Mysore Day 29: ‘Mysore practice, Kushi, Chanting, Pink House, Hanging out together’
CLIVE
New ethereal sentinels were in the room today to help bend and twist people. One of the teachers adjusting was ill so Sharath asked some people who have been here for a while to help out! There were 3 nervous new faces on the team. They seemed to settle well into the role on the ‘other side’ observing and encouraging where necessary under the watchful eye of the boss.
Kushi for a light breakfast, expresso blast (no expresso in it!), fruit salad and a coffee
Straight to Chocolate man for another bar of Dark Cardamon Chocolate, we bought two and gave one to Laksmish our Sanskrit teacher. Arriving for chanting in plenty of time today we got a spot really near Laksmish so we finally could hear him speak and the intonations of the chants in detail. He picked the room up on a couple of things, when to send the tone ‘up’ for the ‘O’ of ‘Namo’ and when to send the tone down. Details like this are exactly why people come here, they tend to get diluted the further west of India you go. As we were leaving and chatting to friends we snapped the featured image above of the statues which live behind Sharath’s chair on the dais; the centrepiece is the Sage Patanjali.
Lunchtime was at ‘The Pink House’ for Rose’s leaving do. The place is right next to the hotel and basically like a normal Indian house on the street, like you are going round to your neighbour for food. There were a group of about 14 people and the food was lovely, we were both pretty full still from breakfast so only had a little portion.
The rest of the afternoon we were in our room reading and hanging out together, we wanted to book the restaurant for our leaving do so we set off to walk to Jwala. Arriving about 5.30pm we were a little early for its opening at 6.30pm so we walked to Pascucci for a coffee. Walking the streets here now like locals, crossing the road it is important to keep the same steady pace and not pause, give way or stop even if you are honked! If you keep the same pace the bikes, cars, dogs, cows, buses and trucks will easily navigate around you. If you slow down there is more chance they will not understand and run into you! To fill time waiting for Jwala to open we went to Pascucci for coffee and bumped into Adam one of the teachers at the Shala in the morning and had a chat and catch up.
We spent a fair bit of the day contemplating how people come here for 3 months at a time and how it would be possible for us to do, not so much on a practical level but more of a mental one. We are both kind of looking forward to coming home now. If we were staying we would need to change the arrangements we have so we have some more individual space and time. It has been really lovely spending 5 weeks with my man but now if we were staying for 3 months we would need to remember we are individuals and pursue some things we like individually.
Mark said he would like to learn to paint Mysore School paintings (a very particular style of traditional painting dating from the late 1700’s, typical only of this area) and maybe learn the harmonium or Sitar. I would need to find somewhere to listen to live music, orchestral or operatic or pop ! I am missing my students loads now but it is probably impractical to have them all move over here! We would also need to find accommodation that is bigger than the small room we are staying in at the hotel. Who knows what might happen in a few years from now though…:-)
MARK
Back in the room we are sitting and reading, chatting about what to fit in over the next few days. I’ve been checking on dristi to make sure my focus point is right now some of my poses are deeper. It’s so useful to chat with Clive about bandhas (again) so I don’t forget, honestly I still hear Tammy from Sitges saying bandha, bandha, bandha and prodding me in the tummy during Mysore Practice with her over the last 2 summers.
Each teacher gives you a fresh perspective and a gift to remember them by through your own practice. It’s useful to have a main teacher like Hamish is to us but all of those who have helped along the way to re-fuel and inspire us like John & Lucy, Pepe, Tammy and Raquel leave their mark. Raquel gave me a smile to my practice and I will always keep this as she suggested.
Pose of the day:
Mark: Ardha baddha padma pascimattanasana
Clive: Pindasana
yogiblog 