Sat Nam and Namaste divine ones!

Tomorrow is my last full day, and with all of the sights, sounds, smells, and full on feeling of Rishikesh I wanted to post before I depart.  A friend and I found probably the one internet “joint” with wireless and a fan, thank God for that!  Did I mention it gets a wee bit warm in the afternoons now? I have taken to napping and meditating for about 3 hours in those hours!

Where to begin??? I feel like we are in a little city, perched on a pinhead sitting on top of the world overlooking the majestic and holy Ganges River! Every day has provided me with completely new experiences, and yet there is a soothing routine to the early morning yoga class, meditation by the river, breakfast at a little “cafe” (not anything like what you are imagining, so don’t get romantic on this idea!), and then time for reflection before Kundalini Yoga (YES, there is a visiting teacher here from NY, she is a new KY teacher and is filled with enthusiasm and vigor, we have been doing all navel point kriyas!!!), and then lunch in the intimate dining room (again, not what you imagine!) and then the afternoon of napping, meditating, writing, reading, touring, walking, swimming (yes, we took some dips in the river!!), climbing to see waterfalls, shopping, and simply being!, then the famous Arti ceremony on the river, (the sacred ceremony of Light, honoring the sunset), then dinner, then more KY meditation, then BED!

So, in a nutshell that is my day!

Now, what is happening though inside, is at least as mind blowing as what goes on outside here. Just getting used to the incredible sensory overload is a job in and of itself. The upside is of course the majestic river, her overwhelming energy and the way the people pray, bathe, wash, swim, and drink from her.  Just seeing her, sitting beside her creates in me an overflow of emotions at times.  Watching the beautiful women wash their saris and then how they billow in the wind to dry and then rewrap themselves is amazing!

The interesting modesty of the people, you must keep your shoulders and preferably ankles covered, but the entire waist and stomach are free for exposure, quite a different viewpoint than what we have. The people, both men and women will bathe in the river, men always leave on their wrapping, and women bath in a sari and then change into another one, although sometimes they are topless.

We enjoyed a dip up river one particularly hot afternoon, and talk about a cold plunge! It is freezing!!!! But what a feeling when we got out! I felt totally new and revitalized, like I had been baptized! BTW, can you imagine people white water rafting down the Ganges, well, it happens!!!

Ashram life has given me a whole new awareness and gratitude for the luxury I live with.  Austerities aside, the vibration does pervade every waking moment, and I am constantly reminded of what I am doing here. God resides in every sound, sight, smell, touch and taste.

My heartfelt feelings are still “coming together”, and I will post more when I depart, but for now, know this, I have held each of you in my heart, and I will continue to pray and meditate for you on every level. These last two nights will be very special as I begin to synchronize myself for departure.  I will depart Delhi on Friday, and spend the weekend in Boston with my daughter and finally wend my way home by Monday. I absolutely cannot wait to see you in class on Wednesday, March 31st!

Thank you also to Diane and Eleanor, you two are grace in action! thank you for being there!

Peace, love and light to all,

Denise Kirpal Kaur

Sat Nam divine ones!

What a journey! We left Anandapur at midnight on Wednesday night, drove all night to arrive in Delhi at 6 am, on the bumpiest road ever, my organs have finally relocated back into my body!

However, we made it safely and soundly! Ipods are amazing, just plug it in, put on the mantras, and whoosh, it seemed 6 hours was over in a flash!

Delhi airport is very modern and convenient, we relaxed with breakfast and people watching! Our little group together!  We then flew most of the day south, almost as far as from the east to west coast in the US, to the state of Kerala, where Trivandrum is. A very radical and extreme difference from the norther Punjabi area. This is the part of India where it is steamy, hot, humid and very Hindu and Christian! Our ayurvedic hermitage sits right on the ocean and all day and night, and during yoga class we are serenaded by the sounds of crashing waves!

WOW, this is awesome. We all met with our ayurvedic doctor for our consultations and have our schedule for daily treatments. Morning finds us all doing sadhana, then yoga class with Mr. Joseph, a sivananda trained tiny little indian man, and then we enjoy a perfectly balanced ayurvedic breakfast outside overlooking the ocean. Can you say ANAND??? Bliss? Really, this is too much.

Here are the extent of my treatments, begin with a sitting up back massage with two women, then lie down and more massage with both women still, and TONS of oil. Then the oil bath begins, with the pouring of at least two gallons of warm oil from head to toe, over and over. Each joint massaged as well as the whole body again. Flip or rather slide over and more on the other side. Needless to say, modesty in these treatments is out the window.

Then my favorite, shiroda, where you are lying there with the warm oil streaming onto your forehead, literally I just go, not sure where but it feels indescribable, as it is focusing you at your ajna chakra and it is the most relaxing thing I have ever had. By then entire body has melted and the sound of birds and the warm air is like I have just been completely submerged into another place.

The hair is wrapped for the day in a cloth, to soak in the oil, and by then it is time for lunch, the beach or whatever!

But what is happening inside is just as wonderful, finally a bit of clarity, and grace. The two weeks north were deeply instigating and this time has given us all time to integrate and melt the shifts into ourselves. Again, I have been overwhelmingly blessed with divine and humorous compatriots on this trip, and each of us brings such a warm, nurturing and loving quality to the Yatra. We are enjoying every single moment.

I hope you feel the warmth, and I am learning too, and want to bring these new meditations, inspirations and love to each of you when I return.

Thanks for your blogs in, I love hearing from you!!!!

love to all, light to all, peace to all,

Kirpal Kaur