Its been quiet at the Yogi front

I am sure some of the readers are wondering what happened to my posts... I am here, I still exist, but I have been very preoccupied with travel and other commitments which have kept on the go for the last two weeks. Nevertheless I have tried to keep up with my yoga class at least once a week and some bare bones practice in hotel gyms. I also was exposed to two great sessions on wellness at executive retreat in San Antonio. The first one was by a Dr. Sushil Bhatia, a chemist by profession, but an entrepreneur and practitioner of yoga and meditation. He did a session on laughing yoga and also talked about stresses in the world of business right as the stock market was tanking.

He talked about meditating for 20 minutes at 2 pm in the afternoon. He will suspend his meetings and business to get this 20 minutes for himself. I have considered shutting my office door and trying some restorative Setu Bandh, but never a 20 minute meditation. He is a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation. It was an eye opener for many attendees and an affirmation for me - I am on the right track. My gym routines for strength building are working well. Today I had an hour session and then later I will be in a 90 minute level 3 yoga class. I can definitely feel more strength in my core and arms. I have also started focusing more on my diet. I have been adding more fruits and vegetables for lunch, as a matter of fact, today's lunch consisted of only a home made salad, fruits and a berry energy bar. I will pass on the berry bar next time. I feel peckish now, so had a banana. Feel more peckish, so there will be another fruit snack. Meals now consist of mostly Indian lentils, okra, rice and yes there is an occasional pizza with the kids. Thanks Skeptic Yogi for inspiring me to make an effort.

Namaste

The Yogi

Ganesha - The lord of Buddi; learning and intelligence

Yesterday I walked the aisles of my local Indian grocery store and walked right into a colorful collection of Ganesha statues. It immediately dawned on me that this was the sign of the upcoming Ganesha Festival week in India, especially Mumbai and Pune.

I recalled seeing hundreds of large Ganesha statues being made on the street sides of the neighborhood of Wakad in Pune as I would drive back to my office from my daily morning practice at RIMYI. So obviously a blog post in honor of Lord Ganesha was in order. How could I have not thought about it earlier - but then most of my blog posts are not thought through or planned in advance - they have a way of simply coming to me and yesterday Ganesha came in all his colorful glory in all sizes and shapes.

Lord Ganesha has a special place in my life, both past and present. The front doors to my old home opened to a statue of Ganesha, that I had brought back from one of my trips from India. The elephant and elephant god has always had a special meaning. There are images of the elephant images sown through my entire house, including the table top that I am writing this blog on. Ganesha has represented the calmness and intelligence in my life. He has been my spiritual protector and guide. I left the statue behind in the old house. He is the part of the yoginess in me.

This week thousands will gather in Pune - the whole city will shutdown as they will take effigies and statues of Ganesha and immerse them in every waterway around Pune.

So other than being the son of Shiva, a god with an elephant head and a broken tusk - what is so unique about Ganesha? Well, he is a very unique diety. Ganesha is probably one of the most universally worshiped god in the hindu religion and its offshoots. The Buddhists and Jains worship Ganesha as well.

According to comments in Wiki, Ganesha is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles and more generally as Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Obstacles (Vighnesha, Vighneshvara), patron of arts and sciences, and the deva of intellect and wisdom. He also represents the symbol "OM". Intelligence and OM are connected to the practice of Yoga.

So, I am trying to connect this all together on what has Ganesha represented for me as his presence has been woven into my life for many years - ever since I heard some relatives greet me with "Jai Ganesh". Despite such strong presence I have had challenges to my intelligence. I have had moments where my buddhi (mind) was completely destroyed. But Ganesha has remained in my life.

He takes central place in the little temple I maintain in my home. Not above, not below, just right in the middle. He represents the calm, the peace, the mind and body connection I strive for every day. There is not a day I don't visualize Ganesha in my mind. In moments of strife and stress, especially when I am challenged by anger and folks who have destroyed their own intelligence with pettiness and ego, it is the image of Ganesha that comes to my rescue and inspires me to remain calm and strong - not some ubiquitous yoga pose.

