Breaking News...I bound in Supta Kurmasana by myself for the first time! August 6, 2008

Best practice ever. I went very deep in my and my Janu Sirsanas and Marichyasanas and back bends (5 in total with the first three and the last two only dropping to my head and not all the way to the floor). Drop backs felt good. In fact I had time to do a few half drop back by myself before Saraswati came to help. The big news...I bound in Supta Kurmasana by myself for the first time! I was so happy I could have sung! My feet are not yet crossed but I can put my head to the floor within my feel which is pretty exciting. I also managed to get my hands all the way to my face in Gaba Pindansana for the first time. Wee ha!!!

Went to a new philosophy class downtown with Jayashree and her brother. Sorry, don't have a link but they are both very learned scholars and friends of Guruji's. She chants and he explains. Wonderul people with warm, open, loving hearts. He is starting a Transcendental Meditation class on Monday which I'm going to attend.

Got a ride on the back of Hernan's motorbike. I met him a few weeks ago with Rachel. We shared a table at Tina's cafe. He's from Spain but grew up in the UK. He owns Purple Valley in Goa. Nice guy. After class we hung out at the pool where he bought me lunch. Never really thought of Palek Paneer as pool food, but this is India. After a quick coffee (tea in my case) at Barista he headed to a massage and I to chanting with Laxmish.

Chamundi Hill through August 4, 2008

Not too much to report. We’ve got a new house mate, Julian. Originally from Montreal but now is in DC working for the IMF. He’s got a PhD from Berkley. A real slacker! :)

The day he arrived (at 3AM) was the day the outgoing Ida, who found a beautiful and much cheaper place right be the shala, and I decided to climb Chamundi Hill.



Click here for more pics. We walked up in silence as pilgrims are meant to do. I think we were the only ones in silence. Everyone’s cell phone seemed to be blasting an FM radio station with Bollywood music. Julian decided to join us to keep awake. Pretty hard core as it’s about 1,000 feet elevation gain. And it was hot. Felt good to do some aerobic exercise though. My calves are still feeling it. The only part of my body not worked by my Ashtanga practice.

Luckily I knew what to expect. The place was a dump with tonnes of monkeys running around. The temple was exceptionally crowded as it was the day of the eclipse. They take this stuff very seriously. We were all advised not to travel or eat during the eclipse as there were “much poisons in air”. Of course a lot of us did and by God, I don’t know if it’s the power of suggestion or what but a lot of us also got sick, including me. For about 24 hours afterward I was really fluey.

As a result I had the most horrible practice of my life on Sunday. I dragged myself through it and couldn’t even go into backbend. I got so nauseous I came back down. I think Sharath knew I wasn’t feeling well because he just left me alone. Monday’s practice was much better. My drop back rocked! Best I’ve done yet. Today’s practice rocked. I’m up to 5 backbends. According to Sean my chiro, the first three are for warm up and the last 2 really open up your chest and shoulders. It seems to work. No compression in my low back, now I’m feeling it in my mid back. Today’s practice was awesome. Nice, even breath and I was able to get really deep. Drop back sucked though. First one by Saraswati in awhile and I think I was nervous. Still can’t do shoulder stand to save my life. Simmi was next to me during finishing poses and the dear, sweet woman she is offered to help me. Tomorrow is her and David’s last day. It’s sad, I haven’t gotten to know them well, but they are both so beautiful, inside and out. Can’t wait to visit their shala in Adelaide.

They days seems to flow one into another. Practice, sutras or chanting class, followed by pool


or reading with the occasional hanging out at the coconut stand.
Have started cooking myself lunch on non pool days and I’m really enjoying seeing what I can create. Yesterday it was tofu stir fry with Okra (ladyfingers is what they call it) and tomato. The day before it was a wonderful concoction of kohlrabi, sliced tomato and avocados (which are beautiful here!) with a bit of lime and salt sprinkled over it. I love eating simply and my routine seems to be working.

