On to Goa

Well coming out of silence and retreat and jumping on the overnight bus to Delhi was mind blowing! The senses go on overload and everything is amplified but at the same time feels surreal and calm.  Hmmmm?  So no sleep all night; a quick breakfast with Pema in Delhi then the plane to Goa and bus to Agonda beach, where I now find myself. Just a wee bit disorientated after a long journey but happy to be here in the heat because McLeod Ganj was freezing. Thanks goodness for the hot water bottle stuffed under my meditation blanket. I came here to Agonda to do a yoga teacher training course another thing I always promised myself I would do. Sampoorna Yoga Studio, which is the Ashtanga variety of yoga is small and informal on the rooftop of the guest house and overlook the ocean. So lots of ocean breezes. It also is a lot cheaper than some other course in India. Since the mid 80’s I have been doing yoga off and on but as I am getting older (imagine that) and especially after a couple of surgeries, I am realizing that yoga is not only preventative medicine but great for the health of the body and mind. So the main motivation for doing this is to get started on a daily practice and also deepen my knowledge to compliment the Tibetan Buddhist practices as well. Why I am taking teacher training is so that I can possible teach as I search for a real job on my return to D.C. but also I may be able to share yoga with the women I work with here in India or in other countries where I will eventually find work. So I have a wee bit of self indulgent motivation, a practical motivation and a motivation to share is knowledge with others who could benefit from yoga. So we have meditation and breathing techniques from 6.30am till 8am followed by asana class for 2 hours, yoga/Hindu philosophy, lunch, then anatomy class followed by a 2 hour class focusing on perfecting the postures. I managed to also get in a swim, so my wee body is just a wee bit sore tonight but the teacher assures me that in one month I will be feeling great and also one inch taller  hahahah,  we will see. This month promises to be challenging, especially Yoga/Hindu philosophy, and physically with such intensive asana practice, the one thing I do have going for me is that I can sit still in the meditation sessions, thank you Tushita

Samooprna Yoga studio.http://sampoornayoga.com/gallery8.html