Friday, March 18, 2005

Let's have a collective moment of silence for the closing of the Encinitas Ashtanga Yoga Center.

This morning was the last Mysore practice ever to be held at the E Street location; Guruji and co. are teaching for the next two weeks, and Tim has accordingly cancelled his classes.

The lease runs out March 30 ... and that's it. After 12 (13?) years, there will be a new studio. Whenever they find one ...

Everyone's been complaining about the mold smell, which did get particularly harsh this winter, especially after California's extended deluge. I thought Matsya, Vishnu's fish incarnation, was going to have to manifest to strap our ark to his horn ...

And it was better not to think too much about the studio's carpet. You didn't really want to know what you were rolling around on. Or whose sweat you were rolling around in. And those hairs stuck to my body are long, black, and kinky---i.e. not mine.

But the room had such a powerful feel to it---warm colors, high ceilings, natural lighting, photos of Guruji, statues of Hanuman, Virabadra, Shiva, et al. There was the faint, pleasant smell of clean sweat mixed with incense.

Tim's studio was the real deal. It was an accurate, authentic reflection of the studio's teachers and teaching.

Who cares if there was only one bathroom and no waiting area or "boutique"? People showed up in droves anyway.

And they'll continue to show up, regardless if Tim runs classes out of his garage or a conference room at the Best Western.

With a little sadness, we're on to the next space ...

I hope one day to see anyone and everyone who reads this there.