Happy Pongal! We always seem to arrive just in time for a festival here. This week the cows are painted extra brightly, and the door step rangoli patterns drawn in rice flour by the ladies are especially beautiful and detailed.
Aeryk and I are settling in to our first week of warm weather, power outages, and internet difficulties. We lose electricity every day here a few times for minutes or hours at a stretch. We knew this would be the case and planned some things ahead...I am loving my new head lamp!
Our first week at the Shala was hot hot hot! The morning temperatures have been fairly high, and all the bodies in the Shala lead to lots of moisture and sweat. I have been soaking my leggings and shirts all the way through every day.
During the first week we had a day of led primary series followed by 3 days of mysore style, primary series only for everyone. All students end every week with a morning of led primary. This was a very therapeutic beginning. Sharath seems very comfortable and relaxed. I really can't convey how difficult the led navasana is here! Or the Utplutih...very very tough. My body is really softening up already to the warm temperatures and though I haven't had difficult postures yet I feel open and ready for next week. We have received the usual backbending routine. The first day Sharath would not allow me to hold my ankles or even to bend for long, only to walk the hands to the heels. The second day he told me to drop back, walk in, and then hold. He likes to open people up slowly. Saraswati has a very different style. Aeryk had a nice plan to start gentle, but she just hauled him in whether he wanted to or not. I received one of hers as well this week and she is as strong and firm as ever! The biggest change I have felt in my body here is that after the big bend I am just melting into the forward bend with no effort. Very helpful considering they give a really strong crush right away after the backbend.
It is wonderful to be here, meeting old friends and practicing again around the most amazing yogis.
I miss everyone from home, but I have been happy to hear that the morning classes have been full at the studio. I like to think of everyone practicing, a half day in time away.
vivian
1 comment:
So good to hear from you. We all miss you dearly, but are enjoying our commitment to keep "yoga as usual" at the Bandha Room. Next week, when the Intermediate Series in on board at the shala, Julie and I want to know what the correct height of the legs in Tittibasana is....
luv u both, Mary
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