1/31/07

Hello From India

Helloo!!

I am becoming more and more Indian everyday.  I can now ride on the back of a motorcycle without holding on, I sweat curry, and I am not afraid to cross the street.  At this point I have realized my true vacation will begin when I return to quiet, clean, beautiful Santa Barbara.  Nevertheless I am making an attempt at a vacation here in Pondicherry.  I finally peeled away from Chennai since my teacher is on vacation.  Pondicherry was once owned by the French and is still influenced by them.  Great food!  I have not seen so many white people since I left U.S.  I lucked out and got the last room available in the hotel on the beach, the family room for only $10.  It is the size of a dance studio with six beds and two huge balconies.  In this town I am majoring in meditating in my little palace and eating.

Since I do not have a lot of travel stories, I will share a cultural learning and yoga learning.  Also I attached some pictures.  The water pictures are the ghats in Varanasi.  The temple is a Buddhist temple.  I should be easy to spot in the dance photos, the only white person.

The following is what I have learned from my tour book and conversation.  Over 2000 years ago a system was developed dividing Hindus into four main hereditary groups.  The first group were the Brahmans; teachers, priests, and scholars.  They were the only ones allowed to read from the Vedas, the main Hindu scripts.  They were also the king's advisors, but not the kings.  The kings, as well as warriors were called Kshatriyas.  Then the businessmen, Vaishyas.  And workers, Shudras who filled the majority of the population.  Since democracy has rolled in, majority rules.  The number of seats in office or schools for people in your caste depends on the population of your caste. Thus Brahmans who were once the most educated only get 1 in 100 seats in a medical school or in office.  Supposedly most of the Kshatriyas were killed off in wars, but I met one.  He is named Pari, after a king who gave away anything anyone asked including his life.

The story of Patanjali is that he fell (pat) from the heavens into the open palms (anjali) of a woman.  Those hands could be strong enough to support the world yet soft enough to be comfortable to sit on.  Thus yoga postures should embody a duality of sthira (steady, stable, and motionless) and sukham (comfortable, ease filled).  This comes from the yoga sutra: sthira sukham asanam.  Whether or not these stories are true, take the idea into your practice to have the strength to support your body and a softness or comfort within each pose.  Find a balance between the two dualities.  Some say that once you get strong enough in a pose you could be in shavasana in that pose.  When the body is set in correct alignment the pose should become easier.  Build your framework and then relax within it.

Stay well!  Best wishes,

Tali