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Dhanteras – Relevant to a Yogi

October 17, 2017

The markets are a riot of colors.

A few years ago I spent three days in the Sivananda Ashram near Neyyar Dam (Kerala). I found out later that the ashram is called ‘Dhanwantri’ Ashram. And in passing someone told me Dhanwantri was a sage in Indian mythology.

Fast forward a few years and I’m in Delhi looking for topics to write about and helping with Diwali preps. A common question in most Hindu households during this time is what to buy for Dhanteras. Delhi markets are in stampede mode. The police are deployed everywhere and their loudspeakers only add to the confusion.

I started to wonder why we celebrate the acquisition of wealth. Our culture is known for its vast array of literature, for its scientific approach, for its philosophy. A day marked by going out and buying jewellery or household vessels seems incongruous with the ethos of our culture.

Turns out that Dhanwantri was the physician to the gods, and the god of Ayurveda. Until now I assumed that ‘dhan’ meant wealth, but my mother (the Hindi literature expert) told me the word refers to any kind of wealth. And since Dhanwantri is the god of Ayurveda, Dhanteras is also a day to celebrate ‘health is wealth’.

“But why do we go out and buy jewellery and utensils,” I asked. “How is that related to health?”

Practice hall at the Sivananda Ashram, Neyyar Dam.

She explained that the idea is to buy a metal. Metals have healing qualities. I have a friend who drank water stored in a silver jug through both her pregnancies. Copper jugs and glasses are commonly found in our kitchens. In fact, a couple of years ago I bought this bracelet made of the ‘panchdhatus’ at Dilli Haat. Panch = five, dhatus = metals and wearing a combination of five metals is considered auspicious because they improve the overall health and wellbeing of the wearer.

Dhanteras has also been declared as National Ayurveda Day. I got my blood test reports yesterday and it’s a negative for the Dengue virus and my platelets continue to be in the normal range. We can probably trace the roots of the papaya leaf and giloy juice back to Sage Dhanwantri and it’s apt that I’m hale and hearty on Dhanteras 2017. Also, while we were out shopping I found a beautiful nose pin and decided to buy it for Dhanteras. I feel I deserve a reward for patiently drinking all that papaya leaf juice! I tried to get a good picture of the pin. Can you see the mina work on it and the pretty flower design?

Probably the prettiest nose pin I own.

So a day when everyone goes out to acquire material wealth is also relevant to us yogis. Go figure!

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Dengue Fever – My Story

October 15, 2017

Baddhakonasana.

I was supposed to come to Delhi on the 18th of this month and leave on the 21st. Since I took two months off from teaching to study in Pune, I felt I should get back as soon as possible. With this in mind I messaged my students that classes would start on the 2nd of Oct.

But on the 28th of September I started feeling a bit tired and my appetite disappeared. I found out from some other students that it was a 24 hour virus that was going around. I managed to drag myself to class on Friday and Saturday, but collapsed in bed post class on both days. My sister was slated to visit me for a day on Saturday and I willed myself to get better. I popped a few Crocins on Thursday and Friday and hoped the fever would sweat out of my body. On Saturday the sis arrived and I was still a little shaky. But I was tired of laying in bed all day, infirm. We set out for the Osho park and I hoped that being out and about would make me feel better. I returned that night as tired as ever.

Kakuli & I in the Osho Gardens.

With Sneha in the Osho Gardens.

The next day was the 1st of Oct. I got to Bangalore and once again collapsed in bed. The virus was supposed to be only a 24 hour virus and I was sure that I would be better in the next couple of hours.

I took classes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. It was great to see my students again, but I still didn’t feel 100% myself. I didn’t have the energy to do my own practice and I couldn’t figure out why. I felt that if I was able to drive myself to classes then I should be able to practice too. At the same time I started to question the meaning of life and dwell on its futility.

I pinged my sisters that someone had given me the evil eye because what else could be wrong? I had no appetite and I was listless. I asked a friend of mine how to get rid of the evil eye and went out and even went out to buy a packet of red chillies.

Upon my mom’s insistence I went to the doc. I’d never had to go to the doctor and so actually had to ask some people in my building for the closest reliable and trusted doctor. The doc asked me to get a platelet count done and also to check for Typhoid and Dengue. The results showed my platelet count was 80000 (below normal range but not life threatening) and I tested positive for Dengue. The doc and my mom gave me an ultimatum. The doctor hooked me up to an IV and pumped glucose and Paracetamol into my system. My friend booked a ticket for me to Delhi. I went home and threw some stuff into a suitcase. Then I collapsed until another friend arrived to drop me to the airport.

