Private Rooms, Sūrya, and Xanadu

5:30am Wednesday February 3^rd, 2016 –

Upon awaking, I try to catch myself between awake and sleep, and lie in bed in savasana (the pose of deep relaxation) for silent meditation. This morning was different as I was in Delhi, India, and my roommate, Amy, was asleep in the bed next to me.

Arising and tip-toing around as quietly as possible, I made a cup of tea, dressed for yoga, grabbed my yoga mat, and headed to the Gym to meet Jai. Sleepily I walked through the hotel hallways to the door leading outside to the pool area. I pushed the door open, took a deep breath in, and immediately released the breath out – Holy Cow! I could see my breath! It was sooooo cold. I thought, “This is India right? How can it be so cold? Is it supposed to be this cold? Why am I seeing my breath? Why am I shivering? Is it foggy? What the …?”

When Jai had agreed to a 6:30am yoga session, his instructions were “Be here precisely at 6:30, bring your yoga mat, and I will give you your yoga lesson outside.”

At 6:20am, I entered the Gym, Jai was there waiting for me, and gave me a nod of approval as he militantly said, “Are you ready.” Some might think this was a question, it really was a statement. With the poutiest demeanor and the most pathetic facial expression as I could muster, I replied, “Jaaaaaaai, it’s so cold outside. Is there any way we can do our lesson inside? Please don’t make me go outside.” Pushing my bottom lip out and looking into his big brown eyes, with the saddest puppy eyes, he replied something like “Princess. Stay here!”

Jai ran out the door, and like Flash Gordon, he returned in an instant. He grabbed his yoga mat and commanded, “follow me.” He ran up the stairs out of the Gym, across the pool area, back into the hotel, through the lobby, and bounded up the curved staircase, like a super hero, taking 2 sometimes 3 stairs at a time. Somehow, I stayed right with him, keeping his stride.

Stopping at double doors, he took the key card he was holding, and as he was sliding it the door, he informed me “I told them I have a V.I.P.” I thought “Maybe VIP translates to something different in India – something like pouting, wimpy, yogini.“

The consummate gentleman, Jai held the door open for me. Entering the room I whispered “Xanadu”. He said “What?” “Oh nothing. Mat here okay?”

“Yoga in Xanadu”

Jai neither asked for, nor did I offer my yoga experience. I was standing at the top of my mat at attention when he said, “Bend forward, and try to touch your toes.” Taking an inhalation, I came into forward fold, with my torso on my quads, my forehead on straight knees, and gently rested my palms of the floor at the end of an exhalation. I heard “Oh, okay.”

Our practice began with a classic sun salutation – Sūrya Namaskāra.

Sūrya Namaskāra (Sanskrit: सूर्यनमस्कार) is a common sequence of asanas. Its origins lie in India where its large Hindu population worships Surya, the Hindu solar deity. This sequence of movements and asanas can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete sadhana which incorporates asana,pranayama, mantra and chakra meditation. It is often the beginning vinyasa within a longer yoga series. Sūrya Namaskāra may also refer to other styles of “Salutations to the Sun”. The Sun Salutation is regularly practised in many Indian schools.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya_Namaskara

“Surya Namaskara”

Throughout the practice, I synchronized my movements and my breath to Jai’s. He offered little dialogue, and when he did it was very efficient, and mostly in Sanskrit, except when he caught me in Adho Mukha Svanasana– Downward facing dog, staring upside down at the magnificent artwork, huge columns, and the lavish decorum. He said “just look at your navel” Translation – “Concentrate! Quit moving your head around.”

At the end of our practice, as Jai escorted me back to the Gym, I asked him where he learned to teach Yoga. He said “At University.” I wanted to say “Shut Up!” However, what I did manage to ask was “You can actually take yoga courses at university here?” He said that he had his Master’s degree and was working on his PhD. We conversed a little longer before I thanked him for the class, for arranging for the room, and all of his training help.

Jai said “Namaste”.

I replied “Namaste”.

Just then, Amy arrived, and we went off to breakfast. As we approached the breakfast room, Dr. Mehrad Nazari (our other group leader and Michele’s husband) appeared and said, “Come this way. We have a private room for our breakfasts.”