The Rest of The Day...

So... You might wonder what we do after practice every morning.

Well, obviously a trip to Mysore, India with a small toddler is a little different then being here without a child.

When you are here studying without the householder duties of making sure your child doesn't run into traffic, or eat garbage, or drink the water from the tap...  some students will study Sanskrit, Yoga Sutras, or other sacred texts, learn chanting, and possibly have a long enjoyable breakfast or lunch with friends, and certainly enjoy an afternoon nap (or two)...

During the weekends, many students go and visit famous temple sites, or the near by Tibetan settlement, or stay in Coorg at a coffee plantation for a night or two. 

Practicing in Mysore with a toddler is a little different... There is not much time for resting. 
Naps are almost unheard of, and pretty much from the time we finish practice and get home, we are "on the move" - no time for temples or deep introspective contemplation.   
It's Karma & Bhakti Yoga all wrapped into one little bundle of energy, and so we just keep practicing all day long...

Jediah loves being outside.  So, here are some of the things you can do for fun with a toddler in Mysore... or at least some of the things we've been doing.

One Saturday morning we went to the main Market downtown.  That was so much fun for him.  Very entertaining to see all the food, flowers, colors and different people all around.

Just watch out for the dead rats you might possible find laying in the middle of the market from time to time!  eeks!  No one wants to touch them, so they just get covered over with Newspaper, and so if you're not careful where you are stepping... yup - you might just step on one! 

Another Saturday morning we found ourselves at the Mysore Zoo.  Also a fun place to visit with a child.  You can see the animals really close up, and it is pretty hilarious to see his reactions to all the different animals there.  It's an "old school" Zoo though, so if you have allergies (like I do) then I recommend making sure you have some Benadryl on hand, as there is a lot of dust & hair & animal excrement smell in the air!  

Every night we have Bath Time.  Yes - small people can bath here right inside a bucket! 
Jediah loves it.  He climbs right into the bucket and jumps up & down making a huge splash all over the floor.  Definitely a favorite time of the day for all of us!

Most of the day during the week we are just Monkeying around.  Jediah is jumping on us, running around the house, jumping onto or off of furniture, and almost every day we go to the park so he can run around and climb on everything there. 

Parks in India are mostly wide open spaces with a path around, which suits him just fine, as he can run & play to his heart's content. They can be a lot of fun for a certain type of "adventurous" spirit.

As a parent though you will have to watch out for some serious "death traps" that might be around, like slides that are about 8 feet tall and straight down with a large bump in the middle!  yikes!
Or how about a merry-go-round that only moves backwards, is completely rusted out, and hanging off it's center point.  Fun Times have been had by all at these parks! 
If you're a little more relaxed though, it is super funny, and Jediah loves them - especially the most hazardous play things. 

For the past couple weeks we've been having Sudha come in and help babysit Jediah in the morning, so that we can practice together at the same time.  She is a wonderful help, as are the other baby-sitters we've had here: Ratna and Anita.  He loves playing with her, and they have a great time.  The India people love children so much, and so in many ways it is a real joy to be here with a child, and Jediah loves all the attention.

For lunch we will either cook our own food or have Ratna bring us some of her delicious home cooked food or we will make the trip over to Sandhya's house for an amazing meal.  Sandhya is a dear friend of ours and an amazing woman, whom we've had the good fortune to spend time with both here in India and in Thailand as well!

* * * *

What Mysore Trip would be complete without a few surprise visits and a Special Indian Function?

Earlier this month, we were super happy and surprised to have a wonderful visit from Kimberly "Kiki" Flynn.  A good friend of ours from NY, and many years of practice here in Mysore, who was just passing through for a week.  We took a sweet sweet walk down memory lane with her!

Another surprise visit happened... our friend Isaac Murchie also came to hang out with us for a couple days, passing through on his way to do some research in Chennai.  Lots of laughs, and good times were had by all as we tripled on our little scooter around Gokulam.  What a fantastic couple weeks with some amazing friends that we don't get the opportunity  to see very often!

Certainly, the Surprise "Indian Function" was a wonderful afternoon for us!
We felt so blessed to be included in the celebration of a very special moment last week as we attending our friend's wedding!  We have known Taran for many years from practicing here in Mysore, and this year was a really special one for both us, and her, as she married her best friend and true love.

This was a gorgeous day in every way, and the ceremony was one of the most beautiful and symbolic weddings that I have ever had the good fortune of attending.  What a wonderful way to honor this couple and experience our first Sikh wedding as well!  Taran was stunning - as you can see!

