Gypsy Sister

I am so excited I can barely sleep! As usual I have done nothing to prepare for this trip! I still need to pack, buy travel insurance, travellers cheques...but I have loads of time!! I really need this time to make some important decisions. Right now things are pretty good. My practice has again become the most important part of my life. For a few months there I was only practicing 5 days a week and hanging out with a lot of non-yoga people which was cool but I don't think it was very productive or helpful. I feel like I strayed off my path and I have slowly found my way back. My friend Stephen has been my saving grace and I'm so grateful to him. I have learned so much from him not only about the practice but about myself. He is a font of knowledge and I have discovered humility when I am around him. I feel like I am growing up. That the more I know the less I know and that everyone has something to teach me. Even if that lesson is as blatent as not hanging out with people who party all the time. I mean, hey! Partying is great! I spent years in a haze and even though it was not the best or proudest time of my life it got me to where I am today. So now I am done with it. I have been for a long time. I just sometimes get lonely and think that I'm missing something. I not missing ANYTHING!! So Maui will be a time of quiet contemplation and meditation; practice and cleansing; and decision making. Wish me luck...

Another one of my students wants to go to Mysore! I've been talking a lot about Guruji lately in class, telling stories of my time with him in Gokulam. It seems students are really listening! Three students over the last month have come to me asking about India, Mysore in particular and what to do to get there. I'm so excited giving them email addresses and website's to look up. It makes me so happy - so many of the students here are here for the exercise, because it makes them sweat. But those few that I manage to reach, they make it all worth while.

Greetings from Maui! I have returned to this magical isle where my troubles just seem to melt away! Of course some have been replaced by others but in general I'm relaxing and taking a much needed rest from teaching. I'm practicing with my teacher, and ironically it's not as intense as it is in Taipei. Maybe I'm not working as hard, maybe it just feels easier, I'm not sure but I'm still enjoying myself. The thing about having one of the originals as your teacher you hear a lot of the bull shit that goes on in and around the world of ashtanga. As Guruji ages there is a distinct line being drawn between "new school" and "old school" ashtanga, who's teaching the "correct" method, Guruji vs Sharath. It is very unsettling for, as my friend Stephen calls us "young pups" and very confusing! I'm being taught one thing in Taipei and another thing here. I guess it's down to respecting the teacher in the room and doing what they ask you to do, seeing if it works for you, and then incorporating what does into your personal practice and getting rid of the rest. It amazes me though the ego that gets involved and the things that these senior teachers are saying about eachother.....can you imagine what they would be like if they didn't practice yoga? Or are they still practicing "yoga" or only "asana"? Something to ponder....I'm off to practice.
12:00
Back from practice. It was a good one! Really trying to work moola bandha throughout the whole practice and it's getting easier to do. Still not maintained throughout the whole thing but I am using it more. Got my toes to my head in vrishikasana (which Nancy keeps in intermediate) but I'm still not moving my hands in the jump out of pincha. Mayurasana is a nightmare! But it's slowly, slowly coming. I can bounce both feet off the floor but I can't stay up yet. Nacrasana I can do 5 bounces - gonna try to add one a week to get up to the required 10. Should be interesting. The rest is fine until I get to supta urdhva pada vajrasana where I cannot bind and roll without feeling like I will break my back! One day maybe....Not taking my ankles here yet in kapot or backbends. Hopefully by Wednesday they will feel comfortable enough to take me there. Merritt took me there last week but I'm not allowed to practice with him anymore ( we got into trouble!) so here's hoping the girls will do it! I think I will just tell them to be more forceful with me. Or I'll just relax and enjoy the break from intense practice! But I did work up some heat today which was good, and balance is pincha was good. I gotta get some body work done here on my shoulder and lower back so I'm off to make an appointment. Hope all is well. Until next time...