Change of Pace

Things are continue to go well here at the Ashram for me ... I am still enjoying the weather, beach, yogic lifestyle and people (staff and guests) ... and now I am actually a "guest" ... doing a yoga/ayurveda/recovery workshop which is quite intense.  Still following the daily schedule ...up at 5.30 for meditation and chanting but on top of the regular ashram activities I have approximately 8 hours of lectures/study.  It feels great to use my brain a little more and taking this course is helping me to assimilate all I have learned while I have been here.  A Swami gives some of the lectures of yoga theory and an Ayurvedic practitioner gives great lectures on its application as well as daily personalized classes for our group from another teacher.  I am learning a great deal about the mind, my body and my spiritual practice.

Now thinking of coming "home" ... where is home? .... have plans to stay with a friend in Kingston while I make some decisions on an apartment or other location to live and build my "nest".  If anyone has any suggestions or ideas for me please let me know.

It would be quite easy to continue with this life ... moving from the loving supportive ashram community to another ashram and work/live together but for this time I will continue back to Canada and trust that things will all work out well there.

The weather is heating up dramatically, quite humid now and the cruiseship business across the Bay in Nassau is quiet by comparison with the Jan - March period.  Far fewer people around and far fewer loud musical evenings to disturb the sleep.  Good beach weather and the sea is warm and calm.

Now that I am no longer doing Karma Yoga (the work of selfless service and surrender all actions to God/Higher Power), I have the time to reflect on the meaning of work as it relates to daily spiritual practice.  This entire experience is helping me reflect on meditation as a life practice and how I weave this concept into my day to day life.

Hope everyone is enjoying the lovely Spring ... see you soon.

Settling in and settling down

This post is a delight to write ... after more than 2 months here at the Ashram I feel I am quite settled ... life is simple in my little tent with the daily routine that suits me.  The work is not overly hard ... at times even fun, especially baking the cookies and other goodies and making smoothies for people.  The period when Krishna Das was here was a mad house - it has settled down now to around 200 people - when he was here it was up around 260 which was maximum and jam packed.  I was like a mad woman making smoothies and other goodies as fast as I could each day.  Now the sun has come out again ... the weather has been variable and at times downright scary especially when the beach was cordoned off because of the size of the waves.  The wind blew like crazy during the nite and my ear plugs came in handy.

It is a steady coming and going of staff here as well and Teacher Trainees.  Each month there is a new batch of budding teachers who come for 4 weeks of training and each group is different.  The energy of the group is often manic at times because of the workload (I think it is a great training but quite demanding for them as they are fed a ton of information and little time to actually digest it all, perhaps not til they go home) and want goodies especially chocolate.  As do the staff who work very hard here and the chocolate is a big treat as there is not often dessert as we all know it after the very healthy and colourful meals we eat twice a day.

My favourite meal is Brunch ... I usually have some yogurt and hot water to drink and granola and cooked porridge with some kind of milk and then a small bowl of veggies and soup and perhaps a grain.  It needs to sustain me til later in the day at 6 pm so I have a good meal, usually after my 2 hour yoga practice from 8-10 am.  The teachers continue to be excellent and between the teaching and the daily satsangs or community events with speakers and/or music, I am feeling full of goodness as I write this.  And I walk and/or swim at the beach each day.

Not a bad life and I have really settled in here.  As the staff leave from their 4-5 months of karma yoga over the fall and winter and new people arrive for their "terms", I find myself wondering "Could I make this my life?" Could I travel from ashram to ashram meeting new people, practicing great yoga and doing meaningful work ... selfless service ...?  I am reflecting on this but for the time being have a return ticket at the end of April.

Love and gratitude is in my heart for this opportunity to learn more about myself in such a conscious community of like minded souls.

On Being a Karma Yogi

I thought of this blog post while meditating this morning ... my mind does wonder off in all different directions as is the way of the mind.  The morning and evening satsangs, or gatherings, are 2 hrs in length so after the meditation of 30 minutes there is chanting and then some kind of music or lecture/discussion.  It is usually quite lively but this morning my mind drifted and I wanted to share how it is to be a karma yogi at an ashram.

The Caribbean is absolutely gloriously beautiful, the beach clean and the sand warm and lovely to walk on.  The temperatures have fluctuated dramatically over the last 2 weeks and I have had days where there was pelting rain and quite cold for here ... well, let's say in the low 60's but with the humidity it felt colder.  Then the days are hot and sunny and I run around in as little as the ashram guidelines allow - shoulders and knees covered.  Unless we are on the beach.

