Thursday, November 30, 2006

Last few days...

Tuesday I and my three other massage course drop out friends went to the Tibetan colony and visited the Golden temple. It was a long drive, about two and half hours and the road was a bit too bumpy, lots of joint release (something we learned from the massage course) but it was worth. The temple is beautiful but it is also kind of sad, the situation of Tibetan people… We took some pictures while also feeling a bit invasive. Yesterday I did some shopping and then had lunch with few people at Patricia’s. Patricia cooks Western food which can be heavenly after spending a month here. I did not realize how much I would get home sick by having a nice dessert with espresso!
When it comes to practice, it is okay. Tuesday I kept falling on my butt when trying to come up from my backdrops. I was a bit excited too with Swarsvati waiting for me. But yesterday was better; I managed to come up four times out of six trials. Today, Swarsvati came and then with the first one I fall on my butt again and she said “I will go, you do it”, so she figured what kind of nervous one I am… After she left, I managed to come up about four times again. However, today when I was at Tina’s for breakfast, this lady was telling how she lost her ability to come up from her backdrops in her last visit here. I thought ‘this is not good for you to hear Ahu’. Yeah it is all in my head, anyways, no going back, sorry Ahu, you waited too long to loose it.
Today I had a great conversation with Lokesh, the tailor, while having my coffee at Stand up café. He is very nice, we talked about how Indian people different than Westerners, etc… Then, I had lunch at Stand up Café at last. I have been wanting to that for a while but did not have the courage. Well, I did not know how to order, what to order… But I asked Lokesh in the morning and he gave me some tips, therefore, I handled it well and managed to have some idlys before leaving!
Tomorrow is my last practice at the shala. Then I am going to Green Hotel for my last night in Mysore. I wanted to have a pleasant stay in my last night, so I am giving myself this treat.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Yesterday, with my two other massage course drop out friends, we went to Lalitha Mahal Palace hotel for the pool. The hotel had a beautiful, quiet garden and the pool was very nice as well. We spent most of the day in there and got sun burned! It was nice to be away from Gokulam for few hours. It felt like a mini vacation.
But the real news is the fact that I did it at last! This morning I came up from my backdrops! There had to be a reason for me to stay one more week in Mysore, right? And this was the reason I guess because I don’t think it will be this soon for me to come up while I would be practicing by myself. It is the shala energy which gave me more confidence and also the tips that I have gotten from various friends here. I think the thing what arises with coming up is more of an opening of the heart. I have been feeling more open but also more exposed in a way that can be frightening… Anyways, I feel glad. In fact, I was so glad that I was almost going to hug Swarsvati. She is relieved I think because she had been giving me looks of “you again? Come up already!” So, she smiled at me and after doing back&forths and one deep backdrop, she said "tomorrow you hold your ankles."
Today I will join my land lady for lunch. She has been cooking since 4:30 am for her special puja lunch. That should be some kind of an experience for me…

Friday, November 24, 2006

Neglected Blog...

Yes, I have neglected my blog for a while. This is because I have been doing the massage course. One week of it is already finished and today is our off day. Tomorrow begins the second week. It has been quite an eventful one. We began as a group of thirteen people and now only seven of us left! Anyways, I guess I can say I am learning something. I can do two sessions now; one on the back, one on the front. What is surpirising for me is that I really enjoy giving massages. I thought I would like receiving massages more but I like both receiving and giving massages and actually, sometimes giving more…
Other than that, practice has been good. I get really tired with the massage course but still, practice is the best time of the day when I feel non of the tiredness. And gladly, I see difference in my practice for the better. I was not really expecting that in only a month but yes there are improvements. I began to half bend during head stands and then, I began to lift myself properly during in between navasanas. Lastly, this morning I realized that I might have a better lift and drag to vinyasas than before; still, not properly in any way but much better than earlier. Before it was so bad that I was not bothering and I was just putting my hands in front and jumping back… now I might begin practicing the lift and drag…
So, I dedicated my off day to shopping since it would be my last chance to do that before I leave next Saturday for Pune. The course will finish on Friday and then I am leaving next day with an evening flight. Today, with one of my friends from the massage course, I went to Rashinkars and actually orders a skirt to be made and then we went to another shop to look for shawls. I got one for mom and one for my aunt’s mom and my friend got four shawls for herself and as gifts. We were also going to look at the sandalwood shop but they were closed for lunch. I might go there when I go Wednesday to pick up my skirt. I actually had no intention to get anything done since I am leaving so soon but I saw this beautiful color cotton fabric, which is kind of pink but more like dried rose color… By the way, Lokesh made me the shirt I ordered at last and it turned out pretty nice so I ordered another one in another color but the maroon fisherman pants are still not done because he did not have the fabric… I hope he will get them done soon!
What else? I will go and see Guruji in half an hour. My one month is up tomorrow and I learned that I can pay him for a week! This is great! I did not know that I could pay him only for a week, so I was bumped thinking that I will be here in Mysore, and will be doing home practice!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Morning cap

