Flying Time

Wow!  Time is just flying by!  Where does it all go?  It feels like yesterday that I was packing my bags.

Whew!  I can't believe that two weeks have gone by without me finding enough time to do this blog thing!  So let me try to remember what has been going on....Oh yes, the cleansing technique of swallowing the cloth.  I told you that I'd tell you all about so, here goes.  Apparently you ate to swallow 22 ft. of a sliky like cheese cloth thing.  1 inch wide.  Um yeah then you do some stomach rolling and pull out the cloth.  All of this must be done before the sun comes up and in no more than 10 minutes, becuase after 10 minutes the digestive process begins to start....So I watched Vishva do it and he swallowed the whole 22 ft!  Gross! We were given much smaller one, 6 ft and I was able to swallow oh maybe about 4 inches.  Then my gag reflex kicked in and I almost puked my guts out.  Its amazing how much slime came out of my throat from just those 4 inches.  I did feel better, more clear, and my voice sounded clearer too.  But it one helluva way to start your day!  Anyway, it was a very interesting experience which I was NOT open to at first but eventually I thought, what the hell?  I'm hear to learn about yoga and apparently in the advanced yoga teachings we learn about these ancient cleansing practices.  I don't think I'll be doing it again anytime soon though.  Here's me swallowing my cloth.  mmmmm breakfast =)

So anyway, what else?  Last week we did our first teach outs. Mine went fine, although my perfectionistic tendencies always thinks that I could've done better.  But the reason I am here is to learn to let go of that behavior and become a better teacher so I'm open to all the suggestions I can get.  Hmmm, oh we did a ceremonial fire Pitra Puja down by the river.  This is an ancient ceremonial ritual that all Indians do.  When the stars are aligned just right, they go down to the Ganga and elevate their ancestors.  So this incredibly intricate ceremony either connects you with your "elevated" ancestors or if they are suffering, ie: haven't made it to heaven or their next life yet, this will elevate them from their suffering.  I called my mom and got all the names of my grandparents and my great grandparents.  My great aunt Edith and my aunt Beverly were also part of my ceremony.  This ritual is said to heal all the relationships in your family.  Even going back several life times.  It was very complex and mostly in Hindi and many tasks were involved.  We were given two silver trays.  One was to be kept empty the entire time.  The other was filled with a spoon, two small bowls, a nut, flowers, a cup, and eventually 10 balls we made from dough.  We spinkeled water from the Ganga on our balls along with yogurt, honey and milk.  Each representing the sweet nectars of life.  Then we moved all that stuff on to a leaf plate and filled our tray with water from the river.  Then we put the water from the tray into the empty try in a certain way based on which family member we were elevating.  Then we offered our dough balls covered in yogurt, honey, and milk into the Ganga for the fish.  Which would somehow carry our elevations to our ancestors.  It was a beautiful and strange thing. After that we were all tried and our lunch was cut short becuase of it but I was happy that I did it. 

Last week a Swami, or wandering Baba as they are so fonly called, came to "teach" our yoga class.  He was over 100 years old!!  He said that he planned to be in this body for 50 more years.  Vishva told the story of how me met him 20 years ago and that NOTHING had changed.  It was a pretty amazing morning, watching this centinarian folding himself into a prezel.  I will never forget the way he shouted, "RELAX!" when we went into Savasana (resting pose).  He spoke only Hindi and Vishva translated his insturctions into English so that we knew what to do.  He moved so fast!  We could barely keep up!  And eventrually we all resorted to just taking pictures becuase we couldn't do what he was doing and he was just so amazing!  I was moved to tears a few times as he sang some chants and taught us clapping and laughing yoga.  He told of how he took care of Osho when Osho was a boy.  A day I will never never forget.  I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to meet such a devoted soul. 

