Map to Saraswathi's Shala

Just in case you're studying with Saraswathi during the Shala "high" season, here's the map to her Shala below. If it's your first time getting to Saraswathi's Shala, I would take 8th Cross (past KPJAYI) to 4th Main and walk straight down to her Shala which will be on your right hand side. I went to her Shala a few times (one of her assistants is a former pastry chef and has bake sales every Saturday). I kept missing the unmarked left turn.

Last Thoughts

Safety

I've had a few private emails concerning the decision to travel alone to India. I was a little nervous, but I also had experience traveling to the Middle East and living overseas for a few years. I met another single female traveler who had never been to a foreign country before and she found her way to and from Mysore just fine. I felt very safe living in Gokalum, Mysore, but I was always aware of my surroundings when walking alone. So, I guess traveling to India solo depends on your personal comfort level. I met Shala students who came with friends or their significant others and ended up leaving early because they were uncomfortable with the area. I guess you won't know until you get here.
In my checked baggage, I packed a pepper spray/alarm device, but I take that even when traveling to Europe alone.

What I Learned

I highly recommend traveling to Mysore to study yoga. If you teach yoga, it will give you a different perspective on how you teach. Do you tend to dress up your yoga classes to fulfill the student's constant craving for entertainment or are you teaching in an authentic way that aligns your values with your actions? There was something so authentic about experiencing, listening, and watching how the Ashtanga Yoga system is taught. It even forced me to question how the West addresses discomfort, pain and injury in yoga classes. While Saraswathi was very understanding about the injuries of various students, she was also very stern about discomfort and pain being a part of the learning experience, and if you're listening to your body, you won't injure yourself. There were some moments in the practice where it was painful...not in a way that would injure myself, but in a "I have to work really hard at this and I would rather be in bed" kind of way. The yoga is not the incredibly hard pose that I'm experiencing, but the decision I made to get out of bed and practice when I new it was going to be hard...

Hopefully this blog is helpful and will encourage you to make the trip to Mysore.

Namaste,
Rachael

The Post Office

An acquaintance of mine recently went to the post office to send some gifts he bought while in India. He spent well over what I payed for a month of rent, but figured he had a lot of heavy things to send. I, on the other hand, had a few books and a Shala rug. I probably could have fit it in my carry-on, but I didn't feel like carrying it through three different airports.

There's a post office on 10th Main (just after Anu's on the left hand side, house #325). Like most shops in Gokalum, it opens around 10:00 am. This office only sends letters, so if you need to send a box you'll have to go to the Main Post Office in Mysore. Any rickshaw driver will be able to get you there and back.

There's no need to pre-package or go around looking for boxes. Once you arrive at the Main Post Office, go to the main entrance and there will be a desk and someone who will package all of your items on the spot. Make sure you bring (or have memorized) your "from" address, which will be the hotel/apartment you're staying at in Mysore. The cost of packaging will be added on to your final bill inside the actual post office (60 Rps).

You'll be directed to one of the stations where you'll fill out 3 custom forms and the package will be weighed. I had a small box under 10 pounds, so I wasn't too worried about the cost. I read some old blogs online that said shipping a box to the United States from India was relatively cheap. I was expecting to pay no more than 1000 Rps for ground post and delivery in 2-3 months. This is where I was wrong and luckily had brought my stash of rupees I saved for my car ride back to Bangalore airport. I paid over 3,000 Rps...and they had already packaged and taken the box back to the mail room before I even paid. These are prices you can expect to pay in the United States for international shipping. My advice, try to stuff it in your suitcase. Or, if you bought a lot of items, it may be more fiscally savvy to purchase an extra duffel bag in Mysore and just check it in at the airport.

Last time I checked, Lufthansa economy flights from the United Stated to India are allowed 2 checked bags weighing up to 23 Kg each. If you exceed the number of free baggage allowed, you'll end up spending about the same for extra baggage fees, but will have your items with you.

Here's a good website to check the rate of shipping at the post office:
http://www.indiapost.gov.in/SP_Rate_Calculator.aspx

Here's another good website for Lufthansa and baggage restrictions:
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/hu/info_and_services/baggage?nodeid=3331125&l=en&cid=1000263

Mysore Palace Lights

This is definitely worth the trip while you're in Mysore. The Mysore Palace lights are lit on Sundays after 6:00 pm or 7:00 pm. If you want to see the lights turn-on, it's best to get their early and double check the turn-on times with the locals. Otherwise, an evening drive after dinner is perfect. Entrance is free and you'll see many families enjoying the evening.

Gandhi Square - RRR Hotel Restaurant

The Indian version of "all you can eat" in Gandhi Square. Once in the Gandhi Square round-a-bout, look for the sign that says RRR Hotel. Right underneath the sign you'll see the entrance to the restaurant and seating is first come first serve. They serve chicken, mutton as well as vegetarian dishes. Servers come around dishing out portions of unlimited rice and whatever you ordered off the menu. Really good food...and you'll be dining off of banana leaves!

Anu's Cooking Class

If you want to learn about Indian cooking...Anu's has a great cooking class which can be scheduled on Saturdays. They will need a minimum of 5 people in attendance, but if you cannot get that many people, Anu and Ganesh can help with that
as well. We had 9 people total and learned how to make paneer, palak paneer, channa masala as well as a special request for parathas. We also learned about the traditional Indian spices. After we learned how the dishes were made, we got to eat them...as well as a rice pudding dessert!

