Beauty Shots!

these pictures aren't necessarily very evocative of my trip, but they are some of the more beautiful pictures I've taken. I have a lot more pictures to share, but uploading is turning out to be quite a difficult procedure. the internet cafes are very funky here (not that I'm complaining!) - for instance the right shift key of this computer is busted, and I've decided just to ignore it. Ha ha! Tomorrow we have a very full day - class, practice, and a trip to see some 2000 year old buddhist cave temples in the afternoon. I also took some nice pictures of the practice space where we have classes, which I would like to share. Hopefully I'll be able to get some pics up soon.

Here is a beautiful lotus blossom...

can you tell what these are? it's a scene from a bangle stall - selling the ubiquitous bangle bracelets that all the Indian girls and women wear. Pretty much from infancy! I loved all the colors...

this is a large bowl of water with flowers arranged on the surface. such a beautiful way of presenting flowers, which we also saw often last time we were in india.
this is from the ayurvedic retreat. -it's a picture of Nandi, shiva's bull. I love how it looks with the lake in the background.

Temples and Shrines

There are temples and altars and shrines everywhere in India, on every hilltop, on street corners, tucked between two shops, small ones & big ones... They are always interesting and often beautiful.
Here's a little detail from a temple here in Pune that we visited a couple of days ago. This picture captures a few specific things - the beautiful colors, the fresh flowers given as offerings, and the swastikas drawn on the wall with pigment. The swastika is a sacred symbol here in India and once you get used to seeing it everywhere, it's actually very nice to see this perfectly innocent symbol with a clean and untarnished usage.

At the same temple as the previous picture, I took this shot of the stairway up to the temple. Pilgrims have carefully touched and marked each stair on the climb to the temple in an act of special humility and devotion... each leaving their own unique mark.

This Ganesh shrine is a rather large and elaborate one, located in back of the park which is across the street from our apartment. It's very lovingly maintained with flowers and lights and music and is well-swept. There are chairs for contemplating or resting. There are even little candies that you can eat (Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, also happens to be a sweet-lover).

This shrine to Hanuman was at the Ayurvedic Retreat center... That's Hanuman, the monkey god (and symbol of devotion) in the middle, wearing a couple of garlands. There are all sorts of other goodies in there with him too... a melting pot!

This is the same temple from the first two pictures. This is Jen, me, and Abbey up at the top. Sorry for that big railing in the picture, but we were using the auto-taker feature. Can you see the smog? Pune is one seriously polluted place! This temple was very beautiful and still very much in use. Compared to what I saw on my last trip to India, Pune seems very modern and relatively well-off. There are countless young ladies wearing tight jeans and tight tee shirts (and of course, an equal number wearing more traditional clothes). We've even seen many couples holding hands or snuggling in public, which I don't think we saw even once last time. So, it was interesting for us to see that many of these western-dressed girls and their boyfriends (?) were at the temple, very humbly and sincerely doing their pooja rituals.

My Travelling Companions

A few little pictures of my roomies and me!
This was the first time in an autorickshaw for both Abbey and Jen! So of course we had to document it. Jen has been to India once before, but was trekking (and not taking autorickshaws). Abbey is a brave first-time-to-India traveller and is doing a great job of keeping up with two people who have been here before!

The autorickshaws are so insanely fun. It is like being instantly catapaulted into a live-action video game - darting, speeding, weaving, maneuvering, honking, stopping & starting. I love it! It's also a nice chance to meet different characters, as each driver is a different experience - from the silent speedy one to the sweet older fellow with a beautiful smile, to the crazy one with loud music and a strong desire to practice his english. What fun.

In the kitchen of our apartment... this picture captures Abbey and Jen as they prepare for their first cup of real coffee in many days! The Ayurvedic retreat had all sorts of great food, but no caffeine. Not a problem for me, but these two coffee lovers were feeling it! So there was great merriment when we figured out how to light up our little gas stovetop and Abbey got out her special coffee from home.

Hope you are all well!