No one in my family has ever had Dengue fever, but because this disease reaches epidemic like proportions every year in Delhi, everyone knew what to do. Since I fell sick I’ve heard of so many other people who’ve fallen sick during or after their time at RIMYI. Usually Dengue fever lasts anywhere between 5-7 days and it takes a person almost 2 weeks to completely recover. Because of my regular yoga practice I feel I was able to fight the infection relatively quickly. I had fever for about 2 days and was able to attend and conduct classes soon after.

This was the first time I fell sick (thanks to the yogi lifestyle) and my recovery was remarkably quick too.

Here are a few things I learned from getting this disease. Hopefully this will help you in combating the disease.

Use your mosquito repellent. I’ve heard Citronella oil, Eucalyptus oil and Neem oil also keep the mosquitos away.
Don’t fight the idea that you might be infected despite taking all sorts precautions. I was almost in denial as I told the doc that I was going about my normal active life and didn’t understand how I could be infected.
Take care of yourself – as yogis we sometimes put self-care on the backburner. Cancel your classes and try and sleep. Allow the fever to do what it will and focus on resting.
Allow someone else to take care of you. You’ll have someone to tell you that life isn’t over. I can’t remember the last time I spent so much time at home, but it made my recovery that much faster and more pleasant.
When I had a fever all I felt like eating was apples and drinking cold water. Looking at even a slice of toast made me want to throw up. Before I found out it was Dengue I felt I should force myself to eat a little bit or I would fall sick. Now I know that loss of appetite is a symptom of Dengue and my body craved hydration.
Monitor your platelets count daily!
Papaya leaf juice works like a charm. Take some papaya leaf juice and water and grind them in your mixer. Strain and drink.
Sleep!
Catch up on your reading. I renewed my Kindle Unlimited subscription and my Goodreads saw a lot of activity too.
Don’t worry about your practice/classes/work. Once your mind and body are well rested, you’ll be back with a bang.

I hope to never ever be sick again. This illness has reinforced my belief in making healthy choices every day without fail or excuses. Sometimes getting an infection can’t be prevented but being in good health ensures you fight the infection like a boss. This illness has also made me grateful for all the wonderful people in my life. People who wake up early to drop you to the airport, people who check up on you in the middle of the night, those who ping you from around the world to make sure you’re OK. I was lucky to be able to fly home at a moment’s notice and my mom was ready. I’m grateful to my mother’s maids who knew where to get papaya and giloy leaves and promptly brought them home. Even my tattoo artist reached out to me!

Any disease takes a toll on you physically, but if you have people around you who love you and care about you, you win the battle sooner. I had loads of people who were there for me, and for that I can never be thankful enough.

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A Day Trip to Kaivalyadham

September 2, 2017

Swamy Kuvalyananda and his disciples.

A couple of days ago I decided to visit Kaivalyadham. I first heard about the institute when I started to explore yoga courses. This was many years ago and at the time Kaivalyadham seemed inaccessible. I read that it was one of the oldest yoga schools in the world. They’ve done a lot of research on Yoga, Ayurveda, Naturopathy etc. and have helped people world wide manage and treat ailments and illnesses. I read up on Swamy Kuvalyananda. References to him came up in ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ and a few commentaries in the first volume of the Yogamala Ashtadala. It was fitting then that I got in touch with an old friend of mine from Bangalore who happened to be in her last week of internship there and invited me over to see her campus. Things fell in place – I had a day off, was only about 60 km away from Lonavala and the weather was beautiful.

The last 34 aphorisms of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are grouped under a chapter called the Kaivalya Pada (pada = chapter/part). Here Patanjali describes the many ways in which the practitioner can attain the state of Kaivalya. Kaivalya is the state wherein the practitioner is emancipated from the cycles of birth and rebirth. It is an indivisible absolute state of aloneness. ‘Kaivalyadham’ then means the place of Kaivalya.

The drive from Pune to Kaivalyadham is amazing. Mist covered the hills and trees and I couldn’t take my eyes off the scenery. Sadly I forgot to take pictures. By the time we reached Kaivalyadham it was pouring cats and dogs and we had to wade through deep puddles to reach the main building.

