Ashram up-date

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So my first 10 days here were spent doing an intensive Ashtanga course. When it ended I intended to move on and explore some other Yoga places in the area but got comfortable practicing pranas (breaths) and asanas (poses) in the studio on my own. I took it day by day and then I also started using the open rooftop. Have you heard people talk about energy that comes from nature? Yes, I know, airy-fairy nonsense, and I am by no means converted, but the difference between the studio and the open air is quite noticeable. And the view is more or less the same, the studio has large windows that look over the open valley but the energy levels deffo get a more positive sensation from being in the open air. Another factor, to justify me hermiting myself in this quiet corner of India, was the Manali trip, I was really keen to do that. Also a guy from Holland was coming for a Kundalini course. He arrived a few days ago, and although not on the course I attend the morning meditation sessions. Kundalini is far more meditative. It attempts to 'awaken' your 7 Shakras; it's as quirky & cool as it sounds.

Rob, the Dutch dude is into that energy 'thing' previously mentioned, is a proud macrobiotic foody (look it up, I'd need a whole new post to explain the whole yin yang thing), truly believes in the 'Nine Star Key' (again, for the same reason, look it up) and he's been into Eastern Holistic medicines his whole adult life. He thinks my droopy lower lip means my large intestines are not working so well...? He is however, not a strange person, but healthy, honest and kind. You know when you have a 'DMC' with someone, and it's a decent chat, but then there's an itch in you that the person could use some of the information revealed to their advantage, in some way, no matter how minor. He doesn't give you that itch. To explain this a little better, when you don't have the itch, you know that that person would come to you if they needed to 'offload' and would be equally revelatory. Perhaps to yin in the summer and yang in the winter is worth a shot, or at least a Google.

Get this though, Rob is a recently retired fireman...? 'So, not a holistic doctor??' I asked thinking Buddha's European nephew was joking. And Rashpal, the Ashram yoga guru, wanted to be in the army when he was younger, and only turned to yoga after his efforts failed cos of a broken arm. Speechless. 'Is yoga and the army compatible?' I'm thinking of the strange response I got from the guy's in unit when I said I was off to India to do yoga. 'Oh, many soldiers do yoga, it is good for strength and flexibility.' 'I know, but...' this might take a while.

Not long after I had an interesting encounter. I went next door one morning to take photos of 'the cow lady'. That is how I refer to her. She comes every morning with fresh milk, unpasteurised. And the cow lives in the adjacent shed. I came early and while waiting, 'the man' of the house came in from an early morning run, and his wife then pulled her face veil down, I spoke to Reeta about this, it's deffo old-fashioned it seems. But 'the man' in this scenario then was sat in lotus doing breathing exercises...? After photos of the milking process, in the same way that I had felt his permission to take photos necessary, and probably justified in the manner in which he waved his arm for me to follow 'cow lady', I also felt it would be an insult to not accept his invitation for tea. His wife dutifully brought an ayurvedic tea, absolutely delicious btw. And we made what I felt was a manufactured but pleasant conversation, I kinda felt like a novice diplomat. I politely nodded my head as he kindly educated me on the health benefits of ayurvedic medicine and yoga. So anyway, garnered from this experience, yoga and holistic medicine are held in extremely high regard by conservative old-fashion men.

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Photos

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View from the rooftop

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Buddha's European Nephew

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'Cow lady' and the wife with the face veil

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'the man' doing his morning pranayama

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under the yellow canape is the cow-shed

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a peek into the cow-shed

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doing her thing