Final post from home

Sunday evening, first down time since I've been back - time for the last blog of the year! And I've decided not to make it a long one after all. Well, I'll try. I've got 3 days and 12 pages of journal writing cover.

So I left off last Sunday night, when I was dropped off at the ashram after dinner with Swati, Amit and Arnav. After the good-byes, I headed up to my room for what I thought would be about an hour of packing to finalize everything and be all ready to go early the next morning. It was 9:30pm. Four hours later, I was done. Finally went to bed at 1:30, but the mosquitoes were out with a vengeance. They buzzed and bit all night, and when my alarm went off at 4:30am, it didn't wake me up - I hadn't yet slept. Up I got, gathered my meticulously packed luggage, and went downstairs in the dark to meet Amit, who was taking me across the RamJula bridge to the taxi he had booked for me to Haridwar, where I'd be catching my train to Delhi at 6:22. Actually, due to the quantity of luggage I had, he couldn't fit it and me on the motorbike, so he took the heavy suitcase and I walked across with the rest. Waited a few minutes for the cab, said good-bye to Amit, and drove out of Rishikesh. Very decent driver, calm and cautious, except for one heart-palpitating manoeuvre. Got to the train station with half an hour to spare, but train was half an hour late, so stood there for an hour with my 50+ kilos of luggage. When the train finally arrived, it appeared to be wanting to catch up on time, so it stopped only very briefly at the platform, starting to chug along the tracks again before everyone had the chance to get in. Including me. And then, like in the movies, I did it. I started running alongside the train, and with a little help - thank goodness, otherwise I wouldn't have made it on - I grabbed onto the outer poles of the entrance way, took a big step up, and held on for dear life as the train picked up speed. I remained there, with my heavy backpack and heels still protruding out of the entrance, for a few minutes, as people pushed and shoved their way to their seats, making room for me to actually plant my feet firmly on the floor and breathe. Due to seating confusion and having to do several trips taking one piece of luggage at a time through the narrow aisles from one train car to another, I wasn't seated with all my stuff until over an hour later. Then, it was 4 more hours to Delhi.

From the New Delhi train station, I walked 15 minutes to my now familiar RAK Hotel (more of a dingy guesthouse), and collapsed onto the bed with the fan on high when I got to my room. Two months of intensive yoga had pretty much taken care of my neck and shoulder problems, but 2 days of lugging around more than 50 kgs of luggage (including 36 new books) undid all that good work. Back to yoga tomorrow! After a quick room rest, went out for lunch and internet, then back to room for some TV and short nap. Some final shopping along Main Bazaar followed, then blog and dinner. Back for shower, final packing - somehow managing to fit my afternoon purchases into my already overloaded backpack and suitcase - and in bed by 11.

Up at 5am after a great, solid 6 hours of sleep, and had a fantastic taxi driver to the airport. I was concerned about the weight of my luggage for the plane, but got through check-in at no extra charge. Had some time to spare, but still ended up running to my gate after hearing the final boarding call while I was distracted with, yes, more shopping. Pretty perfect 4 hour flight to Doha, aside from the very large man in the seat beside me, whose right shoulder and arm took up at least a quarter of my seat, and who chewed his food in a very cow/camel-like manner, sound effects and all, after which he burped shamelessly and repeatedly, every time forcing me to hold my breath. Smoothest landing I've ever experienced in Doha, city of sand. Qatar is a desert country. It also has the fastest growing economy in the world and highest per capita income. Yes, I read the on-flight magazine.

Inside Doha airport by 11am, and my next flight to Montreal wasn't until 8 the next morning. Sure, I had some options, and had hesitated quite a bit over how to spend that time, but after the last few hectic days in Rishikesh and Delhi, I actually found the idea of sitting in an airport for 21 hours, with nothing to do and nowhere to go quite appealing. So I stopped thinking about how to get a one-day transit visa to go into the city, or inquiring about earlier flights home, and made a list of how to occupy my time at the airport. Number 1: Coffee Beanery for a $6 latte and flipping through Vogue India. Next was some usage of the free internet station, then sitting down to calculate my trip budget. 3x what I had planned for spending money. But initial estimate was a little unreasonable. Don't regret any of my purchases. Speaking of which, I then browsed the duty-free shops, where I'd pick up a few more things in the morning before boarding. The Doha duty-free is the kind of place that has Maseratis on display and gigantic $70 jars of Nutella for sale. Next, I found a seat by the huge windows at the take-off area and took out my Kundalini coloring book and pencil crayons from Amit's stationary shop, played some Snatam Kaur on my iPod, and was occupied for a couple hours, wishing each plane that took off a safe journey. Got my free meal voucher (since my layover was more than 5 hours), had a yummy dinner, went for a little more web, and then settled in for the night. While wandering in the afternoon, I had found the Quiet Room, a semi-dark room with semi-reclining long chairs where people could rest and sleep. Strapped myself to my bags, and started trying to sleep at 10. At 1:00 I was still restless, waking up every 20 minutes or so due to badly positioned head/neck. Seats weren't sufficiently reclined for proper head relaxation. So I left my chair, unrolled my two yoga mats, and lay them down in a corner of the quiet room. Better sleep like that, waking only every hour before getting up at 6. Brushed my teeth, put on some fresh undergarments, picked up a few things at duty-free, bought a spectacularly scrumptious vanilla bean cupcake, boarded at 8:20, and was in the air by 9. Thirteen hours and 4 movies later (Les Miserables was amazing - its powerful songs of love and revolution had me crying again and again), I was at Pierre-Elliot Trudeau Airport.

Ok, so that wasn't exactly a short post. But it's the last one... till next year's Indian adventure! It was once again a priceless and enlightening journey, and my love of India continues to grow.  

Quicky from Doha Airport

I had planned to write my final blog from here, Doha airport. But it's now 10:30pm India time and I'm sleepy. And the blog is going to be a long one. And there are no chairs at the web spot here, it's a standing station. And the instructions on the blog page are in Arabic, so I'm afraid I might click the wrong button and lose the post. So... you will read all about Delhi and Doha when I'm sitting comfortably in front of my computer at home. I'll only be getting in tomorrow evening, and will surely be pretty exhausted, so post will be written on Thursday. Off to bed; hope the airport sleep is a good one. Tomorrow morning, last leg of the journey, 13 hour flight to Montreal. Nighty night! x

Last weekend in Rishikesh

Writing from Delhi, made it here safe. But it was quite the train adventure this morning. More about that tomorrow when I blog about today from Doha. (Was that confusing?)

My final weekend in Rishikesh (for this year, at least) was a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful one. Up at 6:25 Saturday morning after a so-so sleep. Mosquitoes came back, and monkeys were jumping around loudly. As usual, started the day with a Trika meditation and a chai, and but didn't go to classes that day... too much else to do. Headed to Krishna Cottage for breakfast for a last meal with Yog Peeth friends, then blogged, had a final chat with Roshan and got some of my drawings back. He said I deserved them. (Although looking back on them now, I wonder how they could possibly have taken so many hours to do.) Last walk to Laxmanjula, a little shopping, then chai and good-bye at the rock shop. Back home, it was time for another bucket shower - this one a little more lonely than the last, when I had the company of a cockroach on the floor and a lizard on the ceiling. Packed for a couple hours then headed to Children of the Ganges for my last visit of the year. Had a great time playing Logix and Architek with the kids, two games my dad brought them last year. Then went for some night-time chai with a few Yog Peeth gals, and back to my room for more packing. (Had managed to go 2 months without stepping in cow dung, but I guess it had to happen before I came home.)

Sunday morning, I was at Swati's at 7am. I told her I wanted to watch her prep the family food for the day, most of which is done early morning. Took some notes and lent a hand, and look forward to trying on my own when I get back. (She made aloo gobhi and parantha and chai for breakfast, then her mother-in-law prepared some curry for lunch. Swati also talked me through how to make home-made curd and paneer.) Back in my room by 11, I gathered what I needed for a very special couple hours ahead. I saved my yearly Ganga dip for my last day, and combined it with a beautiful little ashes ceremony. (My aunt is the last one to still have some of my mother's ashes, and she gave me some to bring to India.) I burned some incense, gathered a few flowers floating in the water, put them into a small dish with the ashes, chanted some Ma mantras, and sent mom on a beautiful journey down the sacred river. It was a beautiful, sunny day and a beautiful secluded spot. (Papa - c'etait la ou tu a pris ma photo accroupie sur une roche l'an dernier.) It was then time for a dip in the icy cold water coming down from the mountains - exhilarating. Last year I managed to stay in 3 minutes, this year I lasted about ten. On the way back home, I stopped at a quiet ayurvedic cafe for an herbal honey lassi by the water. Back in town, I bought a couple more books (my earlier control has completely been lost - I think my last count was 36). Did a little more shopping and packing before meeting Swati at 4 to head into Rishikesh market to pick up a last few things (even did some gorceries - spices are so cheap here!), then stop by her mother's for chai, oily snacks and good-bye. Swati, Arnav and I then got a tuk-tuk to Madras Restaurant, where we were meeting Amit for dinner. It's one of Swati's favorite spots, specializing in South Indian dosas (rice-flour crepes). The 4 of us then piled onto the scooter for the ride home. I was dropped at the ashram, where it was farewell time to Swati and Arnav. Amit I would see in the morning for my taxi pick-up. (The rest about last night and today in the next post. I'm exhausted.)

My last few days in Rishikesh were filled with such tremendous joy and beauty, but rather than feeling saddened about leaving, I feel excited about taking home as much of this energy as I can, and sharing with whoever is open to receiving.

Off for dinner, shower, bed, and airport tomorrow morning.

