23rd Practice

It was raining again during the night and I woke up once, because it was really pouring so heavily. I went inside the Shala before the mantra and practiced again next to Ursula. I have really good practice time now. It’s not too early and I am able to select my spot. Some people, who came after me, got a new practice time and they are starting really early. I suppose Sharath will change my practice time later again, but as long as I am in five o’clock group, I am more than happy.

Today’s practice was much better and I realized, that I am so stiff because of the rain and cold weather. I can feel more soreness in my body overall, too and I am quite sure that this is because of the cold nights. This is actually good, because now I can feel more like I would be practicing in Finland. I have to warm up more and really focus on my breath.

Sharath assisted me with Uthita Hasta Padangusthasana and asked after the practice, if I was able to close my hands in Supta Kurma. This time I said to the assistant that he shouldn’t try to cross my legs in Supta Kurma, because it’s at the moment just too much for me. I did finishing poses in changing room again. There I can take it a little bit easier, but I shouldn’t let the laziness take over. I have to work more with Utplutih, it is just so sad asana right now.

I had my chanting class at 11 o’clock again. Starting from tomorrow I will change my group and I will have chanting three times per week after that. I don’t know, if we start to resonate some new texts or is it just a smaller group and more intense work. We will see.

I saw Mikko by chance in Anu’s Cafe and we had lunch together. I got really good information about Yoga Thailand’s TT course, because Mikko has done it before. I asked about the final exam and it will be really demanding. I thought that it wouldn’t be so hard, but when Mikko started to explain about it, I realized, that I have really some studying to do. For example I have to know some mantras and keep a led class for small group. And of course there will be a written exam, too. Luckily I can start my studies here and I don’t have too much disturbing things going on.

22nd Practice

Very terrible practice indeed. Last week was so perfect, that I knew, that at some point the whole practice would sort of collapse. I had two days off and it obviously wasn’t a good thing. My back started to hurt a little bit yesterday and I noticed that almoust the whole right side of my body was really sore. This morning the back was ok (I did some stretching yesterday to give some space for my vedebras), but I didn’t feel good. Last night’s sleep was bad, because people shoot the firecrackers and fireworks along the night. Usually it’s a good idea to practice, when you are sleepy and grumpy, but this time it wasn’t.

Many people looked tired at the Shala. It has been raining quite much and maybe other people haven’t been able to sleep either. I had my favorit spot, but very tall guy was practicing in front of me and put his legs on to my mat many times. I just really hate that. I understand, that it’s harder to stay on your mat, when you are really tall, but you should just go more forward and only come to other person’s mat for example in Chakrasana. Maybe they don’t teach that to the students in other schools, but I almoust stopped my practice and told him to go forward. Yes. I wasn’t very om and shanti today.

My muscles were really sore and I was hard as a rock. So stiff and lot of pain. I stopped in Supta Kurma, because I felt that I couldn’t breath and I wanted to vomit. Really strange practice, hopefully I am not getting ill. I did the finishing poses with others, but I couldn’t get Utplutih up and also Urdva Dhanurasana was fiasco. Sharath wants me to take it up directly, but when I am practicing my normal Mysore practice, I do three small ones and then three times up. I am so careful with my back. I know that I have to change it, because Sharath is watching me and he knows that I can take it up, but I am just so worried about my back. I haven’t told Sharath about my back problems and I know, that he won’t force me to do anything, but I suppose it would be wise to tell him about my previous problems anyway.

I watched the second group again and noticed that many people had problems with balance today. There is now one Finnish girl Heidi practicing among second group. She said that she is mostly practicing alone and I have to say, that she has worked hard on her own, because I really liked her practice. We had a good laught today, when Sharath sort of forgot Ursula in Karandavasana and she stayed there ages waiting Sharath to get her up. The whole audience started to laught, when Sharath continued the counting, all of the sudden noticed, that Ursula is still down and then rushed to get poor Ursula up.

I was so happy yesterday, when I came back home and I had received a parcel. I got my yoga books for Yoga Thailand finally! You can’t count on Indian post office at all. The whole packet was ripped off and they had checked the books through. It doesn’t really matter, what you send, they will check it anyway. I heard that they can even cut your postcards to see, if there is some money glued inside. So lucky me again, that I got my valuable books!

Diwali and Metropole

Yesterday started the crazy diwali celebration. It seems that Indians really love festivals, because all the time here is some carneval going on or at least here is a day of one of the Hindu gods. And I can promise that Indians have so many gods that we could celebrate every day of the year. For example this Diwali celebration is interesting, because I haven’t figured out is it the main festival day Friday or Sunday, because it seems that for other people Friday is more important and others say that Sunday is the day. What really happened was, that we yogis had Friday off and Indian children were shooting lot of firecrackers.

