A Tourist in sri lanka

Day 1 - 6

'Planes, trains and tuk tuks. If you call travelling a vacation, then you are doing it wrong. Vacation = relaxation, pampering, and ease if daily activities and obligations. Travel = exploring, experimenting, experiencing, frustrating, laughing, learning about yourself and making mistakes to learn from.

I must say it's funny; jumping off a plane into a new country, jumping off a train into a new city, and diving into a new culture. At first you feel completely lost and confused. You may not know where you are or where you are going. You feel faint, hungry and dizzy. You get ambushed by dozens of locals trying to convince you of what you should be doing and how you should be spending your money. Like a fish swimming against the stream, you have to fight against their sweet sounding words and find your natural instincts. Tremendous amounts of research in advance, questioning fellow travelers and asking the same questions to different people b over and over to try and make the best sense of it all. Traveling is hard work. Work that you don't get paid for, and try not to get robbed along that way.

You make mistakes. You learn from your mistakes.

By the second day in this new environment you start to feel more orientated with your surroundings; comfortable. And then to see a dozen of sweaty, stinky, lost looking backpackers stumble out of the train and spill out into thy city. I'm thinking to myself ‘that's exactly how i felt and looked yesterday’; and u chuckle at myself, to myself.

The most important thing for me when i travel is space and meditation. Bringing the self back to your heart center. It is easy to get caught up in the busy environments and its overwhelming at times. But, if you are calm in the body, clear in the mind and happy in the heart them naturally your energy path will chase outta destiny with ease.

Clear your mind, live with an open heart and experience the fruits of life.

A pilgrim in Rishikesh

One week ago today I left Rishikesh.

When I was sitting in Canada, exploring options for Yoga Teacher Training, I honestly never thought I would end up in Rishikesh, India. The more I browsed schools in Canada, the more I questioned “what is the source of Yoga? What is the origin? How can I learn to teach yoga as it was intended?”. These questions lead me to Rishikesh in search for answers to my questions. Although I went to India with the yoga certification being my primary goal, my focus was quickly redirected when I reached this holy place, and a new question took over my vision “ Who am I ? How can I improve myself and others through yoga philosophy?”.

I met 12 other strangers on Day 1 at Ekam Yogashala. All of us a little confused, a little jet legged and a little anxious for what was to come. Although we each came from a different corner of the world, with different intentions and reasons for being here, now, doing THIS; we all shared one thing in common, the desire to improve self and one day share our knowledge to help others. We became a family of brothers and sisters, each willing to help one another survive the next 26 days.

During the next 26 days, we each became vulnerable. We were all very cold and very hungry the first week as we climatized to Winter in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains of India and adapting to a vegetarian diet low in protein and fats. We were all very confused the second week as our sponge brains filled up with new ideas and our bodies were twisted in ways we didn't know possible. Week three we were all very tired and home sick. Week four we all slayed it, cherished it, and put the final puzzel piece in together - as ONE. After all… we all are one. We shivered, cried, laughed, shared, stretched, ached and ate together for 26 days. I wish I could say we left together, but I am affraid we each went our seperate ways with memories of this magical placed locked in our hearts forever.

Samsara. Where there is life there is death. Where one thing completes itself, the next is given birth. Where there was questions, there are now answers. And new questions emerge. Again and again we repeat the circle of life, and what’s important is not the beginning, nor the end; but the journey each pilgram travels on, in search of finding out not only answers to their questions about life, but the answer to a bigger question WHO AM I in this life.

A pilgrim in Rishikesh

Day 13 - Day 18 - Absorption. I felt had no more energy to be blogging this week, after cramming my brain with so many new ideas, knowledge and language, I needed to let it all soak in so that I could even consider reflexion. Have you ever sat on a train and looked out the window? You know where you came from. You know where you are going. You know you are safe. Yet the world around you is passing by so quickly that you can not even reach out and touch it before its gone. This was my feelings last week and I just needed to sit back and absorb the last week.

Vulnerable. The last six days have been extremely vulnerable for everyone. 4 hours of yoga a day with my yogi family. Practical teacher exams brought out everyone's creative personalities, and also their most raw emotions as we gave critical and constructive feedback about the lesson plans we each designed and instructed. This week we became a family as we ached together, sweat together, cried together and studied together into the final chapter of this journey.