Thursday and Friday

That time has come again, the time to say good-bye to Rishikesh. Like last year, the only thing that makes it bearable is the certainty that I'll be back. I'm off on an early train to Delhi tomorrow morning.

Backtrack to Thursday. Up at 6:40 after decent sleep, but mosquitoes still a pain. Trika for meditation then morning class. Krishna Cottage for web, then met Shona for lunch at Madras - she was leaving Saturday for Delhi then Mumbai (jealous about Mumbai!). Room break then pm Trika class, followed by my second visit to Children of the Ganges, where I had dinner with the kids. Walked to Krishna Cottage to thief some rice pudding dessert and chat with some friends I did the training with (who signed on for the next level, 300 hours, so 12 weeks of training straight; I couldn't do it). Over to Oasis for some Nutella banana fritters (had to have them at least once this year!). Home to bed, early night.

Friday. Up at 6:40, great sleep, no mosquitoes! Trika meditation and morning class. Quick clothing change in room, then walk to Laxmanjula for my last satsang with Prem Baba. It was a beautiful walk. Even though I was already a bit late and had a busy, busy day ahead, I walked calmly and peacefully, under the overcast sky. Such a nice reprieve from the scorching sun. Satsang was fantastic, and as always, Prem Baba ended with these words: "Blessed be each one of us; until we meet again." And indeed we will. Walked up the hill to the Honey Hut for a tiny honey espresso and small honey chocolate walnut tart. (I semi-fasted again on Friday, just a chai for breakfast, this snack for lunch, and later plain biscuits and water for dinner.) Across the street to Fabindia for some jewellery purchases, then quick stop at a bookshop. Over the bridge to Prateek, my astrologer from last year. The similar reading confirmed his validity, and some new info gave me plenty to ponder. A few shops over, stopped in for a chat and chai with Scott's rock man. Walked back home, still cloudy and cool, such a treat (yes, in Rishikesh we wish for a few cloudy days, as the sun constantly shines down on this town). Room break, then pm Trika class followed by the lecture on Shanka Prakshalana (the salt water intestinal cleanse I did last year... at least I could convince those who were doing level 1 for the first time that it really wasn't as bad as it sounds). Quick web break between the lecture and my second Friday night Anahata (heart chakra) music meditation. It was even better than the last. So intimate and intense. Can't wait to share.

I'll blog about my Easter weekend tomorrow, from Delhi.    

Holi - Take 2

Holi, for real this time! After Prem Baba's satsang on Tuesday evening, I walked back to Ramjulah, where I was expected for dinner at Swati's at 8pm. The eve of Holi is called mini-Holi, and is when people have celebratory family dinners. Swati and her mother-in-law prepared a delicious thali and lots of yummy sweets. I was so grateful to be invited for this meal. Snapped a few pics, then Swati's mother-in-law brought me down to the Ganga, where a gigantic bonfire was getting ready for lighting, and people were getting ready for dancing. The fire, when lit, created such intense heat that the crowds had to back away significantly. And when the festive music was turned up real loud, the dancing got out of control. Indian men love to dance. There was jumping and clapping and colored powder throwing galore. I sat with Swati's mother-in-law, watching, absorbing, taking it all in, marvelling at the fact that I was there, experiencing it all.

On the day of Holi, the 27th, the festivities take place mostly between 9am and noon. So Trika classes were cancelled that morning. Slept in until 8:30! Felt so good after going to bed exhausted the night before. At 9, I headed out into the streets (a risky and stressful thing to do on the morning of Holi - as I mentioned in the last blog, Holi is a nation-wide powder-throwing and water-fight war). I made sure to dress in scruffy clothes, and was almost running on my way to Swati's. Phew, made it there un-attacked, only about 3 minutes away. I was going to spend the morning with Swati and her family, in the safety of their rooftop. Great vantage point to watch all the craziness happening below, and great place to attack from! We filled a few water balloons to be launched onto unsuspecting victims, Amit and Arnav even equipped with heavy-duty water guns. We had our own little bags of fluorescent powder, which we playfully covered each other with. (In the streets, the powder throwing can get pretty aggressive, as Blaire and I experienced in Goa last year.) Lots of great photos and videos were taken from the rooftop, special Holi treats were eaten, and it was a fun, fantastic morning. Around noon, as the Holi war began losing momentum, it was time to head out for some blogging, then back to my room for a thorough shower scrub before my last massage class at 2. As I was heading out from Swati's a couple of the kids I had been filming below were just behind me. They followed me quietly as I walked out the entranceway, but as soon as I stepped out into the street, they giggled, yelled out in excitement, and poured a whole bucket of water onto me. Drenched and laughing, I made my way to Krishna Cottage internet to write the previous blog, dripping onto the floor.

Home for shower, then massage day 7 to learn how to do facials. Lady friends back home, you're in for a treat! Trika pm class at 4, followed by an excellent Karma Yoga lecture from 6-8. And up to my room for a much needed sleep after another busy day.

A few Google images to give you a taste of Holi:

   

Holi!

One of the most beloved days in India, the festival of bright colors and nationwide water-fight: Holi. At Prem Baba's satsang on Tuesday evening, eve of Holi, an Indian swami told the story of the origin of Holi, only about half of which I understood, but it is related to Krishna and Radha and the victory of good over evil. Prem Baba spoke a little after the swami, and ended with these words: Tonight and tomorrow, it is time for us to renew our vows with the Truth.

A little backtrack to Monday morning. Up shortly after 6 after another interrupted sleep. Mostly the mosquitoes this time, and some festive music coming from the ashram at various times during the night, in celebration of some elder's birthday. This week, I added another block to my schedule, the morning meditations at Trika. They are optional, led by Nic, who starts with about 15 minutes of talking about a different meditation technique or aspect, mostly from Ramana Maharshi, and always related to the biggest question humans can have: Who Am I? This is followed by 45 minutes of silent meditation, then the regular morning class goes from 8:30-10:45 (or usually 11 for me, since I always have questions). So every morning this week, I'm in the Trika hall from 7-11.

After class, I walked over to Swati's, but she wasn't home (she had gone into town to Arnav's school to get the results of his exams... he's in kindergarten!). Her mother-in-law insisted I still stay for a bit, and fed me breakfast: sweet chai with parantha and a vegetable-curd mix. Then she brought out a box of sweets they had been preparing for Holi and had me sample a few. Yum!

Walked over to Krishna Cottage for some internet, and when Roshan walked in, I finally asked him about the possibility of taking home a few of my drawings. (We never burned them as planned, and he told me that he had decided against it because of my drawings and those of another girl. He felt it wouldn't have been right.) So he said I could choose some to take with me, but also leave a few behind to leave some of my energy with Yog Peeth. Alright, I'm ok with that. More shopping and bargaining, some fruit salad from the fruit cart, then back to my room. Had my first cold bucket shower (water heater not working) and did my last load of laundry. Hooray! (How nice it will be to go home to a washing machine after 2 months of doing laundry by hand.) Then it was time for the afternoon Trika class from 4-6, followed by the lecture on vegetarianism from 6-7. Ended the day with a delicious moussaka (Israeli dish: baked aubergine with cheese sauce, rosemary potatoes and salad) at Oasis, then home for what would be my first good sleep in 3 days (only one mosquito, which I managed to kill; quiet ashram, quiet animals).

My alarm actually woke me up Tuesday morning, which hadn't happened in a long time. It went off at 6:30, and I got up feeling rested and rejuvenated, ready for meditation at 7:15. I actually managed to stay seated cross-legged, without having to stretch out my legs, for the full 45 minutes. Longest still-sit I've done in my short history of meditation. And then at the end of the morning class, held my longest steady headstand, about 6 minutes. Progress continues! After class, bonded with my neighbor, Ralph, from Sweden, over books (until then having only said hi in passing). I gave him one on yoga, and he gave me one of science fiction short stories by his favorite author (whose name I've already forgotten). Went to the the bakery, then internet, then day 5 of massage course (Sunday and Monday were off). I practised the back massage, then saw the demo of Nasya, oil drops in the nostrils to relieve cough, cold, congestion and sinus problems.

At 3, walked to Laxmanjula, went up the hill to Pyramid Cafe (one of my dad's favorite spots from last year), where I drank a delicious kombucha and had the Pryramid salad - fresh veg from the onsite organic garden, fresh sprouts, and spirulina on top. Delicious. Back down onto the main path, stopped into Scott's rock vendor to pick up a set of 7 essential oils, one for each chakra, and put aside a beautiful emerald ring, which I'll go back and pick up tomorrow. It was then time for Prem Baba, at 5, where this blog started.

I seem to be getting more carried away with my blogs as this trip comes to an end, so I'll wrap this one up here, even though I haven't even gotten to the title of it! All about Holi celebrations in the next post.

Sunday

Despite the good mattress, great pillow and fresh air, I did not have a very good sleep my first night in my new room. There was chanting coming from the ashram all night. It was lovely, don't get me wrong, but when combined with a couple mosquitoes buzzing around my head and biting me several times, and the bulls in the nearby fields making deep, loud moaning-like sounds in the wee hours of the morning, it made for a very interrupted sleep. I had been hoping to sleep in a little since it was Sunday, day off, and since I had had such a hectic last few days, but I was up with the sun. Though my eyes were heavy, they were thrilled to soak in the rays of the bright sun rising over the mountains, coming through my open bathroom window (the rays, not the mountains). Made me forget about the restless night, and rise in love with my room.

