Yesterday I was able to perform 2 shows for Sharon’s school.  It was their week celebrating Indian Culture.  They had all sorts of craftsmen sharing their artworks with the kids.   Miniature painting, wood sculptures, rug making, toys, fabrics, books…..  so much to see.  The gypsy circus school was performing outdoors as well.  I got to perform in the theatre as the “opening act”.

Sharon had asked me to use Indian stories, so I’ve been reading a bunch of books during the past couple months.   Nothing really spoke to me until the night before the show… when I realized I needed to make a decision.

One story that “spoke to me” included a talking bird, a beautiful parrot, a Maharaja, a bad guy, a poor good guy, a magical flying horse, a lion, an elephant king, and a bird cage (preferably 3).  I’d need time to add humor to it, but it had plenty of color, magic, and chaos.   I made a few notes the night before and we arrived at the theatre a couple hours early so I could inflate the balloons and prep for the show.

The stage, lights, and sound system were everything I could hope for.   I’m always a little concerned about dealing with young kids (they can feel shy and intimidated or overly enthusiastic) and about the logistics of getting volunteers on stage (when kids are in balconies it’s tough to get them onto the stage…. but if you only pick the kids down in the orchestra seats the rest of the audience feels cheated).    The couple shows I’ve done here in India and Nepal also had another element – English wasn’t always understood.   During the preshow (I love pre-show time almost as much as I enjoy the show itself) I saw there wouldn’t be any real issue with these concerns.   The only issue was keeping the show to 30 minutes (my internal clock is set on 45-60 minutes).

Annie was up in the balcony shooting video.  When one show ended she heard one girl saying to her friend “I hope it’s not over yet!”   It’s nice to get a good critique from the audience that really matters.

After the show while we were walking around the crafts and arts section one little boy told me his friend’s younger sister had been a monkey in my show…. and the older brother was sitting in the balcony laughing from beginning to the end.  I asked him who (the sister who was in the show or the brother who was watching) would tell their folks about it that evening.   He said the brother…. because the sister would be laughing too much.  That made me feel good.

I really owe Sharon a BIG Thank You for setting me up for this experience (we’ve talked about this for about 35 years).

Here are some shots of the fun chaos taken from the video footage Annie shot:

  

   Our 2 hr. flight from the East coast at Chennai to Delhi  was easy and a taxi from our tour people picked us up at the airport and dropped us at our hotel- Bloom Rooms- came highly  recommended by a pal from home and I was glad to finally get a peek at this place.

It is a very different kind of hotel and there are 2 of these hotels in Delhi. It is definitely a new breed of hotel. I have a good hunch it is a teckie style place. First, a key design element of Steve Jobs is featured everywhere. The curving corners of the I phone, I pad and computers are around every door and window.

The color yellow is ridiculously everywhere – even on the uniforms of the workers and all over the hotel room.

Even the shower head is a circle of yellow!

It continues to crack me up and amaze me at the creativity through-out. There is a beautiful cafe and a comfortable public lounge. The only down side here is the size of our room.- big as a postage stamp! It feels like we’re on a boat, in a tight little cabin.  The cheeriness of the rest  of the place makes it bearable. I guess it’s part of the high tech business model. It’s tight for yoga, but I open the yellow door to the hall for breathing space when I roll out my mat.


We went out with our friend Sharon last night  for dinner- this cool hotel is about 4 blocks from her apt!  We were celebrating Allynn’s birthday and we had Indian food and we shared some Indian desserts. We told Sharon our story of the Shit and she said yea- that’s the norm here . Then she told us how once long ago she was invited to perform at a palace on a river and she slept there overnight. The next morning she went for a swim and noticed all this shit floating by and she quickly got out.
Allynn was happy as a pig in Shit reconnecting  with his Vast supply of balloons that has been stored at Sharon’s all this time.  Tomorrow he is doing a show at the school where Sharon is the dance teacher. I am looking forward to going and shooting video.
Funny, I woke up with a Queezie stomach and diarreah  Oh Shit!
We had a relaxing day today at our hotel- a down day is needed now and then on a trip like this. I was So into thinking I wanted a spa day but don’t know the scene here – so I hunkered down with my yoga mat and spaced out.  All is well – in a few days we’ll be off on the tour of a life time to Rajasthan .  Be Well my friends!
Miss You All ! Love and Namaste, Annie

Fast driving in a taxi. We have a 3 hr ride north to Chennai, from Auroville.  We are heading back to Delhi tomorrow, which happens to be Allynn’s birthday and he will be doing a show on the 6th. In Delhi. A few days in Delhi and we will be off on a tour to Rajashtan.

The way they drive here makes me Crazy!  So fast and they are passing other vehicles all the time – it is best not to look- My life is in this driver’s hands!
Sunday was our day to explore Pondicherry. After a 15 minute cab ride we were dropped off  on the promenade walk way overlooking the ocean. It was bustling with activity and we saw an impressive Ghandi Monument.

