Just over one week ago I packed all my belongings into boxes, put my husband and dog in the car and after nine years moved from my home in Baltimore, Maryland to Greenwich, Connecticut. Though I am barely settled, tomorrow I will pack a few things into a small bag, kiss my husband and dog goodbye, and make my way to the airport to begin the thirty-hour journey that will take me to the reason I've turned my world upside down; for the next two months I will study Ashtanga yoga at the source in Mysore, India. This will be my third trip in as many years to the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. With each visit and each day spent studying under the careful observation of my teacher, R. Sharath Jois, Ashtanga has become further ingrained into every aspect of my life. A teacher once told me "first Ashtanga changes your body, then your mind, then your heart." I have seen these changes firsthand and as a result, have become increasingly connected to the lineage and tradition of Asthanga, and to the work it requires both on and off the mat. The practice offers me a keen sense of awareness of the world, and insight and perspective about my role in it. After my first and second Mysore trips, I arrived home to Baltimore burning with the fire of intense practice with teacher and community. However, it is difficult to maintain that type of energy when going it alone. The fire tends to wane. As a result, I have felt compelled make unorthodox choices in order to prioritize Ashtanga in my life. Although change is rarely easy, the recognizable benefits of the practice, and the joy and devotion I feel for it, have inspired the support of my husband, family, and friends in my desire to be a student, even if it requires sacrifice. I am excited that tomorrow I will once again be afforded the chance to go to learn from a guru who has so greatly impacted my life and the lives of many others. I relish the time spent in Mysore where I can rebuild and reignite the fire of my practice. However, this time I am also filled with anticipation for my return. I know that I will come home to a thriving Ashtanga community who will help to breathe life into the embers if that fire grows dim, to a teacher who will continue to tend and stoke the flames with a balance of discipline and compassion, and to a place whose commitment and dedication to teaching this method will keep the agni burning strong, even through a cold and snowy Connecticut winter.
