Morning Pages: Beginner Warriors and the Storm
Surviving monsoon Monday, embracing new things
Chalong, Phuket, Thailand. Alarm chirped at the ungodly hour of 5.40 am and I burrowed more deeply into duvet cocoon, in total morning denial. The storm had raged all. Bloody. Night. Rain lashings that really sounded like they might beat their way through the questionable Thai hotel construction at any moment. (I currently have vines growing in through my windows and evidently some gaps in the walls where hordes of jumping spiders are getting in, as I definitely ain’t letting them through the door. Being on constant mozzie watch means I’ve perfected the lightning bolt door open-slam whirlwind arrival.)
Peered between the curtains to see if next door’s lights were on. A few of us had — regrettably — made a 6.30 am yoga pact. Hmm yes. Orange glow detected through narrowed eyes. It was happening.
Daring dawns
I normally LOVE a morning adventure. That feeling of getting a head start on the world; being on some tantalisingly exciting mission before the first rays have graced the day… pre-dawn starts when something cool is on the cards have a strangely magical air!
NOT today world. Morning person Lexie was MIA. I lunged crossly into my lycra shorts and tried to find some top accompaniments that didn’t give away that I’d gotten dressed in the dark with my eyes still shut. Groped for coffee and managed to concoct a strong, steamy lifeline. Thank the lord.
Opened the door a crack to the howling blackness to find a huddle of wide-eyed kittens frozen stock still in death-stare suspicion — the feline family with the very responsible mother that like to bundle up in the oddest places (e.g. inside my drying umbrella yesterday!). They’re so skittish, my slow-mo attempt-at-invisibility-tiptoe achieved sod all and they scattered off into the night. The pitch black morning, sorry. Freudian slip.
Departing toasty comfort zone
It was COLD! In Thailand! Just not right. If I’d have wanted this weather I’d have stayed in Glasgow. Humph! I angled my umbrella into the wind and prowled gym-wards, trying to get my zen on so as not to scare new friends. Remembered a little too late the little snake that likes to sit on the path to reception. Hastily flipped phone torch on and did my best the-floor-is-lava run to the main road.
Arrived at the gym at 6.29 to find about eight people (oh hiiiii neighbours, smiley zen face, cheery wave, I’m SO chill and have my shit 100% together) and a chubby dog (because… Thailand) sitting in position. With no further time to contemplate life choices, we were off.
A helter-skelter limb-flipping sprint through a wide array of body contortions commenced, complete with optional toys: a large foam brick and canvas belt. I’m new to the yoga game (can you tell?) but I believe this style is called Vinyasa flow. We flowed VERY RAPIDLY like shape-shifting pretzels shot from a gun.
Becoming at one with the jungle
Needless to say, the gym is outside. LIFE is outside here! Unless you are sleeping. The thunderous monsoon on the metal roof got in the way of any yogi instructions reaching my ears in the back row, so the timing for each pose was based on counting distant grunts, trying to see the instructor through the forest of my own legs and arms, and observing the Mexican wave of position changes in order of ability throughout the class. Speed and repetition seemed to be the order of the day. I’ve done about four yoga classes ever, and had no idea one could approach it at such a canter, I’d always thought of it as a relaxing pastime!
It was actually a pretty good wake-up. If throwing repeated, frantic upside down half starfish shapes doesn’t get the blood flowing, what does?!
A furtive glimpse at my watch showed me the hour was coming to a close (oh how sad. Side eye) and the hurly wurly dance suddenly seemed to come to a climactic pause on the ‘warrior pose’. I actually quite liked this one. Possibly because we were the right way up and my tomato face could drain, possibly because I could catch a breath, but really I think I could get on board with practicing this one; it feels like one of those power poses you’re supposed to do in front of the mirror before a job interview. (“I am FIERCE! I am STRONG!”) The tubby dog trotted round and inspected various poses, before getting up close and personal with a few unwilling faces as the poses took us back to the ground. (The wind down. Relieved smiles all round.)
We finished with our heads bowed in prayer (that we had made it through in one piece mwahaha) and my newly flexible extremities and I headed off to the next class I’d committed to. Which totally coincidentally turned out to be “Warrior Fit Monday HIIT,” — I see what you’re doing here life! — complete with famous Denzel Washington “Fall Forward” motivational speech audio at the end to send us on our way. (Cue that voice: “I’ve found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. NOTHING! […] Nelson Mandela said, ‘There is no passion to be found, playing small and settling for a life that’s less than the one you’re capable of living.’”) Lying in a small ocean of sweat after HIIT class, soaking up this unexpected inspirational hit, I actually loved this moment. Denzel can be my life coach any day.
Well. What a start to a Monday! This warrior in training is well and truly ready to take on whatever the soggy week throws at her — foam bricks, belts, wobbly downward dogs and all. Happy Monday everyone. To falling forward!
