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I made it home yesterday at noon after 36 hours of traveling.

Our last pranayama class was beautiful. Geeta knew that most of us were leaving and I could tell she wanted to be sure we understood what she was teaching. After class was over we paid her our respects and she seemed to soften as she told each of us Namaskar. I don't know how this month will effect my teaching. I feel I don't know where to begin with what I have learned, but feel certain that my yoga practice has been irrevocably changed.

Then it was hurry up and wait for our driver from Pune to Mumbai. We had ended up with a rather small car, and we had to tie some of our luggage to the top, as Tina from Seattle joined us for the drive. The waterfalls that I saw at the beginning of the month were gone as it hadn't rained for some time. The Arabian Sea was silent and grey. A good hour of our four hour drive was making our way through the streets of Mumbai, where the pollution seemed more intense than when we arrived. We ate a wonderful dinner at the Leela hotel before we headed to the airport.

The scene at the Mumbai airport was surreal. We must have shown our passport to eight different people, our carry-ons were x-rayed twice, every person was "wanded" twice and we were not allowed to carry drinking water onto the airplane. There were soldiers with machine guns everywhere and we had to go through Indian Immigration on the way out. The process felt quite violating, and what we go through here in the States is minor in comparison.

I got teary-eyed as the plane touched down in Newark. I now know why people want to kiss the ground of their home. Karen and I said goodbye at my gate. Karen - thanks, I couldn't have asked for a better companion. When my plane dropped down through the clouds and I caught my first glimpse of the Columbia river I started getting emotional. My husband and son met me at the airport and I was overcome with happiness. Twelve hours of sleep later I feel almost normal, but still somewhat stunned at being home. Best of all, today is my 46th birthday and I get to celebrate surrounded by family.

Thanks for reading my blog. I loved sharing and reading your comments. Writing was an important connection to home and helped me make it through this most incredible, challenging month!
Love,

Nina

Last Days in India

First, I have to explain womp rats and Biggs blog comments. The title of my last post was “Almost There”. This was a reference to a line from the first Star Wars movie that my friend Katherine and my sister Naomi often quoted to each other. So the womp rat quote and the reference to “never getting out of here” are both Luke Skywalker lines. Consider this an inside joke!

Karen is much better now and has rejoined classes. We only have 3 classes left, plus Institute night tonight where Geeta will give a talk on Yoga philosophy. The pranayama classes have been soothing and energizing. Both Geeta's and Prashant's teachings have had insights to remember and practice.

Yesterday I went with my new friend Tina to finish up shopping. Tina is from Seattle, so I am sure I will see her around! We went to an incense and perfumed oil store that was literally a hole in the wall. The shop smelled wonderful, and we sniffed rose, jasmine, and sandalwood oils before Tina selected rose and jasmine to take home with her. The shop owner had a steady hand as he poured the oils from a large bottle into smaller one ounce bottles and then packaged each bottle with a gold top and red velvet bag. We also went to a jewelery shop and bought a set of anklets to share. The women here wear anklets only in pairs, and most stores will not sell you just one. We were waited on by two 12 year old boys, who seemed eager to find the perfect anklets for us.
We also visited a castle that Nana said was over 350 years old, and a grocery store to stock up on cookies and chocolate. Our flatmate Oscar has turned out to be a cookie fanatic, and we can hardly keep stocked up. Then it was time to say goodbye to Nana as we wouldn't be seeing him again but I did get a picture of him.

We allowed ourselves to start packing today, and this heightened our already buoyant mood. Karen put the Dixie Chicks on the iPod and we had a great afternoon.

I will post again when I arrive home this weekend.

Almost There!

Karen and I have watched all the Star Wars movies, plus the musical Hair. We feel we are "almost there" in terms of our long adventure!

Our first pranayama class with Geeta was both relaxing and energizing. The shift from the powerful backbend practice to the more subtle breath work has come just in time. I can tell that the students are tired as they near the end of the month and are welcoming the new focus. I myself was more than ready! The size of the group has shrunk, giving us more room in the yoga hall and a less hurried atmosphere in getting and putting away the props.

