You see, back in 2005 I was here for three months, and even though by the end of it I was quite ready to go back home, it was from my second month that the hardcore work really happened.
And that’s how I feel now: it seems to me, although perception is always imperfect and tainted by my own feelings and ideas, that Sharath spent the first two weeks triaging us, the third week advancing people’s practices, and is now finally relaxing into it, just in time to watch a whole bunch of us go back home.
So, were I to return, I think I’d rather wait longer to come back but spend two or even three months. Of course, easier said than done. And this makes me feel enormous respect for the people that come here regularly. It’s easier to make excuses (husband! dog! job!) but the fact is that there are people who make those sacrifices in order to bathe in parampara and establish a relationship with Sharath. Not saying that everyone needs to do that: I have almost ten years of daily practice with my teacher back home and value it immensely. But want to give credit where it’s due.
And apart from practice, life here is a succession of delightful experiences. There are the wonderful cooking classes:
The cracked heels!
The changing city of Mysore (my dad had a construction firm so I’m always fascinated by architecture and how it evolves in different countries):
And the random surprises like finding a book on my old industry in an unassuming bookshop downtown:
Two more practices, one day in Bangalore easing myself back into reality, and I will be soon back home.
Back to Mysore 