Beyond the Bubble
11 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Aldous Huxley, Consciousness, India 2010, Rishikesh, Yoga Meditation
”To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley
“Don’t drink the water,” “don’t go out by yourself on the streets,” “learn some key phrases in their language,” “don’t eat food outside of the hotel,” “use hand sanitizer,” “take your own pillow and towels” . . . (seriously?!). . . these were all the things I was told before I left on my adventure to India. The list of things to be paranoid about when traveling to any foreign place is endless, if you allow it. It almost makes you wonder why you even considered traveling to begin with! No one can experience life from inside a bubble. You have to reach out beyond the thin film of apprehension and become an active participant to get a pure sense of knowing another life, creating a timeless and personal souvenier.
In my own country of the United States, there is the traditional mixed with the contemporary, extreme wealth and extreme poverty, drinkable and undrinkable water, places where you can and can not walk on the street by yourself, hotel pillows and towels that are poor excuses for comfort, and hand sanitizer is advisable pretty much everywhere. Examining all of these on a superficial point by point basis, it could be any country anywhere really. When I arrived in India, it was to me at once different, and yet, somewhat similar. All these same observations were apparent, but naturally veiled in the context of the culture. It would have been easy to just be an observer, dipping my toe in the rushing current of stimulation that is India; seeing it in terms of comparison to cities and parts of our own country that might have accommodated a resigned sense of comfort. However, I immediately allowed myself to get swept up into the whirlwind, swimming in the sights & sounds, anxious to feel the heart and heat of the culture. I think this is where the problem lies in visiting any foreign place: that we are apprehensively anxious to “see” and “be in” an exotic place, but are afraid to really immerse ourselves in it, fearful we might lose ourselves there, unwilling to be uncomfortable and out of our element for any length of time. As a result, we keep an arm’s length, wandering around, looking, snapping photos so we don’t forget the experience, but not letting any of it permeate the senses that allow us to feel the experience.
Immersing ourselves in another culture can not change the context of our truth. The blueprint of the self won’t be altered simply by will or time. However, experiencing a foreign culture introduces us to, and broadens our understanding of, other ways of life. The clothes, the language, the colors and smells may be different from what we are accustomed to, but underneath these thin veils lies the common thread of humanity and compassion. We are truly all of the same energy, beings of light and love. “Imagine all the people sharing all the world. You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will live as one.” (John Lennon)
India and Beyond
10 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Beachfront Yoga Classes, India 2010, Nisargadatta, Rishikesh, Sattva Yoga, Yoga Classes Jupiter, Yoga Juno Beach, Yoga Palm Beach Gardens, Yoga Philosophies, Yoga Tequesta
“What you have learned here becomes the seed. You may forget it apparently. But it will live and in due season sprout and grow and bring forth flowers and fruits. All will happen by itself. You need not do anything; only not prevent it.” – Nisargadatta
Embracing the wild side of life, leaving what we know to be comfortable and familiar, will almost always create a permanent energetic shift in every direction and facet of our life experience. Even if we are blissfully happy in our routine and not in search of even a sliver of adventure, the road less traveled will find us, defying any logic or reason we try to argue against it with.
I had many reasons to not make this journey to India. I never felt that I needed to travel half way around the world for an experience – not even for yoga. Yet, when I completed my first full certification of 2oo RYT (registered yoga teacher), I felt that something was missing; that it all seemed two-dimensional and I could feel there was more. The thought that maybe I needed to experience yoga in its purest form in the place where it all began 5,000 years ago started pestering my conscience. As quickly and frequently as the idea manifested, I dismissed it with multiple, viable reasons why it was a bad idea to make this journey: money, time, my parents, my husband, my dogs . . . all of that, but still, the idea kept returning. Call it karma, Kismet, whatever, a wild wind was literally blowing one Saturday during a beach yoga class that I was participating in. My teacher encouraged all of us to sometimes embrace our wild side, shake up our lives, asking us what were we waiting for? Within an hour, I registered for a 10 day intensive with Sattva Yoga Center in Rishikesh, India. Shake up my life, I certainly did! I had many opportunities to question my motives, to back out, right up until the day I departed the USA. India kept drawing me to her like a magnate, still unable to really rationalize or make sense of it. Therein lies the lesson – that not everything makes sense in life. The death of a loved one, good fortune, misfortune, the path our lives take, etc. none of these are ever reasoned or explained adequately, if at all. Still, they happen, and mysteriously, are intended to move us forward although sometimes cruelly, transforming us in a metamorphosis type way. We are still “we,” only more informed, more aware, more capable versions of ourselves.
