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!
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