Above photos are of downtown Mysore, completely unrelated to the blog post. Except the examples of job opportunities I might be searching for when I return to the states...
I have found that most dialogue around Gokulam, India leads to a discussion about yoga postures (I might now add that I do not speak Kanataka so probably most of the conversations in Gokulam are actually not about yoga at all). You can tell if someone is fresh on the scene if they utter something along the lines of, "you know that pose where you are sitting on your bent leg and reaching for your toes..." (this is usually accompanied with an amazing arm gesture) instead of saying, "tiriang mukhaika pada pashimottanasana..." Judgement does not seem to occur, but I sat and wrote the sanskrit names of the poses over and over until I learned almost all of the 40-50 postures I do each day (which still is not even the entire primary series.)
Recently my friend Meghan has come to Gokulam for a few week stint. We have enjoyed many dosas, walks around town, hand made cookies, and pots of tea discussing life, love, dreams, and setbacks. At a recent dining experience I was discussing with Meghan how I feel that the literal distance from my friends seems to be more evident recently. I knew that a few of my emails have probably sounded as if I was eating equal parts gogi berries to hash by the "every one is a divine ray of light" and "it all happens for a greater reason later in life" sort of talk. Meghan gave it to me straight- we realized that I need to stop with this because I am probably starting to freak everyone out a bit... So I thought I would write and tell you some of the stories and conversations that pop up around this karmic and energy focused community to show you how my crazy nature is truly encouraged!
My first week here, Laksmish (my chanting and Yoga Sutras teacher) told us a story of his neighbor who is deaf, dumb, and crippled. In his fabulously broken Indian English, he recalled that for years everyone was very sad for this woman, and the community took much pity on her sad and lonely life. Then, one day they took her to get her horoscope read. The horoscope reader explained that in a past life she had beaten a pregnant cow. Then they all understood how her previous life had given her horrible karma had created her current situation. I don't remember if my jaw dropped or my head tilted to one side, but my eyes burrowed deep into Laksmish's soul- searching for the answer of how we were born on the same planet.
The next day, as I walked to enjoy "the best chai" with a new friend Kate, she told me that she strongly believed that if you are doing yoga in this life, you must have done yoga in the previous life as well. I did not speak my wondering thoughts of "Don't we need to start somewhere? I am pretty sure this is my first go at this yoga thing...did she not see my ugly bind in Marichyasana D today?" I let these thoughts go, and quickly realized that belief in reincarnation is the norm here.
For that following week I assumed that my next life would be as an unkempt shoeless Indian beggar. I had denied money to so many sad eyes. I had heard so much about that if you give money to these beggars it will only encourage their current lifestyle. I can not imagine that a few rupees would hurt, but with a day totalling 20-40 hands extended complimented with a guttural "uhh-uhh" your desire to give any of them anything quickly diminishes.
Plus, I don't think beggars practice yoga and since I am doing that in my lives now I guess I have that going for me...
Last week I hiked up Chimundi Hill (1000-stair climb to a temple and an amazing very of the city) with a group of cool women. We sat down to eat some food, literally, at a hole in the wall. This place was shady and after my meal I started to feel pins and needles through my body like I was about to faint. I went outside to calm down and as we descended the stairs I heard that the man who cooked my food probably had put his anxiety and bad energy into the food I ate.
Two of my friends have come down with a mean fever/ achy flu situation. I heard a woman call it the "Ashtanga Flu- that everyone gets within the first month or two" but Juliana was trying to tell me that she was sick because her bad karma was burning off or an over abundance of prana from her last practice. I was taking this in with a nod (I have found this is an accepted response to comments of this sort) when Meghan, one week here and still a bit grounded, says "I think you are just sick, it's a germ. That is how we get sick- germs."
When I was worried that I was get sick from my friends my landlord told me that I won't get sick because I smile a lot...
Meghan's landlord explained that her sore throat would never have happened if she was wearing a scarf around her neck...
Sharath disclosed that a teaspoon of ghee (clarified butter) and a glass of milk each day will make you live until you are very old...
Napping stops the releasing of toxins...
Cold foods vs hot foods and how they cool and heat our inner doshas...
More than one coconut a day is bad for my face...
Mosquitos are okay to kill (violating ahimsa- the non-violence law for yogis) if they are indoors because that means they are not following their dharma (their obligation to the earth) by going indoors...
I am sure I could go on. Loads of talk on karmas and next lives- so fun! But just an excuse for my tone in emails and skypes... and remember, we are all breathing bodies carrying the light of something greater within us ;) right?
love you!
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