18-24 December 2010
During our weeklong stint as “real yogis” Nick and I spent a lot of time folding ourselves into lotus pose, pouring salt water in one nostril and out the another, breathing furiously while practicing pranayama, eating apples, falling asleep during meditation (how embarrassing), staring at the lake and watching paragliders, playing drums and chanting in Sanskrit, and painting benches.
So, you may be wondering what a day in the life of a “real yogi” is like….silly music, fade to dark….
“Dong, Dong, Dong” the morning bell sounds just before six for meditation. Meditation is an hour of sitting cross-legged and silently repeating the mantra “So, Hum”. You do this while trying to keep your mind from wandering (impossible for Nick, which is why he only went once) and trying desperately to stay awake. After breathing the life back into our legs and wandering out into the misty morning air for tea, I was surprised that my mind was more clear and awake than usual in the morning. After tea, we would head down to the garden with a tea pot full of warm salt water. Once in the garden we would crouch down and pour the salt water into one nostril, letting it fall out the other – nose cleansing nettie pot style. This is actually an amazing feeling and anyone with a cold or serious allergies should look into this morning ritual.
After dancing around like a chicken trying to clear the remaining snot and saltwater our noses (yes this looked as funny as it sounds), we would head to morning yoga for some pranayama (breathing exercises) and serious stretching. By the time we were done we were starving, but unfortunately we still had an hour long walk around the mountain before our yummy breakfast would be served. It was around this time, on the first of seven days, that Nick realized there would be no coffee (meat, caffeine, and alcohol are big no-no’s in at yoga school). We were a few kilometers from town, making coffee difficult to obtain, and a crazed caffeine-starved panic swept through Nick so fast it made me laugh hysterically.
After breakfast we had our choice of a mud or steam bath, followed by two hours of free time, before another hour of meditation (soooo, hummmm…I was incapable of staying awake during this one for some reason), then a delicious Nepali lunch (dal bhat), another few hours of free time, Karma yoga (go on the roof and paint benches for the new dining room), chanting, more yoga, and finally dinner.
For the last three days we took part in a fast/cleanse to rid ourselves of stomach issues and, you know, to balance out our manipura chakra. Nick has no opinion on the current, past, or future status or existence of his manipura chakra. This is the part where we ate a lot of apples and were really hungry. I don’t want to talk about what happened on the 3rd day (use your imagination) apart from the fact Nick and I both did very well.
Back in the lakeside area of Pokhara, we are relaxed and our colons are clean! That certainly doesn’t seem like Christmas, does it?
Late on Christmas Eve there are still quite a few mice stirring (and, shockingly, even a guinea pig that scampered around our lunch table today). Instead of Christmas songs we have Sanskrit chants stuck in our heads (“Jaya mata Kali, Jaya mata Durgai”). Lucky us! It is a very un-Christmasy Christmas. And speaking totally honestly, we don’t miss the hustle and bustle and last minute gift wrapping at all. What we do miss is our dear family and friends who we haven’t seen in so long and who seem so, so far away. While we don’t miss the corny music, we deeply miss sharing in the love and comforts of the season. Cherish your loved ones this holiday season, however you celebrate. Hugs to all from Nepal.
Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Om.
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