 * * * * *

Another must while in Mysore is a visit to Chamundi Hill to sit and chat with Swamiji.  This was a real highlight for me this trip.  I was left wishing we had another month here so that we could come and visit him a few more times - an enlightening and inspiring human being.

 

You can always stop at the New & Fancy "Mysore Mall" on the way home as well...  A new thing for us this trip, as it never existed in previous years here.

 *  *  *  * 

We've been enjoying some relaxing days by the pool... well, swimming, splashing, jumping, running, and maybe once in awhile stopping to warm up in a towel and drink some juice.

It has been part of the enjoyment this trip to spend some days with Jediah playing outside in the sun and laughing with friends by the pool.  It is such a great way of getting a little "holiday" while in India... and if you've spent any long periods of time in India, then you will understand and appreciate how much you need a "holiday" from time to time! 

It's our last week here in Mysore (insert sad face here)...  :(

So on Friday night we went out with some good friends, and had a dinner at the Green Hotel.  The Green Hotel is a Heritage Spot here in Mysore, and a beautiful place to watch the sun set and eat some "chats" while drinking "fresh lime soda" with friends.
It was such a fantastic night!  So many laughs & good times.
We'll be missing many of these beautiful faces, but hopefully meeting many of them once again either in Canada or somewhere else around the world sooner rather then later!

Pretty much every day we go and get a fresh coconut from our friend Prasad or his Father Guru at the Coconut stand.  Jediah loves the Young Coconuts, as well as the "Straw Wands",  and he will drink almost a whole one to himself.  What he loves even more is the huge rock pile beside the coconut stand that he gets to climb and jump down while we drink our coconuts! 

There is never a lack of interesting sites to show Jediah even just walking down the neighborhood streets.  We need not go very far... there is always something new and interesting for him to see and learn about!  I think we'll have to find some extra ways to stimulate him when we return to Canada after being here for 2 months!  Unfortunately, we don't get many sacred ox walking around the streets of Victoria.

Well, that is pretty much a little glimpse into what we get up to for the rest of the day in Mysore - after finishing practice at 7am.  

Jediah loves Idly & Dosa - so we always tend to go for Indian Breakfast, which is very inexpensive and delicious!  I think we will be missing the South Indian Breakfast as much as our friends and the practice here, once we return home at the end of the week.

It has been an amazing two months of learning, growth, introspection, recovery, rejuvenation, and intense practice.
This visit back to our roots here in Mysore could not have come at a better time for us personally, and we will be returning home feeling more inspired and energized to keep sharing the wisdom and mystery of this incredible practice of Ashtanga Yoga. 

It is always a bit sad for us to leave Mother India... and she has been both gentle and sweet to us this trip (thankfully!) so it is definitely difficult to say "goodbye".
However, one must at some point return to the place from which they've come, and so we go, and carry India with us in our hearts for another year.

Well, that's all for now... I guess we'll be seeing some of you very soon!

 

And for other... May You Be Held Safe in the Hand of God Until We Meet Again!  

OM

Conference from Sunday January 13th in Mysore

This week we had a really special conference with Sharath. There were so many good questions and discussion about some really deep philosophical questions. 

 I will do my best to capture some of the highlights here for those of you who are here in spirit rather then in body! 

Although, as you can see, there are A LOT of people here these days!

Conference began with Sharath talking about how spiritual knowledge grows within you when you practice with your focus on the greater aspects of yoga, namely living the yamas and niyamas both on and off your mat.

He quoted a lovely verse in Sanskrit that said something like: when the Sun sets it takes back its rays, the harshness of the sun disappears. So it is with a Yogi who is established in the 3rd limb. The mind will become steady, it becomes wiser within, and all harshness disappears.
He also mentioned that dawn and dusk were very good times for meditation.

Sharath spoke of the Hatha Pradipika and how it emphasizes that without first becoming stable in asana, the other limbs of yoga are difficult to reach.  The asana practice brings stability to both the body and mind. The real yoga is nit what you are seeing on the outside, but what is happening on the inside, how it is transforming you.

"Samatvum Yoga Uycate" - he quotes the Bhagavad Gita, reminding us that true yoga is about being able to keep the mind balanced and steady under every circumstance, good or bad.

This is also Santosha - learning to be happy and content within no matter what the external circumstances are.

