Sharath, Bylakuppe, dogs and practice!

Sharath holds a conference every Sunday  where he talks to us in the shala for about 15 – 45 minutes about anything related to yoga. This Sunday was his last one as his last day of teaching is 3/27. My last day in the shala too. It is quite sad, yet he had so much wonderful information to share with us.

Surya Namaskara A & B, aka Sun salutations, were created by Guruji himself. I never knew that. They were never the original part of the Ashtanga system and Guruji came up with this when he was teaching years ago. He put this combination together knowing it would cure any illness. He has proven this works time and time again: arthritis, cancer, mental illness. He has healed people with these ailments time and time again. So even if you can’t do all of your ashtanga practice, at least do your sun salutations every day.

The shala is getting very quiet and it is nice. Spaces are actually open now during the mysore practice and the attention we are getting from Sharath is wonderful. He helped me with supta kurmasana today and we both laughed again, I am a half a fingertip away from completely binding! Hooray!!!!

With everyone leaving, things are quieter overall in Gokalum and it is really nice to have this peace and quiet. Not that the streets have quieted down with the rickshaws, scooters and cows about. But less westerners, less commotion as in non-packed coconut stand, restaurants, pool, shops, etc. It’s nice and I find I am really savoring these last 2 weeks with Mags. We are having a blast!

Yesterday we got a driver to take us to Bylakuppe, the Tibetan Refuge Settlement. It is the largest one outside of where the Dalai Lama lives and this is main base when he comes to meet with the people and monks of Tibet. The Golden Temple is simply stunning. As we drive in, there are monks walking on the roads and about, some even walking and talking on cell phones. Many are children playing with toy cars and just being kids. As we enter the settlement the prayers flags are flying by the 100’s in people’s yards, on the side of the roads, from storefronts and huge flags about 8 feet long are lined up by the 100’s in rows flying in open fields. It is truly amazing. We snap so many pictures, then when we get out of the car to go to the temple, people start coming up to us and scooping Mags up again taking photos non-stop of her. Once people see what is going on, more and more people run to get in the photos. It is like traveling with Madonna wherever we go! I am humbled by the monks dedication to their life long work. A feeling of calmness and happiness is abound here.

In our dog world, we have spayed and neutered 8 dogs now and 2 more puppies will be stayed in 2 months when they are old enough. It is a huge accomplishment and I am so happy and thankful that we got to do this. People in the town are thankful we are doing this and everyday a local will come up to me to ask for help with their dog. They truly want to spay and neuter their animals, it is just a matter of money that is keeping them from doing this. I am leaving here with a sense of giving something back and saving some future lives of these street animals. Our dog and water bowl out front of our house stays constantly full. We see so many dogs and even a cat and cow come eat out of it. I feel blessed we have been able to give them all a good meal and some clean water. We are leaving a bag of food on the kitchen counter in our house with the bowls lettingour next tenants know we have been keeping the food bowls out there for all of them. We may just start a Mysore tradition.

I went to see Kumar on Saturday for my past life session. It was pretty dang cool. Didn’t think I would transgress, but went back to 3 lives: a Native American woman at the age of 20, a male mountain goat which a boulder fell on my hind quarters in my den and a Medieval princess. All insightful and helpful to connect the dots of my karma and dharma happening now. Kumar says that people from our life now have traveled with us in other lives. A few others here have gone to see him, which is what led me to him. We are doing one more session Friday, stay tuned. He is a very good man and is truly gifted. He has been helping yogis here with some amazing breakthroughs.

Mr. V, the palm reader/vedic astrologer, gave me my mantra to chant each day. I went to him today and he had me chant it with him about 5 times to get the pronunciation correct. My deity is Dattatreya so my mantra is to him. He had me sit in lotus and chant and Mags sat in the chair next to me crossed legged and was bowing her head. India is changing her too and though she is 2, I know things are soaking in for her.

India is still amazing and I am peeling the onion of myself more and more each day. My mind is getting quieter and I am really processing myself and life around me. It feels good and I am at peace. I see some people here frustrated with India and they are ready to leave. I see others young and still needing to learn lessons from the yamas and niyamas. Then I see others young who are wise beyond their years. We all are learning each day, some more than others. I see westerners who have moved here and are really starting to go crazy. India is an amazing place, but it can be very tough to live here. I think some of the westerners who have been here should probably move on as they need to get back and check in with themselves. Some of them are angry and lash out at the locals. It can be quiet crazy. Things here can be frustrating and we are half way around the world. The Indians think completely different than us in the west or even other parts of Asia for that matter.

I have much to be thankful for here. I am blessed we have been able to be here and practice with Sharath. I lost my teacher in Seattle 8 months ago, so I can truly say I have found a new teacher with Sharath. He is kind, wise and humble. We have a good connection and he is very good to me. I am learning more and more each day and I am soaking in every aspect and morsel before we leave. This trip has been grounding for me and I am hoping this is one of many trips to Mysore. I have learned so much and I have so much more to learn.

11 days left.
Lokasamasta Sukhinobhavantu. Om shanti, shanti, shanti.