Hmmmmm. I loved it, well, not all of it but overall, yes, I loved my time in the Ashram. I mentioned earlier in the blog that I had visited Anand Prakash Ashram in Rishikesh and had a bad experience. I also said that Ashrams attract a certain type of person who are perhaps, struggling with life's questions and may be a little odd! Did I say damaged? Oh dear. Just goes to show that things in life never remain the same. Change is ever present. This Ashram was full, almost, of the most centered people I have ever met. They are also some of the thinnest people I have ever met. I expected to walk into a place full of healthy, vibrant looking faces. Gaunt faces [especially the men], tired eyes and sweaty foreheads were the order of the day. On the whole they were really cool people, here to have some time out, practice yoga and spend some reflective time in a safe environment. The Ashram is run with military precision and there are rules, which of course are there to be broken. It was refreshing to hear one of the leaders say that the Ashram was a place to escape the real world, to recharge and question our truths. What they didn't say was that it was also a place of high sexual energy, that you would loose over half a stone in weight, get little sleep yet still feel amazing, reduce your stomach size by half and be ruled by your motions and their need at 10am sharp, to leave the premises, whether you liked it or not.
The day went something like this. Wake up at 4am, not because that was the time to get up but because that was the time when some of the Indian residents would meander through the dorm to the washrooms and begin their orchestra of phlegm ejection. CrrrrrrK TuuuuP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The waking bell would sound at 5.20 am and it was off to the washroom, approaching the sink with care, so as not to disturb the absurdly large spider that had obviously found a new luxury organicfood product to consume, left in the sink by the vocal Indian gentlemen ! A quick shower, on with my Yoga pants and out the door in the dark, with Yoga mat under the arm. 6 am was Satsang. Nearly two hours of meditation, chanting and some readings from the Sivanada handbook. Because of the Yoga teacher training course, the hall was full, with over two hundred people, sitting in darkened silent meditation. It took me a while to build up my stamina for the meditation but I reached 50 mins of stillness by the end of the two weeks. That's in one sitting by the way, not over the two weeks.!!! I am sure the Swami would have something to say about my need to show off my record time. After the meditation we would begin the chanting. Now this I did have a little problem with. Firstly I had no real idea what I was chanting about and secondly I couldn't get the bloody tunes out of my head. It was the rehearsals of Mamma Mia all over again. "Jaya Ganesha , Jaya Ganesha, Jaya Ganesha Pahinam, again and again...you get the picture! After a good 45 mins of chanting we would then be given a talk from the director. Something spiritual of course and usually worth listening to. A short meditation would follow, then sweet tea and sesame balls in the courtyard. The sun would be shining on our rather pleasant tea party and the general atmosphere, soothing and warm. After the get together, we would split into two groups, beginners and intermediates and start our Yoga practice. Having done a few hours in Rishikesh I thought it only fair to join the beginners and show off. That didn't last long as we were under strict orders to follow the routine given. Some people tried to push ahead but were quickly and firmly brought back to earth. It was a good lesson for me. Starting at the beginning of something that I thought I already had a grasp of. Sure enough I learnt more about the Asanas and my limitations the second time round than I did the first. A little bit like my screen writing at the moment. I embarked on a story that I have been working on now for 4 months, excited about the idea of writing something quickly, with a message, well, more a lecture on societies failings etc....The failing being that I have forgotten the one rule of screen writing, write in order to touch the audience, not teach them. So, it is back to the beginning with the story and a slow burn to realize and orchestrate a story that is original and dripping with truth. Back to the Ashram. Yoga would be followed by breakfast, which consisted of veg and more veg. Actually bloody nice. Food was eaten in silence or at least that was the idea. When seconds were served we would have to say Om in order to get the servers attention. It was rather fun ! Karma Yoga followed food. A practice of servitude, selflessness and commitment. Mmmm. I was stupid enough to put my hand up when they asked for 6 strong men. 6 strong men to work in the Boutique! I spent 2 weeks folding and refolding the same T-Shirts, trying desperately to keep out of eye contact with Ananda, who ran it. Ananda, not her real name, her given Indian name, was not pleasant and I am sad to say that by week two, she and I came to blows. The Boutique was full and I decided that that was the best moment to throw my weight around and tell her what I thought of her attitude. I can't tell you how many supportive faces I had staring at me and the next day I was praised by many for standing up to this woman who had such a bad reputation. However, on reflection, I realized that my outburst would not have been necessary if had nipped her bad attitude in the first days of my first week. Next time. Another Yoga session would follow Karma Yoga, then a break, then dinner. Satsang, the same as the morning, less the meditation would end the day and so to bed. 2 weeks of Sivanada Ashram. Am so glad I followed Kai and made the journey here. I have met some really wonderful people, whom I may never see again but will certainly remember. I have a clear idea on my thoughts of religion and as they are my thoughts , I'm going to keep quiet, because it is not important. What is important to me and a lesson I have been taught by Kai, is to not judge something or someone until you have experienced it/them yourself. Oh and if you need to loose weight, 2 weeks of veg food, 3 hours of Yoga a day and some sexual tension, then this place is for you. Om.....
