Can you believe it? 5 weeks gone already and in just over 48 hours from writing this I’ll be home and back to housework and walking dogs and cooking and working and all the “normal” stuff. But I really don’t think I am ever going to be normal again after this amazing experience. I really haven’t said much about what I’m doing here, what I am learning, about Dr Sharma and his teachings and the impact this is having. Partly because,well, where would I start? It has been far more intense than even I imagined. I don’t think there is an iota of space left in my wee middle-aged brain for any more information and I need time to take it all home (my three notebooks, laptop, videos and the rest), go over it and over it and over it in my head, live it in my daily life, put it into practice with my nearest and dearest and keep sending material back to the good doctor to make sure I am confident and competent enough to go live! Only then do we get the coveted certificate and to be honest am not sure how I have fared in our final test. But right now I am thinking about coming home and before I come home I have to leave….and there are so many things I am going to miss and here are just some of them….
The people. All of them.
Maya and Gopal and wee Sansa, my hosts at the White Rabbit. If I come here again (God willing!) I will not hesitate to come and stay with them and ask for the same room with the same view and the same yoga mat spot.
My neighbours – don’t know all their names but we recognise and greet and chat and they open my day nicely every morning with their smiles.
Wee Ravi in the Magic Tree café. I just love the way he says, “anything for you my friend”, and even though he says it to everyone he says it as though he means it! And he has the COOLEST Om tattoos and the best coffee.
Guruji, who has now taken himself off to Risikesh, for showing me that meditation can be a good laugh – but you also need to be a bit serious.
Team Ayuskama (aka my classmates) from all corners of the globe we have been drawn here together by something. Chance? Fate? Who knows, but it has been my pleasure and delight to share their journey and hear their stories. I will be watching what they do now with joy in my heart.
The staff at Ayuskama. They take everything in their stride, just roll their eyes and smile when we are being Western eejits!
Dincharya – the freedom and unhurriedness of my morning routine of selfcare that means I start each day giving myself love.
I will miss how, as I am sitting in my dawn meditation, the sun comes over the mountain and starts to warm by body from the top of my head, slowly down to my toes at the same moment every day.
Pepsi – my wee white fluffy pal who now sits at the door waiting for me and comes into bed for a cuddle (sshhh…don’t tell Maya and Gopal!)
I am going to miss tofu because it just tastes nicer over here than the insipid rubber we seem to get.
The fact everyone is happy. Even if they are not inside, everyone is happy to make eye contact, smile, greet each other from the wee guy at the bottom of the stairs fixing shoes to the school kids to the people going to work. Everyone greets everyone.
Sitting on the floor – to study, eat, chat, meditate. I don’t think I have sat at a table to eat for the last 4 weeks. Hide the saw! The dining table may lose its legs when I get back.
The food. No problem being a veggie here and every dal I have tastes better than the last and I feel nourished.
Dr Sharma. I want to record that man’s voice telling me, “Not to make Blunder mistake”. I want him looking over my shoulder checking my first consultation and treatment plan, telling me stories of his grandfather and of mythology and Indian traditions and keep piling on new Ayurvedic pearls of wisdom as only he knows how.
And so much more…..
But no matter where you go in the world, no matter how many wonderful experiences you can have, and I have had my share here, of that I am truly grateful, I am a great believer that you have to go away to come home. And I am ready to come home. To my dilapidated wee house (fingers crossed the leaky roof is now fixed!) , to my animals who are like family to me (can’t wait to tell them they might have a cow to be friends with!), to my friends who think I am mad but encourage me all the way, to my wonderful, crazy, totally messed up bonkers family. I have missed you and can’t wait to wrap my arms around you all. India, I salute you and I will be back. That’s a promise. Namaste….over and out…..