All Posts

<p>I suspected it would be a backbend class today so spent some time at home in chair back arch before heading to the institute &#8211; experience has taught me that in such a large class the teacher is unlikely to get the chairs out (it&#8217;s enough of an organisational nightmare to get a blanket each) [&hellip;]</p>

<p>  Wonderful Practice Space, complete with miniature Patanjali   Woke up this morning completely deaf in one ear &#8211; ever since swimming there has been water slooshing about in there and now the ear is completely blocked. Have been putting drops in hoping to clear the blockage, but instead just filling my poor ear canal [&hellip;]</p>

<p>  After practice headed off in rickshaw for FabIndia, stopping at Rupali for breakfast on the way &#8211; a Thali! see pic.     Was tired after having big hypo in the night, despite only taking a teeny 2 units of insulin with my dinner. I chatted to Dr. Manoj about the diabetes work we [&hellip;]</p>

<p>One of the Murals adorning the outer walls of the Institute The day started with my own practice at home, remembering feeling lousy as I sat and watched Geeta&#8217;s class last Wednesday. All the work to strengthen my back body is really starting to take hold and I did best ever navasana. I&#8217;m finally tackling [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Day started with observation of the older folks class and then practice session. After practice headed outside for the obligatory coconut and straw. I&#8217;m building up quite a coconut habit &#8211; at least 2 a day now, it seems way more thirst quenching than mere water. They cost 30 rupees each (30p) and the seller [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Got up feeling a bit ropey after swimming yesterday &#8211; very mild cold symptoms. Got ready for practice session at the institute, only to find that I was locked into the apartment &#8211; my flatmate Eva had bolted the door on the outside when she left for Prasant&#8217;s class at 6.30am. Undeterred I got out [&hellip;]</p>

<p>&nbsp; A wonderful day starting with yoga on the balcony, getting my teeth into practicing the new work Guruji and Stephanie have given. Although I didn&#8217;t have a trestle, the fence around the balcony worked just as well. Met Lynda at lunchtime and headed off in the rickshaw for the Solaris pool out at Koregan [&hellip;]</p>

<p>&nbsp; It was such a different experience waking up in the new apartment &#8211; cool, leafy and quiet. The sun was just up when I went out onto the terrace to take some photos. My only &#8216;normal&#8217; class today and it was a cracker! Hall was busy but not unbearable. It&#8217;s a wonderful sound to [&hellip;]</p>

<p>&nbsp; Guruji is away for 10 days down south, so I won&#8217;t have the possibility of being taught by him again until the 20th. I will use this time well to practice the work he has given me and strengthen myself for the next onslaught. While I am grateful for this space to prepare, I [&hellip;]</p>

<p>&nbsp; Woke up feeling physically well, but mentally shell-shocked. As I walked to practice the little stray puppy that hangs out by the Toyota Chowk who has always been completely benign, suddenly decided to attack &#8211; not teeth bared scarey attack &#8211; but little puppy jumping and nipping.I couldn&#8217;t seem to deter him, so I [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Started the day observing the women&#8217;s class with Geetaji. Was sad not to be in it but it was interesting to watch and get the opportunity to take some thorough notes. Although she was not too well, her voice struggling despite the mic &#8211; she taught a beautiful forward bend sequence. Spent the afternoon resting [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Had a very interrupted sleep as I woke needing glucose 3 or 4 times. Got up and headed into the institute to observe the seniors class. A different teacher this year, the class was busy with about 35 local senior citizens. She gave them a tough class, which they clearly enjoyed very much. Just in [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Practice was really busy and Guruji seemed to be focussing his teaching on his nearest and dearest. Each day there is a small group of select students close to the trestle where he works and as he does his practice he teaches them. There is always an audience that gathers to learn from what he [&hellip;]</p>

<p>No classes or practice sessions today so spent the morning at the apartment making creative use of tables and beds to replace usual yoga equipment. Spent a lot of time wrestling with antiquated twin tub washing machine trying to get a load of washing done without completely flooding the apartment. Lets just say the floor [&hellip;]</p>

<p>The day got off to a great start with the women&#8217;s class taught by Gulnaz. She was very relaxed and easy going but still taught a really thorough and deep reaching class, starting with 20 minutes of Adho Mukha Swastikasana! So helpful to be reminded the power of repeating poses so that they can fully [&hellip;]</p>

<p>&nbsp; Got up still tired after tossing and turning all night &#8211; anxious about getting the c-peptide test organised, things are rarely straightforward here and also about the possibility I might be working directly with Guruji. Eventually got through to one of the laboratories recommended by Dr.Manoj (local doctor and teacher at the Institute). They [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Felt much better once my flat mate arrived &#8211; Nicola from Canada &#8211; and passed out the second my head hit the pillow waking at 6am. Headed into the institute for practice starting at 9am and sat outside chatting waiting for the session to start. As we chatted Mr. Iyengar came out of his home [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Arrived into Mumbai at 4am and headed out of airport to get a taxi to Pune. I had been previously advised to expect to pay about 850 rupees. Of course they took one look at me and said 3000 rupees. I explained I didn&#8217;t mind waiting and splitting the fare and was told that as [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Well a mini blog to say goodbye! Am exhausted and up in the morning to catch the first of many flights home. My mammoth trip is Pune to Goa, then Goa to Bangalore, Bangalore to Paris, Paris to Bristol. Do yourself a favour, if you are coming to Pune from UK just get yourself a [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Woke up pre-dawn from a deep and sound sleep and lay listening to the quietness gradually transform into a cacophony of sound. The birds voiciferously announcing the rising of the sun, slamming doors, revving engines, unselfconscious footsteps on the staircase – an Indian city doesn’t tiptoe around the wishful sleeper. Hopped out of bed with [&hellip;]</p>