Celebrate. Exams are done! The sun is shining and today we celebrate our hard work and appreciate all of the brilliance the universe has given to us. Ceremony starts in two hours. Stay tuned.

“The mind and body are capable of so much more than you think. Stretch yourself and watch the diamonds unfold.”

— Me

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 12 - Yesterday was a difficult day for my body so I opted out of blogging.

We are doing some cleansing techniques here and they are working well but at times the body just feels tired, off, maybe you have a headache or feel emotional. This is the suffering leaving my body and the restart botton being pushed. Although I was suffering yesterday, I really got some great sleep and am feeling better today! Don't think yoga is easy, don't think life is easy, because it's not. It never will be. But controlling the mind and cleaning and aligning the body will get easier and problems in ones life will be less.

Feeling fresh and excited for my day off! And a last week of Yoga Teacher Training ahead.

A pilgrim in Rishikesh

Day 12 - The morning breeze was cool on my neck and my toes curled up tightly as they hit the cold, clean, ceramic tile beneath them. 5:05 AM. A quick hot shower to wake up the body. But, oh no! The pipe has run dry and only a few drops fall towards the ground. Just enough to splash the face.

Bundle up and head into the dark corridor outside my room, and I scurry down two flights of stairs to the kitchen. The school is silent and still. Dump a packet of instant coffee into the clay cup and hope for hot water out of the water purifier. Yes! There is some left! Benefits to being the first one up.

Bang! Bang! Bang! On the big front door. Oooh! Guru G is here early. Open up and let him in. His face wrapped with scarfs as the wind cuts his face in the cool morning air as he cruises on his motor bike to our school.

Up 6 flights of beautiful marble stairs to the rooftop'- I go quickly, trying not to spill my coffee. I reach the roof and the aggressive wind is flapping the doors and slamming them back and forth. The laundry has been tossed everywhere. I see a light is on in the small classroom to my left and the door cracked a wee bit. But only one students sandles sit outsude the door. And in I go, wrapped in scarves, gloves, slippers with my yoga mat and bag of books slung over my shoulder.

Mat down, blocks, bolsters, straps, blankets, cushions, books, pens, surround my mat. I sip my coffee enjoying every taste while the other late commers rush in. Class begins.

As the sun rises over the mountains, we face the light together and chant “ Om “ and give thanks to the universe and ourselves before moving into the lesson. Hatha.

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 11 - Im running out of space in my short term memory. The brain is packed with useful information, will take some time to sort through it all and file it away. 12 days of classes complete, 9 more days of classes and 2 exams to go; this will make a total of 147 classes complete in 28 days of being here in Rishikesh.

Fast Track gets you the certificate, but practice makes the teacher. So much learning still to come and so many wonderful things to work towards.

“Yog(a) is not just about sexy postures- it’s a way of life!”

— Me

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 10 - Searching for thy self can lead you into problems. Remove yourself from the problem; and find the problem lies within thy self. Remove the problem from the self and find what you were searching for.

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 10 - Meditation. Yesterday and today it was easier than it has been. I came here with one of the intentions being to work on learning how to meditate, how to incorporate meditation into my daily routine and find out if it really works. Not going to lie, the first few classes were cool and I was super focused. And than I started dreading it. Knowing I had to sit still for 20 minutes, my body aching in pain, can't move, can't blink, can't think _yet the mind racing). I stopped controlling my mind, and this is why it ran away on me. Distraction is always easier than doing the work, but the work is what need to be done so just do it. Usually whatever you don't like, is exactly what you need.

Today 20 minutes flew by and only colors in the mind. Excited to learn a new technique tomorrow, thankful for friends here who encouraged me to keep trying and now I must pounder how can I incorporate these tools into my daily practice. It’s so important to de-clutter, re-wire, re-route, re-think, and grab the reigns of the brain. For in meditation is where we find our true self.

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 9 - Waking up in darkness. 5 a.m. This has been my practice for almost a year. I see many beneficial results from this, including: more productive days, more concentration, more energy, more self-awareness, better punctuality, better eating pattern, more calmess, less anxiety, less rushing, less feeling of losing control of time or feelings of running out of time, better digestion, better work outs, better sleep etc. Check out the “ 5 a.m. Club”.