He was reminiscent of Guruji in saying that to be born as a human is very special...
We should "Think God, and don't waste time."
He spoke of the 4 stages (ashrams) of life in Indian culture, and how Yoga can happen through every stage. It can begin as a child learning to pray to God, and give thanks for waking up each morning, for food, there are prayers for many things...
Taking time to give thanks and focus on God can help to create more positive energy within you.

We cannot say that there is no God. We feel the energy all around - this Sharath would say is God. When you see this energy in a form, that form becomes God for you. Sometimes we see this energy in others and feel this energy in their presence. Each day when you practice you are feeling God.
Sometimes there is pain, but even in that pain you can feel God.
Sharath says with a laugh, "The pain is a sign that there is something inside waking me up!"

This whole life is full of difficulties and challenges... Try to awaken your inner joy!

Samsara is only outside us, but when we start to become influenced by our circumstances outside, then the Samsara moves inside also.

Yoga is a development that happens within, we can become more aware of it when we pay attention to how the practice is effecting us. We have to be responsible in this world and treat others equally. When we feel a sense of competition then we have forgotten the real essence of yoga.

"No one can own yoga.  You can share your experience, that is all."

The Last Sunday Conference of 2012

Yesterday was the last conference of 2012.  

Here are some notes and thoughts from Sharath's talk:

The name "Yoga" has grown in fame around the world, but the meaning is missing.  

What is the meaning of Yoga?   

Yoga-citta-vritti-nirodha "Yoga is to still the mind."  

Yoga is for self transformation.  

Many people have forgotten this, and are caught up in the asana-s only.   

"Asana for asana sake is just bending your body."

 

When you are truly established in the asana practice, there will be no disorders of the mind.  You will become totally absorbed in what you are practicing, the senses will withdraw inside, and your concentration will become very one-pointed.

Sharath recalled a great story about a student that asks his teacher, "why have I not gained the experience of Self-Realization" and the teacher one morning takes him to a river and holds his head underneath the water, and the student fights with all his might to come up for air, and when the teacher finally lets him up, the student gasps "why did you do that?"  

The Teacher says, "if you want to experience Self-Realization or Enlightenment, the goal of Yoga, you must want it as much as you wanted that breath of air."

  

 As practitioners and seekers, we must want to taste the experience of real yoga within ourselves, as much as a drowning man fights for air - a sincere effort must be made in this direction.

He followed this up by saying that a true student devotes his or her whole self to the practice, and as you go deeper and deeper the knowledge will automatically glow from within you.  However, this transformation only comes when we devote ourselves fully to the practice, and do real Sadhana (spiritual practices) for a long time, consistently.  

"Yoga is a life-long study."  

Every month, every year, you should learn something new, experience something new, and go deeper.

This is what the aim should be. 

Sharath also spoke about the six passions of the mind that cover one's true nature.  

The six covers are: kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (delusion), mada (pride), matsarya (jealousy).  These six covers need to be removed through our sadhana if we are to see and understand Reality as it is.   

He said that if you are humble and start to get rid of the ego, then there will be progress in yoga.  However, you cannot just read about Yoga, or memorize texts on Yoga - the mastery will come only when you practice and apply the teachings within your daily life.  Only then will you gain experiential knowledge. 

Sadhana isn't easy though, you must choose one path.  It is a discipline; and often you must struggle within yourself to overcome many obstacles.  A daily commitment to continue to practice must be there, and the more distracted you are with many things in the world, the more difficult it becomes to reach higher levels of Yoga.  You must discipline yourself and limit the distractions in life.  

Through the practice of Yoga, you will become more sensitive to things. As you develop a disciplined mind you can start to feel a connection to a higher cosmic consciousness.  This process, what is happening within you, cannot be spoken about, the changes are internal, and as the effects grow stronger, maintaining your practice will become more central for you.

Happy Continued Practicing into the New Year Everyone!

We want to give a huge THANKS to Nikki & Sebastian, who taught for the month of December in our morning Mysore Program.  It was an incredible month for so many of our students back in Victoria, and I'm sure that everyone looks forward to having you back again some day!

  

We are also happy to have some time to reconnect with you both here in Mysore now!  

Let the fun begin!   

As we approach the NEW YEAR... we are taking some time to project our vision of what is to come by finding the one word that spontaneously comes to mind when we think of 2013!

You can play along too... 

We'd love to hear what your word for the year past and the year to come are... 

The one word that comes to mind for me that would describe last year 2012 is "Intense".

And my word for 2013... well, that's just going to have to wait until tomorrow!   

Happy New Year!  

We look forward to connecting with you all again soon - Let's make 2013 the best year yet!