The needed energy (physical and mental) to keep up this schedule is remarkable, and I have stopped observing classes as I feel the need to rest. I completely recovered from last week's downtime, but now Karen has come down with a terrible cold and is sleeping much of the time.
I no longer am phased by crossing the road or the traffic, and if I ever come back I know I will be more comfortable exploring different areas.

I know how anxious I am to get home by my eagerness to start packing. But I have restrained myself, knowing that it is too early. We have only four more nights in Pune, and then head to Mumbai for our flight on Saturday. I know I am not the only one longing for home. One of my new found friends said that she felt the month was like a running a marathon - making deals with herself to get through just one more day.

I will write at least one more time!

Sunday is a day of rest and blogging

A sense of ending has come over me in the last few days. We are busy making plans for our departure, exchanging email addresses with new friends and finishing our gift shopping. We have six more classes this coming week. The focus will change from backbends to pranayama (breath work).

Even though I couldn't participate fully in last week's backbending “extravaganza” I know that my poses have changed and opened. I was not feeling well for a couple of the classes and had to sit them out. But the classes I did take were fabulous and pushed me to my limits. And the corker (as our new English friend would say) was that today I got an amazing private lesson this morning from a teacher who shall go unnamed. She took advantage of all the work done this past week, and zeroed in on the areas of my body that are still stubborn, stuck and unwilling. She gave me some insight into what needs to happen so I have some work to do.

Karen had a major breakthrough- she accomplished “dropping back” from standing into a backbend. She was very excited to have achieved this milestone, something she hasn't done since she was 14!

We are enjoying teaching our Spanish flatmate English sayings. His favorites so far are "pedal to the metal" and "easy on the eyes". I have discovered that while English knowledge is required to take classes here, the level of proficiency varies. Some students can speak only haltingly but can understand quite well, while others are fluent. I suspect that there are also those who really don't understand much English at all - they must be following along as best as they can.

Pune is preparing for the Ganesh festival. Marigold garlands festoon store fronts and rickshaws. Strings of lights are being hung and animated elephant statues (Ganesh shrines) are appearing everywhere. Large scaffolding structures are being erected in the middle of busy intersections for more displays. The traffic is already chaotic – it will be interesting to see how much more congestion will be created by these towers. I am not sure of the date of the festival, but I am sure it will be soon. We hope to get some pictures to share.

After a week of no power load shedding, we are back on 3-5 hours a day of no power. Our building does have a generator to run a few things, but it is noisy. Just before the load shedding began the paper ran a story that there was enough power and that no more power outages were expected. This is just part of the India experience!

Obsevering Classes

Today I watched the medical class. Each participant has been given an individualized yoga “prescription” to work with their medical issue. These classes are chaotic, not at all like a led class.
Some participants need three assistants to help them set up their yoga props correctly and then to apply leverage, weight or pressure in the right spots. Family members are often present learning how to set up the props for home practice. Both Geeta and Guruji are often present riding herd on the assistants, getting everything just right.
It was heartbreaking to see some of the conditions that are being endured. One woman had an lower back curve so severe it looked like she would break in half. There was an elderly man being helped by his wife who could barely walk and looked frail and unresponsive. There was a little girl whose legs looked permanently turned to the side and some others who were obviously victims of vehicle accidents. There were also many for whom I could not tell what the issue was. But each person was given personal attention and urged to work hard. I am grateful for my good health after seeing what there people are living with.
I have watched several beginning and intermediate classes as well. The beginning classes are one hour, the intermediate classes are 1.5 hours, and the “advanced” classes I attend are 2 hours. These classes are (for the most part) quick paced and demanding. Also, the teachers seem to be using minimal props in the classes. I picked up some good ideas from observing the classes and will watch a few more before I leave.

