A Yogi Abroad
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012
Switzerland is beautiful, and for me it has always been a place of refuge. Most relevant to my life right now, it is 180 degrees different from India. Where India is loud, Switzerland is quiet. Where India is dirty, Switzerland is clean. Where India is crowded, Switzerland is spacious. I took pictures of the streets, the landscape, and even the homeless, because the difference between a homeless Swiss person and a homeless Indian, is (or at least can be), remarkable.
My grandparents (who settled in the United States after fleeing Nazi-Germany in 1939) retired to Switzerland when I was a child. Every few years my mother would take me to see them. After graduating college, I expatriated myself for 18 months in Europe where I taught English, traveled, and made a handful of lifelong friends. (I stayed with one of them during this trip.) I was living in Prague, it was 1992, and the city was was being hailed as the new Paris of the ’20s. I’m not sure that’s an accurate comparison, but the comparison was in fact being made. The winters were long, cold, dark and gray. Lots of people were drinking. 
Lots of people were smoking. Lots of people were speaking the international language. And some of those people were creating art. I cannot claim to have created anything in that period of my life. I was simply decompressing, deconstructing, and falling in love often. Europe has that effect on me. (more…)
Tags: beauty, childhood, family, grandparents, Jason Scholder, Prague, serenity, Switzerland, travels
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Tuesday, February 21st, 2012
Nana and His Rickshaw
I believe it was David Byrne (it’s possible he was quoting someone else) who said, “Rich people will travel great distances to take pictures of poor people.” Certainly by local standards, this was me.
The last few weeks have been some of the most evolutionary of my recent life. For those of you following along, you know I’ve been through some harrowing times and some adventures, had a good deal of fun and done some great shopping. A friend of mine from home, who has been coming to India for 40 years and still finds it quite challenging said, “India is relentless in its pursuit of forcing you to become who you really are.” His words carried me through much of this journey.
My Ego was obliterated on the mat and my days made needlessly complicated by the simple lack of infrastructure this country suffers. I was forced to phone a friend for some emotional support for what I was experiencing. And yet somewhere around day 13, I came through the dark night of my own soul and emerged happy, energized, and excited to go to my next class, buy yogurt from the little store on my way home, and cross the death-defying 6 lanes of traffic that separated my neighborhood from that of the Iyengar Institute in Pune. India has a pace all its own and it clearly took me some time to adjust. As I get ready to leave, I am simultaneously relieved and sad and anxious to come back, though next time I will make a point of staying longer and seeing more of the country. There is just way too much good stuff here not to spend more time.
I made some friends here who I will miss very much. Parvez and his wife Zarin sell CDs and books in the institute. Parvez was a pharmacist for years and evidently sleeps on my Eggs to help the severe curve in his back — perhaps from years of hunching over to fill prescriptions? He and his wife love the Eggs so much they want to be my Indian distributor. Rima tailored a dozen articles of clothing for me by way of contributing to my Indian makeover. And Nana, oh, Nana. Everyone needs someone like you if they’re going to come someplace like this. When Nana was with me, life was smooth. When he was absent, life was much more… real.
I have some parting advice I’d like to offer for anyone coming here in the future. Feel free to ignore it. (more…)
Tags: ego, humble, India, RIMYI, three minute egg, transition, travels, yoga, yoga blocks, yoga eggs, yoga props
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Monday, February 20th, 2012
One of the more interesting days we spent in Pune was trekking around to see different temples. One of them was made entirely out of Silver and Gold. It was right in the middle of the city and to me this was mind-blowing. Surrounded by a questionable neighborhood, and visited by poor people casting their hopes and prayers and flowers on the monuments (I wasn’t allowed to to take pictures) there was this small but ornate and exquisite temple made of precious metals. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that.
Below you will see pictures of the temples and caves I was able to photograph. The one with the round top and pillars, along with the images that follow, is all carved out of one piece of stone. Can you imagine that kind of planning? The same is true for the Caves. Little or nothing is added. the entire structures are created by removing and retaining certain parts of the rock. I find that to be mind-blowing.
Sorry things aren’t marked better.
Enjoy!