Sunday meant no massage class and no Trika classes... what to do with all this free time?! Started the day with some routine Sunday laundry, then walked over to Swati's for a short visit, where I was fed a sweet cream-of-wheat-like breakfast mushy deliciousness, with a cup of hot, milky, sugary, chai, of course. Went to internet for a bit, then off to the women's meeting. I mentioned we had no Trika class today, but we did have an optional meeting. Like last year, after the brahmacharya lecture, a female teacher offers a meeting for the women, and a male teacher offers a meeting for the men, so that we can more openly and comfortably discuss more personal or gender-sensitive issues. We had a great discussion, and a wonderful opportunity actually came up from it. The teacher, Kamala (from Estonia), has been studying and practicing Tantra for 8 years and is traveling around the world giving workshops. When I mentioned I was form Montreal, she said this was one of the places she was hoping to bring her workshop in the near future. But wherever she goes, she needs a contact to help scout out possible locations, publicize, and help organize (and share profits with). I'll be that gal this August! So if anyone might be interested, let me know. (Let me specify that I'm referring to Tantra in its genuine, traditional, holistic sense, not just related to sex orgies as it has unfortunately come to be misunderstood in the West - and in some Osho retreats. More on that when I get back, but in the meantime, for those interested, have a look at http://www.shambhala.com/tantra.html and http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/761025.The_Serpent_Power)

Finished my laundry after the meeting, then did a little souvenir shopping, putting my growing bargaining skills to good use. Walked down near the river to the best juice stall in town for a mango-orange-mint delight, and an hour of book browsing in the nearby shop (only walked out with 2 books, great control!). Back in my room, I had couple hours to read and relax before heading downstairs to the Trika hall for another optional Sunday activity: 8pm movie. Shortly after 7, a thunderstorm erupted with heavy rain - perfect for movie night! (Though we did have to plug the TV into a generator... no electricity in my room or in the hall. We watched The Shift - Wayne Dyer - lousy acting, but great message and teachings.) 

Speaking of thunder, a new favorite quote from one of the books I bought earlier that afternoon, (Thoughts and Prayers from The Fakir): The One who makes the thunder roar also hears a butterfly sigh.

Friday Fast and Move #2

Fasting one day a week is something that was talked about and recommended during my Trika course last year, and Roshan mentioned it again during an anatomy lecture (to give the hard-working digestive system a weekly break) a few weeks ago. When I heard it for the third time at the Healing Strategies lecture at Trika last week, I thought, Ok, it's time to start doing this. I've chosen Fridays, and will try my best to continue at home. I started the day with some water and had a chai on my way to my morning Trika class. (I've been trying to get a room at the ashram in which the Trika hall is located, but they don't take reservations; you just have pop into the office every day and ask if anyone is checking out. I'd been doing that for a few days, and finally, when I went in after class on Friday, there was lady telling them she would check-out tomorrow. Yay!) Speed-walked to Laxmanjula after class to catch Prem Baba. Great satsang, lots of notes. Then quick room stop before heading to massage day 4 for more note-taking (6 pages to be exact) as I watched my teacher perform a full body massage. By the end of class that day - due to a combination of going on water and chai only, 2 half hours of speed walking (to PB and back), and standing for an hour taking notes as fast as I could - I was feeling weak, tired and cranky. Back in my room, I caved. I had the last 3 Digestive cookies and a handful of raisins left over from yesterday. Got a mini-chai on my way to Trika again, this time for the lecture on vamana dhauti and ayurvedic medecine. It was a short one, only an hour, so I had another hour to kill before the anahata meditation at 8. I stayed in the hall and browsed their library cabinet... fascinating stuff in there. Then Nic arrived (Trika teacher from Ottawa; there are two others teaching here at the moment: Katie from London and Kamala from Estonia) to lead the heart chakra meditation. It was one of the most beautiful things I've experienced, and I can't wait to lead a similar one back home. Back at my guesthouse, I spent a few minutes on the roof, taking in the dark landscape on my last night there.

Saturday, moving day. I got up at 6:40 after a not-so-great sleep. After doing some packing the night before, I only turned my light out at 11:20, and for the next hour, the was a TV blaring obnoxiously loudly a few alleys away. No sleep was to be had. Dozed off around 12:30, but was woken several times during the night by high-pitched and non-stop dog barking. Didn't feel very rested when my alarm went off at 6:30, but was excited about moving to the ashram. I wondered, however, what the room would be like - I booked it without seeing any. My room at Ganga Usha was quite nice, with a great shower head, decent mattress and comfy pillow (so rare here). At the ashram, I didn't even know if I'd have my own bathroom. Packed my things, went to internet for a bit, then to morning Trika class focused on uddiyana bhanda (abdominal suction through void retention for sublimation of energy). Back to guesthouse, packed last things, and lugged them 5 minutes away to Swarg ashram (appeasing puzzled shop keeper faces along the way: No, no, I wasn't leaving without saying good-bye, I was just moving down the road). What a pleasant surprise when I walked into my room! It was spacious with big windows on two walls (looking out onto fields and mountains), comfy mattress, best pillows yet, and my own bathroom... but no shower head. Looks like it'll be bucket showers this week. But I won't complain. Even have a water heater tank available anytime. (And it's only 180 rupees, less than $4, compared to Rs500, $10, at Ganga Usha. Yes, 10 dollars is very expensive for a room around here.)

Had a little time to unpack before heading to massage day 5. This time, after all my note-taking from yesterday, it was my turn to receive the full body massage. Nice reward for my work! Then, I had to practice. After receiving the massage, I felt very comfortable and confident giving it. On my way home, picked up some fresh fruit at the cart just outside the ashram (where my dad had purchased a bag of fruit last year, but only arrived back at our room with a couple pieces after the monkeys got to him!), went up to my room for a short breather, then downstairs and across the path to the Trika hall (great being so close!). It was my first afternoon asana (posture) class from 4-6, and I don't think I'll go very often at that time... too hot! (And particularly unpleasant since my body was covered in oil from my massage.) Then it was the lecture on Brahmacharya (sexual continence for the sublimation of sexual energy to the higher chakras) from 6-8. Walked over to Moondance cafe for dinner, ordered a plate of momos just after 8, and didn't get them until ten-past 9. The place is notorious for being slow, and this time, I wasn't even too fond of my food. Oh well. Back in my new room by 9:30, a little organizing, then bed.

Today, I took it easy.

What a Day!

Yesterday, after a 5 day rest from yoga classes, I got back on my mat. And what a great return it was! I got up shortly after 6, putzed around my room for a bit, then did a Sally Kempton meditation from 6:30-7. Next it was back to Krishna Cottage to use the internet from 7-8 (the only place that's open that early). Then walked down the road to my favorite chai-wallah for a sweet morning tea, bringing it with me (along with some Digestive cookies I had just bought for breakfast) a few steps away into the Trika hall. It felt so good to be back there - the place of my first love-affair with yoga (in India, that is... for the journey started long before that with my Brossard guru). I had also been the night before for a great lecture on alternative healing methods, but this was my first class there this year. My body responded wonderfully after 5 days off. The pain that had begun to develop in week 5 and 6 of my TTC (mostly elbow and knee joint discomfort), has disappeared. Trika-style yoga remains my favorite among the many I've tried. Yesterday's morning class was focused on Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) and the sublimation of energy (from the lower to the higher chakras).

Quick room stop for a change from yoga clothes and a few more Digestives (all I'd eaten until mid-day) before heading to day 3 of my ayurvedic massage course (1-3 pm). Loving it! And getting a different body part massaged daily as part of training is a fabulous perk. So far, I've learned head, neck, shoulders, face, and today we moved into full body.

Back to my room for a few minutes (change out of oily massage clothes, a few more Digestives), before walking to Laxmanjula (the next little town over, along the Ganga). I made an appointment for next week with Prateek, my astrologer from last year, then, after a few attempts, found Scott's rock man. (Scott is a friend I made during last year's Trika course, whom I met up with for a bite and tea while he was in Montreal this summer. He is a rock-lover and gave me a few pieces that he wanted me to bring to this rock seller in Laxmanjula whom he had met last year and had spent Christmas and New Year's with.) The rocks had been sitting on my night table since I got here, and I finally set out on a search for their recipient. I knew the approximate location of the shop, but there are sooo many little gem/stone vendors around there that I had to pop my head into a few doorways, asking, "Are you Ayush Agrawal?" before being responded to with, "Ah! You from Canada! I have been waiting you for weeks!" I guess Scott had told him to expect my visit, but I hardly ever went over to Lax during my course. I sat with the man and his wife (wonderfully kind and friendly couple), for chai and a chat. Think I'll be back to buy some heavenly-smelling essential oils from them (to be used for aromatherapy treatments on those who are interested back home...)

Next it was time to walk over to Prem Baba's ashram (5 minutes away), for Bhajans (chanting) starting at 4. (So far, this year and last, I had only been there for satsang, but while browsing his website, I found out about lots more free activities at the ashram.) About 50 people there when I arrived (small crowd), that built up to about a hundred by the end, an hour later. I sang my little heart out for the first half hour (which was only one chant, repeating 4 lines over and over, too beautiful to get sick of), and then, as the next chants got a little too high pitched for me, I just sat and swayed and meditated and absorbed all the good vibrations. After the chanting we could stay for an hour of meditation, but my stomach was grumbling (only tea and Digestives so far today), so I went to the nearby Honey Hut Cafe/Boutique that my friend Kelsey introduced me to when we went to Prem Baba together earlier this week. Spent a hefty chunk of change on some souvenirs and a fruit/vanilla-ice-cream/honey shake. Feeling energized, I went back to the ashram for my first Kundalini yoga class from 6:30-8pm. It's not quite what I expected, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it, but I can say that it was by far the most intense yoga class I've ever taken. Far more physically and mentally demanding and exhausting than any hatha or ashtanga I've done. What occurred in my body and in my mind during this class was a whole new terrain for me. I had quite a few burning questions for the teacher at the end. (During satsang, we face Prem Baba and a backdrop of closed curtains, but for yoga - there were only a dozen of us - we face the other direction, towards a wall of windows overlooking the Ganga and the mountains and town across the river, with post-sunset hues coming into the hall. Spectacular.) In town, I picked up a bag of the freshest raisins I've ever had for the half hour walk home along the dark road between Laxmanjula and Ramjula. At the end of the road, back in town, glancing into the open doorways of brightly lit homes, where women were sitting on the floor making chapati, and men and boys sat in front of the television watching cricket.

