This morning in practice Sharath gave me Janushirshasana C to work on. I can't get the foot turned in the correct manner but it's a process. I'm guessing he wants me to get to Marichyasana A so he can start helping me open up. I usually get there in a led practice but have to stop at Marichyasana A because of my binding ability or rather lack of. It will come. I noticed I am getting stronger in my warm up but my knees are feeling a little preasure because of Janushirshasana B. I'm hoping they will get used to the bending. I'm going very slow so no worries. I have at least another 50 or 60 years to get this or at least 1000 life times...hahaha...
After I practiced I went to feed Seymore his breakfast and take a shower. When I finished showering I went to breakfast at Anokhi's Garden Cafe and met Vonya. We chatted and decided to take today easy because of my friend Reah and his cousin Da Cramps. We went to MYSTORE a local grocery store and I was amazed that certain items in India were so cheap. In India teeth aren't majorly important like in the West. Of course they try not to get cavities and prevent oral disease but white and straight teeth are an American thing. I was amazed that an Oral B tooth brush in any style is about 28Rto 40R. That's under a dollar in the US. They are the same current styles you can buy in America for $3 to $5. I'm buying some to bring home. If I come back once a year I won't buy a tooth brush in America ever again. Shame on you Oral B. They are robbing us blind. Tooth paste is the same way. A tube of Colgate is about 35R.
As I sat in the afternoon it saddened me to see a calf that had lost his mother screaming as it stumbled down the street. You see the cows with calves have milk so the Indians will pull them off the street to milk the mother. Sometimes the calf wanders off so it causes a bit of stress for the mother and calf until they are reunited. It is a heart breaking scream. About an hour later the mother was walking past screaming for her small calf. It is very sad but they will end up hopefully finding each other. I am not pure vegetarian because I occasionally eat a piece of meat but after seeing the things I have seen on this trip I have no desire to eat it when I return to the states. It is not only enviromentally more productive to be a vegetarian but when you see the personalities of the animals here it makes you more aware of the animals you have eaten. They have souls and personalities too. A mother cow in America feels the same pain in her heart when her calf is sent off to be butchered for consumption. I would never judge a person for choosing to eat meat but for me it seems to be the right choice not to eat it after seeing part of the real world out side of the US.
Susie and I walked to Loyal World tonight around 5pm to get my mind off food. I'm fasting till my diareah goes away. Water and lime for me for about the next 24 hours. Loyal World is like the Indian Wal-Mart. It is about a mile and a half walk from our flat. We walk about 5 to 6 miles a day so that is an easy little doddle. As we passed the Gokulam coconut stand two beggers no older than 7 or 8 proceeded to want us to give them money for food. These little buggers were more persistant than usual. My wallet was safe and all I had on me was my bag so we paid them little attention. As we walked pass the temple the little boy jumped on me and wouldn't let go. After a week of trained monkeys trying to steal my wallet and rikshaw run aways I found the humor in this. All you can do is smile and laugh. They continued to play attach to the leg as we kept walking so I figured I could at least get a few pictures. As soon as you bring your camera out they want their picture taken. Than they want to take your picture. Not a good idea unless you want to practice detachment. So I got some funny pictures of Susie and me walking down the street of Mysore with children attached. They finally went away after about 500 yards. The Indian people are not violent and don't understand pushing and shoving them away. The best way to deal with this is to just pretend they are not there. It gets hard because they will tail you for a long bit but if you just continue to pay attention to your belongings and keep walking they get bored and move on. Even the people begging are good people they are just hungry. You can see a sparkle in their eyes when they know you have noticed them. In the end you end up with a few good pictures so it all works out for you.
Tomorrow is week two day two. I am seeing a difference in my practice and loving every minute of my journey. I am always so grateful for the experience and ability to do this. Every night I still think to my self that I can't believe I'm really doing this. It seems like my life is a movie at the present. I think about how cold it is back in the states and how warm it is here. I don't miss the 20 degree weather at all. Good night and sweet dreams dearest Mysore my teacher and my true love.
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