Dinner With An Unexpected Guest & NYC2012

Well, it was a great idea to go up to Radha for a bite. I walked in, was about to sit down when “The Stern One” (to borrow a KJSism) walked in. I asked if he was meeting anyone and he wasn’t so we ended up having dinner together. It was an opportunity for me to thank him for all the work he’s done to bring Guruji here the past two years that I’ve come. I also gushed about his space, the puja yesterday and just how wonderful the community here in NY has been. Maybe I over gushed, but I’m sincere. These visits to NY have been some of the most transformative experiences I’ve had.

I also spoke with him about the new piece of the puzzle that I’m working with while in Guruji’s presence, submission. He more appropriately used the term surrender while we discussed it. This week has been quite different for me. Last year, when I was very new to the practice I was nervous, filled with negative thoughts about my practice and intimidated by those around me who were more advanced, which was pretty much everyone. Of course, back then I had only been working with Matthew a month. I’m still not confident, but my practice has developed over the past year and the practice itself seems to remove many unfounded concerns, not only about yoga but life as a whole.

So this year I’ve been able to let go, just follow the count and surrender to the guidance of Guruji and the energy in the room. There were similar motions in Mysore, but they were not as overarching as they appear to be this week. I need to flush it out a bit more. But with that written I realize that I really don’t need to flush it out at all. I need to simply practice and let go of grasping for theory and reason.

Whatever the end of this line of thought may be, it was great to have dinner with Eddie. I asked about the possibility of returning to NY to study with him for a week. Interesting that I had just written about that 15 minutes prior. He said we could certainly do that. Sometimes life really pulls it all together. :)

With that said, I’ll share a funny and brief story as I do want to get some shut-eye. I’m sitting here at Earth Matters post dinner to write. There’s a woman sitting across from me reading. I’m focused on my laptop for about 20 minutes, until she gets up and begins to pack her stuff. As she does so I notice that the back end of her sweatpants have bright primary colored letters on them. The letters read, “NYC2012.” Now, as some of you know I’m very interested in the year 2012. This is primarily due to the fact that December 21, 2012 is the end date of the Mayan calendar. So, I’m intrigued and since I’m in this real open headspace I excuse myself and ask what the back of her sweatpants means. She hesitates and then explains that it had to do with NY’s bid to host the Olympics in 2012. To make a long story short I explain the Mayan calendar end date to her. I tell her that the last time the calendar ended there were priests that knew all the rituals required to start it again. Now, in 2012 the calendar is going to end and there is no one who knows how to restart it. She listens as she continues to pack up her things. I wish her a good night and she returns the sentiment. As she turns to leave she pauses, turns around and says, “I hope you figure it out.”

Yeah, I hope I figure it out too. :)

All right, I think I can officially call this a day. Early to bed, early to rise.