Biannka : Holy cranky cows, sunsets and gratitude!

Goan sunset
Goan sunset

Holy Moly!!! It’s time to leave Goa.  The last two weeks feel like they have flown!  I have learnt so much from Rolfe and Marci over this last month and I look forward to putting it all into practice when I get home.  Learning from Rolfe and Marci was a great way to see my practice objectively, with love, and with care so I am able to have a life-long practice.  It has only been a month and the beautiful thing about this practice is that it keeps you coming back to where you are at!  There is no fast-track to anywhere with Ashtanga – even if your physical body had been prepped by years of dancing or gymnasium work, the practice grabs you in other ways..

Speaking of all things holy – I was walking out of my guest house gate the other day and spotted a gang of cows hanging around in the walkway.  Not giving it too much thought and feeling reasonably safe because the cows are all holy here (!), I proceeded to walk past them.   Thankfully I kept an eye on the closest one to me, she had a cranky look in her eyes and the next thing I knew she had dropped her head and came for me.  I did what all good quasi country girls would do and yelled ‘Oiiiiiyah’.  She stopped but then tested me again – this time I threw my hands out with a ‘Goooooooin’.  That seemed to do the trick and the cranky cow and her gang pushed on to another location.. I proceeded to walk to my destination with jelly legs wondering if the cows were actually holy and have bad days like the rest of us or because much of their diet consists of eating rubbish it gives them a belly ache and understandably a bad attitude.

This last week I have noticed myself wobbling my head when someone asks me a question… In all fairness the Indian head wobble is very versatile.  You can use it for when you are unsure of something, when you think something is a good idea (you just add a smile), when you think something is a rubbish idea (you add a frown and scrunch your eyes a little), to ask someone how they are… the list goes on and on!   I have also noticed some of my friends wobbling their heads too so it is very contagious.

I have included a photo of the one of the beautiful sunsets in Goa I witnessed.  There is a beautiful walk you can do that takes you to the top of a hill on a perfectly positioned rock that looks out over the Arabian Sea.  It’s a beautiful way to see the day out.  You can hear the thumping of drums and loud music from the party beaches down below initially but somehow the noise is drowned out by the spectacular sunset and the lights of the boats at sea.

Sending a parcel
Sending a parcel

A friend and I took a trip into Mapusa (the central town for most of the beaches) so I could send some parcels home.  There is a Post Office in Anjuna but I was told the Post Office in Mapusa was more efficient.  You need to photocopy your passport twice for each parcel you send home and have the parcels wrapped in cotton before you go into the Post Office.  This lady was so quick at sewing together the cotton for the parcels – I was very impressed and the lady was only too happy to have her picture taken whilst working her magic stating that photos of her were all over the world.

I spend considerable time at the German Bakery (close to the Shala) or at  ArtJuna (close to home) as they both have great food, wifi and you will generally find other yoga students hanging out there.  It’s also just a great place to chill out and read away from the heat of the day.

German bakery

After a month in Goa, it feels like I have only just started to settle in.  Getting to know Rolfe and Marci’s style of teaching and integrating my learnings into my practise, I could have at least spent another month here.  But I’m off to Mysore – the place I’ve been yearning for!

Much love and gratitude to Rolfe and Marci for all their love and wisdom.

~Biannka

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