Well that was an unexpected surprise! We were awaiting Guruji and Abhijata, but in came Geeta – explaining that as the institute is closed at the end of the month for the weekend, during Pranayama week she had come instead today to teach Pranayama.I felt very moved during the invocation to find myself sat in front of Geetaji – I had not been able to attend the Convention when she came to the UK. Sadly she was not in the best form, very cross with everyone and I found myself feeling acutely uncomfortable, not wanting to take something that is not willingly given.For a while the telling off paused and we did get to the day’s teaching. I am so sorry to have missed Geeta’s teaching in the preceding years and also feel sad that she has come to this place of absolute intolerance of us all (reminded me of me, during my last pregnancy!)Honestly, I just felt she was too unwell. More than one went home in tearsWaved Jenny and Nicky off in their taxi for the Ayurvedic Retreat. I arrived at the Institute at 6pm for the beginning of The Annual Day celebrations. We were in the main yoga hall for some talks given by The Doctor, Zubin and a Philosophy Professor who is also a long term student of Guruji.
Guruji had a kind of throne between the two pillars facing the stage and received a rousing round of applause as he came in , beaming, smiling emitting good energy all around. Now the one time we were allowed to take photos inside, where was my camera? In my suitcase downstairs. Grrrh. I took some pictures with Myka’s camera and will upload them when she emails them through. I had prepared a few notes, as recommended by Stephanie, for my part which was to talk a little about diabetes and what has been happening while I had been attending the medical class.
As it turns out The Doctor’s lecture was overrunning and I was never asked to take the mic, for which I was eternally grateful. I had a taxi booked to meet me outside the Institute to take me to the Ayurvedic Retreat (www.karehealth.com). He was waiting as promised in a rather rickety old car and it turned out he didn’t actually know where we were going, which was a bit unfortunate because neither did I. Somehow I managed to get online from the back of the car (it’s surprising how many people’s password is password!) and got some directions from good old Google Maps. I also rang the retreat and they talked him through it. So off we went, no seat belt in the car for me so I was clinging on to the door handle the whole way. As we climbed up and up out of Pune the temperature got cooler, the road got bumpier and the driving got riskier.So I am arrived, I know not where- I’ll find out when the sun rises. There was a tiffin waiting for me full of promise. Unfortunately I had forgotten peopIe come here to follow strict ayurvedic diet –and to detox, lose weight etc. So was a little deflated to find some green liquid (not nice) some yellow liquid (in my famished state, good) no rice and two chapatti / paratha type things of unknown ingredients which I could not risk eating because of my coeliacs, though I’d just about have sold my soul to – it was very tempting as there was a good chance they were made of millet! Noone on reception and no response from Nicky or Jenny who were probably fast asleep at this stage. No phone signal and no internet access, so no blog till I get home tomorrow. I have a 6.30am wake up call with herbal tea ready for 7am yoga class in the morning, so will attempt to sleep now!
DAY 19 – GEETAJI PRANAYAMA AND ANNUAL CELEBRATION
· AMV – Dorsal pressing in
· Swastikasana – urdhva hastasana arms behind ears
· Virasana baddangullyasana arms behind ears
· Virasana bend fwds knees together, then separate
· Sirsasana – Shoulder blades fully engaged
· Brick Setu- Bandha legs extended / uttanasana
· Savasana pranayama – with no blanket or bolster have to lift the back ribs up to find the space in the chest
· Viloma inhalation first spreading the lower ribs, then below the sternum, then sternum, upper chest shoulders roll back
· Seated inhalation from the lower back rib so that the chest box comes forward and upwards
· Savasana
Geeta’s Sequence here: day-19-geetaji
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