The Highs and the Lows

The highs are the practice time, the classes and the time with my wonderful friend Nina. The lows are the noise level, the grunge level, and the constant effort to stay well.

Friday was Indian Independence Day, so the institute was closed. We took a much needed quiet day at home. Practice time, reading, crossword puzzles. That evening, we went to a popular restaurant called Vashali’s. The food was delicious and a nice break from our constant diet of vegetables, dahl, rice and chapatti. Unfortunately I made the mistake of drinking a small amount of the water, thinking that it was bottled. I have been quite sick for two days with a nasty stomach/intestinal bug. You don’t want the details. Nina convinced me, with little trouble, to take the antibiotic she brought, and I am feeling quite a bit better today. I practiced here at the flat rather than at the institute today, and am hoping to feel well enough to go to class tonight.

Last week I received my first personal corrections since I’ve been here – from Geeta in Tadasana (Mountain Pose – basically standing up straight) and from Stephanie Quirk in Sirsasana (Head Balance.) In both cases, the suggestions were quite challenging for me to implement. My work is cut out for me. I am gathering a good list of things to work on for the next year!

Yesterday we went to the Ghandi Memorial and it was impressive. It is located in a building where Ghandi, his wife and his secretary were under house arrest for some time. There are many statues and paintings, and highlights of Ghandi’s life. We saw the memorial where their ashes are placed. It was moving. The grounds had many trees and some gardens, and it was nice to be around a bit of nature. It is very much a “city life” here.

We are past the half-way mark, so that is good. The work is great, but I am missing home.