There he was , larger than life, standing on a massive  stone and concrete structure .  From the 4 directions there are sloping ramps which allow you to walk up to greet him, if you so desire. It seemed all so fitting- he was a man of the people. It was a warm, sunny day and I had my eyes open for a French cafe, as described in the guide book.  Came upon a fancy hotel that had coffee, Internet, and air conditioning!  Yippee ! We’ve been out of touch for a few days, so we had a Luxurious hour  catching up on Face Book , sitting in a swanky restaurant, and having a pleasant breather.   Then off we went to find the Sri Aurobindo ashram. The town is a refreshing change from the usually neglected looking India. The wide streets are tree lined and shady and this was the French part of town.

5 minutes later after asking directions, we were standing in front of the ashram. There was an impressive
system in place for visitors. First, out on the street, you remove your shoes and place them on the protected shoe rack. I was not keen on leaving my shoes there but the woman sitting there as the shoe protector assured me my shoes would be there when I
came out. Next, we followed the crowd into the court yard entrance where we found ourselves snaking around the palm trees and potted rose bushes towards a large table decorated  and entirely covered with fresh flower blossoms in a design of a mandala. As we paraded by the table I did like the others- I bowed down, touching  my forehead to the cool marble ledge. Then, I looked for a place among the  nicely dressed crowd that was all seated on walkways and ledges and steps, and we settled down like the others, to
meditate.  The whole place was filled with  flowers , lots of roses and flowering shrubs. No cameras were allowed, and a reverent hush filled the garden. Every spot to sit was taken.
After a little while we got up and followed a line into the library- like gift shop. I was completely dumbstruck by the amount of literature that was written by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Their books lined the shelves, floor to ceiling, and they are available in several languages. I bought a few small items and then hit the street to find my shoes!  Luckily they were where I’d left them. We strolled thru the streets, checking out the scene and wound up at a cafe back on the promenade by the ocean – The Bay of Bengal. We met a French couple who run a B&B in the Bourgandy area of France- in a castle! Then back to our Quiet Hotel for some hammock therapy and a beach walk before dinner.
The next day we had an apt. to go inside the Matrimander ! (named for the Mother). It really did feel like we were entering a flying saucer.

The scale of it- the way the entrance was designed- right out of ET. And inside the door, you are parading up a sloping walkway covered in white carpet. We are wearing white socks over our feet and we were told not to touch anything- even the railing.
Once you enter the chamber, which is all white, circular and with 12 white columns situated around the room, you look for an available white cushion to sit on. Then you notice a shaft of light streaming down from the hole in the ceiling , shining right onto a large glass ball . It is quite a scene to take in and it feels like something is going to be happening- a concert or something- but we sat with the others and meditated – or Contemplated- or  concentrated and then a light flashed twice, which was our signal to depart the Mother Ship.
Out into the sunlight, we found our shoes and were escorted around a garden  and after a final talk by a Frenchman guide, we were on a bus back to the visitors area for tea and shopping.  It is a bit like Disney Land on a small scale – where they take you on a ride to a movie set. My favorite part was the technique for creating a dome out of gold. They came up with a clever way of layering gold leaf between two pieces of glass – one inch square which are glued down like tiles on the round concave discs. Mind boggling- took me back to my Egyptian – alien past life.

It is a lot to figure out!
Today  we were saying good bye to the Quiet Hotel  and to the beach so Allynn and I took an early morning beach walk. We were noticing large piles of reddish colored shit  at the waters edge and we commented that there must be large dogs around there.  Then I noticed in the distance several men in yoga squat poses- I thought- how nice, they are praying for the new day.  Then  we saw a man taking a shit right there, on the beach at the waters edge and we realized we had chosen the wrong time to take a beach walk!!! It was a total shitting fest at the beach and as we turned in disgust to walk back to our hotel, we saw more of this going on and I was feeling kind of sick to my stomach,and I was feeling thankful I hadn’t gone swimming!  I’d been warned by a nurse at the Rockland
County Health clinic about fecal matter in the ocean- and don’t go in-  Yikes!  What a turn off to the lovely Beach scene!  Onward! To Delhi tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Allynn!

LOL Annie

It took us 2 days to get here. We will be here for 4 days and then it will take us 2 days to return to Delhi.
Meanwhile we are someplace So special.

Right on the ocean! With a lovely breeze blowing and palm trees overhead. And Hammocks.

It is a magical resort which offers all kinds of massage and healing water therapy- watsu-

where someone supports you in their arms and floats you around in a warm pool of water. It is called the Quiet Healing Center. The grounds are lovely, our room looks like something out of a castle


and the food is the best we have had!

This afternoon we had a 15 minute ride to Auroville, a magical community. It was designed by “The Mother”, a spirituL partner of Aurobindo- a mystical yogi with evolved concepts of art and the divine. He thought yoga was a waste of time but he was a prolific artist and he has two ashrams, both large, and they are active as schools for children. Tomorrow we will visit his ashram in Pondicherry- a town that is half French and half Indian.
The Mother created Auroville as an experiment. She wanted to create a place where people from all parts of the globe could live in peace with no religion, no money, (cards are used) and people are encouraged to live consciously – doing what suits their nature. After seeing the film which shows the construction and history of the place, we walked about a mile to see the giant golden dome-looks like a huge golf ball- it is called the Matrimander.

