TEACHING YOGA IN INDIA?
Last night, as I am talking with Shalabh and Anita about the stresses of running Conserve India, they both express a desire to get back into yoga and energy work like Reiki. With a bright smile, Shalabh suggests that perhaps we could do a practice tomorrow morning before I leave for Rishikesh! Me? Teaching the ancient practice of yoga to an Indian family? It sounds preposterous at first, but as we continue to discuss what they really need and are looking for, I realize that perhaps Yoga Therapy, the unique blend of Eastern Tradition and Philosophy with the Western view of Wellness, is exactly what they would like to incorporate into their lifestyle. My mind is reeling with possibilities and I finally settle on Rumi’s Bird Wings and Garuda Mudra. Your greatest presence lies in every small contraction and expansion. The two as balanced and coordinated as bird wings. Shalabh’s mother - Vaibhav’s grandmother - also joins us and they are wonderful students.
We lay out a rug in Grandmother’s suite on the main floor and move through some simple breath techniques, mudras, and gentle standing and supine movement to open the joints and release stress in the muscles. After we finish our session, Anita asks me to remind her how to do Mahasirs Mudra for headaches, and Shalabh inquires about a mudra for quitting smoking. I tangle his hands into Fearless Heart Mudra and he laughs - “ Well, I certainly can’t hold a cigarette doing this!”. Vaibhav’s Grandmother is the dearest - she is flexible and open to try anything. A natural yogini - of course - as she has been doing many of these asanas (postures) for years - with obvious results. I snap her photo with my iPhone and she asks me to send it to her for her Facebook page! This truly is a merging of East and West in all the best ways I can imagine. More gratitude - and its only day TWO.
Back at the Delhi airport, Susan and I rendezvous easily at Gate 45 and are headed for Dehradun before noon. Susan lives in Vancouver, Canada, and was the only one to bite the hook when I suggested a pre-Dining For Women adventure at Swami Rama’s Ashram in Rishikesh. Susan is a brave woman - as she has never done yoga. Love the spunk. We are immediately at ease and haven’t stopped talking since we met in the airport (except for the silent meals and hour long meditation session). The yoga is very traditional - clear alignment instruction and long holds, with lovely rests between poses, however the jet lag seems to have caught up with us - we both fall asleep numerous times during the hour long meditation. No guilt. No shame in yoga. We are TIRED.
The Ashram is lovely, nestled just behind the famous Ganges River. Our cottage is simple, safe - and very comfortable. During orientation, we learn that many people come here for extended periods of time to study and practice with Swami Veda. He arrives November 2, so we are looking forward to the opportunity to experience evening meditation with him - hopefully with a few good night’s sleep supporting us in body, mind, and spirit.
Good night India - see you in the morning.
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