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It’s always great to meet old friends. We strolled around the campus as we talked. Mamata took us to the gowshala where she spends a lot of time. Kaivalyadham has a large Ayurvedic hospital and I even managed to get a quick consultation! Like most residential yoga institutes, Kaivalyadham serves only sattvic food and we loved the lunch there.

They also teach cleansing kriyas as a part of their courses. I was delighted to finally find clay neti pots in their gift shop and picked up a few for my friends as well. Bangalore friends – now you know what I’m bringing back for you.

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Resetting

July 15, 2017

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The last few months have seen me travelling almost every two weeks. Last weekend I hoped on a bus to Auroville. I was hoping to work on my book as well as take a break from my routine (which has become increasingly hectic). I’ve been to Pondicherry twice before and each time I’ve done the usual tourist trail. Tax free liquor and lots of leather. Also handmade soap and pretty incense. Can never resist some of that incense….

Long bus ride. Waiting to be picked up.

Pondicherry has long been known for it’s French architecture and quaint cafes. Usually you base yourself in Pondicherry and then take a day trip to Auroville to get as close as possible to the Matri Mandir. You shop in the boutiques at the Visitor’s Center and go back to your hotel in Pondi feeling very excited with your exotic purchases. This is how my last two visits to Pondicherry have been, with the exception that last time I took a tour of a few temples and the paper making factory. You can register for this tour at the government run tourist info center located right on the beach.

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This time I wanted to go off the tourist trail a little bit. We got lucky because my friend Joel (an Aurovillian) booked us into a heavenly guest house. Joel, incidentally, is an amazing photographer. For those of you who follow me on Instagram and Facebook, you may already have seen a lot of the work the two of us have done together. If you’re looking to get a few shots taken you should contact him. He does really unique and artful stuff. You can check out some of it here.

InstaFit_1499937145 Our days in Auroville were filled with cycling to the beach, eating at Bread and Chocolate (highly recommended) and lots and of pool time. We submerged ourselves in the pool every chance we got. I particularly loved the Krishna statue perched on one side of the pool. After seeing my pictures of the guest house a lot of people have asked me about it. Here’s your link to the Sharnga Guest House.

And we can finally surf folks! While in Bali earlier this year I looked wistfully at InstaFit_1499937303 everyone enjoying the sun and waves and thought…one day. Little did I know that the day would come so soon. If you’re in Auroville I highly recommend going to the Kallialay Surf School and book a surfing lesson. The instructors are professional and experienced. Our instructor Eddy was amazing. He broke down the lesson into simple and easy to understand modules. This ensured that we eased our way into the ocean and handled the waves well. His instructions and manner is so clear and concise that I would recommend him to even those who don’t know how to swim. You can surf even if you don’t know how to swim!

And as always, my favorite part of my time in Auroville was connecting to nature. Whether it was the pool, surfing the waves or eating simple organic food at the various kitchens – I felt we were always connected to nature and the earth. This helps in resetting your system both mentally and emotionally. I try and remain centred and focused through daily meditation, but some time living the ‘simple’ life allows me to revel in the feeling of wellness. Luxury vacations with a huge group of friends to exotic destinations full of new sights and sounds is great. But every once in a while it’s good to pare down to the basics and allow your mind and body to detox.

@Bread&Chocolate. French-pressed, consciously sourced coffee with coconut milk.

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Travels

The Hyderabad Diaries

June 20, 2017

The running group.

Just got back from Hyderabad this morning. I stayed with my sister and did my second Go IMG-20170618-WA0018 Heritage Run. Spending time with the super fit sis is always amazing. She’s an enthusiastic member of the Hyderabad Runners (they actually helped in organizing the run). Since it’s difficult to find time to run daily, I try and get a run in 2-3 times a week and try to do IMG-20170615-WA0009 between 5-7 km. I’ve already waxed eloquent about the GHR initiative in this video. If you’re a runner, and want to run longer and better, consider adding yoga to your routine a couple of times a week.