It is surrounded by stone lotus petals, each representing a different flower, all inspired by the Mother. This was created in the 70’s and there is a hole at the top where sun light pours in and lights a giant crystal below. There is an inner chamber for concentration- their word- instead of meditation. And we made an appointment to go inside, on Monday. They don’t like people just showing up and seeing it all in one day. They don’t want it to be a tourist attraction. So after you view the movie and see the dome from the viewing center, you can go to a special office and wait in line to make an appointment on a future day to go inside. So we did all that and went to the tea shop where I made a sketch.
The Internet is mostly absent here. Today is Saturday and like the yoga in Mysore- I took the day off from my practice. I am feeling such a let down after leaving Mysore. I don’t think it will be possible for me to work that hard at yoga without all that group energy and Saraswathi watching over me.
Later. Love Annie

There was no internet today (I’m posting this on Sunday).  We wen to the center in Auroville.   What an amazing place.  We sat thru the 10-minute video explaining the philosophy here and the history.  It’s a special, peaceful place.  After viewing the video we were permitted to view the main building from the outside and make reservations to enter it on Monday.  If we were here longer (for a week or a month) we might return several times…..  when we’d be able to sit in one of the rooms (12 rooms, each with a different color for a variety of meditations) for a period of time.  These people are serious about peace.   No balloons and no ocarina music here.   However we’ll only be here another couple of days.

Today, Sunday, we’re enjoying the town of Puducherry (spelled several ways….  but since the gods here have hundreds -maybe thousands of names –  nothing surprises us any more).

Thea weather is perfect and the ocean (actually I think it’s the Bay of Bengal) is beautiful.

We should have better access to the internet in a few days, so we might not be posting again until then.

 

Allynn

On Thursday our journey brought us to a hotel on the beach in Chennai. The drive from the airport was an adventure, as the cab driver had to ask a variety of people on the street how to find the hotel (something we’ve gotten used to here).   Some of the alley ways he drove thru seemed too small for the car…. But we squeezed thru.

The hotel was the nicest place we’ve been at since we left the States. The morning breakfast buffet was a wonderful treat.

 

Friday morning I tried booking a hotel/guest house on the beach in Auroville or Pondecherry (this town has several spellings, but since the gods here have thousands of names, it’s to be expected).   The three hotels I found seemed to all be booked (although I couldn’t reach one of them) so I booked a farm house that looked like it had promise.

We hired a car and driver to bring us to this farm house (a 3-hr drive) and stopped at a wonderful artist community along the way.….

It was tough to find the farm house (again, what a surprise) and we had the driver wait … just in case. The grounds were beautiful. The room was fine… the quails and chickens roaming the grounds were colorful…. even the lizard crawling the bathroom wall was a treat… but this place seemed in the boon-docks, away from the towns we came here to see. The third of the guest houses on the Ocean left an email that they had a room available, so we paid the cancellation fee for the farm house and took off for the Ocean side guest house.

Thatched roofs on brick buildings along the ocean…. We didn’t even ask the price, we just said, “we’ll take it!”

Auroville is known for a number of things…. It was created to bring together people from all nations, all religions, all differences… and live in peace. Parts of it are like a resort… you can’t use credit cards or money from outside Auroville here…. You need to get an Auroville money card for everything. You can’t get into the center of everything without going to the visitor center first, seeing the “indoctrination film first”… then returning the next day. In the center, it’s for meditation – no cameras, no talking, no coughing or sneezing.   These folks are serious – I won’t be playing my ocarina or taking out balloons here (a good thing because I only have a handful of balloons left after Mysore).

With the price of this guest house three meals and laundry (5 pieces per day) are included. The meals have been good so far… and another point – at the dining table the other guests were a mixture of French, Swiss, Dutch, and I don’t know what else. However, they all seem ages 50-75…. Annie and I are no longer the generation of the parents of the others at the table.   That makes a subtle difference (not saying good or bad).

This guest house offers all sorts of healing sessions. We don’t have much time here and we want to see Auroville and Punducherry… but if Annie wants to take one of these workshops, I’ll be happy just vegetating watching the waves or strolling around the area.

….

 

It’s early Fri. morning….  Annie’s still sleeping (almost 7am and Annie’s not up doing yoga….  i.e. – we’re not in Mysore any more!)

During our final day in Mysore, I gave a past life regression session (outside class hours), we had our final class, and then as Annie went to her final mediation in the evening, I sat with the rickshaw drivers and finished my bags of “Mysore” balloons (there weren’t many left) as we said “goodbye” and “hope to see you next year or whenever”.

After meditation we made a quick stop back at the clothing shop to say goodbye to Preetee, the shop owner Annie developed a close friendship with, as well as the waiters at the little Chat restaurant she visited each morning (and most evenings)… and I made a balloon for an older gentleman there – He said his grandson loved the punching ball balloon I made for him a week ago and wanted another before we left.    He blessed us as we said, “goodbye”.