Cost: 450 Rps per person

Address: #367 2nd Main Road, Gokulam, Mysore
ganeshmysore@gmail.com, anugan@gmail.com

Last Led Practice

At the end of practice, Saraswathi spoke to us about the importance of breathing, drishti and taking our time in the postures:

She said a student can be in a posture and appear to be very flexible and strong, but if they're not breathing or focusing their gaze, they're not in the correct posture. Saraswathi was also adamant about waiting for a pose to be given to you and not asking for more poses. She said that when she see's you breathing and gazing correctly in a posture, then she will give you a new pose.  

Food and Diet Concerns

In India, you'll adopt a more vegetarian diet if you're not one already. This diet is high in starch (rice/roti/nan almost every meal) and stewed vegetables in sauce. This diet is also the most common, so it's easy to dine where the locals eat and try traditional Indian dishes (veg restaurants). With the language barrier and the general pasty consistency of sauces, it may be difficult to determine what's in the dishes at the local restaurants. Many dishes use a yogurt or cream for thickening which may pose a problem for some. Little cafes such as Santosha's, Anokhi's and Anu's offer dishes/smoothies that meet special dietary requirements (allergies, vegans, etc.). Many people with special diets end up buying local produce and cooking for themselves. I have spoken to many Shala students who do this and they haven't had a problem. It's recommended that you wash your fruit and vegetables with drinking water. Loyal World (see previous blog for directions) also has a full stock of granola, cereals, packaged dried fruits and juices.

If you're a meat eater you'll have to visit specific restaurants to find meat-based dishes (non-veg restaurants). Some restaurants serve meat dishes (chicken, mutton) after a certain hour (like 7:30 pm). And if you're a beef eater, forget about it. I think the bigger cities such as Bangalore serve beef, but I'm not totally sure. Don't expect McDonald's to serve you a cheeseburger. I heard it's all chicken sandwiches. I saw a kabob restaurant in Ooty called the Kabob Corner. Apparently it comes highly recommended on Lonely Planet if you want to let your "inner carnivore scream"...or something like that.

If you've adopted the more veg-diet in India, I would use caution when dining out on foods normally not found in these dishes (i.e. fried foods, meat, etc.). These foods are more than likely prepared just fine, but if you have a sensitive stomach, this can shock your body. Probably smaller portions or samples will be easier to digest. The odds will not be in your favor if you decide to down a whole plate of fried mo-mo's or tandoori chicken after 2 to 3 weeks on a primarily vegetarian diet. 

Silver Nest

A great low-key, reasonably-priced, well-crafted jewelry store just one street away from the Shala. Her shop is word of mouth and she doesn’t advertise much so she can keep the prices of her jewelry down. She has an array of pendants, mala beads, necklaces, earrings, rings and such. During Shala high season you can buy an assortment of well-crafted jewelry. During the Shala low season, you can purchase what she has in her shop or design your own jewelry with a large array of stones and pendants on hand to choose from.

Address: 279 7^th Cross, 3^rd Stage, Gokalum, Mysore. Her street is parallel to the Shala street. When you walk up the road toward Doctor’s Corner Road (up the hill), her house will be on the right. You’ll see a small placard that says “Silver Nest.” She’s open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and closed on Sundays. It’s a residential house, so just ring the door-bell. 

A Note to Beginners

Like I said in a previous blog, there are many beginners who come to the Shala to learn the practice.  It can be an intimidating and humbling experience. I've seen a handful of friends (Westerners and Indians) pay for one or two months at the Shala and end up staying for a week. I've heard one say that the practice is too hard while another feels intimidated by the seriousness of the Shala environment. Another woman left because she felt the instruction methods were "unsupportive."

If you come to the Shala as a beginner, you'll learn the practice in the traditional method. Postures will be given to you by Saraswathi or Sharath. You are to practice these postures over and over until they give you another one. It's not uncommon for Saraswathi to assist one student in the Intermediate Series while calling out Surya Namaskar to a beginner across the room. The teaching methods are not meant to embarrass anyone. It's meant to get your attention in a room full of people. Internally, it will be a testament to whether you're a serious student who is willing to learn. 

If you're coming to the Shala as a brand new student, here are some tips that may make the learning experience a little more comfortable:

Don'ts:

1. Don't come into the Shala and do a random vinyasa practice. If you don't know the series at all, stand at the front of your mat until Saraswathi comes to you. She will ask if you're a beginner and then guide you through Surya Namaskar A. If you know some of the postures, do what you know and then wait. She will come to you in time, I promise.

2. Don't bring notes or those Ashtanga series cheat sheets into the Shala...Just don't do it. In fact, leave them at home.

3. Don't wander over to one of the posters on the Shala walls and try to see what pose comes next...Saraswathi will give you the next pose when she determines you are ready.

4. Don't request another pose, even if you know how to do the pose...Saraswathi will give you the next pose (or beginning of the next series) when she determines you are ready. 

Do's:

1. Keep count of how many times you've practiced a posture or gone through a Surya Namaskar. Saraswathi may ask you how many you did a pose and if you don't remember, she'll assume you're not a serious student.  

2. Take your time and have some faith. Some of these poses seem impossible, but over time your body will be able to do them. 

3. Adjustments. When you're receiving adjustments, go with the flow. When you resist and become rigid you risk injury.

4. Laugh at yourself when you fall out of a pose. Better yet, laugh at your friend who passes gas in Mari D. 

5. Practicing on the stage. I've seen another blog saying that you shouldn't practice on the stage. There were few days that were really crowded and a few of us were on the stage. Everyone was so immersed in there own practice they didn't even notice. It wasn't a big deal (at least in Saraswathi's class).