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
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
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