4th Practice Day......

LIFE:

I went walking yesterday afternoon, and took the camera as there is so much 'unique-ness' about this place. The camera is a digital SLR so, not in the slightest bit discrete. Some places I have been invite this to be a problem but here in Mysore, it just works. Most Indian people, both young, middle-aged and old just love to be photographed, and the most bizarre thing is that they aren't interested in seeing the photo. They just want to smile and pose.

Now I am back in stereo, as on day 4, I got back the use of both ears, the street sounds are also unique. Cars and auto-rickshaws beep on every opportunity, mostly to say "Hey, in about 10 seconds, I could bump into you, if you just stood still". 

Cows, goats (and this morning, pigs) also roam around with no obvious owner.

I tried hard to get a close up of a chicken that had previously been following me down the small, dusty street. But it soon stopped following me and never did get itself lined up for a portrait; much to the amusement of this local lady!

While on the senses, I have also never known so many smells in one place. Incense, food, burning wood just drift around like invisible clouds, yet there don't seem to be any putrid 'drainy' smells.

THE PRACTICE:
So, that is the fourth consecutive led Primary class to Sharath's lonnnnnnnnng counting. My body is feeling stronger, well, it did this morning.

I left the Vinay's guest house at 5.30 and sat quietly on the shala steps, with everyone else, until the door opened at 6.15 to let the 4.45 shift leave. This mornings walk, before sunrise, was quite memorable because as Jorg (my house-mate) and myself strolled up towards the Mysore Bank, 5 or 6 pigs, along with their piglets, stampeded across the street, taking us both by complete surprise. 

Being 4 in now, Sharath no longer gives me that feeling that I've had all week, when he walks in and announces Samastithi (ready to move forward). The previous 3 reminded me of how I used to feel when my 6 foot something maths teacher used to put the exam paper in front of me. Now I'm more in tune to what we are about to go through. In fact, his humour is unique. A few times, people transpose from up-dog into down-dog before 'pooncha'(5), which leaves us all on hold while he asks "why are you rushing? Do you have to go somewhere?".

With the elevated temperature and compounded energy, the practice feels a-mazing. Other things must be helping too i.e. the wonderful local vegetarian diet that would satisfy anyone that enjoys Indian foods, (so long as they wash their hands) and also the fact that the days can be spent resting if you feel that way inclined.

As we do the series and, day by day, things change in your asana's, Gurugi's words really make sense. It truly is an internal practice,......... internal practice.

Sirsasana (headstand) is still defeating me because it falls at the end of the series, and that wretched counting to 25 is an  easy 50 of my breaths (and I thought I had a long breath!)

There is an opportunity to enrol for a chanting course at the shala today. It will run at 5.30 p.m. (phew!) on Monday, Wednesday & Friday for the month. 

While registering, the Indian Asana class was going on. There were 7 people of mixed age and ability doing their Mysore style practice. It would've been nice to just watch but, as anticipated, it is against the rules. Fair enough.