Internet in and out!

Hey devoted fans, all six of you :)...our internet has been a bit unreliable, but we haven't forgotten about you! We will post some more info as soon as possible. Lots of goodies to come :).

Temples, temples, everywhere! (Cindy)

In India, Hindu temples can take many forms. Several nights ago, we visited Narindum temple, just a short walk from our ashram. The enormous and new Disney World-like structure has three large neon Sanskrit symbols hovering overhead: an om and two swastiks, which represents the yin/yang of life (which Hitler later borrowed and morphed the meaning of to promote evil). Visitors take their shoes off when entering to show respect, and ornate paintings and altars made with gold and diamonds add some glitz. Our Indian friends showed us how to perform some traditional blessings and prayers, which are really beautiful and simple. People also ring a large bell upon entering the temple, altering the gods that they are ready to pray. We finished up our visit by having a bit of a fashion show on the temple’s grand, sprawling steps.

Dr. Jagdish, the director of the ayurveda center at Kaivalyadhama, took us to Pune, a nearby city, a few days ago to show us a spiritual gathering that was taking place, and to take us to two well-known temples (we don't have a lot of photos of these, because you're not supposed to take pictures inside a temple). (We ate the best mangoes I've ever had on the way...they are super soft and sweet...see below!)

The Sai Baba temple was smaller and very open. Worshippers wait in line to meet the religious men and to bow down to the gods on a sacred stone. The spiritual leaders were happy to have us there, and gave each of us a coconut wrapped in flowers. They also give people small things to chew on, like small bites of sugar and seeds. The second temple, Dyaneshwar Samadhi, is thousands of years old, and people wait in line to enter these small, winding hallways that lead to the place of worship, where you bow down to the gods. Like everywhere else in India, it is very crowded, and you have to push your way through in order to maintain your place in line. There are small stands where you pay a few rupees and leave your shoes before entering the temple, and then pick them up again on the way out—not unlike the procedure at a bowling alley :).

And finally, last night we went out to dinner with our teachers (at a yummy Indian vegetarian restaurant—more on that later) and on the way, quickly stopped at a tiny temple (more like a hut, really) to offer up a quick prayer. The door was locked with bars on it, but inside a candle was lit, and there was a small statue of a god and religious paintings hanging on the rustic walls. Dr. Jagdish told us that it was located in a spiritual place, the northwest corner of the earth. The placement of things, both inside and outside the home, is an important concept in ayurveda, because it can either increase or decrease one’s energy, depending on where it is in relation to the sun.

Traditions are taken very seriously here. We went to pray briefly on the way to dinner last night, because it was a specific day of the moon cycle. It seems like a lot to remember, but I suppose it’s ingrained! Dr. Jagdish has also invited us to take part in a daily morning prayer, where he and the other practitioners pray to the god of medicine before treating clients. It’s a Sanskrit prayer, so we don’t know exactly what is being said, but you can sense the good intentions and energy regardless. At one point on the drive to Pune, Dr. Jagdish pulled the car over, turned off the engine and performed a silent prayer—because it was 5 p.m., the exact time necessary to pray. If nothing else, it slows you down to remember gratitude and to cultivate some stillness throughout your day. Three times a week at the ashram, they hold a chanting ceremony called evening pooja where pure herbs and ghee are placed into a small indoor fire to provide a sacred fume to help clean the environment and scare away evil spirits.

Before we moved on to our second rotation in a nearby village, Dr. Jagdish wanted Jessica and me to experience some ayurvedic treatments. We had a warm oil massage, an upper-body massage and steam treatment, and shirodhara, a really relaxing treatment that continuously drips warm oil on your head and scalp—my hair is still greasy two days later! Meant to remove toxins from various parts of your body, they have been very different from any massage or other treatment I’ve had in the states. During the massage, I was on a table without any sheet or much cushioning, and when you turn on your stomach, there’s no hole to place your head in, so your nose is kind of smushed into the table. It felt good, but definitely was not quite as relaxing as a massage in the states. The upper body treatment was also quite unique. After a nice face massage, I wasn’t quite prepared for some oil drops placed into my nose, which sort of burned my throat. After some steam, the practitioner burned some turmeric and instructed me to breathe in the smoke, then blow it out. The smoke was too much for me. She kind of laughed and I think she was getting annoyed, telling me I wasn’t breathing in. I thought she wouldn’t notice! My throat burned for a little while after that—not sure I am a fan of smoke inhalation as a treatment modality, but hey, what do I know.