Bill - thanks for letting me know about Mary's new post. Karen and I are thinking about her everyday. Katherine, I am atonished at how I lost my backbending ability. I guess taking care of two kids in my 20's and actuarial exams will do that do a person. I am slowing making headway and hope to be able to do "drop backs" soon.
to all those who I don't know who have stumbled on my blog and find it useful - I had no idea that I would reach people in this way. How cool!

Backbends and more Backbends

During the third week of the month Geeta teaches backbending classes. Back bends are a personal challenge for me and I have been both looking forward to this work, but also a little apprehensive that it would be too much.

Our first backbending class was Saturday, and it seemed to be a struggle for many of us. But I made it through the class without feeling overwhelmed.

Last night's class Geeta's sequencing was brilliant and she knew just how hard to push us. I have never heard so much groaning and exclaiming in a class before. She gave us occasional rests to recover from our efforts. After we had done what seem like an endless count of Urdhva Dhanurasanas (upward bow pose) and we were resting, she asked us "Are you ready"? in sweet voice. The whole room burst out laughing. I think some of us were hoping we were done with this pose, but we gamely continued on to a variation with one leg pointed to the ceiling. After class I felt exhilarated and excited about the wonderful experience of classes with Geeta.

The weather has cleared up and it has stopped raining for a few days. Karen and I plan to do some more walking to the markets and just enjoy being outdoors.

Thanks for your comments, I look forward to logging in each day and hearing from different people.

Three Trips

Karen and I had a fun weekend, exploring Pune.
We went to Vaishaly Friday night – a popular restaurant serving a wide variety of food. It was nice to be in a place that was well kept up and bustling with life. I had something called an uppatta with cheese, tomatoes, onions and butter. It was excellent and a nice change from the veggies and dal we have been existing on every day.
Today we went on a trip to a part of Pune I hadn't visited yet. Our first stop was the German Bakery. This is where people staying at Osho hang out. There were several people wearing the burgundy clothes required of the followers. The cafe had a strange vibe – there were many hippy types smoking away. Both Karen and I felt overly scrutinized there. The bread and cake I bought were delicious however!
Next Nana drove us around the Osho campus so that we could peek in. The campus looked really nice and beautifully landscaped. We saw a couple of boys leading camels down the street, offering rides to people. We asked Nana to drive us past Bund Garden thinking we could go in. But Nana advised us not to go in because of the crazy people. We asked him if they ever compel the crazy people to leave and he said “No, no, such parks are meant for the crazy people.”
We then drove over a new bridge and Nana showed us the incredible development that had sprung up because of the bridge. He said that before the bridge, there was nothing there.
Our final stop was at the Aga Khan Palace, where Mahatma Ghandi was interned for several years and where his ashes have been put to rest. The palace was beautiful, the grounds pleasant (no honking!) and the displays interesting. It was sad to note how poorly the displays were being maintained, some of the descriptions were barely readable.
Also, we picked up our tailored clothes. They turned out beyond our expectations! We both look great (if you don't mind a little bragging) in our new salwaar kameezes.
I feel a bit under the weather today, and hope that it is only temporary.

I have observed the beginning, intermediate and therapeutic classes. All extremely interesting and I will share more about them later.

Independence Day

Today, August 15th, is India's Independence Day, celebrating 61 years of independence. The Institute is closed, so Karen and I decided to have a day with no agenda. We are simply resting, practicing, and planning to watch "The Return of the Jedi" while eating cookies and gelato.

We are planning a trip to the German Bakery which is located near Osho. For you Portlanders' who don't know Osho is the retreat center founded by the Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh, of Antelope fame. We won't be going in, just taking a peek.

I am personally happy to be past the halfway point of our trip. It has been challenging to say the least!

Two Tough Classes

Last night was Prashant's class. We focused on backbends. It was a tough class with the only pauses coming when we switched “stations”. We went from rope headstand to backback on the chair to more rope work. Prashant was giving strong individual adjustments to every student to help us understand where we needed to open. He said “Don't go for all out effort, go for all out effect”! This actually helped me stay in the more difficult poses longer. Backbends are tough for me but I managed to make it through class, feeling just a little grumpy after class was over.

