August 27, 2010

Unbelievably, our time in India is drawing to a close. The end is definitely in sight. I have two more classes at the Institute and then we leave on Saturday afternoon for the airport in Mumbai, on to Newark and finally landing in Montreal on Sunday morning. So, this will be the last blog entry from India. I will write early next week with some post-experience reflections and then the blog will morph and reappear with a slightly different focus. I am not exactly sure what that will look like so I will keep you posted!

I want to thank everyone for reading and responding to this blog. It has been an interesting experience to document the time here and even more to send out my thoughts into the Universe in such a free way. Not so like me! So, I have appreciated the comments, the enthusiasm and the thoughtfulness with which you all have responded. I have not felt very far away from Canada as a result. Thank you!

To switch gears, the highlight of the last couple of days was my unusual ride. I have been on the lookout for elephants and, while we have heard rumors of elephants in Pune and we even saw one on the other side of the road from our rickshaw, I have not gotten closer. I have had a secret desire for an elephant ride and actually convinced Oscar and Naana, our rickshaw driver, to head out on an elephant search one afternoon but to no avail.

And then, on Tuesday as I was coming home from our last (hopefully) shopping foray, there was a camel and owner coming out of our street. Literally, my rickshaw was pulling in and the camel was coming out. So, in lieu of an elephant, I got a camel ride. I have heard that camels are not so friendly – and they are in my opinion definitely not as cute as elephants – but this one was very well mannered. She kneeled so I could mount and dismount and walked slowly and even gracefully up and back the street. She (or he) even had bells around her knees! That seemed exotically appropriate. And, just in case, you don’t believe it, here are the pictures to prove it. Now I am ready for the trek across the Sahara. :)

At the Institute, things are shifting as well. Classes have gotten smaller. People have already headed home and the new batch of students have not yet arrived. This is a relief as we don’t fight for spots as we did earlier this month. Geeta, Mr. Iyengar’s daughter, is still not teaching and it appears that she may not teach much more at the Institute. Rumor says that she will focus on occasional international conferences. It has been good to see the new generation of teachers coming up though the ranks and being given opportunity to teach. It is not so much Mr. Iyengar’s children and their contemporaries but rather the following generation that are exciting to see.

This week, the main focus of the classes is pranayama (breathing) and so while I find breathwork very challenging, it is in a very different way than the asana practice. Two hours of different breathing techniques and some restorative poses is a mental challenge in attention and concentration. I find it harder to concentrate in the classes now and I feel how full my brain is. I am ready to have the time to process the learning and work without the guidance of the teacher. However, one of the saddest things about leaving India is the absence of time for the yoga practice. I have loved having time to dedicate to the practice and the focus on it. During other holidays, I often plan to practice more intensely but things like lying on the beach interfere. Here, there have been fewer of those kinds of distractions. It has also been rewarding to be with a group of other yogis equally focused and dedicated. The presence of the other students has enriched the learning environment at the Institute, and at times made it bearable. Their presence and dedication has influenced mine in only positive ways. So, I leave thinking of coming back.

So, we are off to pick up the last minute things, jam them into my already full suitcase, finish up the classes and head out. :) See you on the other side of the world!

P.S. Here are a couple of photos that didn’t make it into earlier posts. Enjoy!