Sixth Post From India

Wednesday, 13 January 2010

Prashant’s class on Tuesday morning was awesome. Same format as usual. The class was a lot like Saturday’s twist class except we did a sloppy version of Jathara Parivartanasana towards the end and chair Sarvangasana.

Prashant Gems.

When we work from the exoteric towards the esoteric that is Yoga. Otherwise it is materialism.

Use asana to observe and inform your embodiment process.

You all do Yoga for the here-and-now. What if I told you Yoga was for the hereafter? Would you still come?

Work udonically in the body, breath and mind.

You may have heard that lots of people come here for medical treatments because it is of good quality and inexpensive. I know two people who have had or are going to have colonoscopies while they are here. The doctor here said that it is a procedure that is not often done. The reason she said was because Indians eat fresh vegetables and fruit – not packaged and/or frozen and that they eat what is in season. Food for thought (or for nourishment and health). The streets are filled with carts of fresh fruits and vegetables and some merchants push their carts around to the housing coops and call out that they have fresh goods for sale.

Nana picked me up after lunch and we headed out for some more temple hopping. I am about done with all of the running around but the sites are “worthy” as a friend here said. We went to a few temples on the way to Alandi, which is about an hour out of Pune. A temple dedicated to Sai Baba and one other one. Alandi is dedicated to Dynaneshwar the Great. Dynaneshwar is a local hero. The temple was huge and there were tons of people lining up to go through. It is an interesting juxtaposition between what I thought the practices were all about and what goes on. I get the contemplative part – the prayer, chanting, and meditation – but the group stuff still needs some exploration. The site was cramped and there was lots of garbage around. You move through pretty quickly because there was always someone behind you leaning into you wanting their turn. In the slide show below the Alandi temple is next to the river. The people in the area of Alandi are called Warkari.

We went to few other temples in Alandi and one really stood out. It was clean, quiet and beautiful. It is dedicated to the Goddess Santoshima. The icons were beautiful and the energy was awesome. Note the beautiful icons in the slide show below.

On the way back we had an excellent meal. 325 Rs. (rupes), which is about $7.50. Great paneer and garbanzo massala, roti, and rice. For dessert I ordered a rose milkshake. Nana looked at me like I was crazy. He ordered one too. It is now his new favorite. The owner is a friend of Nana’s and he suggested that I try the pistachio ice cream. Why not? It was amazing. Yup, living the high life in India.

The drive back was like a carnival ride. At one point there were vehicles going the opposite direction on both sides of the ric. Nana was yelling like he was riding a horse in the wild-wild-west. We made it back to Pune in record time.



Thursday 14 January 2010

Yesterday while I attempted to update my BLOG I watched as some Indian’s used the escalator for the first time. You should have seen the hesitation and then the smiles. It’s the little things. The brief videos take forever to upload so I might be limiting those in the future.

Prashant taught an intense backbend class today. For and hour and twenty minutes we were back arching. He actually even mentioned a few points. His instructions were about preparing ourselves asananically for the trip. ????

Sukasana
Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Rope Sirsasana
Tadasana arms in Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana

Back and forth between:
Standing back arch
Viparita Dandasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana I
Ustrasana
Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana
Bhujangasana on the ropes

Salamba Sarvangasana I – with variations
Chair Bharadvajasana I
Savasana

It was an intense class. I decided to not do my own practice right away and will do a more restorative practice in room. I have pranayama class tonight and I want my energy to be even.

The pace here is fast and I think it is time to rest for a day or two.



Friday, 15 January 2010

I was planning to rest on Thursday but Nana had other plans. He called and said he had time to look for a few things that were on my list like some music that I heard at the festival last week, a couple of statues, and some dishes. We had already found a place for dishes and were negotiating with them to place an order. After we left the shop and started to turn around Nana noticed the very same dishes in another shops window. We went in and they had the dishes I wanted in stock for way less. I saved at least 4500 Rs. ($100.00). The plates I wanted were 280 in this store and 460 in the other store. Stick with Nana he has got it going on. We found the music and statues and called it a day.

The evening Pranayama class was with a different Indian teacher. She spoke really fast and with no inflection so it was hard to get what she was saying. I got enough of it to understand what I was supposed to do. A lot of the teachers here say do something “in such a way” that something else happens. It is interesting. In the states our teachers would ask us to eliminate the extra words.

After Paranayam I was picked up by Nana for dinner at his place with his family. Nana’s family was welcoming and sweet. The women, Nana’s wife and daughter in-law, waited on us even though the other guest and I wanted them to join us. That is how it is in lots of India. The dinner and company was awesome and it was sweet of Nana to invite me. He lives a bit outside if town in what I assume is a poorer area.



Thursday was a cultural festival day that is called Makar Sankarnd. I don’t know the entire meaning but it has something to do with the sun being closer to the equator. The coolest thing was all of the women and girls were dressed up in beautiful saris and jewelery. The women were passing out candy treats, honoring each other and every one else.

Friday I get to sleep in because my practice time is not until 9 and there is no early class for me. Practice time was perfect today. I arrived a little early and staked out my spot. I watched one of the Indian teachers move in and steal a Russians mat. She watched while the woman got up and walked a few feet away and swooped in and took the woman’s mat. The Russian woman came back and looked around and I pointed to the alleged thief. Weird. There are people here from all over the world. I hear many languages going on at the same time always with a bit of English thrown in. Russians, other Asians, people from all of the Americas and Western Europe. I have not met any Aussies or New Zealanders but I am sure they are here. There is at least one person of African decent from Western Europe and there are people here from Israel and the Middle East. Does that cover it?

I rested after class and read a book on Hindu philosophy written in 1921. a very interesting book I found in my flat. Nana took me for spin looking for some fabric for the Yoga studio drapes. I am such a shopper, actually comparing prices and taking pictures of samples so Katie, who is going to make the drapes, can comment on my choices.

Pune is famous not only because of the Iyengar’s but also because Osho is here. Osho? Some of you may remember the Bagwan Shree Rajnesh who created quite a stir in Oregon in 80’s. Osho is a “meditation” retreat center based on his teachings. To enter you have to have an AIDS test. It’s all about free love folks….. I’ve moved in over there and will not be coming back. Ha! In the area of town where Osho is there are a few western restaurants and other western stuff. It’s in an area called Corrigon Park. Apparently there are the most beautiful gardens on the Osho grounds. My first day here I drove by the place with Bill and Nana. That was my Osho experience.

Tonight the Aunt of Anuja called to tell me they wanted to give me a CD of her playing the drums. She is the 10 year old (or around there) girl I met at the music festival. How awesome is that. Pune – my second home.

Ah, Geeta, Geeta……her class tonight was beautiful. It was one of those classes that you aspire to teach and love to take.

Sukasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Parsva Virasana
Parsva Dandasana
Bharadvajasana I
Bharadvajasana II
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
Parivrtta Paschimottanasana
Parivrtta Trikonasana
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
Uttanasana
Salamba Sirsasana I – variations
Parsva
Parsvaika Pada
Virasana
Parsva Virasana
Padmasana
Parsva Padmasana
Salamba Sarvangasana I – variations
Parsva Eka Pada
Eka Pada
Parsvaika Pada
Virasana
Parsva Virasana
Padmasana
Pindasana
Parsva Padmasana
Karnapidasana
Parsva Karnapidasana
Supta Konasana
Parsva Halasana
Salamba Sarvangasana I
Savasana

The most salient point she made was about twisting.

Breathe in and broaden and lift the chest.
Breathe out and draw the abdominal area in creating a sucking action that draws the sacrum into the body – and twist from there.