Day One, Mysore Practice

So, today was the first day of practice, my first Mysore style practice, actually IN Mysore.

As we had been given a 9am start time it felt quite late, so I was still up early so that I had time to eat some fruit and have a couple of cups of tea...no caffeine, no prana as the saying goes.

Teresa and I walked up to the shala and as I live very close we were there in a few minutes and Saraswathi was on the balcony and she looked down at us and said 'come up' so even though it was only 8.35am we walked up the stairs to the shala, into the pratice room and to the ladies changing room, as we came out of the changing room to look for space to lay our mats Saraswathi, whilst mid assist to another student said 'You two come tomorrow 4.30?' we must have looked completely dumbfounded so she repeated it, to which we just nodded 'yes' - so that is the story of how we got our time changed to the coveted (or not) 4.30am slot!!!

Most people get moved up an hour or so but I think Saraswathi remembered Teresa so I'm blaming her for having to now get up at 3.30 or earlier every morning!!!

Now, for my non yogi friends and family reading this I will post this so that you have a vague idea of what the next few paragraphs mean.....You work through the sequence, and in Mysore style if you can't do one of the postures you stop there and keep practicing it until you can. Hence the phrase 'practice and all is coming'

photo courtesy of http://www.ashtangayogaleeds.com/

So, after that bombshell I lay my mat out and start to practice. Even though I have been practicing at home for a few months now and taking the wonderful Ian Davies (Orange Yoga) led classes I was still so nervous - what if I forget the sequence? what if I fall over or forget an asana? so many worries, the only answer was to just BREATHE and go for it.
Some point into my second Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutation A) my muscle memory kicked in and I thought 'I've got this' and then I just focused in on breath, whilst trying to do my best, and not go too fast or too hard (I want to be able to walk tomorrow of course)

Later down the line I had an assist from one of the assistants in Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Big toe grab balance posture) which was fab as I could go higher with the leg and they held me!
Then it got to my nemesis, Arda Baddha Padma Pashimottasana (half lotus bound forward fold) see post on worrying and waiting.....and i did what I could, which is not the full bind on the right side and - hey presto! I got away with it! Apparently this is not a 'gateway' pose so you don't get stopped here. I managed all the forward folds Janu Sirsasana, even C which is fondly known as 'toe cruncher' and finally with what must have been a look of bewilderment, Saraswathi asks me 'what you know to?' I said Marichyasana B.....I had to show her - and she said 'ok, tomorrow I will help you with this one' and I went into the side room to do closing sequence.

So happy! and my knee so far is ok, a major breakthrough. I'm so pleased as this is how far I would get all MONTH, so this is such a good feeling. Of course tomorrow getting up to practice at 4.30am could be another story so I will post back to let you know!

After practice a well deserved coconut to replenish the water and electrolytes and plenty of yummy food, see instagram for details of that!

Then on to chanting, which was a quick on as the last day of the month....

So far, so amazing, honestly I could not be happier - I think I'm gonna like it here!

namaste

First Impressions

So today was the first day of practice for me in Mysore at KPJAYI, Saraswathi's Shala. A later post on this.

But before the yoga bit, a little summary of life so far in India.....

Arrived after 19.5 hours of travel and very little sleep to stand at the carousel waiting, waiting, waiting, yep, more waiting....UK Claire was starting to get in panic mode, India Claire thinks, well, if the carousel is still moving it's not over yet...there is hope - and with that thought, out it popped!
I was so tired and shocked that I watched it sail past me until I realised - it's here!!!
Poor Teresa was stuck in the main airport waiting for me to arrive, thinking where is she??
So we hot footed it to our taxi, which Kes has organised, a really comfortable large vehicle with a/c - fab.

On first impressions I couldn't get over how modern Bangalore was, the airport seemed gleaming and sparkly and the roads near the airport seemed new (and orderly? wait? is this India?) after about 15 minutes though that familiar frenzy of mayhem that is the Indian driving system kicked in, and after 2 hours of honking, squeezing in unearthly gaps, almost being driven into on all sides and just chatting to Teresa to keep our mind off it, we reached the city limits and started to pick up some speed. After another hour and 3/4 we make it to Mysore (only stopping for a 5 minute leg stretch/chai)

Amusingly, Kes is staying in Kino and Tim's house - so I recognised it from watching her Periscope's whilst she was here in December and January. Claim to fame!!! My yogi friends back home will be impressed!

After a refreshing shower the guys brought me to my new home, the beautiful house of Meena Gupta, above her famous Silver Nest shop.
My room is HUGE!! with the biggest bed and lots of shiny new marble floor space. We also have a massive kitchen and an outdoor balcony/lounge area.

my new home

We then had time for a quick lunch (scrambled tofu and spinach for me) before we made our way to the main shala for registration. Excited and nervous to be at this mecca for Yogi's/Ashtangi's but so jet lagged that even saying my own name was difficult...I finally managed to register and we were given the times of 9am daily practice, 7am led class (Sunday's) and 12.30pm chanting three times per week.

