My weekends have changed shape radically with the end of my long-time Saturday morning yoga class. For almost five years, I spent every Saturday morning wandering a downtown farmer's market, then teaching a class. Last month, I lost that space and I've been searching for new digs ever since. In the meantime, my Saturdays are free.
I totally underestimated how difficult it would be to drag myself down to the farmer's market without a scheduled reason. I haven't been back since the class ended. Fortunately, I discovered that my favourite Samosas, normally purchased at the farmer's market, are available at an organic food store closeby. But I really miss eating my weekly chocolate cookie and chatting with my favourite vendors at the market.
Fortunately, over the past three weeks I've developed a new routine. My Saturday afternoon's are now spent at a Sanskrit Chanting class. I'm learning to play the Shruti Box, an Indian instrument similar to the Harmonium. It produces a drone sound through reeds and is a great accompaniment to singing to chanting.
I've wanted one for years, but couldn't justify buying one because I really don't know how to play it. Over the summer, I received an email announcing a beginners course. I bought a shruti box in Little India and the class really has been useful for learning how to play the instrument properly. We've learned three chants in the class: So Ham, Innvocation to Ganesh, and the Shiva dity made famous by John Friend. I'm really enjoying the class and I'm sad the last one is today.
Today, I went for a long walk in the Big Park with the dog, did my abbreviated yoga practice, chanted with my Shruti Box, then got on the subway to class.
Practice was a bit rushed, but felt good. I'm still bothered by the cold and there's a faint pressure in my sinues. If this plague persists through the weekend, I'm going to visit the doctor on Monday and seek out treatment.
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