I have had many varied topics swirling through my head today. I was first going to write about how practice develops a certain sensitivity within the student. This sensitivity can be very helpful when it comes to finding appropriate food to fuel the practice and seeking out the necessary sleep. The other kind of emotional sensitivity feels harder to navigate. I find myself really open here and feeling like I give myself way too freely and totally to so many at home. I am always finding out the hard way that not everybody really should receive that support openness and generosity.

Today in philosophy we were talking about the yamas and niyamas and someone asked if your friend has you over for dinner and they are serving beef curry and you are a vegetarian....do you eat the food to be "non-harming" to your host, or do you refuse the dish. Narasimha said, if it is your friend why would they serve you that? Then he said this,

"your friend is there to help
your enemy serves you poison."

Today I also returned to Emerson's Self-Reliance. I couldn't help but see the parallels between this work and the Bhagavad-Gita.

"Do your work, and I shall know you. Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself."

After chanting I went to lunch with Thomas. We haven't really connected since I've been here, but today at a downtown Thali restaurant far away from yoga students we sat and connected. Afterwards he drove me home on the back of his motor bike. There is nothing like riding through India on the back of a bike. I felt at home. I felt free in the beauty and the poverty and the chaos.

"There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence. Before a leaf-bud has burst, its whole life acts; in the full-blown flower there is no more; in the leafless root there is no less."
Emerson

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