Yoga gives me the ability to self learn and heal. Ganesha gives me the courage to stand up and focus on my intelligence to remain calm and still. His broken tusk represents that there is beauty and art in imperfections. It represents that even the strongest can be broken, but the broken can stand up and become the strongest with their mind and intellect and compassion. Next time you see an elephant - you will see Ganesha.

I want to wish Skeptic Yogi all the best in her upcoming great day. next week.... let that be for eternity. Her last post was inspiring. I also discovered another great blog. Visions of Cody - by an ashtanga yogi in Boston. Its funny and thought provoking. I had an immediate connection to his posts. There are so many of us on parallel paths - its comforting and inspiring.

Namaste

The Yogi

What is your Karma? A talk by Geeta Iyengar on Bhagvat Gita

My last visit to RIMYI was last evening to attend at talk by Geetaji on Bhagvat Gita. I could only be there for an hour, and had to leave early, but I learnt something very important about Karma.

What is my Karma? Its a question I ask frequently of myself. We hear about Karma in so many different forms. Anytime an event happens either good or bad in your life, especially something bad or unpleasant the Indian way of explaining it away is "its your karma". It implies its predestined. It seems like Karma is used interchangeably as destiny by many. It only adds to my confusion about the true meaning of this word. Readers please enlighten me with your interpretations of Karma.

Karma is also used as another word for "action" and we are born with many Karmas. That is what Geetaji discussed in the context of Arjun's reluctance initially to wage war against his family of cousins and uncle. Lord Krishna told him that as a warrior it was his Karma to fight in war and fight injustice. I listened intently as she described how every action in your life, including bodily functions are "Karmas". There are good Karmas and there are bad Karmas.

She talked about "Prakruti", which I equated to our nature, or state of being. We are born with Karmas and Prakruti. The ask question I ask is are we born with the Karma that is predestined? Do these Karmic actions drive the destiny? Is Karma both action and consequence of random events? Does Karma drive destiny and kismat? Are fate and Karma the same?

These thoughts about Karma stimulated my mind, as I left the talk prematurely last night. I just couldn't stay past an hour, as I had another predestined Karma, a short walk from the center at the Shahani residence. It included bringing a box of American chocolates for my former hosts and foster family, a chance to see them again, and not the least to get some badly needed home cooked Indian food. I wish I could have stayed longer to listen to the complete talk but my next Karma was equally important.

I wish I had some time to chat with my teacher Nina Pileggi, who had just arrived in Pune. It looked like she quickly immersed herself into India with the Indian dress she wore. Nina, you looked like a pucca local! We sat next to each other, but never spoke a word. We both seemed to be constantly interchanging in various sitting positions such as Sukhasana and Badakonasana and some new and improved variations as I desperately tried to avoid a flock of blood sucking mosquitoes approaching my face for dinner. I guess filling their stomachs with my blood is part of their karma. The only way I could deny them was to escape.

That was our only communication Neena and I had in Pune. It was not my in Karma to speak to her - to get her first impressions of India and Pune. I had to leave, and I hope I didn't offend anyone or break any unknown rules. I had no idea Geetaji's talk would go beyond an hour and I had commuted for nearly an hour to get their on time that evening. It was in my Karma though to introduce myself to Suneeta Iyengar earlier, to touch her feet and thank her for making it possible to take classes in April which were life changing. Her smile was infectious and she ranted out her new email id to me.

I had a great Marathi dinner with my former hosts Neena and Manu Shahani - enjoyed the meal, the company, and a great conversation on Life, Yoga, Spirituality and Philosophy. Its home away from home, and I missed not staying at their holistic place. "You look much more relaxed in this trip" remarked Neena. Yes I was, as I have really gained strength to detach, de-stress and endure challenges, but at the same time be centered and accomplish what I planned to do at work while getting a chance to practice yoga every day.

"Chithavriti-Nirodha" is the ultimate goal. Its a possibility that can be achieved with the power of Iyengar Yoga and the learning I get from all my teachers. Along with all this serious stuff, lets not forget to add some humor or laughing yoga along the way. Skeptic Yogi you are right, some tongue and cheek humor about blowing your ex - "the office cube" goes a long way. I have to stop taking everything so seriously.

