Almost half way through the teacher training course and with my experience here in India, and it's been like no other.
I'll be honest, it hasn't been easy and full of peaceful easy vibes you may think a yoga retreat would bring.
I have been okay with not having running water for a day, I understand I'm in India and it's a different life. But three days with not being able to flush the toilet or brush my teeth or rinse my hands after snacking on a date.. The simple things. It gets tough. Especially when you're used to having water at your feet.
Needless to say I am learning to take my pranayama into action (breathing techniques) to calm away my exasperations and although I'm not big on the pranayama/meditation part of the course, it's sort of helping me not go crazy. Although I will say I was not happy with the case because the other yogis across the hall get water! So why is it just our six rooms?!
I can look at it in a few ways and I'll take it as a test by the higher power strongly reminding of what a beautiful and blessed life I do have everyday. So I'll accept it.
But, it wasn't fun when the three days of no water decided to happen when I got food poisoning/sickness... That has been the biggest struggle, the food. We get made an Indian cuisine twice a day which is nice but food my body does not accept. (From now on I am only eating the breakfast here which is oats and fruit).
And so I have been venturing out into town reluctant but forced to try food (so I would not starve myself) and more or less I had issues.
Now, I've come across two places I can eat at and I'm overjoyed and so happy to have found a place of decent food. It was a hallelujah moment.
Besides the struggles of water and food, two needs in life, I'm doing well. This part of the course is the toughest because it's dead center in the middle and waking up EVERYDAY at 5:30 is no easy task, so it's catching up quickly but I am happy because the schedule is becoming easier as we are starting to create our own sequences and dive into other fun practices. (And get out of the anatomy and philosophy lectures)
Like today for our workshop we did partner yoga and tomorrow we have acrobatic yoga! That is going to be my next goal, acro yoga! Maybe one day to even teach it. Anyway, today's workshop was fun and I am excited for tomorrow's workshop as well.
Tomorrow we have another morning of cleansing which sounds awful because of my previous experience. We are doing Agnisar (vahnisara Dhauti) which is activating the digestive fire. This is when you drink a mixture (I am not exactly sure what it is) and it comes out BOTH ways until you're completely cleaned out.
Our teacher told us that one girl did it last month and it hit her so fast she was running up the stairs and she couldn't hold it in where it all came down her pants and legs... How awful!! Yeah so that's tomorrow...
Count me WAY out.
I'll go observe and support but heck no am I putting my body through another vomiting session. And out the other end too?! No no no not for me. At least not yet, still working on becoming a "yogi".
Anyway, same routine tomorrow but Shatkarma (the cleansing) instead of meditation and the schedule remains the same. I am hoping my body will be feeling 100% by tomorrow because I am still recuperating.
All in all, this is a chapter on my journey of curiosity.
DK
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