Leaving Mysore was a bit sad…  we’ve been very happy there for the past month. and felt comfortable with our “routine”.  Annie had made friends with many of the yogi students and I had made friends with the rick shaw drivers, a kid who sells pineapples, and one young couple from Greece – Pro and Maria.  Pro (I never made it to the second two syllables of his first name) is a photographer and Maria is a dancer.   In our past life regression class we needed to give one reading to someone outside the class.  I worked with Maria.  The next day I worked with Pro.    Maria got into it with our any reservations (like Annie)….  Pro was more skeptical (more like me)…  but was open to try.   Whether or not  Annie and I continue offering these past life regressions when we return to the States (I figure we will)….  I’ll always be connected to this beautiful young couple.  

We debated about how to get to Auroville….  it would have taken 10 hrs of driving to get there from Mysore (we didn’t debate long) or 1 hr to fly most of the way (both would cost about the same….  flying would be a little less).  So we drove 4 hrs to Bengalore for the plane.  Waited 2-1/2 half hour for the plane to take off (it was delayed…  no surprise) and flew to Chennai.  The cab to our hotel was an adventure….  the driver didn’t know where he was going and I had the address of the hotel, but not the phone number.  It took about 45 minutes and we were going down side alleys that we barely fit thru as it was getting dark (the streets aren’t lit).

We arrived at the hotel – probably the nicest hotel we’ve been in since we left the States –  The Ocean is a block away and we walked the Ocean street last night…..  lots of people walking along that street.  It’s a bit like areas in the Jersey shore or Miami…. but much more primitive, with lots of plots of land that aren’t developed.   It’s nice to see and hear  the Ocean waves.

Today we’ll take a 3-hr drive down to Pundecherry, stopping by a reptile museum and artist colony along the way.  We’ll spent the next few days in either Pundecherry or in Auroville,,,,  a community built years ago which focused on bring together people of all races, religions, and parts of the world to live together in peace.  This place has been on Annie’s “radar” for a while.

Annie should be waking soon.  We’ll be seeing new sites and meeting people we haven’t known before in these new settings for the next few days and I only have a handful of balloons (that usually means a few hundred…  now it means maybe 25  plus a bunch of hearts).  I’ve been told before that I use balloons like Dumbo the elephant used his magic feather.   I’ll see if that’s true or whether I’ve lost my ability to fly?  However it’s just for a few days.  When we return to Delhi (on my birthday), my real birthday gift will be reuniting with the motherland of balloons we left there.  Picture a pig paying in mud – I’ll be in the same happiness.

Allynn

 

 

Saying good bye to Mysore- all day long- savoring  the magic of this special place . Walking to yoga this morning, my back was hurting and it was So annoying!  And after a few sun salutations, it was fine. I have been doing the back roll totally wrong for 10 years and I hoped no one would notice. Saraswathi noticed today. Now I have to work on it ! Instead of rolling over my head, I roll over a shoulder which makes it crooked but painless for me. And easy- we’ll see – always good to have things I cannot do!
I went after yoga to my favorite cafe to have breakfast with my friend Vania.

And then to chanting at the Shala, and to our final class at Kumar’s!

We got certificates for our course
and saw Pineapple Boy for the last time.

Then down to Pretty’s dress shop, to say good bye to her

and then returned to our hotel to pack up and get ready for our next adventure. Tomorrow we are taking a 3 hr taxi ride to Bangalore  and an hour flight to Chennai. We will be there overnight and the next day we’ll see some sights via taxi on our way to Pondicherry.

Later and Love, Annie

Yoga- feeling like not going today.
My left sit bone is feeling bruised from the jump thrus.  I saw Ruth leaving today so I stopped my practice and went outside to talk with her.  She teaches yoga at a yoga school in NYC, called Jivamukti.
I have been in her class many years ago- maybe 20- and I knew she was teaching painting at Yale.  And she wrote 2 small books which I bought at Jivamukti’s and I devoured.
They both have short chapters about her yogi life. And she writes a lot about Pattabhi Jois  and her times in Mysore. So when I saw her in class
Today, I decided to connect. I stepped outside and told her I’d been in her class many years ago and I told her how much I loved her books. She was very pleasant  and I mentioned that I knew from her books that she normally comes to Mysore in the Summer.  She said she will be doing a teacher training near Mumbai for Jivamukti Yoga so she has come to Mysore before she goes there. She asked how long I am in India for, and I said- traveling for about 6 months. She said- why don’t you stay here in Mysore and study with Saraswathi during that time. She said- you know- in all the whole world- this small group of people here are the only ones who have this opportunity. I thought- wow- 6 months of this yoga every day- intense- that would be intense- boringly intense. Then, I went back into the room and finished my practice. As I was near the end, in the finishing room- where we go after back bending,  I heard Saraswathi ‘s voice, and I saw she was talking to 2 girls, looking down at them, saying in her broken English- you girls- your practice is no good. Take 3 days off to rest- you don’t have to pay-then come back. I thought woa- she’s intense!
I had my hair color done over today. The last time they did It the color did not cover my roots. So I went back today and then rushed to meet Allynn and some friends who are from New Jersey, and this couple are both doing Ashtanga. We had a luncheon date for 12:30. Our past life healing class was at 2:00- I thought we’d have time for lunch- But, by 1:45, our lunch had not come so we just walked out- we had a big day coming up.    This was the day when we were doing a regression on someone we were bringing to the place. Kumar had someone for me- and it was a big event for us!  The room was set up with 7  sleeping cushions and pillows and I met my gentleman, an Englishman, and the event began.
My session went smoothly and it was a tremendously rewarding experience. The events in this man’s past life perfectly answered questions
that have been troubling him in his current life. And when the session was over, 2 hours later, I felt a kind of euphoria come over me . It was just an incredibly joyus feeling to be able to help someone in this way.
One more full day here and then we leave Mysore. See you tomorrow
Nitey nite.

