Monday, June 4, 2012

Mysore No Go

Due to foreseeable but nevertheless regrettable circumstances having to do with my work, it is starting to look like I won't be able to leave the country this summer. Which means that Mysore this summer is a no go. I can't go into the details here, but if you would like a little hint, it has something to do with (a) not having a tenure-track academic position, and (b) not having permanent resident status in this country. If you understand what (a) and (b) add up to, you need no further explanation. If you don't... well, you are blessed. This may be one of those times where ignorance may actually be bliss.

I am, of course, quite bummed out about this turn of events. But staying bummed out isn't going to change anything. So I'll try not to be bummed out for too long. In the meantime, I guess I'll continue to practice on my own, and blog about the practice and stuff from where I am. Maybe, if things work out, I might try to go to a workshop sometime later in the summer. But we'll see. This is starting to look like not a good year for yoga travel for me. Oh well. It is what it is.

22 comments:

  1. Hey Nobel,
    So sorry to hear that. I'll spare you a pithy cheerful phrase, since it is probably healthy to let yourself feel bummed out and disappointed for awhile if that's how you feel. That said, I know you'll get to mysore some day. Kino shorts or not. All my best, Erica.
    p.s. The Kino shorts got lost in the mail on the way to Halifax. Very curious...

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    1. Thanks for sparing me the pithy cheerful phrase :-) I'm very sorry to hear that the Kino shorts got lost en route to Halifax (maybe the postman decided to keep them for himself?). No matter: You will get to meet the originator of the shorts herself come July :-)

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  2. :(

    On the bright side, there *are* a good range of Ashtanga workshops being held around the US year-round by senior teachers. Hope you make it to one (or two) of them.

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    1. Yes, I'm trying to see if I can make it to at least one workshop this summer. We'll see...

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  3. So sorry! I don't know about not having a permanent resident status, but I do know about not having a tenure track job, and that can really stink. (((Sorry))) you can't make your trip. One day though....

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  4. Yeah that sucks...I'm not, unfortunately, ignorant enough to fail to translate tenure/job/country. Blah!

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    1. Ah, Patrick, blah is the word indeed... but well, what can I do, except the best I can? Mysore (and everything else) will come when it comes...

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  5. So sorry Nobel. For you, and for me! I was very much looking forward to your Mysore travel blogging.

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    1. Yes, I was also very much looking forward to blogging from the land of Mysore :-( But hopefully, this will still happen some time soon...

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  6. Lame! I'm sorry Nobel. That's too bad.
    Maybe you could try a long weekend in Philly to see DG. He's doing a workshop at the end of July on Breath and Bandha that is going to be super awesome....Plus you could stay for a few days on either side of the weekend and get a killer Mysore experience with him in his hot and colorful shala in the diamond district - always a fun experience.

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    1. Studying with DG sounds very interesting indeed. But I have read somewhere (I think it was from your blog) that he is a very fierce teacher... no matter. If I can't handle him, how can I be ready for Sharath? :-)

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    2. You can handle him! No problem! Yes, he can be fierce...but in a good way...trust me. He's not an aggressive old-school adjuster, instead his intensity comes from the focus on alignment, holding poses to build strength and moving with a lot of dynamism. Plus I kind of think that DG is especially hard on me sometimes and then with other students he's much softer....He meets you where you are.

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    3. Holding poses to build strength and moving with a lot of dynamism sounds great :-) And not to sound like a cheapie or anything, but going to Philly for a few days sounds like it would cost less money than going to Mysore for a month ;-)

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  7. I'm sorry to hear that Nobel. I'm sure Mysore will happen for you sooner or later though! Don't be discouraged. Best wishes dealing with your work and status stuff!

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    1. Thanks for your encouraging words, Yyogini. I will forge on :-)

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  8. Sorry things haven't worked out, and so close to the planned trip too. no doubt you'll still end up there, just a little later rather than sooner.

    Seeing as your stuck in a philosophy department all summer ...two words for you Neoplatonism/Samkhya and two names Plotinus/Patanjali

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    1. Oh well... s$%t happens. (Do the British use this expression too, or is there some British equivalent?).

      Reading up on Samkhya and Patanjali seems like a good idea. Never been much of a Neoplatonist, though. Funny, I would have thought you would have suggested Boethius :-)

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    2. We borrow the expression I believe.

      Plotinus was influenced directly, supposedly, by Indian thought. Neoplatonism, it's Patanjali n Greek. Boethius of course is, in turn, Neoplatonism in In Latin, Christian Neoplatonism. All crazy as loons of course but shows yet again there is no eastern / western philosophical divide

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    3. very interesting. I am not familiar with the Indian/Greek/Latin connection. But I guess it kind of makes sense, now that you bring it up: One of my professors in grad school always mentioned the striking parallels between the Stoics and early Buddhism.

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  9. Nobel, what about the ashtanga mela at kripalu with david williams, david swenson and danny paradise in august? What about the richard freeman and John Campbell yoga/buddhism workshop 4th of july weeek in upstate ny? so many other workshops to choose from too? What about tim miller? Think of the opportunities you could have compensating for the loss of the mysore trip?

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    1. Thanks for the suggestions here, Anonymous. Yes, many things to choose from, many possible paths that I can take here. I will decide eventually.

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