Food for thought.. India's spices inspire!

On this hot day, after much temple visiting, I grow weary and hungry. I am relieved to see that I am given Prasad at the Hare Krishna Temple (ISKCON) in Bangalore. I sit and eat my meal, given to me in a coconut leaf bowl. I rinse my mouth with coconut water which has been sprinkled on me several times today as a blessing.
After stopping at several other temples along the way, I finally arrive at City Centre to meet my fellow volunteers and faculty super hungry! They begin by taking me on a gastronomical adventure! First, we stop at a booth randomly tucked in to a corner of Church st., after crossing a million cars and almost getting hit by several of them. I watch as they make “Paan”, a leaf sprinkled with tobacco, rosepetals dipped in honey, and various other ingredients that are said to help with digestion and boosts energy! Its crunchy and a bit of “a party in my mouth”, but overall refreshing and believe me, I am not trying to be cliché about it!
We then move on to get some Kulfi, which is a delicious ice cream gelato made from pistachios and saffron served on a stick. This is a treat, since the day has only grown hotter walking down the side streets of Bangalore city centre in the hunt for Yoga books.

I will begin to teach yoga to the upper level girls at 6:30 am twice a week starting this upcoming week! I am excited and honored to teach Indian youth, a craft that originated here. I am also daunted by the idea that I will be teaching Yoga in India. The principle had approached me about it last week and the kids have been asking me to teach them more about yoga for a while now, it was just a matter of time. And can I really say no? Obviously, part of my mission here in India is to grow as a teacher of many things, one now also being that of Yoga.
But more on that later, back to my delicious experience with Indian food! My ice cream is followed by Indian Chaat, which is amazingly spicy and almost unbearable but of course I politely eat it and try to hold back the tears and runny nose that has been produced by the spiciness and that has clearly overwhelmed my senses.

I stop to think, I am delighted to continue to learn more about India and about its food and religious practices. I am humbled by the culinary genius of the country and moved by its gorgeous rituals created to honor their gods. We finally end the day, smoking Hookah at a fabulous café named: Mocha, where all the hip modern Indian youth go to smoke and drink coffee.
As we take the 2 hour drive home, I grow tired. I fall asleep in the car.. dreaming of the treasures I have experienced today; puja (the ritual to bless the gods and yourself), my new copy of Autobiography of a Yogi, and the taste of Watermelon mint from the Hookah… I am truly blessed to know India. I feel grateful everyday for being here. I am excited for more adventures both gastronomical and spiritual!

The Many Colors of India..

It seems there is nothing dull about India, including the colors of its earth, which is a redish deep brick-like color. The layers of beauty come from its simplicity. India is an abstract painting full of Ganeshas, OM’s and colorful arrays of recycled papered stands. Even the Pooja flowers strung everyday for the Gods are a gorgeous mix of Orange, Reds, Yellow and White. The sunsets and sunrises are a magnificent hue of pinks and orange, they definitely inspire. With so much visual stimulation, it is no wonder India has produced so many gurus and drawn so many spiritual seekers here. This is the visual mecca of the world!
And then there are the Saris, the palettes of bright Fuschias, deep blues and yellows are astounding. The women who wear these Saris are just as beautiful. These women wear their bindis full of pride and hold themselves so ever gracefully while walking in their saris. It is a sight to be seen (an art form all together). India is a moving painting, a feast for the eyes, which is inspiring me everyday.
Although I do not get to go off the grounds of Shanti Bhavan that often, even in the middle of these tropical farmlands, I am moved visually. The deep rocks I climb to meditate in the evening where I often get to catch the sunsets and picturesque grounds that surround Shanti Bhavan bring me my daily Zen. The moon and the stars shine brightly here in this haven of peace, where the kids dream soundly at night. I often wonder how much they miss their families and how many tears are shed silently at night, but I trust that their must be peace and laughter shared in their dreams too.
These children are teaching me every day, they help me remember what is truly important in life. For example, in a days work, which starts at 6 am for me and often ends at 9pm, a lifetime of work is done. The mother in me is definitely coming out! I kiss boo boos, I wipe tears, do conflict-resolution when kids are bullied and even manage to build group morale and self-esteem in Math class. As a therapist, I don’t think I know any other way than to approach my volunteerism from a therapeutic lens. I hope I can model for these children that despite where they come from and what they have learned from their families and their peers, that they too can be peace keepers and can stand up for what is right. They can teach love and tolerance by the way they live their life. The array of colors and textures, even in the personalities of these children, has brought me to life again.
India and Shanti Bhavan, mix beautifully for me. I have been craving this painting, and I am learning to embrace it even with its complexities that seem full of potential. I will mix these colors with pain, love, struggle and a lot of patience, to create my own masterpiece of life…

Finally Homesick! A lesson on letting go...

