Day 13: Sunday Shining

Early start for Sunday Led. We were at the shala almost an hour before. I took my place beside Ai again.  I am loving the openness and also feeling the need for strength. On the mat and off the mat. 

In the afternoon, we went to Sharath's conference. My friends looked absolutely beautiful in their saree. 

I truly love this time. Sharath spoke of Surya Namaskara, Yoga as a tool to "open the cage," the relationship between teacher and student and keeping the practice (and staying with one teacher) amidst obstacles, doubts, the politics of yoga, the different kinds of people who come to Mysore with different motivations ("It's fun" to see them, he says and laughs)... 

He speaks of what Guruji has taught him and yet he speaks in our time. He has an open, beautiful smile. He looks you in the eye.  He tells stories from the scriptures of India's great saints and and relates this to the world today as we know it (from tiger skins to eco-friendly mats and Yoga as the beautiful car that takes us through Life's Lombard street of ups and downs). 

I love his sense of humor. 
I love these Sunday Conferences.

That evening, I went to the Mysore Palace with Lou, Elaine, Cristoph, Lisa, and Eric. We braved the semi stampede to enter the gates. Raju was our wonderful guide. Wait five minutes, Madame. I did. We did. I beheld the sight of the palace, already beautiful without the (28,000 or 72,000?) lights. 

Then the lights came on. Wow. Today was a display of dazzling lights.