A major breakthrough for me this morning! I have struggled since I was a child to perform a full bridge with back extension. I always tried, and tried, but could not lift from the shoulders. I have tried and failed many, many times in the yoga room when asked to perform Chakrasana (wheel pose). I ultimately gave up thinning it must be an atomical misalignment or genetic default. It has been 3-4 years since I have tried this asana. I have been strengthening my shoulders in the gym for the last 2 years, specifically targeting my deltoids, traps and SITS muscles for strength, not for this asana specifically, just fit general shoulder girdle improvement and muscular growth. Today I tried this asana in class and BOOM up I go in the pose with full strength in my shoulders! Ah hah! What a scary place to be in spinal extension, on tip-toes and wrists with hips up in the air! My whole body was asking 'What the hell is this!? Abort! Abort!’. Diziness, insecurities, fear, pain, strain all lagging my body and confidence in the second attempt, form in the third attempt and smiles and happiness after all said and done.

If you want to fix the problem, first you must fix the form, insecurity, lack of confidence, limitations of the mind - and than, try again with confidence! Happy body. Happy heart. Happy mind. 🙏

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 8 - The body and mind are tired today. The body is sore from pulling, pushing, twisting. Thankful for a rest and recovery day tomorrow. Some intense meditations in class today - eye gazing with a partner. Very interesting starting into someone's eyes for 15 minutes in silence… all kinds of magical things happened.

More friendly smiles and waves in the streets today. Caught my neighbour doing Hatha yoga exercises on the balcony today… if he can do it at 80+.. So can i!

Time to let it all soak in.

“If you can control the mind, you can control the body.”

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 7 - Ill be honest, I never wanted to travel to India. I just had no appetite for what my imagination had created as India. Merely the hunger to learn the roots of yoga lead me to this magical place. There are many myths about India, many misrepresentations collected from media sources or having one bad encounter with one person and letting that dictate the entirety of one massive and diverse country. What I have come to love about this place is the equality they see in male, female, animal, nature and solar. It is really truly beautiful to study the routes to Indian philosophy and learn the truths of this nation by experience.

The locals here in Rishikesh are so friendly. They treat everyone and thing with respect, kindness and goodness. And I am so impressed with how Yog culture honours the female body and even recognizes that the postures we know were invented by man and some postures are not good for the health of women during different cycles and they respect that and talk about it openly. They are openly talking with love about the many things women hide from men or men do not acknowledge in N.America.

Everyone I have met passing by on the street, in a shop, waving at a neighbour, they are all interested in knowing who you are and what you do and where you came from and with big smiles on their faces. Their is a calmness to the people in Rishikes. They are calm, cool, non judgmental and not interested in n pestering or ripping off tourists. Karma and love rules this place.

🙏

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 7 - Today, more than any other day, I learned to not have ego, to love myself just the way I am. Did some major hamstring stretching and advanced asanas that revolve around hamstring lengthening ( mine have always been ridiculously tight and I have been stretching them for years and years ). Most of the postures I can not perform to look “sexy”, I am like half way between the beginning and end of the posture, but… I have learned to be patient with myself and to care about form more than anything. Yoga has always taught me that wherever I am at today, it's ok; what really matters is to wake up tomorrow and try again. And the day after that. And the day after that. The process is the rewar, not the end game.

I literally shed a tear today as my guru push and pull me into a deeper and deeper stretch gently. I did not feel sad, I DID feel pain. I felt pain leaving the body and healing beginning. I felt happy to be calm and still, slow and gradual, feeling my breath bring love to this pain as others around me grunt and force and fall down trying to look good.

Beauty is in the confidence of one who loves themself, who can honor where their body is at today; not in one who quickly flexes for an insta-selfie and then falls down.

Fall in love with where you are at today, try harder tomorrow, but appreciate this amazing body we have been given as it does so much for us!

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 6 -

Stretch. Sweat. Breath. Eat. Chant. Think. Eat. Think. Sweat. Medetate. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

Morning tea. Hatha. Pranyama. Breakfast. Mantra. Philosophy. Lunch. Anatomy. Ashtanga. Meditation. Dinner. Rest. Repeat.

“You must free your mind, detach yourself from the material world and liberate ones thoughts to find out who you are. ”

— Me

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 5 - Muscles are aching in a whole new way; this makes me smile.

The importance of patience, repetition, consistency in transformation and mastery- revealed.

