on our last days in rishikesh a few yoga friends and i headed down to the ganga to snap some sunset asanas. so much fun! thanks maite and rene!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
getting my hands hennaed on the streets of delhi
It was a cool evening so I bundled up and sat on the curb with this woman and her son as they hennaed my hands. usually this is done for indian weddings but i jumped at the opportunity and 1 week later it's still looking fine :)
student and teacher!
Louise and I on our last Friday morning of lead primary full vinyasa. It was a marvellous way to warm ourselves on a crisp Dec 10th morning and finish off 9 incredible weeks. Thanks Louise! I know I will see you again soon!!
ah, reika, i miss you cutie
she has to be one of my favourites from ramana's garden where i volunteered for my first month in rishikesh. i know. i know. we're not supposed to have favourites, but she's adorable. each morning as i would go to the yoga shala, which is right next to the orphanage, i would see her. so cute!
sadhus and cell phones
we met this sadhu alongside the ganga river in rishikesh. he told us he hasn't cut his hair in 37 years. he had very few material possessions but then....his cell phone rang. hilarious!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
good ole Kapotasana!
this marvellous pose continues to teach me volumes about surrender and detachment. so much to learn in this lifetime. i love it!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Visiting the village near the waterfall
And we were taken in by this lovely couple who offered us chai and sooji but most of all a memorable experience!
Having Fun!
Theresa and Sumitra taking self portraits at her place outside Dehra Dun. The next day we traveled together to Mussourie.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
3 Lovely Weekends
The past three weekends have been lovely adventures that have furthered my appreciation of India's physical and human beauty.
3 weekends ago,
I travelled 1 1/2 hrs northwest of Rishikesh to the captial of the State, Dehra Dun, to reunite with my 'Indian sister' and friend Sumitra. It was 8 months since I first met her and yet it felt just like yesterday when we embraced in the busy market of Dehra Dun. Instantly, it was as easy to relate and spend time together as I remembered. We shared stories and caught up over masala dosas, sweets and chai. We see the world very similarly and I have a feeling we were once related or most certainly supposed to meet in this lifetime.
I took the opportunity to visit her since she usually lives 6 hours north, which is too tiring a distance to travel when I am this deeply immersed in my practise. I spent the night with her in a peaceful setting outside of the capital. There, her friends were as warm and welcoming as her, calling me thier Canadian daughter and sharing stories about thier children living in Australia. They cooked a scrumptuous lunch and so naturally made me feel at home.
Sumitra told me about all the beautiful karmic work she has done since we last met. She is co-founder of an alternative school in Uttarkashi where I spent time with her last trip. She really is a woman of selfless service. Unmarried, she has humbly dedicated her life to helping those in need. She works from her heart and has completed numerous projects throughout the villages of this mountainous state from helping to create womans co-operatives selling handicrafts to assisting victims of monsoon landslides rebuild thier villages. It's remarkable how she does so much with so little funding. My mind naturally started brainstorming ways to support her. For only $1000/month she can run the school in Uttarkashi educating dozens of children and employing a handful of local staff. A little sure goes a long way here and I would love to help her continue to do the amazing and necessary work she does. She is so grateful for the little, yet sufficient amount, that she has in her modest life and sees a world in need. With skills to share, she gives and serves and teaches me so much by what seems to come so natural to her.
So 2 weekends ago,
I was inclined to take the opporunity to visit her again over my full moon long weekend. We travelled to the nearby hill station town of Mussourie to see the powerful Himilayas.
After meandering for 1 1/2 hrs up a nauseating, treacherous road in a rickety old bus we arrived at 6000 ft. The air was crisp and the landscape completely different. We piled on warm layers and set out to explore the popular Indian honeymoon town. The ridgetop town is full of shops and chai stalls, restaurants and more shops but it was the landscape that I came to see and revel in. The trees were completely different than those along the banks of the Ganga river where I stay in Laxman Jhula. Beautiful, tall evergreens stood towering over us, reminding me of B.C's coastal hemlocks.
The highlight was climbing up to the town lookout called 'Gun Hill' to see the snow covered Himilayas in the distance. Mountains remind me so much of Canada and there is something special about being reminded of home all the way over here.
We stayed up at the viewpoint as the sun set painted the peaks pink and the full moon rose. What a beautiful sight!
We drank warm chai as the temperature dropped and squatted next to a wood fire with the locals, to keep warm. The familiar smell of wood smoke amidst the crisp mountain air also reminded me of home and brought a warm smile to my heart.
We meandered down from the lookout revelling in the stillness of dusk, the power of the full moon rising and the beautiful natural setting and good company. Needless to say we were incredibly happy and feeling grateful for having this experience together. It had been many years since Sumitra visited Mussourie. Being from a mountain village near Shimla, she appreciates the rocky peaks as much as I.
I am not sure when I will see Sumitra again but I trust our paths will cross again offerring us more memorable experiences to share :)
This past weekend,
I travelled with 4 (Icelandic, Spanish, and Swedish) friends from yoga to a nearby waterfall with an unexpected delightful visit to a peaceful hillside village.
We set out early, keen for a break from the hectic traffic and bustling crowds of Laxman Jhula. Travelling 5 kms upstream of the Ganga it didn't take long for our spirits to be renewed as we entered the moist, green, quiet forest. The air felt clean and crisp with a light morning dew on the west facing slope. Soon after starting the climb to the waterfall I stopped and took a deep breath in, washing away the accumulated busy chaos of weeks of town life. Just hearing birds chirping and water flowing was such a refreshing treat.
We hiked up a well marked trail for about 1/2 an hour taking in the green, green forest to arrive at the cool mist of the waterfall. It felt spectacular to simply delight in and connect to nature with no distractions. We each shared stories of beautiful natural areas of our homes and remarked how important it is to have places like this in the world.
No one went for a dip in the water but instead we layered on sweaters and appreciated our surroundings.
Before heading back down we took another trail to what a few passing Indians told us was a small village. We climbed some more to what turned out to be one of the most peaceful places a community could live.
Rising out of the forest we reached the clearing of the village where terraced slopes grew an abundance of local food and cows, goats and horses grazed. We walked with a hesitant slowness at first, not wanting to disturb but soon a warm, smiling older Indian man greeted us. He lead us through his incredible garden of flowering roses, hibiscus, marigolds, and more. He spoke excellent english inviting us to sit under his avocado tree. Within no time his well wrinkled wife started a fire to prepare chai. We instantly felt at home with the kind, warm hospitality of this couple who it turns out have been married for 45 years!
We all sat and remarked how this was the kind of place we would love to spend more time in, where you only hear the call of birds under the warm afternoon sun next to the sweet smell of flowers.
Within another few moments his wife cooked us up a sweet snack of Sooji and coconut and yet another chai for the walk down. He showed us pictures of the handful of other foreigners who visited his place, which interestingly did not take away from the authenticity of our experience. Although others had been there we still felt genuine in our experience. I think in large part this is due to how natural and down to earth Indians can be in their interactions. They were just living thier life, happy to see and welcome visiters. They reminded me of my family in eastern Canada with thier natural hospitality and desire to give to and care for others.
While in some ways we could have spent forever here we began to descend the hillside and make our way back to the more busy life below in Laxman Jhula, taking a piece of this stillness with us. He wished us well, inviting us back next time, and his dear wife (who only spoke Hindi) smiled, squeezed our cheeks and gave us a big hug.
Three wonderful weekends have passed and I am glad to share some of my experiences with you!
WHAT NEXT:
Only 2 weeks left in this lovely northern clime, then I am off to the south to Goa to say Hello to Iain and the coconut trees. I plan to attend a vipassana meditation course at the grand pagoda outside of Mumbai over Christmas and then I am likely off to northern Thailand for the New Year.
But as always, I'll keep you posted!
All the best,
Theresa
3 weekends ago,
I travelled 1 1/2 hrs northwest of Rishikesh to the captial of the State, Dehra Dun, to reunite with my 'Indian sister' and friend Sumitra. It was 8 months since I first met her and yet it felt just like yesterday when we embraced in the busy market of Dehra Dun. Instantly, it was as easy to relate and spend time together as I remembered. We shared stories and caught up over masala dosas, sweets and chai. We see the world very similarly and I have a feeling we were once related or most certainly supposed to meet in this lifetime.
I took the opportunity to visit her since she usually lives 6 hours north, which is too tiring a distance to travel when I am this deeply immersed in my practise. I spent the night with her in a peaceful setting outside of the capital. There, her friends were as warm and welcoming as her, calling me thier Canadian daughter and sharing stories about thier children living in Australia. They cooked a scrumptuous lunch and so naturally made me feel at home.
