Yoga Together

There has been a real growing trend at the studio of members getting their significant others into yoga. It makes me really happy to see this happening, because it demonstrates that the practice has strongly benefited the individual, so much so that they feel a real need to share it with their partner. Inspired by that, Land Yoga is offering a Couple's Discount all February long. New couples join anytime during February and get One Month Unlimited for $125 each. Members' partners join for just $100 for their first month!

Here are some couples who are going down the yoga path together:

JESSICA AND ALAN

How old are you and how long have you been together?

Jessica is 31, Alan is 33. We have been married for about 2 years and together for a little more than 6.

How long have each of you been practicing?

Jessica: I have been practicing yoga, on and off, for about 10 years. I had a pretty consistent Vinyasa practice for about 4 years when I found Ashtanga through Lara and Land Yoga.

Alan: Only for about a year, but my real practice started with discovering Ashtanga at Land Yoga.

Did the one who started first influence the other?

Alan: Absolutely, I started going to yoga in order to share the experience with Jess… and because my back hurt!

Jessica: Well, I think we were both excited when we saw a yoga place was opening up in the 'hood, but I was the first to go and try it out. I knew I had to be the guinea pig! I was pretty instantly hooked and it didn't take much convincing for Alan to try Ashtanga and become hooked as well.

Does one encourage the other to go on a day to day basis?

Jessica: I think we both encourage each other in different ways. I think when one of us doesn't feel like going, seeing the other one get up early to practice gives the extra push.

Alan: Yes, Jess will push me at 5:30, once the alarm has gone off a couple of times, so I'll get up and get out the door. She is also great at giving me the support and inspiration that I need to keep from letting the practice slip too much. I always benefit from outside encouragement when participating in anything that requires some discipline and consistency over time.

Jessica: Maybe I push him out of the bed at 5:30 because if he goes, I am more likely to go!

How has yoga changed you individually and as a couple?

Jessica: Personally, yoga helps me stay in touch with my physical body and it makes me carve out time in my life to breath, relax, look inward and focus on myself (these things do NOT come naturally to me!). As a couple, yoga has enriched our lives by remaining a positive shared experience we have together. Plus, it definitely doesn't hurt that we each feel better physically.

Alan: Ashtanga has helped me to find a place of calm in what is often a very hectic daily life. Of course, I have also seen a large improvement in my flexibility. My personal practice is deepened by the fact that I share it with Jess. It also adds a shared spiritual element to our lives that was missing before.

Do you talk about the practice at home?

Alan: Jess has been a huge help in starting my yoga practice since I can talk to her about it and ask her questions. Though she usually tells me to ask Lara!

Jessica: Yeah, I think we usually check in with each other on days we both go. Ask how the practice felt today, or tell the other one about a new pose or new accomplishment. It's nice to share how yoga is affecting us on a daily basis.

What changes have you noticed in your partner since he/she started practicing?

Jessica: Alan has definitely become WAY more flexible and I know he doesn't have as many minor aches and pains. Plus he seems more at ease when his practice is regular.

Alan: Jess has been practicing yoga since I've known her, but it feels like it has changed our relationship for the better since practicing together.

From both of us: Beginning our Astanga practice together seems to have come into our lives at just the right moment. It has been a big year for us, what with our first baby on the way, and our shared yoga practice feels like an addition to our daily lives that keeps us healthy, clam, and connected - to ourselves and each other. We are extremely grateful for Lara and Land Yoga.

With a background in art and architecture, Jessica manages a small arts non-profit in Manhattan called Dieu Donné. Founded in 1976, the organization is a unique artists space that specializes in offering artists the opportunity to create contemporary art in the ancient medium of handmade paper.
For information on Dieu Donné visit the organization's website: http://www.dieudonne.org/

A musician and music lover, Alan teaches music at the Bronx Charter school for the Arts where he leads the beginner and advanced school bands. He is also a saxophonist for The Shrine Big Band, which plays the first Sunday of every month at the Shrine in Harlem. Their next gig is Feb. 5th (Super Bowl Sunday).
For more info on Bronx Charter school for the Arts, check out the school's website: http://www.bronxarts.net/
For more info on the Shrine and the Big Band's upcoming gigs visit the Shrine website: http://www.shrinenyc.com/

Alan and Jessica are also expecting their first child mid-March and are thrilled to become parents to a a little girl!

