did i say eat?

The life which is not examined is not worth living.

Plato

Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.

Jalal Ud-Din Rumi

It is day five at Dr. Kumar's ayurvedic clinic...i am doing a 7-day cycle of panchakarma , a system of natural health treatments and cleansing . This is not going to sound too fun, so i'll keep the graphic descriptions to a min. However...I must admit the experience is bringing up and then clearing some "stuff" at all levels, and i am feeling quite good now.

First 3 days, a lovely breakfast of a cup of herbal medicated ghee, yes- that's clarified butter to be exact! Then let it settle in and drink lots of warm water to help it take its effect, treatments include warm oil/herbs being poured in a relaxing pendulm on my forehead...then 2nd 3 days is light simple foods, oil body massages, by two therapists at once, and then a sit in a wooden box for steaming...not quite brietenbush but a personal retreat of some variety. I am playing music and catching up on sleep...no caffiene allowed ,although i must admit i snuck in a few tea bags of mate' so i can keep alert to practice.

"Slippery" is the key word for all this...with oil inside and out to let the toxins slide out of the system gently. (for those of you ambitious readers who are looking up "panchkarma" on google, don't worry i am not doing the "blood letting or the " Varama" oral purge to put it nicely. this one is fairly tame since i was already healthy.

I am missing Gokulam's yoga influence, but self-practic is perfect for right now. In fact i am exploring and enjoying the alone yoga time rather than in a huge room of sweaty yogis for awhile, had a rich realization of the lineage of Ashtanga yoga today...my mind flashed to the image of Pattabhi Jois himself as a young man learning and teaching yoga just a few kilometers from where i was standing on my mat in Saraswatipuram...and then all the places nearby that Manju, his son showed me from his youth and his Yoga stories...like all the different houses they lived in when he was growing up with dad-Guruji, etc. All within walking distance practically to where i am staying right now.

Finally, spent the afternoon yesterday "relaxing" at All India Radio Radio Station where Nagaraj is the Violinist in residence...he and his brother Manjunath (my Gurus 2) played there with Percussionists for a broadcast. Like getting a private concert in a wonderfully cool (its heating up in Mysore as of the other day from "winter" to summer temps.. 70's 80's to 90's) place.

What i will do when i get out of the treatment on monday? Probably go have breakfast at the Green Hotel ...pancakes with syrup!!! and try to stay off the coffee we'll just have to see, it's too good...

cheers,

j