Stay With It

I asked Sharat at Sunday conference how to maintain a yoga practice when negative distractions overwhelm the mind. His response was that asana not only builds physical strength but inner strength and through practice we can maintain peace of mind when the obstacle of depression may arise. The distractions could be as simple as sore muscles and fatigue or may be felt on a much deeper level like moving beyond a failed relationship or the passing of a loved one. To do yoga practice within what seems like a storm of emotion is the strengthening of life within. Sharat later said that after years of continued practice it will become so apart of you life that it will be like brushing your teeth, you do it naturally. And from this he said, you will be strong enough to move through the obstacles.


It's hard to fit the whole Mysore experience into words, everyday is both magical and ordinary. There is plenty of time to rest and meditate as most days unfold spontaneously. The few things that I have in a fixed schedule apart from morning practice is philosophy and chanting class, everything else happens organically. You can never really expect what might happen for the day, it might be spent reading and talking with friends or getting lost downtown with a rickshaw driver that doesn't speak good English. Usually whatever happens in the day comes with a few laughs and an enjoyable experience.