Insan(e)

I'm amused that the word for human in Hindi is so close to the word for crazy in English. I don't think it is a coincidence. Maybe the whole idea that we are higher beings in the laws of Momma Nature is actually just a pacifier for this huge inferiority complex we have. Actually, we may be born with a void that most animals don't have and we will scrounge to fill the empty spaces until we are born again as an enlightened dog. Just like my Louie. Now there is sagacity at its best.

My favorite people to watch are little kids and elderly people. I had breakfast today with an 80+ woman and I was watching the way she ate her meal. She buttered her toast so slowly and thoroughly and prepared her grapefruit so precisely. And yesterday I watched Tulsi, this 2-year-old girl who lives on campus. She put salt on the table and was deliberately licking her finger, picking up some granules and eating them. I bet if you put a cupcake next to her she would have ignored it.

I need to build some thick skin so I can write without deleting and speak without editing.

I'm reading this beautiful book by Joan Didion called The Year of Magical Thinking. I highly recommend it, but it's not a light read. Jhumpa is totally letting me down with her Unaccustomed Earth, I'm going to have to balance it out with my debut novel.

P.S. My co-worker is playing Bhangra music.

Breathing through my toes

There are no locks on any of the doors here. And knowing someone for one week translates to one month in the real world. Cooking, cleaning, bathing, eating...everything is done in a cyclical community fashion.-Cue Lion King music- Nobody waits on anybody else. The accountant cleans the toilets too. The boundaries drop quickly.

There is one particular part of asana class that I really like in the Himalayan tradition. We lie on the floor, stretch to full length and imagine our breath flowing in through the crown of the head and out the soles of our feet. And then we breath from one wall of the room to the other. Then from the hill in front of us to the hill behind us. I don't usually do well with image-based exercises but this one makes me feel like Atlas -- minus the world on my shoulders.

Taking Momma's advice, I finally talked to my editor yesterday.
Me: "I'm not bored, but I'm sitting 9-5 in front of a computer checking my e-mail every 3 seconds. Please give me more work, use me, take advantage of my cheap labor!"
Her: "Well that we can do."
So I'm looking forward to loads of menial tasks and hopefully some writing practice.

Minus the 'forced' eloquence

I met a guy here who attended Sanskrit school in India with Prudence, the real life muse of the Beatles in the song "Dear Prudence."

I met a woman who lived for a few months in an ashram with Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love.

My managing editor met Fidel Castro during her Semester at Sea trip around the world. He was amused by her question about 'free speech' and found her after his address to talk to her personally.

The woman in the desk behind me wrote a poem about the joys of butter during World War II when everything was rationed. She won a prize and it was published in a local newspaper.

Life Lesson #7301 : Woman vs. Nature

So after a long day of being inside, working on the humanitarian Web site and an early morning asana class, I decided to take a trip to the falls with my friends as the sun began to set

At first the hike seemed harmless enough. The falls were beautiful and wild, the water elegantly slipped down large flat rocks like natural steps. We started to climb up the side, avoiding slippery algae-covered jagged rocks.

I began to question every step I took. Fording the water was a strange and terrifying feat for this suburban girl. We were all sweating from the steep climb, but my perspiration was from fear as much as exertion. I worried that I was touching poison ivy, I worried as the cobwebs caught my face. I worried about the treacherous trip I would have to face when I was coming down.

After all the anticipation, the steep walk down the falls was beautiful and easy. I traipsed and leaped and crossed the same rushing water. I brushed the spiders and caterpillars out of my hair lightly so they wouldn't get hurt. And I breathed a huge sigh of relief when we walked out of the woods and back home.

Lazy Weekend

The sun peaking through the woods. (These always come out as one of those Microsoft default background pictures.)
Entrance to H.I. (the hill that I climb after lunch)
The Red-Dot Trail (where I get lost)
Sound of Music Hill (where I get cell phone reception)
Hiking Buddy

I've been sleeping in until 7, wandering around campus and reading bits of Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth. The days are slow but the week seemed fast. I continue to miss my 6 a.m. asana class but there are always the 4:30 ones. I may find a ride into "town" today to do some exploring.

