November 4, 2011

My trip to India is 3 weeks away.  Watch this space to experience the trip vicariously!

November 8, 2011

Note to others traveling to India:  you must have a visa as well as a passport.  This entails FedEx ing your passport to the Indian Consulate in Chicago (for those of us in Illinois).  When mine was returned to me via FedEx, it was left on my driveway!!  Not sure how long it was there, and luckily I found it before anyone or anything else did!  Another note: I did opt to buy travel insurance.

November 22, 2011

I am going to Chennai India.  It is on the south eastern side, only 13• from the equator.  I will be studying yoga philosophy at the school started by my teacher Gary Kraftsow’s teacher, TKV Desicachar, and his father Sri Krishnamacharya.  I will be there for a month.

November 26, 2011

I made it to London.  Uneventful flight; user friendly airport.  However, the only restaurant in my terminal is Starbucks!

November 26, 2011

I have landed in Chennai, India.  The travel time from my home until I got to my hotel was 28 hours, and that was with all things going well.

November 27, 2011

My new wardrobe for the month is silks and cotton, locally made, very inexpensive.

November 28, 2011

I had my first day of class at the “KYM” The teachers are all very educated in both the tradition and in the world. We started with a brief overview of the “Yoga Sutra”, then we had a different teacher for asana and pranayama, then a break and after that more lecture. We ended the day with a meditation class taught by yet another teacher.

There are only 11 of us in the class, so we are getting to know each other easily.  They are from Australia, London, Spain, Canada, and several from the US, California, Colorado, and even a woman who lives in Chicago, but is from Brazil.

Jet lag is catching up with me tonight, my tolerance for the noise, piles of garbage, and poor internet is wearing thin.  To bed early for me.

I leave you with a quote from my teacher:  “Our present action is based in the past”.

November 29, 2011

This is what I see each day as I walk to class.

I find this photo particularly interesting because of the dichotomy.

 

above:  Delivery Bus

 

above:  This is also the India I see every day.

 

above:  Next door to the school.

 

above:  Side street about a block from the school.

“The average gives the world its substance.  The exceptional, its value.”  by Oscar Wilde

December 5, 2011

Though I want to represent the whole picture of India fairly and sensitively, I want you to know what I have witnessed.  The poverty here is excruciating, as is the pollution.  There are cows, dogs, cats, goats, and chickens everywhere, and therefore there is poop everywhere!!  Even on the beach!  YUCK!  Many of the animals are very sick; it is horrible to see dogs with tumors or open wounds.  I had to dodge one with rabies a few days ago.

The conditions for the humans are only slightly better.  Where I was last weekend is a slightly more touristy place, so there is a lot more begging.  Mothers with babies on their hips and a toddler clinging to their skirt, hold their hands out.  Children that are seemingly alone, dirty, dusty, and barely dressed follow behind.

People selling trinkets will literally put their hands in the door of the taxi trying to sell you things.  Our driver had to push them out.

People live in thatched shacks in the rural areas and that’s the good life.  In the city there are slum apartments, and corrugated iron structures, with garbage piled around.  The smells can be overwhelming, along with the sights!!  Oh and did I mention in the city I see men peeing out in the open, they just select an empty lot, or even just on the sidewalk!

above:  Hotel Sea Breeze at Mamalapurim

 

above:  Carving details of temple, Mamalapurim

 

above:  View from ancient water tower, Mamalapurim

 

above:  Shore Temple, Mamalapurim

above:  Temple to the Sun God, Surya; one of the 5 Rathas; all carved from a single piece of stone; 700ad

 

above:  Temple found after the Tsunami in 2004, Mamalapurim

 

above:  Tiger Temple, Mamalpurim; built before 500 ad

 

above:  Beach and town of Mamalapurim

 

above:  Fishing boats, Mamalapurim

Now that I am half way through my second week of the training and being in India, I am beginning to see yet another level, both in the philosophy of the Yoga Sutra-s and life in India.  

