Kausthub Desikachar in Wellington

Here I am now in Wellington. It's windy and yes rainy. Kinda perfect for a weekend indoors study. The few times the sun has shone, it's been stunning as Welly can be. The light gets that dreamy Mediterranean feel. True. (In a rugged and nuggety kiwi coastal kind of way). I'm lucky enough to be staying with friends in Lyall Bay, home to the iconic though fire gutted Maranui Cafe. The cafe is dead, long live the cafe. I hope they restore it to its previous charm. Anyway, heartfelt thanks Fremily. Wish you were here, Ahi and me.

For the past two days myself and about 50 others have sat enraptured by Yoga Teacher Kausthub Desikachar of Chennai as he has guided us through the 2nd chapter of Patangali's Yoga Sutra's - the ancient, authorative text on yoga. Kausthub is the son of esteemed Yoga Teacher T.K Desikachar and Grandson of the great yoga master Krishnamacharya who taught many of our yoga masters such as BKS Iyengar and the late Sri K Patabois Jois. So his lineage is watertight. But he is his own man, and happy to sit with that, which is admirable, he has a lightness and self-reliant air about him that you can't help but like. And he is one clever mind, clearly. He streams effortlessly through what he wants to impart to us with clarity and intelligence and a certain effervescence - he is quick to laugh and joke! The number of times his expressive cheeks punch out with a smirk or giggle to himself before he talks or instructs us is uncountable! But we're privy to most of it, he readily shares his amusement, much to our delight - and relief - the sutras can be heavy going.

The sutras are structured in sentences grouped into short stanzas like a poem. But they are hardly poetic as such, more strict instructions, stern almost. And they offer the most rich teachings. How not only to live well, fully aware of ourselves, that is identifying with our true self, not our many identities and patterns and foibles but also how to lead a spiritual life, free of fear. I'll attempt to go on....They state amongst other things, our negative behavioural patterns and resistance to change can cause suffering, bias and deeply rooted patterns which manifest negatively on all levels; the body, the breath, personality, intellect and emotions. And that we must constantly, continuously work on these things! We have to work at these patterns through becoming 'awake' or 'aware' of our negative (and positive) actions through self-reflection and self study, meditation (yoga, in other words) not only as an exercise aside from daily interactions but in every moment. We should strive to have this awareness and mindfulness - always, and that the more we achieve this the more (happily) we will 'see'. See what? See ourselves. The sutras or sentences that Patanjali has written give all the answers to the questions that each previous sutra poses. So we're told, and so it seems as we trawl our way through. But - it's all good in theory. Practice! There it is again, that word. It's mind boggling really, how such an ancient (3000 years old) text can be so utterly relevant and complete.

But - strangely, amazingly if you count up the sutras in even numbers skipping every 4th one in the first chapter - they give Patanjali's phone number. ? Now wait a minute Kausthub.

Visit www.kausthub.com for more information on him and to see some lovely photography (his 'second love').

Namaste. More soon.