Awakening the Divine

January 23, 2010

Since arriving in India I've had this wonderful, relaxed smile on my face this entire time. I am with my teacher -a wild, mystic woman- and her humble guruji.

The temple here is dedicated to the divine feminine, all female deities. My hair is loose and I am barefoot.

Right now it's gorgeous daytime with this really lovely breeze. I can sit in a temple, or simply on a bench and look out into a jungly field filled with birds, a couple happy stray dogs, and cows grazing on whatever they can.

We spend most of our time together as a group in breathwork and investigation. My teacher's approach to yoga is such that you use a certain pranayam (breath control) or meditation and sit and observe what is happening. I'm loving absorbing the information, and it's bringing a lot of peace.

Everyday we wake up before sunrise and go to one of the temple rooftops and practice these different techniques for an hour. Then we have chai from the kitchen and gather again to either practice kalari (an Indian martial art) or dance (which I lead). Then there's a light breakfast and back to yoga, this time a more physical practice based on one of the chakras. By lunch we are free... To visit one of the temples, nap, read, write or just hang with each other.

In the evening before dinner we sit with guruji, a wonderful 76 year old man with shining eyes. This place he's built is utterly healing, peaceful and full of jyoti (light). I love it, and want to bring all of you back with me. It's good medicine.

Love,
Sarita