Pictures from the Kare Ayurvedic Retreat

Well, these are pictures from our first week ... but I wanted to get them up because we stayed at a very special place. We spent our first night in Mumbai/Bombay near the hotel and then went out and spent two nights/three days at an Ayurvedic Retreat about 1 hour outside of Pune. Pune is a giant city, full of smog and traffic, but this retreat was like an oasis of calm. Gardens, trees, birds chirping, a glorious view of the lake... We had two "treatments" per day - different types of massage, herbal facials, and the wonderful oil treatment where a steady stream of oil is poured on your forehead from a vessel suspended above you. I know it might not sound so great, but believe me when I tell you that it was amazingly relaxing. It sent tingles of relaxation all through my body. So nice after all the fuss of travelling (20 hours in the air + 4 hour layover + travel time!).
This is our group! From the left: Jen, Holly, Me, Abbey, and Mary. Holly and Mary have both recently moved away from Santa Cruz, but we are all Kofi students. Holly and Mary are staying closer to town, in a nice hotel... and Jen and Abbey and I are at an apartment near the Institute. In this picture, however, we are all blissed out and relaxing on one of the many shaded patios at the Ayurvedic Retreat.
This was the view from the front door to my room. We each had our own private room & shower, which was quite nice. I took this picture at about 6:45 am, as I was headed up for my morning yoga practice. We had 2 hours in the morning and again 2 in the evening for practice. It feels so decadent and glorious to have so much time set aside for yoga. Ah....
I had fun doing some drawings while there, and I took this picture with the auto-timer on the camera... just so you can see that I am still alive and well!

Animals!

Animals are absolutely everywhere in India. For me, it is simealtaneously one the best things and one of the hardest things about being here. Today my roommate Jen and I went over to the Parvati Temple to check it out. On that one outing we saw cows, dogs & puppies, a cat, chipmunks, beautiful black falcons, wild pigs, goats & baby goats, many types of birds, butterflies, and donkeys. And more dogs. Imagine that. Of course I am taking pictures of all the animals like crazy.

Here are a few pictures that I uploaded yesterday of some of the animals I have had the pleasure of meeting so far: Look at these beautiful cows. Cows are one of my favorite animals in the world... and I think the cows in the India are the most beautiful cows of all. Those long elegant faces, the gentlest eyes... and the painting horns are a special touch. I was photographing these sweet cows when their owner came walking back to his cart. He kindly suggested that I take his picture with his cows - so of course, I did! This was taken right across the street from the Iyengar Yoga Institute.

Look at this cutie! Our apartment came with its own special friend, and a major guilt trip. The ladies who were renting it before us were feeding this young cat... and he (or she) has become totally dependent. He is constantly outside our door, crying and crying and crying. It's especially sad, because he is very sweet and trusting, but cats have a difficult life in India. Unlike the dogs, you don't see many cats, and people here almost never have cats for pets. We have made the tough decision not to feed the cat, but we do let it in and play with it and cuddle it. Luckily - for him and for us - he is a clean and healthy little guy so far... and an absolute purr monster. He especially loves playing in the mosquito net on my bed. ADORABLE!

Here is one of the countless dogs of India. I befriended this sweet pup at a temple yesterday. I was taking his picture when he jumped up to come in for some scritches and snuggles. I am so grateful to my friend Geraldine, and I think of her constantly. Last time Musty and I came to India, we came to visit Geraldine and her family. Geraldine is a fellow dog & animal lover, and she taught me that it was okay to pet the street animals. Last time it took some time for me to get used to the idea, but this time around I'm all about the loving snugs! You all know how much I love dogs... on the one hand it is a joy to see so many sweet faces and wagging tails. On the other hand, unfortunately, you also see many dogs in a various painful states - hairless with mange, broken legs, limping, starving, bony, bony & nursing... it can be quite difficult to see. It helps to think of our own little brigade of rescued furries at home, who have been spared from this suffering. And it also helps to give a nice little pat! And then, of course, I get out the hand sanitizer, or wash my hands. Don't worry!

This is the view outside my bedroom window. I guess you can't see well here, but there are chickens and goats in this picture. Across the wall from our apartment complex is a pretty well-off shanty town. There's a lot of nice activity going on over there, day and night. I made a list the other day of all the sounds I was hearing. I don't have it with me now, but it went something like this: chickens, goats bleating, dogs barking, children playing, people calling to each other, metal dishes clanking together, pigs squealing, crows squaking, mopeds and auto rickshaws... It's such an amazing orchestration. In India, the phenomena of *life* is inescapable. I love that.

A Few Notes

Hello Friends!
Two days in a row! Still no pictures, but I do have a plan. Hopefully I can get some for you soon.

Something funny we've all noticed in class is the total free-for-all atmosphere. If you get up to pee, you might well come back and find "your" spot taken - someone else will be happily doing yoga on "your" mat with "your" props. It's funny how surprised we all were by this. We tend to have such a proprietary relationship with our props during class - "my blanket" "my block." In a way, this communal, take-what-you-need approach is quite refreshing, once we get used to it!