Looking back, I know now that I needed to experience yoga in this sacred and holy place of Rishikesh. It has changed the way I perceive and teach yoga & meditation. More importantly though was the experience of the Indians themselves. Their genuine, often light-hearted, direct, respectful nature was like a comfortable hug of friendship and spirituality combined. They welcomed all of us in our small tribe of yogis sharing their customs, traditions, families and hearts. Just when I thought I knew all there was to know about acceptance and non judgment, this mystical place revealed another opportunity to expand the boundaries of my perception. Just as Sattva Yoga is more of an “experience” rather than a type of yoga, so too is India itself, an experience rather than an exotic destination. What began as me unreasonably embracing my wild side, ended with India unexpectedly embracing me. I have yet to know fully how completely what I learned in and about India has affected me, but as Nisargadatta says it will sprout and grow and bring forth fruit – - and I shall not try to prevent it through reason or explanation.
Be Like a Child
02 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Ernest Hemingway, India 2010, Rishikesh
“The man who has learned to live more seriously within, begins to live more simply without.” – Ernest Hemingway
There are 400+ children at the Khushi School (Khushi Charitable Project), all brimming with happiness & playfulness. The school has been made possible from charitable contributions and is the foundation project of Sattva Yoga Center. School is not mandatory in this part of Rishikesh. There is no tuition at Khushi. The only requirement to attend this school is to show up – pure desire. To Western eyes, on the surface it appears these children do not have much, but in actuality, it is the very lack of things that makes these children so happy and content. They have all that they need because they are accustomed to having less.
The children involved in the after school programs presented us with a recital of singing and dancing, martial arts, traditional dance, and a priceless rendition of the children’s hand song “Are You Sleeping Brother John” that brought smiles from ear to ear. It wasn’t long before the children were taking us by the hands asking us to dance “Please madam, please madam . . “. Now, dancing is NOT my thing, but those sweet kids bridged all the barriers of age, culture and language, so how could I refuse? Before I knew it, I got my groove on – something I hadn’t done in years (sadly).
Somewhere between our own childhood and adulthood the pressure of responsibility sets in along with competitiveness, excessive desire and the need to fulfill someone else’s expectations of who we should be. No doubt we all would be hard pressed to pinpoint exactly where and when life stopped becoming joyful and more like a routine – the daily grind. It is part of the human condition for survival. Our freedom becomes buried in the closet of the mind. We know it is there, but have difficulty connecting with it. We begin to fruitlessly search for it in material things, forgetting that real freedom is, and always has been, in allowing the spirit to express itself completely and passionately.
We should never lose the wonder and irrepressible joy of the child. Sing and laugh out loud, dance and jump around, let the spirit be free. Doing so allows us to be fully present in the moment, experiencing the full spectrum of joy and bliss. Living with less; enjoying more.
For more information on the Khushi Charitable Project please visit www.khushi.org.in
Kunj Puri – Head in the clouds, Feet on the Ground
28 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Consciousness, India 2010, Rishikesh, Thich Nhat Hanh, Yoga Meditation
“When the mind settles on mountain, it becomes the mountain.” – Thich Nhat Hahn
We have all climbed a mountain at one time or another in the emotional sense. The journey is never easy and can reduce us to tears. Sometimes it is a steep, rocky, uphill climb, other times flat and uneven., still others are a combination of both, some long, some short, etc. Regardless, these journeys are important milestones in finding our strengths and overcoming weaknesses. Realizing that we are often held back and kept prisoner by the monkey mind and that we truly choose to move forward out of free will and desire, quelling the self-doubt, the “what ifs” and manifesting happiness. Mantras and affirmations can help to steady the mind for progress along the climb. The real questions is will you make the climb?