Tags: architecture, caves, India, Jason Scholder, Joan White, metals, pillars, Pune, temples
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Monday, February 20th, 2012
Joan and I went to the vegetable market for the sole purpose of taking photographs. Not only are the fruits and vegetables beautiful, but the people who sell them are marvelous to look at. I am continually blown away by the colors of India and the quality of the light. Hopefully it is adequately captured for you here. I could photograph Indian people 24 hours a day and not get bored. I don’t know what it is about their faces but I find them endlessly enthralling.
Most people in India seem to be vegetarians, and as a foreigner living in fear of unwanted stomach viruses, I adapted easily to the vegetarian lifestyle. (By the way, you should stay away from salads and other raw foods unless the come in a peel you don’t eat (like a banana) or you have the opportunity to wash them yourself, in filtered or bottled water. I ate salad at some of the nicer restaurants and was fine, but it was risky and probably not a great idea.)
I found it interesting that restaurants quickly identified themselves as “Veg” or “Non-Veg.” We don’t really have that in the States. Most restaurants serve meat as well as dishes without meat, and only those that are vegan, vegetarian, or gluten free really to out of their way to advertise as such. I have developed a gluten intolerance (probably due to my excess Pizza Karma) but somehow the Chapati in India didn’t bother me. It appears I have a worse reaction to bleached, enriched and processed flour. This is fortunate because I LOVE Chapati. That and the fact that Indian meals really need to be enjoyed with some kind of starch to soak up the sauces. I found it an interesting side note that the Indians do not eat rice with their meal. They eat it with Daal and they eat it separately — usually after the meal (I don’t know why this is) but not usually during.
Something I forgot to mention while talking about my Ayurveda Getaway was what I learned about placing food on the plate in preparation for eating it. Evidently they place what which you should eat first (dessert — and only at lunch) closest to you at approximately 6:00 on your plate. 
Then they start placing things in the order of importance for your diet beginning on the right side (assuming your right-handed) and moving counter clockwise in descending order of relevance to your dietary needs. The theory is to make the right foods more accessible and the less critical foods more discouraging to place on your fork. I thought this was brilliant.
I wish I knew more about cooking Indian cuisine, because then I w0uld have known what to buy at this incredible market. Instead I just took dozens of photos. Enjoy the show!
Tags: Ayurveda, Chapati, India, Indian cuisine, Jason Scholder, Joan White, vegetable market, vegetarianism
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
My favorite thing about Pune, is leaving town for the weekend. As much as I like this amazing city, the noise, the pollution, and the constant hustle get to me after a while. I’m just not used to it and as anyone who’s been here will tell you, India is relentless. So taking a break and leaving the city for the weekend is always a good idea.
One of my dear friends, someone who was really there for me at a time in my life when I needed him, has long since retired and left the U.S. for Asia. I remember when I met Barry that he would leave, and in fact did leave, for an ashram in India every year. But I was 18 years old at the time, Yoga studios did not adorn every town, and Eastern culture was somewhat obscure and synonymous with hippies — an era of my life yet to come — so I had no idea what he was talking about.
Barry is a Baba-Lover, and Baba-Lovers believe Meher Baba was the most recent incarnation of G*d — on par with Jesus, Mohammad, and Buddha. (more…)
Tags: Avatar, India, karma, Maha-Somadhi, Meher Baba, Meher Baba Community Center, Meherabad, pilgrimage, Pune, Reel Change Films, three minute egg, vow of silence, Walking the Path
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
At last I got to see Naana again. His white uniform was like an oasis in the desert. Seeing him meant that everything would once again be okay. First he picked me up, then we picked Joan up, and together we Rickshawed across town to meet Sandeep – the man who sells Vedic statues.
Vedic statues (Murtis) are one of my favorite things about the Hindu Religion. As a Jew, I’ve been conditioned against worshiping idols; but when it comes to Murtis, I don’t so much worship as admire.
Sandeep is a much-beloved man in the Iyengar community. He has designed and donated many if not all of the statues which adorn the Institute. He has a store filled with recognizable statues, intended mostly for tourists. And he has a warehouse, which is down an unsuspecting alley, that houses “all the really good stuff.” That’s where the locals go. That’s where we went. (more…)
Tags: folklore, Hindu, invaluable, Iyengar yoga, Joan White, Juduism, magic, Murtis, Rickshaw, RIMYI, Sandeep, Vedic statues
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
I returned from my Ayurvedic weekend with an odd combination of dread and resolve. The threat to move me back to the beginners’ class was looming from Friday’s session, and the beating I took from the teacher at the spa had left its scars. But I was determined to stay in headstand for the full 5 minutes.
