I arrived in Mysore Saturday at 4am, the smell was even more lovely then I remembered it. I laid down in the bed determined to stay there till 7 in hopes of getting slightly on schedule. Soon enough I find myself at the coconut stand, liquid heaven it seemed so sweet and delicious. Then I see two friends meeting for breaky and they invite me along. In Mysore breakfast is sometimes, many times, the social event of the day. I really do really prefer the South Indian traditional breakfast to the western/yoga places. This is where I met Lauren, an amazingly lovely English girl who is going to be in Mysore & Goa (though not with Rolf) the same as me. That afternoon I look at a few different places to rent and decide on a shared house. Right now it is just me and a very nice Japanese couple who clean a lot, yeah for me. After I put my things in my room the neighbor, Shoba, invited meet over for some food because it’s 3 and she wants me to eat something. I pop next door to Shoba’s then she says “do you like spicy?” and my face is over taken with a smile that says I would love nothing more.
Since then Lauren and I have been hanging out, going to the ashram, getting messages, and drinking coconuts. Life in Mysore is sweet, but the practice is sweeter.
This is my first trip to Mysore since Guruji past (I was here 2x with him) and I was not sure what to expect. Sharath is amazing so involved and watching me what feels like every moment, noticing when my knee is in the wrong place. Here I am able to just breath nothing to worry about nothing that concerns me, only breathing. Beauty. There are other people helping him adjust and they look so happy to be teaching with their teacher. What a blessing for them to be able to connect like that. My heart is happy for them, happy I get to share their joy and be a part of all this.
It is five years ago next week that I first came to Mysore. I had taken an Ashtanga class in Boulder and was love struck. The teacher in Boulder said if I liked it and I was already planning a trip to India that I should look up Pattabhi Jois, this seemed reasonable. I looked him up, found the Shala website and promptly sent my letter saying I would like to learn yoga. After working a couple of months and taking a could of classes I was off to the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute as it seemed to the thing to do if I wanted to learn yoga. My most notable day in the Shala that trip was the very first one. I have looked at my sheet of postures before I went in and was prepared to be ignored for the first month. I made it just past the Sun Salutation when I heard BAD LADY BAD LADY and yes that bad lady was me. Guruji comes over and proceeds to teach me the postures one by one by one, unreal. My faith in him was and s unyielding and though he has past in body I can feel him here, see him in Sharath. So on my first day here when Sharath says, “knee DOWN” I could not have wiped the smile off my face for all the coconuts in the world.
We have a long weekend today so after practice Lauren and I are going to Ooty. Ooty is a hill station about four hours from here with a miniature steam train going up the mountain, and I do love the mountains.
Much love and many blessings from India.
I write from the heart and not for the head, as to say I don't care much for grammar so if you do this may not be for you:)
