There is a well in the yard from which the water is pumped to the house daily. So if not the luxury of hot water, we have the luxury of running water here. However, lately I've been looking down into a different kind of a well. The well of my mind that is. And I can tell you it's not always beautiful like this one, to look at...

I have been working on some pretty dark waters of my mind, since I'm doing quite intense backbends now in the asana class. Our past experiences are stored in our bodies and when the body begins to open up, the traumas etc. get a chance to come out. Sometimes the mind however isn't ready to let go yet and that might lead into even greater pain. One really needs patience, understanding and compassion throughout the process -nothing will happen by forcing or pushing. And here we come again to the importance of a guru, teacher. Having a trustful relationship with someone to guide you and to be there for you in your process. Ashtanga practice (and not only asana, as ashtanga means 'eight limbs') is a deeply purifying practice. The purification of your mind, body and spirit will lead you closer to samadhi; kaivalya; moksha; nirvana -liberation.

Liberation.... some goal, no?!:) I like my smaller everyday goals too, like going to the beach, and buying fruits at the local market, trying to communicate with locals in Kannada, the local language. I like this small village and our yoga pack here; I'm very grateful for all this. Even feeling grateful for my mind's murky waters, which by the way look a little clearer already:)

I recently read an interesting article about a study of gratitude as a major contributing factor to one's happiness. Today I'm particularly grateful for fruits, books, the ocean and the sun...



It's been over a month since I got here. Absolutely loving the place, the people, and this incredible yogic path that I'm on. There's so much to learn; humbleness, forgiveness and detachment -to name a few ego-reducing lessons... It's all super interesting to me and I have to say that yoga philosophy and stuff in Hinduism like Kali Yuga have never made this much sense to me...

I recently read a lovely book about Sri Pattabhi Jois as perceived by some of his students. To quote a part of the book; one of Guruji's first Western students, Chuck Miller, says:

"I think that the practice is a tremendous metaphor not just for an individual human but for all humanity in general. And that is personally what I see as one of the huge benefits of it. So much damage has been done from people trying to change other people but this gives you a chance to work on yourself and change yourself, come face-to-face with yourself, with your own aggression, to see how you treat yourself. And that is going to influence how you treat other people."
 

 

In addition to practicing yoga and reading books, I've been really enjoying this opportunity to get such a close look to a Brahmin family life (and in this case a pretty orthodox one...). Maybe particularly interesting to me since I myself have had a very dogmatic Protestant upbringing.

Everyday rituals -as well as the ones on special occations like Diwali- are beautiful.

Homa -a fire ritual