This morning practice was good. I woke up with the determination that the practice was going to be good beside a sore throat. However, I forgot to do Baddha Konasana and realized that after Supta-Parsvasahita . I had to do it though, so I squeezed it between Supta-Parsvasahita and UbhayaPadangusthasana . I don’t know how lawful it is to do that but I did it anyways… just off the sequence… At the end, Guruji came to help me with the backdrops. At first, he kept telling me to come up but then he realized that I was not able to come up, and therefore, he helped me to come up. He has such a positive input whether he is standing beside you while you are practicing or helping you with an asana or just chuckling by the door when he sees Anna’s daughter… I enjoy his presence very much!
Today I have a sore, bitter throat and I am not sure if it is because I am getting cold or it is because of the pollution of burning garbage all over town.
One question: For whom Mysore is for? Is it really for anyone to criticize other people’s experience here? Is someone is shallow or avoiding their problems if they are having great time here and in the same way, is it such distasteful if someone is having hard time and is recognizing that? Can anyone decide that Mysore is not for some people? I don’t even thing that one can even answer for themselves until they go back and digest their experience…

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

A new week in Mysore...

Yesterday practice was good after couple of days of sluggish practice. I even feel like my backdrops are getting stronger and possibility to come up from them is getting a bit closer… However, today I was struggling with my new yoga rug… I never used one before and when I got here I got myself a rug. Charlie suggested that Mysore has the best yoga rugs when we bumped into him in the Yoga Show just before I left London. So, I bought a nice one in my first week of my journey, but the first time I tried to use it, I was sliding from it during downward dogs… I thought maybe if I wash it will not be slippery anymore. I washed it but this morning I was still sliding from it. To tell the truth, I am not fan of having lots of nick knacks while I am practicing but sometimes I feel like it might help to have a rug especially since my back sticks out so much and I get bruises from Gaba-Pindasana and also sometimes I sweat too much and I begin to slip from my rubber mat (but now I could not manage to not slip from cotton rug even without tons of sweat…)
Anyways, other than mat issues and practice, things are fine. Yesterday I took a walk to Café world but apparently Café World of Mysore do not follow yoga students’ time schedule. They were still closed when it was pass 9 am. I learned that they open at 10 am. So, I had to walk around until then. I went to Loyal World, got some nuts and walked back. When I was back there were two more yoga students waiting for the coffee, and then one more showed up. I asked for an americano but when I wanted a bit of milk in it, this turned out to be a problem. The girl who was serving the coffee was absolutely against of giving me milk to put into the black coffee. She was saying that it is cappuccino, this is black coffee, cannot be with milk. I was telling her that I will pay for the extra milk but no, she was very upset with me but then one of the other students came to my help and he said “can you give milk on the side?”, she again said something about cappuccino, he said “okay” and then she consented somehow. I thing she was saying that she will punch it as a cappuccino, meaning she will charge me for a cappuccino because of the extra milk. But, at the end, when I was paying the bill, they only charged me for an americano… I don’t know if I will ever go back there again. I somehow enjoy the male dominated stand up café where I can get that coffee mixed with chicory, over which they pour hot milk. I can also go to Shakti house for breakfast and have their French pressed good coffee anytime I am craving coffee…
I also visited Lokesh, the tailor, again. I wanted to see if he could do anything to the top of my dress which he made for me but not possible, it is done. Then I ordered a blouse, which I have seen on another yoga student but different color of it, and a maroon Thai fisherman pants for Pune, so I can practice in them while I am in the ashram. I thing Lokesh is a very nice man. Every time, I ask him "a bit of discount?" and he never turns me down! He gives me bits of discounts like 20 rupees, 25 rupees… I guess he will remember me as the bargain girl. Well, I cannot help it, I like to ask to see if anything happens, but I am not persistent…
One last thing: Kumar began Kundalini meditations this week. So, it will run from Monday to Wednesday. I like it so far...

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Daily life and some more in Mysore

Yesterday we took a cooking class from Tina. I am sure all read CJ so I do not need to elaborate on it. But few words about Tina: she is very informative, she knows her cooking, she is a very good teacher (authoritative as well!) and her English is extremely good, better than mine. The food was great; we got to eat it at the end. I ate so much I could not eat anything after that late lunch (she makes us starve before tasting the food so we will like it :)) At night, there was Kirtan at the Shakti House. It was my first Kirtan experience and I really enjoyed it. It was for a charity helping poor people in India.
Today, me , Violetta and CJ went to Southern Star for breakfast. Krista was suppose to come as well but she had to attend a post funeral ceremony. I don’t think I will go to Southern Star for breakfast again. It is expensive food which you can food anywhere in Mysore for much cheaper and the atmosphere was not so appealing for me. Yes, it is a fancy hotel and they seem to have a beautiful garden but the breakfast is indoors. I would rather be outdoors than to be in air-conditioned place. Anyways, after that we ventured into the city for some shopping. I got Iyengar’s book “Light on Life”. It is suppose to be very good. Currently, I am reading one of Osho’s book on Yoga which I enjoy…
Then we returned to Gokulam after a weird record shopping experience which we got into because of CJ! After coming to Gokulam, I stopped by Suddha’s to buy myself one of those fancy bags she makes. There I bumped into Matthew and had a great conversation with him. I was telling him how I began loosing all my opinions, even enthusiasm about yoga since I have been to Mysore. And he told me something which sounds very correct: “The real practice begins when you don’t want to practice”. I could tell million of things about yoga before coming to Mysore, how good it is, how much I enjoy and why I enjoy yoga, and how it contributes to my life, etc… Now I feel like I cannot say a thing. But I believe this is not bad at all, I need all my perceptions to be shattered before I build truer ones.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Mysore mess dissolving!