Karma/Konflict

Yesterday there was something in the air. Rasta-man has it in for me. I somehow find him at every table I sit at and he continues to tell me why I am a slave to "The Man" and "The System." I always have someone like this at my metaphorical table. Someone who challenges me, pokes, and expects a rise. And usually I give them that reaction, albeit quietly. I don't scream but I am physically and emotionally annoyed and agitated.

As with every day, there was a balance. Another guy here and I went on a little hike after dinner to the lake and the "Sound of the Music" hill. I don't think my lungs could hold the amount of fresh air I breathed in. Every turn was something more glorious, especially in the buttery dim of the setting sun.
"I wish I had a camera," my friend said, as we surveyed the open hills around us, an apple orchard to our right.
"No, you dont," I said. Seeing these views through a lens would be a betrayal. But I agreed to go back again, at the same time of the day, with a camera so I can share these vistas with all of you.

The nature grounded me. Out of my head and emotional state, I returned to HI much more present and equipped. Rasta-man had gone to bed early. We had a free night, so with no lectures or satsangs to attend I played a slow game of cards with a couple of good people and laughed a lot as we made corny yoga-people jokes (my team was team Triphala since there were three of us).

The night ended later than usual at 10:30 and I read and shivered in my bed until I finally drifted off, promising myself that tomorrow I would wake up and look at everyone with fresh eyes.

For next time, I will try to give you some pictures.

A Whole Ancient Health Science in One Tiny Blog

So here is a little bit of fun for YOU instead of all the instrospection from me. A couple of friends have asked about this so here's a little quiz.

By theory of the ancient Indian science Ayurveda, everyone is given a specific constitution (Prakriti) at birth. Made up of three elements, this constitution is said to govern the way your body and mind work and react.

I'm going to give you a reallllly basic way to determine your constitution. I'll list the attributes of Vata (the air/wind element), Pitta (the fire/energetic element) and Kapha (the water/restful element). You just pick out how many of these attributes pertain to you to find out what your dominant element (or dosha) is and how it can be balanced.

Vata - thin frame, creaky joints, very short or very tall, usually cold, dry skin/hair, small eyes, variable energy levels, talks a lot or fast, indecisive, fast learner, quickly forgets, enthusiastic, creative, introspective, restless, light sleeper, anxious, prone to obsession, panic attacks

Pitta - medium build, athletic, usually warm, oily skin, straight hair, strong appetite, short sleep, concise, competitive, intelligent, keen memory, irritable, controlling, jealous, courageous, ambitious, prone to rashes, lots of sweat, gastritis, high blood pressure, spicy food, headaches, lots of alcohol.

Kapha - larger/stronger frame, stamina, well-lubricated joints, white/even teeth, thick hair, large eyes, oily/cool skin, usually cold, speaks slow, lazy, calm, responsible, loyal, stubborn, sensitive, nurturing, oversleeps, overeats/undereats, mucusy, complacent, depression.


All right...got your numbers?

So here is a quick Rx from Dr. Really Underqualified Rao:

If your dominant dosha is...

Vata : Try to keep a routine since you are prone to flightiness. Organize periods of rest and quiet into your schedule. Avoid the cold and dress appropriately. Eat warm, cooked food and take warm baths. Moisturize your skin with oil consistently and eat foods containing good quality oils. Avoid stimulants such as sugar/caffeine. Do gentle yoga, Tai chi and take walks in nature. Since you are likely to keep to yourself, socialize regularly and nurture yourself and others.

Pitta: Moderate your activities so you don't expend too much energy. Relax and meditate often. Interact more with nature in a leisurely manner. Laugh a lot to balance all of your intensity. Keep your environment cool and drink cool fluids. Avoid spicy/salty/fermented foods such as wine. Be sure to get enough protein and eat sweet fruits. Remain active to expend energy through swimming, skiing and yoga but do all in a non-competitive way. Chill Out!