So, about dinner with our instructors. We went to this casual restaurant with open sides, and they kindly ordered things with less spice for me and Jessica. We ordered a mushroom starter—it was kind of like fried sweet and sour mushrooms, a bit crispy and meaty. As our main courses, we shared paneer palak (which we call saag paneer at home), a spinach-cheese dish. Here, it was more smoothly blended and a brighter shade of green than what we’re used to. We also had butter dal, mixed vegetables with a flavorful sauce and butter chapatti (roti bread). To finish it off, we tried miniature pots of ice cream-the perfect size! It was my favorite meal here so far—flavorful but not too heavy. We are slowly learning how to eat with our hands and break off pieces of chapatti with one hand. Dr. Jagdish said eating with your hands gives you more flavor and good energy! I also recently heard that eating on the ground, which many Indians do and we tried many times at the ashram, helps you recognize when you’re full more quickly because you have to lean forward more to eat. Interesting, no?

Speaking of food, we are learning a lot of cooking and other preparation techniques, based in ayurvedic and other Indian principles. Here are a few scenes from the kitchen:

Yesterday, we arrived at our new location. We are staying with a sweet family in a small village. Jessica will have the full report up soon!

Matheran and Monkeys (Jessica)

Today we traveled to a nearby city called Matheran. We rode the train with a couple of friends which was in itself an experience since we don’t speak Hindi…Note to Self-learn important words in language of country BEFORE getting there.
















Matheran is a huge mountain that people visit because of the amazing views. At a certain point cars can not drive so you either ride a horse, walk, or get carried..see below. We originally planned to ride horses but there, riding a horse means sitting on a horse that is being led by a man on a rope. Not my idea of an adventure. The fact that they were going to charge us 4 times the original price was also a bit of a deterrent.

I actually really enjoyed the hike. It started out following a train track. Along this train track there were monkeys swinging in the trees, homes, local people selling things, other hikers, and lots of dust. We did have a few hiccups along the way though. Being the bright person I am, didn’t bring any tennis shoes so I wore sandals. Sandals+train tracks+rocks+being clumsy is not a good combo. I tripped and stubbed my toe, which then bled the rest of the day. Then the chaos really started. A girl that came with us got a tissue packet out of her bag to stop my toe from bleeding everywhere. The monkeys that were around us thought she was taking food out of her bag and attacked! Six monkeys came out of nowhere and started grabbing at her bag and legs. I was frozen with a bleeding toe (not because I was scared of course ;) as was everyone else. She started to run away which made it worse and eventually just threw the bag of tissues to the monkeys and they ran away with it. The little son of a gun took the tissue packet up in a tree and when he figured out that it wasn’t food, just threw it on the ground. All of that for nothing. I later saw a man with a sling shot…smart man.

The mountain we hiked had 12 scenic points to check out. I think we saw 4 of them and walked around 6 miles. They were absolutely beautiful! I am so lucky and grateful for having an opportunity to visit this beautiful place.

I understand people being private about using the restroom and that sort of thing but when you’re in a foreign country those rules change (not that I ever followed them anyways). I apologize in advance if this is TMI (too much information), haha. So about eight hours in, I desperately needed to pee. I had avoided it the whole day because the public bathrooms there were a bit less than desirable if you catch my drift, and I have a fear of peeing outside (something I’m working on overcoming…I’m hoping being in India will help me get over it, h). There were homes along the railroad tracks while we were hiking back down and I saw an older woman standing outside of one. In my desperation I asked her if I could use her restroom and she said yes! I almost cried. In India many extended families live together in the same area. Sometimes in the same house, just different rooms, sometimes in several houses in a row, sometimes in a big apartment, each sub-family unit getting their own floor. The old woman led me through the maze of rooms and cottages each belonging to a different segment of her family (probably each son had a home for his wife and children) and brought me to a small room of a newly married couple. They showed me her wedding sari that was absolutely beautiful, and then showed me to the restroom. Now toilets in India aren’t toilets at all, they are holes in the ground with two places to put your feet on either side of the hole. It was intimidating at first, but honestly it made so much more sense than a western toilet. I won’t go into detail, but I was very happy with the end result.