This morning in Geeta's class we had a long stay in both headstand and shoulderstand. Geeta told us that we shouldn't be concerned with how long we were going to stay in shoulderstand, so I knew were were in for a long stay indeed. She did not disappoint and Karen and I figured we were there (with variations) for 20 minutes. It was helpful to talk to the other women after class and learn that everyone was ready to hear the longed for words in headstand – now inhale and come down!

It has been raining hard for the last four days, and there is much flooding around the region. We haven't seen blue sky for days. Karen and I have taken it easy the last two days – no rickshaw rides. We are planning a shopping trip and a trip to the German bakery (where I have told there is chocolate cake!), as well as visiting a temple in the next few days.

Thanks for all the Princess Bride jokes! They made my day. And EWW - thanks for reminding me of my actuarial past. KA - I would think the average age is around my age (45 for two more weeks!), maybe a little older. There are plenty of 30 somethings, and many over 60.

Shoulders and Twists

Shoulders and Twists

Yesterday two people helped me with my “unintelligent” shoulders. First Glennis (rhymes with menace, according to her) saw me in Savasana (relaxation pose for you non yoga readers). She looked down at me and said “Would you like some help with your shoulders”? She gave me a great adjustment, so that my chest felt opened and I could relax. Thanks Glennis!
The evening class with Geeta was intense. Geeta was focused like a Olympic coach, intent on helping us to “reach the remote edges of the abdomen” in seated twisting poses. First she got us heated up with handstands, forearm balance, and a long stay in headstand with variations. Then we worked so relentlessly in the twists that my legs were slippery with sweat. To end class we worked on the twisting variations of sarvangasana (shoulderstand). This is where I got my second adjustment. I was near the front and I heard Geeta say “you in the blue tee-shirt, take your shoulder back”. I knew she was talking to me because things weren't going so well in my pose. Next thing I knew there she was next to me. She adjusted my arms, legs, head and hips so quickly I am not sure what she did. But I understood now what she was trying to make me do with my shoulders. After class I thanked her and she simply nodded her head in reply.

Lost in Translation

Having a flatmate from Spain has been great. He reminds us of Mandy Patinkin's character in The Princess Bride (Inigo Montoya) in his gentle, polite demeanor. Oscar was telling us how he felt lucky to have scored such a great living arrangement. (we heard about a couple of people who didn't have water for two days). He said “I have the luck of the newbie”. Karen figured out he meant beginner's luck!

Thanks for your posts, keep them coming! Nitin, I will get the things you asked for.

Puja and another Geeta

Last night our hosts, Sanjeev and Sush Ama invited us to a family event. The family had earlier in the day held a puja (a religious ritual). In the evening was an informal get-together and we were invited to go up to the 7th floor and have some food, desserts and social time.

We met in-laws, nieces, nephews, mothers aunts and uncles. Sush Ama's mother is bedridden but we brought to her room to be introduced and to chat. Even though she was obviously in pain, she had a beautiful smile and told us how Pune used to be.

Today we went to a private residence for an amazing shopping afternoon. We were picked up by car (a big deal after riding in rickshaws for two weeks) by Geeta's husband Sunder. And then we were met at the door by Geeta herself, and even though I hadn't yet met her she hugged me in welcome. We were treated to lunch of mixed veggies, a squash dish, Indian bread and paratha (potato dumplings). It was the best meal we have had since we arrived! Geeta's house was beautiful and quiet. We met her grandsons, daughter and son-in-law.

Then the shopping began. We walked to the back of her yard to a converted garage. This is where Geeta displays all of her wares from her travels around India. Geeta brought us chai tea, which we sipped as we opened drawers, unfolded scarves, and dug through piles of purses. Everything in the store was beautiful and we soon had picked out many gifts - as well as some treasures for ourselves. Ladies of my family, expect gifts! (sorry guys). Geeta gave both us us a gift of a cotton purse/backpack to nicely package what we had selected. She personally drove us home as well, and invited us back for another meal.