 Ok what else.....hmm Oh yes, we've been studying Kunalini Yoga this past week which is interesting.  Its main goal is to raise your energy evenly through your body, stabalizing the chakra energies.  It's a new technique that I am really enjoying learning about.  The chakras parallel so many differnt things in all types of religions.  I'm not getting into that now.  We can have a conversation about it when I get home.  Speaking of which, today, that feels really far away.  We did another cleasing technique Saturday to cleanse the enitre stomach, intestines, and bowel.  We had to drink glass after glass of salt water and perform gentle yoga poses.  AND THEN (the best part) run to the batheroom (mine is on the 3rd floor thank you very much) and "eliminate" (the nice way of saying it) our bowels until we were "eliminating" the same color fluid we were taking in.  mmmm.  fun shit. literally.  I felt throughly scrubed out.  But now, of course, we have to very careful as to what we put back in the stomach.  Se we're eating kitcheri.  My least favorite thing.  Its rice and letils over cooked about 100 times and tumeric and cumin and a boat load of ghee (clarified butter) to lube up the intestinal tract and stomach.  So flippin nasty.  This mornig we got yogurt too!  I thought I was in heaven.  Tomorrow we get papaya.  I've never been so happy about something so small.  But its a good experience in the sense that I'm noticing some eating habits (mostly our of boredom) and the level of awarenss I have as to what I'm going to put back in this body again.  Yeah.  I don't want to do that again...until next year perhaps =)We bought an avacado, and just so ya know, we're getting totally ripped off back home!!  These things (organic) are gigantic!  And they only cost about a dollar!  Unbelievable.  Although, we have to wait to eat it.  (Sigh).  I just finished reading two books.  Rumi's Daughter, which was pretty uneventful but did contain some valuble nugglets of wisdom.  And I learned a bit about the magical poet, Rumi's life.  Interesting man.  Complex indeed.  And that Shams charater.  What was he all about?  Some wandering Dervish...I'll have to read more about that.  My mom and I did some whirling once at a sacred dance thingy and whew, what a way to praise God, eh?  Oh and speaking of "eh" its unfortunatly found its way into my vocabulary.  Almost 90 percent of the people here are from Canada.  Anyway, I also read The Alchemist.  It was fantastic.  I recommend it to everyone.  I very very easy read.  It's by Paulo Coleho and its a short story of a boy who dreams of finding treasure and learning how to follow the signs and listen to his heart to fulfill his destiny.  Very wonderful!  It speaks of four obstacles when trying to achieve your destiny. 1) getting over the fact that we've been told that what we want is impossible 2) Love.  We are afraid that if we sacrifice all that we have to go after our dream that the ones we love will abandon us. 3) Fear of failure.  Those who pursue their dreams suffer far more than those who do not.  For when things don't work out we can't fall back on the old excuse, "oh i really didn't want that anyway."  Becuase we do!  And we've staked everything on it.  So we must learn patience.  The secret: to fall 7 times and get up 8.  And 4) Fear of attaining that dream.  Any soul of a normal person feels guilt at the idea of achieving what it is that they really want.  We see those around us who have failed at their dreams and feel that we don't deserve it either.  This is the sneakiest one.   I really identified with each one of these obstacles.  Now that I'm more aware of them and know that they are normal I will just keep going!!  READ THE BOOK.  ITS AWESOME.  I'm now readying The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari.  GOOD TOO.  I'm supposed to be studying for a test! But the books are better!  And now I'm writing to yo guys instead too because I don't wanna study!  I can just hear Eddie now, "just do it babe."  So I'm off to just do it.  Love you all.  Promise to wrtie again soon soon.  I won't make you wait two whole weeks again.

Swami Vishva Ji and his Guru.  A very wise and profound man.  I had so many questions to ask him.  Like how to you let go of attachments?  How do you forgive yourself for the past?  How do you stay positive all the time?  But I could ask.  I was too shy. He smiled and said.  All you need is love, trust and faith.  And all your qustions will be answered.  Sit in silence and eventually all your questions will dissolve.  He said it so matter-of-factly that I believed him.  And all my questions felt answered.The other is a business logo I came up with while "paying attention" in class.  Its a rough sketch thats gotten better while I'm "paying attention".  What do ya'll think?

Me in my Punjabi Suit.  And a little monkey man.  Funny little things.  Still waiting for that elephant to appear though.  I've heard that they have those here in India =)  I'll believe it when I see it.  Miss you babe. xoxo Ok I miss all of yous!!  xoxoxo

Om Sweet Om

Greeted by a lovely Ashram. 

