Back to the South

After spending an amazing day at the Taj Mahal last week, I arrived back in southern India on Friday for the last segment of my trip. It’s been a challenging month to say the very least. I think if I would have asked anyone who has spent time here to review my itinerary, they would have advised against it.   In  retrospect, that would have probably been good advice.  However, having done it I must say I’m thrilled to have been able to experience so many different aspects of Indian culture. The down side is that it kind of took an emotional and physical toll on me. I don't feel like I can bargain for one more rupee. I’m pooped.  It’s true what they say, that the hardest thing about traveling in India is traveling.

So I’m finally in Mysore in the state of Karnataka not far from where I started out 3 months ago.  No more trains or buses for awhile. Just yoga and relaxation.   I feel so fortunate to have found this wonderful teacher of Ashtanga yoga, and will be studying with him for a month.   Ajay Kumar at www.yogamysore.com if you’re interested.  Ashtanga is  a very vigorous style of yoga that involves lots of movement and lots of sweating. Oh and pain, lots of pain. But good pain as my teacher says while standing on my inner thighs.   In spite of that, I must say I’m really enjoying this lifestyle of early morning meditation, 2 hours of yoga, 2 hours for leisurely breakfast with other students in the class, afternoon naps and reading, optional 2 hour afternoon class, leisurely dinner(again 2-3 hours), and early to bed.  I can’t think of a better way to finish up my time in India.  Actually I can’t think of a better way to live my life.  More on that later. 

It’s really quite wonderful to meet so many people from all over the world who have left corporate jobs and are seeking more spiritual depth in their lives.  Last night at our pizza/movie dinner there were 12 people from 11 different countries.  We laughed when we talked about how different our sense of what normal to us is now versus what it was before we came to India.  

I am so grateful for the series of events that led me to be here.  How often in life do we take an extended amount of time to actually do what we love to do?  That to me, is the greatest sense of fulfillment and an invaluable gift.