I am almost out of dark chocolate and I don't know how I will cope for two weeks. Julie - you were right I needed to bring more!

Finally, Geeta's women's class yesterday was strenuous and informing. We did janu sirsasana (a seated forward bend) five times and I left the class feeling good. Both Karen and I were grateful to sleep in this morning to the sound of monsoon rains.

Personal notes: Catie, thanks for the post and let me know how things go.

Forward Bends and Massage

We are on to a week of standing poses and forward bends! Our first forward bend class was with Geeta. It was the best forward bend class ever and Geeta's teaching was briliant. My head was acutally in the vicinity of my leg in Maricyasana I - definitely a first! Geeta started class by looking at the people in the front row and declaring that she was tired of seeing the same faces in the front. She made everyone switch places and I ended up second row, center. It was illuminating to be that close to her. She looked me in the eye many times and I couldn't help but repsond in my poses by going deeper. She was in an extremely good mood - telling us jokes about ice cream vs. janu sirsasana. I could feel that she wanted to connect with us so that we understood what she was teaching.

Karen and I made it to our massage yesterday at Ayur Jyoti. It was a wonderful oil massage and I felt so relaxed that I didn't mind the rickshaw ride home in rush hour traffic.

I feel acclimated now to the culture, the Institute and our schedule. This has helped my stress level and my practice. A group of five of us are meeting to take notes on the clases. The others in our group are Nancy from NY, Tina from Seattle, Glennis from Englan and our flatmate Oscar. It feels a little like living in the dorm and studying together.

Tonya and Terry - I said hi to Nana. He remembered both of you. Tonya he said "yes, yes, Tonya and Barb"!

Cyber Cafe

Karen and I are sitting in a cyber cafe so we can have high speed internet access, instead of dial up. It is completely filled with teenage boys playing Doom online. They are yelling and shouting in their immersion in what they are doing. The walk was crazy to get here and we crossed the street with a young man who seemed to know what he was doing. It is hot and stuffy despite the open windows. and a real Pune experience. I think I will stick with the slower dial up at home, as I am getting a headache from the heat and noise.

Karen and I wanted a taste of home last night so we watch Star Wars on my laptop. We are both Star Wars nuts, and it was great to watch and relax.

It is interested to practice in the hall and watch everyone use the ropes. I have learned quite a few new ways to work with the ropes and I am excited to share with everyone at home. I feel my body start to open in new ways as I am immersed in this experience. Tonight is our first pranayama class. The students who are new to classes at Pune are to go to a different class than those who are here for the second (or more) time.

Bill - we are on the second floor, not the fourth. Julie, thanks for the iPod speakers - Karen and I are using them a lot! Nitin, I will say hi to Nuvana's relatives, thanks for the tip!

Food and Clothes

Hello again,

Apparently the birds make a ruckus in the evening as well!

Our flatmate moved in yesterday. His name is Oscar and he is from Madrid. He seems like a very kind man and we enjoyed talking to him last night. It is his first time here for classes as well. He has spent some time on the west coast, and even drove from San Francisco to Seattle on Highway 101!

One post asked about food. We are incredibly lucky - we have a cook come to our flat everyday and make lunch for us. For 50 rupees (about a buck and a quarter) she makes dal (a lentil dish soupy or thick), a vegetable of our choice (cauliflower, carrots, beans, squash, okra), chappatis (flat bread kind of like tortillas but not really) and a grain like rice. We come home from practice or class and all we have to do is heat and serve! For dinner we usually have left overs, and for breakfast I have oatmeal or peanut butter bread. I thought I would have to do without ice cream, but I am happy to say I just had some chocolate B&R ice cream.

Had an interesting class with Prashant - all twists. He spoke about quality and quantity in poses. We held each poses for what seemed like an eternity while he tried to get us to connect body mind and breath. One surprise - he was very funny, making jokes several time.

