DAYS 3 and 4 in RISHIKESH - WE MEET ANUP! by Tina Romenesko

DAYS 3 and 4 in RISHIKESH - WE MEET ANUP!

India is 10 ½ hours earlier than Milwaukee - not sure where the half hour goes, but that’s the calculation from my iPhone, so it must be true.  I have never traveled this far East - and the jet lag recovery is much more significant.  Last night I was awake from 1:30 - 5:30, and then fell into one of the deepest sleeps of my life for a full 3 hours.  Susan tried to wake me twice to no avail for breakfast.  Guess I was making up a few time zones ….

This morning is our initiation to Swami Rama Sadahka Grama and the Himalayn tradition.  Every guest receives a one-on-one initiation by a main teacher.  Our teacher, Pradeep, knocks on the door right at 10 and takes us to a room next to the Meditation Hall.  He is a dear man, with a very strong accent, Each session begins with 2 minutes of silence.  I like that - time to gather yourself and arrive in the moment for the practice, be it asana, pranayama, meditation, or a special class.  He tells us about Swami Rama - the original guru of this Ashram, and his devotee, Swami Veda, who has recently taken another vow of silence for 5 years, is around 82 years of age, and will be returning to the Ashram November 2.  

Then he launches into a discussion of Ashtanga Yoga or the Eight Limbs of Yoga as described by Patanjali.  As a yoga nerd, I find this all fascinating.  The correct pronunciation of Sanskrit + his interpretation of each limb from Yama and Niyama to Samadhi = very authentic.  We spend a lot of time on fine tuning our meditation posture, which Susan finds very valuable.  She has no yoga experience and is a runner so her muscles are tight.  “Obtaining the ultimate meditation posture is Samadhi, or enlightenment”, he encourages, as he puts a blanket on her chair and encourages her to connect with the natural curves of her spine.  “A strong foundation is the best guru”.   We both find our strong foundation - me on the earth, Susan in a chair - and off we go into a discussion of breathwork or pranayama.  The focus in the Himalayan tradition is on making the breath even and fluid, with no breaks between the inhalation and exhalation.  Pranayama is a means of learning to control the breath, but in meditation, fluidity is the goal.  “The breath should be fluid, like the Ganga.  Mind flowing like a river”.  

We are lead through a short, and very enjoyable sequence, that begins with one of my favorite poses, Makarasana or Crocodile Pose.  We spend about 5 minutes practicing fluid, even breathing, while lying on our bellies, forehead resting on the back of the hands.  Then we roll over onto our backs and are brought through a full body relaxation.  After that we sit - in a chair or on the floor - with the pelvis elevated on a blanket - and meditate using a silent mantra which is either the name of your God or a the sound of SO on the in-breath, and HAM on the out-breath.  I opt for SO-HAM and have a very enjoyable experience.  Not quite Samadhi, but a few moments of peace.  We end by placing the hands over the eyes, further relaxing the forehead and seat of the Sixth Chakra or Ajna - the location of the conscious mind.  

Susan and I decide we need to get into town, and hire a Tuk-Tuk just outside the gates of the Ashram.  It’s quite an adventure, getting to Lakshman Jhula, the second foot bridge over the Ganges, the runs through the center of Rishikesh.  Our experience is eye opening.  Lots of vendors and people - kind of chaotic.  We have lunch looking over the Ganges and see rafters below, heading through the rapids that end right in town.  There are tall tall temples all around the banks and numerous Ashrams.  It’s lovely and a bit confusing and lovely and confusing.  

We are lucky enough to meet Anup the next day.  He is a friend of Marty Tribble, great yogini of Milwaukee, and she has put us in touch via Facebook.  I had called Anup after our confusing day and are meeting him the next morning, Saturday, at 11:00.  He is lovely and not a bit confusing.  He guides us through the city, stopping at the Parmath Nikten Ashram that is right on the Ganges and has beautiful gardens and much much history.  We see a giant Swastika on one of the walls and Anup explains that a Swastika was originally a good sign - indicating the beginning of something new.  Hitler stole it and distorted its meaning.  Hannuman, Vishnu, Ram, Sita - all the Gods and Goddesses are depicted on the grounds in statues and paintings.  We returned later that evening in time for the Arati, or fire ceremony at sunset on the shores of the Ganga with chanting and lots of audience participation - all focused on honoring the sacred river of life.  The Guru is loving and inviting to us all - a true holy man.  

Anup makes arrangements for the rest of our stay.  A holy cave tomorrow.  Sunrise in the Himalayas on Monday, and the sacred city of Haridwar on Tuesday.  Confusing?  This place is amazing!  Our hearts are filled with gratitude for meeting Anup (and to Marty-Ji for connecting us).  The rest of the day is spent in cozy internet cafes - chatting with other travelers and eating grilled veggies - Yay! - and of course shopping.  Anup shows us the more relaxed side of the tracks and we have a blast buying kurtas (Indian shifts) and browsing the vendors and laughing.  We have gone from confused tourists to savvy travelers.  

We ride the Tuk Tuk back home in the dark , accompanied by fireworks and garlands of light that hang from most balconies and roof lines - like Christmas lights back home.  What a day!