The Place


The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust

I just got out of my shower, I mean bucket bath, I mean moment of sticking my head under the faucet. Geoff's got his laundry in the bucket so there was no where to collect the water. I like this method anyway, for a good hair wash. Sat straight on the floor of the shower which is also the bathroom. I stuck my head under and wash wash wash. It's true what my dad posted on facebook, I have a real toilet. This hasn't always been the case and is plenty to get excited about. Unlike some of the other yogis, I do not get all ecstatic about an opportunity to practice my squatting over a hole in the floor.

Geoff's my roommate. We share a 1950's style room with twin beds separated by nightstands. Goodnight honey. Goodnight. Careful now, not to injure yourself on the rock hard bed. Our other housemates share a room as well. They have their own bathroom which received a water heating system after some demands by Geoff. Our 'man of the house' also managed to get us a new system so we no longer have to unplug the fridge every time we want to use the water filter to get some drinking water. Amazing.

Our "stove" is a small tank of gasoline with a burner on top which I am no longer allowed to use after nearly burning the house down. That's okay, because I can hardly get into the house anyway, with its medieval style locks and three separate keys. Thank goodness for my roommate/coffee wallah who I am going to owe a lot of Mysore Pak to after all the coffee making and scooter rides to the shala which is not so close this year.

But, the bright sides are many. Internet. Awesome! And a swing seat outside perfect for early mornings. And it's pretty quiet in here which is a very rare and special treat for a Mysore apartment. The price is right too, just over 6,000 rupees for the month, which is about $125. You can't really argue with that. And there are lots of lines to hang our clothes on. And a landlord who is eager to help without being too invasive.

And most of all it's here, in beautiful magical India which despite all its absolute craziness and upside downness, somehow flips you upright just the same. Everything is in your face here. There is nowhere to hide and so you address what is in front of you and what is inside of you with honesty and integrity and you heal and you charge and you bring it back. Ultimately it's not about what you do when you are here, but how that translates to the life you lead when you are not here and the people you impact. India is not a place, but a vehicle and she will certainly take you for a ride.