It has been almost two weeks since arriving here in India. Sivananda Ashram is like a little piece of Indian heaven. The heat has been an adjustment, with days getting upwards of 40 degrees and nights falling not too far under 30 degrees. None the less, the hot sun shines in the sky. Twice per week on Wednesday and Sunday the entire ashram takes a 30 minute silent walk to the lakeside at 6am to welcome the beautiful sun. As it rises over the mountains, reflecting perfectly into the lake, we sing songs and chant. (The sunset every night is just as captivating and often i'll stand on the roof and watch the big ball of perfect red light set across the valley and over the escarpment.)
Tea is waiting for us in the garden upon our arrival at 7:30am and we casually start the day chatting amongst friends. 8am we practise yoga, both pranayama (breathing) and asana (postures) with prayers always beginning and ending a class. Brunch is served at 10am. Typically we enjoy rice with delicious mild coconut vegetable curries, with a side of vegetables such as cucumbers, okra, tomato, cabbage, carrot and often yummy tomato soup (a personal favourite). Karma yoga duties, where everyone has assigned jobs to help around the ashram, goes from 11-12.
Noon time, three days per week teachers offer meditation coaching in the temple and 12:30 asana coaching daily. A daily lecture on various topics such as What is yoga? Pranayama, Bhakti, Ayurveda, etc happens at 2pm. I have attended a few, but I usually get massages at that time and miss it. (more on the wonder of massages later) A second yoga class at 3:30pm (which i'll skip if i've had a massage) taking us to just before dinner at 6pm. Evening satsang at 8pm in the great Swami Vishnu Devananda hall we sit for 30 minutes, sing for 30 and listen to the swami's read from Sivananda's (the guru of this lineage of yoga) books. We chant the Arrati (a "waving of the light" hindu ceremony) and then eat Prasad (tasty snacks first offered to the gods and blessed from our evening of prayers). They have delish Prasad here, peanut balls, spiced bread with nuts, grapes, pomm seeds, banana, sesame snaps etc.
The days are full and rich. I've spent a lot of time in the temple gardens doing walking meditation and writing poetry. This place is perfectly tucked into the tropical Keralan landscape. Palm tress are mixed between papaya, mango & fig trees and closely hug so many more varietals of plants, ferns, palms and trees. Ponds, fountains, statues of deities, pathways, a snack hut,... This sanctuary allows me space to create grooves of familiarity in body and mind. Its aided me in reflection and is letting me heal and put this body back into balance.
"Wherever you go, there you are" I don't remember who is responsible for this quote...but it always rings true for me. You cannot escape yourself even in the midst of the most gorgeous settings.
Mediation is still a challenge. My mind wanders and gets into planning mode. I am still overwhelmed by the heat and frustrated with catching a cough/cold when I first arrived. Thoughts of life back home and the analysis of, well everything haha. It's all here with me. But moment to moment I feel lucky that I can be right here and present to it all. This time is a blessing. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to sit in my own discomforts and have space to pay attention.
Om namah shivaya,
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