I have finally become homesick. It surprised me how little time it took for me to grow needy of American comforts, such as warm showers, non-spicy food and internet access! I miss my endless texting (silly I know) and my beautiful friends, who have throughout this year, kept my heart at ease when I grew sad and lonely and sometimes even kept my head above water. But, perhaps being homesick is normal? It feels like a shedding of a cocoon,( which I have seen a lot of lately on the trees, they have the most beautiful butterflies here). As I overcome my homesickness, I know I am shedding all unnecessary attachments. I try in my own way, to woman up!

I grow in fear that the “I” of me is being swallowed into a bigger whole here. This “I” does not serve me. The fear comes from my ego talking. When we attach ourselves to what is, and who we are, we miss out on inner growth and often needed self-reflection. Sometimes, we need to take ourselves outside the box to gain perspective. The only way to grow, is to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone. Being in India, an excercise of survival for me. Here, I am learning to become greater that I am. In India, I am learning to trust the universe to align what is right, and rid me of what is wrong.

My body certainly is undergoing its changes too! I have eliminated all the excesses. I no longer eat meat, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or engage in sexual relationships. I have taken a vow of abstinence and purification. I have also taken the ultimate vow of Karma Yoga.: To teach, 24/7 and inspire, practice yoga and honor myself through helping others. As we know, when you teach, you learn.
Shanti Bhavan is in the middle of nowhere. It is no wonder they call it Shanti Bhavan, it is a real peace haven here. And of course, the children have won me over. I get up at 6 am everyday to teach and tutor and my days seem endlessly dedicated to helping these kids learn math,theatre and yoga, while simultaneously building rapport among my volunteers and staff. When the day is finally finished, there is little time left for my yoga practice and self-reflection. I must set clear boundaries to do this on my off time. I am also trying, to learn Hindi while I am here and observe the Indian customs and holidays.
I am eager to visit and travel in India, so far it has been Hosur and Bangalore, but I am always grateful when I do return home to Shanti Bhavan. The traveling in India is stressful and sometimes painstakingly full of traffic and pollution. Even though I complain about this bubble at Shanti Bhavan, I know I am desperately needed here, that these children need me. That I have come for a reason, that I have come to join this family of 200 children who without me and the other brave and courageous volunteers , teachers and staff would be in their villages, slaves to poverty, sexual and physical abuse and ignorance.
It is hard sometimes, looking at these kids, to believe where they have come from, and what they have survived already. When I grow homesick, I remind myself of their pain. I remember mine as a kid. I try to share with them. I try to inspire them, with my stories of how I used my education to break out of my impoverished home and go to college on a full scholarship. I’d like to think, I am modeling for them, that yes you can! That no dream is unattainable. That no matter what and where they have been, they can overcome, they can use their minds to break the odds and the ropes of poverty. That one day, as one shanti bhavan child said to me, “No one can will be able to take away what is in my mind, even if I continue to be poor”.
I must hold their dreams and goals, tenderly in my heart, and plant them with my own. Afterall, they are entrusting me with them. I am sure these seeds, while I am here, will see many seasons of change and struggle, but they will flourish with love and compassion as well as laughter. I can’t wait to see these seeds grow side by side we will make a garden of peace…