Sumitra told me about all the beautiful karmic work she has done since we last met. She is co-founder of an alternative school in Uttarkashi where I spent time with her last trip. She really is a woman of selfless service. Unmarried, she has humbly dedicated her life to helping those in need. She works from her heart and has completed numerous projects throughout the villages of this mountainous state from helping to create womans co-operatives selling handicrafts to assisting victims of monsoon landslides rebuild thier villages. It's remarkable how she does so much with so little funding. My mind naturally started brainstorming ways to support her. For only $1000/month she can run the school in Uttarkashi educating dozens of children and employing a handful of local staff. A little sure goes a long way here and I would love to help her continue to do the amazing and necessary work she does. She is so grateful for the little, yet sufficient amount, that she has in her modest life and sees a world in need. With skills to share, she gives and serves and teaches me so much by what seems to come so natural to her.
So 2 weekends ago,
I was inclined to take the opporunity to visit her again over my full moon long weekend. We travelled to the nearby hill station town of Mussourie to see the powerful Himilayas.
After meandering for 1 1/2 hrs up a nauseating, treacherous road in a rickety old bus we arrived at 6000 ft. The air was crisp and the landscape completely different. We piled on warm layers and set out to explore the popular Indian honeymoon town. The ridgetop town is full of shops and chai stalls, restaurants and more shops but it was the landscape that I came to see and revel in. The trees were completely different than those along the banks of the Ganga river where I stay in Laxman Jhula. Beautiful, tall evergreens stood towering over us, reminding me of B.C's coastal hemlocks.
The highlight was climbing up to the town lookout called 'Gun Hill' to see the snow covered Himilayas in the distance. Mountains remind me so much of Canada and there is something special about being reminded of home all the way over here.
We stayed up at the viewpoint as the sun set painted the peaks pink and the full moon rose. What a beautiful sight!
We drank warm chai as the temperature dropped and squatted next to a wood fire with the locals, to keep warm. The familiar smell of wood smoke amidst the crisp mountain air also reminded me of home and brought a warm smile to my heart.
We meandered down from the lookout revelling in the stillness of dusk, the power of the full moon rising and the beautiful natural setting and good company. Needless to say we were incredibly happy and feeling grateful for having this experience together. It had been many years since Sumitra visited Mussourie. Being from a mountain village near Shimla, she appreciates the rocky peaks as much as I.
I am not sure when I will see Sumitra again but I trust our paths will cross again offerring us more memorable experiences to share :)
This past weekend,
I travelled with 4 (Icelandic, Spanish, and Swedish) friends from yoga to a nearby waterfall with an unexpected delightful visit to a peaceful hillside village.
We set out early, keen for a break from the hectic traffic and bustling crowds of Laxman Jhula. Travelling 5 kms upstream of the Ganga it didn't take long for our spirits to be renewed as we entered the moist, green, quiet forest. The air felt clean and crisp with a light morning dew on the west facing slope. Soon after starting the climb to the waterfall I stopped and took a deep breath in, washing away the accumulated busy chaos of weeks of town life. Just hearing birds chirping and water flowing was such a refreshing treat.
We hiked up a well marked trail for about 1/2 an hour taking in the green, green forest to arrive at the cool mist of the waterfall. It felt spectacular to simply delight in and connect to nature with no distractions. We each shared stories of beautiful natural areas of our homes and remarked how important it is to have places like this in the world.
No one went for a dip in the water but instead we layered on sweaters and appreciated our surroundings.
Before heading back down we took another trail to what a few passing Indians told us was a small village. We climbed some more to what turned out to be one of the most peaceful places a community could live.
Rising out of the forest we reached the clearing of the village where terraced slopes grew an abundance of local food and cows, goats and horses grazed. We walked with a hesitant slowness at first, not wanting to disturb but soon a warm, smiling older Indian man greeted us. He lead us through his incredible garden of flowering roses, hibiscus, marigolds, and more. He spoke excellent english inviting us to sit under his avocado tree. Within no time his well wrinkled wife started a fire to prepare chai. We instantly felt at home with the kind, warm hospitality of this couple who it turns out have been married for 45 years!
We all sat and remarked how this was the kind of place we would love to spend more time in, where you only hear the call of birds under the warm afternoon sun next to the sweet smell of flowers.
Within another few moments his wife cooked us up a sweet snack of Sooji and coconut and yet another chai for the walk down. He showed us pictures of the handful of other foreigners who visited his place, which interestingly did not take away from the authenticity of our experience. Although others had been there we still felt genuine in our experience. I think in large part this is due to how natural and down to earth Indians can be in their interactions. They were just living thier life, happy to see and welcome visiters. They reminded me of my family in eastern Canada with thier natural hospitality and desire to give to and care for others.
While in some ways we could have spent forever here we began to descend the hillside and make our way back to the more busy life below in Laxman Jhula, taking a piece of this stillness with us. He wished us well, inviting us back next time, and his dear wife (who only spoke Hindi) smiled, squeezed our cheeks and gave us a big hug.
Three wonderful weekends have passed and I am glad to share some of my experiences with you!
WHAT NEXT:
Only 2 weeks left in this lovely northern clime, then I am off to the south to Goa to say Hello to Iain and the coconut trees. I plan to attend a vipassana meditation course at the grand pagoda outside of Mumbai over Christmas and then I am likely off to northern Thailand for the New Year.
But as always, I'll keep you posted!
All the best,
Theresa
Monday, November 15, 2010
Real and Revealing
One of my favourite Friday afternoon or Saturday rituals here is cleaning my place. It gives me such a sense of satisfaction to put on some music and take my time mopping the floors, scrubbing the bathroom and making things feel clean for at least a brief period of time. Because, the reality is that cleanliness only lasts so long here. I can spend an hour cleaning and then open my windows to smoke from a garbage fire burning next door or a dust storm that quickly covers my marble floors with grit once again. While this teaches me to let go of expectations of the ever changing outcomes and enjoy the process, recently it also symbolized how India reveals all.
Just last week as I was finishing up cleaning my place, the last job was to disinfect the bathroom floor. Bob Marley was playing from my iPod and a warm afternoon breeze was coming in through the windows. I was nearly resting in the satisfaction of cleanliness when the main drain of the shower came loose only to reveal a whole mob of cockroaches. Lovely.
Now, I could have suspected that they live in the drains and while a few tried to get free from the retches of the Indian sewer system it dawned on me how symbolic such an experience was to me.
Most often in our lives we try to cover up the bad or the evil or the grit or the dirt rather than face it, but in fact it is part of our Whole as beings. I spent an hour cleaning the 'surfaces' of my place only to find what I consider quite nasty critters in the drains. And this is precisely what India shows me every day. The endless garbage and filth and sewage and cow shit and grime is constantly present here. Perhaps we (Westerners) never get used to the overload on our senses but I think it is healthy to face it and realize it is part of the whole picture .
How many of us have been to our local dump? We neatly place our rubbish on the curb where it is conveniently collected weekly, but do we know where it goes? Are we in touch with our whole system in its entirety and how we are a part of it?
While I was quick to put the bathroom drain back on and leave the cockroaches in the pipes, I feel less and less appalled when I see all the garbage and filth in India. Honestly, it feels more real here in a sense because it's not hiding much!
Just last week as I was finishing up cleaning my place, the last job was to disinfect the bathroom floor. Bob Marley was playing from my iPod and a warm afternoon breeze was coming in through the windows. I was nearly resting in the satisfaction of cleanliness when the main drain of the shower came loose only to reveal a whole mob of cockroaches. Lovely.
Now, I could have suspected that they live in the drains and while a few tried to get free from the retches of the Indian sewer system it dawned on me how symbolic such an experience was to me.
Most often in our lives we try to cover up the bad or the evil or the grit or the dirt rather than face it, but in fact it is part of our Whole as beings. I spent an hour cleaning the 'surfaces' of my place only to find what I consider quite nasty critters in the drains. And this is precisely what India shows me every day. The endless garbage and filth and sewage and cow shit and grime is constantly present here. Perhaps we (Westerners) never get used to the overload on our senses but I think it is healthy to face it and realize it is part of the whole picture .
How many of us have been to our local dump? We neatly place our rubbish on the curb where it is conveniently collected weekly, but do we know where it goes? Are we in touch with our whole system in its entirety and how we are a part of it?
While I was quick to put the bathroom drain back on and leave the cockroaches in the pipes, I feel less and less appalled when I see all the garbage and filth in India. Honestly, it feels more real here in a sense because it's not hiding much!
Spending the weekend with my Indian Sister reuniting. Here she is picking fresh, ripe Guava!
Spending the weekend with my Indian Sister reuniting. Here she is picking fresh, ripe Guava!
Originally uploaded by Theresa Gulliver's Travels
Happy Diwali
Well, the great Festival of Lights - Diwali - has come and gone and although I have experienced it I still don't know if I get the full extent of all it entails. From my perspective it looked like Christmas with lights strewn Everywhere (many of which are still up). It sounded like New Years or Canada Day with firecrackers and fireworks filling the sky with vibrancy and explosions for days! The best part was to feel the sense of holiday with shops closed and local people everywhere wishing those they greet a "Happy Diwali." Moods were upbeat and bouyant giving a true feeling of a joyous holiday.
