It is Wednesday and I woke up this morning with the realization that I will be returning to Delhi on Saturday. While part of me is thinking – a real shower, crisp sheets, green salads and grilled fish, and possibly a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to accompany them; part of me is very reluctant to leave as I feel I am just starting to get a toe-hold on some level of inspiration.

Meditation still eludes me in large part, but I have found a kindred spirit and we have been able to “inspire” each other through our conversations. Yesterday we spent about two hours standing up to our knees in the Ganga working through some of the issues in our personal lives. A remarkable synthesis of insightfulness, energy, kindness and caring!

Unbeknownst to me, I arrived here at the leading edge of the busy season – surprisingly Ashrams have seasons just like hotels and vacation spots. I can’t imagine what it would be like here in the height of the summer heat with the monsoon! Anyway, the first 10 days or so were extremely calm and tranquil but now we are seeing a steady influx of people – big and small. We have about 40 ten to twelve year olds with us for the next couple of days! We also have a Russian woman here with her two small children – three and five. I cannot imagine doing that and I applaud her – even if she is arrogant, lets those children run wild and has a face like a dull axe! (My petty small mindedness for the day.)

We have had a couple of small groups come and go – I can’t see the point of a three day stay myself but different strokes….A lot of people come and stay for months or even years, work at various jobs at the Ashram and just immerse themselves in the spirituality – again, I can’t see myself doing that either – my 18 days seems to have been a perfect fit for me.

It is a rather eclectic group over all, with a preponderance of South Americans and Russians. We also have a quite number of Indians, from various parts of the country so it isn’t just for foreigners. There are young and old – people at every stage of life really but all united with a desire for more than just maintaining their lives as they see it.

Our Vocal Yoga has turned out to be one of the highlights of this portion of the trip. I have learned some proper breath control and how to carry a note – I’ll NEVER be a singer but I can do this – surprises the living daylights out of me! The French couple who are teaching are absolutely delightful; Natalie exudes this calm, sophisticated mother earth vibe (she is french after all) and Adam looks rather dour but has a wicked sense of humour and a light touch. They both must have the patience of Job and an amazing ability to not wince at our frequently off-key warbling! I made a video of our efforts which I will upload if I ever get someplace with internet connectivity, bandwidth and speed (all three together!)

Shanti, Shanti, Shantih