Back in my room, I had a much needed shower. There was cream in my hair from my earlier face massage, and oil on my feet and legs from my, yes, foot and leg massage, mixed with sweat from the hot day and long walks, to which the dust and dirt of India had stuck. I felt quite splendid after showering. Then collapsed onto my bed for a great, deep sleep.

And today was almost as busy.
(But this has been my first long post this year, so I'll save the rest for next time...)

Off to the Trika hall for tonight's lecture on Vamana Dhauti (the daily stomach water cleanse I was doing last year during the course) and ayurvedic medecine. Lecture is from 6-8, followed by the weekly Friday night Anahata (heart chakra) meditation from 8-9. Another great sleep will follow, I'm sure. 

Prem Baba and Moving Day

After six weeks at Krishna Cottage, today was moving day! Loved my time here, but a change of scenery definitely felt nice. Didn't move very far, just around the corner. Can still see KC from my new room. Spent the morning getting ready and packing - after doing a few rounds of sun salutations in my room with the door open, as the sun came up over the mountains... not a bad way to start the day! After having my final lunch here, I brought my last pieces of luggage over to Ganga Usha Guesthouse, then headed to Day 1 of my ayurvedic massage course. No one else signed up this week, so I get private lessons! Learned about the uses and benefits of different ayurvedic oils today, and after watching my teacher demonstrate on someone, it was my turn to perform my first oily head, hair, neck and shoulder massage. Lucky volunteer getting back-to-back treatments! Tomorrow, I get this sequence done on me so I can understand the sensations and motions... can't complain! Also on the agenda for tomorrow, more about the oils, and learning face massage techniques. Quick room break after class, then walked over to Children of the Ganges with my friend Shona (who also came for dinner at Swati's mom's). We set up the projector and tried out some cute cartoony educational videos on DVD that I shopped for with Swati on Sunday. We had dinner with the kids, then Shona and I snuck back into the KC dining hall for some dessert. Might sneak a few meals from here in the next couple weeks if I run out of money ;)

Yesterday, I went to Satsang with Prem Baba (www.prembaba.org/en), who I had also seen here last year. For me, it's a more peaceful and healing place than at Mooji's. The crowd is smaller, only a couple hundred (compared to at least 5 or 6 at Mooji), making it a little more cozy. And the energy in the room pure love. Prem Baba's calm and peaceful voice speaking words of such beauty and wisdom never fails to bring me a sense of healing. And his musicians and singers create the most exquisite sounds I've ever heard. Last year I would break into uncontrollable sobbing every time they played and sang; this year I was a little more composed, just getting teary-eyed. A few words of his to end today's post:

"May the divine light illuminate your heart. May you eliminate from your soul all wounds of exclusion and abandonment. May you remember your true loving nature. May love express itself through you and spread in all directions, without the need to receive anything in return. And may trust illuminate the darkness of attachment, so that you may come to experience the freedom of bliss. I bow myself in reverence towards that Supreme Being that inhabits each one of you. Namaste!"

Graduation and Mooji

I can hardly believe it's already been 6 weeks. Feel like I just got here, and all of a sudden, I have my yoga teacher certificate! We had a beautiful - but long! - ceremony last night. As per custom before a special event in Rishikesh (last year it was attending my first Indian wedding), I plugged Charles Aznavour into my ears, listening to his ballads while getting into my new Indian outfit that Swati helped me shop for last week, painting my nails, and putting on some jewelry and a touch of make-up. (Before getting ready, I treated myself to a wonderful neck and shoulder massage, that almost completely got rid of a pinch I've had since home... feels so good!) The celebratory evening started at 5pm with a one-hour puja (devotional chanting performed by special guests). Then a 15-min break that turned into 45 (Indian time), followed by a superb one-hour music concert (tabla, harmonium and chants). Ten-minute break (for real this time), then the certification ceremony. First, 3 students from our class presented the "Awesome Awards". They had made a personalized award for everyone in the group and gave me a good laugh when calling mine out: The Bakery Connoisseur Award! Then it was time to receive our official YTT-200hr certificates, along with a certificate of freedom, stating that we are the creators of our life, to be signed and dated on the spot. Beautiful. Around quarter-past 9, we finally had dinner. And another chapter ends.

This morning, I woke up feeling very different. Very free, very relaxed. I didn't think I was stressed during these 6 weeks, but I guess there was a little inner tension based on the sensations I feel today. Two beautiful weeks ahead, time to enjoy all that Rishikesh has to offer, things I've been putting off while focused on the course. I started this morning with going to Mooji's satsang. He's a Jamaican swami/guru who has been here for the last month. Today was his last satsang. I'd say there were at least 500 people in the hall, more than double the gatherings at Prem Baba last year (he has also just arrived in town). The energy created by that many people coming together for teachings on inner peace and spirituality always gets me quite emotional, but I didn't react quite as strongly as at my first satsang with Prem Baba. Here are a few quotes I jotted down from today's talk, which may lose some of their strength when taken out of context, but which I'll share anyway: "The being does not need a history. Only the personality needs a history," and "Sometimes we suffer more on behalf of someone else - due to our perception of what they are going through - than they are suffering themselves." Satsang was closed with a song that sent shivers down my spine and covered my skin with goosebumps. (Mooji's satsangs are filmed and can be watched online: www.mooji.org)

Gorgeous half hour walk along the Ganga to come back to Krishna Cottage, and now it's time to go meet up with Swati. We're heading to the market for a bit of shopping, then going to her mom's for dinner. Fabulous first post-course day!

Yantras, Exams, Love

(Wrote this last night, but web connection went out due to storms and strong wind. Day references will be one day off.)

Homestretch! Exams are done, yantras are finished, and practicum class has been taught. Exams went super well, class was beautiful, and yantras, well, I have to admit I didn't get quite as immersed in my work on the last two since I knew what was to come of them. We're all so different, aren't we? Some people who had yet to even begin their drawings, and weren't planning on getting them done, decided to get cracking on them because they love the idea of burning them afterwards. My resistance shows me that I have something to learn from this lesson...

More about the exams. Yesterday was anatomy, and we were given a hand-out with 16 questions to answer in developed detail. We had the option of using our class notes or attempting without, but had to indicate which we chose on our exam. I chose option 1, and wrote a page at the end of my exam about why. In a nutshell, this course has brought me to a very peaceful and serene inner space, and I didn't want to ruin that by stressing over an exam, cramming 30+ hours of anatomy lectures into my headspace only to forget it all the next day. I have always been a slow-but-sure learner, and will one day be fluent in all this anatomy lingo, but I will learn it at my own pace and in my own time. I was always 100% focused in class and took an obsessive amount of notes, so why not put them to good use. With them, I was able to confidently and fully answer each question, filling 6 blank pages.

Today was philosophy. We had to write an essay explaining, in our own way, the correlation between Pancha Kosha (the 5 bodies/sheaths/layers of existence) and Astanga yoga (not as we know it in the West, but in relation to Patanjali's 8 limbs of yoga). Wrote a 4 page essay on this, which, if anyone would like to chat about, we can meet over tea when I get back! My dad probably won't be surprised to hear that, for both exams, I was the last one to leave the yoga hall. Here again, working in my comfort zone of slowly-but-surely. Roshan suggested we take an hour and half for the anatomy exam - I took two and a half - and people started leaving philosophy after 1/2 an hour - I took almost 2. As the hall gradually emptied out on both days and I was still sitting there (on the ground with blocks and pillows, my pen moving across the page), my mind kept drifting back to school days, when my teachers and I were the only ones left in the classroom long after everyone else had finished their work. This time, though, I was alone. Roshan let us big kids do our tests unsupervised.

Love. It was the theme of the class Nichole and I taught our fellow teachers-in-training last night. We put together a flowing sequence of heart opening movements, postures, and words, taught as the sun was setting over the Himalayas. I won't go into too much detail about the class, as I will be teaching it again at Circle of Grace (Cindy's group) in April. More to come about that... I ended with an short exercise from Sally Kempton's Meditation for the Love of It, and then closed the class with words that Cindy has shared countless times: May each one of us be open to the subtle whisperings of our hearts, May each one of us recognize our divine essence, And may each one of us be an example to others, To move from fear towards love.

The sealing namaste was followed by applause and strong embraces from everyone in attendance. It was a beautiful evening with beautiful people. Faraaz had some very encouraging and constructive feedback, and said something to me that has triggered my strongest self-realization moment since the beginning of the course, affecting me profoundly on and off my yoga mat. Again, more on that over tea  in April with those who want to get a little more personal.  

As you journey through today, give that space at the centre of your chest a little extra attention, letting your awareness shift peacefully from your head down into your heart. Love, love, love.   

Shivaratri, Drawings, Exams, Economic System

March 10th was Shivaratri, the day honoring Shiva's wedding to Parvati. Last yesr, I went to Prem Baba's Shiva satsang in the morning, and to a temple in the evening, where I was the only foreigner. This year, Swati and I braved the crowds to go into town (Rishikesh market) to shop for an Indian outfit for me to wear to the certification ceremony on Saturday. Usually, Rishikesh town is much busier than this area (RamJhula/Swargashram), but on Shivaratri, there were hoards of Indians pushing and shoving their way along the streets and across the bridge to reach the temples and honor their beloved Shiva. So once Swati and I managed to swerve our way through oncoming pedestrian traffic, and squeeze into an already full tuk-tuk, the arrival in town seemed strangely relaxing. Found a great outfit for Saturday, then went for a delicious lassi, and made our way back to the crazy crowds. I came back to my room to escape the madness, and continued working on my yantra drawings.

