WEEK EIGHT - STORMY WEATHER & NATURE CALLS

If you look closely at the photo, you will notice it is NOT a leaf.  Initially, when I arrived in this beautiful island setting, I was jumpy, anxious and startled by each encounter with something unfamiliar.

Being a city girl from Chicago, I was completely unaccustomed to island nature.

If you’ve been following along with this blog, you may recall, I have never camped and I've spent little time in tropical climates.  A week or so for vacation was my main exposure to island life, and most of my time was spent in air conditioned environments, like cruise ships and resorts.

The beginning of this week was very hot and humid, and we joked about our tent fans being broken because they now only blow hot air.  Sleeping has been especially difficult, with the sticky weather.

On the plus side, I managed to have ocean time on Monday and Tuesday:)  The ocean felt amazing and refreshed my body and spirit.  I love spending even 1/2 an hour in the ocean.  It’s really revitalizing!

Mid week, I began working with a professional photographer from Montreal, here to take photos for our marketing needs.  I really had fun assisting Carl, and I learned about lighting and using a large round reflector to direct sunlight.  

I held the reflector, fixed hair, reviewed photos, wiped sand off of the yoga models feet, adjusted clothing and helped to get smiles and keep models at ease.  None of the ‘models’ are professionals.  All are Sivananda yogis.  We got some really great photos and had fun!

We were on the beach Wednesday from 4-8pm, with a half hour break for dinner and the following day’s shoot began at 5:45 - 8am and then reconvened at 4-8pm.  I note the times because we spent a fair amount of time outdoors in the intense heat, and I was feeling the exhaustion that accompanies heat.

This story isn’t about sunburn, as I put on plenty of lotion to protect my skin:)

Thursday night, having slept only intermittently for a few nights in a row, and having been in the heat for the photo shoots, I prayed for rain to cool things down some.  I’m not a rain fan, but I knew that after other rains here, the air was lighter and a little cooler.

I guess I prayed too hard or too many of us prayed, because we had a huge storm on Thursday night, with bolts of lightening, thunder and sheets of rain.  Lying in bed that night, I thought for sure I’d sleep well, as I was so worn out.  And I did sleep pretty soundly until about 2am when a really loud clap of thunder woke me.  It sounded super close to my tent and upon waking I could hear the rain pouring all around me.

I rolled over and tried to bury my head in my pillow and fall back asleep.  After maybe five minutes of trying to fall back asleep and listening to the rush of water coming from the sky, all I could think about was going to the bathroom.

I really tried to block it out.  I said ‘Om’ a number of times, which usually calms me, and I tried concentrating on my breathing.  Nothing worked, the urge was increasing by the second, until I could not ignore it any longer.

Getting out of bed and unzipping my tent, the force and magnitude of rain became even more obvious, and I could see streaks of lightning flashing in the sky.  I had my umbrella ready and put on my soaked black and white flip flops sitting on the wooden stoop right outside my tent.  

As I put on the flip flops, my legs became rain soaked in seconds.  I knew there was no way I wanted to walk the distance to the bathroom.  (about 1/2 city block away) I’d either be completely drenched or possibly hit by lightning - I realize now that was a foolish thought, but at 2am, it’s tough to think clearly.

I couldn’t just go back inside, as the urge was imminent.  I hesitated momentarily and decided.

Hiking up my pink nightgown, with my plaid umbrella opened above me, I opted to straddle the boards on the stoop, squat and relieve myself in the dirt outside my tent - Something this city girl has little experience doing.  I actually laughed a little as I did it.  It was enormously funny to me:)

At least I knew that the urine would be washed away with the deluge of rain that continued throughout the night.

By the next morning the rain cleared and the air was noticeably cooler. Before  we began our next photo session, I shared the story with Carl, and we both laughed out loud.  I still am laughing as I write about this.

I chose to share this story as it is another interesting milestone of change for me.  A month or two ago, I would have been mortified and upset by this and would definitely not have shared the story with all of you.  

If I shared it with close family members, I would have been very embarrassed and sheepish about it.  Today I am laughing about it, and I can see the immense humor in the scene. I call that progress for a Pitta dominant, perfectionist, who closely guarded my image in the public:)

KP Khalsa has prescribed new herbs and supplements this week.  I will share the list of what I am now taking when I write next week.   Please continue to follow me on this journey of ‘What is Possible?’

Sending you Love from the Bahamas,

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