Afterwards the whole family gathered and offered me chai tea and food and wanted me to sit with them. It was so sweet and welcoming. I sat with them for a moment and gave them a few American coins to try to return the favor, and went back to where the rest of my group was waiting. The people here are so hospitable and sweet.

At several points, people asked us if they could take their pictures with us. I guess we kind of stand out. This picture is with us and the most adorable baby ever! She was beautiful!

Great day :)

Reflections and Random Thoughts (Cindy)

So, I’m kind of in love with India. We’ve barely been off the grounds of Kaivalyadhama yet, but the people here are absolutely amazing. We’ve gotten so many offers to stay with people in Mumbai for a couple of days before heading back to the states, that we don’t even know whose house to choose! I don’t think we’ll have time to see everyone we’d like to. It seems like we’ve practically made more friends in the few days we’ve been here than we have in Atlanta. The people staying at this retreat center are extremely warm, genuine and as interested in learning about us as we are about them. So many of the employees and guests we’ve talked to say they’re really happy, and they look it. Maybe they’ve all figured out the key to enlightenment. I suppose that’s what a daily regimen of yoga, pranayama and meditation will do for you! It’s a nice change to hear people say how much they love the U.S., too. And as much as there are differences (no toilet paper in the bathrooms, arranged marriages, conservative dress, ancient traditions), there are the similarities that transcend culture (girl talk about nail polish and weddings (theirs last for 4-5 days and can have 1-2,000 guests!!!), weight loss techniques, Facebook and American films).

As is the case in many foreign experiences, everyday things here have been fascinating to us. Some construction workers are building another guesthouse next to the one we’re staying in, and the women who are working wear colorful saris and carry bowls of materials on their heads. And you don’t hear drills or other electric-powered chain saws—it’s all done by hand. We also took a walk to an ATM down the road a few days ago, which was another adventure. Small food stands, women carrying baskets on their heads, old men riding rusty bicycles, and ox-drawn carriages are all part of the “landscape.” We even had an impromptu education on Indian toilet etiquette from an Indian woman who lives in New Mexico, but is studying yoga here for six weeks. I’m all for adopting the culture of your host country, but I have to say, I draw the line at using my hand instead of toilet paper!

We’ve been asking the other guests lots of questions, about the Indian culture, their food, their religions. I love that families are so close and live either together or close by, and aren’t separated across the country like many families are in the U.S. They have different words for “aunt” and “uncle,” etc., depending on what side of the family they’re on, so you know immediately which aunt or uncle you’re referring to. And many people call their cousins “brother” or “sister,” or “cousin brother” and “cousin sister,” because they’re that close. They often see each other daily. And there are so many varieties of food, it’s amazing that people can remember all the names of the dishes! The food is different in the regions—for instance, south Indian food uses less oil or ghee, and tends to be healthier. We went to the local market tonight and tried some street food—a bit of a no no for the stomach, but we were with Indians (three naturopathic interns working at Kaivalyadhama and another guest ) who assured us it was okay. We tried some paniputi (cute name, right?), a fried shell filled with a liquid sauce and a potato mixture, as well as a sweet version with sweet sauce. They’re small, and you pop the whole thing in your mouth, where it sort of explodes—and it’s kind of a weird sensation. It was unlike anything I’ve eaten before. We would have eaten more, but we wanted to go slowly at first! A few hours later, they’re a little queasy, but we’re hanging in there. The girls also schooled us on a few other Indian customs: they do not let their guests pay for anything (they covered everything tonight, including the treats and rickshaws, and made us dinner afterward), and friends do not say “thank you” to each other. That one is hard for me to get used to—it’s so automatic, and then I find myself apologizing for saying it!