Monday 14 January 2013

Thanksgiving, business as usual

Happy Sankranti!

Today is a major holiday here, a harvest festival, a day of giving thanks. Rather like what Thanksgiving used to be.... only with painted cows! More info in the link above.

Practice update: everything is normal now. Led 2nd was way less traumatic this Sunday, despite the fact I was front and centre with Sharath's feet in my sight as my head bowed for the chant. Today was just kind of 'business as usual'. Last week's aching legs are gone and so is the drama, trauma or whatever, for now at least. I am plugging away at my full intermediate practice, slightly wistfully listening to others being given new postures, but in truth if I put in some full weeks of intermediate series here that will be great, the consistency will be an improvement on what I was managing the last few months, when I seemed to be faltering under the demands of everyday life and a job. If I go home with renewed motivation to cope with that, I'll be very pleased.

Sometimes I think I want to write more about practice, then a few hours later it doesn't seem at all important. Practice is routine, what you do in the morning.... like brushing your teeth.... only a lot longer and harder. Any minor irritations melt away in the warm glow of a good breakfast or lunch.

I'm in the middle two weeks now... I live here. Sanskrit class happens, we can make sentences now. Going to movies happens, most recently Life of Pi. Lots of mingling, walking around, drinking coconuts, chatting, planning lunches, collecting people into the lunch party as you go. Rooftop breakfasts. Sitting out on the steps on 1st Main with a chai, watching the world pass by happens.

I guess I don't have a lot to say, this is just a little update.

So, more later. Meanwhile, Happy Sankranti... I give thanks for being here.



8 comments:

Globie said...

Really enjoying reading your thoughts. You seem very settled and at peace. I can only think it's easier the second trip, you arrive with less apprehension, know the plot and the places.

susananda said...

Thanks Kev! I just realised how diametrically opposed this is to Karen's blog from today... but another day, and the tables could be turned ;-)

susananda said...

It is certainly quicker settling in the second time around. No learning curve this time at all...

Karen said...

I'm especially thankful for those chai & watching the world go by moments. Deeply peaceful.

Wayne said...

"I'm in the middle two weeks now... I live here." :)

Anonymous said...

"Sometimes I think I want to write more about practice, then a few hours later it doesn't seem at all important....Any minor irritations melt away in the warm glow of a good breakfast or lunch."

YES!!! I found that once I settled into things, there really wasn't much to say that didn't sound trite on the screen. Better to save the energy for 1:1 conversations over lunch at Anu's :)

Boodiba said...

I didn't know you were blogging again too! I'm glad I found you.

susananda said...

Hi everyone... thanks for commenting :-D
I was afraid no one would comment again after I deleted the blog last time, which was rather thoughtless.

Savasanaaddict, maybe we can dissect our practice over a lunch here sometime.... next year? ;-)