Oh Teacher, My Teacher Ch. 07

Sandra Johal was certainly an older woman, well into her sixties I guessed. She was slim, attractive, and apparently active. There were some pictures of her on the wall in running gear, participating in some of the 10K races. They appeared to be fairly current. Sandra also sported a very proper English accent.

After introducing ourselves, we were seated across a large oak desk from the woman.

"I understand Elizabeth recommended me," she began.

"Yes. I had heard her comment about her involvement in yoga in the past and I though she might give us a good lead to a teacher. So here we are," I smiled.

"Good. Would you like to tell me why you are interested in yoga?"

"Actually, we're specifically interested in yoga meditation. Astrid survived a very harrowing experience recently and she's having trouble sleeping. I've been doing some research on sleep therapies and more than once I came across references to yoga meditation as an aid."

Sandra looked at Astrid with a sympathetic smile. "Yes, I heard about your kidnapping. I'm sure that was very frightening."

She paused for a moment, folding her hands together on the desk. "Meditation is part of yoga. They are inseparably linked. My classes are based on Hatha yoga, a very old and well recognized discipline. There are several types of yoga, but Hatha is the one I have chosen to follow and teach."

"Before we get too far along," I interrupted, "do you believe that this Hatha yoga will be helpful?"

"Yes, but ... it isn't that simple. I am not a doctor prescribing pills for various ailments. Yoga is a way of life, of belief, and of personal awareness. It requires understanding and practice and commitment. I can't teach what you need to know in two or three hours. It is a developing practice that evolves as the individual evolves. For many, it is an exercise in frustration because they are unable to grasp the principles. Part of it is physical, but much of it is mental. Do you understand what I am trying to say?"

Astrid spoke up. "Yes, I think so. This isn't some exercise class that makes you feel better afterwards. From what I've read, it's a moral, spiritual, and physical exercise. I know it isn't something where we just show up once or twice a week and follow your instructions."

Sandra was nodding agreement. "Quite so. I teach a more modern and Western approach, so the physical aspects are emphasized, but for advanced students, I will give special instruction in classic Hatha yoga. Elizabeth is just such a student, but then, she has been practicing for over twenty years."

"This sounds like a big commitment," I offered.

"It is, if you seek its true benefits. There is only one way to find out if it is for you, and that is to try. If you wish to try, I will welcome you to my classes."

I turned to Astrid. She had been quiet, but very attentive as Sandra spoke. She nodded. "I think we should try," she said, mostly to me.

"Then ... we will."

We began attending classes at Johal Hatha Yoga the following week, Monday and Thursday evenings for an hour each. Sandra was right, this would be much more complicated than I realized. Astrid, however, seemed to be mentally better prepared for it. I should have known, I suppose. She never did anything in half measures.

Her return to the classroom was raucous to begin with. So many questions and comments about her ordeal. It took her a couple of days before she regained control of the class. Gradually, her students began to respect her ability to re-focus on her job and by the end of that first week she felt things were somewhat close to normal.

The staff members were just as fascinated by her adventure, but with my having returned a week earlier, I had been able to answer many of their questions. The women on staff had elevated her to heroine status, which caused Astrid some embarrassment, but also some personal satisfaction. The single men had once again found they had no idea who Astrid Rasmussen really was. No one knew of our engagement, however. Not even Elizabeth Keate.

I worked hard to grasp the concepts of Yoga and meditation. I don't think I was successful, but I know I tried. Perhaps it was a bit too cerebral for me. Astrid, however, seemed to latch onto the concept easily and was truly into it. I confessed to her my problems with keeping up with her and she surprised me.

"Don't worry about it, Rick. I will help you, but you don't need to lose any sleep over it," she laughed. Bad pun, I thought.

We were into our second month of twice weekly sessions and I felt like I was falling further and further behind. Perhaps my mind was too ... linear. Perhaps I was too pragmatic for this concept. But then, Astrid, the great planner and pragmatist was fully involved and seemingly progressing very well. I was struggling to grasp why I couldn't quite accept the notion. Once again, Astrid came to the rescue.