Geeta taught this morning and we worked really hard. I have so much work to do on my basic standing poses. I felt like Geeta was speaking to me with each instruction that both re emphasized previous points, and took us deeper.

Finally - Karen and I had some great retail therapy yesterday. We went to see Sunita the Tailor, and we both ordered some beautiful salwaar khameezs (pant suits with scarves and I am not sure of the spelling) to be made to our measurements. There was so much beautiful fabric and Sunita was so kind and welcoming that my homesickness was completely gone.

Personal Notes:

Terry, I will say hi for you.

Power Out and a New Friend

First - thanks for all the great posts! I loved reading them! I was a little homesick when I opened my blog, and knowing you are all reading it made me feel better.

Power outages seem to be a fact of life here. I asked our host, Sanjeev what was going on. He said that the monsoon rains have been light this year, creating power shortages. So they have to initiate rolling power outages around the city. So far today, the regular power has gone out twice. Luckily for us, our building has a back up generator, so when the regular power goes out we can still have lights, computers, and refrigeration. But no hot water, we have discovered.

Last night Glennis - a women from England (and Karen's roommate from two years ago) came home with us after class to write down "yoga notes". Yoga notes are what us yoga nerds do after each class - writing down the sequence and then filling in detail about what was taught. Glennis is a hoot! She regaled us with stories of her travels and with her accent I felt like I was sitting next to Eliza Doolittle.

The class last night was taught by Chandra, and was a very good class. We learned an interesting new way to do headstand as well as some standing pose variations.

We have our first class with Prashant tonight. Prashant is Mr. Iyengar's son. I have heard his classes are really interesting so I am looking forward to it.

Personal notes:
Good luck Catie, let me know how it goes. Thanks for the info Bill, we will try again. Kathleen from Thursday night class - thanks again for the lavender/rosemary soap you gave me. I brought it along and it smell lovely.

Children's Yoga, Practice near Guruji, Good Rickshaw, Bad Rickshaw

Yoga

Yesterday I observed a children's class taught by Guruji's granddaughter Abbhy (not sure how to spell her name). For those of you who don't know, Guruji means "my teacher". This is what Mr. Iyengar's students call him. It was far different from the adult classes - short holds, lots of jumpings, no props at all (except for a mat for headstand). The kids had lots of fun and I learned some new things to bring back for the adults. Abbhy is very knowledgeable and already a good teacher in her mid-20's.

Today our practice time was early, and Guruji came in right away. He always sets up in the same spot so I had the honor of practicing 15 feet away from him. He was in a good mood and flashed Karen a big smile and said namaskar when she paid him her respects. Perhaps tomorrow I will work up the nerve to approach him.


Today I once again got the feeling that I know so little, even after 12 years of study. It was informative to watch the advanced practices of the others, and to try to memorize the inventive prop setups being used. It is a privilege to be here!



Rickshaw rides

Karen and I took two rickshaw rides in the past couple of days.

The first was with Naana. Naana is a rickshaw driver patronized by the American students. The ride was exciting, fun and Naana organized our itinerary for us. He also acted as tour guide, telling us the name of rivers, bridges and hotels. Yes Bill, I said hi for you and Naana was pleased to know that I knew you. He asked how you were doing.We did some shopping and got some gifts for people back home. We arranged a Tuesday trip with Naana to a tailor to have some clothes made. This was the good rickshaw ride.

Today we had booked Ayurvedic massage appointments and decided to take our chances with a rickshaw driver. We were told - easy to get there, 10 minute ride. Bad decision! We never got to our destination - even though we had a business card with a map on it. He pulled over numerous time to ask pedestrians for directions and we went in circles for 30 minutes. Finally, he asked and English speaking person for help, and we asked our good Samaritan to tell the driver we just wanted to go back home. I think the rickshaw driver felt embarrassed he couldn't get us there, but we had long missed our appointments. So instead of getting relaxed, we were wiped out by the ride, fumes and frustrations. Next time we will go with Naana!