About those. On Monday, in philosophy class, Roshan announced the fate of our chakras and yantras. On Saturday, before the certificate ceremony, our drawings will be returned to us. Then, we will choose our favorite one, hand it back in and all the favorites will be... burned!! My heart sank. I thought of my Sahasrara chakra, the one I used my right and left brain for, and which I couldn't wait to take home and frame. But instead, it would go up in flames. It is meant as a lesson in non-attachment, in letting go of the fruits of our labor. And it doesn't end there. After burning our favorite, we choose one that we want to keep, and the remaining 10 are left here to be posted on the walls. Ouf, it's taking me a while to digest this lesson. Average of 3 hours per chakra (x7) and 4 hours per yantra (x5), meticulous measuring and coloring, and I can only keep one. Quite the lesson.

Tomorrow morning we have our anatomy exam, which I am nowhere near ready for (and I'm here taking my sweet time writing a blog at 8:30pm... yoga school has clearly been good for creating a non-stress state!), and the afternoon is when I've been scheduled to teach a yoga class. Then Thursday morning is the philosophy exam. Intense couple of days ahead, but then a big sigh of relief and time to celebrate!

Today, when I stopped by the bakery for 3 chocolate balls (moist and fluffy, not too sweet, cocoa and coconut goodness), the bakery man pointed at me and said, with his jolly chuckle and sparkly eyes: "You good economic system!" Which, I presume, was his broken English meaning that I gave him good business. Hahaha :)

Ashram, Talent Show, Teaching, Yog Fest

This week, Saturday (today) is our day off, as we need 6 straight days, Sunday to Friday, for our teaching evaluations before the ceremony on Sunday. I went on my first weekend outing with the group this morning, the one I've been waiting for: visit to the site of the ashram Roshan is having built, future location of Yog Peeth. We all piled into 3 rickety jeeps, drove about 20 minutes up a winding mountain road, then hiked half an hour up a steep rocky path to where the ashram is under construction. It's a spectacluar site. Up in the coolness of the foresty mountains, but in a clearing that allows a stunning view of the Himalayas. And five minutes away from beautiful, refreshing waterfalls. The construction is still in the very early stages, but I'm already dreaming about going to do my next yoga training there. A secluded sanctuary, away from all the distractions (bakery included!) of Rishikesh.

Last night we had the Talent Show which many of us groaned about when it was sprung on us last week. But it turned into a spectacular evening. As planned, I read from last year's blog, and it was a hit. I chose two posts to share after some minor editing: first, the one about the femininity workshop at Trika, and then, of course, the one about Mogli. There were tears, then there was laughter. Others presented dances, songs, recipes, paintings, poems, personal stories, and it was a whirlwind of emotions for 4 hours. I learned so much about these people who have been my neighbors for over a month, and I learned about myself as well.

During last week's morning classes, we started practice teaching in small groups of about 8. We would take turns teaching each other postures and giving adjustments and feedback. Next week, it's the real deal. We've been paired up and assigned a day and time to team-teach a 2 hours class. Nichole and I are teaching Wednesday's afternoon class, and have started putting some ideas together. Should be fun!

Town has been pretty busy this past week, with two international yoga festivals running from March 1st-7th. Didn't get much of a chance to participate due to our class schedule, but we were invited to join the closing ceremonies of the one Roshan had presented at. Beautiful classical Indian music followed by a delicious dinner buffet at a posh hotel. Quite the change of scenery... and tastes! That was Thursday night, talent show was last night, and the last 5 rythms dance is tonight. Getting pretty pooped. Loving the whole experience, but I'll be glad to have a little more freedom and flexibility after graduation next Saturday night. Big breath, 1 week left!    

Sutra Neti, Bakery, Heat

Yesterday morning, we added one item to our morning routine: sutra neti. Until now, it had been tea followed by neti pot nasal cleansing, but we now have sutra neti in between. If you remember, I did all sorts of weird cleansing practices last year during my Trika course, but never this one. It consists of putting a small rubber tube (about a foot long) into the nostril, gently pushing it down the nasal passage until it reaches the throat, then going into the mouth with two fingers to catch it, pulling it out a little, and making a "flossing" motion, before pulling it back out through the nose. Yes, it's as lovely as it sounds. Actually, I haven't managed the whole sequence yet, only getting the tube down to my throat but not pulling it through. Last year, I brought tongue scrapers home as souvenirs... this year, guess what you'll be getting? Nose tubes!

I've been really good about not eating out, accepting and trying to enjoy the monotony of our meals. However, mid-afternoon, I always walk to our local bakery. I've become quite chummy with the cute, little,  bright-eyed, wide-grinned bakery man, even noticing and complimenting his recent haircut... eyes got even brighter, grin got even wider. Also getting wider: my waist. Ok, so it's nothing drastic, but seriously, every day I have either a coffee cake, cheesecake, apple crumble, chocolate ball, honey nut pie... I think I've tried everything he makes. Is it a reasonable reward for my meal control, or does it just cancel it out?

Heat. Yup. Last week I complained about the cold, now I'm complaining about the heat. Mornings and evenings are now perfect, but daytime is almost unbearable already. During philosophy class, even when we're not moving, we sit in the yoga hall fanning ourselves and wiping sweat, while Roshan prances around in jeans and a zipped-up turtleneck jacket. Hunh.

Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe. No less than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. -Max Ehrmann

1 Month Mark!

Well, just like that, a month has gone by. Just 2 weeks until certification!

Yesterday afternoon, during the last class of month 1 with Narindra, I bent in ways that made me truly wonder whose body I was in. Certainly not mine! In a final variation of the standing forward bend (padahastasana), I had my abdomen and chest pressed firmly against my thighs, my legs were kept straight, and my head was below and between my knees, with my arms wrapped around my legs. I guess that's what a month of yoga 4 hours a day will do!

Last night, I went to my 3rd 5 Rythms dance to kick-off the weekend. It was the best one yet. I was really able to surrender to the music and let my body move freely with the sounds. We weren't allowed to have the windows open this time due to noise complaints the previous week. Because of the electrical wiring, we couldn't turn the fans on without also having lights on. But the atmosphere just wasn't the same with fluorescent lights drowning out the soft glow of the candles. So, it turned into quite the sweat-fest in there! Can't wait to organize this at home when I get back... who's in?

Today, regular Sunday stuff: reading, laundry, chai and postcards by the Ganga (sitting behind an old Indian woman doing her laundry on the river steps and talking loudly to herself). And tonight, to close the weekend, I'm going to the sound journey again. It's the last one.

A beautiful Sunday to all of you :)

Swati, Sahasrara, Talent Show, Astanga

Just back from a little visit with Swati. I drop by to see her at least once a week, always greeted with a smile, some tea and snacks. She often asks about how my family and friends are doing back home, so I wanted to share that with you. She was a bit sick today, sinus and throat problems, but other than she's doing well. She even told me she was thinking about adding a second child to her family soon. A little playmate for 5 year old Arnav. Maybe I'll have a baby to hold next time I come to India!

Yesterday, I finished my Sahasrara (7th, crown, thousand-petal, spiritual) chakra. The outline took 3 hours, the coloring took 2. I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever produced. For the first 6 chakras, I meticulously calculated and drew every single line and curve with instruments from the geometry kit. They looked quite nice, but were lacking a little something. They were very, almost entirely, left brain. One of the key words in our classes has been balance, so I thought I'd keep that in mind while doing my Sahasrara. Still made some angle calculations, but free-handed the curvy petals, and it made all the difference. Right and left brain working together produced much more appealing results. Now, time get started on the yantras.

Roshan announced, after yesterday's philosophy class, that at the end of next week we would putting on a talent show. We each had to come up with something to present. Hmmm, what is my talent, I wondered? Nothing came to mind right away, so I figured I might just choose a meaningful poem or book passage and read it to the group. Meh, a little boring, I thought. Later in the afternoon, I thought, Well, I did dance for 16 years of my life. Maybe I could put together a little routine. As I was listening to Leonard Cohen (my mom's favorite singer) on my iPod, I tought maybe I'd dance to one of his songs and dedicate it to her. Hmmm, a little too personal. (Though now that that idea has been planted in my head, I'm considering it for a different time... getting teary-eyed just thinking aout it.) Then, as I was finishing up my sahasrara, Prateek (last year's astrologer)'s voice came into my mind: "You are a talented writer. You should share through your writing." That was also the time I was getting very encourging feedback about my blog. So, rather than read someone else's words from a poem or book, I'll share my own. Choose a couple of my favorite posts from last year and bring them back to life.

Last night, in Narindra's class I did my first full astanga vinyasa series, and for the first time since I've been here, broke a sweat during class. It's a very active, fast and strengthening practice. While I don't think I would make this my primary practice style, it felt pretty amazing. After class, I felt so energized that my walk had a little hop to it. But then, as I had expected, I had a very hard time falling asleep. Woke up feeling pretty exhausted this morning, and after tea and neti, decided to skip my second class. Figured two missed classes in a month was pretty reasonable. Wonder what kind of journey Faraaz will take us on tonight...