Namaste

The Yogi.

Run out of gas! A life lesson in patience and calm disposition

For the second time in my life and twice in 12 months my gas guzzler SUV ran out of gasoline. And this time, I was driving downhill! You can imagine the panic as the engine cut off with no warning and the despair as I was going to be late for a meeting at work. I was upset at myself. I knew I needed to fill up the night before. I drove by a gas station, but laziness and curiosity to determine how many miles I could get out of the car drove me straight home.

So here I am parked on the shoulder lane frustrated that I will be stuck for at least an hour till I get road side assistance. Last time this happened the car had to be towed. Could things get any worse? Is my life headed to a continuous stream of problems and challenges. Will it ever end?

Notwithstanding, I took a deep breath, called road side assistance, and pulled out my IPhone to get on to the blogosphere. I have been following Skeptic Yogi journey of yoga and life especially her recent experience with a yoga retreat. She had a post thanking the universe for where she is in her life - and sounds like she is in a good place and she is genuinely making an effort to learn to be in a place of peace and tranquility, through introspection, yoga and blogging.

She thanked me and others she has virtually met through the blog world in her post. The impatience and despair dissipated as I read her post. The calm disposition returned. Sometimes when you think you have run out of gas and are at the end of your rope, a moment like this reminds you that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Road side assistance is on its way, and you will get 2 gallons at least to get you to the next filling station. Life will move ahead wherever you want to take it - you just need to be patient and calm!

Namaste

The Yogi

P.S. Before I could finish this post, road side assistance arrived - in less than 30 minutes! I was on my way to work. So patience paid off and the universe took care of me. Once I arrived at work - I had to face yet another negative attack from a war-monger. It has become a daily routine, though it had been quiet on that front for a the last few days.

I learnt have become indifferent to such attacks. Yoga continues to help me to drop my sail down, not show up for war and detach from such negativity in life. Thank you Nina Pileggi - your words of wisdom from the Yoga Sutras have become pillars of strength in my life.

The Skeptic Yogi - A parallel universe of yogic consciousness

While in Pune I noticed traffic suddenly appearing from a website called - Itsallaboutyoga. Its a blog created by Diane Cesa, a yoga therapist in New York. It opened my eyes to the world of yoga blogs by several yogis like me, including Diane. She had listed my blog on her site along with many other yoga blogs. The link that caught my eye first was called Skeptic Yogi. I launched in to this site. Its a blog by a native of Canada living in Northern California, Caren McGill. She moved to Mountain View, CA two years ago and it seems like sometime in 2007 discovered yoga. She is on an amazing path of self transformation. She is in India right now blogging her journey of experiencing India and yoga as we speak.

I had an immediate connection with her blog and what she was writing about. She had recently witnessed the slaughtering of a goat at a Kali temple in Calcutta and was horrified. I put a comment on her blog explaining why. She immediately responded and that started a series of email exchanges. Just as she had, I had moved to Mountain View, CA from Canada but back in 1987 to start my career. I am reminded of the California lifestyle, the sunshine, the green gardens, the fruit and palm trees, the pool, beaches, the parties, the friends, and the high tech capital of the world - Silicon Valley. And I was only 22 and felt like my whole life was ahead of me. The day I arrived I commented that I was in wonderland and this is where I got a start in life to build my dreams and aspirations.

It seems like Caren and I are on a parallel path of yogic transformation. We were both in India at the same time suffering the heat but simultaneously absorbing all that is so rich and wonderful about India. She is wrapping up her journey to India in another week and hopes to return with a fresh start in life. She tells me despite the heat, the dust, the chaos and filth, deep down she knows she will return to India again.

So please visit her blog and experience her wonderful, funny, deep but light hearted journey as a yogi. There are so many of us living in this parallel universe of yogic consciousness. Her blog is a must read for yogis and wanna be yogis. Its a must read for anyone visting India for the first time to discover all it has to offer. Caren's blog has touched my heart. I hope it will do the same for you. Visit Skeptic Yogi.

Namaste

The yogi