Took a day trip from Gokulam in Mysore to the monastery in Bylakuppe yesterday. Myself and some other yoga students took our life in our hands with a taxi ride that took a few hours (a taxi ride here is an experience in itself). Bylakuppe is a beautiful, tranquil place and attracts people from all faiths. I saw Christian nuns, women clad in burqas and of course many Hindus. There was a festival going on in the temple and I feel we were very lucky to have witnessed this.

Sleep is the best meditation. Dalai Lama Sleep. Mysore, India

So I'm here in Mysore India to practice yoga at the Ashtanga yoga institute. I could write a long monologue of my practice, the shala, the students, the gossip and all the other "stuff" that keeps the yoga students entertained when they are not practising asana. Instead I will give you a glimpse into the life of the people of India who are teaching me lessons every day that I am here.

Fear is a natural reaction of moving closer to the truth. Pema Chodron. When Things Fall Apart

The hugging guru Amma is currently here in Mysore India. It is said that she has embraced over 32 million people, spreading a message of love and compassion. Whilst I didn't actually get a hug myself (I couldn't wait until midnight), it was amazing to be part of this huge spiritual gathering and Amma was clearly offering hope to a lot of people both rich and poor. Amma is also the guru made famous by the book and film "Eat, Love, Pray" in which her ashram appears.

This made me laugh... A cow randomly standing outside a beauty salon, obviously waiting for it to open. Only in India. Below another cow just innocently hanging out? or destroying someone's front garden :-)

It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self and intelligence. B.K.S Iyengar

So my new mobile phone here in India is called "Guru Samsung"! This made me laugh a lot. No need to get up at 5am to practice yoga, read ancient texts, chanting, meditating etc... Just get yourself a guru in the form of a mobile phone ;)

So I have finally arrived in Mysore after an EPIC journey (both physically and metaphorically). I have the same room in the same apartment and practising yoga in the same shala with the same teacher as I did 11 months ago. A lot has happened in those months but especially in the past few weeks. When I registered at the shala I mentioned to Sharath that I have a healing wound in my chest. He gave me a reasonable time slot and told me to "take it easy". First two days of practice were on the stage. When placed here last year I was terrified. Having been through bigger issues since, I really didn't bat an eyelid -What's changed? I have Gratitude!  

Last weekend my husband and I decided to have a "mini break" and go and stay in a hotel. We didn't have a weekend to spare and didn't want to drive far, so we booked into this beautiful central London hotel called "Chandos House". Chandos house is a beautiful grade 1 listed town house, situated between Portland Place and Oxford Circus in central London. Its a small 17 bedroom hotel and a real hidden gem. It has lots of function rooms and is often used for medical conferences. It would make a stunning wedding venue for a London bride. You will not find this hotel advertised in many places, so if you're looking for a night in town, contact them early. To book  http://www.chandoshouse.co.uk/contact-us.aspx