It has been 4 days since my arrival here in the Himalayas. I have not been able to update the blog as often as I would like. It's been a super intensive course here. We study from 7am-7pm Monday-Saturday, with only Sundays off. Also, the wifi and power blackouts, make for an interesting internet experience.
Upon arrival, we had a beautiful welcome, fire ritual, ceremony. It was surreal. This traditional fire ceremony is done when new things happen in life. The purchase of a home, car, new lease, a marriage, birth etc. After the ceremony, we had 2 hours of yoga and then dinner, which I must say, every meal has been delicious! A fresh and well prepared, vegetarian meal.
Everyone here is incredibly nice and I am blessed to be surrounded by a great group of fellow students. On Sunday, our first day off, we decided to walk down to Mcleodganj and visit the Dalai Lama Temple. The walk was filled with lots of things to see and do. Tons of Tibetan shops along the way, cafes, restaurants and since it was a Holiday weekend, the streets were filled with people and cars trying to get up and down the mountain. It amazes me how people drive here. The road runs along the cliff of the mountain and barely fits one car, let alone two. Each car has to wait for the other to pass, in order to make it down the road, while avoiding running over pedestrians, dogs, goats and cows. The walk took about two hours, as we stopped along the way to check out smaller temples (no pics allowed), shops (beautiful, incredibly cheap things), and the occasional street vendor. We also encountered many beggars and people who tend to scam tourists by asking for food and not money. The catch is they request a bag of rice, so they can take it home and cook it for their family, then they take you to a specific shop and there you buy said rice. Upon you leaving, they return the bag of rice to the shop keeper, who makes a commission off this, and the beggar now has the cash. It's really intricate and I saw many tourists falling for such trick. I my self was about to, until my friend warned me. Instead I bought the beggars Momo from a street vendor so if they were indeed hungry, they could not return the prepared food. It is always eye opening traveling to a country that has so much poverty. You always want to help, but have to be careful you are not getting taken advantage of.
Overall, don't let that deter you from visiting India. There are far more beautiful experiences here, than the bad ones. For example The Dalai Lama Temple!!!! This place is incredible! The energy there is just indescribable. Since we were there on a Sunday, it was really packed with people and monks. You ca feel the vibrations of their chanting upon entering the compound. There are no pictures inside the actual temple allowed. But I was able to get a few of the outside looking in. Monks gather to chant and pray, and people from everywhere join in. You have to take your shoes off upon entering the temple, and are welcomed to stay as long as you like. Unfortunately, his holiness was away at a city further North, to celebrate his birthday, so no sighting of him this time. I plan on going back on another day off and perhaps, I may get lucky.
Being in the Himalayas has a calming and cleansing feeling. I feel very at peace and focused on my studies. We wake up at sunrise and practice Pranayama (Yogi Breathing) for an hour, then two hours of yoga, followed by an Ayurvedic breakfast. Then Anatomy and Philosophy followed by lunch. We have self study for another two hours, then end with another two hours of yoga. I get to be surrounded by donkeys, goats, cows, monkeys and dogs every day. We also have a cat and her three kittens that live in the compound. If my dogs were here, I probably would not leave. There is a spirit to this place, one that lives inside all of us, yet can only be awaken here. It is a feeling of Shanti (peace) that I have never experienced anywhere else.
I have to run now, as we will be starting class again soon. I leave you with the following Mantra:
Lokah, Samasta, Sukhino, Bhavantu.. (which means: May there be well being to the people, May the kings rule the earth along the right path, may the cattle and the Brahmins have well being forever, may all the beings in all the worlds become happy; Peace, peace and peace be everywhere).
~ Namaste
Upon arrival, we had a beautiful welcome, fire ritual, ceremony. It was surreal. This traditional fire ceremony is done when new things happen in life. The purchase of a home, car, new lease, a marriage, birth etc. After the ceremony, we had 2 hours of yoga and then dinner, which I must say, every meal has been delicious! A fresh and well prepared, vegetarian meal.
Everyone here is incredibly nice and I am blessed to be surrounded by a great group of fellow students. On Sunday, our first day off, we decided to walk down to Mcleodganj and visit the Dalai Lama Temple. The walk was filled with lots of things to see and do. Tons of Tibetan shops along the way, cafes, restaurants and since it was a Holiday weekend, the streets were filled with people and cars trying to get up and down the mountain. It amazes me how people drive here. The road runs along the cliff of the mountain and barely fits one car, let alone two. Each car has to wait for the other to pass, in order to make it down the road, while avoiding running over pedestrians, dogs, goats and cows. The walk took about two hours, as we stopped along the way to check out smaller temples (no pics allowed), shops (beautiful, incredibly cheap things), and the occasional street vendor. We also encountered many beggars and people who tend to scam tourists by asking for food and not money. The catch is they request a bag of rice, so they can take it home and cook it for their family, then they take you to a specific shop and there you buy said rice. Upon you leaving, they return the bag of rice to the shop keeper, who makes a commission off this, and the beggar now has the cash. It's really intricate and I saw many tourists falling for such trick. I my self was about to, until my friend warned me. Instead I bought the beggars Momo from a street vendor so if they were indeed hungry, they could not return the prepared food. It is always eye opening traveling to a country that has so much poverty. You always want to help, but have to be careful you are not getting taken advantage of.
Overall, don't let that deter you from visiting India. There are far more beautiful experiences here, than the bad ones. For example The Dalai Lama Temple!!!! This place is incredible! The energy there is just indescribable. Since we were there on a Sunday, it was really packed with people and monks. You ca feel the vibrations of their chanting upon entering the compound. There are no pictures inside the actual temple allowed. But I was able to get a few of the outside looking in. Monks gather to chant and pray, and people from everywhere join in. You have to take your shoes off upon entering the temple, and are welcomed to stay as long as you like. Unfortunately, his holiness was away at a city further North, to celebrate his birthday, so no sighting of him this time. I plan on going back on another day off and perhaps, I may get lucky.
Being in the Himalayas has a calming and cleansing feeling. I feel very at peace and focused on my studies. We wake up at sunrise and practice Pranayama (Yogi Breathing) for an hour, then two hours of yoga, followed by an Ayurvedic breakfast. Then Anatomy and Philosophy followed by lunch. We have self study for another two hours, then end with another two hours of yoga. I get to be surrounded by donkeys, goats, cows, monkeys and dogs every day. We also have a cat and her three kittens that live in the compound. If my dogs were here, I probably would not leave. There is a spirit to this place, one that lives inside all of us, yet can only be awaken here. It is a feeling of Shanti (peace) that I have never experienced anywhere else.
I have to run now, as we will be starting class again soon. I leave you with the following Mantra:
Lokah, Samasta, Sukhino, Bhavantu.. (which means: May there be well being to the people, May the kings rule the earth along the right path, may the cattle and the Brahmins have well being forever, may all the beings in all the worlds become happy; Peace, peace and peace be everywhere).
~ Namaste
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