I run a mysore program, or more accurately it runs me.
It gets me to bed, it gets me out of bed. It demands I practice.It interferes with my practice. It takes up a huge portion of my time, my mind, my creativity, my everything. So much of my self is given to running and being run by my mysore room that at times I ask myself why… why are you doing this?
The Magic 8 Ball says things like:
because it is an awesome thing to do.
because what else would you do?
because I need an ashtanga community to ensure I keep my practice a top priority.
because I painted myself into this corner so get up there and teach.
because ask again later…..
But this week, the resounding answer to the question why I run a mysore program is easy.
Because Larisa.
Larisa is an ashtangi from Myrtle Beach SC. She is now here in Durham at Duke Hospital getting a bone marrow transplant due to stage IV Classical Hodgkins Lymphoma at 29 years old.
As part of her getting ready for her stem cell reinfusion at Duke, Larisa went looking for an ashtanga community to be a member of while she was getting her outpatient treatment. She found us at Ashtanga Yoga Club Durham. She got in touch with me a few months ago and we exchanged emails. She came to practice with us a few times while she was in town for doctor appointments. She asked me if I would be her escort for her getting admitted to the hospital. Yes I will. Yes I did. I was honored.
feb 10. Admit to hospital, chemotherapy
feb 11. Day of rest
feb 12. Chemotherapy
feb 13 Day of rest
feb 14 Chemotherapy
feb 15. Day of rest. Discharge to local apartment
feb 16. Stem cell reinfusion in the outpatient clinic
feb 17 Start daily supportive care for 3 – 4 weeks in outpatient clinic
waiting for her room on the 9th floor of Duke’s Hospital.
The day after Valentine’s Day she will move into a little apartment right here in Durham for out patient treatment. Even though you might not see her up in our mysore room actually practicing with us, Larisa is now a full fledged member of the Ashtanga Yoga Club Durham community.
It is Because Larisa that there even IS Ashtanga Yoga Club Durham.
Because if it weren’t for ashtangis like Larisa that need ashtanga as much as she needs ashtanga there would be no ashtanga yoga community, and there would be no AYCD. If you are a member, were a member, want to be a member, know a member of AYCD I strongly suggest you click on this link below and follow your instincts.
.http://www.gofundme.com/ga7pj8
because because because because because
Ashtanga Yoga Club Durham 
The great yoga studios are not the ones with the bendiest and most photogenic teachers and a bunch of super-hip bendy students. The great ones are where people develop the disposition to be there for each other and who for whomever else happens by.