Family and Food are Love

Today was such a good day here in Mysore..This morning I made breakfast after led and than Susie and I walked to get coffee at Barista..After having two coffee drinks we went to the market to get veggies for tonight's Vegan Raw dinner..Susie and Lissie made beautiful food for us to enjoy tonight..The have been preparing this dinner for the last two days...so I must say it was quite the experience..

I met a guy that looked familiar to me at the shala one morning..His name was Arthur and he looked like I have seen him before..I didn't make the connection until tonight at dinner..There were about 15 people there and he was there too..I asked him where he was from and he said NYC..I asked him if he taught classes somewhere in the city..Turns out he teaches at Yoga Sutra on the corner of 42nd street..I than remembered he was the teacher in my very first Ashtanga class in May of last year..It was so amazing..What a small world and what a funny connection..I think Mysore really is a magical place.


Tonight Susie and Lissie made a Vegan Raw menu of Lasagna, Antipasta platter with lotus wraps stuffed with eggplant chutney, fruit salad, and a carrot cake. Katie brought a beet and carot salad..there was also a chilled melon and cucumber soup...We ate off of banana leaves and drank soup out of coconuts..It was perfect..The sun was setting and the people around were family...I must say it was such a work of art..It was almost too pretty to eat..It was Jennifer's last night so it was a kind of going away party for her..Lissy and Adam are leaving Sunday so I feel like part of my family is leaving me and I'm a little sad...I know we will gather again one day so it is all good..we are all connected  in our hearts so we are always together..Tonight was so beautiful..Family and food.

As I was walking home I was passing the shala and I heard...Jon-a-ton...It was my teacher Sharath..He was just standing on the balcony of the shala watching the sun set..He said...did you eat dinner...I said yes..veggies and carrot cake..He said..No pizza... no chapathi..and laughed..He grinned really big and said Jon-a-ton you go walk now..I just laughed and said ok..I have lost 14 pounds since coming here..I think he is just encouraging me in his own way..I feel so happy when he says my name..I gloated for a mile and a half on my way to Loyal World to buy cookies and soda..What Sharath doesn't know won't hurt him....hahaha..I didn't eat them though..I like to keep some sodas here for the beggers and my rikshaw driver Kumar...I love it here so much because the people appreciate your kindness no matter how big or small..I am home in so many ways.


I am settled in now and all I can think about is how I'm in India doing what so many people never get the chance to do..I think about how lucky I am to have met the people I have met...I'm studying under the best yoga teacher in the world.... and he knows my name...I am eating some of the most pure and beautiful food you could imagine ever putting in your mouth...I'm in a place where magic happens every day... and I'm here right in the middle of it..I don't know how I got here or how my path turned in this direction but I am very grateful..I don't deserve this and there are people out there more deserving than me but I'm here...I am so grateful for everything...I hope I can make it up to the universe and serve and give back..In so many ways I think this trip has made me more human and at the same time connected me more to God. I feel awake for the first time in my entire life and it is beautiful.