still 21-28 April 2019
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I was packing up my things, to
move onto the next part of my journey, and I could not believe that I had spent
a week in an ashram, and enjoyed it.
Nay, I had loved it – like a fine wine – except wine is gross – so more
like a bubblegum milkshake. It was only
now when I truly understood what people meant when they say being in an Ashram
is like being in a bubblegum milkshake.
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| Hmmmm, milkshakes |
Staying at an ashram was a concept I was toying with when planning my trip, but not
something I found particularly appealing.
I was not sure how finding inner peace could be much fun. Really, and I know this will get the whole
liberal community up in arms (but really, what are those hippies going to do about
it – stop eating vegetables?), the whole idea of sitting around and meditating
sounded quite boring.
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| Pathways in Aurovalley Ashram |
Yet, here I was, packing up and
feeling an intense regret for leaving and wishing I could have spent more time
here. The whole place really just works
well, in a sense that it is built to allow the maximum creation of
peacefulness, quiet, and tranquility. This sets the environment for one being able to contemplate, learn, and really relax.
It is here that I learnt that feeling relaxed is not doing nothing, but just to be peaceful and still, in one's self. Unencumbered. One is relaxed when, even while being busy or active, one stills feels full of energy (how good a word was unencumbered back just now - flip, nice Ryan).
Mornings started, according to
the daily schedule, with meditation. Now,
as none of you are here, I could lie and say that I am so good at
meditation. I could lie, and say I bring
to meditation what Victor Matfield brought to lineouts (or flowing beards and hair).
I could bend the truth and say that in
the hour, I sat from the first minute, cleared my head of all thoughts, and
just was, for that whole time. I would even be able to get away with saying that I
didn’t open my eyes every few minutes to check the time, to kill a mosquito, to
adjust my legs, or that I started thinking, a lot, about weird things. I maybe would even leave out that I left
after 45 minutes most times. Look, I’m
not perfect, so - I was flipping
awesome at meditation. I do meditation
better than anyone. I am so good at
India.
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| Walking out of another awesome, inspiring meditation session. I think I levitated in this one, cant remember, cause they were all so brilliant, and I am so good at meditating |
I did though, in truth, come to
some really cool realisations, and sitting and trying not to think, does help,
think.
My favourite part of the day was
Yoga, and is by far, barring my inflexibility, something I will try more
of. I think our teacher was the reason
for me finding it so enjoyable. She probably picked
up the group’s limited skill and experience quite quickly, and provided classes that we could
(at most times) cope with comfortably.
We also did a yoga session in the Ganga one morning (the ashram is a
five minute walk from the river – an opportunity I exploited far too seldomly),
although that was mostly splashing about in the river (whose fun level is quite underestimated). However, the highlight of yoga was the teacher's guided
meditations.
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| Very hard yoga positions. Can only be done in the Ganga, and by very experienced Yogis |
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| Standing, group mango orchard pose. Pretty much top three hardest group river yoga poses |
Despite my absolute smashing of
normal meditation sessions (see above for how fantastic I am at meditation –
probably the best), I could not compete with her sessions. Her calm voice, and pace at which she took us
through the session, were spot on.
Whether I felt like I was sinking into the ground, or watching myself
from above, she could take us on a journey that felt like hours, but was in
reality only 5 or 10 minutes. Daily, I
would walk out of the yoga sessions, relaxed, refreshed, and with a big smile.
Next up on the schedule was breakfast, and meal
times were almost as exciting as yoga.
The food at the ashram was exemplary.
Tasty, big portions, varied, and all vegetarian. There is little more to say that I wish I
could keep the experience and tastes tangible, but am saddened that it will
only be a memory.
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| Delicious vegetarian food, Aurovalley Ashram |
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| Note the empty places, because of too much awesome vegetarian food from the previous meal, Aurovalley Ashram |
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| Hmm, vegetarian food, Aurovalley Ashram |
After breakfast came Karma
Yoga. This is a term used for where the
volunteers spend time helping around the ashram, with whatever tasks are
needed. During the week, I helped with
weeding (de-weeding? – I helped with taking weeds out, not putting them in);
splitting pea pods, and sweeping leaves.
Being outside, even in 30+ degrees, was really enjoyable – far better
than being in any meeting room.
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| Raking leave like a boss, Karma Yoga in Aurovalley Ashram |
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| Pea splitting station, Karma Yoga in Aurovalley Ashram |
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| Splitting peas like a boss, Karma Yoga in Aurovalley Ashram |
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| The gun factory |
The meal bell (yes an actual bell
– ashrams are awesome) saved us, and as aforementioned, meals are fantastic. The rest of your afternoon is yours, and this
was spent napping; reading; once walking an hour into town in 40 degrees to find an ATM
and being unsuccessful; smashing my guns at an outdoor gym, etc.
The evening program starts at
6pm, for another hour of meditation (which I didn’t stress about at all - because stressing doesn’t help meditation - thank goodness I’m so good at meditation), dinner, and then a
communal reading session at the library, where each member of the ashram reads
a page out of the Mother’s diary – I should probably give you more context
about this, but myeh. Save to say she
(and Sri Aribindo) is the inspiration and guiding voice of the ashram and the
Aurovalley / Auroville movements. Do some of your own damn research.
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| 'The Great Adventure', the Mother's Diary |
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