Now, the practice times are a big topic of conversation here in Mysore, as it is regarded the earlier your practice the better, the ideal 'spiritual' time to practice being the 4.30am slot....so we were thinking 9am is late! 7am would be the perfect time for us, but we get what we are given and that is that.

So now I'm thinking I'm ready for bed, so tired I can barely speak and at this point but Kes invites me to eat with them that night with a bunch of his friends. I have a little chill and then get picked up by my trusty steed, Kyle, one of Kes's housemates, on his motorbike, and we bike across town to a place called Cornucopia. This place is beautiful and in any other country would be a top class restaurant with the prices to match, we have a lovely meal (BBQ'd paneer with rice and vegetables) and a lime fizz drink and pay just 400 rps (about £4!) I love this country!

After a fantastic sleep, of almost 9 hours, I get collected again by my trusty steed (people are so nice here) and whizzed on the bike for breakfast at the fabulous Anokhi, ran by Marie, a lovely friend of Kes and Teresa's (yet more names to remember). After a scrummy omelette and large cup of tea they inform me we are heading to the pool....hallelujah, what a beautiful way to relax and ease myself into the life here.
The Hotel Regalis has a lovely pool area, full of yogi's relaxing on their day off - and we while away a few hours here in the sun...perfect.

In the early evening we grab a tuk-tuk to go and see one of the most famous sights in Mysore, the lighting up of the Palace (yes people visit here not just for Yoga!)
The crowds to get in are manic, but we finally get in and just in time to see the lights go on (although I was looking in the other direction at the time)
They only light it for half an hour once a week, as as you can see from the photos it's a LOT of bulbs. But it does make for a very pretty picture.

So, that's it for the first two days, off to bed for a sleep before the real reason I'm here, my first practice with Saraswathi in the morning.

namaste

Boarding at Gate 110

Nervous, excited, anxiety, anticipation, intrigue, unknown, butterflies.....

All the things I'm feeling as I wait for boarding for my emirates flight to Dubai, and then in the wee hours of the morning to Bangalore.

I feel blessed by so many things today, my friends and family who have been making me feel a million dollars in the last few weeks with their kindness and well wishes for my journey, and also to yoga, for opening me up to so many beautiful possibilities in my life

I'm looking forward to learning more about Ashtanga Yoga, even though I have been practising Mysore style every day now since I booked my flights, that's just the asana, the physical practice, I hope to deepen my knowledge of all the other seven limbs of this style.

I'm looking forward to seeing India once again, this time older and wiser (!??!) at least I will not be freaked out by the hustle, bustle and living in a goldfish bowl that I experienced when I travelled here back in 2014.

I've started reading the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and already fascinated by the things I have read, only the prologue so far - so get ready for me to share my learnings from that.

I will try to post regularly and journal not only my yoga journey but how life in Mysore is, the food, the culture and all that jazz

So for now, they are calling us to board, so namaste readers and speak very soon.

Claire

Waiting, Worrying and Aching!

It's only one week until my departure, yep, things are getting real!

I'm currently housebound waiting for the courier to deliver my passport and Indian Visa once that is done then all I have left to 'worry' about is the new injury I acquired yesterday (more on this in a mo) and whether I will be able to lose my ego in Mysore and not care that I can't do half lotus.....

So, a big part of yoga is letting go, and letting go of the EGO. I read this lovely post on Instagram earlier -
Woman says to Buddha ' I want Happiness' He replies - 'get rid of I for that is the ego, get rid of want for that is desire, and all you are left with is happiness'

Soo....I no longer will want to get into half lotus, I will endeavour to let go of the ego (the inner voice over) and think 'so what' ?? So what if I am worrying, and aching and spinning myself into a tizzy over this pose. Practice and it will come.
So what if I can't hold my headstand for the full 25 breaths, and so what if I forget the sequence. I am going to LEARN.

So yeah, so what if I pulled a muscle (or something) in my Lattimus Dorsi yesterday, today I did a gentle practice (not Ashtanga) with some Yin style hip openers (to work towards that elusive lotus) and guess what, I felt ok with that.

So, here is my 'humble' child's pose to say, Mysore I am almost coming for you, and I accept where I am today, and where I will be tomorrow, and that's ok. Let that sh*t go! Lose the ego, practice and all is coming.....to be continued!!

Welcome to claireyogagogo Mysore (and beyond) blog

Namaste! Hello! Bonjour! Wilkommen! Hola! 

I am getting beyond excited about my forthcoming trip, I will be traveling to Mysore, India at the end of the month to take a months study at the heart of the Ashtanga Yoga world, KPJAYI.

I hope to strengthen my practice and by result, my teaching, and develop a deeper understanding of this wonderful practice. 
I then (after a short beach break in Goa) hope to return to be able to share that knowledge and practice with you on your mats.

I will be blogging and 'instagramming' and adding to this page as I go - if you are interested in my journey please also follow me on Instagram. 

Namaste, love and light to you all