ALLISON AND BILL

How old are you and how long have you been together?

Allison: Together 6 years & going strong!!

Bill: Yeah!!

How long have each of you been practicing?

Allison: I have been practicing since Land opened in June and Bill recently started practicing in November.

Bill: Yeah!!

Did the one who started first influence the other?

Allison: I think Bill was first inspired by my dedication to practice almost everyday and sometimes going very early in the morning before work. In November we watched the documentary Ashtanga, NY together and Bill commented how good movement and stretching is for the human body, a week or two later Bill began to practice. early in the morning before work.

Bill: I also figured, "if it's good enough for Willem Dafoe, then it's good enough for me."

Does one encourage the other to go on a day to day basis?

Allison: Of course--sometimes I come home after a long day at work and he is ready to go and practice. Other days, I am the driving force. I feel blessed to have the encouragement and positivity from my significant other. As I go deeper into the physical/mental aspects of the practice I really appreciate Bill walking the path next to me.

Bill: That is cute, but very true.

How has yoga changed you individually and as a couple?

Allison: As individuals we are much stronger physically and mentally; we can see the change in each other. As a couple we are able to explore our individual challenges separately and enjoy the moment of time we are practicing together.

Bill: Other aspects have changed as well, but they shall remain quiet in case puritanical minds are reading. Seriously though, I broke my left ankle bad in two spots this past April 1st and Ashtanga Yoga has been incredible for brining back the flexibility of my ankle & literally gives me a spring in my step when I am finished with a practice. I sometimes feel like going for a run afterwards, but I'm just not there yet. I also work on my feet all the time as a sound engineer so yoga is improving life there as well, helping my ankle to remain strong & not feel any soreness. Come see me in the Summer(Apr thru Nov) as my main gig is running sound production on the Rocks Off Concert Cruises(http://rocksoff.com/). They are a ton of fun--trust me!!

Do you talk about the practice at home?

Allison: At home we talk about how well we feel after yoga and how different positions make us feel. We also discuss feedback from our instructor & try to commit ourselves toward doing the practice properly & with respect.

Bill: We actually don't speak with one another...we just stare at the wall & wait until we can practice again the next day--kidding!!

JESSICA AND RYAN

How old are you and how long have you been together?

J: We're both 32 and we've been together 4.5 years. We own a business together in Yonkers- a recording studio for classical music. Ryan is a composer and I am a visual artist.

R: 32, together 4.5 years

How long have each of you been practicing?

J: I've been practicing at Land since 13 November 2011. I took my very first class in Spring 2006, and I've been practicing occasionally since. The practice has become more and more important for me over the last year, becoming nearly daily. I tried yoga for the first time because I was attempting zazen and it WOULD NOT WORK (whatever that's supposed to mean), so I just went to a class at the Y in Brooklyn out of 'what could it hurt?'-thinking. Ryan has been practicing a few weeks.

R: I have been practicing 3 weeks

Did the one who started first influence the other?

J: I think so. The business is very demanding and stressful and he sometimes has postural/fatigue issues from sitting at a console for millions of hours on end. Ergonomic chairs can only do so much, so I convinced him to get Rolfed first, which was helpful with pain/tension, but he was resistant to the idea of yoga. After starting a Mysore-style Ashtanga practice and describing it to Ryan, he thought he might find it appropriate.

R: Yes

Does one encourage the other to go on a day to day basis?

J: Yes. We both like going. He's more willing to just get up and go straight to work (the studio), though. I have more trouble going to bed.

R: Yes (sort of:)

How has yoga changed you individually and as a couple?

J: I'm not by nature good with routine, and I've been very unsettled since I was young. I've also suffered insomnia for a long time. I'm in recovery from addiction, and yoga has helped me negotiate a peaceful, positive way of existing with myself, which has been very difficult. My will is extremely strong and I am given to being violent with myself without being aware of it in the moment. When I was practicing with different teachers and with variable styles and sequencing, I started to hurt myself because I'd press forward regardless of my mindstate. I didn’t know how to focus on breathing. I was constantly reacting, and over-reacting. I wanted to find a way of practicing that would be more of a mirror or space of reflection, and Ashtanga has been wonderful for that. I can trust the sequence and breathing, and try to observe daily differences, but not worry about them. The practice is there tomorrow, and will be different again, but also the same. More directly, it's helped me with sleep, it's helped me eat more (mixed blessing!), and it's helped me develop more patience and compassion for myself and others. I'm also finding a better attitude toward duty, routine, and responsibility, especially in work and housework.