Hari Om 

Sunday December 23 - Mysore Conference Notes

Last Sunday, December 23, was a really wonderful conference with Sharath Jois.  

There was much discussed, and so I cannot tell you everything; but here are some highlights of things

talked about, and touched upon that I found particularly meaningful. 

I hope that they help to inspire you as well, and continue to find deeper meaning and experience within your own practice wherever you may be!

A Guru is a supreme teacher.  He removes obstacles within the students.  The Guru is your guide towards liberation.  

The Guru is not your friend, he is like a father.  

 

 

The Guru puts light, strength, and knowledge inside you, so that you will not commit wrongs.  He helps with self-transformation and ultimately complete liberation.  He tells you how to direct your mind spiritually. 

Mother is the first Guru to everyone.  

A Mother is like 100 Fathers, for Mothers make the biggest sacrifice.  

In Indian culture, your Mother is the first person you should pray for, and give thanks for, then your Father, and then your Guru.  This is the order of importance within one's life. 

* * * * *

In your asana practice, the finishing postures are very important.  You should go into the postures slowly, and move out of them slowly.  The inversions are very good for circulation.  They help you to store more Amrita Bindu within your head, so that you live a long healthy life. 

Tapas - if you want to have higher levels of Sadhana (spiritual practice) you have to sacrifice many things that do not support your practice of Yoga.  

Without devotion it is impossible to understand what Yoga is. 

Jnana Yoga, Bhakti, Yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Raja Yoga are all contained within Ashtanga Yoga - the Eight Limbs.   Ashtanga Yoga is not only asana practice, but it is the 8 limbs of Patanjali.  Asana is only 1 limb.  If you don't practice Yama & Niyama, what is the purpose of doing asanas? 

Practice will become more meaningful when you apply all the aspects of the eight limbs into your life.

Asana helps to bring stability to the mind and body, and without stability, bhakti and jnana cannot happen; however, you need to practice asana with a correct purpose.  If you are practicing correctly, it can become like a meditation.  You will forget everything else because the mind will become focused and centered, and then your mind will begin to change.  

The asana practice is a foundation.  It should be practiced daily, but asana is not the final stages of yoga.  It is just the beginning, where we start... 

A basic understanding of Yoga means that you should become more humble in yourself.  

Yoga is bigger then you. 

 

 

Well, there are some notes from conference last Sunday... just in time for tomorrow! 

Happy New Year Everyone!  May you be blessed in 2013!

 Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah! 

Hari Om

A Morning in Mysore...

If you've never been to Mysore, you might wonder what a day here is like.

Well, no day is ever quite the same, and every trip seems to carry with it a different energy, but there is also a rhythm to life here in India that is simplistic and beautiful if you take the time to stop your busy, chattering mind, and just listen...

There is a quiet here in the early morning that penetrates deep into the inner self.
We awake at 2am to start our morning with some tea or coffee, spiritual reading, chanting, and pranayama. The first group of students starts to arrive at the Shala around 3:45am. The gates open at 4:00am, which is 4:15am  "Shala Time".  Everyone in the early shift has started their asana practice by 4:30am.

If you are not starting in the first group, you come at whatever time Sharath gives you.  You can sleep in a little bit longer, or relax at home and hear the Muslim call to prayer at 5:25am and the again at 6:40am.  It is an incredible sound that echos throughout the city.  It is somewhat haunting, and yet, also comforting.

Around that same time you can also hear Chanting start up from the Krishna Temple near by, and Musical Prayers playing from some loud speaker, at an unknown location. Everything early in the morning is focused on taking time to turn the mind towards God. To practice Yoga, Union, in some way.

On the walk home from the Shala, you can see women out sweeping their front walk, men on bicycles  calling out different vegetables or herbs they are selling, and as the sun rises into the sky everything is bathed in a beautiful soft light.
The sound of pressure cookers periodically releasing their steam into space is accompanied by delicious smells of traditional South Indian breakfast.

I feel that this early morning time is especially sacred here. There is an order to things, a peacefulness and calm that insulates everything, before the rest of the day turns into total chaos!
Everything else from mid-morning to evening seems completely unpredictable!
Anything can happen.
This element of sponteanuity creeps into the day, and it can be exciting and adventurous, but it can also be exhausting.
Usually by 6pm we are ready to take an evening bath (clean the dirty off our feet at minimum) and crawl into bed. With any luck we can get Jediah to sleep before 8pm!

The next day... We start all over again...