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Published: August 1st 2014
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THE place
Baby, look at me and tell me what do you see?
You ain't seen the best of me yet
Give me time, I'll make you forget the rest
I've got more in me, and you can set it free
I can catch the moon in my hand
Don't you know who I am?
Remember my name I’m here to “do yoga” – to study at the RIMYI for 4 weeks. I’ve been training to be an Iyengar yoga teacher since 2012 and with any luck will be certified this October when I sit for the certifying assessment in Sydney. The first time Studying at the Institute is a bit of a rite of passage for any Iyengar yoga teacher – the moment when a young teacher gets blooded – becomes initiated into the bolsterhood – is inoculated with the Indian culture – drinks form the ancient rubber chalice of asana and gets a good telling off from the grand wazoo.
I went with Lynn, whose apartment I’m staying in, to visit the institute even though I don’t have any classes until Saturday. I’ve actually been to the institute before in 2008 for the 90
th birthday celebrations of Iyengar but never as a student. So here I am - at the Juilliard School of yoga. I remember getting this same feeling when I first entered in the Victorian College of the Arts as a young director or at L’Ecole Lecoq as an actor….in fact Lecoq had a presence much like Iyengar. People were kind of in awe
a statue on arrive of Ramamani Iyengar
and a nice tomato plant growing there too and afraid of him at the same time. So here I am ….. again.
As I stood in the courtyard, I could hear Brahman priests chanting mantras for him to get well soon. Well I’m guessing that....or maybe they were singing
(Fame) I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna learn how to fly (High)
I feel it coming together
People will see me and cry
(Fame) I'm gonna make it to heaven
Light up the sky like a flame
(Fame) I'm gonna live forever
Baby, remember my name
(Remember, remember, remember, remember)
(Remember, remember, remember, remember)
It’s monsoon season and apparently the wettest in 10 years and yet it doesn't seem as wet as Robertson where I come from. The rain comes in big fat drops here then stops then starts then stops. Not like in Robertson where is just “is”. A rainy day in Robertson is a rainy day ALL day; and a rainy week is ALL week as if it stopped for even a short while it may not be able to legitimately claim to reign. I always imagined monsoon as being more ALL encompassing
Work life balance
The Iyengars live the building on the left and work in the building on the right. Just roll out of bed and into the studio...not saying that's what they do but it's what I'd do. than this but perhaps I’m speaking too soon - monsoon? Either way it’s warm tropical rain which is fine by me.
You know, an interesting thing happens when you try to be a better person? – ie better than the schmuck you are right now reading this blog and me writing it. Number one; you fail. Well you were already failing before but you just didn't know it. And now you know you are a schmuck that has failed to be anything other than a schmuck.
I used to think I was awesome at yoga before I started this yoga teacher training thing – now I know I kinda suck and that’s an improvement on the way I was practicing before. So here I am the Schmuck that sucks; the meat eating vegetarian; the hot headed yogi, the sweet as pie relationship killer, the greeenie that owns a Purple Prada dress, the idiot savant on a good day anyway and irreverent seeker.
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Fiona
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Last sentence says it all:). Love it.