One night I came home and the owners of my place (who live on the main floor) had lit a small oil candle outside my door. I realized after reading about the festival that these are lit everywhere, including on the Ganga river, to guide Lord Rama home from exile.
Many Indians gave their houses a (fast) coat of fresh paint and bought new houseware items leading up to the festival.
My friend Shelagh, from Whitehorse, sent me a note about Diwali that was forwarded to her and I would like to share it here to give a better sense of the background of the holiday.
Diwali - perhaps the most important festival in Hinduism. It is the harvest festival, the Indian equivalent of Thanksgiving, and so the goddess Maha Lakshmi, supreme symbol of all abundance, wealth and beauty, is worshipped.
Diwali also celebrates Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and after having defeated the demon Ravana who had abducted his wife, Sita. Ram embodies the dharma; Sita is the spirit of the earth; Ravana symbolizes the ego and its ignorance. That we must return the spirit of the earth to the heart of dharma is without question.
All across India, the setting off of fireworks and the lighting of oil lamps in the house welcomes the return of Rama. The light on the hearth is synonymous of the welcoming dharma into our hearts and the triumph of light over darkness in our lives and in the world.
So there you have it - a glimpse of Diwali.
I hope each of you are finding the light within and letting it fill you with joy!
~t
One night I came home and the owners of my place (who live on the main floor) had lit a small oil candle outside my door. I realized after reading about the festival that these are lit everywhere, including on the Ganga river, to guide Lord Rama home from exile.
Many Indians gave their houses a (fast) coat of fresh paint and bought new houseware items leading up to the festival.
My friend Shelagh, from Whitehorse, sent me a note about Diwali that was forwarded to her and I would like to share it here to give a better sense of the background of the holiday.
Diwali - perhaps the most important festival in Hinduism. It is the harvest festival, the Indian equivalent of Thanksgiving, and so the goddess Maha Lakshmi, supreme symbol of all abundance, wealth and beauty, is worshipped.
Diwali also celebrates Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and after having defeated the demon Ravana who had abducted his wife, Sita. Ram embodies the dharma; Sita is the spirit of the earth; Ravana symbolizes the ego and its ignorance. That we must return the spirit of the earth to the heart of dharma is without question.
All across India, the setting off of fireworks and the lighting of oil lamps in the house welcomes the return of Rama. The light on the hearth is synonymous of the welcoming dharma into our hearts and the triumph of light over darkness in our lives and in the world.
So there you have it - a glimpse of Diwali.
I hope each of you are finding the light within and letting it fill you with joy!
~t
Friday, November 5, 2010
Theresa with Suman and Durga
Theresa with Suman and Durga
Originally uploaded by Theresa Gulliver's Travels
I am volunteering at an orphanage in the afternoons,
which I intend to write more about soon!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The delicate balance between give and take
I just took a fabulous Indian cooking class lead by a pleasant Indian man and his family. Not only did I quadruple the number of Indian recipes I can make, but I also delighted in the delicate dance of give and take.
I am realizing my favourite moments here are those spent connecting with local people. Genuine moments of connection are rare because the reality is that I am a tourist here and am most often treated like one. The times I most commonly spend interacting with locals are in cafes, internet places or shops where money is always exchanged. I feel to most locals I am viewed as a walking sum of rupees because I am 32 travelling on my own here, which to most of them costs more than they make in many, many years. So, I understand why thier first image of me is one of money. Indian and foreign tourist come and go from here constantly, the latter seeking an 'authentic' Indian experience of some kind.
But what is that exactly?
Perhaps it's self defined.
To me, lately it's connecting human to human with local people. It's having a conversation with the Tibetan woman selling jewelery who has lived here most of her life. It's sharing my cinnamon roll with an interested 2 year old Indian boy who only speaks Hindi. And it's also spending 2 hours cooking, learning and interacting with Sonud and his family.
We made kitchery, channa masala, aloo parantha and kheer - a perfectly complete and delicious meal! The tomatoes and ginger were already chopped and the kheer milk boiling when I arrived at thier home next to a stream flowing into the Ganga.
'Tea? You like Chai?' I am asked shortly after sitting next to the stove. I hesitate to answer only because I have not yet had a single cup after almost 1 month of being here. The primary reason for this is because I have not wanted to add to the overflow of mucous in my system from this cold that is finally disipating. I say 'yes' simply because I absolutly love the act of sharing tea here. I think it symbolizes everything I love about this place....a time to stop, sit, share and take in the world that is whizzing by. This seems like the perfect time to engage in my favourite daily Indian ritual. So, another pot of milk goes on the stove to boil with a sprinkling of black tea and a handful of sugar.
As we sip chai I continue to watch and take notes and interact with Sonud and his daughters who are helping. My favourite is making aloo parantha - mashed potatoes with fresh cilantro stuffed into chipatis. Yum! Finally I understand how the potatoe goodness gets in between the flat chipati.
And more importantly, I converse with Sonud and his 2 daughters, the eldest of which is 22 with 2 sons that are running around the room as we cook. He tells me he's been cooking for 40 years, since he was a young boy and he now has heart troubles and is visibly missing 2 fingers, both of which make physical labour difficult. We talk about yoga and Indian culture and he inquires about Canada and why I'm not married (the most common Indian question I am asked). He is so proud of his culture. I tell him how much I love Indian food and he confirms how healthy it is and shares the ayurvedic properties of the food we are making. His oldest grandson turns 4 in a few days and he invites me to come and celebrate with them and of course to eat more Indian food. He then shows me around his humble home where I can hardly believe there is space for 8 people to live. Glimpsing his reality along with his kindnes makes me wonder - how can I, who has so much, not want to help?
After the scrumptious meal is complete I am able to feast on the product of our labours and enjoy the flavours. As I do so Sonud plays with his youngest grandson who is 10 months old and laughs in his grandpas arms. We make more food than I would eat in a week and I know the family will eat the rest after I leave, despite me paying extra for all the ingredients.
There once was a time when this would have bothered me and I am happy to say I have reached a point where I no longer feel the need to argue or barter as much over a few extra rupees. In part this is due to feeling people are not trying nearly as hard to rip me off as they do in Goa and secondly, I am realizing how far an extra dollar or two goes here and how much it is often valued in thier lives.
Have you taken a moment today to realize how much we have to be grateful for in our North American lives?
It's Amazing!
I am happy to learn from Sonud and pay for a meal for his kind family and realize he is just trying to make a living in order to survive.
Sure, it feels at most times that everyone here wants something us, again seeing tourists primarily as money spenders, but aren't most things we do sourced by some level of personal gain? Is there ever true selflessness or is it simply an ideal we are to keep in mind and aim for? Even when we are doing a supposed 'act of kindness' for another, isn't the inner glimmer of personal satisfaction the seed of motivation?
I exhanged money for Sonud's cooking class but in the end I am gifted with so much more than new recipes - a priceless interaction and experience that I am truly grateful for!
I am realizing my favourite moments here are those spent connecting with local people. Genuine moments of connection are rare because the reality is that I am a tourist here and am most often treated like one. The times I most commonly spend interacting with locals are in cafes, internet places or shops where money is always exchanged. I feel to most locals I am viewed as a walking sum of rupees because I am 32 travelling on my own here, which to most of them costs more than they make in many, many years. So, I understand why thier first image of me is one of money. Indian and foreign tourist come and go from here constantly, the latter seeking an 'authentic' Indian experience of some kind.
But what is that exactly?
Perhaps it's self defined.
To me, lately it's connecting human to human with local people. It's having a conversation with the Tibetan woman selling jewelery who has lived here most of her life. It's sharing my cinnamon roll with an interested 2 year old Indian boy who only speaks Hindi. And it's also spending 2 hours cooking, learning and interacting with Sonud and his family.
We made kitchery, channa masala, aloo parantha and kheer - a perfectly complete and delicious meal! The tomatoes and ginger were already chopped and the kheer milk boiling when I arrived at thier home next to a stream flowing into the Ganga.
'Tea? You like Chai?' I am asked shortly after sitting next to the stove. I hesitate to answer only because I have not yet had a single cup after almost 1 month of being here. The primary reason for this is because I have not wanted to add to the overflow of mucous in my system from this cold that is finally disipating. I say 'yes' simply because I absolutly love the act of sharing tea here. I think it symbolizes everything I love about this place....a time to stop, sit, share and take in the world that is whizzing by. This seems like the perfect time to engage in my favourite daily Indian ritual. So, another pot of milk goes on the stove to boil with a sprinkling of black tea and a handful of sugar.
As we sip chai I continue to watch and take notes and interact with Sonud and his daughters who are helping. My favourite is making aloo parantha - mashed potatoes with fresh cilantro stuffed into chipatis. Yum! Finally I understand how the potatoe goodness gets in between the flat chipati.