Breaking news! I’ve found what looks to be a really good source of protein powder with added herbs. All natural and highly filtered whey powder, so I’m less concerned about a protein deficiency.

Tomorrow I may hitch a ride with someone to Jayashree’s brothers downtown for chanting class.

Anyway, that’s all the news that is news in Gokulam.

First Drop Backs, July 24, 2008

Haven’t written in awhile. One day melts into the next and everything revolves around the practice. It’s such a unique experience.

My practices have been coming along really nicely. I’m looking less like a dead fish flopping on the shore during Chakrasana (a way to exit a posture you do lying on your back by lifting your legs over your head and pushing up so that you don't roll over your neck (in theory). I’m actually doing headstand in the middle of the room...today for 10 breaths. So, I’ll be ready in tomorrow’s led class. It’s been flowing okay, not as focused as I’d like but not totally unfocused either. And the BIG news!

Last week Sharath asked me if I’d done my backbends as he saw me getting ready to leave. “Yes”, I said confidently and went into the changing room. “Oh oh I thought, I know where this is leading”. The next day Sarashati hovered over me as I was doing my backbends and I ignored her. She just squashed me into forward bend afterwards and let me go. And then Tuesday this week Sharath asked me again if I’d done backbends. “Yes”, I replied with a big smile and tried to get past him. No such luck. He asked, “Who helped you?” “No one”, said I truthfully, to which he replied, “Tomorrow you wait.” Hmmmm.

Sooo, after doing my practice (I’m surprised I wasn’t a nervous wreck!) and finishing with my backbends I stood up to wait. Sharath saw me standing and came over. The dreaded dropbacks! I really never thought I’d be able to do these. These are when the instructor holds you from the front and you go back into a full back bend from standing after doing three half backbends. The thought of going back never particularly bothered me. I used to do backflips into the water all the time when I swam. But I was afraid of what the backbend would do to my low back; especially how it would feel when they jerked me up. But, wonder of wonders it felt good. Sharath was not impressed with my slapping my hands to my thighs when I came up, but I was totally impressed that I did it!!!

The other big news is that I learned how to make Jude’s chai today (see recipe at the side). For those of you who have not tasted, it’s the best chai on the planet. Made better by all of the great, fresh and very potent spices here. She’s told me how to make it before but this time she talked me through it so it’s embedded in my brain. I actually made it again this morning for a big breakfast that Joseph made. Dosas and fruit salad with a savory subgee and coconut chutney. Delicious! I made soy chai for Rachel (a vegan) which also turned out well. Joseph invited Basia, another senior teacher who is Polish / Canadian but has lived in Japan for the last 10 years. She’s now moving to Poland and Norway but travels quite a bit teaching. He also invited a woman named Katherine who is an academic from Oxford. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to speak with her very much.

Yesterday we all went to the Southern Star for the reopening of the pool. It had been closed since I got here for refurbishment. It’s nice to have a pool so close. It’s just as nice as Wind Flower, although the setting is not nearly as tranquil. I had a veggie burger (which tasted like curry) with fries. I also had a manicure, pedicure, brow shape and head and shoulder massage for $32 NZ!

I started another chanting class today. This one concentrates on specific prayers that Guruji wants the yoga students to learn. I don’t know what they mean but I was buzzing afterward. I loved it.

My yoga sutras class is getting pretty intense. We’re getting into some really interesting topics, like the cosmology of the universe. It’s fascinating, a lot like quantum physics. I’m reading two translations at the moment. Iyengars which is completely dry and a beautiful little book that I got for 30 rps at a local ashram. This is the one that Laxmish actually reads from. There are a couple of ashrams around here that have books. I’ll have to check the other out.

Between the yoga sutras, the two chanting classes and the back bends I’ve been in a really interesting head space the last couple of days. I go between being completely happy and content, almost blissful (wow, look at that cool butterfly kind of blissful) to wanting to cry for no reason. I guess my inner journey is starting in ernest.