Fiona Stang
The Mysore Program
Serenity Studio
#101 - 1537 West 8th Ave
fionastang@yahoo.com

Hello again. 

Week three is beginning and although I have so much to say, it has  not been easy finding a chance to escape to the internet place to write substantially about mysore!  Ambrose and Viveka are keeping me busy.  I just finished my Monday practice and feel great!  Yesterday was my first day of led intermediate.  Traditionally you always spend your first week practicing primary series and then if you are practicing other series you begin the intermediate on the second week, advanced on the 3rd etc...

Yesterday, just like everyday,  had incredible energy in the room.  The room, for once, was not crowded at all and in usual mysore led class fashion Sharath was sending people to the back to finish when their postures were not correct.  This creates a bit of seriousness in the feel of the room and Guruji's voice always commands such attention.  The class left me feeling fantastic.  Guruji's count was powerful and his attention to detail, precise.  Kapotasana was a whole new experience.  Kapotasana is probably known by many as the dreaded backbend in the intermediate series and as Guruji told me last time I was in Mysore, kapotasana is the posture that gives most clues about the level and proficiency of one's intermediate practice.  It is a key posture in this series.  Guruji's count of 1 started after I was about 15 breaths into the posture.  Guruji waits until everyone is fully in the posture before he begins the count.  This adds a bit of intensity to the moment and reminds us of the importance of an even, steady breath..  But as every posture has a beginning, every posture has an end.    The class flowed by with the sound of even and steady ujjayi breathing and a smoothness as it seemed, the practitioners seemed to float through the vinyasa.  The room was sweltering as there had already been two led primary classes beforehand, packed to the brim.  As I lay in savasana, I felt very grateful to be here studying under Guruji, Sharath and Saraswati again.  Each practice seems to bring me back into that deep place of stillness.  This stillness is a nice gift as chaos sometimes greets me when I walk in my doors to Viveka and Ambrose!

The scene in Mysore is as busy as ever.  Most students are being turned away from studying with Guruji at the yoga shala and I imagine there are many tears.  There are just too many students for him to handle.   Students are being redirected to Sharath who is probably just about full himself (he teaches in his own shala, above our house after he finishes with guruji.  Sharath is currently finishing teaching at 12:30ish!).  Other students are being directed to Saraswati who teaches classes following Guruji in the Yoga Shala.  Saraswati is a  strong and loving woman and her presence in the yoga room with Sharath and Guruji is a lovely addition.

 Conference yesterday, which is when students gather for a once a week meeting for Q&A with Guruji, was full, absolutely full.  The room was loaded with heat and bodies!  These conferences are times when morsels of wisdom are shared and parted.  Guruji is a Sanskrit Scholar with the esteemed title of Vidvan.  His knowledeg is vast!    Sitting in conference brought me back to my first few trips to Mysore when we would sit in the old shala daily, twenty students gathered in Guruji's living room.  The old yoga shala was a humble room where 12 students practiced, packed in.  Guruji still visits his old home daily and teaches some students.  I was lucky to have lunch in his old home with the shala sanskrit teacher and his wife.  It was nice to visit the old practice room which is still filled with prana and energy.  Ambrose also enjoyed running around the yoga room!

In the Mysore Scene, Yoga students are living in hotels and looking for homes.  Accommodations are probably hard to find but Mysore is dealing well.  The local milk shop and everything you need shop now sells homemade chocolate of every flavor.  I can now buy soy milk, carrot ginger juice, peanut, almond and cashew nut butter as well as millet or whole wheat bread right outside my door.  Mysore is definitely catering to the yogis and making our adventures here a bit easier. 

India is still as intense as ever and I will say, even more intense when visiting with two littles ones.  Ambrose and Viveka seem happy here and adjusted well.  Ambrose likes to ride his bike on the back roads of Gokalam, the part of town where we live.  He runs in the sprinklers at the pool where we go daily.  And he still enjoys reading books in his special fort, his mattress surrounded by essential mosquito netting.  He talks constantly about taking rickshaws and looks forward to our daily journeys on "fast rickshaws" - however most of them are old and slow!  Vivvy is as cute as ever, standing and very proud of herself.  Her cheeks are squeezed at least ten times a day and all the Indian ladies take their turns holding her.  I have a lovely lady Lakshmi helping me with the kids so I can take them swimming.  And Nikki, from Vancouver, helps me tend them in the early mornings when I practice.

Speaking of which, Ambrose and Viveka are waiting for me.  My real yoga now begins as I spend the day with them and a new adventure unfolds.  I never know what to expect here.

Life is full here but there is a little hole now as Ambrose, Viveka and I all miss Julian so deeply!  We think of him all the time.  He helped us to settle in nicely to our routine here in Mysore and his spirits stays with us.

 shantih...fiona, ambrose and viveka