My First Day in India: The Revolution Begins Now

During my first day in India, I arrive just in time for sunrise. I eat Samosas at the Mumbai airport and anxiously await the final leg of my trip to Bangalore. I am ready to arrive to my post at Shanti Bhavan (The Haven of Peace) where I will be the volunteer coordinator who will be helping boost volunteer morale and support the academic team, as well as become the liason with Artists Striving to End Poverty and the George Foundation (Both amazing organizations you should check them out!). On arrival to the Bangalore airport, I am picked up by my driver and am eased immediately by the Ganesh on his dashboard. I go on to pass 3 Ganeshas on my two hour drive to Shanti Bhavan.
I grow in wonder of all the signs that have already been put on my path on this journey affirming that I am seeking my truth and that all obstacles before me can be overcome.
Once I am at Shanti Bhavan I learn quickly that I will be teaching a full schedule of math courses to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. I will also be responsible for teaching Theatre classes to the grades school kids. I am also asked to produce a cheerleading/dance for a show that will help ideally raise awareness and perhaps funds for our kids at Shanti Bhavan. It has been a long time since I have choreagraphed, no pressure eh?
The day flies by, I meet the staff and lots of the children. I eat the most amazing but spicy vegetarian food! I grow jet lagged it is time for me to sleep. Tomorrow, I will spring a line to hang my handwash. I laugh at this thought, thinking what my mother would say if she saw me now. Afterall, she grew up in a small village, where there was no other option but to handwash. She came to America to give her children better options, and here her daughter was, purposely removing all the American comforts and illusions, for her personal growth and benefit.
Tonight, as I bathe in cold water with buckets, there is a power outage. In the dark I begin to laugh yet gain at myself , I’ve surely outdone myself. I am living in my own adventure novel in India! A girl will do anything to prove her strength and her love. Here, she is proving herself to herself and to those who think she cannot.
I am stronger than I think I am. We are always stronger than we think we are. I am a warrior of love, a warrior of peace. I must deliver with compassion, and prove even to myself that rules are meant to be broken. I must be the rebel with a cause. My cause is the revolution I am inspiring within . Hoping that if I live my truth, it will start a war of consciousness for others to live by as I do.
Only time will tell if I will be able to survive this self- imposed revolution. The bar has been set. The journey is now…

The 14 hour Flight: A Lesson on Love

I haven’t even landed in India per say and I am already in the classroom soaking in the lessons before me from the very people who put spirituality on the map. Sitting next to me on the plane? Sir Maharaja. Ironic since Maharaja means the king of all kings. It also happens to be the name of my beloved guru Maharaji, known by many as the guru of love who most famously inspired the Beatles, Krishna Das, Ram Giri and Ram Dass in the book Be Here Now. ( I highly recommend this book if you have never read it). Either way, Mr. Maharaja really? Could this be a sign?
As we grow tired, his mother-in-law, who speaks not a word of English, kindly motions to me to take the two seats to sleep and moves to sleep on the floor aisle of the plane, I am amazed at her kindness. When she is awoken and told she must sit in her seat by a flight attendant, she comes back to her seat and immediately puts my head on her lap. She insists on petting my hair, and for this moment, I am her child, falling asleep open to a mother’s love. This love has transcended time and relationships. Here is where my heart opens. Here is the first lesson India will teach me.
Lesson #1
Love indiscreetly. Love everyone. Treat them as you would your own children. We are all interconnected and there should be no boundaries on compassion and love.
However, we usually impose boundaries on how to love and give, even when it comes to loving ourselves. These boundaries are born usually out of fear and anxiety from previous loss and betrayal. When we move out of love and compassion, we move away from the present moment and are stuck in the past or the near future. The only way to remain true to ourselves and others is to come from a place of love.
In this moment on this Indian woman’s lap, I am reminded of the mantra I have written for this journey and perhaps one I will practice now for the rest of my life:
With Love let me Lead the way
With Love let me Inspire
With Love let me Grow
With Love let me be an Artist of Life

As I wake, on this 14-hour journey I grow restless and pick up the newly released Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert (Who’s second book coincidentally was released on the very day I was leaving the states), the author of Eat Pray Love. Her book is why I am in India in the first place. Inspired by her divorce and journey for her truth, I embarked on my own. It led us both to India. In her opening chapter of Committed she states: “I came to India and on this journey to heal a broken heart and here I not only healed but found love again.” As I continue reading my eyes finally go weary, and I stop to think to myself before I close my eyes: “Is my heart broken? Why exactly am I going to India?” I quickly answer myself: “Maybe, yes.”
“Am I lonely?” “Yes “, I respond, “but I am learning to love, that is why I am on this journey”. The pilot announces we have two hours left on this flight and I think to myself, I have already learned my first lesson on this journey and I haven’t even landed yet! What exactly you may ask is the lesson? “Love compassionately always no matter how much it scares you".

India is opening my heart, the healing is beginning…