Personal Notes

Come on people, more posts back would be great! Especially KA! Thanks to the 5 people who posted yesterday. It made my day to read these post from home after our rickshaw ride from heck. Marion from the UK, I am glad you are enjoying the blog. Dad, thanks for the note and Nitin, I will check out the laughing yoga.

Julie, I had a chat with Glennis last night and she remembers you and kept saying over and over how nice you are.

The power went off in the middle of this post - thank goodness for autosave.

That's it for now!

Sounds of India and More

One of the hardest things to get used to is the cacophony of sound. The typical day begins with the din of thousands of birds at daybreak. I don't know how anyone could sleep through it! Then the rickshaws, motorcycles, cars, buses and truck begin hitting the streets and the honking begins. Honking seems to be the preferred way of letting another vehicle know that you are going to pass them. So the honking isn't in anger, but more of a courtesy. Still, it can grate on the nerves after listening to it all day! Of course, all of these vehicles also have loud motors, and there are so many of them. Another sound in the mix is the generator - this morning the electricity failed, and they fired up the generator to get things back up and running.

Another noise I have had to get used to is the elevator in our flat. Not the sound of the elevator traveling up and down, but the song the elevator plays. That's right - the elevator plays a musical number, in our case "Fur Elise". It goes on all day and night, like a cell phone that a inconsiderate person never turns off.

Now a comment about the students at the Institute. Us Americans are out numbered. There are Indian students of course, but there are also Greeks, Spaniards, Italians, Canadians, Belgians, Chinese, Polish, German, Russian, French, English and Irish students! And also one women from Iran. I am sure there are other countries represented, as these are the students I have encountered in the first two days of classes. I look forward to getting to know some of these people from around the world.

My second class was great and I was much less intimidated. Today is a day off and we indulged in some shopping.

If you would like to post me a message, please do, I would love to hear from you!

Sleep and Yoga

Finally, some sleep! While I never felt sleepy during the day, I could not sleep at night for the first 3 nights here. But yesterday Karen and I moved into our flat (a huge improvement over the Ambience hotel) and I finally slept like a rock. Life will be pleasant here - we are directly next to the institute, and my room overlooks the courtyard between the Iyengar family home and the Yoga hall. Our host, Sanjeev, is incredibly nice and generous.

On Thursday, I attended my first practice. You are given a practice time everyday to work individually and access all the yoga props the institute has to offer. I was intimidated the moment I walked in. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing, and many of the practices seemed quite advanced. I set up, hoped no one was watching me, and started in. Then, Mr. Iyengar showed up for his practice and also to work with others. It was amazing to watch this almost 90 year old man do his practice and speak about yoga! By the end of the practice session I was feeling better and slightly more confident.

Yesterday was my first class with Geeta. I was terrified when class started. The hall was packed - I thought there were at least 120 people and everyone was working to get a spot for their mat. It was humid and hot, and I didn't know anyone around me. But once we got underway, there was no time to be anxious. Geeta worked us hard, even though we mostly did basic poses - downward dog, tadasana (about 12 times), and the basic standing poses. Geeta was in a good mood and made many jokes. When we first laid down in savasana, she joked "the shouting is over!".

Personal notes:

Julie, Norma from SY says hi. Glennis is not staying in our flat, but will be in our building. She doesn't arrive for a few days. Karen knows Glennis and will point her out to me. Ryan and Lindsey, thanks for the post! Nitin, it was nice to see you. Barb, I had dinner with Anne (from Portland) and we discussed classes in Portland. I also chatted with Jeff from NY (FPR Anne's teacher).

Time to head to my second class!

We Are Here

After 48 of travel, Karen and I arrived in Pune. Things went extremely smoothly. The planes were on time, the ride to Pune was not quite as crazy as I thought it would be and we are now settling into our room.