The day went something like this. Wake up at 4am, not because that was the time to get up but because that was the time when some of the Indian residents would meander through the dorm to the washrooms and begin their orchestra of phlegm ejection. CrrrrrrK TuuuuP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The waking bell would sound at 5.20 am and it was off to the washroom, approaching the sink with care, so as not to disturb the absurdly large spider that had obviously found a new luxury organicfood product to consume, left in the sink by the vocal Indian gentlemen ! A quick shower, on with my Yoga pants and out the door in the dark, with Yoga mat under the arm. 6 am was Satsang. Nearly two hours of meditation, chanting and some readings from the Sivanada handbook. Because of the Yoga teacher training course, the hall was full, with over two hundred people, sitting in darkened silent meditation. It took me a while to build up my stamina for the meditation but I reached 50 mins of stillness by the end of the two weeks. That's in one sitting by the way, not over the two weeks.!!! I am sure the Swami would have something to say about my need to show off my record time. After the meditation we would begin the chanting. Now this I did have a little problem with. Firstly I had no real idea what I was chanting about and secondly I couldn't get the bloody tunes out of my head. It was the rehearsals of Mamma Mia all over again. "Jaya Ganesha , Jaya Ganesha, Jaya Ganesha Pahinam, again and again...you get the picture! After a good 45 mins of chanting we would then be given a talk from the director. Something spiritual of course and usually worth listening to. A short meditation would follow, then sweet tea and sesame balls in the courtyard. The sun would be shining on our rather pleasant tea party and the general atmosphere, soothing and warm. After the get together, we would split into two groups, beginners and intermediates and start our Yoga practice. Having done a few hours in Rishikesh I thought it only fair to join the beginners and show off. That didn't last long as we were under strict orders to follow the routine given. Some people tried to push ahead but were quickly and firmly brought back to earth. It was a good lesson for me. Starting at the beginning of something that I thought I already had a grasp of. Sure enough I learnt more about the Asanas and my limitations the second time round than I did the first. A little bit like my screen writing at the moment. I embarked on a story that I have been working on now for 4 months, excited about the idea of writing something quickly, with a message, well, more a lecture on societies failings etc....The failing being that I have forgotten the one rule of screen writing, write in order to touch the audience, not teach them. So, it is back to the beginning with the story and a slow burn to realize and orchestrate a story that is original and dripping with truth. Back to the Ashram. Yoga would be followed by breakfast, which consisted of veg and more veg. Actually bloody nice. Food was eaten in silence or at least that was the idea. When seconds were served we would have to say Om in order to get the servers attention. It was rather fun ! Karma Yoga followed food. A practice of servitude, selflessness and commitment. Mmmm. I was stupid enough to put my hand up when they asked for 6 strong men. 6 strong men to work in the Boutique! I spent 2 weeks folding and refolding the same T-Shirts, trying desperately to keep out of eye contact with Ananda, who ran it. Ananda, not her real name, her given Indian name, was not pleasant and I am sad to say that by week two, she and I came to blows. The Boutique was full and I decided that that was the best moment to throw my weight around and tell her what I thought of her attitude. I can't tell you how many supportive faces I had staring at me and the next day I was praised by many for standing up to this woman who had such a bad reputation. However, on reflection, I realized that my outburst would not have been necessary if had nipped her bad attitude in the first days of my first week. Next time. Another Yoga session would follow Karma Yoga, then a break, then dinner. Satsang, the same as the morning, less the meditation would end the day and so to bed. 2 weeks of Sivanada Ashram. Am so glad I followed Kai and made the journey here. I have met some really wonderful people, whom I may never see again but will certainly remember. I have a clear idea on my thoughts of religion and as they are my thoughts , I'm going to keep quiet, because it is not important. What is important to me and a lesson I have been taught by Kai, is to not judge something or someone until you have experienced it/them yourself. Oh and if you need to loose weight, 2 weeks of veg food, 3 hours of Yoga a day and some sexual tension, then this place is for you. Om.....
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