Annie

Saying good bye; it’s our last week here in Mysore and we are tying up loose ends and planning our departure.

We made a visit to our treasured Green Hotel to speak with the travel guy about booking a train or getting a plane to Chennai this Thursday. It was the perfect moment to visit the solarium cafe for chai and carrot cake! And I did a drawing.


Walking thru town this morning I saw a painting on a tree that I hadn’t noticed before.

I’m sure it was just painted, and it captures how I feel about leaving this magical Mysore- I feel like crying! We went to the main Shala and I met a lovely lady from Guatemala who has her 3 year old with her. She told me that her husband is managing a company called Novica.com that works with artisans around the world, creating an online marketplace for their products!
They even help the artists organize their merchandise so it works for them. Wow! And more Wow! Love that! And it is changing the artists lives! Their work is now in demand.
The picture of the child is the daughter of the Guatemalan lady, taken in front of the Shala. And the gentleman in the photo is the security manager at the Shala. Everyone in town knows the balloon man. He has really made a name for himself.


Today in Past Life Healing class I worked with a tall, charming gentleman named Moss, who I believe I’ve mentioned before. I was feeling self conscious about giving him a session – I’m new at this and it’s a tad awkward- this guy is quite the looker -catch my drift? Anyway- it turned out to be one of the most magical moments in my life!
Well- for starters, his first feeling was- he was living in a rain forest and- get this- he was a gnome! With pointy ears! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – he could even see fairies around him! With wings! Of course- this guy gave himself the name Moss!
He is definitely a kindred spirit. He was living in a hole in the ground!
Incredible!
Tomorrow is our last class . I will give a session to someone not from the class- should be interesting- there will be 7 of us- giving regressions to folks laying on cushions on the floor.
All for now- happy snow!
Love Annie

Last Sunday 6:30 class at the main Shala  with  Saraswathi.  Facing the end of our trip – I felt low energy during class as I thought it is over now – almost-my dream is coming to an end and now what? We have 3 more days here.  I was glad to get my photo with Saraswathi….. and I
stayed for the second class with her and  wrote down the counts for the poses. It is such a precise form!

Onto Rangoli class .  I learned about how it’s done. I was in a yoga shop and the gal mentioned that her mom teaches how to make Rangolis. So I sat on the side walk area behind their house and I had my lesson.  With chalk, she showed me how the designs start with a basic tic tac toe design. Then you expand from there.

IMG_1267

She demonstrated the powder technique, using stone powder or rice powder ( made in her blender) . And I tried it- takes a lot of practice, to get the feeling for it . You scoop some up , holding it between your thumb and index fingers  and slowly release it by pushing the thumb forward. Tricky- and holding it slightly differently, you can make a double line. She explained that a girl who is going to be married needs to be able to do this. It is one of the basic skills of womanhood!  With these designs in front of your home, it shows that you keep a clean house and you follow the cultural traditions of the Indian home. Also, each day of the week, a different Hindu god is celebrated and the Rangolis reflect that with the appropriate design. At big festivals, where a procession is coming down the street, the community creates giant Rangolis that cover the entire street! And people work together making these. She said for these large designs the rice or stone powder is mixed with water to make a paste, and it sticks to the pavement better than the powder. She also said that insects, birds and chipmunks enjoy snacking on the rice powder designs. Holy cow- how fascinating- how could I have lived this long with out knowing  about this- it’s mind boggling.
IMG_1267
Lazy afternoon packing  up stuff in our hotel  room – getting ready to travel East to Chennai, then to Pondicherry and on to Auraville- still figuring out the details.
Tonight we got an auto-rickshaw to the Mysore palace. It is lit up on Sunday evenings  from 7:00-8:00 pm. The scale of the place is mind boggling  and  the crowd was huge.

 

Hope my New York and New Jersey friends have enjoyed the cozy snow fall. Love to all of You!

Namaste, Annie

Today we had a field trip with our friend Vania, from Montreal to see a few places around Mysore. The summer palace, the silk factory and the ox cart factory with workshop and painting shed. By far the most fun was at the ox cart wood working shop . We discovered a charming village with lovely families and children. They all came out to greet us as Allynn brought out the balloons.
Then a merry time was had by all and especially me, who loved taking pictures of all the happy faces. It might as well be Christmas! It is hard to describe the heart warming feeling that comes over me when we are having a joyful moment with people who are from another world. And they exude such color, charm and dignity!

