Sunday, Free Day!

Spent one free Sunday completely away from my assignment and spent some quality time with friends. We started our morning with chai from Seven, duh.

Then for some reason we ended up at The Office for more chai.

Ramesh, pigging out.

After my 3rd cup of chai, we walked along the Ganges to Laxman Jhula.

Then we spent a good hour looking through only one Tibetan store. There were just so many beautiful things!

The story was owned by a family. Here's the baby!

On our way back we stopped by the original German Bakery to taste their famous gluten free, vegan, mango pie. Just pure YUM.

Ice Cream Break

We had a huge assignment due at the end of the course-- basically a typed out course manuel which compiled all the information we had learned regarding anatomy, physiology, and the philosophy of classic yogic literature. I worked on it a little bit each day and it still took the full six weeks to complete it. People at the library computers came to know me well.

I was working on the computer one day when one of my teachers came in handing ice cream pops to everyone! A nice break. YUM!

Week Two Trip

During the second week, Krishna suggested that we take a trek to Shiva Temple. He had cleverly left out that the hike was a three hour climb nearly entirely uphill. The experience turned into more of quest, rather than a field trip.

The cows were following us... or rather following our packed lunches.

A pup, Heidi, Ruth, and Me.

Stopping to say hi to a monkey.

The group, taking a break.

Krishna, this clever man.

Sasha in the clouds!

Many snack/chai shops were along the path. This trail has been trodden by many others.

The road just kept going and going.

The view from not even the top.

There is something about climbing a mountain that brings about perspective. You can see how far you've come and how much further you have to go. It shows you who you are in the face of challenge. Fabienne said it best: "We must be humble when we reach the feet of Shiva."

The temple, itself.

Maija trying to stay cool from the sun.

Sasha was asked a few times to have pictures taken with her!

Pujas, offerings.

Looking back now, it's not the temple that I remember so much but the journey there. And I think that was the point. Isn't it always the point?

Oaisis Cafe

I normally ate the food served in the dining hall, since the price was included in the course fee. But I had been hearing about a famous humus plate from Oaisis Cafe and I was craving something different for my tastebuds.

It did not disappoint.

Meditation Haiku

grounded in my seat

watching clouds of thought float on

i hear a soft meow

Kriyas

Starting the second week, Fridays were our Kriya days. Kriyas are bodily purification processes that work on cleansing every body system (respiratory, digestive, etc.) through various techniques.

Every morning we performed jal neti and sutra neti to cleanse our nasal passages. Jal neti involves saline water being drained through the nose using a neti pot. In sutra neti, a soft thread or small rubber catheter is used to "floss" the nasal cavity. Once a week we performed vaman dhauti, a stomach cleansing technique where 3 to 4 cups of water are rapidly gulped down and then vomited back out. 

These practices sound a bit extreme (and these were the beginner techniques!), but from my experience they feel AMAZING. I can't describe to you the lightness and clarity I felt after. 

The big day of our first kryias.

Week 2: Preparing to swallow the tube down the esophagus for an advanced version of vaman!
I never made it to this stage.

Me, doing vaman.

More importantly kriyas are a mental discipline of strong determination. It's a practice of mind over matter. It's a practice of overcoming your fears, finding there was nothing to fear in the first place. 

What is at first scary, may eventually turn into a big joke.

Here's an excerpt I wrote for our course long assignment on Hatha Yoga practices:

The purpose of Kriyas are to bring body activity to a minimum, which then facilitates smooth bodily functions. Energy is saved on waste elimination and relocated to other systems. When less energy is needed, less oxygen and carbon dioxide is needed.  Respiration rate will go down and we feel more relaxed.  Thus kriyas facilitate breathing for asana and pranayama. Other outcomes of kriyas include increasing immunity, the ability for the body to recover itself, and the capacity to resist offending factors. 

Hatha Yog Pradipika states that kriyas are not necessary if a person does not have flem. However, in this modern day we have become further away from nature and thus can never reach this state.  It is necessary to do these seemingly unnatural cleansing practices to bring our bodies back to homeostasis and purify the body in order for energy to flow. Kriyas should always be learned under the guidance of an experience teacher. Appropriate pranayama must be performed after.

Sari Shopping!

I was decisive about getting myself a sari to wear for my graduation. I didn't think I would ever again get an opportunity to wear this gorgeous traditional Indian women's dress, so I took it!

In Rishikesh Market the streets are lined with different sari stores. As you enter one, you take a seat and someone helps you to find the fabric of your liking. This usually involves piles and piles of unfolded silks and cotton layers at your feet. After choosing one, you then get measured and the fabric is tailored exactly to fit you.

I found the PERFECT fabric at the smallest and warmest of stores. To be continued at my graduation pictures...

Eve, myself, and a pile of sari fabric.

Week One Trip

Every Friday, instead of lecture classes, we had the opportunity to go on a group outing to visit a local site.  The first week was a trip to a temple on a hill, hidden deep within the hills of Rishikesh.

Anna, me, Maija, and Fabienne in the taxi going up the winding hill roads.

We made it!

Then a short trek up the mountain.

up some stairs...

... and arrive at the quaint temple.

From inside the temple, a statue of Shiva. You can tell it is him by the Ganges pouring out of his head.

Sweets awaited us at the top!

This guy also came along for the ride. He had a rough journey.

More views from the outside of the temple. The white rock was quite striking against the background of the green rolling mountains. Just look at it!

Can you spy Ethan standing on the hill? Perspective.

Nearby there was a cement ledge overlooking the view.  Us being yogis, we were having an asana party in no time!

Oh, a flat surface and a beautiful backdrop, what should we do?

HEADSTAND PARTY! LOL. 

John and Darius doing some acroyoga.

More acro. They call this the "backpack"

First time doing acro with Ethan! This would be the start of something glorious!

So much joy here.

One of these things is not like the others.

ah, harmony!

And the grand finale!

The group shot.