Now to get back to being a karma yogi - it is challenging, as I work approximately 5 hours per day in the boutique/health hut where I started out stocking the shelves with books, clothing and t-shirts, sweets, drinks and then was instructed on the cash handling and cash register operation and now am in charge of cooking cookies and other sweets including smoothies and grilled cheese each day from 11 to 3 pm.  I am on my feet all day and that is a challenge (memories of Yoga Plus but much more relaxed for those ofyou who remember that adventure) but I am pretty self directed and have another karma yogi helper from the teacher training program some of the time.  We can get great ingredients for everything here but the costs are high and these are reflected in what we charge for the goodies - usually $3.00 for a large Sivananda oatmeal cookie and up to 6.00 for a kale smoothie.

Karma yogis are many - we have staff meetings each morning - it seems there may be up to 50 of us, I'm getting to know everyone, most come for 3 months or longer and are from all over the world.  It is fun to meet and chat with people from around the world - when I get time, meals (we have two each day) are morning and afternoon - 10 am after yoga practice on the lovely outdoor platforms overlooking the sea - and 6 pm after I have had a walk/swim and rest - but they are short meals as I work again after each meal.  I am eating lest and savouring it more.

Life is good overall - when it was raining heavily a couple of weeks ago I was concerned at the safety and security in my tent - but all went well and I was all dry.  A good tent and other equipment saved me.

I have a few hours off here and there to manage my laundry and swimming and yoga and friendly chatting - enough to feel like it is not all work.  Karma yoga is not for everyone, I have found it pays to develop a thick skin, ask for what I need ( like a few extra hours off if one is too tired ) and a willingness to pitch in as there is much to do.  The property is not large but many hands make light work.

This is a most beautiful place and I would encourage anyone who is curious about it to check it out online or come down and take a program.  The presenters and most of the yoga instructors are excellent.  There is a teacher training program with up to 50 participants each month - it will be my job this month to make little bouquets of flowers for each for their graduation, which is a great pleasure.

Life is good, what a way to spend the winter!  I feel healthy and well and very grateful to have this experience.

Busy daily routine

I know many of you are curious about my daily routine; I think I gave you a brief, bird's eye view in the last post but to be more specific.  It's arduous with all the chanting and meditation, two hours both am and pm starting at 5.30 am and ending at 10.00 pm.  BUT the presenters have been fantastic.  We have had an interfaith panel over the last few days as well as musicians from all parts of the world playing music for us and now there is a creative writing and yoga and creativity special event.  It is busy!  This is the busiest time of the year as the weather is lovely.  I just got back from a swim in the Sea and it was so wonderful!  Usually I walk on the beach after my workday but today I swam and was so glad I did!  The weather here is cooler than usual, when we talk in the morning for ameditation walk on the beach I wear my fleece and toque!  The wind is cool.  But most of the time we are in casual, cool clothes and eating and living outside.

All in all the life is good here; today I prepared 40 bouquets of flowers and 40 small packages of three fruits for the teacher trainees who will be graduating and getting their spiritual names tomorrow.  It is lovely to watch these new teachers grow and develop and talk to them about all their experiences while they have been here.  Tonite I had a meal with a young woman from Russia and her friend from Ottawa (her father is from Napanee!).  It is a small world.

This morning (think 7.00 to 8.00 am) we had a lecture from Dr Joe Dispenza and he talks about our brain and how we can use meditation and visualization to create the life we want.  I am impressed, loved his presentation and plan to read his book.  Check out his website formore info.

Am planning on having some body work done here, perhaps a thai yoga massage, there are great therapists.  But daily yoga keeps me limber and I feel very well and healthy.  The food is nutritious and delicious.  I still have to get over to Nassau (by short boat ride) to explore there ... perhaps in my next blog???

Hope no one has too much snow to shovel.  The beach is lovely here.

