Namaste dear friends!
I tried several times to reach my website to write the blog, even half an hour ago, but never got through to my page. Only now it turned out why, because of a certain firewall that is not on
all computers in the Internet Cafes - well - tomorrow I'll be in touch - the internet cafe is now about to close.
I'm doing well, I'm very grateful for being here. Time flies. I was out of action for 3 days last week because of stomach cramps and fever. I only did the bare minimum. And dragged myself to
practise, and lo and behold it always worked out somehow. I had to think of Bettina, who was also ill before and who told the story with her students that she always tells everyone that there is
hardly any reason not to practise, at ....least you should try...so I took the same thing to my heart, and it usually goes better than expected. And if not, then you just roll up your mat again
and cure yourself. That's how I did it with Uno, once I only got as far as Kapotasana, an intense backbend, and then I was finally sick, that was it.
As I said, last week I did it and the rest of the day I took it easy. I still find Osho's yoga book exciting and the interpretation of the sutras by Lakshmish, our Sanskrit teacher. No, I don't
learn Sanskrit, but I do attend his Patanjali course. And there are always general things about India. For example, today 90 percent of Indians think we are cultureless people, uncivilised. 90
percent of marriages are still arranged, including his. So he only saw his wife once for an hour in the presence of her mother, after the families had been chasing each other and astrological
advice had been sought.
He just asked her if it was okay for her that he was involved with Westerners. And she asked him if he drinks, smokes or something. Then the marriage was arranged. However, Lakshmish already knew
his wife as a child, where he played with her. Ok, that's it for today, sweet dreams, nice day and keep in touch.... Today I am very happy and thankful to be here. Thank you, Gertrude, Heike,
Sabine, Karin - but most of all, THANK YOU, to all my dear yogis at home!
14.02.2007
Whew! How quickly a week goes by! I will do better and
write more. In my mind I often write in this diary about my impressions and thoughts. I enjoy the time with Yoga studies, Sitar and also like today again in the Ramakrishna Ashram. The singer
there is brilliant. The atmosphere is God-filled. Will read more about Ramakrishna. (Luckily it is only a men's ashram here in Mysore :)) may be I would stay otherwise?
I would like to record these songs that are always sung in the evening. Next time. At the latest on Shivaratri, which is a holiday on Friday.
Yogaseries is coming along. The backbends drop backs
worry me more in my head. But Sharat said today that they are good for scoliosis. His word to God's ears. In normal condition I can't even imagine grabbing my heels in a backbend from the bridge,
but apparently I do it every morning at the moment. I still don't get any correction, but I do get the usual help with the drop-backs. However, Sharat's help is always there for anyone who needs
it. I learn a lot through impressions. I saw the led class of the second series in Patthabhis Shala on Saturday. My ears are still shaking when I think about it. It became instantly clear to me
how one's own practice can improve light years. And Lakshmish continues to inspire me.
I have now found a brilliant translation of sutras through him, and continue to read several translations in parallel. Almost everything in English. Which doesn't bother me anymore, it's becoming
more normal to read in English.
Slowly the summer begins here, as Prija says. I don't
know exactly how hot it is - but I suspect it is at least 35 degrees in the shade, if there is one. In the early morning it is breezy and cool, at 10am the sun is already burning super hot on the
skin. I love it. Inside the house it's cool and pleasant. But that's just the beginning. So, I'm going to bed quickly, because tomorrow our class starts earlier, which means I have to get up at
5.30 latest. I'll set my mobile phone on voice alarm again - it gave me quite a fright this morning: "Its time to get up .....its time to get
up" - so I'll get up - guaranteed.
MUCH LOVE Andrea
08.02.2007
Namaste! Today was somehow a philosophy and prayer day. Nice. Living India.
Contrary to other impressions from friends, the lived
and experienced spirituality in India is a factor that I always love in India. You can find that. Not ad hoc. But already on the way to the Shala in the morning, thunderous chants, prayers from
the houses or temples along the way. I have just been to the Ramakrishna Ashram near here. Ramakrishna and his more famous disciple Vivekananda, were God-realised gurus.
Vivekananda was one of the first yogis to travel to the West, at the invitation of the World Congress of Religions in 1886 and he helped yoga and its spiritual tradition to gain more recognition
in his own country.
That was so great. For me one of the highlights since I have been here. In a big meditation hall people gather at 7 in the morning and in the evening to pray and chant, and the energy there was
very impressive. I just had tears running down my face and I think it's so nice to have a place where people gather to meditate.
The ashram is open from 5am to 8pm, and you can just go and meditate. I've been to the ashram bookshop a few times because I needed to get some books for the Patanjali class. And that was really
good today too. Lakshmish, our teacher, explained the first 15 sutras of Patanjali so brilliantly in such concise and short sentences, although it is in English, which were wonderfully integrated
into the Indian tradition and interpretation of the yoga scriptures. No European could ever do it in this way. There is a connection, an intensity that is otherwise missing. Then I went home and
read parallel G. Feuerstein, Osho and lyengar's Patanjali interpretation. Nah -Lakshmish translation was simply the best. Yes, it is a real pleasure, and I had planned to study the Patanjali
Sutras more closely again. That's what makes it fun.
Will make a Ginger Special at home (hot water, ginger, turmeric, lemon and honey) - want to try!?
Super tasty and very healthy!
05.02.2007
Good evening! Yes, that was a little highlight today. Firstly, the first day in this week, that I was reasonably well again. Then a sweaty practise. I haven't sweated like that
in a long time. It's chilly at night, last week I even needed a bed bottle a few times, but at 8am in the shala it's steaming quite well. And then, just finished with the Primary - without the
final exercises, because everyone does them in a different room - I started talking internally to Sharat in the little bridge, that it is enough now, and that I don't think much of
mystification, like "Only when you don't think about Pasasana anymore (that's the coveted first exercise of the second series) you will get the Asana" ..... blah, blah, blah, and - imagine
this - Sharath comes and asks if I've already practised Pasasana?
I didn't know how to find that now, gratitude...thank you god, for loving me - is what comes to my mind in such a moment. Great, it's an important step, means the beginning of the second
series, right after the four compulsory weeks of Primary. Great. What a happy day!
Then I had a great sitar lesson, played my first rag, Piloo, an evening raga,
together with my teacher - with much joy. In the afternoon I had chanting, and even I hardly wanted to go, it is also fun, we sing Patanjali, first the first 25 sutras, I wanted to study
them more intensively anyway, sing prayers, and sing! as is usual in the Sankskrit class, the names of the asanas of the first series, to learn the correct pronunciation. It's also great, because
it's different from what I've ever learned. It is fun to study the scriptures in India, with Indians as teachers. It is so different to learn from the source, traditional, first learn everything
by heart, then understand (for Europeans a fat lesson, but somehow fun, relieving, and the learning goes rather through the senses! It is personally connected, handed down through generations,
authentic, lively, deep in content.
Living Yoga - and I enjoy it, today. You never know what happens, in the next moment, especially in India, everything is in movement.
ALL LOVE!