I couldn’t believe it was already 9:22 when I woke up this morning, only minutes before my loyal Rickshaw driver, Nana, would arrive to fetch me and my suitcases in order to deliver me to my new apartment — just about 20 minutes walking from “The Institute” [i.e. the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, or RIMYI.] That doesn’t include crossing six lanes of the most terrifying traffic I’ve ever seen. There is only one way across. (Think Eddie Murphy’s special needs brother in the movie Bowfinger, trying to scurry across the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles, to complete a scene.) The fact that I was able to find my way back tonight was nothing short of a miracle. It really could have gone either way.
But, more importantly, today was my first Indian Yoga class!!! Mr. Iyengar is under the weather, and even if he were well, I am not experienced enough to attend his classes. One must apply two years in advance and have at least 8 years of experience in Iyengar Yoga. I have one. However, I have a ten-year visa, so there’s hope! Mr. Iyengar will be 101 years old by then. If he’s still teaching, I am SO coming back!
I learned a lot in tonight’s class, but before I get into the yoga, here are the most important things I learned:
- Get a mat close to the teacher. I was in the back row with windows open to a busy street with horns blaring and fumes entering. The breeze was pleasant, but the noise made it difficult to hear. The fan was blowing in at least one of my ears and his accent was blowing in the other. I’m not about to complain, because it’s not like I speak their language. The fact that the classes are all taught in English is kind of astounding when you think about it. But the room was half-filled with local practitioners, so occasionally he would repeat the instructions in Hindi, which was funny, because it took me nearly a dozen words to realize he’s switched languages!
- If you bring your own mat, pick it up immediately when the class ends. Most people use The Institute’s mats. Mine was swept up by some well-intentioned individual, and I had to dig it out of the bottom of the pile.
- There’s a guy selling fresh coconuts just outside the center (he machetes them open and you drink the juice then eat the meat). They cost 20 Rupees each (that’s about $.40 US). By contrast, a bottle of Zico costs upwards of $2.
As for the yoga, in all honesty, it’s totally different. The postures are clearly the same, but they are raw. They are taught in a way that is raw. You move fast, they speak abruptly, and the floor is hard tile, not eco-friendly bamboo. Our teacher this evening was firm but friendly, and he smiled a lot, which softened the blows of his sometimes direct and personal instruction. I really loved it and I can’t wait for class #2, though at the same time I’m happy that tomorrow the center is closed. I already need some time to recouperate!
*** Yogic Virtue of the day: Karma
I just found out that tough-actin’ Tenactin kills ants! In an act of disgust from an ant-infested bathroom, I sprayed my uninvited houseguests with foot spray. Then, only moments later in an absent-minded haze of exhaustion, I rinsed my mouth out with tap Indian tap water. Not even the locals drink that. So it’s kind of the same thing when you think about it. Instant Karma. Well, hopefully it won’t kill me AND I’m glad to have it out of the way.