Secrets

5:30am
Alarm caterwauls

5:40
I realize that the voice trying to get me back to sleep too easily has much power. I wake myself up in protest.

5:45
Cycling to yoga... Madurai is quiet before 6am. The dust has settled, and only a few people tread the streets. I felt like Madurai was telling me her greatest secret-- morningtime.

6:00
Arrive at Sivananda Vedanta Ashram. Slip off shoes and sneak in quietly to the back while they are performing the daily puja to Siva and the gurus. Receive prasad (cashew!)

6:01
Quickly realize that I am the only girl there today. I usually go in the evenings with a friend, and theres only 5 or so students plus the teacher. Apparently mornings are very popular, especially with middle aged men.

6:10
Morning meditation is not going so well. The mat I have chosen is apparently also a mosquito army base. I hope I didnt bother others with my itching and scratching and slapping away.

6:40
Stretching. Oh man. Those core workouts have made me so tight. Uh oh.

7:00
After about 15 rounds of sun salutations, we're getting into the more difficult postures. I can't seem to balance well enough to get into Shirshasana or Halasana. I give up and look around the class to see them ALL like candlesticks, perfectly balanced on their heads. The 50 year old man next to me is getting fancy now, making a V with his legs, then a diamond shape..... grumble grumble. Ow, my head.

7:30
I finally do one of the asanas correctly (Ardha Matsyendrasana), and my teacher comes by and says something along the lines of, "oh yes! a pose you can do!". He smiles, but I don't find it so amusing.

8:00
Sigh of relief. The biggest yoga fail is finally over. I think I'll treat myself to a dosa for breakfast.

8:30
Sri Saravana restaurant is bustling with men having their morning meal before work. I polish off my cup of coconut chutney that has accompanied the (extra)large restaurant-style dosa (the ones at home are usually small, like the size of a hard taco shell if it were flattened). I ask the waiter for more, and instead of going to the kitchen, he goes over to the next table where 4 men are lapping away their idly (the white spaceship-y ones) and vadai (spicy fried dough(nut...not)), grabs one of their idle cups for me. How sweet. You know that they had used it, and here that means with the only utensils available, their hands. I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. I was surprised, but went along. If anything, I've learned just that... ride the bus, go with the flow, accept and move on. A bus passing by just 2 inches from my handlebars? Meh. Coming home to a surprise roommate for three days? OK. Getting the wrong order at a restaurant? Yummy. No worries, I'll survive.