As a couple, it's been nice to share this with Ryan and learn his thoughts. He'll probably experience the practice differently, and it might mean very different things to him. For me the changes have been profound but subtle, and they're hard to describe. It's about being present, somehow. Being ok with whatever is there, including negative-seeming feelings. It's nice to have him starting a practice so that he can experience some of the positive effects of calming/focusing the mind too. Explaining the experience is pretty unconvincing- you sorta have to see for yourself, I think. Didacticism doesn't work here, and I'm proving that now.

Right now my practice is longer than his, so he goes off to read while I finish. That's been nice to see; he's been absolutely consumed with work for the last few years and it's great to know that he's taking time to focus on health and interests unrelated to work.

R: How has yoga changed me individually? I was pretty severely out of shape, and so, early as I am in my practice, my attention is still predominantly centered around the basics of the physical experience and endurance. But this has given me a new sense of self-awareness and connectedness that is very empowering and satisfying, and I'm excited to keep progressing. It has also been important for me to have a commitment that isn't work-related, something that I can work on and return to each day that is a separate from my job.

How has it changed us as a couple? I think that in a very simple and immediate way, it gives us a routine shared activity, and this leads to extra time together that we wouldn't otherwise have - driving to and from Land, going for coffee after practice, etc. But I know that the shared knowledge and experience that we're both gaining from practicing together has a deeper significance. It's limited for the moment because Jess is much more advanced and has a longer practice; but I'm hoping that we'll be able to share more and more as I go further.

Do you talk about the practice at home?

J: Yes, definitely. 50% is, "Go to bed! We have to go to yoga!" "Are you coming to bed? We have yoga in a few hours!" "We have to go to bed early so we can go to yoga!" "Why am I not in bed? You're going to be tired!" I don’t want my experience or ideas to color his too much, though. There's a lot to be discovered in just getting up and doing it, and it will be exciting to see what he finds.

R: Yes!

What changes do you notice in your partner since he/she started practicing?

R: I've noticed a profound change in Jess since she started. She is more centered, calm, has more energy and positivity, and just seems generally healthier than ever. I also believe that it has played an essential role in her return to art making, and it has greatly helped her achieve more stability in her recovery. It has really been amazing to see how the practice has played a central role in her transformation.

J: Ryan has been stretching more when he's sore or tired, and he's paying more attention to his posture. The concepts of breathing fully and of mula bandha seem to have connected to some things he learned about in Rolfing, and that's having a positive effect on his respiration and carriage. Our cat Stan was also christened with a new nickname (she has many, and this one is derived from her nickname Stu): Stula bandha. It's entering the household consciousness, or maybe rather the small-collective unconscious! :)

Jessica is in a group show in NJ that opens next week:

From the Mezzanine

curated by Jennifer Dudley

1 Feb – 2 Mar 2012

Kresge Gallery

Ramapo College of New Jersey

http://www.ramapo.edu/berriecenter/galleries/kresge.html

Ryan has a release of one of his pieces on a CD (http://counterinduction.com/season/concert/274) but not until late April.

Here's the link to their studio, www.oktavenaudio.comand www.ryanstreber.com,

A Week of Kids!

Your child is doing yoga but what is it he/she is doing? Certainly not what they do in adult yoga class, right? My kid can't even sit still for ten minutes!

Kids yoga is very different from adult yoga. The goals/principles are similar: Physically it's about understanding the body, finding balance, strength, and releasing tension. And all ages at some point deal with handling emotions and energy and stress, but the approach is different.

Here's the Land Yoga Kids' Week in review:

TUESDAY 4-7 year olds

This week we sat in a circle and everyone got a chance to ring the singing bowl. The children enjoyed focusing all their energy on holding the stick properly and using the right amount of pressure to make the bowl "sing". They practiced their sharing by passing the stick to the next person when it was their turn.

We stayed very still and quiet to see how long we could hear the bowl sing and we practiced making our own vibrations by chanting OM! and letting the M sound linger on our lips. Then we chanted other words like Love and Peace (the kids's suggestions) and talked about how those sounds made us feel.

