Yoga, Sivananda
I've been home a week now from my yoga trip...
I hardly know where to begin.
To give you a short review, I learned about this yoga weekend a few months ago. It was offered by
an amazing woman, Lila Lolling, who spends most of her time in New York at Sivananda Yoga Ranch...aka, an ashram. An ashram could be compared to a monastary or convent--other than this was Hindu with lots of philosophy & yoga was involved...but that comparison makes it easier for some of my more Christian friends.
I carpooled with 3 other women, I initially hardly knew, driving 9.5 hours to get there. The weather was beautiful. The scenary was lovely--and we were exhausted by the time we arrived. More than exhausted...we were starving-hungry. We drove straight through, only stopping for gas. No bad restaurants. No bad food period. But no food left us so tired, so you can imagine how thankful we were when we got there and they had made a plate of dinner for us. Waiting. This was the first wonderful blessing.
We went to our rooms, up the hill, in what reminded me of a church camp type building. L & I shared a room. I took the top bunk. Our first night of sleep though sucked. Bad. We didn't realize we had a thermostat in the room, so in turn--it was COLD. And it's close to impossible to sleep when you're freezing. So-- when 4 am rolled around, L & I decided to get up and watch the morning puja. This happens every morning at 4:30. It was a beautiful ceremony honoring the dieties. Soon enough 6am came and thats when the rest of the community came for morning satsang. Beginning with a few OM's and then 20-30 minutes of silence, I wondered that first morning if I could make it. Not only was I exhausted from my lack of sleep and traveling but theres a NO CAFFEINE rule there. Ok. I am not someone who drinks coffee all day or pop, but I do enjoy a cup or 2 of my morning coffee. Ug. But, I did make it. Slowly.
Then, 2 hours of asana.
Brunch. OH my -- probably my most favorite thing-- someone making food, vegie/raw, for us everyday. I realized how much I miss being taken care of in that way.
Karma Yoga. Basically, selfless service like cleaning or we worked in their garden. Again, wonderful!!
Workshop.
Asana.
Dinner.
Satsang.
Bed.
Everyday for 4 days. This was my schedule. I added in a sauna break. I read. Wrote. I meditated. I truly relaxed and enjoyed. I spent time with people who were at the same place. I didn't realize how much my soul missed that.
And I was completely blissed out. Now, I've had that feeling of yoga bliss many times--but this, this was otherworldly. It was like being high, but not any kind of high you can imagine...it's like being so happy with goosebumps, but continually..It was life changing. It was surrender.
Om.
I hardly know where to begin.
To give you a short review, I learned about this yoga weekend a few months ago. It was offered by
an amazing woman, Lila Lolling, who spends most of her time in New York at Sivananda Yoga Ranch...aka, an ashram. An ashram could be compared to a monastary or convent--other than this was Hindu with lots of philosophy & yoga was involved...but that comparison makes it easier for some of my more Christian friends.
I carpooled with 3 other women, I initially hardly knew, driving 9.5 hours to get there. The weather was beautiful. The scenary was lovely--and we were exhausted by the time we arrived. More than exhausted...we were starving-hungry. We drove straight through, only stopping for gas. No bad restaurants. No bad food period. But no food left us so tired, so you can imagine how thankful we were when we got there and they had made a plate of dinner for us. Waiting. This was the first wonderful blessing.
We went to our rooms, up the hill, in what reminded me of a church camp type building. L & I shared a room. I took the top bunk. Our first night of sleep though sucked. Bad. We didn't realize we had a thermostat in the room, so in turn--it was COLD. And it's close to impossible to sleep when you're freezing. So-- when 4 am rolled around, L & I decided to get up and watch the morning puja. This happens every morning at 4:30. It was a beautiful ceremony honoring the dieties. Soon enough 6am came and thats when the rest of the community came for morning satsang. Beginning with a few OM's and then 20-30 minutes of silence, I wondered that first morning if I could make it. Not only was I exhausted from my lack of sleep and traveling but theres a NO CAFFEINE rule there. Ok. I am not someone who drinks coffee all day or pop, but I do enjoy a cup or 2 of my morning coffee. Ug. But, I did make it. Slowly.
Then, 2 hours of asana.
Brunch. OH my -- probably my most favorite thing-- someone making food, vegie/raw, for us everyday. I realized how much I miss being taken care of in that way.
Karma Yoga. Basically, selfless service like cleaning or we worked in their garden. Again, wonderful!!
Workshop.
Asana.
Dinner.
Satsang.
Bed.
Everyday for 4 days. This was my schedule. I added in a sauna break. I read. Wrote. I meditated. I truly relaxed and enjoyed. I spent time with people who were at the same place. I didn't realize how much my soul missed that.
And I was completely blissed out. Now, I've had that feeling of yoga bliss many times--but this, this was otherworldly. It was like being high, but not any kind of high you can imagine...it's like being so happy with goosebumps, but continually..It was life changing. It was surrender.
Om.
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