I will barely scratch the surface of true “Yog” philosophy, asana, medetation, Pranayama breathing here in 200 hours. I will barely taste the Indian Culture before I leave. This is so much more than just a sexy pose in Lu Lu Lemon tights. This is a way of life, a philosophy, a daily focus on healing, understanding, accepting, preserving self and universe.

Being here in this place, with the Hindu and Indian people, as well as other students is learning to share together, suffer together, be kind to one another, be happy no matter what natural or self inflicted disasters are unfolding.

To still the body, to open the mind.

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 4 - Chanting. Sweating. Stretching. Pushing. Pulling. Bending. Twisting. Reading. Writing. Listening. Watching.

Breathing. Concentrating. Medetating. Chakra opening. Singing. Laughing. Sharing.

Hatha to the Sunrise. Medetation to the Rainstorm. Wet shoes. Cold feet. Hot dal. Reading to sleep in a cocoon of warmth.

Sweet dreams.

Repeat.

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 3 - Starting to settle in now with routine, community and the neighbourhood I will call home for 28 days. Rishikesh is a very friendly place. Walking down the streets welcomes many strangers greetings with “namaste”. The locals are happy to share their culture their yoga way of life to forigners and treat everyone kindly.

I fell asleep last night to the sounds of laughter, and missed blogging on time, as you will see this is a date late hah!

The brain is a sponge absorbing new philosophies, the body just a canvas looking to be painted with bright colours.

The most important thing I learned this week was that it is in the removal of toxic energy, food, behaviour where we find what we are looking for. You can not add in health and fitness and meditation to an unhealthy environment, you must remove the unhealthy ways of living and therefore will naturally be left with what you are searching for.

“To know the path is different than to walk the path”

— Morpheus

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 3 - Hatha in darkness. The sun kisses the treetops on the hillside as I watch my breath evaporate into the crispy air.

Sound vibration causing emotion. Words of love and truth stretch and pain the brain. Shadows of light cast upon the cold dark floor.

More cows.

New language. New friends. New thoughts.

The moon caresses the shivering hills and keeps them warm into the shivering night.

“And stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.”

— Khalil Gibran

A pilgrim in rishikesh

Day 2 - Cleansing. Letting go of the old to make space for the new. Fire and sun.

New friends. Rooftop chai. Suspended over the Ganga River. Trust.

So many cows!

“You can search the whole world to find out who you are - or you could just look inside.”

— Me

Welcome Fire Ceremony

To new beginnings.

Sunset on the Ganga.

A pilgrim in rishikesh

And so it begins; my pilgrimage in Rishikesh. The exploration of a sacred place, a unique culture, a goddess kissed geographical oasis and the pilgramage of inner healing, balance and spiritual growth.

Day 1 - Vulnerable.

Its new. Its different. Its cold. Its delicious. Its alone.

Nepalese slippers. Cow dung. Chai Masala. Simplicity.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”

— Chinese Proverb

Adventures in Thailand

I must say, that I found it somewhat refreshing to be in a country where no one around you is speaking english as their first language. Walking through the cluttered and chaotic streets of Phuket, Thailand, and not being able to pick up a single word or conversation in the ambient noise that surrounded me was a very relaxing experience. Forcing the mind to focus only on the visual elements, the 5 senses and body language of others surrounding me was a whole new experience - an enjoyable one! 

I have never seen so many restaurants, food stands, restaurants on wheels and night markets full of food stalls in all of my life. It would definitely be hard to go hungry in this country as you can buy a piece of fried chicken, or a bag of baked banana chips off the street for only 20 Baht ( roughly converted to $1.10 CAD). The average local meal cost me 80 baht ( $3.30 CAD ) and consisted of minced chicken, pork or beef, a fried egg and a cup of white rice. Not a bad way to save money and stay full, although it was an easy way to put on the lbs with so much white rice (unless your body is used to this diet)! 

The beaches and islands in Thailand are definitely on my top five list of most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life. The shores are sprinkled with soft white sand that sifts away under your feet as you step by step down the path towards the aqua ripples. You can walk for a quarter mile out towards the infinite ocean in ankle deep, crystal clear, salt kissed glory to where tropical fish of every neon colour and shape swim about the coral rocks of the ocean floor. I squinted my eyes as the horizon extends for an infinity, and the sky blends into the ocean. I found paradise.