Netala, 9 augustus
I am sitting in the bottom bunk bed in the room I share at the ashram. Name of the ashram: SivanandaKutir. Nearest town: Uttarkashi.
I am trying to gather my thoughts after nine intense, hard but rewarding days. Let’s start with a little background info. This ashram was built by Swami Sivanada and after his death taken over by Swami Vishnu-Devananda. (The former actually had a grave dug, went into it and then left his body consciously… a holy man indeed.) Swami Vishnu-Devananda, the second swami to run this place, was an amazing personality, who was sent by Sivananda to the West and got the TTC (teachers training course) organized, with all the centers and the networking that go with it. It’s probably safe to say that he is responsible for the spreading of yoga practice all over the world. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. He’s also the one who flew over the Berlin Wall in the eighties (!!!). He was very committed to spreading the message of peace and unity in diversity, which I think is totally admirable. If only there were more people like him. The Swami leading the ashram today is a woman who combines girly sweetness with the kind of ‘severe but just’- attitude that becomes a good teacher. I like her.Mataji’s teachings are well-dosed, and lit up by her sense of humor and down-to-earth remarks and questions.
Now what does a day in the ashram look like?
At twenty past four (ranga danga ding dong!!) the first gong goes.
Ten to six the second gong, and at six we are expected freshly showered and dressed in the satsang hall for half an hour of meditating, half an hour of chanting and usually another half an hour of teaching (the story of the Mahabharatha and the Bhagavath Gita), concluded with the Arati. Arati is a chanted prayer, which includes a prayer for Mother Ganga. We sing it facing the river. After Arati we kneel before the altar and get Prasad, a small snack, usually a piece of fruit, or something sweet.
After the morning session we have some free time until half past seven. Then we get tea which is welcome on the empty stomach, believe me. We chat for a while and then get ready for the Asana class (yoga practice) which goes on from eight till about twenty to ten. After yoga we have just enough time to change quickly because at ten we get brunch, and usually they start early so better to be there five minutes to ten. The food is delicious, and we get as much as we can eat (losing weight might not really happen afterall ;)). Usually after fifteen minutes we’re done and then we rinse off the plates and cups and get to do our Karma Yoga(= selfless service). Basically everyone got an area in the ashram to sweep and mop. Once every other day I do laundry after I finished my Karma Yoga.
Afternoons are pretty much the same drill: at two we get a reading by Mataji (we discuss the Creation, the Aspects of Life, the meaning and purpose of Hatha Yoga etc), after that there’s tea, at four we get another session of Asana and at six dinner. At eight there’s Satsang again with meditation, chanting and Arati.
It seems horribly boring and quite an ordeal, and so it was the first couple of days. But every day it gets easier, the sore muscles got replaced by an eagerness to go further and further, the painful knees and back during the Satsang are less present since the focus is more on the meditation, the empty stomach no longer disturbs, but is welcomingly accepted. I’m making great progress in yoga: almost succeeded in standing in headstand for over twenty seconds; legs got much more flexible. Just the getting up in headstand alone is thrilling! I’m really having fun with it.
More tomorrow, need some shut-eye now. Godspeed!
Greets Tinie
Netala, 10 augustus
Where were we? The daily routine in the ashram, right.
The morning Satsang is usually tough since sitting up straight in cross legged position for over half an hour when you’re half awake is obviously not easy. But it gets better as the days go by, and the routine has been interrupted by a long walk along the Ganges last Tuesday, a daytrip to Gangautri last Friday, and a walk uphill to a small Durga temple with an amazing view over the valley this morning. Be sure to check the pictures on FB.
The people we are dealing with here are the ten remaining members of an initial group of twenty. A bunch of guests took off because the experience either didn’t meet the expectations or was too hard on them. Part of the deal is that this is not about ‘enjoying oneself’, but about learning to be open to new and sometimes difficult situations… adjust, accomodate, bear insult, injury… anyway, there is ten of us left. In completely random order:
The French girl Gwen, whom I met in Haridwar at the bus stop. We share this dorm with the two of us so we had a chance to get closely acquainted. She turns out to be a smart, funny and strong person with a lot up her sleeve. She lived in Delhi for a couple of years, loves travelling, is a teacher, knows how to make her own clothes. She’s single and lives in Rennes, Bretagne.