THURSDAY TWEENS 8-11

This class is about building confident, kind, creative young people and we love it! We focused on the yoga term, AHIMSA this week, which means non-harm, or peacefulness. We talked about the different kinds of harm that occur in mind, word and action and we spoke about ways to create more peacefulness around us. Our physical practice includes a flowing combination of challenging poses like boat, crow, and pigeon, followed by lots of time for rest, relaxation and breathing.

SATURDAY 2-3 YEAR OLDS

Two and three year olds love moving their bodies like animals and nature and imitating the world around them. This week we used feathers and balloons to explore our breath and then stretched our bodies like a cat, cow, snake, dog, seal and more! Then we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and acted out the parts to music with our bodies. We finished class with relaxation and a nice long foot rub!

SATURDAY FAMILY YOGA

Our newest class brings parents and kids together to bond over a positive activity! We work on lots of partner and group poses and encourage fun and relaxation. Requests are encouraged! This week one child was feeling a little tired, so we built the class with restful poses. The students put their legs up the wall and explored how other poses like butterfly felt against the wall as well.

Spaces are still open in our Kids Classes and series may be pro-rated. Contact Lara at landyoga@gmail.com for more details. Looking forward to seeing you there!

What did you learn?

Asana is like an ocean - you have to immerse yourself in it completely and explore its bottomless depths. Any asana can take you to a state of yoga. But if you just remain on the surface, your experience of yoga will remain limited. It will only be physical exercise. -Sharath Ji

Coming home is always interesting. The flood of questions never cease. Me, I'm quiet. When we turn inward we tend to talk less, eat less, need less. Content to be, yet committed to my work in a world of turbulence and in a city of sleepless souls, I float like a ghost, alien to it all. I imagine it's similar to the experience of a diver emerging, feeling the affects of change in pressure. We've been diving deep here.

To build on Sharath's beautiful analogy, sometimes you step into the water and and you just don't know how deep it is. I remember clearly when I visited Montauk this summer how one moment I was standing waves up to my waist and then the ground was gone. Yoga can be like that. Most people have no idea of the depth when they first stick their toes in. The water is cloudy and mysterious. But as it starts to settle, more layers are revealed.

We approach yoga from the physical standpoint because yoga is a state to be experienced. Though it can be discussed and analyzed, ultimately it is felt. So, you come in and you start to move your body and match those movements to your breath. Perhaps over time you feel a little lighter, more flexible, stronger. Maybe you start noticing some other changes as well, temperament, sleeping, eating, cravings, desires, more awareness of choice in action. For some people courage increases and will power also builds.

One day you may have a feeling of nothingness in an asana when eyes are steady on dristhi and ears on breath. Then deeper questions may arise.

For each practitioner the experience is unique. Some will dive in very fast, but may race back up for air when they see how bottomless it is. Better to practice as Guruji always advised, "slowly, slowly, all is coming". When you are ready the right question comes bubbling up to the surface and the appropriate answer is there in the book you happen to be holding, or out of the mouth of your teacher or sitting inside your heart where it's always been, just waiting.

I've been diving deep here, but the deeper I go the more I feel the vastness of my landscape, the bottomlessness of this ocean. I will not be able to tell you I now know yoga, just like I couldn't return from Montauk and tell you I know the the ocean. And it will not be too helpful for me to recite to you what I learned, just like a simple recounting of the sand, shells, and water wouldn't give you more than an outline of the beach. Rather, I will take you out into the water and I will show you where to go and when you are ready I will guide you deeper and you won't ask, "what did you learn?" You will feel it for yourself.

Downward Defenses

Sick in India, as you can imagine, is not too much fun. And this weekend it hit me. The whole body aching, nose running, cold, flu thing. I tried to stomp it when I felt it coming, but when you are practicing mat to mat and the bug is in the shala, that bug is coming for you strong.

Luckily Saturday is our rest day. No class. But what about Sunday? Sunday is led intermediate, probably the hardest class of the week. I woke up and I was not feeling too hot. Should I practice? The body was barely up, yet the mind was already jumping like a monkey with its excuses and justifications.

