The First Days
Blog guest: Aaron Batista
To say the first week here has been a roller coaster ride is a bit of an understatement.
After our death-journey getting to our hotel, we were greeted by the hotel security guard who didn’t know about our reservation, didn’t have the room we had booked ready, and of course spoke only minimal English. We wound up getting a room with a single bed, and attempted to crash, finally. However it was already getting towards 5 in the morning by that point, and the traffic starts good and early here. We spent the next couple of hours desperately attempting to sleep amidst an endless barrage of noisy engines, honking horns, and street vendors announcing their wares.
All the excitement of beginning the journey that we had felt as we boarded our first flight had disappeared, replaced by the cold reality of being in a foreign land, far away from family and friends and almost anything familiar or comforting. Anxiety had set in, and suddenly our wonderful journey seemed more like a trap, with no way out.
We eventually got our hotel situation figured out, and with a step in the right direction, we’re finally able to get to sleep. Which we proceeded to do for the entire rest of the day, finally rising again around 7am on Tuesday. We went out and had a wonderful, cheap (though apparently rather expensive for the area) meal at nearby restaurant called “Sai Guru” or “Veg Family Restaurant”, and felt our spirits lift. The area is actually rather wealthy; beautiful, large houses, hotels and businesses lined the streets; each one unique in its architecture and many sporting bright, beautiful colours. In a much better mood, we set off to register at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute, which is about a ten minute walk from our hotel.
Earlier in the day, we spoke to a student of the institute we had met while enjoying fresh coconut juice, sipped right from the coconut, at a roadside vendor. When we told him we were here to study with Sharath, he responded by saying “I was with Sharath for one day. In the middle of practice he came over and started shouting at me ” beginner! Beginner! Go to Saraswathi” This is how we found out that Sharath teaches only to advanced students. Needless to say, the news didn’t help our dispositions. And then we went to register. I had read on the Internet that the price of classes was about 200-300$ a month. Yet upon registering, we were told the price (which, by the way, is listed nowhere on their website and when asked for in email, was not responded to) was 27800 rupees, which comes out to about 540$ Canadian a month. Our hearts sank. Not only could we not study with the teacher we had intended to, the price was nearly double what was expected. Feeling dejected, we returned to our hotel.
Knowing we would have to begin practice the next morning at 6am, we decided to each do a practice in the hotel. Keep in mind, we had been in transit for about a full day and a half prior to this, and had spent basically another half day sleeping. We were a little stiff. It was a hot day, and we both found ourselves unable to catch a breath, and almost completely immobile. Yet another kick in the teeth. I finished my practice thinking “what am I doing here?” the build up of pressure and anxiety had finally overwhelmed me. I was full of self doubt, and began to wish that I could just call it quits, go back home, and forget about India altogether.
After another meal, and a good nights sleep, we arose to our first day of practice. Saraswathi teaches not out of the main shala, but out of her home, just like her father (Pattabhi Jois) used to. When we arrive the room is already packed with students, all practicing at different levels, at different times, and Saraswathi makes her way around giving adjustments and making sure everyone knows and follows the proper sequence. Each pose in the series prepares you for the next, and a certain level of proficiency is required in each pose in order to proceed. If you cannot continue, she will tell you “you take back bending now, tomorrow try again”. She is a wonderful woman who projects a real sense of compassion and care in her teaching.
We received multiple adjustments each in the class, and at the end she took some time to get to know us, asking where we were from and who we had studied under. After practice we returned to the hotel, where they serve a free breakfast on the roof every morning. The view from the rooftop is beautiful, the food is excellent, and served with delicious chai. Relief washes over us as we relax over breakfast. A good sleep, good food, and a great practice, and all is well. I think we could get used to this.
Aaron and Adam, the Batista brothers journey to Mysore, India, to study at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute. They are both graduates of The Yoga Sanctuary Teacher Training.
Aaron’s blog: http://onesmallstepashtanga.blogspot.com/