"Rick, I have something to tell you," she said ominously one evening as we drove home from the Yoga class.

"Oh ... what's that?"

"I asked Sandra about Tantric Love tonight."

"Oh ... well ... what did she say?"

"She said it was related to Tantric Yoga and was a higher form of spiritual oneness. She knew why I was asking the question and she wanted to know what prompted it. I told her about our special night ... that special joining. She said it was unusual for anyone to achieve what we had achieved without training, but she admitted it was possible.

"I told her we wanted to find that special place once again and she had agreed to help us. But ... and it's a big but ... you have to be there with me. I mean ... spiritually. You have to be part of me and me a part of you."

"I don't know how to be any more with you spiritually than I already am, Astrid. I love you will all my heart, but ... I need help to understand what I don't understand."

"Sandra will help us, Rick. She will see us privately. Just you and me and Sandra. Will you try, Rick?"

"You know I will. I could never say no to you, babe."

She smiled and hugged and kissed me as I struggled to maintain control of the car.

We began the sessions the following week. They were very intense and very personal. Sandra, however, was someone I had complete confidence in, despite the fact that I had been unable to completely grasp the idea of Yoga meditation.

Much of Tantric Yoga was predicated on letting the mind completely relax and accept the love of yourself and others. It was so simple to say and yet so difficult to realize. It was a way to deepen both love and happiness. Or at least, that's how I understood it. I think Astrid had a more intellectual understanding of it. The best part of Sandra's instruction was the practicing. It was done in private in our apartment and we worked very hard to put her instructions and advice into our efforts. I remember the night when everything came together and we found that magic place once again.

We weren't practicing Tantric Love every night we had sex. We had to be in the right mindset ... both of us. When it finally happened, it was as magical and emotionally perfect as the first time. I believe part of the solution for me was to rid myself of any real-world concerns. I wasn't thinking about anything other than making my lovely Astrid completely satisfied. I had no thoughts of myself ... only of her.

We completely lost track of anything other than being together ... melded into each other. I think the only words that were spoken during the whole encounter were by Astrid.

"Yes ... yes lover. We've found it."

I know I've tried to describe it, but it's like trying to describe a cloud. The moment you begin, the cloud has changed shape and drifted. I barely moved in Astrid that night. I don't know how long we were together, but it didn't really matter. It might have gone on forever. We could feel each others heartbeats, slow and steady. I could feel the occasional pulse of her vagina as it contracted around my erection. There was nothing else to know. It was perfect!

We couldn't wait to tell Sandra, of course. She was happy for us.

More importantly, Astrid had exorcised her demons and was sleeping regularly again. It was all the encouragement I needed to continue with the Yoga classes. I might not have been the ideal student, but I was a willing passenger with Astrid. It was good exercise, both mental and physical.

Our parents kept their promise and visited us on the Victoria Day weekend. Henrik brought them up in his twin turbo-prop Beech. They arranged to stay in a very nice B & B in town, since we had no room in our apartment. Crystal and Mom immediately hijacked Astrid for some more wedding planning, while Dad, Henrik and I went off to play golf. It seemed like a fair trade to me.

Both our parents were relieved to hear that the last of the symptoms of her kidnapping had been resolved. We told them about the Yoga sessions and how helpful meditation had been. We neglected to mention Tantric sex, of course. Or at least, as far as I know, we did. The three co-conspirators, all female, may have discussed it, but I never heard about it.

The wedding had been set for early August and the church had been booked. The announcement was in the two major newspapers as well as our local paper the weekend before our parents arrived. Almost immediately, we began receiving phone calls from the media with questions about our connection to the kidnapping and requests for interviews.

I didn't really appreciate how big this wedding was on the social scene, but I was soon set straight by my mother. She was going crazy trying to convince Dad to buy her something really expensive to wear at the wedding. He was, I'm afraid to say, weakening. Ah well, we all have to know our place in the grand scheme of things.