And more importantly, I converse with Sonud and his 2 daughters, the eldest of which is 22 with 2 sons that are running around the room as we cook. He tells me he's been cooking for 40 years, since he was a young boy and he now has heart troubles and is visibly missing 2 fingers, both of which make physical labour difficult. We talk about yoga and Indian culture and he inquires about Canada and why I'm not married (the most common Indian question I am asked). He is so proud of his culture. I tell him how much I love Indian food and he confirms how healthy it is and shares the ayurvedic properties of the food we are making. His oldest grandson turns 4 in a few days and he invites me to come and celebrate with them and of course to eat more Indian food. He then shows me around his humble home where I can hardly believe there is space for 8 people to live. Glimpsing his reality along with his kindnes makes me wonder - how can I, who has so much, not want to help?
After the scrumptious meal is complete I am able to feast on the product of our labours and enjoy the flavours. As I do so Sonud plays with his youngest grandson who is 10 months old and laughs in his grandpas arms. We make more food than I would eat in a week and I know the family will eat the rest after I leave, despite me paying extra for all the ingredients.
There once was a time when this would have bothered me and I am happy to say I have reached a point where I no longer feel the need to argue or barter as much over a few extra rupees. In part this is due to feeling people are not trying nearly as hard to rip me off as they do in Goa and secondly, I am realizing how far an extra dollar or two goes here and how much it is often valued in thier lives.
Have you taken a moment today to realize how much we have to be grateful for in our North American lives?
It's Amazing!
I am happy to learn from Sonud and pay for a meal for his kind family and realize he is just trying to make a living in order to survive.
Sure, it feels at most times that everyone here wants something us, again seeing tourists primarily as money spenders, but aren't most things we do sourced by some level of personal gain? Is there ever true selflessness or is it simply an ideal we are to keep in mind and aim for? Even when we are doing a supposed 'act of kindness' for another, isn't the inner glimmer of personal satisfaction the seed of motivation?
I exhanged money for Sonud's cooking class but in the end I am gifted with so much more than new recipes - a priceless interaction and experience that I am truly grateful for!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Subtle power of Yin Yoga
In addition to Mysore practise 6 mornings a week, Louise guides us through afternoon Yin Yoga classes twice a week. Ashtanga and Yin Yoga are commonly practised together and I am beginning to understand, and feel first hand in my body, why.
Yin yoga is pretty much the opposite of Ashtanga's more Yang qualities. Rather than flowing through endless vinyasas and holding poses for only 5 ujjayi breaths, with Yin yoga we drop into restorative poses with very little concern for alignment and hold them for an infinatly long 5 minutes. While the Ashtanga system can offer flexibility, it is primarily a practise of inner and physical strength, whereas Yin yoga is all about getting into those tight areas and opening them up.
Wow. I have never experienced such wild and squirrly sensations in my nervous system as I have in the last week with such long holds in hip opening poses. The Yin postures focus alot on opening the hips and groins, which are two very tight areas in this body of mine. Getting into a restorative version of eka pada rajakapotasana (pidgeon) and staying there for 5 minutes certainly can bring up a lot. It's quite the feat to try to endure through the reactions of the nervous systems and move towards peace of mind in the pose. We store tensions throughout our bodies and yoga asanas are, in part, designed to purify our physical bodies by slowly releasing such blockages. Never before have I felt this so clearly as I have lately with Yin yoga.
I think it is the perfect compliment to the Ashtanga system because it teaches the body to completely disengage and simply drop into the pose allowing gravity to take over for long periods of time. There is no physical exertion. It feels like a true process of actively letting go in such a subtle way and yet the effects are profound. Already after a few classes I can see and feel the difference in my hips and more so in my mind. We can than take these openings into the more engaging and strength building Ashtanga practise.
Yin yoga teaches us how to go to the 'edge' in the pose - the very place where the sensations (not pain) are awakened - and then to just BE there. It's not often in our lives or in our practise that we sustain discomfort. Most often our response is to change something fast and make it 'better.' I find even in the Ashtanga practise it can be too easy to speed up the 5 ujjayi breaths when in an uncomfortable pose and quickly move on to the next. But in Yin yoga you are committed. There is no where to go for 5 whole minutes. I find sustaining this is precisely what some especially tight areas in this body of mine require.
It's also an excellent exercise for our minds. Louise talks to us about various insightful aspects of yoga and life during the 5 minutes and the other day she reminded us that not everything is supposed to be comfortable. So simple yet so true. She encouraged us to BE with the sensations arising, rather than trying to change them, and allow them to release. I seem to constantly be learning and re-learning this powerful message and Yin yoga is currently my teacher.
I feel Louise is the most fitting woman to guide me through such difficult and profound openings that appear to be deeply entrenched. There is a point when my nervous system is reacting so strongly and I just want to get out of the pose immediately. I find having Louise's gentle nature hold the space and remind us to just BE present is reassuring and calming. The practise feels like a reflection of her personality. It is the subtle power of Yin yoga that has strong effects, which is precisely the style that Louise teaches and eminates.
I look forward to seeing what else I can let go of through this subtle, yet profound practise.
Yin yoga is pretty much the opposite of Ashtanga's more Yang qualities. Rather than flowing through endless vinyasas and holding poses for only 5 ujjayi breaths, with Yin yoga we drop into restorative poses with very little concern for alignment and hold them for an infinatly long 5 minutes. While the Ashtanga system can offer flexibility, it is primarily a practise of inner and physical strength, whereas Yin yoga is all about getting into those tight areas and opening them up.
Wow. I have never experienced such wild and squirrly sensations in my nervous system as I have in the last week with such long holds in hip opening poses. The Yin postures focus alot on opening the hips and groins, which are two very tight areas in this body of mine. Getting into a restorative version of eka pada rajakapotasana (pidgeon) and staying there for 5 minutes certainly can bring up a lot. It's quite the feat to try to endure through the reactions of the nervous systems and move towards peace of mind in the pose. We store tensions throughout our bodies and yoga asanas are, in part, designed to purify our physical bodies by slowly releasing such blockages. Never before have I felt this so clearly as I have lately with Yin yoga.
I think it is the perfect compliment to the Ashtanga system because it teaches the body to completely disengage and simply drop into the pose allowing gravity to take over for long periods of time. There is no physical exertion. It feels like a true process of actively letting go in such a subtle way and yet the effects are profound. Already after a few classes I can see and feel the difference in my hips and more so in my mind. We can than take these openings into the more engaging and strength building Ashtanga practise.
Yin yoga teaches us how to go to the 'edge' in the pose - the very place where the sensations (not pain) are awakened - and then to just BE there. It's not often in our lives or in our practise that we sustain discomfort. Most often our response is to change something fast and make it 'better.' I find even in the Ashtanga practise it can be too easy to speed up the 5 ujjayi breaths when in an uncomfortable pose and quickly move on to the next. But in Yin yoga you are committed. There is no where to go for 5 whole minutes. I find sustaining this is precisely what some especially tight areas in this body of mine require.
It's also an excellent exercise for our minds. Louise talks to us about various insightful aspects of yoga and life during the 5 minutes and the other day she reminded us that not everything is supposed to be comfortable. So simple yet so true. She encouraged us to BE with the sensations arising, rather than trying to change them, and allow them to release. I seem to constantly be learning and re-learning this powerful message and Yin yoga is currently my teacher.
I feel Louise is the most fitting woman to guide me through such difficult and profound openings that appear to be deeply entrenched. There is a point when my nervous system is reacting so strongly and I just want to get out of the pose immediately. I find having Louise's gentle nature hold the space and remind us to just BE present is reassuring and calming. The practise feels like a reflection of her personality. It is the subtle power of Yin yoga that has strong effects, which is precisely the style that Louise teaches and eminates.
I look forward to seeing what else I can let go of through this subtle, yet profound practise.
Why I love to practise with Louise Ellis
Many of you have asked so here is my attempt at explaining why I love practising yoga in the presence of Louise Ellis as a teacher. There are several qualities I admire about her as a person and a teacher, but ultimatly it is a feeling of comfort and ease that I have when I am in her presence that makes me appreciate her most. She is very real, very kind and her overall gentle nature allows me to open and let go, moving deeper into my own practise. She is a very well established female ashtanga practitioner who is soft yet strong, which is beautiful to see in this system of yoga.
By real I mean genuine, down to earth and approachable. You can speak to her on nearly any topic and she welcomes you to do so. Rarely does this occur with such an advanced practitioner, which to me makes her very real. When I was here in March, another student and I went to lunch with her and talked about anything and everything with pure ease. It was like old friends reuniting and I am grateful for that experience. Louise is very honest in speech and eminates very little ego in her personality. This time, we haven't gone for lunch (yet) but in morning Mysore practise she is always happy to speak to you. She'll come to your mat and either give you the most powerfully gentle adjustment or talk to you about the pose you're working on, kindly offerring alternatives and suggestions. There hasn't been a morning yet when I haven't heard her laugh with either myself of another student. She's simply a joyous presence!
