Arriving in Mumbai and the ashram in Pune

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Feb. 5th, 2013

Mumbai airport

My flight arrived at the international airport of Mumbai at 11:55PM and my first impression of India was watching all the local people get respectfully and politely on the bus from the airplane to the terminal. In spite of being the largest population in the world I could observed that they were polite and a little more organized and less rude than their fellow Chinese neighbors. I entered immigration and noticed a bunch of lines: visitors, locals, business travelers, visitors with Indian working permits, etc. I could tell that it was a well organized airport. I went through immigration and baggage quickly and without much hazard and headed to find an exchange money place. After I found one I noticed the rate was so crappy compared to the one Kyle had told me and the one my iPod exchange convertor had. Anyway I had to exchange money so I did, but just exactly what I needed and maybe just a little more I case I needed it. After I left the arrivals area I walked out to the waiting area and the big commotion and Indian craziness started. Lots of people waiting for visitors there was not a single open space behind the metal bars of the waiting area. Loud and desperate to get a client taxi, rickshaw and bus drivers following people around to get them a ride. It was madness! Luckily, I had requested a pickup and did not have to go through this hazard although it took me three rounds of walking around the waiting area to find a small Indian man with a very small sign that said my name and Kailvayadhana. By the time I found him it was almost 12:30 AM . So we walked through a parking lot to the van that was going to take me to the yoga ashram. This situation remind me a little of Venezuela and the international airport, where you have to request someone to pick you up and do not trust anyone that may seem untrustworthy. Finally in the van the 2.5 hour journey through Mumbai's slums and to the ashram started. It was dark and late so there was not much to see. I did observed that lots of Indian people drive motorcycles including two men together, this has never been something I trust. I always think they might be robbers, kidnappers or some sort of vicious people. I say this because I saw a lot and the looks on their faces as they saw me looking through the car window was not very friendly and I actually wished the car had darker window panes. Anyway the ride continue through neighborhoods low class and slums with garbage everywhere and the smells, oh the smells. a mixed of Indian spices: cumin, turmeric, curry and others combined with garbage, sweat and smoke from cars. It was really hard to breath with the smell. I was exhausted from flights being delayed sleeping on a plane and being uncomfortable so I slept most of the ride. We got to the ashram at 2:30 AM and I got my room (very basic) and fell asleep to some soft calming music.

I woke up at almost 8:00 AM and the first thing I did was to take a shower and so I grabbed my toiletries bag and clothes and towel and headed to the common bathroom hoping no one was there. Luckily for me no one was there because it turned out to be a mix man and woman bathroom although it did have separate toilets and shower rooms for man and woman.

I went in the woman's shower room and to my surprise no hot water I even turned on the hot water and waited, but very little came out and the weather was not warm since the ashram is in the mountains on the outskirts of Mumbai. so I had to have a cold water shower! Brrrrrr!!!!!

After the shower breakfast was served and it was in a small wooden dining room with some tables of 8-10 people and another area very small with small benches and pillows to sit on the floor just like local Indian would do. This area was reserved for students although I think we can sit and eat wherever we want and there is not much of a restriction just to pray and eat silently. . The kitchen is kind of industrial, but in a smaller dimension with an open window to get the food and another one to put dirty plates and a table where the food, tea and utensils are displayed.
All the food is cooked without garlic nor onions and only salt and a few herbal plants . The reason for this is to detox your body and allow you to be lighter and at peace. Apparently garlic and onions make your blood too hot. Breakfast was some sort of thick yellow porridge with a few veggies and some chai (milk tea) or ginger tea, both of which I really like!

After breakfast, I went to the main office to check in and pay and to the doctor who diagnosed me with anxiety, nervousness and stress as well as with sinus and constant colds. He told me to do yoga twice a day and a breathing class and to have naturopathy treatments twice during the day.

I hang out on the terrace of the main ashram house and watch other people mostly Indian, a few Chinese, some Spanish, a German guy, a British girl and a few Indian that spoke English. I read for awhile and started my blog and at 11.:00 I went to my first treatment of naturopathy.

The naturopathy center is like five minutes from the main area and you walk around some walking park and some fresh veggie and herbal plant garden. You really feel at peace here. So I arrived at the center and showed my little membership book with all my information and was told I would get a facial, head and neck coconut oil massage and an inhaler with some leaves for my sinus.

The coconut oil massage felt great! massaging my head, neck and face felt so un stressful and relaxing I felt at ease. The only problem I found was that after the massage my hair was so oily and it was really hard to get it cleaned without hot water. The second treatment was toner my face and breath some leaves in boiling water this was for my sinus. It was good but i had to stop and breath air every other time because it was really hot.

Then lunch was served and again it was very healthy vegetarían meal. i sat with the Brítish girl and we chatted for a bit . i was feeling calmed , but a bit tired so I went to my room and listened to my meditation podcast and took a nap. At 3:00 I headed to the naturopathy center for my second daily treatment which was a warm water massage. i got in a tub of warm water, actually really hot and the woman turned it on and shots of water came out onto my legs, arms, stomach and back. It felt good but it was a little harsh.

the next hour or so I spent it walking and reading and at 5:00 it was time for asana yoga. The class was a beginners and even though I have done yoga before and it was easy for me there were some new postures that I had not done before and also I haven't practiced yoga on a daily basis since I moved to China. I was ok with the level and it really felt great. Then we headed to the pranayama yoga upstairs near the doctor's office. This class was basically just for breathing and learning to use your breathing effectively which helps during stressful, anxiety and worriness situations.
Dinner was served and then I went to a yoga and self development lecture. I did not pay too much attention as I was really tired and falling asleep.
I went back to my room and talked to Kyle who was on his way to Delhi and Manali for some skiing and then I will see him on Sunday.

It was a great day and here are my learnings:


• be patient
• be yourself
• do not depend and expect too much then if you do you will be hurt is better not to depend and expect and be surprised 4.I am learning to control my body and mind Namaste!

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