I was debating whether or not to stop using this blog, and start fresh with another one but I’ve decided to keep on with aspiringashtangi. I want my readers to see my growth over the last two years since I first started this blog, and how my interests and perspective has changed. In fact, I was just looking back at my first posts and was cracking up at myself and wondering what my motivation was behind some of them, and how I was a bit deluded about my intentions. I don’t think I really knew what I wanted to write about, all I knew was that I wanted to document my journey, and I am glad I did. I still don’t think I really know what my intentions are still, but I am confident that my growth and experiences over the last two years will help me produce posts that have a bit more depth than my “yoga diet” or yoga in general. Don’t get me wrong, yoga still remains a part of my daily life, but I want this blog to represent more than just that aspect of who I am, I want it to represent who I have become since my first trip to India. I have been TERRIBLE with keeping up with this blog since Spain and my last semester of college. Honestly, I was already writing so many papers for school that the last thing I wanted to do was get on here and blog. But I am back, motivated and excited for what is to come, and ready to write my thoughts down whether people read them or not. So a little recap of whats been happening since I blogged last…SIX months ago:
In August I headed back down to Boone to finish up my last semester of school, and as crazy, hectic, and stressful as it was, it was the best semester of my life. I took a full class load including my senior capstone class which required a 25-35 page thesis research paper, I was working around 20-22 hours a week at Stickboy Bread Co., and became pretty involved with a club on campus called the Appalachian Educators of Social Justice. All of which were crucial ingredients to my crazy, awesome semester and none of which I would change. I loved my classes and my program of study (Global Studies), they have inspired me to go out and really do something rather than just get sucked into the statusquo. They allowed me to unleash the inner feminist that was suppressed for so long and I feel like I have truly found my calling. (At least for now) My time working at Stickboy, though short, proved to be some of the best times of my time at App. I met some of the best people and made really amazing friends, they really made me feel like a part of the family. I am so thankful for my time there and it was painful to leave. (Yes, there were tears.) My rough start to my college experience could not have had a better ending. I mean, how lucky am I to have lived in a place that made it SO hard to leave? That is how I know that App State was my place. I have yet another heart string attached on the map of the world, thank you Boone, for taking such good care of me.
I’m officially a college graduate, so what’s next? As usual, I am not still for long and ready to embark on my next little adventure. I head back to India on Monday for two months of study at KPJAYI (check out the site if you have no idea what that means: kpjayi.org). I have been waiting to go back since the day I left a little over two years ago, it doesn’t feel real yet and probably won’t until I am buckled in my seat on the runway. This time will be a little different, as I am studying with Saraswathi (Sharath’s mother, Guruji’s daughter) rather than Sharath who I studied with last time. Since I applied for the busiest time at the shala and due to application submission difficulties, I did not get a space with him. But to be honest, I am so glad and excited to be a student of Mamaji this time. I believe it is where I am meant to be. So, Ill be in Mysore for about 7 weeks and then Ill finish out my trip with a little traveling with my brother, our plan is to explore up north a bit and do the Taj Mahl, don’t worry I’ll take plenty of pics and blow up your instagram feeds 😉
I am curious to see how this second trip will go and how I will feel. The first time, with blissful ignorance, was life changing and I would even say life saving as well. It gave me that quite space to heal and move forward from everything that had happened prior. With a new found perspective of the world due to my studies, I wonder if this will change how I see India, the shala, and the practice in general. I guess this is where I find my intention and motivation for this new chapter of my blog. To document my time in India as I see it through my new lens, not just my yoga practice but all of my experiences while I am over there. So, here I go again, on the move and ready to ring in the new year with a little less (actually none) booze, and with a lot more time to recharge and reflect. Here’s to 2015 and aspiring to be the best you.
Much love,
Ally
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