Guro-rangri-padme

Manas-cenna lagnam guro-rangri-padme

tatah kim tatah kim, tatah kim tatah kim

if we don’t lay down our mind at the feet of the guru,

then what, then what, then what, then what?

I’m bringing together here a teaching i received through both the asana practice and chanting with Jayasree. the above is a passage repeated at the end of each verse of the Guru-Astakam from Shankaracharya. which explains that everything we pocess and are capable of, are meaningless unless we surrender our ego to the truth (the Dharma) of the Guru’s teaching.

each week here in the practice i experience this by closely following Sharath’s vinyasa counts, and surrendering to the higher order created by practicing in unison with the group. i also received a teaching in Shraddha (faith) in the teacher/practice which transformed my daily practice.

New Moon

Today is the New Moon, and it’s been a very quiet reflective day. There was an All India Strike on, due to the current events in Kashmir area. I’ve been away for a few days and i’m posting a journal entry from last Friday, the 27th entitled ”Grace of the Guru .”

the 2nd month begins…

outside the front wall of the shala, life is good here in Mysore. i started my second month the day after the full moon last week. it’s nice to have the moon as an indicator of the passing time.

Sutra Chanting

It’s a Moon day today, and it really feels like a holiday. i try not to sleep in too late, i got up by 4:30. if i sleep later then it’s that much harder to wake up the next day. yesterday Sharath moved my start time up to 6am so on practice days i’m up by 4am. some people left at the end of the month, those who were here for only one month, so the shala feels a little vacant with under 60 people. the monsoon rains are starting and the mornings are getting cooler.

“Don’t Fear…”

this is the start of my second week practicing here in Mysore. my body seems to have accepted the Indian environment, and i’m finding practicing here at the shala to be a wonderful experience. after 17 years of practicing Ashtanga i am really happy to have made the journey to be here.

Sukham-asanam!

Have fun in class! what a nice idea. that’s the advice i received from my teacher Chuck, via email from Hawaii, upon hearing that i was here in Mysore. he also advised me to work smart more than hard. i can truly say that this was my experience the first day in the shala.

Mysore…India?

Namaste everyone, i got to Mysore yesterday, and i’m feeling culture shock, like i left India somewhere between the all night trip from Rishikesh to the Dehli airport, the 5 am flight to Bangalore and then a taxi ride into tropical Indian suburbia, Gokulam, Mysore.

1st week in India, take rest…

Friday May 9th, up at 4am with diarrhea, just in time for my one week anniversary. again i take refuge in impermanence, this too will pass. it’s always the beginning that is the worst, nothing much one can do. India is an extreme shock to the system, we are accustomed to living in such a clean and plentiful environment in the states.

practicing in Rishikesh

just arrived in Rishikesh yesterday, after a 8 hour long hot dusty bus ride from Delhi, finally made it here to the Divine Ganga Cottages www.divinegangacottage.com . feeling pretty exhausted from the travel and the night spent in the airport, i was not sure how energetic i’d be this morning, but tomorrow is a moon day so i didn’t want to miss practice.

suffering is the primary means by which we learn

Well it’s just been a month now since i stopped teaching at BBY, and Kate took over. and it’s taken about this long for me to do a full chaturanga again. but what a glorious event it was just this past Sunday morning. outside of my room on my veranda in the morning humidity of Chiangmai.