Greetings from the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga, Mysore, India!
I was met with a heavy rainstorm upon arriving to Mysore. All is well when the monsoon comes as it is considered auspicious and good luck to arrive in rainy weather!
Integration into this foreign world is made easier by the early morning Yoga practice. There are about 100 worldwide students currently enrolled in Sri K Pattabhi Jois's Yoga Shala.
The Guru of Ashtanga has suffered from some health issues in the last few months but is now about 80% better. Age does have its rewards.... he is more cute then ever being in his nineties! Although he has stopped giving physical adjustments, he sits in a chair at the front of the class watching over us with his eagle eyes. His grandson Sharath is now taking on the responsibility of manning the space, giving new poses and making sure the teaching remains traditional. Serious practitioners who are working hard to keep their focus create the atmosphere in the shala.
Ashtanga Yoga has attracted the rich and famous so often you will see the latest hip fashions or even bling bling on the mat. (The Guru himself was the subject of a Vanity Fair profile on Yoga). This blaring paradox can be hard to embrace, yet tolerable if you can read in between the lines and only take the gems of the Ashtanga practice.
The Ashtanga practice usually takes about 1-½ hours and is extremely physical demanding. Part of the Mysore magic is the back bend adjustment. Depending on your pliability, you will drop back from standing and "catch your ankles". This is often breath taking experience! After you stop seeing stars you are motioned to move to the back of the room to complete your finishing poses. The morning ritual is not complete with out a few coconuts to help wash away the impurities held in the body.
Eating in Mysore is always a concern for the yogis. Most conversations between students at meal times are about the food coming in and how well it is being processed. Southern Indian food is fiery hot and difficult to digest by most foreigners. The solution is found in maintaining a personal kitchen, where you can determine what is going into your meals. Currently there is a need for specialty items as they are impossible to find. For the optimal Yoga practice it is vital to bring sattvic foods such as quinoa, sea salt, Braggs, liquid aminos.
The green movement is slowly taking off in Mysore, as more organics are entering the mainstream markets. Although, similar global problems remain such as upholding the standards of organic growing procedures. Because of the massive population and a lack of proper waste management, India is a prime country to pioneer green practices. Julie and Vivek Cariappa of Krak-a-dawna Farms are one such example of pioneers of the Indian green movement. They started the well known “Green Farmers Market” several years back, that is held every Sunday at the appropriately named Green Hotel.
