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Published: February 16th 2011
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I heard some pretty strong opinions about Goa...too touristy, not the real India, greedy locals, greedy foreigners etc. What I discovered, after initially not liking it myself, was a place of such beauty and an arena for deep rest, healing and rejuvenation. As I went through my ayurvedic panchakarma a month prior, upon leaving the clinic I was told it can take up to 6 months to fully integrate, and defiantly the first few months to take it easy. I found being near the ocean a necessity to this continued healing process. Goa was teaching me how to relax...really relax, deeply, fully surrender. Goa also was teaching me how to love and care for myself, by being open to receive from the ocean and the beautiful people I encountered there. I was stopped from leaving by being in a scooter crash, my plan was to leave after 4 days, I ended up staying for 2 weeks and my life was irrevocably altered in the most positive loving way.
The food was amazing, Nepalese eggplant, dal, sauteed spinach and rice, so many fresh fruit bowls, some w/fresh curd/yogurt and muesli, King Fish cooked Goan style in banana leaf, and lemon grilled, avocado
salads, corn flakes...never realized how much I enjoy them, Masala tea/chai with milk and honey, ice cream, Pina Coloda's, banoffi pie, tomotoe and cheese eggs, fresh coconut water then the soft insides, so good on a hot day, wonderful Goan port, goan wine...white...not so good, rose surprisingly good. Samara red, good, Madeira red...best cold.
The spirit of the beach I found to be very relaxing, peaceful and playful. Children playing, as well as adults; cricket, Frisbee, volleyball, yoga, running into the waves. At night the waves were loudest, so loved the crashing, felt they were crashing into me and carrying out to sea all that no longer serves.
Had the opportunity to share as well as receive healing. Exchanged healing for massage with my amazing ayurvedic massage therapist, who enthusiastically exclaimed "I love what I do" it shows, she has very healing hands and powerful intent to facilitate healing. The second treatment she told me after I left, she was sad b/c I was sad, she said during my second treatment she was happy b/c i was getting better and she could feel it, what a gift to connect on that level. I had the privilege of helping her as
well with a healing treatment to which she said she slept the best in a long time that night. My friend from Poland and I too exchanged sessions which was very healing, we used a treatment table next to our beach huts. It was magical to be in nature.
I find water to be a great conduit for me. In it I feel the most sensitive, clear, meditative, and like a mermaid. It feels like home, I never realized the magnitude of this before coming to India and the Arabian Sea, maybe its part of why I was born in Hawaii.
I met wonderful life long friends, received invites to tour Kashmir, trek Nepal, and re-connect to my Matriarchal roots in Poland...so exciting.
The culture on the beaches in this area is; many people come for months at a time every year to escape the harshness of winter in their homelands, some for as little as a few days. I became a partial resident myself being there for 2 weeks was wonderful. I can appreciate a beauty that can only be experienced by being in this lovely part of the world. The merchants are from Goa, other parts of India,
Nepal, Europe, some workers from America.
What brought me here was a recommendation by a friend I had met at the clinic, I told her I was looking for something quiet on the beach, healing, with yoga. She told me where to stay and where to go, my journey has been like this, listening carefully for the perfect guidance I receive.
Now, I am in Thane, north east of Mumbai...big city, with a buzz, gentler than I expected, so far.
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Terry N
non-member comment
Not surprised....
Christine, traveling is such an overt, creative process! I'm so glad you are continuing with full experiences and connections...as I found, too, while in India, food is so amazing and integral to the experience--always made with loving thought and hands, with the freshest ingredients...most people are truly present in their work, and the traveler can find a bit of herself in every movement made by the people. Travel on! Sounds as if you're doing exactly as you are meant to do!