OK - So I realize I'm horrible at writing this blog, considering the last entry was almost a year ago!
It's not that I don't have great intentions, it's just that we are so busy when living and teaching in Canada I honestly can barely find time to sleep, let alone write something intelligent or even remotely worth reading!
Now that we have returned to our home away from home, Mysore India, I am feeling the start of an indescribable release into a deep inner space where my heart and mind can once again come into synchronicity with each other. I have only had three days of practice at the Shala with Sharath, but even in those three practices I feel that all the effort, energy, time, and expense of getting here is worth it. Each breath, every vinyasa, I could feel an inner strength gathering and growing once again, the pain in my body starting to subsiding, my mind relaxing and moving inward while my spirit softens.
However, any trip to India rarely comes without many other accompanying difficulties. As you probably know, Jeff and I are here with our almost 3 year old son, Jediah.
We spent our first two weeks in Goa, at the beautiful Purple Valley Retreat Centre teaching a retreat. The centre itself is lovely, the staff there are incredible, and the students who came were all a delight.
We couldn't have imagined a better entry into India. I am always amazed at the beauty and openness from most of the local Indian people. There is something so honest about their attitudes and interactions. It is such a gift.
That said, it was a bit of a rocky start in other ways, as both Jeff and our little Jediah have been struggling with tormenting health issues since our arrival. Jeff had a terrible case of bronchitis, and Jediah has been plagued with bites and infections, as well as a cough and cold. Luckily, Mysore has several very good physicians and specialists who live in Gokulum, so we have been able to get some really good care for him here.
However, just when we thought Jediah was on his way to fully restored health, he woke up extra early yesterday, (1:30am) and started vomiting by 4am, which made us quite nervous. I postponed going to practice until Jeff returned from assisting Sharath in the Shala. Sharath is really understanding with parents and gives them a lot of compassion about coming to practice whenever they can, and understands that with kids, sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances that you have to attend to, which might mean you have to practice earlier or later or even in the afternoon.
Anyway, after a little nap Jediah's spirits were once again high and bright. He is a real trooper, and always has such a happy and positive attitude, you would never guess he was feeling ill at all. We are very fortunate he is such a good little traveler, and today he is back to his normal healthy self, minus a few skin rashes we are still treating.
Mysore with a child is a very different place… but it definitely doesn't take away from the magic of the practice here, or the depths you can go within yourself. It maybe even adds a little bit of magic of a different sort - to see the world through the eyes of a child is an unspeakably beautiful gift, and one that I cherish every moment of!
To sum it all up, despite some of the health difficulties we've been dealing with, after only three days of practice in the Shala here, I am feeling so nourished and happy to be home. It is such a blessing to have this time to once again dive into the sea of yoga; and I cannot even guess what discoveries may await to be explored in its depths this time around.
Om Tat Sat…
Harmony
It's not that I don't have great intentions, it's just that we are so busy when living and teaching in Canada I honestly can barely find time to sleep, let alone write something intelligent or even remotely worth reading!
Now that we have returned to our home away from home, Mysore India, I am feeling the start of an indescribable release into a deep inner space where my heart and mind can once again come into synchronicity with each other. I have only had three days of practice at the Shala with Sharath, but even in those three practices I feel that all the effort, energy, time, and expense of getting here is worth it. Each breath, every vinyasa, I could feel an inner strength gathering and growing once again, the pain in my body starting to subsiding, my mind relaxing and moving inward while my spirit softens. However, any trip to India rarely comes without many other accompanying difficulties. As you probably know, Jeff and I are here with our almost 3 year old son, Jediah.
We spent our first two weeks in Goa, at the beautiful Purple Valley Retreat Centre teaching a retreat. The centre itself is lovely, the staff there are incredible, and the students who came were all a delight. We couldn't have imagined a better entry into India. I am always amazed at the beauty and openness from most of the local Indian people. There is something so honest about their attitudes and interactions. It is such a gift.
That said, it was a bit of a rocky start in other ways, as both Jeff and our little Jediah have been struggling with tormenting health issues since our arrival. Jeff had a terrible case of bronchitis, and Jediah has been plagued with bites and infections, as well as a cough and cold. Luckily, Mysore has several very good physicians and specialists who live in Gokulum, so we have been able to get some really good care for him here.However, just when we thought Jediah was on his way to fully restored health, he woke up extra early yesterday, (1:30am) and started vomiting by 4am, which made us quite nervous. I postponed going to practice until Jeff returned from assisting Sharath in the Shala. Sharath is really understanding with parents and gives them a lot of compassion about coming to practice whenever they can, and understands that with kids, sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances that you have to attend to, which might mean you have to practice earlier or later or even in the afternoon.
Anyway, after a little nap Jediah's spirits were once again high and bright. He is a real trooper, and always has such a happy and positive attitude, you would never guess he was feeling ill at all. We are very fortunate he is such a good little traveler, and today he is back to his normal healthy self, minus a few skin rashes we are still treating.Mysore with a child is a very different place… but it definitely doesn't take away from the magic of the practice here, or the depths you can go within yourself. It maybe even adds a little bit of magic of a different sort - to see the world through the eyes of a child is an unspeakably beautiful gift, and one that I cherish every moment of!
To sum it all up, despite some of the health difficulties we've been dealing with, after only three days of practice in the Shala here, I am feeling so nourished and happy to be home. It is such a blessing to have this time to once again dive into the sea of yoga; and I cannot even guess what discoveries may await to be explored in its depths this time around.
Harmony
No comments:
Post a Comment