My first taste of India was the airport. The Mumbai airport was completely torn apart, with dozens of men sitting around the work areas. When we left the airport we were greeted by a crowd of hundreds of people, apparently waiting for other passengers. Then, the skies opened and a couple inches of rain came pouring down. After some confusion, we found our driver and headed to the Leela hotel, where we had tea and cookies before bed.

Our car ride to Pune was four hours and our driver did not speak much English, but he tried to point out the sights. The vegetation reminded me of the North shore of Kauai - lush and dark green. And just like Kauai, there were beautiful waterfalls coming down the hillsides from the heavy rain. Our driver pointed out monkeys on the highway barriers, the Arabian Sea and the herd of goats on the road.

Yoga starts in two days, and I am hoping that I can hold my own under the watchful eyes of Geeta Iyengar!

Return of Anxiety

My last post said that I had moved from anxiety to anticipation. I should have known that my usual travel anxiety would resurface, like a prickly weed that resprouts after repeated attempts of eradication. Yesterday I had a morning of worry about family (what if they forget that they like having me around?) and flying (how can I spend 20 hours in a plane?). What I needed was physical effort to clear my head. So I whacked at the camellia bushes, and then my son, husband and I took a short hike. To cap these efforts I practiced for an hour. By dinner time I felt much more centered and calm.

Today will be a day of packing, cleaning and hanging out with the family. I hope to keep my anxieties to a minimum with positive thinking - I can do this!

Almost There

I am less than one week from departure and everything is almost ready. The goodbyes and well wishes have begun as I wind down my teaching schedule this week. I feel I have moved beyond anxiety to anticipation.

I am fortunate to be travelling with my best yoga friend Karen Allgire, from Cleveland. Karen has already made one trip to Pune, and I have already relied on her experience and guidance to prepare and pack. Karen has reassured me as I have my expressed fears about both the travel and studying with the Iyengar family - thanks Karen!

One of my students asked me what expectations I have of the trip and what I hope to learn. I answered that I didn't have specific expectations of what I wanted to learn, rather I am eager to experience the effects of uninterrupted yoga practice. I am extremely thankful that I will have the opportunity to spend a month focused on my practice and studies - I realize this is an chance that many people never get. Thanks to my family and everyone at SYC who has supported me!

Acceleration

19 days and counting! Life seems to be accelerating like a jet takeoff - I feel pinned back in my seat as my final preparations take shape. My travelling friend and I are emailing each other twice a day, figuring last minutes details. I have purchased numerous items from both the "natural remedies" area of New Seasons as well as more traditional things found in a medicine cabinet. I am prepping my mom and Jen to keep the yoga center running smoothly while I am gone. I realize I need a bigger piece of luggage!

Admidst this preparation I am managing to keep my daily pranayama and asana practice. Some days my practice seems superficial as I try to stay focused. Other days I feel confident that I am prepared and and my pracice is filled with discipline and self-study. I know that my time in India will be another type of acceleration - of my practice and of my understanding of yoga.

This morning I realized that I am only five weeks out from my departure date. I need to keep up the intensity of the preparations I have begun.

One area I have been focusing on is the length of my sirsasana (head balance). In India, they expect you to have 8-10 minute head balance. I have been working on my head balance almost every day and can easily do 8 minutes, but 10 minutes is still a challenge. Staying in sirsasana for 10 minutes is certainly a physical challenge, but it is also a mental challenge. My mind tries to convince me that I need to come down because my limit has been reached, but if I focus on the breath for a few moments, the feeling often passes. For those of you working on poses that are difficult for you try this! See if you can stay a few more breaths, and then perhaps you can stay for a few more.

What to name the blog?

I was chatting with a fellow yoga nerd about how our lives revolve around yoga. She reminded me of the saying (forgive me I don't remember who first said this) that at first you have to fit yoga into your life, but then you have to fit life into your yoga. What a great name for a blog about my first trip to India to immerse myself in the practice of yoga. Classes six days a week for 2 hours, plus a 3 hour daily practice time for an entire month!

I leave at the end of July so the first postings will be about preparation - mentally, physcially and yogically.