Her qualities of gentleness and kindness I find are absolutly critical to be around at this stage of my own practise. Moving into Intermediate series, my work is presently with backbends, which can bring up a lot of emotions and sensations. When we are exposing our often vulnerable front bodies and our delicate hearts in backbending poses, a gentle presence guiding us is most appreciative. Primary series is well designed to open the back of the body with countless forward bends and naturally, we evolve into backbending. For me, I find my ability to open and be what at most times feels very vulnerable in poses like kapotasana and drop backs, is greatly affected by the teacher I am practising with. Being in Louise's compassionate presence feels like a comfortable fit, allowing me to let go and drop back into the unknown. I feel my body open with ease and trust in her guidance and I know this is precisely what I need to move more deeply into the next stages of my practise.
This past week, being sick with a nasty cold, Louise has reminded me not to overdo it but yet to still apply myself. I find it is this exact, oh-so-delicate, line that I am so curious about. How do we engage, in yoga and in life, with effortless effort? Most often I think we walk either side of centre, sometimes glimpsing the middle itself. To me, Louise is not only a good example of strength and ease, but she also allows me to experiment and come more closely to finding my own middle path.
It is often helpful to see admirable qualities in others in order to tap into the place they reside within ourselves. At this time in my life and in my practise, Louise is helping me develop inner and physical strength with softness in what can often be a physically demanding yoga practise. It is this same balance of strength and grace I am working on incorporating into my life.
I am greatful for this experience and look forward to the next 7 weeks to continue the journey of unfolding!
By real I mean genuine, down to earth and approachable. You can speak to her on nearly any topic and she welcomes you to do so. Rarely does this occur with such an advanced practitioner, which to me makes her very real. When I was here in March, another student and I went to lunch with her and talked about anything and everything with pure ease. It was like old friends reuniting and I am grateful for that experience. Louise is very honest in speech and eminates very little ego in her personality. This time, we haven't gone for lunch (yet) but in morning Mysore practise she is always happy to speak to you. She'll come to your mat and either give you the most powerfully gentle adjustment or talk to you about the pose you're working on, kindly offerring alternatives and suggestions. There hasn't been a morning yet when I haven't heard her laugh with either myself of another student. She's simply a joyous presence!
Her qualities of gentleness and kindness I find are absolutly critical to be around at this stage of my own practise. Moving into Intermediate series, my work is presently with backbends, which can bring up a lot of emotions and sensations. When we are exposing our often vulnerable front bodies and our delicate hearts in backbending poses, a gentle presence guiding us is most appreciative. Primary series is well designed to open the back of the body with countless forward bends and naturally, we evolve into backbending. For me, I find my ability to open and be what at most times feels very vulnerable in poses like kapotasana and drop backs, is greatly affected by the teacher I am practising with. Being in Louise's compassionate presence feels like a comfortable fit, allowing me to let go and drop back into the unknown. I feel my body open with ease and trust in her guidance and I know this is precisely what I need to move more deeply into the next stages of my practise.
This past week, being sick with a nasty cold, Louise has reminded me not to overdo it but yet to still apply myself. I find it is this exact, oh-so-delicate, line that I am so curious about. How do we engage, in yoga and in life, with effortless effort? Most often I think we walk either side of centre, sometimes glimpsing the middle itself. To me, Louise is not only a good example of strength and ease, but she also allows me to experiment and come more closely to finding my own middle path.
It is often helpful to see admirable qualities in others in order to tap into the place they reside within ourselves. At this time in my life and in my practise, Louise is helping me develop inner and physical strength with softness in what can often be a physically demanding yoga practise. It is this same balance of strength and grace I am working on incorporating into my life.
I am greatful for this experience and look forward to the next 7 weeks to continue the journey of unfolding!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Everywhere We Go, There We Are
Well, it's been 1 week since I arrived in India and it amazes me how quickly our surroundings and lifestyles can change. Yet with such changes I am also reminded that no matter where we go, there we are! No matter which continent we are on, we have ourselves and all of our light and all of our dark right there with us along the way!
It has been quite the week of adjustments and transitions but I am proud to say I am starting to find a routine and drop back into this yoga lifestyle.
After a lengthy journey from Lake Erie, southern Ontario, to Abu Dhabi, to Delhi, to Rishikesh and finally to Laxman Jhula, I am pleased to say I slept my first night in India at my final destination where I will spend the next 2 months!
Arriving into smog filled, filthy, chaotic Delhi at 5:30 am left me wanting nothing more than to keep moving through and beyond it. After lingering in the airport until I felt confident to step out into my new reality, I made my way directly to the New Delhi train station only to learn the earliest train I could catch was at 11 pm. Not soon enough for me! So I continued on to the next best thing, a local bus. Suddenly I was at the bus stand, away from other options, such as the possibility of splurging on a relatively more 'luxurious' air conditioned bus. At that point I was committed so I piled in the overly crowded, decrepit local bus headed for Rishikesh. I was happy to be moving, even though pathetically slowly, for my final destination. Turns out the 9 hour ride only cost $3 CDN but included a flat tire along the way, stops way too often for people getting off, crowding on or for the many guys trying to sell us everything from watches to water to coconut pieces. I went for some coconut to chew on and smiled, letting go of needing to be anywhere at any particular time, or even the need to feel completely comfortable in this new, yet familiar, chaotic reality that I chose to be part of at this time. Ah, India!
I decided to spend my first night in Laxman Jhula (10 mins from Rishikesh) at the same place I spent most of my time here during my last trip in March. Upon arriving, dirt covered and exhausted, I was amazed that the owners recognized me. Indians have incredible memories but it was over 6 months ago that I was here and they see so many tourists, that I didn't expect such a warm welcome. Already, after just moments of arriving, I was feeling like I had just left yesterday. So much is similar and yet there are the small things that are slightly different, such as the murky brown colour of the Ganga River post monsoon. Already I am constantly hearing myself say "Same, Same, but Different!" b/c it's so true.
It's interesting to return to a familiar place and yet feel so different within ourselves. This is how I felt returning to Canada in June of this year and it is once again how I feel dropping back into Laxman Jhula. I find it is as though I expect the level of changes within me to be reflected in my surroundings. Perhaps it's simply a matter of taking responsibility for the shift within ourselves and reflecting it, for example in our actions, to our surroundings. Who knows.
After a well deserved horizontal sleep, resting and reading, getting re-aquainted with this part of India and indulging in things I missed most from here like refreshing lemon nanas (fresh lime, mint and ice drink), I have settled into a lovely bachelorette suite with my very own kitchen, clean bathroom, bedroom and large porch. I have a beautiful view of the surrounding green hillsides and the Ganga River in the distance. And yes, I have started practising with Louise!
It is such a delight to be in her presence, learn from her and open up in my yoga practise. It's a small group at the moment practising each morning in a glass enclosed rooftop shala overlooking the Ganga River. We face east as we practise and each morning as I start the seated poses of Primary Series the sun rises over the hilltops right onto my mat. It is not nearly as hot here as Goa, which is wonderful. The temperature drops quite a bit here at night and the wind picks up making it cool and comfortable for sleeping. The days still reach the high 20's to 30 C by mid day but it feels very tolerable in this dry climate. Each day is getting a bit cooler as we move into winter and I must say, I love it.
I'm slowly getting into the flow, finding my post travel ashtanga practise and as my body adjusts, it is nice to remind myself that there is no rush. I have 9 weeks here with Louise, which is plenty of time to dive deeper into my practise. Once again, it is a matter of letting go and letting things unfold as they will b/c truly, that is the only way one can survive in this part of the world. Nothing ever goes according to how you envision it - ever- so you either drive yourself crazy wishing things were different, of just step back, breath and accept that for whatever reason, they are going as they are going. You can either fight the current or go with it and although sometimes I find myself still trying to swim upstream, more and more I am learning to go with the ease of the flow!
I find I have plenty of time on my hands, which I knew would be a struggle for me particularly this time around without Iain's grounding presence. I realize, this is my work right now, to drop into where I am, remembering that it's where I want to be at this time and not worry about what the future will bring. As many of you know, the unknown future has been a bit of a struggle for me lately and to be honest, on some level I thought I would arrive here and that would go away. Where to? I am not sure. But it turns out it is right here with me. Even on the other side of the planet, my internal struggles came along for the journey, which is just fine. As Rumi reminds me, this being human is a guest house, each day a new arrival. And also, it is clear to me that everywhere we go, there we are.
So here I am being with Theresa, dropping into my surroundings and finding my own rhythm, soaking in all that this same, same, yet new experience has to offer!
It has been quite the week of adjustments and transitions but I am proud to say I am starting to find a routine and drop back into this yoga lifestyle.
After a lengthy journey from Lake Erie, southern Ontario, to Abu Dhabi, to Delhi, to Rishikesh and finally to Laxman Jhula, I am pleased to say I slept my first night in India at my final destination where I will spend the next 2 months!
