BAD FORM

There were two led primary series yoga practices today, at 5:30 AM and 6:30. The gang decided to go at 5'30. The way I understood it, we were meeting at 5 in the Kaveri lobby to meet the rickshaw, which I'd follow on the scooter with Bindi on back. I got down there at 5:05 and no one was there. Not realizing *I* was guilty of being late, I waited and waited (as I have over the past several days for others) and no one came. I finally went upstairs and saw the locks on two of the doors (the third member was sick and the fourth had moved) and realized they had left without me. So I was on my own to find the shala in pitch dark, predawn Mysore.... and I'd only driven there once before (the previous day), following the rickshaw that P. and I had arranged.

Of course I got hopelessly lost. After stopping several times for directions (Gokulam! Yoga!) I finally found a rickshaw with a westerner in it and followed it to the shala. We arrived at 5'24 and the class was already in the midddle of the second Surya Namaskar (sun saluation B)....So I took out my cassette recorder and taped part of it. Then I waited for 1.5 hours for the next class to start, during which Miss Y came in and invited me to breakfast with her and Manju (Guruji's son). Lino greeted me too, which is always a wonderful thing, and I chatted to a shala owner named Patti.

After class (which Sharath led) Miss Y and I took the scooter to Ike n Tina's (Tony n Holly's) where we met up with another student we both know (Adarsh) plus his galpal and a delightful women from Russia. Then we scooted to breakfast with Manju, who brought Nancy Gilgoff (senior teacher from Hawaii) and others who were equally engaging. So it all ended up for the best, except that I'm overcaffeinated and ate two breakfasts -- and we're about to eat more at a goodbye lunch for Adarsh/Tony....

LATER...

The thali meals at Desparkash are legendary and now I know why (prior to today I'd only eaten snacks there). It's Rs 28 for all-you-can-eat rice, sambar, rassam, sides, curd, dessert -- all served on a stainless steel plate. It was stupdendous as was the company, which included Jeff and the Chai Newlyweds from NYC, a fascinating woman named Skandia and Annie Pace (being around her is like bathing in a warm glow). Another satsang, thanks to Miss Y, in which the conversation ranged from how to get westerners hooked on chai (get them to try it) to kirtans to the importance of flossing ("You don't have to floss all your teeth. Just the ones you want to keep").

Miss Y and I also changed money ("doo doo" in Kannada), did E-mail ("Browsing") and ran errands. We picked up the dresses we had made and I have to say, despite our differences the tailor is a genius. And black dupatas (scarves) were back in stock at the dress store (Now *there* is a band name). So I feel like I have ten more outfits (when you wear a kurta or western-style shirt it's best to put a scarf over your assets, even if they're minor).....

# posted by C.K. @ 11:07 PM