August 1st, my first full day in Mysore. Of course I woke up around 230am, wide awake and ready to go! But, I hung out in my room, tweeted and found out there had been a major power outage in India, of which I was totally ignorant, since it hadn't affected me. Whoa! I tried to get back to bed for 2 hours, at which I was semi-successful.
My driver Shree was waiting for me at 6am to drive me to the yoga shala. I was way too early for my 7am start time, but better early than late. Thanks to Cherie Lathey, my twitter yoga confidante, I had a nightmare about being late! Haha. It's good though, because I sat in the foyer for a little bit watching how things work. Someone finished their practice, Sharath yells "One more!" and one student from the foyer goes and takes that spot. You put your mat down first, then go to the changeroom, leave all your stuff then head to your mat and start practicing. You do you finishing postures (from shouderstand onwards) either at the front on the stage (sounds weird, I know) or you go to the changeroom, to make more space for incoming practitioners. I guess my time slot was near the end though, because I was told to stay where I was for finishing postures since the room was half empty by that point.
The shala was super hot and steamy by the time I got there, but no different from AYCT in Toronto. I guess I was well prepared! I was sweating and dripping immediately. There were lots of little doodads and hairs and furs and picky things all over the floor, and me, which kind of drove me nuts, but there is part of the practice. Turning your mind away from those annoying little insignificant things. Forget about it.
During my practice this morning I had four teacher interactions:
1. Some Asian assistant dude *verrrry* gingerly helped me in uttitha hasta padangustasana, with soft little weird touches. It felt like my cat was adjusting me. Or a dying child. I was balancing fine until he showed up, then, he nearly tipped me over. Ha! Oh well.
2. Sharath looks at me with dissappointment and says "No handstands" (to get from virabhadhrasana II to the floor). Oops. I wondered - no handstands for anyone? Or just not for me because that one sucked?! LOL. Who knows. I could hear the "tisk tisk" in his head.
3. Crummiest supta kurmasana adjustment ever! From, I don't even know who! While I was down, my legs got lifted so high, very weird, and then sort of crossed, but not even behind my head, but like, on top of it like a foot-hat. So odd!!! I just stayed there, breathing, thinking, "uh... ok! 1-2-3-4-5... let's get me outta this mess!".
4. Sharath said "First day, do drop-backs on your own" then he watched me do my drop-backs and said next week we will do the second part of them together. I was secretly very happy not to do them today since my back is still so-so. BUT, if I do say so myself, my drop backs were amazing today! My back felt a little bit crunchy, as it has for weeks now, but for some reason I felt so light and strong. I went back so slowly, with my fingers barely touching the floor, they were like airy rose petals falling on to a silk cushion (yes, I AM that poetic), and coming up was as if I had a cord around my waist and someone was just lifting me up. Nice!
Anyways. Back at the hotel now, enjoyed my free buffet breakfast (may as well enjoy it for the few days I am here). Took a shower and repeated 108 times in my head "Don't open your mouth. Don't open your mouth. Don't open your mouth. etc...".
Now it's back to the shala for compulsory chanting from 10:30-11:15am then back later again for Sanskrit lessons in the afternoon. Wheeee!
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