 

Later we had Past Life healing class. I did another regression. More down to earth than the alien story. And tomorrow is early yoga at the main Shala and I am having a lesson on how to make a Rangoli. Never a dull moment here! Fun fun fun!
See you . Annie

What a beautiful day! It is getting warmer here and the air and sky is clearer, as summer is approaching.
Walking to the yoga Shala I saw this beautiful Rangoli design come to life, being made before my eyes. I asked the artist how long it took her to make it- it is one of the most elaborate that I have seen. She said it took about 45 minutes to make. She said she is having company tonight for dinner- ah- part of the decor!

After yoga and breakfast, I marched down town for a bit of retail therapy and I met an amazing, handsome shop owner who grew up in Rajhastan and now lives in Mysore. He told me he is a Brahman, the highest caste in the caste system. These people you can recognize by their sharp features and deep set eyes. They are the thinkers- the elite intelligencia. His name is Badrinarayun. I was noticing his interesting hair style when he whipped out a picture of himself with long hair- taken in Rajhastan and another one with a turban- dramatic- holding a rifle- bizarre- colorful. I bought 2 wrap skirts and I had fun taking pictures, drinking in the exotic life all around me. He had an altar with a whole slew of yogis and he introduced me to each one . I thought – wow- here is an Indian who really does yoga! Such a kind and gentle man.

Kumar’s Past Life class is getting down to the nitty gritty . We are doing regressions on each other now. And I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the scope of it all. It is a big bite to chew and I’m not sure I’m up to the task.

Tomorrow is a no yoga day so we have a field trip planned- going to see how silk is made – I will tell you all about it!
Love , Annie

On Thursday we’ll be taking off from our month in Mysore….

Today, Friday, I was scheduled to perform a school show.  From our first week here this show was talked about so I set aside a pile of balloons that was “forbidden” for me to touch while here.  This past week has been tough for me because I’ve been running short of balloons.  Each day when I’d walk to the gym and to our past life regression classes I had to avoid the direct way of walking because I’d pass the rickshaw drivers and kids who got use to me making balloons each time I’d see them.

However last evening I got word that the school realized they couldn’t afford the fee I thought they had agreed to.  I would have liked to have had the opportunity of doing a show here….  but I was happy to have this “new supply” of balloons.  Yesterday evening our apartment building had a little party for the tenants… so I was free to do balloons.  The Chinese, Israeli, Welsh, and Swiss tenants were all fun to play with (especially the Chinese ones who didn’t speak English).  Of course, they’re all here for yoga.

This morning I walked to the gym…  going the more direct way and making balloons for the rickshaw drivers and a few kids along the way.   After my workout at the gym, my trainer introduced me to his wife…. I took out some balloons and suddenly all the trainers, the manager,  and the cleaning crew gathered as I went to “work”.  I loved the image of these muscular, body-builder trainers getting frustrated trying to inflate the balloons as I was doing 2 or 3 at a time.

After our class tonight we stopped by the yoga shala.  The entrance “guard” there  usually has a sour facial expression.  Over the past weeks I’ve gotten him to smile.    Annie asked if he did yoga… he said (in his broken English) “no”.  I told him he should tell people that he’s so good at yoga, the administration has forbade him form doing yoga in fear that he’ll intimidate the teachers and paying students.   As i was saying this I “ballooned” a couple people with him and I might even have gotten a laugh from him.

I stopped by another rickshaw driver spot and had another balloon adventure.

No photos…  I’m too busy having fun.

However I did edit the videos I shot of Annie at the elephant camp from a few days ago.  Here’s a 4- minute version:

 

Yoga is getting tiresome. Feeling like not wanting to do it more and more.  
Just looking forward to when it’s over. Relieved to find out I’m not the only one to feel that way. I was talking to someone- my friend Vanya- she said she’s thinking about breakfast the whole time too. It was her birthday today and we took her out for breakfast.

We have a lot in common. She also designs costumes, and carries her art supplies around with her- like I do. She lives in Montreal and does costumes for film. She has friends who work for Cirque de Soleil so I’ve asked her about that.

Pampering Hair Day:

I had my hair colored last weekend but the dye did not cover well. Part of the roots did not take the dye.  And they offered to do it over. So in a few days I will have them do that. But meanwhile, I got a trim from them yesterday and today I got an oil treatment.  The girl rubbed coconut oil all thru my scalp and all thru my hair and I thought I was just gonna sit there for an hour and then it would be washed out. But no- she massaged my hear for a whole hour- maybe 45 minutes- I never had a head massage before- foot massage- yes- but all that time, she was running her fingers thru my hair, tapping, pressing- all kind of things she was doing to my oily head and it felt wonderful.  She is a trained massage therapist as well as beautician.  Never had that kind of treatment before!  She washed my hair too. ( some people choose to leave the oil in longer and wash it at home) but the shampoo is just as good as the head massage. There is a platform for your head to rest on as you lean way back to have your hair rinsed and the girls’ golden fingers are caressing your head the whole time. Then comes conditioner, and my hair feels like it belongs to someone else- transformation!
Today at Past Life class we got to lay down and nap as we took turns reciting the trance induction talk.
More of the same tomorrow – a napping class- I like this.  All is going well.  Namaste Annie

On the walk back from the gym this morning someone walked by me and smiled, “you look so happy!”

