Breakfast and lesson planning

Here is a typical breakfast, served outside while we all socialize and plan our day. We always have papayas, bananas, and sometimes pomegranates. The main course today is kichadi, which is a rice and vegetable dish that can be served anytime. Kichadi is a completely balanced ayurvedic meal and is soothing to the digestive system, and is delicious in my opinion.

Tomorrow morning I teach my first yoga and meditation class, working with the manipuri (navel ) chakra. The yoga here is classic ashtanga yoga with a set series of 36 poses, I think. It is not flow, as I am used to, but involves long slow breathing and holding of the postures. You go very deep...Dr. Senthil recommends holding the postures from anywhere from 30 seconds to one hour. I have a lot to learn about sequencing for sure and different cues. It's always good to learn a new style...the mind is working to internalize this new information. We do an hour class at 6:30 a.m, a half hour class at 12:30, and another yoga and meditation class at 5:30. The new class session begins Monday and no one knows if anyone else is coming...I asked Dr. Senthil and he had no idea. This is  the way things are here, he said he would know Monday. Shanti shanti welcome to India!

Ayurvedic medicine and more food

You can see on my plate a variety of food, this is a typical lunch and, the best part, it is cooked and served to you...heaven! There is stewed okra, rice, chapati, mung dal, and an amazing salad of tomato, pomegranate and carrot. In the upper corner you can see a little metal cup with a lid on it. That is my ayurvedic medicine, a bitter grassy concoction that Uni brings at 6:a.m., lunchtime and dinner. Wish I could say it was tasty, but Dr. Mouli, who is pictured below the food with his adorable daughter, said my vata and pitta were slightly raised and claims these herbs will get rid of brain fogginess...bring it on Dr. Mouli!

The fine men below are Uni, the medicine man, Chuggen, the kitchen master,Chad from the U.S., recent yoga training graduate, Johnny from Scotland, recent yoga graduate, and Sunny, master of all odds and ends.

The ladies were partying it up too..Magalee from France, Grace from Thailand, and Sunita from Kathmandu.

New Year's Eve Bonfire

Puss

Puss is the retreat cat, who has perfected the art of flicking open the windows of the rooms next to the kitchen and sleeping with whomever is there...the last two nights he has slipped onto my bed around 3:00 a.m. or so and leaves around 11:a.m. Puss had a good life here, you would not know it as he walks around screaming all day, not unlike my cat Vivian.

The Himalayan products are so fanastic...they are made in India,all plant based and ayurvedic, made with herbs, apricots, grapes, aloe vera and all kinds of delicious things. I completely recommend them...if anyone out there wants some let me know. I plan on bringing a stash back.