Our trek to the Devine Mother Temple (Kunj Puri) was an exercise in perseverance and strength in every aspect of the words. Starting our adventure in Rishikesh at about 3,000 ft., we were to ascent to 7,000 ft. in approximately 6 hours. None of us knew that is would be basically straight up with small switchbacks for that length of time – - and that we would be in silent meditation for its entirety. This is a tall order for a group of 18 women. It was taxing mentally and physically, but the hardest part was that it broke each of us down emotionally and all of it a battle with the negative self talk, doubt and occasional fear. The mantra helped bring the mind to neutrality, putting one foot in front of the next and suddenly, somehow, reaching the satisfaction of accomplishment I absolutely could not have made it without those 6 little words each one matching a footstep: Dhum dhum dhum jaia mata Durga ki (asking for strength and from the goddess Durga). Completely spent, we arrive at the temple which was already in cloud cover. Looking up, we find more steps (I’m guessing 108) leading to the temple itself. Ugh! We all made it in our own individual ways, paid homage to Shakti and Shiva, and even witnessed the marital blessing of a newlywed couple.
With my head in the clouds and my feet firmly on the ground, I settled my mind on the mountain and became the mountain – a stronger, lighter, better version of myself. The climb is never over.
Vashista Guha and Facing Fear
28 Nov 2010 1 Comment
in India 2010, Rishikesh, Yoga Meditation
Vashista Guha cave is named after the renunciate Vashista who found this holy space 5,000 years ago. He lived there for his adult life devoting himself to meditation and transcendence. At 90+ years, Vashista left his physical body, yet his presence is still strongly felt in the cave.
My anticipation mounted as we traveled the switchbacks into the mountains. Fear never even crossed my mind, until I was walking half way into the tunnel. Obviously fear of the unknown played a part. Then the pitch black darkness ratcheted up the nervous system, and when I could sense the smallness of the tunnel surrounding me, my flight or fight response said time to fly! However, I had the rest of the group following behind and leaving now would be difficult, so I kept moving forward, groping around for space to sit, I straightened my spine, set my shoulders, found my breath, and eased into the comfort of the silence of meditation. What struck me first was the pure peacefulness, and oddly enough, the embrace of the cave itself. An hour later I opened my eyes to the soft glow of 2 small oil lamps at the very back of the cave by the altar. I was humbled as I considered the perseverance and extreme devotion Vashista had to want to be completely focused in silence on his creator, in this remote place.
Meditation of any type of self inquiry is much like entering the cave. Usually we can find an excuse not to go, or we begin fearless, but then retreat when we are smack in the middle of dealing with it. Our minds are like a cocoon of darkness and we don’t know what may jump up to scare us. When we realize that retreating is not an option, we do the work and often find a renewed sense of self.
Later, standing on a river rock with the cold mountain water of the Ganga rushing over my toes, I considered my teacher’s words when he said: nature is always in movement, it is never still, yet we search out nature to find stillness. Today I happily found stillness through forward movement high in the Himalayas.
Rumi
23 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Consciousness, India 2010, Rishikesh, Rumi, Yoga Meditation
“Always move, but never move the way fear makes you move.” – Rumi
Fire Purification: Intention & Attention
23 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Consciousness, India 2010, Rishikesh, Yoga Meditation
Releasing and manifesting are extremes of the same energy. As soon as we release something, we create space to receive what we desire. Think: releasing the negativity of a clenched fist to accept the positive handshake of friendship. Mentally this can be a struggle, even with good intention, when we are dealing with something abstract like fear, insecurity, love, compassion. Sometimes we need a visual to make the intangible tangible. Hence our night along the Ganga and the Fire Purification Ceremony.