Moon, Classes, Heat

Monday's full moon meditation was quite special. A dozen of us gathered on the rooftop of Surya Palace (where batch 2 of our class is staying, and which has nothing of a palace), to sit directly in the bright light of the moon. It was a relatively warm evening with a pleasant cool breeze. A few particularly enthusiastic girls started with a few standing howls facing the moon, and then we all sat quietly. We were told that, as beautiful as the moon was that night, we shouldn't stare at it for too long as it could cause strong headaches. I couldn't help but stare at it for the first few minutes, but then lowered my gaze and let my eyes gently close. During the next half hour of meditation, feelings of anger, frustration and sadness surfaced. Despite how good I feel here, I clearly have some buried issues that need compassionate attention. Don't we all. But I'm grateful to be in a place, physically and mentally, that allows me to be so aware and mindful of these things.

A bit about our most recent classes:

Saturday with Narindra - Without previous warning, he announced to us as we got started that we would each be teaching a portion of the class. He basically went through the sequence he would have taught us, but every time we changed warm-ups, sun-salutation rounds, or postures, he asked one of us to come and give the instructions for it, demonstrate, and adjust others. I got a round of sun salutations. The next day, I had a few a few classmates stop me to comment on the quality of my voice and teaching... guess those 6 years in the classroom paid off!

Monday with Faraaz - Our 2 hour class was split in half. The first hour was nothing but pranayama (breath control), the longest I've ever done. The first 15min were for yogic 3-part breath (abdomen, chest, clavicle) lying down, next 15 for seated diaphragmatic breath (where the expansion happens only between the ribs and navel), next 15 for seated alternate nostril breath, and last 15 natural seated breathing. The hour went by astonishingly fast. Then, part 2, guided visualization through the 5 elements. We started lying down in a grassy forest, then got up, walked out of the forest towards a clearing that opened onto a beach. We walked on the sand, then into the water, diving to its depths, and coming back up to the surface. Back onto the beach, back into the forest, and towards a large fire in the distance. Walked into the fire, rose up with the flames, then the smoke, and upwards towards the clouds, past the clouds, out of the earth's atmosphere, and into the star-studded dark expanse of infinity. Hung out there for a while, then took the whole journey back until we were again lying down on the grass. The whole journey took an hour. I promise you, no drugs are consumed during this course!

Tuesday with Narindra - A full 2 hours of self-practice. It was great. I got to build my own sequence and work on exactly what it was that my body needed. I knew what I wanted to work towards for the end, and I was able to go deeper than ever before in my final postures.

Today with Faraaz - Chakra-based Yin yoga. Loved it. Yin is a semi-active, semi-restorative style where each posture is held for at least 5 minutes. We started with a pose for the root chakra (1st), making our way up to the crown chakra (7th), and back down again. This journey took almost 2 hours.

Seasons are in full change. From one day to the next, we have gone from using heaters in the yoga hall to trying to figure out how get the fans going. My pajama layers are even diminishing. And in the afternoon, when I return to my room on the sunless side of the building, I'm thankful for the natural AC.

With that, I'm off to bed. Sweet dreams. (Or good morning.)     

Dance, Sound, Full-Moon

Another short but great weekend has gone by. It started Saturday night with our second 5 rythms dance which was again a great success. Same old on Sunday: laundry, postcard-writing by the Ganga, reading, chakra drawing. Stopped at a little nearby bakery for the best, lightest, fluffiest cheescake I've ever had. Earlier, as I wrote postcards, had the sweetest, worst chai I've ever had. Then, in the evening, I ate out for the first time since I've been here. I think I may have been the only one who stuck with our provided meals for so long. And I only ate out because I had to. I was going to a Sound Healing Journey at 7pm (unrelated to our course), which is the same time our dinner is served. After a great meal at Oasis, I think I might be tempted to venture out for food a little more often. The sound journey was great. In a beautiful, wood paneled rooftop yoga hall, candles were lit and incense was burning around a beautiful display of exotic instruments. There was a didgeridoo, a large gong, a native Canadian drum, harmonica, wooden flute, rattles, and 3 large Tibetan singing bowls. The woman played each one separately, and sometimes hummed or chanted as she played. She circulated around the room, and would play the instruments over our outstretched bodies. The healing vibrations and sounds resonated strongly throughout our whole being. Quite a special experience. And tonight, a few of us from the course are gathering for a rooftop full-moon meditation. Never a dull moment in Rishikesh!      

Halfway to Certification!

3 weeks done, 3 to go! Better get studying for the final anatomy test... the philosophy I'm absorbing like a sponge, but memorizing muscles, bones and glands along with their locations and functions is a whole other story. We get certified regardless of our exam marks, but I still want to get the most out of my classes. Roshan doesn't believe we should be characterized by a piece of paper or test result. Our certification and exam are for our own growth, not his judgment, and are only a small step in our life-long learning and living of yoga.

Late yesterday afternoon, I got yoga-stoned by Faraaz once again. The meditative flow of breath, movement and sound he got us into was out of this world. Literally. As for Narindra, his promise of splits-in-a-week has not been fulfilled, but the quality of his stretches have made my chronic neck and shoulder pain almost disappear. I'm satisfied.

Rishikesh in February gets an average of 2 days of rain. We've already had 7. And we're not talking a little drizzle. Hour after hour after hour of heavy downpoor keeps many of us hibernating in our rooms. Great reads have been keeping me busy in there. Trying to power through my meditation group book and the textbook for my course, each about 400 pages. So I've practiced self-restraint when walking past the bookstore windows. The other day, I must have stared at the books behind the glass for about 10 minutes before finally convincing myself to walk on.

Speaking of restraint, how about my new ability to write blogs that take just 5 minutes to read! 

Weather, Jeetu, Homework, Death

When there isn't much to talk about, talk about the weather. I'm still sleeping with a woollen hoodie, leggings under stretchy cotton pants, and socks, all under a heavy mink blanket, yet the pm sun is now too hot to sit in. A little weather balance would be nice. I know, I know, everyone's shovelling at home and I shouldn't complain. Happy Snow Day to RSB teachers :)

I went up for some rooftop reading the other day, but two of the guys who work here were up there stretched out on yoga mats and struck up a conversation. About 20 minutes in, Jeetu says to me, "Why you so slim? Your pairents not love you?" Hahaha, got a good chuckle from that!

As I worked on my Vishudha chakra outline this afternoon, I thought about what Roshan said in class the other day: Do your homework with love, or don't do it at all. Imagine if every teacher gave that instruction to their students? And gave them homework that could be done with love? What a beautiful place our schools would be.

In today's philosophy class, eyes got watery and tissues came out as Roshan spoke about death, and his experience assisting his adoptive father through his last days. Trying to relate the story in a few blog sentences wouldn't do it justice, but suffice to say, it was a powerful moment. For Roshan then, and for us today. He especially struck a chord with me when he spoke about his father not being gone, but continuing his journey through him.

Remember the clear light, the pure clear white light from which everything in the universe comes, to which everything in the universe returns; the original nature of your own mind. The natural state of the universe unmanifest. Let go into the clear light, trust it, merge with it. It is your own true nature, it is home.
                                                                                         - The Tibetan Book of the Dead

Song of the Soul

Not a whole lot to report today, so here's something from Iyengar's Light on Yoga.
He concludes his intro to What is Yoga with these song lyrics. Enjoy!

"...There wells up from within the heart of the yogi the Song of the Soul,
sung by Shankaracharya in his Atma Satkam."

Song of the Soul

I am neither ego nor reason, I am neither mind nor thought,
I cannot be heard nor cast into words, nor by smell nor sight ever caught:
In light and wind I am not found, nor yet in earth and sky -
Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I.

I have no name, I have no life. I breathe no vital air,
No elements have moulded me, no bodily sheath is my lair:
I have no speech, no hands and feet, nor means of evolution -
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss in dissolution.

I cast aside hatred and passion, I conquered delusion and greed;
No touch of pride caressed me, so envy never did breed:
Beyond all faiths, past reach of wealth, past freedom, past desire,
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is my attire.

Virtue and vice, or pleasure and pain are not my heritage,
Nor sacred texts, nor offerings, nor prayer, nor pilgrimage:
I am neither food, nor eating, nor yet the eater am I -
Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I.

I have no misgiving of death, no chasms of race divide me,
No parent ever called me child, no bond of birth ever tied me:
I am neither disciple nor master, I have no kin, no friend -
Consciousness and joy am I, and merging in Bliss is my end.

Neither Knowable, Knowledge, or knower am I, formless is my form,
I dwell within the senses but they are not my home:
Ever serenely balanced, I am neither free nor bound -
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is where I am found.

Sugar and Dairy

This morning, after my return to sugar last night, I skipped my first asana (posture) class. My stomach was so cramped up I could barely get out of bed. I managed to go down for the 6am ayurvedic tea and neti (nasal cleansing), but as everyone else headed up to the yoga hall, I made my way back to bed. Fell back asleep, and cramps had subsided by the time I woke up an hour later. As I was drifting off to sleep, I could hear faint chanting and Oming coming from the hall across the courtyard and two floors up. It was beautiful, the perfect sound to lull me back into a peaceful and healing sleep. As I lay in bed after waking up, I thought about what I would take on this week, and my conclusion was: nothing. I wasn't going to stress about sugar, dairy, 5am wake-up, yoga nidra or anything else. Just being here and taking in the bodywork, mindwork, and energy would suffice. Next week, I'll re-assess.

