Rock Bottom and Extreme

I don’t know, what’s going on with my practice, but today I had easily my best led class here. Yesterday’s practice was bad and today everything was like child’s play. My head is actually starting to turn left and my back was very good today. I even lifted one Urdva Dhanurasana up. Sharath wasn’t assisting me today, which in a way is a good sign, because then I know, that he thinks that I can cope on my own. But every day is so different, that next week can be totally another story.

This morning was weird. Coconut man wasn’t outside the Shala waiting for us, so we got out of the track immediately. I had chai with my neighbours Anna and Megan at Amruth’s and then coconuts at coco stand. After shower I was ready to go for a brekkie at SBP. Sun was smiling at me, when I walked along the Main Road. I was just admiring the beautiful morning, when I saw my friend Kaz crying in front of the coco stand. She is going back home in the middle of her trip, because her family needs her. I was hugging her and fighting against tiers. It’s just very very horrible to see your friend in sorrow. We were just hugging each other and telling that we will see during the next season. I am wishing all the best and so much courage for my dear Kaz on her way back home. Her Mysore family can’t wait to see her again, hopefully even this season.

On our way to SBP Sam and I talked about, how intense the practice is here. Anna had mentioned earlier her phone call with her granma, who said that she looks very happy, but tired. Sam said that his left eye looks different, because it’s so tired. When people are asking, what we do here and we are explaining that not that much but our practice, they keep wondering, how lazy we are. But practice here is just extreme, it’s nothing like practice back home. Lucia told me that one morning she woke up and was kneeling on the floor and praying that God would let her survive through her practice. We are on the edge basicly all the time here. I don’t know, what it is with this place, but we all keep smiling in a stupid way and walking around spaced out after practice. My friends, who have been assisting now, are just death tired. They all love to assist, but rocking some new poses from Third Series at the same time just isn’t easy. I think that we all are people, who love to be on the edge. Otherwise we wouldn’t feel so alive. Or tired.

But back home we need to rest. This is the place to break the walls and at home we will get everything in order. And then it’s time to come back here and jump over new barriers. People who think that ashtanga is boring, because it’s the same practice everyday, have no idea, how different every practice day is. Salty, sweet, sour, plain. All the flavours are there.