The Yoga Sutra-s really have so many levels, and they are designed that way so that when a student reads them for the first time, that student gains some knowledge on a superficial level that is helpful.  The next time the sutra is read another meaning unfolds.  This learning process continues each time the Sutra-s are read, and that learning is enhanced when the Sutra-s are studied with a teacher.  Truly, our minds are the source of our suffering, and the solution, at the same time.  This is not pop psychology that says make yourself happy, or just pull yourself up by the “boot straps”, but the awareness that our mind is our greatest tool.  The more we refine it, the more clear our thoughts, the clearer our perception is into our problems.  This is not to say if we are sick we should “think” ourselves well.  This is to say, “Am I creating this sickness somehow?  Am I eating  too much and raising my blood sugar?  Why?  What would be the best steps to take right now?  Whom should I consult to help me with this problem?”

So my dear friends,  ”Atha yoga-anusanam”.    Translation:  Now is the time for yoga.  When?  Now.

above:  garden behind the Mandiram; this is where we had our discussion class 12-7-2011

above:  pool in the garden behind the Mandiram

above:  Pool in front of the Mandiram

 

above:  one block from the Mandiram, India has a huge problem with garbage and sanitation

above:  Shiva Temple at Mylapore; built around 1000AD; repainted about every 10 years

above:  Water tank in front of Shiva Temple at Mylapore; man made; built about 1000 years ago; lined with hand-cut stones

above:  Close up of water tank; Yikes, these are at least two feet long

above:  New temple at Mylapore; inside are pictures of many Swamis

above:  Carving details on temple at Mylapore

above:  Chalk drawings; found on sidewalks outside of temples and sometimes homes

above:  National Park sign

above:  the drive up to the zoo

above:  the street sweeper on the drive up to the zoo

above:  zoo building

above:  water fountain at the zoo

I found a National park inside the city of Chennai, but when I got there I found only a small part of it was open to the public, and that was a children’s zoo, housing native animals.  I decided to visit it anyway.  It was a nice place to walk away from the incredible traffic and noise of the city.  

In the zoo people were very friendly, and the children, as usual, all like to practice their English by talking to me.  In fact one of the biggest attractions at the zoo was not in a cage, it was me!  I guess not many foreigners visit the zoo in Chennai.

Being at the zoo reminded me of the 8 limbs of yoga mentioned in the Yoga Sutra, in particular the concept of “ahimsa.”  Ahimsa is usually translated as non-violence, but it also encompasses consideration for others, and respect for all other beings, plants, animals, air, water…you get the idea.  Another aspect of ahimsa is the way we treat ourselves.  Have you ever thought that you might actually be causing yourself harm?  Have you ever pushed yourself too hard in an asana and injured a muscle, or hurt your back?  How about over eating, or eating food that is not good for you?  That, too, is harming yourself, and by harming yourself, you are the cause of future suffering.  We could go even subtler and look at the thoughts in our minds:  negative self-talk, striving for a goal that is not attainable right now, thinking negative thoughts about another person.  The Yoga Sutras says that all of these things should be avoided, because they have the potential to cause us harm and therefore suffering.

How do we practice ahimsa?  It is one thing to say, “Okay, I will not push myself so hard in yoga class”, or “I will not over eat or think negative thoughts”, but we all know good intentions are hard to keep.  The first step is awareness.  Just notice the thoughts in your head, focus on your body more deeply in asana, and most importantly, watch your breath.  The breath will give us clues to our deepest thoughts and emotions, as well as clues that we are stretching too deeply in that forward bend.  AND, most importantly, forgive yourself if you fail, use that failure to learn, and try again.   

Jan. 1, 2012.
How appropriate to make my final blog entry on New Years Day!

I have been back in the USA for 6 days now.  The jet lag has mostly abated, although I still wake up around 2am feeling like I should get up for the day.

Many of my clients and friends are calling and emailing and waiting for me to give them the highlights of my studies of the Yoga Sutras  (hence forth, YS. ) I feel unable to answer their questions as fully as I would like.  The fact is the philosophy and science of yoga that is contained in the YS is, to quote a teacher of mine, “dense enough to last several life times.”  I will, as time and my studies go on be able to distill, and instill this information more and more into my life and my teachings.  So for now dear ones, be patient with me.  Know that bits and pieces of knowledge will come your way as you also prepare to hear and understand it.  Its kind of like a yoga pose, first you can only go so far, then with practice, a little more, and a little more.  Along with this practice you have to avoid/resist the urge to want to go farther, faster, you have to keep practicing.  This concept is described in Chapter 1, verse 12.  “Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhad”, translation, “Control over the mind’s fluctuations comes from persevering practice and non attachment.”  Do the practice, let go of the outcome, just know you are doing the right thing for the right reasons.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!