It is in these moments that the value of the habit of daily practice is so recognizable. In fact, yoga practitioners are notoriously disciplined especially in their morning routine. Each morning when the alarm goes off I sit up. No Snooze! I give thanks for the new day so full of potential. I turn on the geyser which heats my bath water, and go prepare the coffee. (Yes, my guru was more than fine with coffee.) Drink the coffee. Take the bath. Yoga clothes on. Chanting. Sitting practice. Maybe some writing, and off I go.

Routine can be very powerful, especially in freeing the mind. See, the monkey mind is stuck kicking and screaming and having its predictable tantrum, but yoga has made the master mind strong. The monkey mind will say anything to get us back into bed, so the master mind has to be very smart. The master mind says, "Don't worry, of course I'll let you go back to bed if that's what you really need, just go turn on the geyser in case." The monkey mind screams, "Your head feels like a ton of bricks. You're sick. Get back in bed!" But the master mind says, "Maybe you're just tired. Go fix the coffee. You love coffee. You can always drink it back in bed."

Well, once I had my coffee and my hot bath I did feel a good deal better. I did the fever test (You shouldn't practice with a fever.) and I didn't think I had one. I could breath through my nose and I was already caffeinated, washed and dressed, so I guessed I should go. I'm not going to lie; I didn't feel too well as I headed over. My body felt weak and I was getting out of breath very easily. My monkey mind said, "How are you going to practice when you can even walk without getting out of breath?!"

My master mind said, "If you have to stop, you'll stop." "Plus, you know what's going to happen, right? You are going to have an annoyingly good practice."

And I knew that that was the truth.

Annoying because of course we don't want to be sick, and we don't want to admit that the trying so hard we do when we are well is actually what often gets in our way. My teacher always says how some of the best practices are on those days when you barely made it to the mat. And I agree. On days like today, when the body is a little bit tired and a little bit sick, it simply can not hold any tension which is not completely necessary. Because of this we float in and out of poses with ease. All defenses gone, we just are. And that is yoga.

On a side note, later today, our teacher asked us if we want a day off for Christmas and nearly everyone preferred to practice (except those with kids, fair enough!). AND when he was asked if maybe he wanted a day off (which, with the shala packed from 4:30am-11:30am and evening classes and a family, would not have been unreasonable) he laughed and said he'd rest when he was gone. Surrounded with that kind of commitment, who is going to call out sick!

Pictures.

That f*ing bird ate that worm!

India. Many of us come to here to "find ourselves", discover truth, deepen our spiritual practice. In India, land of sensory overload, we strive to look inward and find stillness amongst the chaos. How?

Have you ever traveled to a foreign place where nobody knows you? When you go somewhere outside your zone and where you are surrounded by strangers, you have a real chance to experience yourself. Without the preconceived notions and role expectations that solidify us into one version of ourselves, we could be anybody. Perhaps it is that we don't know who we are, but only the outer layers of who we have become.

This week our teacher reminded us of the importance of remaining in and relishing the unknown. The moment we think we know is the moment we cease being students and can learn no more. What an infinitely greater choice, then, to remain curious, seeking deeper and deeper levels of understanding.

To understand, we must try to observe ourselves from a place of neutrality. We don't say to ourselves, "That f*ing bird ate that worm. What an ass!", so why do we apply that harmful judge and jury voice to ourselves and loved ones? Just watch and ask questions. Be as a child. Try observing someone or something easy to be open to at first, and move toward those who are harder to understand as your ability to observe in neutrality grows.

Recognize, that learning how to observe without reprimand does not mean you have condoned any action. You are building a skill. By remaining curious of the world around you, you will strengthen your relationships, peel away layers, and see what moves those around you to act. Eventually you will be able to turn inward and discover your own true nature.

As we enter holiday season with all it's fluctuating energy, take a look and simply ask, "who am I?" Am I daughter, husband, father? Am I playing a role or writing the play? We can't have all the answers. We must not or the joy of being a student of the world is lost. But we must ask the questions, dive into the darkness, live in unknown.

With the greatest gratitude to my teacher. -L

(Pictures from India HERE)

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.

You've come a long way baby

I want to write to you through eyes that have never been. In some ways I feel like that. A year and a half has passed and in a place as mysterious and changing as India, everything is new daily. So here I am.

Some things change. Some stay the same. Still there is the Indian man, "You come to know yoga. You can't be knowing yoga." "Okay," I say. Smile. Smile. Move on.

