Ashram Life

Our Swamiji at Ganga Arti

Dear Lulu,

It is great to be back in India.  Although being here without you and Sofi is a bit strange.  The moment I arrived I felt like I had come home.  While riding in the cab through the streets of Delhi I had a wonderful calm feeling settle over me.  It was all so familiar and comfortable.  The Ashram life has been amazing so far.  I have been here for two weeks now, although it feels like I have been here for a month.  We literally have class from 6am till 9pm every day except Sunday.  I am learning so much about yoga and pranayama (breathing), Ayurveda, and spirituality.  We have two yoga sessions a day that are each about two hours long.  Then we have two Ayurveda classes, a chanting class, a class on the Bhagavad Gita, and a meditation class to end the day.  We only have three breaks, one for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for dinner.  I have to say though all the classes are starting to take a toll.  I am physically and mentally exhausted.  On the plus side I am getting into amazing shape…but I guess that’s not really what it’s all about. 

The dinning hall

Getting ready for afternoon asana practice

Learning how to make Ayurvedic concoctions

 Michelle, the Irish woman we met and traveled with in Peru, decided to do the course as well and we are sharing a room.  It is really great having her here.  I can’t believe that we got to meet up again. You meet so many great people on the road and wonder if they will ever come back into your life.  It’s nice that one finally did.  My other two suite mates, Heather and Piya, are extremely nice as well.  They are both Canadian and two of the sweetest girls I have met.  All three have really helped to make my time here a lot of fun. 

Since we only have one day off from classes, we really don’t get to experience too much outside the ashram.  We did have an amazing time last Sunday for Holy.  Holy is a religious day where people take to the streets and throw large amounts of colored water and powder at each other.  It is a crazy paint war!  We couldn’t miss it.  We ran around throwing powder and laughing like little children.  It was so much fun!  I wish you could have been here for it.  By the end we were all covered head to toe in pink, yellow, green, purple, and red.  

Me Piya and Michelle taking a break from Holy by the river

Heather and Me after the Holy War

Me playing with one of the local kids on Holy.  They were so much fun!

   

I hope all is going well in Austria and Ireland.  I am sure you are having a great time as well.  Fill me in when you have a chance.  I am curious to know what you are up to.

Xxx,

Kiki

P.S.  I got to see our American bungee friends, Toby and Zack, and our favorite palm reading gemist, Puneet again.  It was really nice seeing them.  They all say hi.