Things are getting better. I sorted out some of the mess, so I feel more relaxed. My land lady is a bit of pushy though, which can be annoying but I have to learn how to deal with those sorts of things. She keeps pressuring me about taking cooking classes from her or making my friends take cooking classes from her, asking for their cell numbers etc… She also questioned me about where I had breakfast yesterday morning… I do not understand it really, I support her by staying there and paying rent but I also want to support other people here who are offering their services and I also want to have the opportunity socialize and meet with new people by going out. I have to learn to have things my way without getting frustrated and overreacting and when it is necessary I have to make myself clear enough. This trip had been mostly about anything but practice so far, but I guess it showed that there is so much yoga in life that I need work on.
This morning was led primary. I am feeling a bit heavy these days, I guess getting close to that period of month, so I had my first sluggish practice in the shala.
My latest plans are taking the core integration ayurvedic and yoga massage course which will run for 14 days (given by Kumar and Rassal) and then leave Mysore on the 2nd of December for Pune. I will see how it will go in Pune. My sister will join me there so I might feel better…
Yesterday CJ was suggesting that I might want to change my blog name to Mysore mess! It is actually not a bad idea :) it would make me laugh at myself every time I write my blog! But overall I have been lucky to meet with some great people here...
Hey I will get a massage from Kumar this Sunday, thanks to Carry!!!

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Not so fabulous

So I am not having fabulous time in Mysore. I apologize from all those who would so much would like to be here… It seems like my three month stay will not be even two months but only one month. My one month will end around 26th of November. On the other hand, I want to take the massage workshop Kumar will be giving together with Rassal, but that begins on the 17th of this month and ends on the 1st of December. This means that I will have 6 days in Mysore where I will not be going to the shala, since I will not pay for a whole new month for 6 more days. I am not sure if this will be easy, if I will manage self practice here while knowing that the shala is boiling with breaths of many, alive and so powerful…
Well, no decisions yet, I will wait and see how I feel in a week. Then I will decide whether not to take the workshop and leave as soon as my month is up or take the workshop and stay longer and do self practices before the workshop.
I am not embarrassed or anything about having such difficulty adjusting because I have heard of many who had such problems on their first trip… You live and learn, and I think I will leave Mysore with some kind of knowledge. After leaving Mysore I will go to Pune as my sister insists. She loves it there and I usually love what she loves, I mean I have faith in her. Yeah, well she warned me about Mysore but then I did not listen… Anyway, it is my time to explore and every exploration does not have to be fabulous…

Monday, November 06, 2006

The mess...

I got myself into a mess with the housing situation… it is a long story and I am tired of telling about it. to cut it short, I am still not settled. I really believe that India magnifies things that people have issues with. I am staying with friends and waiting for some money and also waiting to meet with this lady who is renting out the room which is at the top floor of her house. I need to be positive, and so much. By the way, this keyboard sucks so I will not be able to write much.
We did self practice on Saturday afternoon, not wanting to take two days off and also just to be testing the roof and see how practice goes there, we might have much of those practices at the end of December when shala closes for 12 days! There was a moon party on Saturday night but neither of us wanted to go so badly, so we stayed in and had a quite night. Led practice this morning was good but I was really tired at the end of it…

Friday, November 03, 2006

Under the spotlights!

I have neglected my blog for a while because Anu’s was closed and internet in the other internet place was not working properly. But not much missed. This morning was led primary for everyone. While, us, the 6 o’clock group was waiting outside, we heard a loud noise and then electrical wires began sparkling. It was this big tree across from the shala, further up, falling down and hitting the wires! Luckily no harm was done to any living creature. Guruji came out and asked “what is going on?” And then everything proceeded as it should. When our group went in, I first put my mat to the left, on the second raw but then I realized that our group was much less crowded (I actually suspect that some people from our group sneaked to the earlier group, anyways…) and to avoid being squeezed in there, I began moving to the back where it was much more spacious. However, just when I was settling in, Sharat pointed me and said “you, come here!”, and then pointed the spot right in front of Guruji which opened up after the people from the earlier group, who were paying respects to Guruji, left. So, I did my practice under the spotlights. Thank god I did no silly, funny thing, and finished my practice without being embarrassed.
Tomorrow is no practice and Sunday is a moon day but I am planning to the a bit of something tomorrow. But of course all this depends on my living situation. At the moment, I am waiting, and hoping to be moving to this flat! Please cross you fingers for me!