DAY 8 - Mysore Begins

I wake up long before my alarm again this morning, still undecided about what I will do in practice today. I thought about it a lot last night... today is our first day of Mysore style practice and I'm not sure if I should stop where I am at home or do the whole series now. I've been doing it all in the led classes and a couple of people have suggested that I continue through the whole thing in Mysore practice as well, since Sharath hasn't stopped me. I don't really feel right about that because I've been given every other posture in my practice by my teacher, so it doesn't seem like I should just decide on my own to do them all now that I'm here. But, others have pointed out that it's very busy here and students don't get much individual attention anymore. They say I may not get a new posture this whole trip! Being here is an opportunity for me to really work on the whole series. And, Sharath has been watching me and let me do the whole thing in led classes. So, I'm still thinking about it. I have some tea and finally make my decision: I'm going to stop at Baddha Konasana, the last posture my teacher has given me, like I would at home. I have faith in my teacher and know that there is a reason for the way he has taught me and want to honor that. Anyway, even if I don't get any new postures for the next couple of months, I have PLENTY to work on with what I do have! I'll happily devote my time to practicing that, and if I don't get any new postures given here I'll be ready for the rest of the series when I get home.

When I head out for practice I'm surprised to see that it's light out! Of course, it's 2 hours later than I've been starting the last few days; new students to the shala get assigned the later times for Mysore. I arrive and open the door to find about 20 people sitting on the lobby floor, waiting. I join them and am happy to discover that we get to sit and watch others practicing while we wait. It's hot and crowded and everyone is beautiful as they move through their individual practices at their own pace; all these dedicated yogis, many who are becoming friends, working and sweating together. We are called in one at a time according to our start time as spaces open up in the room: "one more, 7:30." I'm in the 8:00 group but the wait isn't too long.

Practice is amazing; the energy is so powerful in this room and it feels good to move at my own pace after several days of led classes. I feel really grounded, like I am supported by all the yogis who have practiced here before me. Sharath and Saraswathi move around the room assisting students with binds and backbends, but I don't feel like their energy pulls me off balance when they walk by, the way I do sometimes at home. When I'm nearly done, Sharath comes over and asks me if I can bind in Supta Kurmasana. I tell him not on my own, that Saraswathi helped me today. I'm on Baddha Konasana, so I say "this is my last posture" and he tells me "tomorrow you do Upavishta Konasana" (today is Tuesday, so we don't start new postures.) I'm thrilled and happily move through my finishing postures, high on the energy of this place, so glad I decided to wait for a teacher to give me the remaining postures, and amazed that I got one on my first day!