An amiable lot

OK, I'll admit it, I'm missing J9 and the puppies horribly. This place is a phenomenal paradise, but even with all the wonders everywhere I'm missing the person I would like to share them with the most. Burning Man is only a week and it's so non-stop that loneliness doesn't creep up too badly. This is a bit different as there is quite a bit of down time for reading and reflection. This extra time allows for loneliness to come full on. Alright, enough of my sappy crap, I'm just trying to keep this document true to the experience.

This next section has been enhanced with LINKS so you non-yogis have an idea of what is going on here.

Practice this morning was brilliant. What a difference a half and hour makes. I walked in and Sharath called me right into the shala. In many ways I would have liked to sit for a moment and take in some of the more advanced students do their thing, maybe tomorrow. The energy is so strong in the room, that I find asana that I typically have problems with easily coming into their full form. My hand comes directly to the floor and I really get a good twist in Parivritta Parsvakonasana for example. Problem areas? Setu Bandhasana is the rough one at the moment and following that with my questionable Urdhva Dhanurasanas has a tendency to get me a bit frazzled. Baddha Padmasana is coming slowly. I’ve got the bind but the forward fold is another question. I also have a hard time remembering to only use one hand in Supta Padangusthasana. Sharath has corrected me twice now. I need to be a bit more mindful.

So this weekend we have Friday and Saturday off due to the moon day. A small group of us are going to take a bus out of Mysore about 3 hours to stay the night at a coffee plantation. Apparently this is a good place to see wild elephants around dusk and dawn. I think it'd be great to see wild elephants and getting out of the western bubble of Mysore and into a more untainted part of India is appealing. We'll leave Friday morning and return Saturday afternoon. With bus fare, food and accommodations the entire trip will cost about 1000 rupees (about $22) so there's no reason not to go. I'm looking into another trip as well, but mums the word until I get it all together.

Today, I'm going to a Birthday Party at the Green Hotel and then I'm going to head down to Rashinkar's to pick up the clothing I ordered. I stopped in there yesterday and they had finished my hooded jacket, which is quite impressive. I also ordered a pair of pants and a shirt. Tonight, who knows? I'm enjoying my aimless wandering but all the walking is tightening my hamstrings a bit. I might simply spend the evening with a book. I've really been trying to take it as it comes here and simply blow with the wind rather than plan anything. For example, while sitting at breakfast today a group of Australians I just met invited me to dinner at their home tomorrow. Mysore seems to be one continuous romp through the concept of being in the right place at the right time. There are so many ashtangis from so many places here and in general they seem to be an amiable lot. Pair that up with the almost over doing it hospitality of South India and you've got something close to paradise! Now all I need is a transporter for J9 and the puppies and I'd be getting on without a hitch.

Thrive on, ~G