Kapha : Try new activities and experiences, push yourself a little. Your ideal environment is dry heat and you need to do regular aerobic excercise. Eat sweet and sour food that is low in dairy. Relax in saunas and get regular deep massages. Detox regularly with teas. Key word: stimulation.


I hope you enjoyed this little thing...I'll be back with a normal blog tomorrow. Take care. =)

Vata we going to do today?

Instead of filling coffee or being stuck in the mailroom, I worked on the Web site, helped wardrobe a model for the front cover photo shoot.

I always thought I was a big-time slowpoke when it comes to computers, but being surrounded by yogis on desktops makes me feel like Bill Gates.

The photo shoot prep was interesting too. I never thought I would hear "No, that's too much skin," and "Look modest!" when it comes to a beautiful woman and a glossy cover.

There are a cluster of young guys here but I seem to be the only girl under 25. We have a reggae-spitting, loudmouth and dreadlocked guy who tried to tell me to drop out of college, a Puerto Rican meditative engineering major at Georgia Tech, a guy who plays sitar, guitar and a digiridoo (sp?) and my very first friend who makes the daal. It's fascinating to see them in this setting, but that's why yoga is unifying, I guess.

I will be back.

You had me at Namaste

This post is a bit wordy since it is my first day, but I'll be very grateful if you get through the whole thing!

After a 3:45 AM wake up, a flight to Philadelphia, a very small jet to Scranton and an hour car ride spent with my mouth wide open in awe -- I am here!

H.I. is every bit as beautiful as I pictured. Nestled in grand trees and rolling hills, the brick building reminds me of a sprawling school building. Except it's quiet. Let me tell you something about quiet -- it's loud. Monday is no-noise day in the dining hall so I enjoyed my (bland) daal and rice and listened to the music of forks and spoons and sighs. I squashed the urge to make small talk with my neighbor (and to put the whole contents of the salt shaker into my veggies).

My room is modest but comfortable and overlooks some handsome pines. I've quickly made it my own by stacking Walden, the Bhagavad Gita and my journal on the window sill. Unpacking is daunting as I have about 2 square feet of space and a couple of hangers for all of my clothes. And the clothes themselves -- skirts, t-shirts and bermudas -- are laughing at me as the wind rustles as loud as the ocean in the 50 degree weather outside.

The Associate Editor gave me a grand tour and I have gotten easily lost all of today. Luckily, I followed other mats to my gentle yoga class. I aligned my chakras. I opened my heart center. I pleaded with my hips to give me another two inches. I forgot how comforting a yoga mat can be in a place full of strangers.

After dinner I walked back to my room. An Indian woman named quickly sought me out. "You're Ankita!" she said. I was, apparently, famous already -- a few people had been approaching me by name all day. Gayatri had read my name on my door and "gotten excited" with the other Indian resident. For once I am happy to be taken at face value, to be welcomed without question. I realized when she smiled at me that I had been distressed throughout the whole day. I was sad for the notion of being alone. I was worried how I would fare in this spiritual community, where everyone seems self-focused and introverted.

My evening ended when I watched a lecture video by the spiritual head of the institute -- Pandit Tigunait. His words got into my head and I feel at peace as I sit in my room, wrapped in the fluffiest of fluffy robes after a hot shower.

"Say what you are thinking, act as you feel," he said. "The more you exhibit externally what you feel internally, the more balance there will be."

The Laggard

I was a little resistant to blogs/self publishing for a while. I didn't want to help the world lose contact with a newspaper alongside morning cereal or picking up a favorite book at one of those cheap stands on the street. But now I've realized that any forum that encourages new voices, all voices and asks nothing in return is probably good news.

Not to mention, the "blog" is how Juno screenplay writer Diablo Cody made it to the big time.

So here I am. I didn't blog while I was in India, Latin America or Europe, but I can always return. I am writing and sharing now because I am going to Honesdale, Pennsylvania to work at the Yoga + Joyful Living magazine. The magazine is run out of this beautiful center called the Himalayan Institute. set on 400 acres of land.

It will be three months of writing, yoga-ing, hiking, contributing and waking up at 5:30 a.m.

This should be interesting.