A short walk through the market takes us to an obscure, steep (no railing) freshly cemented only hours ago, staircase leading down the steap facade of the village. The sun has dropped behind the Himalayas. It will be dark soon. Looking left we see the Ghat (steps leading into the river) and our Pundit, the holy man and Sanskrit master who will be our conduit to Chamundaya (Cham-die) the Goddess of evolution. Fire is the great purifier, transforming objects to gas or ash. Gathering in a circle around the fire pit, our Pundit prepares the fire and gives us bowls of 9 mixed herbs representing the 9 planets of the solar system, the Pundit recites the mantra to the goddess 108 times, each time we toss small amounts of herbs onto the flame, and finally tossing our written “release” into the pit. More chanting, more herbs, bigger flame and then our “attention” – that which we wish to manifest – is offer to Chamundaya. We receive the Tilek (precursor of the bindi) as a reminder to keep our intention of the third eye fixed on our attention. A red yarn bracelet is wrapped 3 times around the wrist with the knowledge that when it falls off, it is said we will have come close to thr realization of intnetion/attention.
There’s no way to know when my bracelet will release, but I am rid of old negativity, giving me space for full attention to intention.
Namaste
Cultural Differences
22 Nov 2010 1 Comment
in India 2010, Rishikesh
It is when we see or experience something that is not in our realm of reality that we often find it hardest to reserve judgment. This is hard enough in our own community much less when visiting a unique country like India. Rishikesh is a holy town and it bustles with life from the first ringing of the temple bells at the break of day to the last argument between monkeys and dogs in the dead of night. Those two things alone could make a case for judgment when you are trying to catch some sleep, but easy enough to adjust to. Its the everyday constant reminders like the numerous feral dogs, cows who are in poor health or have sores on their skin, and beasts of burden (donkeys,elephants, ox) pressed into service, or the poor with deformaties using a stick for a cane, or even the preferential treatment we sometimes receive at a market stall because it is more profitable to do so rather than wait on their own.
In America, animals have laws & rights that protect them. Here their only protection is that ALL life is considered sacred, so helping a dog that is suffering would be messing with his life path. It is beyond difficult to mentally turn away when they come near you (for comfort or handout) sensing their remaining days are in the single digets.
It is a little embarrassing to walk into a shop stall and the owner stops waiting on an Indian customer in order to help you, but poverty is lurking behind every turn of the corner. Survival takes precedence; courtesy will have to wait.
While all of this may seem un-holy and disturbing to the ways that form the “cult” of our American culture, the ways if the Indian culture is their own reality, not someone else’s idea of it. They live fully, and yes even happily, in a state of presence, acceptance and gratitude.
Adaptation
21 Nov 2010 3 Comments
in Consciousness, India 2010, Rishikesh, Yoga Meditation
It’s all about adapting… to the time change that taxes both body & mind, the constant noise, the wildlife. We arrived in Rishikesh about 3 hours ago after a total of about 30+ hours of traveling. The trip has been a test of patience and stamina in almost every way. One of my traveling yogi friends aptly described it like being in an Indiana Jones movie.
Complete with honking horns set against lilting Indian music, weathered and worn market stalls, jeeps, cab wallas and scooters, Rishikesh takes your breath away. It’s not the physical beauty because that is not immediately evident. It is a cacaphony of sights , smells & sound simmering like the masala on tonight’s dinner menu. It is completely different yet also familiar.
These adaptations began with our travel. The very lenghth of it and ensuing weariness breaking down every identification you have with yourself so you arrive in a mid state of not quite awake, not quite asleep, allowing for that receptivity so difficult to achieve but often found through meditation.
This afternoon we’ll walk through the village letting India seep into the bones then have yoga class. Can we find our place in this wild and crazy country? Will the vibrations of gurus past raise our own vibration and awareness? Will my body support me through the asanas? I am certain the answer is yes to all of these because what the mind expects it finds.
