Yoga Sutras... for LIFE!

Well, sorry to have missed this post last night, January 19 as my body felt like it was experiencing 'jetlag' once again!
I made it through the day but barely hung on in the second half of the session, hoping and praying that the eyes would stay open, the body upright and the mind, if at all possible!, focused. Poor Kausthub, I was not an honor student in his 'presence' yesterday!!! HAHAHAH
And so the Yoga Sutras begin -
'Atha Yoganusasanam' ......This is the vow/commitment between teacher and student to teach and learn on this path no matter what the challenges that will present themselves. Upon reflection one understands that to overcome suffering they must face their suffering and all that is creating their suffering. One must be here NOW in the pursuit of any goal. The baggage from the past must be left and not projected into the future. What has happened is good for learning only and the future must not be looked upon either. The significance is NOW. Start with this intention. Often we are to focused on what we will get rather then the process...
Wow.... just a tad heavy to begin! But good old Patanjali, the sage who wrote the Yoga Sutras, knew that this is necessary and applicable in all relationship, in all of life and so it has inspired me to reflect on my life, decisions I've made and that which has unfolded.
Our studies are held in a very comfortable and beautiful space that had been added on to the main house in the last couple of years. This is the place where Frederike's, the owner of the property and my 'schoolmate', mother spent her last days. It holds a certain energy as one can imagine and the back drop view is that of the glorious Alps rising from the earth in a thunderous applause of splendor and strength. Not too shabby!
Class is held in the morning from 9am-12pm with a nice twenty minute tea break which is the joy of everyone especially the English! We join again after lunch at around 230pm until 530pm and again we have a nice little break when the windows and doors are swung open and the fresh mountain air lifts our tired spirits. Today we completed the first 14 Sutras of 51 in this first Chapter. The second chapter has 55 Sutras and this is where the studies will end for the first module with the final Sutras of Chapters 3 & 4 delved into next January when we shall convene again.
Kausthub is a wonderful teacher, eloquent, funny, polite and some what controversial with his modern approach to sharing such an ancient text. You can especially feel the 'heat' when the questions of 'God and Jesus' are directed to the Italians! Always with a hint of lighting a firecracker he feigns that it was just 'open for discussion'! Needless to say there is never any fear of boredom of course, just the signs of jetlag!
We broke from the end of studies and most found their way to dinner but neither I nor my roommate Kelly had an ounce of appetite. Rather, we chatted a short while and drifted to sleep by about 630pm. I awoke at 1130pm, got up, prepared myself 'properly' for bed, a fresh set of teeth that is!, and jumped right back under the covers. Not abit of the warmth created from my evening 'siesta' had time to leave before my return! And on I slept until 4am nestled in the cocoon of a feather duvet (these feathers must be imported!) ....
Here I leave you for a short while ... Be well
Kiss Kiss
Ciao
Jennifer