I replied, “I’m in Mysore!”

I guess I smile most of the time…. almost challenging everyone I make eye contact with to smile back (and I try to make eye contact with everyone I pass).

Annie been wanting me to get a haircut – I remember  back in college, before taking my junior year in England I got a haircut at a fancy school – Veedal Sasson.  I had curly hair.  All the guy did was grab my four fingers lengths of my hair and cut everything else off. Then he washed my hair, fluffed it up… and I was done.  I figured that I have 4 fingers and a scissors….  I could do the same thing.  So I did for the next 17 years or so.  My first “professional” hair cut after that was just before our wedding.  During the first few months Annie and i were together we bought a flobee (a haircutting tool that connects to the vacuum cleaner).  I’ve been using that ever since (rarely going to a hair dresser).

My hair’s been untouched for a while since we’ve been in India and Annie “suggested” I go to a local hair dresser to neaten up… but not take much off.  I went, explained that I wanted to leave maybe 3 inches (of course he didn’t speak English).  I think he only knows how to cut one style…  at least no one will notice when I let my hair go messy now.

….and the hat fits better now.

Surprise at yoga today- Ruth, a teacher from Jivamukti’s studio in NYC  showed up.  I knew she has been coming here during the summer- so I was delighted  to see her- during winter.  She was a special friend of Patthabi  Jois and Saraswathi said
that she is one of her oldest students.
I learned something new about the pose Baddha konasana- that the elbows stay tucked into the ribs . And the pose is done twice- the second time with the soles of the feet facing up and the back rounds down- head to feet- I find that impossible, especially after so many years of lengthening the spine – not curving the spine.

Very exciting regression from Beatrice today in Past Life Regression school . Her story began at night time; she found herself outside, and slowly, an image of a lake appeared, with a palace beyond it. Turns out, she was a queen! And she loved to make paintings. Off to a good start. Going to her younger years it seems she grew up in a very poor family – the prettiest girl in the village- so everybody hated her. Around age 20 her parents took her to the palace one day so that the king could meet her- She  was unaware of all this until she saw the king and recognized how he responded to her.
Her parents were glad to give her away for the prestige involved. And she went from poverty to opulence. But  she had no feelings for the king- who was 50- and  she saw him as a dirty old man. She knew that 2 of the servants were fooling around with him- which she didn’t mind, as she was having her own secret affair with a court guard. She had plenty of time to pursue her love of painting, hated her husband, the king. And finally, all hell broke loose.  Her husband was away and she invited her lover into the palace. While they were having an amorous time, a knight dashed into the room, killing the  guard, in the queens bed!  Then she, feeling guilty and in despair, hung herself!  Wow- couldn’t make this stuff up!
I am enjoying the class. We have had 6 regressions and tomorrow we’re going to start practicing the relaxation trance on each other! Should be fun. The only challenge so far is that I feel very sleepy during the class – cause we’ve been hearing the relaxing  words over and over. I’m feeling sleepy.

Namaste, Annie

On the way back to Mysore from the elephants, we stopped at the “golden temple”.   A ton of monks live and study here… like a college campus.  The temples are out of proportion LARGE!    In the main temple there were three enormous golden statues.  Of course we needed to take off our shoes on the way in (I put our shoes in my backpack – if I misplace my shoes here, it’s tough to find size 13 in southern India).

When we exited the temple I took my shoes out and put them on.   A monk with an angry expression came over and pointed at my shoes.  I tried to say we were out of the temple so I put them on…. but I think the “rules were to put them on at the bottom of the steps… not at the top.   He wasn’t happy with me and I decided making a balloon animal for him wouldn’t change his mind-set.

Another thing that really stayed with us was the image of the monks using cell phones and internet tablets.

Have fun with these photos:

