, bella x 1, a-caps x 4. Drank happily after preparing myself and enjoying the smells of each ingrediant as it went into the juicer.

Lunch: turkey sandwhich on wheat bread, Lettuce tomato, Mayonaisse and mustard. Forune delight. sunrider herbs: Joi x 2, ese x 2, Alpha 20c x 2, A-caps x 4. eaten while spending time with Scott on our back patio furniture. Enjoying the breaze and talking about babies.

Dinner:
Assorted Sushi. Tuna, salmon, tofu and rice. Water.
Sunrider herbs: slim caps x 3, bella x 1 Eaten with friends at our favorite sushi bar… continuing the talk about babies.

During the day drank 2 x 33.8 fl oz water bottles. with 2 fortune delights.

10)What did you learn from your rasa Eating Exercise?

I am learning to pay attention while I eat. I have always been a slow eater but not because I am chewing slowly or paying attention. I am a distracted eater. I have been able to implement change brought about from my last rasa Cycle. I now prepare my own juice in the morning and am beginning to make better food choices throughout the rest of my day. My respect for food is changing and I am amazed at how many things I used to love now look like poison to me. My appetite has been half it’s former self consistently!

10a) Eating Elegantly Assignment?

Smaller bites and mindfulness are the key to this I found. Very similar to Rasa for me too as I learned I am painfully unaware to HOW I eat as well as what I eat. It is also easier to eat elegantly when I am eating foods that are ” Right” for me. (Pasta always ends up slopping somewhere it doesnt belong! hint hint? )

11) Summarize your Arjuna practice. List what you feel needs most attention during the next phase. Take your time and really think/feel this one out. Identify where you want to take your journey of WF over the next several months.

I TAF I want to say that I don’t feel I actually finished this Program. I was unable for various reasons to do all the physical aspects listed for my practice. I feel as if I have failed the program. I realize as I write this, that this itself is my struggle of Arjuna spirit.

I read how Arjuna faced his loved ones on the battle field and refused to fight. I see now that I have to be ready to battle my dependency on you as my teacher and those I love. While I feel as if I gave in to my fear and anger and did not complete all the physical aspects of my program, My mind and spirit have been doing crazy work trying to integrate, communicate and connect with my body.

Last week I felt as if I had totally lost my connection to Wholistic fitness. I didn’t feel it in my bones the way I had been previously. I felt heavy with sadness and frustration in myself that I had done what I was afraid of doing. I felt as if I had given up. That night I had a dream that I visited you in your new home. I brought all these elements of anger and past B. S with me in the form of My in-laws and other people. As your new house filled up with MY baggage I realized what I was doing and started asking them all to leave, telling each one how I felt about them and why I wanted them to leave. Embarrassed that I had let them follow me to your new home. I looked out the window and watched you and Coach Ilg doing AI Imawa outside in a storm drain. I felt the joy in knowing that you can do this anywhere. I woke up feeling the Chi of W.F. again and went straight to fryman to start walking again. I feel renewed and am getting back into the groove. I won’t continue to be my own worst enemy. I won’t allow it anymore.

I don’t know where I want to take this Journey on Wholistic Fitness. I don’t know where I am now exactly. I only know that I need/want to keep going. The experiences I am having, and have had the past 2 years are not anything that I expected. When I have expectations they get blown out of the water. Either my expectations are too low or they are so ignorant its shameful. I remember telling you a few times during our sessions, ” I’m here.” I’m still here. I keep having a visual of myself stand on a rock in a fast flowing stream. I have been traveling down the stream jumping from rock to rock. I see that I can survive and get where I want to be if I just jump in. So I’m here … ready to jump.