At breakfast, for the first time in 7 days, I put a little honey in my soupy porridge and mint-lemon tea... mmmmm! Didn't think that would cause any tummy trouble, and it didn't. Then, after a sugar-free lunch, I walked over to the Health Cafe for their famous sweet but refined-sugar-less "brownie". Ingredients: raisins, walnuts and cocoa powder. Chop and mush it all together, pat it down, and voila. Delicious and so easy to make! Then I gathered my geometry set, coloring pencils, and drawing pad from my room and went to Oasis Cafe to get my anahata (heart) chakra outline done. Soaked up some vitamin D while drinking chai, and since I was also mostly off dairy, just the milk in the tea left a thick feeling in my mouth all afternoon. Last night's sugar seemed to get stuck in my throat, and today's dairy got stuck to my tongue and cheeks. Tonight, a new dessert with our meal: freshly made doughnuts with warm chocolate icing. Quite the change from our usual cardamom rice-pudding or coconut cream of wheat. I couldn't help but indulge. So far, so good - it has left a lovely taste and sensation behind.  

Ok, enough about food, and enough for today.

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."   - Aristotle

Sunshine, Dessert, and Dancing

Yup, Sunday has been a good day! The sun returned, and I celebrated my completion of 7 sugar-free days with a bowl of sweet cream-of-wheat with coconut slices. Not the most exciting thing they could have served for my dessert come-back, but it did the trick. Actually, after eagerly anticipating this moment all week, I thought I would be quite a bit more enthusiastic it when it arrived. But I felt pretty neutral as I looked at the bowl of sweet brown mush on my plate. And when I ate it, the taste of sugar in my mouth was quite overwhelming. And now my throat feels thickly coated and constricted. Hmmm... shall I go for another week?

Last night, what was the remedy for our shivering bones and shelter from the downpour? Dancing of course! Half an hour into it, I was sleeveless and barefoot. A few Aussies organized a 5 Rythms dance in our yoga hall and it was a roaring success. Lights were turned off, candles were lit, incense was burning, iPod was plugged into the speakers. We started with 3 Oms as we sat in a circle, then let our bodies loose to sound of 5 rythms - melow, staccato, chaos, flow, calm (a wave of sound). It was great to move our bodies so freely and uncontrolled, unlike the 4 hours of structured yoga every day. It's on again next Saturday by popular demand.

Well, another one-day weekend has come and gone. I woke a little before 6 this morning, but didn't get out of bed until almost 8! My latest since I've been here. Day off consisted of pretty much the same thing as last week: reading in the sun on the roof, postcard writing in the sun by the Ganga, and laundry (which I've decided to do myself - even the big stuff).

Looking forward to week 3 of training, and all the goodness and head-spinning it will bring!
   

Almost through Week 2!

Just one more evening class, and week 2 is done. I think I initially tried to take on a little too much for the week: no sugar, no dairy, 5am meditation, yoga nidra at night, daily dream journal. The dream journal is the only one I stuck with 100%. Next is sugar at 98% (our porridge was lightly sweetened with honey this morning - usually the honey is on the side). Then dairy at 95% (porridge cooked with milk every 2nd or 3rd breakfast, and some paneer (unripened cheese) in one of our dinners). 5am meditation I did twice, and yoga nidra 1/2 of once. So, overall, not bad. Next week, I'll be less strict about sugar and dairy, so maybe a little more attention towards nidra and meditation.

I've completed the meticulous measuring, outlining and coloring of the first three chakras. Four more to go. Fun homework, even though each one took over an hour! Today, as on every Saturday, our philosophy and anatomy classes are replaced by a movie. Last week we saw Yoga Unveiled (www.yogaunveiled.com), about the big names in yoga (Patanjali, Krishnamacharya, Iyengar...) and today, Dirt (www.thedirtmovie.org), a great documentary about our relationship with soil - much more exciting than it sounds!

Yesterday I walked out of Faraaz's class feeling high. After a fascinating talk, a few warm-ups and sun salutations, he had us in seated meditation for an hour, using a few different breathing techniques and visualizations. Don't think I've ever felt so relaxed and peaceful in my entire life.

Just as we were beginning to take the sun and warmth for granted, mini-monsoon has returned. Non-stop rain since yesterday... who knows how long it will go for this time. I'm wrapped in a blanket and my fingers are cold from typing. But, the rain means changing seasons, so it should be extra warm once it's over.

Roshan talked to us about his role as our teacher earlier this week. He said that as his students, we were merely witnessing his own learning process. As he teaches, he learns, and we are invited to attend. Now that he has learned to pay full attention to himself and what he's doing, he knows at least one person in the class is listening! My friend Eryn then added that as yoga teachers, we do our self practice for our students, and we teach for ourselves. Wise words every day here at Yog Peeth :) 

V-Day & Vasant Panchami

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you in the West! Here in Rishikesh, every day is love day :)
Today in India, it's Vasant Panchami, day of worship to Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge.
There's a couple here taking the training together, and the girl got 24 roses from her boyfriend this morning. In anatomy class this afternoon, she brought the flowers and gave them all out. Talk about spreading the love! Letting go of the "I" and the "mine", realizing more and more each day that we are all one, all the same at our core, and all striving for the same thing in our own ways, along our own paths.
During anatomy class, Roshan said to us, "We are not here to bend the body, we are here to bend the mind. And once we can bend the mind, we can bend the body at will." Nicely said. Then, during asana class this evening, Narindra had us prepare for Hanumanasana, the splits. I did ballet for 16 years and was never able to do the splits. He said we'd be doing them in a week. Ha! I'll try to apply Roshan's words, but I'm not very hopeful. But if I don't have faith, then it won't happen. Oh, the head spinning!
Felt a little tired and drowsy yesterday, maybe due to my no sugar week. Which I'm now more than halfway through! I came very close to caving last night when they brought out a new dessert (newness in food here is incredibly exciting), but managed to stay strong. Three more days to go.
This year's V-Day post is a vast improvement on last year's, which described my day in bed, sick after treating myself to a "Hello to the Queen", one of Rishikesh's famous desserts. My diet helped me avoid that this year, but I'll definitely be celebrating my accomplishment on Sunday night with a walk to the bakery. Tonight there's a Valentine's Day party which is basically a festival of sweets. It would just be torture, so here I am blogging while the others enjoy cake, pies, cookies, pastries... Ok, seriously, I need to stop writing about this... it's filling my mind with images that are teasing my tastebuds.
Love to all!

  

Dreams, Palmistry, and Oms

This morning I got up at 5:57. Herbal tea is at 6. Oops. I tried analyzing why I wasn't able to get up for my 5am meditation, and I think it may be that I had a stressful dream that may have prevented me from having a peaceful, restful sleep. Since starting yoga nidra, I've also started keeping a dream journal - something I've been wanting to do for a long time, but never did.
During the afternoon break, I went to a short (optional) Palmistry lecture in our yoga hall. When I saw the poster for it, I figured it would be a good follow-up to yesterday's brief reading, but it didn't turn out to be much. Just a very general intro after which you could sign up for a 10 day course on how to do palm readings. Considered it briefly, but think I'll save my mini-courses for after the training is done, and will probably take one on ayurveda rather than palmistry. Think it might come in a little more handy.
Halfway through week two, the sound and vibration of 48 teachers in training "Om"ing with Roshan is exquisite. And after releasing our palms and gently opening our eyes, the view of the Himalayas under a blue sky through the large hall windows is breathtaking. All is good in Rishikesh. All is more than good.   

This and That

Wonderfully relaxing yoga nidra class with Faraaz yesterday evening, and bootcamp with Timea this morning... guess we need a bit of both.

Great sleep again last night. Still a very brief 3am wake-up, but still restful and rejuvenating. Tried a little yoga nidra before bed, and got up at 5 for my morning meditation. And successfully completed day 2 of no sugar - even resisting a piece of birthday cake for one of the girls here. Now that's control! I did rush out pretty quick after dinner, not wanting to drool over those enjoying their cake. Result: tummy trouble gone!

You never really know what you're going to get for water heat during showers here, but today I was blessed with a 10 minute scorching hot shower - oh, the little joys!

Walked into town with a couple friends this afternoon, and as Eryn went to see Prateek (my astrologer from last year), Jalene and I went next door to get a palm reading (my first) from his brother. It was free and only lasted a few minutes, but he gladly chats with you for as long as you want after. Gem of a man. (Interesting reading, that corresponded well to what his brother told me last year.)

One more book purchase today: Iyengar's The Illustrated Light on Yoga. (Much smaller and lighter version than yours, Cindy.)

In anatomy class at noon today, it was like Christmas! We got a small anatomy book, then a large coloring pad, crayons, sharpener, and geometry set. Everything but the anatomy book is for our second homework: drawing the 7 chakra (energy centers) symbols and 5 yantra (archetypes of the mind) symbols. So much fun!

Two quotes from facebook today:

"If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought again," and

"If you can't find the light at the end of the tunnel, it may be that you are that light." 

Into Week 2

A one-day weekend sure does fly by! Ganga Aarti at sunset yesterday was lovely - can't believe I never once went down for it when I was here last year.

Last night, I skipped the post-supper tea, and as I had hoped, made it through the night without going to the bathroom. Still woke briefly at 3:30, but managed to go back to sleep right away. Now that my sleep pattern has adjusted to Indian time, I've decided to set my alarm for 5am rather than our required 5:30. That way, I have time for a half hour meditation before starting the day. For the first time in my life, I fall asleep almost right away when I go to bed. After a little reading, I'm asleep before 10, giving me a solid 7 hours until 5. And I've discovered something quite astonishing (that may shock those who know me well): I'm a morning person!! I feel energized, vibrant and sociable in the morning, whereas in the evenings I retreat more to myself, feeling more calm and contemplative. The things you discover about yourself in Rishikesh!

After 24 hours of hanging on my railing, my laundry is finally dry. Not much sun on my side of the building, which I'm sure I'll be happy about once it gets really hot. Had our first written homework assigned last Friday, and I happily got it done sitting on the roof of our guesthouse this morning, soaking up some vitamin D.