I've made it to Tapovan, India.  Just outside Rishikesh.  The ashram I'm staying at is a beautiful, wonderful place!  I'm so happy to be out of the city. The ashram is nestled up against the Himalayan foothills.  They are absolutely breathtaking.  They are so huge, I can't even imagine what the size of the actual Himalayans are!  Speaking of which, Briee left early this morning for Nepal for her journey to Base Camp.  I'm already missing her.  But the truth is once I started school last Monday I haven't had a chance to see her.   I have a little room with my friend Julie from England.  We did our 200 hr training together in Mexico.  Its so great to have a great friend to go through this process with.  We were given a stainless steel plate, bowl, cup and spoon the day we arrived.  Our room has just enough space for the two of us with a private bathroom and a balcony!  It feels like the Ritz really after all the dirt, filth and chaos on the way here! Each day starts with my alarm clock screaming at me around oh ya know 4:45 AM!!  BOO.  I stay in bed until 5 and peel myself up and wimper as the wind howls down through the foothhills.  I fumble through the dark down two flights of stairs to the meditation hall and find a "cushion" (it's a flat sorry excuse for a pillow) to put on the cold dark floor.  Then I muster up as much will power as I can and tell myself that I will focus on my breath for the next 45 minutes....hmmm.  All I can say it that it's getting easier.  At 5 till 6 I peel my stiff body up (for the second time) off the cold floor and trudge up four flights of stairs to the yoga hall.  We begin a two hour yoga practice that consist of several sun salutations as the sun comes up.  Its absolutely beautiful.  A little bird, I'll have to find out what type it is, sings a lovely little mantra every morning at 6:05 sharp.  It is a sweet, happy song that fills my heart with joy.  The style of yoga is very balancing and I always feel fantastic after each class.  Then I rush downstairs grab my little steel dishes and walk, oh yes in silence, to the dining hall.  Silence, or Mona as it is called, it from 9PM to 9AM everyday. 

After breakfast I wash my dishes quickly and get back to my room, prop them on the window sill to dry.  Fill a bucket with soap and water and dirty laundry, grab my books and rush upstairs for class.  At noon, it back to the dinning hall for lunch.  We eat sitting on the floor on little foot stools.  We chant a beautiful prayer before each meal and then eat a wonderfully sattvic meal.  Then I've got an 1 1/2 hours to finish and hang my laundry, catch up on reading, and get to my next class at 2:30.  6PM is supper and Tuesdays and Thursdays is Kiirtan (singing and chanting).  Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is personal time but I'll tell ya, by the time 8:30 rolls around all I want is a hot shower and to fall into bed.  This 4:45 (ok 5) thing is killing me!  My favorite class is...surpirse, Yoga Philosophy.  I'm learning so much.  I love my teacher she is like Naropa on wheels.  She is so excited about these teachings that she can barely stay in her skin while she contmeplates them.  She has us do a lot of personal digging into the meanings of the sutras and Vedic teachings.  This last week we looked at the 5 Kleshas.  Patanjali's 5 causes of suffering.  All so facinating.  I love it...mostly becuase there are no worng answers in philosophy right!?  The yoga techniques and anatomy classes are great too.

My little Swami Vishva Ji is such a gem.  His broken "Hidglish" (Hindi and English) as he calls it is so cute and funny.  He is quick to laugh and is full of brilliant pearls of wisdom and depth.  I love listening to him speak.  Oh and so yesterday we had to learn about some of the Satkiryas (sp?), or cleansing techniques.  We learned about the Jal Neti (water) which I've done before so no big deal.  Basically is pouring water into one nostril and it flows up and around the sinuses and out the other nostril...BUT we also had to try the Sutra Neti...yeah I said sutra...meaning thread...or in this case a rubber thread...yep we had to try to stick it up our noses and it comes down the back of the throat, then we reach back there and pull it out of the mouth and proceed to "massage" the thread back and forth massaging the optic nerve!  UM yeah.  I wasn't successful...this time.  Apperently we'll be practicing 2-3 times a week.  Yay! not.  Oh and I'm totally looking forward to swallowing a cloth.  Yep. Thats right you heard me.  A cloth.  22 ft of it.  But...we'll talk about that later. 

View from my balcony.

The Luxman Jula Bridge is a beautiful thing and so is the Holy Holy Ganga River.  Its amazing.  There are monkeys everywhere and if you've got any food watch out because they'll nab it!   Crossing the bridge is an interesting task as there are monkeys, cows, motor bikes, people, etc going both ways.  I just have to hum a mantra and just cross as the pace allows.  There is no such thing as getting anywhere quickly in India. Across the bridge are tons of street venders with everything from clothes to bags to pashminas to jewels to household decorations.  All cheap price, cheaply made and smell of yummy street smells.  Its fun to go and look aound and even by some stuff but I'm sort of glad I only have time to go on the weekends.  I am very happy being isolated in the ashram.  Sometimes I forget that I am in India.  Then, while inhaling coming out of a forward fold I hear a cow moooo right out the window and motor bike horns blaring and I remember, Oh yeah.  I'm in freaking India man!  I'm loving it here!  Love to all.  Write again soon. 

Crossing the Luxman Jula Bridge

 Krishna and Sunset before the Artti (light) ceremony

Rough Landing

Plane Food!?!