A few of you might remember the vlog I did on Bikram yoga a couple of years ago. My POMELO_20170616111118_save sister actually goes for Bikram yoga a few times a month and while there I decided to give the style another go. I honestly didn’t think I would make it through the class. The first time I attended a Bikram yoga class, I lay down after the third asana and told the teacher that I would like to leave . This time I got through the class without collapsing, throwing up or passing out! We were famished post class and went to The Waffle House to stuff ourselves with many glorious waffles.

I’ve been to Hyderabad several times ever since my sister moved there, and this time I IMG-20170618-WA0018 wanted to explore it a bit more. We had dinner at the Taj Falaknuma. It was just the kind of experience I enjoy – a tour of the historical palace and sumptuous dinner afterwards. Taking a cue from a few students, I also dragged my sister for the ‘Dialogues in the Dark’ experience. I asked a couple of my friends in Bangalore if they’d like to join me for the experience and their initial reaction was similar to mine – a loud and emphatic NO. But I recommend the experience, if only to show support for the cause it represents. Video coming up later this week about that experience.

Post run @ the Taramati Baradari

All in all, my four days in Hyderabad were amazing. I didn’t have to miss my workouts, hung out with my sister, met a few members of the Hyderabad Runners, watched a couple of movies (The Mummy & Bounce) and focused on tweaking this site a bit more. Back to daily practice and teaching and weekend runs.

On another note, tomorrow is the summer solstice, which also happens to be World Yoga Day. Every day is yoga day for me, but it’s nice that the longest day of the year is also the one to commemorate yoga.

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Finding Balance

December 29, 2016

One of the highlights for 2016 for me is the workshop with Manouso Manos. Most yogis will recognize the name. A long time student of BKS Iyengar, Manouso sold everything he owned and came to India in the 70s (in his mid-20s) with his wife. And they both went back year after year to practice with the master and to discover themselves in the process. And now, decades later, I feel that he was able to put us a bit more in touch with ourselves, though we only had 5 days together. I usually blog about my trainings and workshops, however, this time I had resolved not to write about the workshop because I realized after the 1st day that this was more experiential and would require a little reflection, and therefore, it would be difficult to write about the ‘teachings’.

I’m still not going to talk about what I learned. My students will experience the difference in class and my friends will hear about it all the time (as they have been for the last couple of weeks). However, there was something Manouso would repeat during classes which I found intriguing. BKS Iyengar said, “Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” Manouso would say something to the same effect.

Every once in a while he would say something like, ‘Find balance in the imbalance.” or “Find a state of equanimity in the chaos.” And once even, “Use the problematic pose to fix the problem!”

During the course of the 5 days he would say variations of this every once in a while, and I would think if only he’d allowed us to take notes I could jot down his exact words. But unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take notes.

However, what BKS Iyengar said decades ago and what Manouso was telling us now, is perhaps the single most important mantra for our lives and times. Since the new year is just around the corner, most of us are thinking (if only fleetingly) about our resolutions for next year. It’s important to think about resolutions. Last night I jotted down a few thoughts for next year, and its a good way to let your subconscious know that there are a few things that need to make a home in it. But I think the overriding idea and the main message we should all keep in mind is ‘Find balance in the imbalance.’

2017 isn’t going to magically change us and the lives we live. Your approach to your food or relationship choices won’t change overnight. You won’t start to miraculously wake up early and magically stop procrastinating. Because real change comes from within. And instead of us trying to go the 100-0 way, what we can do is try our best to keep our resolutions, but at the same time accept that to change habits requires a little bit of hard work, time and patience. Basically find a balance in the imbalance of life.

Taking it a step further, I would suggest to those of you looking at establishing a fitness routine to work with what you’ve got. Don’t plan on waking up early AND working out. That’s two resolutions you have to work on at one go, and if you’re unable to keep one, then you miss the other as well. If you’re not an early riser, then sleep in. Workout when you get up, if you have that sort of flexibility in terms of time. Or workout once you’re done with work for the day. It will be easier to keep your workout resolution during your waking hours than when you’re fast asleep. And being under slept and cranky don’t amount to having a good time at the gym.

Whatever the constraints in your life, there is a solution. Until then, find a balance in the imbalance. Learn to endure that which you can’t cure.

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On the 2nd of Oct

October 2, 2016

Today was my first Sunday after the gruelling month in Pune. All I’ve been trying to do these past few days is to get enough rest and practice all I’ve learnt. But I was looking forward to today because I wanted to catch up on some reading and just relax (I don’t practice on Sundays. I read late into the night yesterday and woke up without the alarm this morning.