Karma Yoga at the Ashram

It has been nearly two weeks here at the Sivananda Retreat Centre and Ashram in the Bahamas.  It is not necessarily easy at times ... there are challenges of learning who people are and the rhythm of the Centre. I have been given my work assignment and it is to be in the Boutique approximately 5-6 hours per day and to keep it looking fresh and clean, monitor the bookshelves, do laminating of the various Indian saints and dieties and to set up special displays. I have also been trained on cash.  It seems like a lot but is fun being around the guests and near the food snacks (healthy things like energy bars and bars and smoothies with kale that I love!).  The weather is warm and the sea a little cold for me but soon I think it will be warm enough for me to swim ... I tried it once and I walk on the beach each day after my shift ... usually between 3 and 5 pm.  I have settled into a routine and rhythm of life in a tent (pretty simple and basic life) and am enjoying the yoga each morning between 8 and 10 am.  I love the food and the outdoor living and all the people from various parts of the world and have even bumped into people that I have met at Val Morin at the Sivananda Centre there in the past!  How fun, a woman who I did the juice fast last spring with, she is from Tremblant and another woman who is from Belgium and is doing karma yoga for over one year now at places around the world.

The lifestyle is very disciplined here.  It is part of the "practice" ... we are awoken at 5.30 am by cow bells and they ring continuously til the morning meditiation starts at 6.00 am.  Then two hours of meditation and chanting and yogic philosophy and then a short staff meeting and yoga for two hours at 8.00 am.  Brunch at 10.00 am and then work from 11 to 3 pm.  I have three hours off then and dinner is at 6.00 pm.  I go back to work for one hour between 6.45 and 7.30 to handle last minute customers and clean/close the boutique.  It is a full day but very worthwhile.  I am learning a ton about myself ... more posts about that in future.

I am not missing snow or shovelling or snow tires or anything of that business.  The beach is absolutely glorious and I am feeling very well and recovered from my cold and flu of December. 

More to follow.  This will give you some idea of life here.  O, my tent is well sealed, we have had some evening rain and condensation and I am quite cosy!  I'm grateful for that.

Surfacing

After being under the weather with cold and flu and jet lag over the last more than one week, I'm back on my game and tomorrow heading for Bahamas ... a 3 month commitment in the advanced karma yoga program at the Sivananda retreat centre.  I will be camping, have a lovely new and very light tent, with instructions and help from friends Tim and Debbie!  It will be yet another part of my adventure on my Sacred Sabbatical 6 months!

Coming back to Canada in the middle of winter from India has been quite an eye opener and I would not recommend it to anyone to be honest.  It is very tough, the cold and snow and ice and trying to drive safely without snow tires ... stressful ... but only one of two storms during the last one-plus week.

The bus to Pearson Toronto today with a huge suitcase which holds not only my summer work and yoga clothes, but my camping gear.  Heavier than what I took to India but necessary.

Looking forward to sun and beach life for the next 3 months.  More updates on the work in Bahamas, the scene at the retreat centre and my life as a camper!

Happy New Year to all who are reading!

My typical day in Auroville

As many of you can tell from my emails and previous blogs, I'm loving it in India.  I have managed to find places and people that really suit my nature especially here in Auroville where I am surrounded my lush, tropical greenery, easygoing people from all over the world who are united in their quest for greater peace and serenity through selfless service, ie, work!

Each day starts quietly - well not really so quiet because the temple nearby blasts chants from 5.30 or 6.00 am but some days I cannot hear them from my room depending on the wind.  Then I am up and making a pot of tea (a wide variety of organic blends, all from here in Auroville, provided by the guest house) and time for a little sit outside looking at the greenery all around me and sipping a wonderful tasty blend with honey.  Then I'm usually going to the Matrimandir, the spiritual centre of Auroville, for meditation or biking or walking through the forest to the yoga centre for a class.  I have a good variety of classes and teachers in this lovely serene building surrounding by tropical trees and plants, then back to the guest house for a fresh fruit breakfast.

The rest of the days are spent biking around to see small settlements in the forest, stopping at roadside cafes and shops, visiting with people that I have met since I have been here or new ones, some massage or other bodywork, classes in the philosophy of this community (established by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother in 1968) to learn more about the Aurovilians and sometimes just relaxing and reading and having time to try to think about very little.

I have always been interested in intentional communities as many of you know so this is a real experience for me, I am in awe of the work that has gone into Auroville by so many thousands of people from all over the world.  Auroville is owned by no one and no one here owns anything ... they are paid a "maintenance salary" for their work and most of their daily needs are met.  The entrepreneurial spirit is strong here and there is a very strong European influence -mainly French, Italians, Germans and some British.  There are 10 Canadians living here but I have not met any.  Much research into so many aspects of sustainable living is conducted here.

I'm happy but must leave this Saturday and will post again soon.

Kind seasonal wishes to all who are reading this ... enjoy!