Finally settling in...

So today is Saturday November the 28th and its been an amazing day.

I've been having trouble sleeping and that's not something I am going to get into right now, and last night even though it was quiet, was no exception. I did however fall back asleep and get about 5 hours all told before I had to get up very early to get to the shala for led class. I hadn't a lot of energy but I decided I was just going to surrender and not put any physical effort into practice other than with my breath. So, that's what I did. I did not hold chattering at all, I didn't lift up and jump back or jump through. I did the laziest versions of all these things that I could do. And surprisingly enough the practice ended up energizing me and making me feel great.

After that I had chai with some friends after our after practice coconuts, then home to oil my hair and body and then have a hot shower before heading for an Indian breakfast with a great group of friends at Sri Durga. I got to introduce a new friend to a couple of the local specialties. And it was a great breakfast.

Then we headed back to the shala for conference with our teacher Sharath.

Last season many of the conferences completely inspired me and filled me full of good stuff to take back home, but since I've been here this time they've been just so so. This one was far beyond that though and started getting my heart juices flowing again and reinvigorated me with the reason why I am here at all. The fact that this practice is a whole lifestyle and is so much more than just the asanas. Now he always says many of these things, but today he dug into it more deeply and his son was there with him which is also a tug on the heart strings, seeing them interact with one another. Sambav is a mini version of Sharath and you can almost imagine what a precocious child he was himself, but also just adorable and funny, which Sharath still is actually.

I'm not going to get into the particulars of what he talked about because that wasn't the point. The point for me is how it affected me and how it will come back out of me in the future, in my teaching and in my life, so that will come in time.

Fumika and I talked later about how much respect we have for him and the disciplined lifestyle he leads and from the teachings he learned from his grandfather how he just keeps wanting to share it with us.

He did address one thing I was most impressed with and I will talk a bit about. Someone asked about some friends of his back home, I believe he was Russian and where he lives there is no authorized teacher and how the new rule of having to study with one or a certified teacher for a few months before being able to apply to study with Sharath is now necessary, so they are wanting to come but won't get to. What should he tell them? And Sharath was right on the ball with his answer and said tell them to wait until you're authorized and then you can teach them and then they can come here. The he went on to expound upon why he set the rule and how with so many coming he can't give them the energy he would need to give them to be able to accept them as a student, so by having them learn all the basics with one of his teachers, who he has approved, then he can know and trust they will know the basics at least when they come and he can help to advance their practice.

In saying this he's not only showing his belief and his support in the teachers he's taken time to cultivate and has authorized them but he's also taking care of himself but not taking on too much, even though he really still does I think. I really appreciated that and it made me appreciate him even more than I did before.

After conference we sped off to see the new installment of the Hunger Games movie franchise, also the final film in the series. It really stuck to the book and I loved it. After that we ate at Dhatu, which I haven't been to much this trip for some reason, and it was really good too.

So I guess I'm just having a damn good day! I'm feeling settled into the groove again of this place and the yoga is taking great affect on my body and mind. At first a lot of emotion was coming out but now its feeling more like I'm integrating those lessons and am able to bring myself around to a more neutral mental place before just reacting and that feels nice.

Now the progress begins. I talked with someone the other day about how one month here really isn't long enough since the first month seems like you're being cut open, the second month feels like the surgery is happening and then the third month is really like being sewn back up. Now at the end of my first month, November, I'm feeling ready for the shifts and realizations that can happen during the surgery!

How are you feeling?