The class started at 7:00 am with handstands at the wall. Seriously? Handstands? What happened to a gentle cat/cow or some breathing exercises? We then moved into downward dog and some forward folding for at least a few minutes before the teacher announced it was time for Sirsasana – headstand. Having failed to tuck in my shirt for Handstands and never fully regaining my composure after that, I approached headstand with a combination of caution, care, and resolve to do it right. I would press into my forearms, extend through my heels, separate my hips from my ribcage, and lengthen my shoulders to avoid placing too much pressure on my head – all while maintaining one point of focus and smooth easy breathing. I began feeling fatigued after about 90 seconds into the pose. My neck was starting to hurt and my arms were shaking, but I looked across from me at an upside down man who seemed to float effortlessly on the other side of the room, and I decided that if he could do it, so could I. (more…)
Tags: asana practice, beginner yoga, camel pose, endurance, handstand, Headstand, India, intermediate yoga, Iyengar yoga, Jason Scholder, Patience, Pune, sirsasana, ustransana
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
India is wonderful, but India is stressful. Once Naana got me settled into my apartment with my basic needs taken care of, he resumed servicing others and I was left to handle India on my own. It hasn’t been easy. After a week in Pune, I decided to take a much-needed break and go to an Ayurvedic spa for 30 hours of rest, relaxation, and remedy.
Ayurveda is East Indian medicine, and the main focus lies in prescribing a combination of diet, herbs, oils, and treatments appropriate for balancing what they call your Doshas. There are three Doshas: Vata (wind); Pitta (fire); and Kapha (water). Most people are dominant in one of these three, and many have the strong influence of a second. Your dominant Dosha is determined at birth, but during the course of a day, week, month, or year, the Dosha that dominates your physiology can change. It’s ideal to maintain a healthy balance of all three Doshas, so once they determine your constitution, an appropriate regimen is prescribed just for you. (more…)
Tags: Ayurveda, BKS Iyengar, cleanse, Doshas, hot oil massage, India, Iyengar yoga, Kapha, Panchakarma, Pitta, pulse-reading, Pune, sun salutations, Vata
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
I have now been in India for one week, and today was both the best and worst day I’ve had in terms of yoga. It was the best day because we had yet another amazing teacher and for me it was our first time in the same room. All of the teachers here are excellent, and this woman has certain qualities that make her shine. She is beautiful, confident, her smile is disarming, and she loves to yell and hit. In this last way she is not so unique. If you come to India to do yoga; tuck in your shirt, suck in your stomach and keep your knees and elbows straight. Or, be prepared to suffer the consequences. Today, I suffered quite a bit. (more…)
Tags: asana practice, beginner yoga, Headstand, India, intermediate yoga, Iyengar yoga, Pune, RIMYI, Salamba Sirsasana, travels
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
I’ve been ruminating all week on how yoga in the East differs from yoga in the West. Many teachers have told me that most Westerners wouldn’t actually enjoy taking yoga in India. As much as I am benefiting from these teachings, I can understand why. Life here is difficult. Yoga here is difficult. And living your life is living your yoga, because even the most mundane things, like drinking water, are not easy.
The Iyengar family takes teaching yoga very seriously, and they train their teachers to be tough. They are on time, so you should be on time. They work hard, so you should work hard. Much is expected of you in return for the privilege of being here. I happen to think that’s completely reasonable.
So if I had to boil this difference down to one word, that word right now would be (more…)
Tags: comfort, east vs. west, India, Iyengar yoga, Jason Scholder, learning, lifestyle, Pune, RIMYI, travels, vanity, yoga, yoga blocks, yoga studios
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Switzerland is beautiful, and for me it has always been a place of refuge. Most relevant to my life right now, it is 180 degrees different from India. Where India is loud, Switzerland is quiet. Where India is dirty, Switzerland is clean. Where India is crowded, Switzerland is spacious. I took pictures of the streets, the landscape, and even the homeless, because the difference between a homeless Swiss person and a homeless Indian, is (or at least can be), remarkable.
Lots of people were smoking. Lots of people were speaking the international language. And some of those people were creating art. I cannot claim to have created anything in that period of my life. I was simply decompressing, deconstructing, and falling in love often. Europe has that effect on me. (more…)