We didn’t have Supper Club this week, because we went out for a dinner instead of our normal Friday routine. Our group is getting bigger. Last night we had Aimee, Maria, Ahu, Melissa and Brian. Brian is Aimee’s really good friend from States and still suffering from a pretty good jetlag, because he arrived a couple of days ago and among other things missed his flight on his way here. It’s crazy, how long it takes for Americans to get here. No wonder that they seem to upgrade their seats to the first class…

I am sure that this Diwali wasn’t typical for Indian children, because it was pouring so heavily, that we didn’t really hear so many firecrackers. I don’t still have an umbrella, so I walked to Aimee’s place my towel around my head and ended up there completely soaked. It was literally like walking through a small river. Ahu joked, that this is the only way to wash streets in India and I have to agree.

We went for a dinner to Hotel Metropole. This was actually the first time, when I weared make-up here. But you still don’t feel very trendy, because you have to dress up like grandma. I don’t even have any high heels here. Metropole was really nice place and the food was so good there. This was the first time, when I got really spicy Indian food. I love spicy food, but I have started to feel, that it is might not that good for my body. I had vegetarian kebab. It sounded so weird, that I decided to try it. We ended up tasting each others’ food which is actually the best way to figure out, what is good in the restaurant. Only thing, what was terrible there, was my drink called Green Eyes. Melissa described it as mixture of soap and man’s parfume. Aimee said that it looked radioactive. Hah. First drink ever, which I couldn’t drink, and Aimee was so friendly, that she returned my drink and got some soda instead for me.

On our way back home, it wasn’t raining anymore. That was good, because the girls, who weren’t sitting in the middle of the riksha, got really wet on our way to the hotel. After the dinner, we went to Aimee’s. We had organised a little suprise for one of our friends, who got amazingly good news during this week. Girls had ordered special cake for her and we had some sparkling, too. Rest of the night we were just laying on the floor gossiping… Party house Rashinkar tries to keep up its reputation and so we stayed up until midnight.

21st Practice and Philosophy Class

It was pouring heavely during the whole night. I don’t have an umbrella, so luckily the rain stopped just before I stepped out. Monsuun is here, but I don’t mind. I like rain and air is fresh every morning after the rain. It’s so good for the nature and I like to fall asleep, when I hear the raindrops. Rain is something very peaceful. And chai and rain so belong together.

I was practicing next to British Ursula, which was a good place to practice, because she has a very stable practice. It felt that today’s led class was very demanding, but in a good way. I felt suprizingly strong and practice was going well. Sharath assisted again with Uthita Hasta Padangusthasana and even that asana is getting slightly better. I got too strong adjustement in Supta Kurmasana, so I needed to back off a little bit. I suppose, that it’s very difficult to size the amount of power, if you are quite tall or big yourself. It takes time to learn to read the student. I wait very much studies regarding that in Yoga Thailand. It will be wonderful to learn more about body and mind. I kept Sirsasana up the whole counting, but on the contrary Utplutih was on the floor from one until the end. I just didn’t have any power left. But all together I was pleased with my practice.

It’s so good to notice that I am building up my strength step by step. I want to be in shape, when I am going to Thailand and this is a really good opportunity to get back on track after my back problems. Every day I have to repeat to myself, that take it easy. I can feel that my hips are opening more, but I have to be supercareful with my back. I must think about it during my whole practice. One tiny slip can be sort of fatal to me. It’s so difficult, because my mind is very greedy and wants to put my body aside.

I went to Shala’s philosophy class today. The teaching style is very Indian, maybe even too Indian for me, but it’s good to come familiar with the basic concepts and definitions. As a Western person, it’s so difficult to understand, how big matter karma here is. Every day you work with your karma. Some way it sounds terrible that so much depends on the family to which you were born. I was wondering today, what Indians think about adoption. If you born to a lower cast family and then you will sort of upgrade your status, if you are adopted to a good family or how it works? Is it then just that you might did something good in your previous life?

Horoscopes are also extremely important here and even in Guruji book it’s mentioned that Guruji’s and his wife Amma’s horoscopes weren’t match, but Amma wanted to marry Guruji anyway. And old yoga students say in book, that they were very happy together. It’s very beautiful to see here everyday people, whose faith is so strong. They believe that correctly done puja can heel a person and some women are upset, when they can’t do certain puja, when it should be done, because they have periods. Religion is here part of everyday’s life. In Finland you can’t really see religion, but here you can’t avoid it. I am just wondering, how big shock it must be for Indians to travel abroad and see countries, where religion is considered as some kind of like madness. It feels like Guruji was almoust like radical among Indians at his time, because he decided to teach Westeners and both women as well as men at the same time, too. He also taught very ill people and didn’t care, when the other students said, that they will leave, if the lepers will practice. I have got the impression that Guruji was very religious person, but he said that yoga is for everyone, only not for lazy people. It’s interesting, that open-mindnesness can be considered as radical at the same time.