The British girl Charlotte who sleeps in the dorm next door, all by herself now since the angry Indian lady and her daughter left. Charlotte is an architect who quit her job with ‘the creative psychopath’ of a boss she had. She can’t be older than twenty five. Fun to be around, easy to talk to, always in for a laugh but capable of serious reflexion too. She’s leaving us on Friday to travel around Rajastan with her boyfriend. Good for you, Charlotte!
The American girl Emily. She did the advanced TTC and knows so much of the chants by heart, I’m totally jealous. Haven’t really talked much so far but we exchange smiles :)
The Swedish girls Elin and Caroline. Maybe not doing them any justice naming them in one breath. Only recently getting to know them a little better. They also took the TTC and are rocking the Asana’s like pro’s. Elin seems to be very serious about this ashram experience, she’s intensely focused at all times. Caroline seems to be the more easy going one of the two. Either way I like them both, they’re just not very easy to approach because they are together a lot and not all that talkative. And believe it or not: neither am I around here!
The British girls Charlie and Alice. Charlie is a chattery, cheerful girl, always ready with a sweet smile or a comforting word. Although she’s all smiles most of the time I get this feeling that she’s probably more in need of a smile and a comforting word than any of us. I might be wrong ofcourse, but I have that experience with my students: usually the loudest, most funloving clowns are trying hard not to show their tears… Her friend Alice is the more serious one. Looking for calm and balance, she said earlier today. She was actually about to leave when we had our first talk and I un
intently persuaded her to stay, and I am so happy I did! Whenever I notice her enjoying the progress that she makes in yoga, it makes me a little bit happy too.
The German girl Nora. She’s also teaching back in Germany. Easy to talk to, fun to hang out with. We took a three-double dip in the Ganges last week. Freezing but sooo good. Unfortunately she got really sick after the trip to Gangautri and stayed in bed for about three days. She’s completely back and kicking now. Gooo, Nora!
The British guy Gregory. He’s a tall, thin man who keeps a bit to himself. He eats like a wolf and doesn’t seem to gain a gram. He’s totally wickedly good at yoga. And Mataji doesn’t understand his accent :)
The Indian guy Pradeep. His name means something like light. He’s a gentle, intelligent and funny man who can actually keep me listening, which is quite an achievement. Since he’s a little older he’s like the experienced teacher, but, so far, not smart-ass or pushy. I enjoy our conversations. The list of interesting Indians gets longer! It’s probably no coincidence that Pradeep lives in Canada.
Hope I didn’t forget anyone. Ooh there’s the yoga teachers of course: Durga and Kalijani. And Kalesh. Durga and Kalijani are great teachers, fun to be around, easy to talk to. Kalesh I don’t know, he’s a bit of an outsider. He never attends any of the Satsangs or meals, and he didn’t introduce until I asked what his name was… funny birds sometimes these Indian dudes. I do get a liking to his teaching, since he gets the progression just right; I can keep up but get a good work-out through the Asana’s all the same.
There, so far for the characters involved! So, Viki, to answer your question: no there’s no good looking interesting men around. And that’s just fine, honestly I think this is not the place to have a fling, it would only distract me more and keep me from attaining the peace and mental purification I am looking for.
As far as that mental purification is concerned, I’m not sure if that is ever going to happen. JS is still spooking around my head, not as frequently and intensely as before maybe, but still. Thoughts of him throw me off every time. And as for distraction: Akshay called me the other day and I asked him to join me in Rishikesh for a week or so. (Weak is the flesh, no ashram is gonna change that) He said he wanted to but had no money. Still he promised to try and make it somehow. Not keeping my hopes up though. And I sure as hell won’t offer him to pay any of his expenses, been there done that! If he makes it on his own expense it means he really wants to be there. And if he doesn’t make it, then so be it. All the more time and space to focus on some serious yoga exercise. And moreover I am supposed to keep my heart clean and empty!
Next time some in-depth descriptions of my adventures in the ashram!
