Re: India
M,
You know I'm not a surfer at all, but someone was teaching me and I did a bit of body surfing in south india. It was great fun, and a nice release at times from Ashram life!!!
I have done some practice of Ashtanga yoga, as they call it! It is ok. I truthfully do not like how my body feels afterwards, but once in a while I enjoy it. I don't think this way of practicing asanas is very appropriate for beginners. I also was not impressed with the lack of spiritual depth of many of those teaching ashtanga yoga. An approach which I do like, which is influenced more by classical yoga, ashtanga, as well as encouraging broader practices is that of the Jivamukti folks from new york city. I have done some workshops with them. The only thing I don't like about their approach is that they have called it "Jivamukti Yoga", which, for people attempting to re-integrate more of a classical approach, how can they presume to give it a new name? Nice, humble people though. Here they are:
http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com
I prefer classical hatha yoga (physical aspect)....and then of course, broader practices of yoga.
Om,
j