But the changes... Well trip Number One, the shots: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Tetanus, Tuberculosis?, etc, etc. The malaria pills that made me woozy and dreaming. The never ending flight that stopped in Bangladesh unexpectedly. (Were we even allowed to be there?) And the toilets that were holes in floors. The OLD Bangalore airport.

Covered head to toe in sweats and scarves except for carefully bought sandals creeping out. Carrying all that luggage a backpack across front and back. Trying to hike bottoms of pants up from dragging on wet bathroom tiles. Hike top of pants down. Squatting into holes in floors.

Not anymore.

And no more flying AIR INDIA, queen of missed transfers and crying babies. I'm in Emirates now. Leg room. Warm wet towels and only, well, ok, still a couple of cries. BUT, movie options in English, Yeah! and all that leg room.

Still, here I am at 3AM standing at the conveyor watching waiting the luggage going round and round. I should have looked more closely at my suitcase. Which one is it? And a three hour drive ahead, if I find the driver. He'll blow into Mysore this time of night speeding and stopping with no regard for a westerner's fears. Lucky I'm used to it.

There is nothing like it, you know, shooting through the Middle East, then Asia, to remind you how many people there are doing their jobs, living their lives.

First steps outside. The same sensation as always. Instantly the smell. The smell mixed in the air. Thick wet incense smelling air. How can an entire country smell of a burning stick? Wet. wet and thick like Puerto Rico. Florida. But it's not rainy season so I comment to my driver. "Oh," he says, "you knowing India".

Two suitcases I brought this time. It's my Sixth trip and I don't feel like suffering. I want my things with me and to avoid as much as possible the washing of yoga clothes as I take my bath and the wearing again and again of same shirts.

He puts my small suitcase in the tiny trunk and the larger suitcase he hauls into the back seat. I'm confused when he encourages me to sit front side. I never got upfront before. Not on a ride like this. They usually put your suitcase upright in the back seat if the trunk is full. Uhhhhh.... I hesitate but ultimately get in the front. (I hope this guy can drive.) And big shocker, the seat belt is broken. (I really hope this guy can drive.)

And it's raining and someone tell me why they've tinted out the top AND bottom of the windshield so you can only see out through this tiny strip of clear glass in the center. I look for Ganesha, remover of obstacles. Indians always have little miniature idols on their dashboards and front mirrors. I've even heard of wives blessing cars for their husband drivers. No Ganesh here though, just a mini Buddha, and one small doll hanging from the mirror. I ask what it is. He says it's a doll. A gift. Looks like a pink poodle. Never wanted Ganesha so badly.

New eyes. New eyes. What do I see? Where in New York we would have graffiti on those blank city walls, here they have movie posters. The one famous male star with his predictable mustache and the curvy letters of the local language, Kannada. Coconut trees. Coffee Day, the Starbucks of south India. Christmas lights hung in the shape of G-ds. Lots of store gates painted bright blue. You know Slumdog Millionaire? It looks like that.

When a car backs up it plays cheesy Indian music that reminds me of the sound of the doorbell would make at my childhood Greek neighbor's house where, like here they would cover the couches in plastic and display nick nacks proudly on special shelves where they'd be dusted daily.

A lot of buses. On one road will be a bus, a car, a truck, a rickshaw, a scooter, a bicycle, people walking and animals trotting right down the middle. Loudest horn wins. Passing is a science here: get as close as you can to the vehicle in front of you and beep your horn. Sometimes as you're passing the car in front of you, you're going into incoming traffic. The game of Chicken is the status quo.

Gas is petrol. Vegetarian is Veg or Pure Veg. Ask for some one's Good Name when you ask for their name. Use your Right hand for eating, shaking and giving money. Left hand for anything dirty. And don't expect change. No one has it. You may get stale candy instead.

5AM is the 1st coffee stop by the side of the road. A lady mixes it out of pots, blending warm milk and sugar and straining it in the end. It comes in a tiny plastic cup like you get at the dentist for rinsing. And it's hot and sweet and perfect just like I remember it. Seems like all my memories of India come rising up as that first taste touches my lips: the yoga shala, my teacher, the friends I've made from all over the world and see only here.

It's been six years since I first stepped onto Indian ground, open eyed and eager with not a clue what was ahead. Five trips later with an authorization to teach and a yoga shala built, I return. The same but changed, just like She is.