The turbinophone.
“All it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage and great things will happen.” Says the movie We Bought a Zoo. Nice message. Cute movie. I recommend.
I just had an experience where I was glad for trying. For being curious and determined enough to experiment.
I was down the street at KSHITIJ yoga center (silent K, so it is pronounced shit-ij), nice people, nice place, nice name. My teacher asked us to do handstand on the wall. All the ladies gasped and squealed and uttered, ude bapre oh god, as they thought about how to attempt this. Some just sat looking defeated on their yoga mat. Thank you for trying this before, I thought, as I spread my palms wide on the mat and hoisted myself up. My hips and stomach remembered how to lift and swing my legs up. I had faith in my palms. No fear. Just overwhelming gratitude for my previous curiosity and attempts.
You know, I realized why I loved living in New York. It’s because it’s just FULL of try-ers. People trying to be actors and dancers and yoga teachers and businessmen and chefs and fashion designers. People trying to work three jobs, trying to wear suits, starting families, anything and everything in one day. When all these people are trying around you, it makes you want to try too.
So many good sweaty New York Saturdays spent in the hot yoga room with my buds, just playing yoga. Attempting Kapotasana and Natrajasana, helping someone with handstand, falling a lottt, and then picking ourselves back up again for attempt #2. And Ultima…yum. We all lived off of this good-for-you electrolyte drink. Delicious.
Remember the day, last June, when I made up my mind that I would learn handstand? It was so incredibly hard and scary to even think of putting all the weight of my body onto my two little palms. I could not throw myself up against the wall for weeks, without Brian’s strong grip on my feet. But I kept trying. Me + the wall vs. gravity. Jumping and falling and jumping and falling. Everyday. Getting used to the feel, the caught breath, the weight shifting through my fingertips and heels of the hands. I even practiced when I had to go on my Istanbul business trip at the time (the hallway of my hotel room was perfect for walking myself up into the position)!
Soon, I was doing it. Against a wall of course, but still. If I hadn’t tried, it would have never happened like it did the other day. Gosh, we are incredible people and can do anything if we just get over the first hump of that first try.
Again this morning, I had a handstand craving. I was with Pallavi at our outdoor studio. So while class was happening, I went to the wall and got into the pose. Before I could even take a nice breath, I see upside down figures of Krishna (he’s back for a few months!), Sunil, and Anil coming closer. They took me away from the wall. “We teach you” they said, “No wall”. So now we try something new…gulp.
While we are on the subject, let me tell you about my older brother, Kunal. An inventor. Always always always doing something different, cool, crazy, out of the ordinary. Every time, with so much enthusiasm, hope, energy, as if it’s the greatest grandest idea yet. And they are all great and grand ideas, most of the time :). Once, he decided to grow life-size sunflowers in our backyard. Another time, he lit his shoe on fire because my mom wouldn’t give him anything to play with. Now he keeps himself busy with fire spinning and bass guitar jamming. He is always making things, like rockets out of soda bottles, a potato gun from PVC pipes, a hovercraft that I rode down the street on. Gosh. Sometimes I wish I could see the way his mind works. The things he has thought of!
This time, he’s making a musical instrument from a J79 jet engine. He calls it the TURBINOPHONE! Whaaaat? Yes that was my reaction too. He is trying to get it to Burning Man, and needs our help!!
This really means something to him. I mean, he even asked me if I would mention it in my blog. What an honor! So friends, if you love reading my blog, or love burning man, or love music or jet engines, or are just of the curious breed, check out this link http://kck.st/XnKzUa and spread the word. Thanks, you all are amazing. Go Kunal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Surround yourself by people who are trying things. It’s good energy. You will evolve.
Much love,
More later,
SONIA
