I suspected it would be a backbend class today so spent some time at home in chair back arch before heading to the institute – experience has taught me that in such a large class the teacher is unlikely to get the chairs out (it’s enough of an organisational nightmare to get a blanket each) and I always feel that I’m not at my best without good preparation.
I ended up at the back of the room, which was a bit of a shame as I am still at least 50% deaf at the moment. It was a TOUGH sequence 6 or 8 parivrtta trikonasanas interspersed with standing back arch, ustrasana, dhanurasana, urdhva mukha svanasana and salabhasana. All this building up to dwi pada viparita dandasana with the feet together – not my strong point and was grateful to be hiding at the back out of the firing line. We finished with forward bends, feeling how the spinal muscles spread again to the sides and halasana, karnapidasana sequence.
After class I had arranged to go with Lynda to have ‘our feet done’ though I had no idea what this entailed. She took me to a flat near the institute with a young female beautician and the tele blaring out indian soap operas. It turned out Lynda had made other plans so she quickly bailed out on me, leaving me with feet in an old babyliss foot spa and the beautician wielding an array of strange instruments. Definitely NOT a treatment for those with sensitive feet! They were ‘threaded’ which involved her pulling some cotton very taut with her mouth and crossing two very tight threads to yank the hair out (yes ouch) and then she ‘shaved’ off any excess skin (weird) and then vigorously rubbed them with something that looked (and felt) like a lemon zester. The torture abated while she slathered them in moisturiser and then resumed while she tackled the cuticles. I kept my attention on the TV which although I couldn’t understand a word was strangely compelling – all close up shots of angst ridden faces and dramatic music. I left half an hour later with thoroughly scrubbed and chastened feet.
Today was the institute’s ‘Annual Day’ it’s 39th Anniversary. We arrived at 6pm to find the whole building dolled up to the nines with petals and garlands and a red carpet laid out over the path. Inside the Iyengar family and students gathered for a series of speeches and lectures. It was a VERY long time to sit. The architect who is working with Guruji to create a fabulous new yoga university in Bellur talked us through the grand plans, which include a huge practice hall, guest accommodations, an infinity pool and large cafeteria. We also got to sit through the same slide show on Yantra’s that Rajiv gave at Yogawest, with a few extra photos he had taken recently and a slightly random lecture on face reading.
At the end Guruji gallantly posed for photos outside the house and many students got shots of themselves with him. I felt a bit uncomfortable and scuttled off home for dinner.
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