1. 6:15 am: Geetanjali and I had decided yesterday to go to the library today to pick up some reading to get us into the holiday mood. As soon as I woke up I realized it was Gandhi Jayanti and the library would probably be closed. I texted her and then laced up for a walk. On days I don’t work out I like to go for long walks. I think I clocked 5 kms today around the lake.

2. 7.45 am: After 2 coconuts (feeling nostalgic about my post practice coconuts in Pune), I headed back home and did a bit of stretching. Post walk/run stretching is a must. Most injuries are because of lack of before and after workout stretching.

3. 11 am: Since Eloor was closed we decided to meet up on Church Street for brunch and book browsing. There’s always something going on on Church Street. This time I noticed a bunch of new stores and new artwork! There are so many awesome places in and around Church Street but we decided to go for our usual India Coffee House. By the time we got there all the idli and wada batter was over and so we could only have masala dosas. The dosa was delicious and I had two :). Reluctant to have coffee at the India Coffee House (fyi – they don’t have filter coffee), we headed to Adigas (down the road) for my first filter coffee after my Pune sojourn. But before we headed over I quickly popped into Namdhari’s to pick up some stone ground organic whole grain wheat flour (Navadarshanam).

Art on Church Street

4. 12 noon: We decided to explore the recently opened Bookworm instead of Blossoms today. They were still unpacking cartons of books, but we were able to browse. They have a wide selection of books (used and new) and they even have beautiful re-furbished classics!

5. 1 pm: After this it was either sitting at Starbucks with a coffee or heading back to my house to relax. Since Geetanjali wanted to copy ‘Downton Abbey’ we decided to come back to my place so that she could copy it. We came back home, kicked our shoes off and settled down in my living room. Geetanjali browsed my hard drive while I made us some refreshing lemonade. It had just the right amount of ginger, mint and lemon (if I say so myself!)

6. 2 pm: Once Geetanjali left, I made myself a quick lunch and then dealt with the universal dilemma for book lovers. Which one to read first. The Ishiguro won, mainly because I’m returning it to Eloor for Geetanjali next week, and also because I’ve been meaning to read something by him for a while now and haven’t gotten around to it. And also because ‘Immortality’ is too heavy for a lazy Sunday. I spent my afternoon reading ‘Nocturnes’.

7. 5 pm: After an afternoon of reading I made myself a cup of tea and sat down to watch the latest episode of ‘Kalki’s Great Excape’ (Fox Life, Saturday @8 pm), an intriguing show where Kalki and Joel Koechlin explore the North East on these beautiful bikes. This show is a travel reality show and it’s great to see how other travellers negotiate the road less travelled.

Now for some dinner, maybe some TV and then lights out so that I’m geared up for the first day of classes after a month off!

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When the going gets tough…

September 22, 2016

I watched ‘Eat Pray Love’ and later devoured the book. I loved the book and the movie. I remember googling to find out what ashram Elizabeth Gilbert had checked into. My friends and discussed the book and its ideas to death. We planned similar journeys. And finally, all of us hoped that should we ever experience a life altering event, we would have the courage and strength to overcome it just like Elizabeth Gilbert.
Elizabeth Gilbert went on to write another book about her life post marriage with the love of her life (whom she met in at the end of ‘Eat Pray Love’). I haven’t had a chance to read that book yet, but I do hope to pick it up soon. Over the past few weeks the internet exploded with news that Elizabeth Gilbert has divorced her husband of 12 years – for the woman she’s in love with. The thing is, this news wasn’t brought to the world through newspapers and magazine stories; Gilbert put it up on her Facebook page herself. She included a picture of herself with the woman she loves.

Today while in the Sirsasana, with rivulets of sweat running down(up?) my torso and onto the mat, I think I gained a new perspective. This morning we were taught how to balance our shoulders and torso in the headstand. The teacher took us through various moves that helped us understand the positioning and behaviour of our shoulder blades and other parts of the torso. This was to give us insight into how we can improve our headstand. I was experimenting with my headstand and the experiments had me almost toppling and definitely very very unstable.