Arriving into smog filled, filthy, chaotic Delhi at 5:30 am left me wanting nothing more than to keep moving through and beyond it. After lingering in the airport until I felt confident to step out into my new reality, I made my way directly to the New Delhi train station only to learn the earliest train I could catch was at 11 pm. Not soon enough for me! So I continued on to the next best thing, a local bus. Suddenly I was at the bus stand, away from other options, such as the possibility of splurging on a relatively more 'luxurious' air conditioned bus. At that point I was committed so I piled in the overly crowded, decrepit local bus headed for Rishikesh. I was happy to be moving, even though pathetically slowly, for my final destination. Turns out the 9 hour ride only cost $3 CDN but included a flat tire along the way, stops way too often for people getting off, crowding on or for the many guys trying to sell us everything from watches to water to coconut pieces. I went for some coconut to chew on and smiled, letting go of needing to be anywhere at any particular time, or even the need to feel completely comfortable in this new, yet familiar, chaotic reality that I chose to be part of at this time. Ah, India!
I decided to spend my first night in Laxman Jhula (10 mins from Rishikesh) at the same place I spent most of my time here during my last trip in March. Upon arriving, dirt covered and exhausted, I was amazed that the owners recognized me. Indians have incredible memories but it was over 6 months ago that I was here and they see so many tourists, that I didn't expect such a warm welcome. Already, after just moments of arriving, I was feeling like I had just left yesterday. So much is similar and yet there are the small things that are slightly different, such as the murky brown colour of the Ganga River post monsoon. Already I am constantly hearing myself say "Same, Same, but Different!" b/c it's so true.
It's interesting to return to a familiar place and yet feel so different within ourselves. This is how I felt returning to Canada in June of this year and it is once again how I feel dropping back into Laxman Jhula. I find it is as though I expect the level of changes within me to be reflected in my surroundings. Perhaps it's simply a matter of taking responsibility for the shift within ourselves and reflecting it, for example in our actions, to our surroundings. Who knows.
After a well deserved horizontal sleep, resting and reading, getting re-aquainted with this part of India and indulging in things I missed most from here like refreshing lemon nanas (fresh lime, mint and ice drink), I have settled into a lovely bachelorette suite with my very own kitchen, clean bathroom, bedroom and large porch. I have a beautiful view of the surrounding green hillsides and the Ganga River in the distance. And yes, I have started practising with Louise!
It is such a delight to be in her presence, learn from her and open up in my yoga practise. It's a small group at the moment practising each morning in a glass enclosed rooftop shala overlooking the Ganga River. We face east as we practise and each morning as I start the seated poses of Primary Series the sun rises over the hilltops right onto my mat. It is not nearly as hot here as Goa, which is wonderful. The temperature drops quite a bit here at night and the wind picks up making it cool and comfortable for sleeping. The days still reach the high 20's to 30 C by mid day but it feels very tolerable in this dry climate. Each day is getting a bit cooler as we move into winter and I must say, I love it.
I'm slowly getting into the flow, finding my post travel ashtanga practise and as my body adjusts, it is nice to remind myself that there is no rush. I have 9 weeks here with Louise, which is plenty of time to dive deeper into my practise. Once again, it is a matter of letting go and letting things unfold as they will b/c truly, that is the only way one can survive in this part of the world. Nothing ever goes according to how you envision it - ever- so you either drive yourself crazy wishing things were different, of just step back, breath and accept that for whatever reason, they are going as they are going. You can either fight the current or go with it and although sometimes I find myself still trying to swim upstream, more and more I am learning to go with the ease of the flow!
I find I have plenty of time on my hands, which I knew would be a struggle for me particularly this time around without Iain's grounding presence. I realize, this is my work right now, to drop into where I am, remembering that it's where I want to be at this time and not worry about what the future will bring. As many of you know, the unknown future has been a bit of a struggle for me lately and to be honest, on some level I thought I would arrive here and that would go away. Where to? I am not sure. But it turns out it is right here with me. Even on the other side of the planet, my internal struggles came along for the journey, which is just fine. As Rumi reminds me, this being human is a guest house, each day a new arrival. And also, it is clear to me that everywhere we go, there we are.
So here I am being with Theresa, dropping into my surroundings and finding my own rhythm, soaking in all that this same, same, yet new experience has to offer!
Friday, May 14, 2010
A picture is worth a thousand words
They say a picture is worth a thousand words so to make up for my lack of writing in the last month, here are some pictures from the end of my time in India, in the Himilayas, and some of the highlights from Thailand.
Enjoy!....I sure have :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45456994@N03/
Thailand truly is a beautiful country in many, many ways. I have learnt heaps from the gentle nature of Thai people and once again, I am so incredibly grateful.
I leave May 19th for Malaysia where I will spend a few weeks on Tioman Island teaching kayaking at a Malaysian outdoors camp for adolescence. I really look forward to this experience!
Then, June 9th, I land in Vancouver! Yikes.
June 16th I am in Whitehorse.
But, I can't think about all that quite yet.
I am sitting in Chaing Mai, it's 40 degrees outside and Canada feels leap years away.
Sorry so short folks but I am soaking up my experiences which don't seem to find me in front of a computer very often.
I send you all love and light and hope you enjoy the pics and I really look forward to seeing familar faces in a months time!
xx
t
Enjoy!....I sure have :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45456994@N03/
Thailand truly is a beautiful country in many, many ways. I have learnt heaps from the gentle nature of Thai people and once again, I am so incredibly grateful.
I leave May 19th for Malaysia where I will spend a few weeks on Tioman Island teaching kayaking at a Malaysian outdoors camp for adolescence. I really look forward to this experience!
Then, June 9th, I land in Vancouver! Yikes.
June 16th I am in Whitehorse.
But, I can't think about all that quite yet.
I am sitting in Chaing Mai, it's 40 degrees outside and Canada feels leap years away.
Sorry so short folks but I am soaking up my experiences which don't seem to find me in front of a computer very often.
I send you all love and light and hope you enjoy the pics and I really look forward to seeing familar faces in a months time!
xx
t
Friday, April 9, 2010
Syncronicities
Hello Friends,
It's been a while and so much has happened since I left Goa in February that I don't know where to start. But, when I step back for a moment I can see the theme is syncronicity reminding me once again that I am right where I need to be and for this I am So Grateful!
For instance, after leaving Goa I headed north to the desert state of Gujarat to sit a 10 day Vipassana meditation course and who knew that Teri, from Whitehorse, would also be there!? Her plans changed and she found herself at the very same sit as I, which turned out to be a real treat. We both of course had a powerful sit at a very lovely centre and then spent days together afterwards getting to know one another in Delhi. Apparently it took a trip to India for this to happen when in fact we have lived on the same street for years in Whitehorse and never once spent time together. India does this!
From Delhi I travelled north to Rishikesh where I fell in love with the foothills and later the Himilayan mountains themselves. There, I practised Ashtanga yoga with Louise Ellis who turns out to be a teacher and woman I absolutly love. I have not resonated with a female teacher like that in a very long time, if ever. It was so beautiful.
In Rishikesh I was walking down the road one day and literally bumped into a girl I met weeks ago in Gujarat and never thought I would see again. A nice little reminder of life's syncronicities, but here is the clincher....
I was trying hard to get out of Rishikesh and get into the mountains before my next Vipassana course. For some reason, unknown to me at the time, things kept holding me there, even after yoga with Louise ended.
So, finally, I awoke early one day to catch a shared jeep about 6 hours north to a town called Uttarkashi. From there I knew I could go another 4 hours to get right into the mountains and experience their splendor. It turns out that the exact jeep I got in made my time in the north and perhaps my time in India, the most memorable of all.
A very lovely Indian woman named Sumitra was taking the same shared jeep home to Uttarkashi. Ok, so fair enough, the only 2 woman in the jeep start talking and well, the rest is history as they say. I swear we were once sisters or at least absolutly meant to cross paths and become friends. We are SO much alike! She does yoga and meditates and shares so many similar views and outlooks on life. She is a wonderful school teacher, in her mid 30's and not married and not interested in marriage, which is shocking for an Indian woman.
Needless to say we hit it off right away and become really good friends. She invited me to stay with her in Uttarkashi and it flowed so easily.... effortlessly. We had a blast. I feel like I was instantly accepted into the community thanks to her. We visited such kind, kind people, ate local foods, chatted, shared, ate more local foods and she even dressed me up in one of her Saree's for the day! She helped me plan my trip further up into the Himilayas where I stayed the night in the most northern village of the State (next to the Tibetan border) with another beautiful family that only spoke Hindi and then travelled to Gangotri temple that was surrounded with snow capped peaks. Yes, I was loving it, every minute of it!
I could go on but I think you get the picture. Sumitra and I were totally meant to meet and share and experience one another. I am so incredibly grateful. It was the most perfect near ending to my time in India.
