Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Moon Day + Yoga Mandala Anniversary

Today's breakfast was @ Tina's cafe... Vegetable omelet + fenugreek Roti (with Tomato Chutney) + 2 chai's (especially tired this morning) the omelet + Roti combination is about the most delicious breakfast combination anyone could ever invent. It was recommended to me by a friend, and it is a combination I would never have thought to put together.
No practice today, due to it being a Moon Day...

I looked for my credit card because I am short on money (I need to pay for some more lessons soon), I hunted everywhere for it, I spent 30 minutes completely going through everything. During this panic/effort, I decided that since I was touching everything, I might as well tidy up, put clothes in their respective piles etc..(you know shirts stacked on top of shirts, etc)
Well the last place to check was my small back pack that I have been carrying with me everywhere... surely it can't be in there, but I have checked everywhere else... and of course that is exactly where it was! This reminds me of last year, when in a panic I looked for my plane ticket to India: At the last second, I found the ticket in my backpack that I took to work every day. (Happens to be the same one!)

I went to Atmavikasa shala today (with friends) and met the person who runs it, Yogacharya V. Venkatesha (everyone seems to call him Venkatesh). We were interested in their Teacher Training Program (http://www.atmavikasa.com/ttrg.htm) but were told to read about it online and then call / come with questions. This may sound rude, but the fact is we came uninvited, just before Venkatesh was about to teach, so of course he had no time to talk.

Going to the Yoga Mandala, for their Anniversary party, the Rikshaw driver tried to charge us 1.5 times the fare because there were four of us. Today was not a day to mess with me (I think because all the Rikshaw drivers have recently been trying to play fare games with me) - I told him that what he was saying was complete, well add a nasty word, it didn't mention anything of the sort on the notice that is displayed by the passengers feet (great to read when it is dark, it is written on a black background low enough that no light would ever reach it).
Anyway, as expected the Rikshaw driver happily took what we gave him (I think we stil l gave over the stated fare). It is interesting to see them back down as soon as you complain in a loud voice. I think they think it is all fun and games anyway, but they try it on because they are trying to make a living, and as such they seem to have it pretty rough, I certainly know I wouldn't last more than a day in that job.

The party was very nice, they had a Puja (where 50% of everyone was talking as the proceeding were happening, even the Indians, shouldn't they know better?). The buffet/Thali dinner was really good, and finally there was a Grand Violin Concert (the same performers as last time) who were also talking throughout. There was a point where an Indian man looked back at all the foreigners in a disdainful manner. It wasn't good, and it made it really difficult to hear the music which was extremelly good (well atleast very good, it was hard to tell)

Back in Gokulum, we checked the Website of Venkatesh and called him for a meeting tomorrow.

We then went back to their house and hung out on the roof, watching the Dewali firework celebrations...

No comments: