Yoga , now and then

As I read in Paul Brunton’s book, one of the earliest
poineers of the estern spiritual tradition, : “the old
Indian ohilosophical doctrine that universe is but
phantom-like in its real nature drifts into my mind
and begins to abet this destruction of my sense of
reality. I become ready for the strangest experiences
that this planet, which hurries so swiftly through the
abysses of space, can bring me. But some creature of
the earth world breaks rudely into my heavenly dream
by giving loud voice to the monotonous rhythm of an
Indian song, and I return rapidly to that potpourri of
uncertain pleasures and unexpected sorrows which men
call life.” And thus, my life in Mysore began.

It seems juat yesterday, Mysore embraced me as one
of its children. I came initially for the yoga, but
it offers more than just that. Like a piece of plain
fabric dipped it into a very colorful dye, it came out
with a vibrant look internally and externally. What
has India to offer? Or rather, why are people
searching eastwrad in this still very mytherious land?
I often ask myself. In the end, maybe it’s more than
just yoga we are looking for. Whatever the reasons, I
found that yoga, like life itself, can mean different
thing to different people. It’s like we are all
touching the same elephant, but in different parts.
May the whole picture can’t be found until we stop
looking for something. During my whole time in
Mysore, I kept telling myself:Take whatever comes to
you and accepts it as the way it is. Though I can
still see how hard it is to surrender without
resistence.( Talking about striking a fine asana!)

Now that this trip has come to the end, with so many
new experiences to digest, I feel a bit overwhelmed
yet grateful at the same time. There are so many
people that have made these experiences possible.
Shiva, Tina, Anut, Shdha, Krishna…..just to name a
few. Plus many others, Indians and forigners alike,
names unknown, who have made my stay confortable and
interesting. Not to mention those great yoga
teachers, lately for me is Ajay.

The yoga experience here is sometimes like a carnival
to me. So many activities created by tanlented people
have enchanted our lives in Mysore. Yet these
activities can be the source of busy-mindedness for
yogis. I learned that no matter how much information
you try to grasp, the less, the better. We want to
perfect opur asanas, but the greatest challenge of all
is the control of one’s mind. Not an easy task.

Our mind is mostly like the Southern Indian
sunlight-glittering all the time. Nevertheless, the
sunset every evening has an incredible bright light.
Whatched from my roof top, the sun’s rays dance in a
glorious way, then slowly sink below horizon. It
makes my extence humble and reminds me how beautful,
sacred life is. Just like the life cycle, the sun
comes out another day……. The ending always followed a
new beginning. Carring so much of the Mysore
experience within me, I’m looking forward to starting
anew, what people call the life.
Thank you all!!


This was just an yr ago. A very special trip I took for whom is not any type of yoga fanatic, it was a treat. I learn a lot about India and discover that yoga today is not as the same as it was. Nevertheless, at the time my yoga practice was at its peek. But now, without help from masters, I often find myself struggle through the Ashtanga yoga practice.
I started practicing yoga differently recently. I wouldn't say I've practiced any perticular style of yoga ever since I started the practice 4 yrs ago, but I do primarly Ashtanga yoga. It provides me a lot of stamina(sometimes maybe too much, because I will have trouble sleep that night if I stretch myself a little bit too hard.) and strengthens my endurence. Though I like it because its disciplinary quality, I always feel exhausted in the end of session. It also ofen gives me muscles crump.
I now practice yoga with more conscious choice. I do it according my body and mind's need that day. Thoguh without so much sweating or feeing just had a good" work out", I feel my body is more open and my mind is calmer then that practicing Ashtanga yoga. By apporching yoga in a slower way, my body gets to know itself better. Since yoga has become so much like a form of exercise in America socity, like so many other things people do in this country, it has become more and more like a conpetetive sport. I think that is why Ashtanga yoga is in such a hot spot now. People like it because its physical chellanging aspect.
I do Ahstanga mainly because it put me into a regular practice mood. It requires you do it everyday, well, at least five days a week. Now that the more I know about yoga, the less challenge I want to be. I don't mean physically, but reather a state of mind. The challenged mind is often an agitative, or even aggresive mind. Since we live in a world where challenges is not lacking but overtaking our life, we may want to rethink the art of challenging is not always seeingly in the postive side of a scale. It might harm us in the long round.
By practicing slow yoga, I realized what I've missed in time. That is space, a bigger space between me and the world around me.
This is me now.