I’m sure falling in love while married, deciding to commit to the woman you love (despite knowing she has terminal cancer) and finally calling it quits on a relationship of 12 years with the love of your life (and which has been immortalized in a couple of best selling books) wasn’t easy. And it didn’t happen overnight. There must’ve been moments of uncertainty, of fear, of helplessness, anxiety, doubt, anger…and an overwhelming sense of insecurity. Deciding to go public with an intensely private matter of this kind also couldn’t have been easy for a woman known the world over for her soul searching trip to India and Bali. No one in the public domain is impervious to criticism. With social media being so pervasive, every detail of your life can be analysed. You can be publicly berated for your actions, opinions and personal choices. Therefore I think it was very very brave of her to be open about the choice that she made, and to risk a lot of bad publicity, ‘unfriends’, ‘unfollows’ and ‘unlikes’. In an age where lifestyle choices are beamed out to the world the second they are made, we are constantly under the scanner.

For health and fitness professionals, it is imperative to look their best in every post. Even pictures of them looking less than their best are always pictures of them looking fabulously less than their best. The constant scrutiny from fans and followers creates intense pressure to look a particular way or make certain choices. For fitness professionals choices such as drinking, smoking and indulging the sweet tooth present a challenge – to broadcast or not to broadcast? I wonder, for instance, as a yoga expert what if I were to one day get a condition that yoga is meant to prevent – how would I go public with it? Would I, like Gilbert, have the courage to talk about my experience? Or what if I were to gain all the weight back (a fear that I constantly live with)? How would I even begin to talk about it? Which is why I feel like the protagonist on ‘Eat Pray Love’ is more courageous than what was portrayed in the book. Her courage is uncommon and her quest for herself is very honest.

This is something we can all learn from. What if an event in your life forced you to re-evaluate everything you’ve stood for so far? Most of us are so fixated in our opinions and lives that we can almost never admit that we are wrong. And what if we had to do so publicly? I can’t imagine what Elizabeth Gilbert went through, but I think it would have been a process of immense growth and fulfilment.

When was the last time you were faced with a situation that challenged your basics and how did you deal with it? Was it a process of growth and learning? If yes, what did you learn?

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Sunday the 18th – Koregaon Park

September 20, 2016

Early morning walk around Koregaon Park.

Half the month is over, and, as Anuja pointed out in the car earlier today, half the year is almost over. I bet a lot of people already made their New Year’s Eve plans. I’ve only been able to plan for the first week of December when I may be off for a new adventure.

This should be better by December.

However, while I’m here I would like to experience a bit more of Pune. So this past Saturday I decided to meet up with a friend of mine from my Infy days. While in the UK, Bhavani and I were out frequently clubbing, pubbing, eating or just watching movies. The last time I met up with her we went to Mallaka Spice (Bhavani & Me @Mallaka). Last Saturday we went to a popular hangout here called The Bar Stock Exchange. Nice place. Good music, good crowd and nice drinks :). We headed back to Bhavani’s house with plans of watching ‘Sinister’. Once I realized I’d already seen the film, I promptly fell asleep.

The next morning was Sunday and I’m not one to miss out on a delicious breakfast. Because of the early classes here, I’ve become very frugal with my breakfasts. But I think I’m essentially a breakfast girl. The other day (at Funky Kona in Baner) Anuja and I were discussing how much more fun and romantic breakfasts are over dinners. Show me a breakfast and I’ll show you girl who isn’t afraid to stuff her face. So we drove around a bit to get to our breakfast place. The Yogi Tree is right next to the Osho Ashram. Bhavani had her usual parantha while I had a sandwich. I have to confess, I don’t miss south Indian breakfast, but I do miss the coffee. I’ve started to hallucinate the smell of fresh filter coffee!!! I guess I know the first thing I’ll have in namma Bengaluru.

I wanted to indulge in a little bit of street shopping also while here. I did go to Lakshmi road a day before the Ganapati festival. It was crowded and I don’t think I’ll ever willingly go there again. But I managed to pick up two pairs of beautiful Kolapuri chappals, which; for the record; happen to be my favorite kind of footwear.

Many people told me that Koregaon park is known for its small quirky boutiques. Bhavani and I decided to walk around. I was looking for nice spots to take yoga photos. Sadly, couldn’t find a single pretty background. However, we did go to a few of the small boutiques and indulged in some retail therapy. I got a sense of the vibe of the place which is youthful and vibrant. There were interesting little food joints interspersed with the clothing and accessories boutiques. Lots of places for dessert, but I’m keeping my chocolate addiction under control these days.