The studio is totally stocked to the rim with props. The room is shaped like a half moon, the walls are covered in photos of Mr. Iyengar doing glorious postures, statues of Patanjali & Shiva, photos of Krishnamacharya (Mr. Iyengar's teacher)... it's a busy but wonderful selection. The corners and the whole border are piled with countless benches, wooden constructs, bars, poles, blocks, cut of wood, blankets, mats, weights, straps, many different pillows... It's fantastic to see all the different ways that people put these props to use during their practice.

Each day (except Sundays) we have one class (2 hours) and one practice session (2-3 hours). The practice sessions are quite interesting. Everyone is quiet and focused and there is a lovely feeling of shared intention and intensity. There are props everywhere and it's very inspiring to see every one else practice. There are people from all over the world, and of many sizes and ages. From skinny to positively rotund, from youthful to quite ancient. All yoging away!

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Tonight, after practice, we took a stroll through the park across from our house. How lovely! I look forward to many more walks there. It's not huge, but it's big enough, and it's well used by the neighborhood folks. There's a playground for the kiddos, and all ages walking around the pathways. There is a meandering path with benches, and also a quicker pace path for those who want to work up a sweat. The trees are FILLED with super noisy birds. Just on the other side of the park is a lovely little set of roadside stands and a sweetly maintained Ganesh temple. My roommate Jen and I wandered in right in the early evening and were literally entranced by the temple. The caretaker was sweeping, turning on the lights, and the music was playing... We just stood there for about 5 minutes before we realized any time had passed. Nightfall is a beautiful time in India, as all the little booths and stalls and temples light up and begin to sparkle.

love to you all

At Last!

Well! I had no idea it would take so long to get up and running with some internet action, but here I am at last.

What an incredible journey. I am just amazed by how much I love India. I can't stop smiling. It feels so peaceful and natural to be here - even with all the chaos, smog, honking, trash and noise!

We spent our first few days out in the countryside at an Ayurvedic Retreat. There, we received two treatments per day (massage mostly), two hours of yoga in the morning and again in the evening, and enjoyed amazing Ayurvedic food - specifically prepared for each guest's constitution/dosha. Wow. It was so beautiful and serene there. We were situated in the hilltop, looking out over a big lake. The trees were full of birds i'd never seen before - singing and chirping from sunrise to sundown. Such an incredibly peaceful place.

The countryside of India is just amazing - kids playing, cattle with their horns painted in brilliant colors, women with giant bags of rice or jars balanced on their heads, animals everywhere, red dust, plants growing everywhere.... i just keep thinking "I love India!'

Now we've come into the city of Pune, where things are much noisier and more chaotic, but just as fun. There's so much activity! Mopeds with 3 or 4 people crammed on, autorickshaws buzzing and honking everywhere, skinny dogs sleeping in the sun, beautiful faces, women in saris with hard hats helping with construction sites, and a dingy little Cyber Cafe packed full of indian folks!

As I type, the room is full of men, kids, girls, all using their computers. The storefront is an open facade, facing out into a dusty street full of non-stop honking, cars, autorickshaws, pedestrians, bikes, dogs and more. it's a wonderful display of everything-at-once.

Today we had our first class at the Iyengar Institute. We woke up at 6 am, in the dark, and walked a short distance to the institute. Our class today was with Prashant, Mr Iyengar's son. It was an amazing class, and quite gentle compared to our worst fears. Apparently those fears will be realized tomorrow when Geeta, Mr. Iyengar's daughter will teach us. It is truly an amazing feeling to be in the practice room... a room filled with the vibrations of years and years of the inspiration, aspiration, and effort of countless yogis before us. It's awe-inspiring, and silencing. Of course we are all very much thinking of our dear teacher Kofi and all the time that he has passed here in pune.

Immediately following class is our practice time, another 3 hours for us to practice whatever we please. This is a very special time, because Mr. Iyengar also comes in and practices. We were truly speechless when we first saw him walk in yesterday. We had gone to the institute to register an receive our class schedules... When we went up to see the practice room, in walked Mr. Iyengar himself. What a presence. Watching him practice, at age 90, is truly amazing. Yesterday he walked in, took off his robes, and popped right up into a long headstand. !! What an inspiration.

The temperature here is delightfully hot. Not oppressive, but hot indeed. Just that sort of temperature that permeates completely. Wonderful for yoging.

We have the rest of our afternoon off today, so we'll move into our apartment and take some time to get settled. It does get old, living out of a suitcase night after night. Then I suppose we'll hunt down a nice spot for some dinner...

Our landlady has already invited my 2 roommates and I to her brother-in-law's son's wedding on the 19th. What fun!

I am hoping that from here on out, internet access will be easier and more often, and that I will be able to share thoughts and reflections more readily. And hopefully we'll find a place where i can also upload some pictures!