I guess I could go more journalistic about this whole tour business, and write about the whos, wheres, hows, whats, whens, etc, etc. But the novelty of that has passed.

The tour stop in Encinitas is held in a giant, frosty gym. Today, there must have been roughly 200 people in there. They left the overhead lights off, which was quite nice. Guruji called out many sun salutations to fire up the heat.

During those extended chaturanga holds I have been saving my rotator cuffs by beaching myself like a whale---belly-up on my rug.

I observed Casey J. Palmer grabbing his ankles on the third backbend. I resist coveting, especially others' practices, but oooooh---it looked so neat.

Guruji was heading to a long uth pluthi count. He shouted at someone and tried not to smile at them. Failing to hide the smile, he called out "Ten!" and ended it. Laughter all around.

Two thoughts: One, leave the towel over your eyes in savasana and take as long as you want.

Two, the noise of people shuffling around for darshan, the cold blast of air from people unfurling their rugs, and the sound of talking before practice is Ma pullling you from the silly seriousness of this Shiva practice.

(I meet Ma every Tuesday and Thursday. She sets up her mat right in front of mine, then clears her throat loudly, deeply, and often. She's not sick---she's been doing it every day since September and there's no phlegm being cleared. She waits until we're in savasana to loose the really loud throat-clearers. Oh Ma, I love you.)

I might be imagining things, but Tim seems incredibly relaxed and happy. Shakti infusion from the guru?

In the darshan line today I told Guruji, "Thank you very much for teaching yoga to Tim Miller."

I like to think he understood, because his eyes glinted and his gaze sharpened.

I am so very grateful for what he has made possible.