Elephant adventure- moon day
No yoga, Tuesday, because there is a full moon. So we decided to have our own field trip, while we are in the middle of South India, to get out of Mysore, see the country side,and hopefully, to see some elephants!
As we are driving now in a taxi, with a driver whom we met at the Green Hotel- where we stayed earlier in out trip, I am reminded of the landscape we saw in Bali, 20 years ago. We are seeing lush greenery, palm trees, goats and cows,junky looking ramshackle shacks and familiar looking concrete shopping malls. Children, some in uniforms, are getting into school buses, men milling about along side the road, and our driver is constantly honking his horn. I guess he is trying to pass the car in front – now it’s a bus- why are we in a hurry? I’m over being in a hurry in my life! Over it!!
If You Can’t Say Something Nice, Go To Your Room. My mantra?
Before my past life regression with Kumar, I was talking about my childhood- the animal hospital saga where I saw that my father was killing stray dogs and cats and no one helped me deal with my sadness over that- I was told- just don’t go in there – and at another time being told – if you can’t say something nice, go to your room – I was also told – if someone says how are you, you should say FINE – no matter what is going on. So – the day after my regression, which is aimed at finding a cure of my issue – dry mouth – I didn’t feel better – I felt depressed – because it didn’t work! Guess I am looking for a miracle.
A girl from Lima, Peru went thru her regression yesterday, Monday afternoon. Her main issue in life is that she is unable to make decisions about anything in her life- what to eat- what to wear- what to do- with her career- all that and it makes her crazy. Turns out her father deciced everything for her- said she should be an engineer- and she didn’t have a clue about what to do so she went to engineering school. Then she got an engineering job but she doesn’t like it. She is 27, quit her job and came to India to do yoga.
{Yes! – our driver has stopped for coffee!!! Wow- that was a treat!}
I call her Lima because I can’t pronounce her name and she comes from Lima. The first image In her regression- she was by herself in a wooden boat In the ocean! She was a BOY-barefooted, wearing shorts. As her story unfolded, she/he-was living in a town, going to school, having friends- and the father became sick and the family moved to live in the jungle. He quit school and lived a simple but boring life, in the jungle, climbing trees, gathering leaves and berries to eat. Years passed and he had enough of the boring life, living with his parents and he decided to take the family boat and go for an adventure all alone, and without many provisions. And this is where he had begun his journey- at the beginning of the regression. He drifted on the ocean for about 10 days, having a peaceful time. And then, loosing track of where land was, he panicked and eventually came to an island,where he spent the rest of his life, hunting and gathering. And he had built his own little house -he even hunted tigers- with a stone tied to a stick- I thought it was a fascinating story. At the end of his life, he had moved into a cave, covered the floor with animal skins and before death, made a special tea that he drank to help him die. Wow!
Cool story! Loved it
Now we are driving back to Mysore, after seeing the elephants and a monastery.
Loved the Elephants!!!! The place was lovely. A river scene with rafting- looked so out of place to see rubber Western style rafting boats. There were lots of boats but no boaters today- no rapids either. We got in a boat that carried us across the river to what I will call Elephant Island .It’s real name is Dubare Elephant Camp. It was quite a simple picturesque scene with a hill rising up from the river bank, that the elephants had to carefully traverse down – to take take their baths.

I saw two men who were riding on top of an elephants back, going down to the river. I watched as they all went into the water. When one of the men wanted to get off the elephant, he held onto the top, slid down and the elephant picked up his front foot, bending his knee, which made a step stool for the guy who easily stepped down. At the river bank I loved watching these massive creatures lol around in water. They looked happy.

Elephant ride. I did it! I rode an elephant! But it was much easier than I’d thought it would be- it wasn’t just me up there- I was with others, sitting in a structure, roped onto the elephants back. We walked up a ladder to the top of an elevated platform, the height of an elephant, waited our turn and then stepped into this basket thing( metal) and sat down. I could see how the bare footed driver, – sitting just behind his head, dug his heels into a place behind the elephants ears- to guide him . I was relieved it was a very short ride. It was a little bumpy; I was only concerned that the elephant might decide to give me a big heave, and toss me out of the basket. But I made it ok and we enjoyed our day away in the company of such magnificent creatures.
On to lunch

and the Tibetan Monastery. I think I’m let Allynn tell you about that.

It was my day for the past life regression with Kumar on Sunday . I really tried hard all day not to think about it beforehand. It’s done in front of the group (

8 of us) which makes it for me sort of strange. It’s such a private journey . So- I had a most unusual session. I was living – in this lifetime, in Egypt, and the main image I saw was 3 gold pyramids! Presto- there are the 3 gold mantis costumes and the 3 gold shakti costumes! But- it gets even stranger- I was a designer of the pyramids and I was having problems with the gold that covered them. At the top, the gold was peeling back, to expose the area where harmonic sounds reverberate between them- and I was also having problems with the sound frequencies!
But there is more- I was an alien disguised as a human! And I was trying to keep it a secret. Well, it was the most unusual regression I have ever had and I was a man. Going to teen age years saw myself with my pals at a gladiator sporting event.
But then as a child I saw myself by my house on a river bank.
Then moving forward, to age 40, I was selling pyramid souvenirs!
Wow! Tacky! Then by age 50 I was nomadic- I’d taken to the desert with my tribe of wandering vagabonds. Age 60 I was running my own chai stand in a cave like village area and age 70 I was selling rugs.
My death was by suicide- I drowned myself. Pretty intense! I can’t believe I am really writing all this stuff! Entertaining I hope! I found it mind boggling. What a fun course!
Yoga- lots of room at yoga today. I guess today marks the middle of the month. Some people leave, and some arrive. I saw a couple enter and as the guy walked across the room I could tell he was brand new to yoga . It was in his whole approach.
And then I thought about it and wondered to myself, what was different about how he entered compared to an Ashtanga Yogi. And it occurred to me that the Ashtangi enters slowly, with reverence, feeling she is entering hallowed ground. Surveying the landscape, carefully walking a tightrope between the mats- which are about 4 inches apart from each other. This new guy walked in like he was at the grocery store. And sure enough, he is a rank beginner. His girlfriend pulled him in. Just an observation.
The takeaway- you can come for two weeks ( I guess you could be here for only a week but I believe you have to pay for 2- I’ll find out-
And you can definitely be a beginner. Saraswathi teaches a beginner class at 4:30 every day at the main Shala.
Something for everybody.
Namaste Annie