Feeling great today. Best I’ve felt since I got to India actually. Really hot again.
Woke up at 4AM and had a terrible meditation. Just couldn’t focus my mind. Pretty good practice though. A bit stiff as I didn’t do a lot of pre practice warm up. Knees have been a bit tender recently as well. It was a nice flow and I found myself not worried about too much (will he stop me, won’t he). He didn’t. It would have been even better had I been a wee bit more open. Tomorrow should be good. Got up in headstand then got scared and came down. The main thing that’s stopping me now is fear. I think I’m strong enough to do it and I have a sense of balance. I just need to get over my fear. Hmmm, something to confront. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow. Ghaba Pindasana is getting easier and easier to get into I’m happy to say. Didn’t bind in Supta Kurmasana but held a washcloth so that was okay.
Can I just stop here and say how incredulous I am that I can even do this practice? Me, who was called “cupcake muscles” by my parents when I was younger, am doing Ashtanga yoga. And doing poses that I would never have believed I could do in a million years! I just absolutely love this practice. It’s taught me so much about myself and helped my stretch (literally and figuratively) beyond where I thought possible. It’s also taught me patience. It’s not something I consider myself terribly “good” at. I don’t have the beautiful practice that many people I know have and that’s humbling, but I can’t believe the progress that I continue to make.
I did get a wonderful compliment today though. A woman who arrived at the same time I did, Daniella from Serbia, always practices behind me. She likes the back of the room, I like the second row. She told me today how I have a nice practice. That was so wonderful to hear. You’re not actually supposed to make those judgements, but we all do. She’s only been practicing 4 months, but still, a bit of a boost.
After practice I just felt so, I don’t know, settled. Like I don’t have a care in the world. I can only remember feeling this way a few times in my life. It’s wonderul.
Yoga sutras at 10AM and then I met Jude and Peter at Wind Flower, a Balinese type spa and mini resort wayyyy on the other side of Mysore. Lovely, especially by Indian standards. Simple, clean and tranquil. We hung out by their pool for awhile (Joseph joined us), had a really nice lunch in an open air restaurant and then Peter and I had massages.
My first Ayurvedic massage. Two people work on you at once. You’re completely naked except for a pair of disposable “panties” which are nothing more than a long narrow piece of cheesecloth like material and a piece of elastic that goes around your waist. They started with me in a chair. Once washed my feet and the other massaged my head. Then I moved to a table. It was a plactic picnic table kind of deal with a stiff rubber mat shaped like a person glued to it. More cheesecloth to lay on. After the full body massage they take you to the shower (traditionally they actually bathe you, but I opted for self serve). The give you this gritty substance to wash your body in to absorb the coconut oil and a really thick shampoo. Then there was 10 minutes in a jacuzzi. A bit strange but good.
The whole day just added to my feeling settled, relaxed and happy. It’s a good feeling.
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