Week Two Yoga Boot Camp

The routine of it all seems to be settling in. The schedule is quite full with my morning medicine delivered to my room at 6:00 a.m. yoga at 6:30, theory class at 7:30, breakfast at 8:30, more theory class at 10:00, more yoga at 12:30, lunch at 1:00, more yoga at 3:00, theory class at 4:30, meditation at 5:30 and dinner at 7:00. By the time dinner is over I collapse into bed to do it again tomorrow. (yoga hall is picture to the left) Our two hour written tests are on Saturdays. I’m becoming a bit more comfortable with the constant dull ache we yoga students seem to be experiencing.

Our “day off” is Sunday, with only one yoga/meditation class at 7:00 a.m. which is usually taught by the students. I taught my first class yesterday!! I loved it. It was a combination yoga/meditation class, and because it was Sunday we meditated on our 3rd Charkra (power), located directly above your navel. I thought to myself, "oh my god, I'm sitting on a mountain top in India facilitating navel contemplation". Sounded a bit like a sit com:) I can think of a few punch lines to THAT one!

The clients here at the retreat center with me come from all over the globe, and we have new people coming and going daily. Some people come here for courses (like me) and others are here as patients for detoxification or rejuvenation programs with the Ayurvedic Doctors. Patients usually attend the yoga and meditation classes with the students, and we all have our meals together, so it's a nice blend. Currently the countries represented here are Russia, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Ireland, UK, Thailand, Pakistan, Greece, Egypt, Italy, two others from the US (Phoenix, Arizona and Monterey, California), and of course India. Ages range from 20 to late 60’s. (We had a mother and her 1 year old baby boy here for 2 days, but they decided not to stay).

While the yoga course is basically what I expected, I am surprised at the amount of Sanskrit we are required to learn. It is the study of this very strange language that leaves me feeling constantly under prepared and nervous about the Saturday tests. The good news is that I seem to have a pretty good understanding of the physical part of our training.

As for the climate, now that the cyclone has passed we seem to be moving into a bit of a pattern that includes warm sunshine in the mornings and afternoon fog and occasional rain. The outcome is beautiful green surroundings, lots and lots of noisy birds and squirrels, and the wonderful smell of earth and warmth. The locals insist this is not normal as the rainy season is over and it should now just be cool.

There is a large house next to our yoga classroom that is having a retaining wall built by hand. There are about 10 men and women (two of which appear to be about 8 months pregnant) digging out the wall and carrying the dirt away in bowls on their heads. They chatter and clank and laugh all day long. It is a most wonderful backdrop of sound as we practice, meditate and attempt to “join with supreme” through the poses, breath and focused concentration. I have never experienced anything quite like this; the peacefulness is profound.