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Back to work, but first, back to Mysore practice. Great to see VBG, Sanskrit Scholar, The British Director, and the Gymnast. After my recent uncompromising practices, it felt good to be at home in the shala, to practice without any self-consciousness. The Sicilian, who is currently practicing in Goa sent her regards recently, and made note of how the Scottsdale shala is all about the combination of devotion and lightness. True enough.

I thought about it a bit as I practiced. VBG is, self-admittedly, pretty laid back about form. He’s not going to have much to say about your toes. He is, however, going to foster your fast track to dharana and dhyana. It’s extraordinary, really: when the Indian cabbie in Singapore asked about the spiritual aspect of my yoga practice, I felt totally NOT poseur — I’ve come by my relationship to the eight limbs honestly. And that’s really where VBG has been my teacher. I walked in as a gal with a strong affinity for pratyahara, and here I am, almost two and a half years later, with a much more well-rounded appreciation for, and practice of, the other limbs. I forget about that sometimes, when the siren song of asana practice pulls me in other directions. Like Ganesha’s mouse, Mushak, who I recently saw described as an embodiment of desire. I love the idea of the little mouse as mischievous desire.

I haven’t escaped my desire for better transitions out of Bhujapidasana and Supta Kurmasana, and goodness knows, I want to smooth out Chakrasana, but (at least for the moment) I am seeing them for the little mice they are.