Packing for Pune

Well, in honor of it being exactly four weeks until departure, I decided to start packing. Two good friends up in Dallas, Michelle Mock and Marj Rash, sent me their lists of things to take. So far, I have seven pairs of yoga bloomers, well actually six, because I told Marie I would give her my hot pink pair when she said she would actually wear shorts to class if I could find them in a festive color. I culled my massive yoga tshirt collection to ten shirts of appropriate length (they need to stay tucked in) and shoulder/neckline style (no string tank tops, adequate coverage) Modesty issues are, by all accounts quite different there. Marj says she was leered at on the street for even wearing capris. PJs and a couple pairs of light linen pants. that's it so far.

In terms of other preparations, I've been reading some novels about India. My former student and excellent email correspondent, Kristi Culpepper, recommended Jhumpa Lahiri to me years ago and I finally got around to reading The Namesake and Interpreter of Maladies this spring. I loved them both. I also read the sort of expose on the Iyengar Institute, First There Is A Mountain. and two nights ago, I started reading this absolutely enchanting novel by Gregory Roberts about India, Shantaram. It is hugely long and was tempted to keep it to read for the plane ride over, but Christina said I should read it to get in the mood. I read three pages and was completely mesmerized. Here is the first paragraph.

"It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured. I realised, somehow, through the screaming in my mind, than even in that shackled, bloody helplessness, I was still free: free to hate the men who were torturing me, or to forgive them. It doesn't sound like much, I know. But in the flinch and bite of the chain, when it's all you've got, that freedom is a universe of possibility. And the choice you make, between hating and forgiving, can become the story of your life."

Isn't that just beautiful???

Preparing for Pune

So, some of you might be wondering what I'm doing to prepare to go to Pune. I'm trying not to worry too much about the personal comfort issues like air pollution, different standards of personal space, cleanliness, what bathroom facilities are actually like, how much it will rain, not being able to eat fruits and vegetables... Instead, I've been doing a lot of yoga. This weekend, for example, I went down to Austin and took two of Christina's classes at Yoga Yoga. Then I went to Devon's last two yoga classes at Clear Spring Studio North. That is really the end of an era of yoga in my life. I drove down to take her Saturday class once or twice a month for five or six years. Saturday afternoon, I drove down for the yoga workshop Christina was hosting. I heard two really interesting philosophy talks given by Steven Phillips, a philosophy professor at UT and took a class with Charly Pivert for the first time and then an arm balancing class with Christina where I did eka pada koundinyasana I.

Also, it has been raining a lot so that is good preparation for the monsoons... .

Upcoming Posts: Packing for Pune and How I started doing Iyengar Yoga.

Travel Logistics Now Set

So the last details of the travel logistics are now set. My visa just came in the mail. I sent a copy of the sacred blue letter that lets us into classes to my sister so she can get her visa. I have my tickets from DFW to Zurich, Zurich to Bombai. We'll stay at a nice hotel near the airport when we get in and then Vijay's Taxi is picking us up there and taking us to the most excellent flat that my friend and yoga teacher, Randy Just, reserved for us. The only problem that remained, how to get from Waco to DFW. Parking for a month up there wasn't an option. The Waco Streak is a pain and a bit pricey. I could use frequent flyers to get from Waco to DFW but that seemed like a bit of a waste. But happily my friend and yoga student, Marie Martin, offered to drive me upto DFW and pick me up.

P.S. check out One Thirty Five on Hewitt Drive in Hewitt. Great drinks. Great menu.

Anne's Trip to Pune

Hello Everyone,

I have decided to create a blog about my upcoming trip to Pune, India. My sister, Christina Sell, and I will be studying at the RIMYI Institute during the month of July. Stay tuned for updates.

Anne at theyogaplacewaco.com