Once I got home I said hi to Aston. Aston makes a dog’s life look very chic. He moves only if he has to. He sprawls under the TV and sort of rolls around there every once in a while. And he spontaneously has barking fits. Playing fetch is his only form of exercise, but we know he’s in love with the tennis ball. Anuja claims that he sleeps on his back and sometimes dreams about running after the ball. So she says Aston’s legs move, as though he’s running after the ball. Except he’s asleep.

I decided to strike a few poses while Aston was catching his breath.

Sunday evening Anuja and I decided to go back to Koregaon park to Dario’s. I’d heard so much about the place and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. They have delicious food. We decided to taste the vegan cheesecake and had some bruschetta and coffee. We thought we’d go for a round of shopping before we sat down for dinner.

When we emerged from Dario’s it was raining, but the weather wasn’t going to keep a couple of girls away from clothes. We browsed through a few boutiques in Koregaon park. I was looking for interesting quirky stuff while Anuja was checking out the merchandise. We headed home early so that I could be up bright and early for my 7 am.

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Travels

Stop Drawing in the Clouds

September 15, 2016

When I was living in Sanaa, Yemen my parents decided that we should go to school during the summer holidays as well. Both my parents were working and three kids can be quite a handful. So they spoke to the principal of the school run by the Indian Embassy there, and we were packed off to what would become summer school for us.

There was a boy in my class during the time, who was from Russia. He didn’t speak English very well and couldn’t read or write it very well either. The English teacher was supportive but it is difficult to teach someone a language when you have no common language to communicate in. The thing that I remember about this boy is that he was a talented artist. Perhaps he’s a cartoonist or an illustrator or a graphic designer now. Back then he was amazing at art. Unfortunately, we grew up at a time when if you were good at Math and Science, you were smart…and nothing else really drew much appreciation.

One day we were given an assignment during English class and we were all furiously working on the assignment. All of us. At the end of the class the teacher was curious to know how the Russian student had done. He handed her his notebook and we all registered her stunned expression. She looked up and showed us his notebook. While the rest of us were working on our assignment, he was busy copying the cover page of the book. I forget what was on the cover, but I remember there were clouds and the name of the book was written over the clouds.

“See he’s drawn the English, he doesn’t even realize it,” said the teacher. “He thinks it’s a part of the picture. He doesn’t know what he’s drawn.”

I find a lot of that happening in yoga class. After 15 days here, at ‘the source’, I’ve started to feel like 95% of yoga studios/teachers/students in Bangalore have skewed focus. I see it in classes too. Students are in awe of other students and teachers who can go upside down or do other fancy things….and somewhere the focus shifts. The acrobats develop a comfort zone in which they preen and prance while the rest of us aspire to gain entry into that comfort zone. In any yoga class, you will see all the students practicing the basic asanas with concentration and focus. As the asanas get more challenging the students grumble and groan but still focus on the posture and working with their bodies. And finally, for the ‘advanced’ poses you will see most students gazing admiringly and enviously at the few who are able to do the poses.

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At any point in time, when your attention is no longer on what is going on within you, then the practice ceases to be yoga. I keep on saying that yoga is not about the postures, yoga is about life. All of us have different lives, and so our relationship with yoga will also be unique and personal. What is going on in your body when you do the Uttanasana will be based upon your lifestyle, life choices, mental and emotional states. These factors will be different for your classmates and so their Uttanasana will be different. What I see in students is the desire to do the Uttanasana that their neighbor is doing. And those who are able to execute what they think is the ‘perfect’ Uttanasana stop working in the asana. Teachers too, focus more on how far down you can go rather than on how you can work your body optimally to execute the best Uttanasana you can given your mental and physical state at that given point in time.

The result of this style of teaching and learning is that we are missing the point. Movement in yoga classes is becoming mechanical and mindless. We’re missing the bullseye….in fact we’re not even aiming for bullseye. We are confusing asanas for acrobatics and vice versa. Every time someone else does kapotasana and we can’t, we’re lose a bit of ourselves. And going farther away from ourselves, which is opposite to what yoga aims to do. Remember, yoga means to join or to yoke together, and if you are focusing on the getting your leg behind your head, you’re not appreciating the feeling of expansion in your hips.

Stop drawing alphabets in the clouds, learn to read the words.

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