Getting Acquainted with the Unfamiliar

Another year, another trip back to Mysore.  This time, to an unfamiliar part of town.... Lakshmipuram.... where the crowd is less sophisticated and a little more rough around the edges, though still steep in warm Indian hospitality.


Settling down this time was certainly not as smooth sailing and well-oiled as my last trip in 2009, in the more posh suburb of Gokulam.  The "Rent Mafia", we were told, had taken dominance over the house rentals within Lakshmipuram and the nearby areas.  Apparently, the "Don" at a certain popular yoga shala in this district monopolises all rental enquiries, and by defacto standard, all landlords appoint them as Rent Agents, and the agent commission is tiered, depending on where you're from (read : commission for locals and Asians is slightly lower than Americans and Europeans).  It is a bit unsettling to see how some of the locals have become unattractively greedy (from the self declared housing agents, to rickshaw wallahs)... this, I suppose, comes from the opportunity of leveraging on foreign yoga students who flood to Mysore yearly.


However, for those who come to India with a pure heart, there is always a cloud with a silver lining. You'll just need to look for it.  Mine came in many blessed ways.  Like in the guise of a kind and honest landlady who stood up for me when confronted by an overzealous rent agent.... a humble Yoga Master and his family who ensures that I eat breakfast and lunch at his house daily.... a rickshaw wallah who waives a waiting fee while I was practising in the shala... a vegetable seller who waits patiently whilst I picked up my fruit and veg (eventhough he was in a hurry to go for his Friday prayers).... and a little stray dog who led me to the shala when I lost my way in Day One in Lakshmipuram.


I realise that India, like your yoga practice, tests you every day.  She demands your total surrender... tosses you out of your comfort zone, plays havoc on your patience, perseverance, focus and intention.  As it's the monsoon season, she rains on your parade but chooses to cut off water supply to the housing area for 5 days .... 

The kitchen roof was leaking rainwater and caterpillars!

... and presents you with the saggiest mattress known to mankind, and gifts you with constant backache when you wake up each morning.

My little dungeon for 7 weeks

Yet, India, like yoga, teaches you to expect the unexpected, and embrace total acceptance for The Now.

In time, I learnt to recognise each blessing that came my way, and these definitely outweighed each obstacle, hiccup and unfavourable moment.


And for the next 7 weeks on, I, The Seeker, found humility, light, peace and renewed passion in my yoga teaching and practice.


Om Namah Shivaya.