As of tomorrow, April 10th, I will be in Thailand where I will remain open to another whole world of experiences, whatever they may be!
Sending love and light to you all,
I will write more soon!
It's been a while and so much has happened since I left Goa in February that I don't know where to start. But, when I step back for a moment I can see the theme is syncronicity reminding me once again that I am right where I need to be and for this I am So Grateful!
For instance, after leaving Goa I headed north to the desert state of Gujarat to sit a 10 day Vipassana meditation course and who knew that Teri, from Whitehorse, would also be there!? Her plans changed and she found herself at the very same sit as I, which turned out to be a real treat. We both of course had a powerful sit at a very lovely centre and then spent days together afterwards getting to know one another in Delhi. Apparently it took a trip to India for this to happen when in fact we have lived on the same street for years in Whitehorse and never once spent time together. India does this!
From Delhi I travelled north to Rishikesh where I fell in love with the foothills and later the Himilayan mountains themselves. There, I practised Ashtanga yoga with Louise Ellis who turns out to be a teacher and woman I absolutly love. I have not resonated with a female teacher like that in a very long time, if ever. It was so beautiful.
In Rishikesh I was walking down the road one day and literally bumped into a girl I met weeks ago in Gujarat and never thought I would see again. A nice little reminder of life's syncronicities, but here is the clincher....
I was trying hard to get out of Rishikesh and get into the mountains before my next Vipassana course. For some reason, unknown to me at the time, things kept holding me there, even after yoga with Louise ended.
So, finally, I awoke early one day to catch a shared jeep about 6 hours north to a town called Uttarkashi. From there I knew I could go another 4 hours to get right into the mountains and experience their splendor. It turns out that the exact jeep I got in made my time in the north and perhaps my time in India, the most memorable of all.
A very lovely Indian woman named Sumitra was taking the same shared jeep home to Uttarkashi. Ok, so fair enough, the only 2 woman in the jeep start talking and well, the rest is history as they say. I swear we were once sisters or at least absolutly meant to cross paths and become friends. We are SO much alike! She does yoga and meditates and shares so many similar views and outlooks on life. She is a wonderful school teacher, in her mid 30's and not married and not interested in marriage, which is shocking for an Indian woman.
Needless to say we hit it off right away and become really good friends. She invited me to stay with her in Uttarkashi and it flowed so easily.... effortlessly. We had a blast. I feel like I was instantly accepted into the community thanks to her. We visited such kind, kind people, ate local foods, chatted, shared, ate more local foods and she even dressed me up in one of her Saree's for the day! She helped me plan my trip further up into the Himilayas where I stayed the night in the most northern village of the State (next to the Tibetan border) with another beautiful family that only spoke Hindi and then travelled to Gangotri temple that was surrounded with snow capped peaks. Yes, I was loving it, every minute of it!
I could go on but I think you get the picture. Sumitra and I were totally meant to meet and share and experience one another. I am so incredibly grateful. It was the most perfect near ending to my time in India.
As of tomorrow, April 10th, I will be in Thailand where I will remain open to another whole world of experiences, whatever they may be!
Sending love and light to you all,
I will write more soon!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Theresa's Travelling Schedule:
Here's the plan for the next 3 months:
FEB 20: Leave Goa by Train to Mumbai
FEB 21: Day in Mumbai, evening Train to Bhuj, Gujarat
FEB 22-24: Explore Bhuj and Mandvi in Gujarat State
FEB 25-Mar 8: 10 Day Vipassana Meditation
MAR 9-14: Explore the Dessert and Ocean near meditation centre
Train to Delhi, then Train to Rishikesh
MAR 15-26: 2 weeks Ashtanga with Louise Ellis in Rishikesh
MAR 27-30: Bus north of Rishikesh to Gangotri in the Himilayas
APR 1-8: 8 Day Sattipatana Vipassana Meditation Course in Dehra Dun
APR 9: Travel to Delhi
APR 10: Taj Mahal
APR 11: Fly to THAILAND for 3 weeks to 1 month of Thai Massage courses
Mid MAYish: Oh Canada!....unless the Himilayas are calling, but I think I will likely head home :)
FEB 20: Leave Goa by Train to Mumbai
FEB 21: Day in Mumbai, evening Train to Bhuj, Gujarat
FEB 22-24: Explore Bhuj and Mandvi in Gujarat State
FEB 25-Mar 8: 10 Day Vipassana Meditation
MAR 9-14: Explore the Dessert and Ocean near meditation centre
Train to Delhi, then Train to Rishikesh
MAR 15-26: 2 weeks Ashtanga with Louise Ellis in Rishikesh
MAR 27-30: Bus north of Rishikesh to Gangotri in the Himilayas
APR 1-8: 8 Day Sattipatana Vipassana Meditation Course in Dehra Dun
APR 9: Travel to Delhi
APR 10: Taj Mahal
APR 11: Fly to THAILAND for 3 weeks to 1 month of Thai Massage courses
Mid MAYish: Oh Canada!....unless the Himilayas are calling, but I think I will likely head home :)
This has all been wonderful but now I'm on my way
My time is nearing an end here in Goa and I must say, I look forward to moving on. It's been just over 3 months living and practising here and now it is time to head north and experience some more of this diverse and well, crazy country.
There are many aspects of Goa that I will miss like the Yoga Shala and daily teachings of Rolf and Marci, but I will carry their teachings and the motivation of the Shala with me as I continue practising daily on my own. I will also miss the lovely woman and her daughter that I buy a fresh coconut from each morning at the Calangute market. Among the blaring Indian music, cows and fruit stalls she is always there with the sweetest, tastiest coconuts, perfect after a morning practise. I will miss the place that has become home here in Arpora and the beautiful family that I rent from. They are always making sure I am ok and treating me with home cooking. The daily routine I have developed has treated me so well over the last three months, and I am immensely grateful, but I truly feel ready for change.
Things have really shifted here in the last week, which I take as a sign of being ready to move on. For instance, the incredible Ayurvedic doctor I frequently visit in Panjim opened up to me for the first time in 3 months showing me pictures of his family and new puppies. Rarely has he shown interest in chatting.
Also, I spent hours with a lovely woman, close to my age, who tailored a handmade table cloth for my mother. We talked and shared and enjoyed each others company and I even helped her sew buttons on in order to get it done in time for me to send. It was a real joy and made me appreciate catching a glimpse into the life of an Indian woman my age.
I think there is a real beauty that comes with staying in one place for a duration of time. The more I frequented the same places over and over, the more the locals got used to me and had my soft papaya or daily newspaper ready for me when I arrived at the same time each day, with a smile. It's the little things like this that really count.
Perhaps we never really 'know' a place but I feel I had a good taste of aspects of this community where I am and in many ways I feel fulfilled. I have also struggled with this culture and place but I am accepting that is part of the package and in the end, I feel I am leaving on a really good note, with the intention of returning to practise with Rolf and Marci next season. We shall see!
But for now, I move on to new places and new faces and new experiences and as one of my favourite bands (that I have not heard in too long!) writes: This has all been wonderful but now I'm on my way!
All the best and much love,
t
There are many aspects of Goa that I will miss like the Yoga Shala and daily teachings of Rolf and Marci, but I will carry their teachings and the motivation of the Shala with me as I continue practising daily on my own. I will also miss the lovely woman and her daughter that I buy a fresh coconut from each morning at the Calangute market. Among the blaring Indian music, cows and fruit stalls she is always there with the sweetest, tastiest coconuts, perfect after a morning practise. I will miss the place that has become home here in Arpora and the beautiful family that I rent from. They are always making sure I am ok and treating me with home cooking. The daily routine I have developed has treated me so well over the last three months, and I am immensely grateful, but I truly feel ready for change.
Things have really shifted here in the last week, which I take as a sign of being ready to move on. For instance, the incredible Ayurvedic doctor I frequently visit in Panjim opened up to me for the first time in 3 months showing me pictures of his family and new puppies. Rarely has he shown interest in chatting.
Also, I spent hours with a lovely woman, close to my age, who tailored a handmade table cloth for my mother. We talked and shared and enjoyed each others company and I even helped her sew buttons on in order to get it done in time for me to send. It was a real joy and made me appreciate catching a glimpse into the life of an Indian woman my age.
I think there is a real beauty that comes with staying in one place for a duration of time. The more I frequented the same places over and over, the more the locals got used to me and had my soft papaya or daily newspaper ready for me when I arrived at the same time each day, with a smile. It's the little things like this that really count.
Perhaps we never really 'know' a place but I feel I had a good taste of aspects of this community where I am and in many ways I feel fulfilled. I have also struggled with this culture and place but I am accepting that is part of the package and in the end, I feel I am leaving on a really good note, with the intention of returning to practise with Rolf and Marci next season. We shall see!
But for now, I move on to new places and new faces and new experiences and as one of my favourite bands (that I have not heard in too long!) writes: This has all been wonderful but now I'm on my way!