Sorry it's been a while since I've been able to find a decent internet connection.  Briee and I arrived in Chennai after a 8.5 hour flight from NYC to Belgium (sp?) and then a 9.5 hour flight to Cheenai.  I slept as much as I could.  The plane service was fancy pants.  We got hot towels and cloth napkins with real silverware!  The food was all Indian Veg and Yummy!  The T.V. screens were all touch screens and had a host of movies and games to choose from.  The controler popped out of the seat front and you could use it like a play station controler!  (Eddie and my brother would have been in heaven!) Briee and I watched Julie & Julia and I pushed through the Bhagavad Gita which I'm to have done by tomorrow! Dense stuff right there.  After going through customs in Chennai and getting our GIGANTIC packs we had to head outside to the Domestic Flights area.  We landed around midnight and out flight didn't take off for Delhi until 6AM.    We were greated by a crowd of Indians and muggy humid air the minute we stepped outside.   We traversed through people and dogs all spread out sleeping on the sidewalk.  Apparently you can not come to the airport anymore than 3 hours before your flight.  We were corralled into a waiting area that was already overflowing with people.  There were some available seats but people were sleeping on the floor infront of them.  We unloaded our gear and took turns going to the "bathroom".  Note: toilet = hole in the floor. Fun.  So after 1/6 of a bottle of hand sanitizer we buckled down for a 4.5 hour wait for our plane. 

Once in Delhi we found out hotel driver (only after about 6 rounds of sifting though about 1000 name signs!).  We drove down some lovely streets and he pointed out the government buildings and the presidents house and parliment.  It all was very nice looking but the roads were crazy hectic.  There is no right of way.  Everyone just goes where ever and whenever they like.  And if they decide to turn around they just stick there hand out of the window, through the car into reverse and start backing up!  We then proceeded deeper into the city which was densly populated and cars, bikes, peopl,e cows, rickshaws,ets.  all using the road.  When the driver turned up a broken, dirty road with hundreds of people and cars and signs my heart sank.  I thought, "My God.  This doesn't look anything like the photos online. " We pulled up to the hotel and inside it was actually quite nice.  Marble winding staircase with inlayed woodwork a mark left by the British I'm sure.  We finally made it! Exahusted we booked a private car to Agra and bought train tickets to Rishikesh with the help of the 'travel desk' at the hotel.  Turns out its an excellent Lonely Planet recommendation.  Flat screen T.V. a king size bed....but no hot water or internet connection, eh, can't have it all I guess.

The next morning we went SUPER early to Agra.  The sun was rising like a red ball of fire in the dusty sky.  It was beautiful.  The driver was a nice young fellow who was very talkative and excited to practice his english.  Even I, yes ME was ready for some quite time after being in the car with the guy for about 2 hours!  At one point he had to stop and pay taxes (weird?) and all these guys came up to the windows trying to sell us shit.  Briee took a picture of a monkey that a guy had on a leash.  Under my breath I said, "He's going to make you pay for that." Sure enough he comes up to the window and says, "money money"  I shake my head and wave my hand.  We goes over to Briee's side and starts banging his ring on the window saying, "give me money, give me money" through his black and broken teeth.  At this point we are nervous.  He gets more aggressive and tries to open Briee's door.  Finally I pull out some change and tell her to give it to him.  He takes it but insists on more.  At this point my heart is pounding and I'm scared.  Our driver is nowhere insight and our car is surounded with sellers.  I remember what my friend Cliff told me and yell, "Take the fucking money man, all she took was one picture and its not even worth what I gave you.  So take the fucking money and shut the mother fucking door!"  He did.  It worked.  Thanks Cliff. 

It took us the rest of the drive to settle our nerves and by the time we got to Agra we were clutching our purses and ready to go home.  But the tour guide we got for the Taj Mahl was great and pushed us ahead of the 5000 people waiting in line.  He gave us all the history and story behind the Taj, how it was built, and even got us inside without really waiting in line (which went around the place...twice.).  We took a million pictures and were melting by the end of the tour.  We got dropped off at the Taj resturant and had a fantastic lunch.  We were charged "white people" price but we didn't care we were famished and still a bit jumpy.  The food helped and then we were whisked off to a jewler's shop and a marble shope before seeing the fort and begining the LONG ASS drive back to Delhi.  It was dusk when we left Agra and the dust was so thick I had to cover my mouth with my pashmina scarf the whole way back.  I could not believe the dust and smoke.  Everyone burns their trash at night so it was unbelieveably nasty out and it took me three days to get rid of a sore throat and stuffy nose.  We got back to the hotel after midnight.  But I got some pretty awesome pictures!  I have to be honest though.  I could not wait to get out of New Delhi.  My friend Mani said she looked up the population of Delhi and it is 14,000,000... not that much.  =)But WAY too much for me.  I'm looking forward to Rishikesh.

Yoga school, here I come!