I mentioned starting my day with meditation, and as I'm usually too tired to get much reading done before bed, I will attempt a nightly practice of yoga nidra - a state of very deep relaxation that leads to profound sleep and potentially to lucid dreaming. Finally, one more thing for this week: my tummy has started acting up a little again, so I'm going sugar-free and dairy-free for 7 days. The dairy won't be too difficult - our food is mostly vegan anyway - but the sugar will be a struggle for me with my sweet tooth. We get a daily yummy dessert every night which I'll have to work hard to resist, and skip out on the honey in the tea, and I'll have to close my eyes and nose as I walk past the bakery down the road. It's just 7 days Erika, you can do this!

In my list of student nationalities, I forgot one: Indian!

Coming from the street outside this internet spot is the same Shiva chant that played over and over when I was here last year. Still not sick of hearing it!

From Sally Kempton's Meditation for the Love of It, a quote by Lao-Tzu:
"Use your own light and return to the source of light. This is called practicing eternity."   

Week 1 complete!

We made it! Survived the 1st week of training, and everyone is still smiling. Just one has dropped out so far, due to his grandmother's passing shortly after the course began. So we are now 48 students, split into two batches for accommodation and physical classes, but together for meals and theory classes. There are people from all over the globe: lots from Canada and the US, Australia, England, France, Peru, Brazil, Iran,  Germany, South Africa.

Tummy was a little off my first few days here, but nothing serious, and like the sleep, I have now made it past the adjustment period. Only waking once per night for a pee. Must be due to the 6 glasses of tea per day!

Today is Sunday, our day off. So I didn't put my alarm on and lazily slept in until 7am. What a treat! Read some Ken Wilber and Sally Kempton before heading down for breakfast. Not much of a crowd in the dining hall this morning - we are still provided with our course meals on Sundays, but as we have the day to ourselves, many choose to eat out. I'm going to try sticking with our meals - despite them becoming quite repetitive. Farraz was teaching us that once you get bored with something, that's exactly when you should go deeper into it. He probably wasn't referring to food, but I think it applies. I'll save the eating out for the two weeks I have here after the course. (Except for a few sweets from the bakery every so often.) Got some bucket laundry done after breakfast, practicing our daily chants as I scrubbed away at my socks and underwear. I seem to be much more efficient at the process than I was last year. Even though I haven't had much practice since then, I guess it's like riding a bike - once you get the hang of it, you don't forget. But I think I'll only be doing my small pieces, and sending the bigger stuff for a machine wash. After laundry I walked down into town to, you guessed it, the bookstore. Walked out with two more (the reasonable limit I've given myself for every time I go in... just have to work on minimizing the entrances!) - one on Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep), and Pattabhi Jois' Yoga Mala. Then it was back for lunch, only 5 of us showed up. Back in town now, and after blogging I'll head down for some reading by the Ganga.

Tonight we have our first extra-curricular activity. We are all meeting to head down to the ghats in front of Parmarth Niketan Ashram for Ganga Aarti (daily devotional ceremony where offerings are given to the Ganga). I had attended one on my own in Haridwar last year at the end of February, and again with my dad in May, but never in Rishikesh. Looking forward to the sights and sounds!

If anyone wants to join Jack, I've added the followers box on the right of the blog page.

Wishing everyone a beautiful Sunday, filled with as much love and light as I'm soaking up here in Rishikesh :)

Books, Day 5

I wasn't able to hold off as long as I had hoped... the book buying has begun. So far, one on urine therapy and Ken Wilber's A Theory of Everything - An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science and Spirituality.

Post wedding, sleep progress continues. Lights out at 8:30 last night, and didn't wake until 4. Sleep on and off after that, but with a solid 7 hours, I had already surpassed the recommended yogic 5 1\2.

After yesterday's blogging, I walked down to the Ganga and did some reading on its sunny banks. Along with the return of blue skies and afternoon warmth, my Rishikesh perma-grin is also back :)

So, back to Roshan and his path to yoga. Why did he get into it? Money. Yup, just to make a quick buck. He was working the night shift as a guesthouse receptionist here in Rishikesh, and feeling rather unfulfilled financially and mentally. So he walked around Rishikesh, asking himself: what kinds of businesses are thriving  around here? The answer: guesthouses that offer yoga classes. So that's what he decided to work towards. Not knowing much at all about yoga, rather than just taking courses, he walked around and sat down for conversations with people, asking questions, inquiring about experiences, finding his gurus. That was in 2005, and he now owns one of the most successful yoga schools in Rishikesh. What he was initially looking for - money - was flowing in. But the more it came, the more he realized he didn't care about it. His search had led him to much more. Yog Peeth is now a non-profit, and the money coming in is being used to build an ashram in the nearby hills, to give his many students a more serene place to discover yoga and themselves. The construction is underway, and should be complete in the next couple of years. I look forward to taking some courses there when I come back!

Class quote for today: "Once I understand myself, I have no need to understand you, because you are me." 

Wedding, Day 4

Like last year, wedding #1 was not seen, but it was heard. Started two nights ago with ceremonial drumming (pre-wedding celebrations) and last night was the wedding. Let's just say it kinda got in the way of my sleep progress. Lights out at 9:15, and soon after, the loud dance music came to end, giving me hope. (But really, from last year, I knew it was not the end.) I actually slept through the midnight re-emergence of sound, but when the drumming started up again at 3am, that was the end my night's sleep. Music and drums on and off until around 7am.

After yesterday's post, I headed out to Oasis cafe to meet Alice, my Belgian friend from last year's Trika course, who's back for Trika Level II. Was great catching up with her. She's just started a 10-day brown rice diet (yes, breakfast, lunch and dinner) which is supposed to completely refresh your bloodstream. Look forward to hearing how it goes!

Then it was back to Krishna Cottage for afternoon asana class with Faraaz. We did yin yoga, and I'm hooked. Absolutely fantastic class.

Yog Peeth teachers:
Roshan is the founder and he gives the philosophy and anatomy classes every day. Fascinating content and superb speaker. (Later I'll share his unusual path to yoga.)
Timea (from Budapest) and Neepti (from Delhi) teach us the morning asana classes, alternating every 3 days. Timea appears to think we have all arrived equipped with spaghetti limbs and abs of steel - like her. She really pushes us, and although sometimes I feel like it's too much, I look forward to seeing how my body will respond to 6 weeks of yoga bootcamp with her. Neepti is much more gentle, soft and attentive (which my body thanks her for at 7am!). So it's a nice combo that brings growth in different ways.
Faraaz and Narindra (both Indian) teach the afternoon asana classes, alternating every day. Faraaz's areas of specialty are pranayama (breath control) and dhyana (meditation). He does an excellent job of guiding us through both. Narindra's focus is on yoga therapy - using it to help heal and prevent injuries. His explanations are fantastic. Again, the teachers complement each other wonderfully, bringing us a global understanding and experience of yoga. The three men (Roshan, Faraaz and Narindra) seemed stern and serious at first, but each one has us laughing hysterically during each lesson.

My favorite quote from philosophy with Roshan so far: "Understand and know the Self, and then become selfish." Food for thought... much more to come!

Oh, and today, nothing but sun and blue skies :)

A little sun, Day 3

Everyone smiled giddily this morning when we saw a patch of blue sky and a few rays of sun. Didn't last long, but gave us hope for the coming days... mini-monsoon will indeed end.

Sleep update: almost there! Lights out just after 9, and only woke twice (2am and 4:30), managing to fall back asleep both times. Didn't even turn the lights on until 5:30 when I was woken (at last) by my alarm. By the end of the week, I should be sleeping right through the night :)

Meals: breakfast has always consisted of 2 unripe bananas, 1 mushy apple, and a bowl of porridge/cream of wheat or chickpeas. Lunch and dinner have been much more pleasing to the palate: delicious dhal with rice or other grain, scrumptiously prepared mixed veg, potato curry, spinach/mushroom/sesame salad, and for dessert, rice pudding, sweet cream of wheat, or sweet noodle soup (I always laugh at this one, but it's one of my favorites!). With each meal, we get a a choice of fresh teas: after breakfast, I've been going for ginger-lemon-honey; after lunch, green tea; and after dinner, mint-lemon.

Classes continue to be fascinating, and this morning, during philosophy, Roshan's voice was interrupted not by the heavy rain, but by the heavy feet of monkeys playing tag on the roof.

Just looked outside... rain has started up again. The earlier sun gave me hope of venturing out during today's afternoon break, but looks like it'll be reading under a blanket in my room again. Well, I guess things could be worse ;)

Monsoon, Day 2

Yesterday's strong rain was but a drizzle compared to today's monsoon. The winds are wild, the sky is thundering, and the electricity is reacting accordingly. 

Managed not to sleep before pm class yesterday, but did lie down and rest my eyes. Felt great. The afternoon class was wonderful, though concentrating on our breath and going within was no easy task with the violently rattling windows and walls of the yoga hall, which is on the fourth (highest) floor of the guesthouse, and not built very solidly. 

As usual, went straight to bed after dinner. Every night, there is a little progress, but it's now 2:45pm, and I've been awake since 2:45am! Feeling pretty decent though. Slept a solid, uninterrupted 6+ hours from 8:20-2:45. Longest stretch yet! Lay in bed till a little past 4, then continued reading Sally Kempton's Meditation for the Love of It, followed by my own 20 minute session. Got up at 5:30 and got ready for Day 2. (Forgot to mention that the schedule I described yesterday is 6 days a week, with Sundays off.)

Our philosophy and anatomy classes started today, and I'm loving them! Roshan had to stop his talks a few times, as his voice was being drowned out by the noise of the heavy rain coming down on the roof.

Couple hours till pm class, rain has calmed, will run up to my room while I can get there dry!