December 3, 2018 FAINT OF HEART

Went to a  studio last week that practices Ashtanga yoga. I had NO clue what I was getting myself into. It was quite a work out-- the BOOT CAMP-- of yoga.  Ashtanga actually mean eight limbs or branches of yoga.  Postures or physical yoga is one branch but others include--breath control--moral code--meditation--concentration. Ashtanga is more than just yoga--it's a way of life. I met some incredibly gifted people at the studio who are deeply commitment to their practice. KUDOS.  Ashtanga goes something like this-- students follow a sequence of poses--holding each for five breaths before moving to a different pose.  They continue through three series that become more challenging as the practice continues. The focus is on forward bends, back bends, and then CRAZY HARD arm balances. I could get through (OK--BARELY)  the first two series but the arm balances were a NO GO.  This practice demands concentration-- commitment--AND IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. If you're looking to broaden your horizons-- challenge your body and mind--give it a try. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. Didn't regret reading Don't Let Him Know by Sandip Roy either.

Thought I'd give this book a try because one of my favorite writers--Abraham Verghese--recommended it. It also attracted my attention because it was a series of short stories--much like Olive Kitteridge--but in this case--an Indian family who live in Calcutta and America. The stories center around Romola Mitra, her husband Avinash and their son Amit. In the first story called "A Happy Meal" Romola is an old woman who has come to live with her son Amit and his family in California after her husband dies. She doesn't understand the language or culture but tradition dictates that she be taken care of in her old age. One day Amit finds an old love letter in a book and wrongly  assumes it was written to his mother years ago. The letter takes Romola back 40 years when she opened the letter-- addressed to her husband-- by mistake and discovered his secret. In another story "Requiem for a Star", Romola is a teenager falling in love for the first time. After her mother forbids her from dating an actor, she promptly arranges Romola's marriage to Avinash.  Every story is  equally wonderful, with characters who come alive. This beautifully written book is about 230 pages or a 4 mile run that you won't regret either!