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Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 1:30AM 
so it is five days into it.
i arrived into triandrum at dawn sunday morning and as i came out of customs - i got a prepaid taxi and stepped out into the hot, humid air -- my eyes went wide -- so many people -- for as long as i could see and it was maybe 5am by now. my taxi driver led me to his car -- a beauty, vintage white car and i stepped in. the whole interior was covered with a crazy psychadelic pattern... it took about an hour to get to the ashram even with the two stops. my driver kept falling asleep and had to pour water on him to wake up as much as possible... what do you do...
i was completely out of synch first two days. a great surprise on my first day. i sat down at brunch and i saw this familiar face. no way could i know someone worlds away from nyc. but i knew her for sure. it was megan - a girl i did the teacher training with at YTTP two years ago. both our eyes lit up and smiles broad across our face. it was such a delight to get this...
slowly but surely, meeting all the people coming and going to the ashram. some pretty amazing people. the daily schedule is exhausting, not used to 4 hours of yoga a day plus 2 meditations where we sit cross legged for about an hour and half each time. my high for the day is chai tea sweetened with jarggery (palm sugar) which is served after morning meditation -- and just in time -- before our morning yoga asana class. we did a meditation at the lake last night. the walk there was through the local village, over the dam and it is filled with so much stimulation. coming from nyc, i think i am over stimulated already but here it cuts to the core. it has been hard cutting the cord from nyc life and being present. i continuously have to remind myself where i am and to be present... then the shift takes place and i am good.
india is expanive.
expanisve in its senses, sights, memories.
so much here to take in.
ashram life is very humbling and inspiring. to tell the truth, i was in a bit of shock the first couple of days. everything is so paired back, so spartan -- but there is something to that -- it allows you to come closer to your internal self and find a different level of being. though, there are so many visuals and sounds to attract my mind. the constant sweeping, birds frolicking, distant music playing, distant chanting... vivid and full. the days are passing so fast though and i am completely done in by 9pm every day. cannot believe how much energy is expended but it is somehow here. i have not had much energy to read but always keen to get my notebook out and write, write, write... at first, i thought there was no way i could make it through the two weeks but now as ihave made connections with others - i wonder how i will move on from here... so strange but comforting how quickly we can adjust. it is such a strength and liberating to see and feel and know we can take on change, however beautiful and however tragic it can be, somehow we have this resolve within us that if we can tune into it, we will transcend.
much love --
Reader Comments (2)
it's good to hear that you're settling in. it must feel so surreal to be immersed in this new life and surrounded by all these new sights, sounds and energies. i'm guessing that this slower pace of life is exactly what you need right now. it'll allow you to return to zero and find your level..the chai probably helps too ;)
sending you much light and love for your journey. enjoy it!
love seeing what can come from shaking things up from a foundation level. i feel lately that i need this too, but perhaps in a very different way.
enjoy every moment x