20th Practice / Very Early Morning, Finnish Group Is Getting Bigger

I went to see Sharath yesterday, because it was time to pay my monthly fee. He changed my practice time once again, so I started this morning at 5.00 a.m. Shala time. So I have to wake up at 4.10 a.m. regular time, because I have now new breathing practice, which I have to practice for Yoga Thailand (before my usual asana practice). Sort of change for my previous life, because before I used to walk home from a bar or after-bar-parties at that time. I suppose those days are quite much gone now…

The cool thing with the early morning is, that we are doing the opening mantra together. I love that. It feels like the whole group is more together sharing the morning and the practice. I don’t know, why Sharath selected me to start so early, because the other people, who used to practice with me, start now half an hour later than I. Many of those unreal people are practising now at the same time with me. My favorit guy was next to me today and the door was on the other side, so quite nervous spot. Luckily the guy next to me did very calm practice, so I didn’t freak out totally. I should have a slower pace. Those practices, which are quite slow, are so beautiful.

Today’s practice was a little bit tired, because I didn’t get that much sleep last night. I was assisted in Uthita Hasta Padangusthasana and Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana. The guy, who assisted me with Uthita Hasta Padangusthasana is really tall. So he took my foot really high. Maybe even too high. I didn’t wanted to say anything, because his adjustment was otherwise good. I haven’t ever been assisted with Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana and it was strange. Very difficult to go down, when somebody keeps your other foot really high. I just have to loosen up my hips a little bit more and then I can close Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana as well as Yoga Mudra.

I did finishing postures in changing room, because there was no space in the Shala. Changing room was really dark and I had just a tiny spot for my mat upstairs. Try it once at home, it’s quite interesting to do your finishing postures in dark. You can only hear your and your friends’ breath. It’s nice feeling, when you know that you can control your body so well that you don’t actually have to see anything to do your asanas. And Savasana is so relaxing in dark.

So here is now three Finns plus I. Matleena, who I met first time in Houtskär, arrived last week. We met Finnish Heidi in Anu’s Cafe two days ago. Yesterday I saw Mikko, who is a friend of many of my friends in Finland. It’s funny to meet someone, who you already know in some way. Mikko is teaching in Copenhagen and he showed me yesterday some pictures from their new shala. It is so beautiful place and you can go inn, when you like, because you have your own key. They have really figured out all the details (like the places of lights and mats etc.). I wish, that I could visit that shala someday. Mikko was very helpful and I got many nice movies and documents to watch. It’s wonderful to get some new friends again.

19th Practice / Very Good Indeed!

Like I thought, my muscles were quite sore this morning. I walked to the Shala and the waiting room was full of people, who I didn’t know. Sharath called me first in and told, that I should come tomorrow at 5.30 a.m. So I have to start my practice tomorrow at 5.15 a.m. regular time. Btw. It’s good to know, that when you wait in the waiting room, the old students go first in. It doesn’t matter, if you arrived before to the waiting room, the old students (who arrived to Mysore before you) will pass you and then you go in.

My spot was next to the main door and first it bothered me a bit, because Sharath called often ”One more / Two more / Wait” next to me and went to check the people in waiting room. I was quite stiff in the beginning and because it was raining outside the air was very humid and sorf of heavy, too. When my body got warmer, the practice started to be more focused. When the start is sticky, I start to listen to my breath and then it’s easier to concentrate. Uthita Hasta Padangusthasana was very wobbling again, but Marichyasana D was closed alone both sides. Sharath didn’t see that, because he went to the office on that moment. Bhujapida is coming back to me, too. It’s stronger and I can keep my heels off the floor. Now, I should get my heels back and up and then it would be more by the book.

Sharath came to assist me with Kurmasana. He just touched my back really lightly and I went much deeper to the pose. I didn’t feel any pain, I was actually very relaxed. I was able to keep my hands together almoust the whole time in Supta Kurma and I managed to jump back without touching the floor. So when I finished the pose, Sharath said very good and promised that I can do Garbha Pindasana tomorrow. I said: ”Cool!”. Oh jeah! My rocking chair is back! Can’t wait to hit the floor tomorrow. Hah. I am very happy, because Supta Kurma is easily the most difficult asana for me and now I passed it. I still have so much work to do with Primary Series, but it’s nice to get one asana more. I can build up my strength more.

I have to say, that led class isn’t always so hilarious time, but it really builds up your strength. I am much stronger now. I can keep my Sirsasana up much longer than before and every fight with Navasana it’s worth it. So it’s in the name of led class!

Rocking Practice!

Yes. Very good morning today. Marichyasana D closed alone on both sides! Finally, it has been so near two weeks and now I did it. Only light pain with my ankle anymore, so half-lotus is easier and that’s the way it came back to me. Also little progress with Supta Kurma, because an assistant was able to close my hands. Before only Sharath could do that, but it seems that my stiff hips are getting a bit more loose. Today was the day, when I took the first breath and I knew, that today the practice will rock. Sometimes you just know.

Today I practiced really in the middle of the Shala. Indian girl Tiana practiced in front of me and it was quite fun, because we started almoust at the same time, so the whole practice went so, that she was like my mirror. It was good practice for me specially, because I was able to observe, how long my breath is. I have quite short breath and I am trying to learn to make it a little bit longer. Then my whole practice is calmer.

Sharath wasn’t assisting me today, but I felt his eyes on my back many times. Even Bhujapidasana was much more better today. It’s clear, that rest did good for my muscles. Tomorrow will be harder, because my muscles will be more tired, but I don’t mind. Today everything went so well…