All the best and much love,
t
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Art of Dying
I learnt earlier this week that my step-father's mother suddenly passed away. While I physically feel very removed from the situation, I could hear the concern in my mother and step-fathers voices when speaking with them on the phone and naturally felt a sense of loss.
Death brings up alot...
Despite it being a natural part of our existence, we are most often unaccepting of it.
I recognize the importance of grieving a loss but I also question if we are sad for ourselves or for the one who has moved on. The doctor said Rod's mother was completely cognizant and in no pain up until the moment her heart stopped beating. Isn't that ideal? Isn't that what we want? She had a lovely Christmas with my mom and Rod laughing and carrying on. She is fine now, but are we?
I am reading a fantastic book "Light on Life" by B.K.S. Iyengar who speaks about how he didn't cry at his own wife's funeral. This may seem harsh, but he writes how he simply believes and trusts that thier souls are forever connected on a much deeper level, even though her physical presence is no longer. He accepts.
Death comes in many forms. Seasons change. The weather changes. Our children grow up and eventually our grandparents die. Nothing is permanent and yet we feel suffering through changes that seem unpleasant.
I have been thinking alot lately about what is in my life that no longer serves me. What is it that I can let go of and move on from? I have to admit I am still accepting living on my own in what feels more and more like a foreign country with few friends. Perhaps it is my time to let go of the thought that somewhere else is 'better' in order to fully live exactly where I am because everywhere we go, there we are!
And like my father likes to say "It's a great day to be alive!" so let's live life to it's fullest accepting the changes and fluctuations along the way!
Death brings up alot...
Despite it being a natural part of our existence, we are most often unaccepting of it.
I recognize the importance of grieving a loss but I also question if we are sad for ourselves or for the one who has moved on. The doctor said Rod's mother was completely cognizant and in no pain up until the moment her heart stopped beating. Isn't that ideal? Isn't that what we want? She had a lovely Christmas with my mom and Rod laughing and carrying on. She is fine now, but are we?
I am reading a fantastic book "Light on Life" by B.K.S. Iyengar who speaks about how he didn't cry at his own wife's funeral. This may seem harsh, but he writes how he simply believes and trusts that thier souls are forever connected on a much deeper level, even though her physical presence is no longer. He accepts.
Death comes in many forms. Seasons change. The weather changes. Our children grow up and eventually our grandparents die. Nothing is permanent and yet we feel suffering through changes that seem unpleasant.
I have been thinking alot lately about what is in my life that no longer serves me. What is it that I can let go of and move on from? I have to admit I am still accepting living on my own in what feels more and more like a foreign country with few friends. Perhaps it is my time to let go of the thought that somewhere else is 'better' in order to fully live exactly where I am because everywhere we go, there we are!
And like my father likes to say "It's a great day to be alive!" so let's live life to it's fullest accepting the changes and fluctuations along the way!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Goodbye Iain...and thank-you!
Iain left 2 days ago for a (very) long meditation course and I am feeling his absence as I continue the daily rhythms of life at our house in Arpora with 1 month of yoga to go.
Some of you have asked who Iain is and I guess I just assumed everyone knew. He is a true inspiration as one of the most dedicated yoga and meditation practitioners I have come to know. He has completely enhanced my own practise by teaching me an abundance over the past 4 years in Whitehorse. But in the last 2 months our friendship really blossomed and I am so grateful. He really showed me the way around these parts and helped me find a peaceful, comfortable flow to daily life that I barely knew I was capable of. He helped keep me on track with strong daily sittings, good, wholdesome, simple foods and lots of insight and sharing about our yoga experiences.
I saw a real joy in him in India with so much laughter and lightness. At home, at the Alpine Bakery where we teach yoga, we often refer to him as the 'serious yogi' but I saw him shine here with such joy. India is a place that he is so comfortable in and it really shows. It was a pleasure to see him in his element.
The yoga shala is quieting down and the rush of holiday visitors to Goa is settling. While the last 2 months have shown me how much I appreciate and require quiet and stillness, a slight emptiness has set in that is familiar yet unsettling. I think I just have to readjust to living alone and find my groove. Life presents us with the full spectrum of feelings to entertain, which we tend to see as 'good' or 'bad' depending on how they make us feel. But as Rumi writes "This being human is a Guest House.... Each day a new arrival....Welcome and entertain them all..."
So I will carry on...
A new seed has been planted within me in the last 2 months.... a seed of inner strength and acceptance through dedicated practise. I will continue to water it and feed it, nourish and love it, because sometimes the most revealing insights come when we least expect them!
love,
t
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Christmas in Goa and a Full, Blue Moon New Years with a Lunar Eclipse in Hampi
Hello Friends,
It's been a lovely (warm) holiday season filled with love and beauty and continuous personal insights. We had a very relaxed Christmas day. When most people were getting up to open presents and feast we had a 6:00 am lead practise at the Shala. It was the most perfect way to start the day - every day, really! We then indulged in croissants and crepes at a french run treehouse restaurant and sauntered along a quiet beach to see a carving of Shiva in the rocks.
Simple and Lovely.
With a very strong Christian and Catholic influence in Goa midnight mass was the place to be on Christmas eve. Christmas lights and stars were strung from most homes and consumerism was abundant but through this, I find it is a time of year that can bring out the best in people. The spirit of sharing and caring and laughter and joy were abundant and presented a different, softer feeling in the air.
The Indian family we rent our house from made us a plate of Goan sweets and offered us fruit along with a scrumptous feast. It's so nice to just delight in the simplicities of sharing food with good company.
Shortly after Christmas, I caught my first (adventurous) Indian train 7 hours south to Hampi where the landscape is mesmerizing. Red-orange-yellow granite boulders scatter the entire area as far as the eye can see. Legend has it that Hanuman (the monkey god) placed these rocks here and part of me believes it because some of them are so meticulously placed on top of one another that no logic can explain their origin.
I met up with Jen Smith from Whitehorse in Hampi which was a real treat. It's a bouldering destination so we spent the days testing our skills and exploring the ancient temples.
I was in Hampi to bring in the New Year with some peaceful reflection, a large buffet dinner with climbers from all over the world and a bang of explosive fireworks!
We were lit up under the full moon after midnight then looked up to realize the moon was eclipsing! Apparently it won't happen for another 100 years and made for a very powerful moon this New Years.
All in all it was good but it's so nice to be home in Arpora and back to my practise. Traveling was surprisingly difficult and made me contemplate what my plans will be after yoga ends Feb 20th and meditation ends early March.
I am really valuing finding stillness in one place but some will say we can find that no matter where we are!
Time will tell what the New Year will bring. I have set intentions for staying on the path with increasing clarity and guidance rather than fears and obstacles in 2010.
For now, I will revel in my practise and simple life here in Goa.
Love and Light to you all!
It's been a lovely (warm) holiday season filled with love and beauty and continuous personal insights. We had a very relaxed Christmas day. When most people were getting up to open presents and feast we had a 6:00 am lead practise at the Shala. It was the most perfect way to start the day - every day, really! We then indulged in croissants and crepes at a french run treehouse restaurant and sauntered along a quiet beach to see a carving of Shiva in the rocks.
Simple and Lovely.
With a very strong Christian and Catholic influence in Goa midnight mass was the place to be on Christmas eve. Christmas lights and stars were strung from most homes and consumerism was abundant but through this, I find it is a time of year that can bring out the best in people. The spirit of sharing and caring and laughter and joy were abundant and presented a different, softer feeling in the air.
The Indian family we rent our house from made us a plate of Goan sweets and offered us fruit along with a scrumptous feast. It's so nice to just delight in the simplicities of sharing food with good company.
Shortly after Christmas, I caught my first (adventurous) Indian train 7 hours south to Hampi where the landscape is mesmerizing. Red-orange-yellow granite boulders scatter the entire area as far as the eye can see. Legend has it that Hanuman (the monkey god) placed these rocks here and part of me believes it because some of them are so meticulously placed on top of one another that no logic can explain their origin.
I met up with Jen Smith from Whitehorse in Hampi which was a real treat. It's a bouldering destination so we spent the days testing our skills and exploring the ancient temples.
I was in Hampi to bring in the New Year with some peaceful reflection, a large buffet dinner with climbers from all over the world and a bang of explosive fireworks!
We were lit up under the full moon after midnight then looked up to realize the moon was eclipsing! Apparently it won't happen for another 100 years and made for a very powerful moon this New Years.
All in all it was good but it's so nice to be home in Arpora and back to my practise. Traveling was surprisingly difficult and made me contemplate what my plans will be after yoga ends Feb 20th and meditation ends early March.
I am really valuing finding stillness in one place but some will say we can find that no matter where we are!
Time will tell what the New Year will bring. I have set intentions for staying on the path with increasing clarity and guidance rather than fears and obstacles in 2010.
For now, I will revel in my practise and simple life here in Goa.
Love and Light to you all!
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