Finding patience and surrendering in India

 India blog post

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The experience - Patience to allow the yatra to unfold

From the moment I arrived in Bangalore, I realized this was all about patience.

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How so?

• There are lines for everything - and people take "cuts" - alot.

• On NOT finding a ride to my hotel from the airport - just didn't happen/no-one would drive me the 1 mile to my hotel - so I finally gave up on and went straight to the ashram - which turned out better - no traffic - cool weather at 3AM - got an extra day at the ashram. 

• Patience with how people act when under stress of the ashram and on the yatra - and understanding we're all on a journey and are working through our stuff and all process differently. It's okay.

• Patience to allow myself 7 months to finally create this post - it just took a really long time to process the lessons - and I'm sure I'm not done yet.

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The experience -Surrendering to what is and going with it

• Surrendering to the reality that a taxi ride that should be 8 hours long might end up taking 14 hours because the driver won't look at Google Maps (until we were 12 hours in...).

• Surrendering at the ashram - to change my plans on the fly (with Swamiji's grace): staying to take the Datta Kriya Yoga Teacher Immersion - cancelling plans - and knowing it was right.

• Surrendering to the will of my Guru.

• Surrendering to illness - allowing it to ride through - allowing it to pass.

• Surrendering to letting go of assumptions about the journey - Finding a spot to drink a kombucha, meeting an Australian yogini who invited me to an unplanned kirtan in Arunachala -  at the German Bakery with the European devotees of Ramana Maharshi.

• Walking the 15K Siva lingum hill, sick with fever, beginning at 4AM and ending hours later. Feeling faint, passing the 5000+ holy men and beggars lining the streets, thinking it would be bad to go down and using the prana mudra to bring myself back to continue to flow into the experience.

• Shopping in Chennai for a new suitcase (mine broke) and meeting a complete stranger (Indian woman from Florida) in who asked us to go to her house because she had a suitcase she needed to donate. 

• Truly believing I was supposed to be wherever I was and feel however I was feeling.

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The experience -Integrating it all into life as I knew it - the great shift

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Okay, now if you really feel pulled to go...Just book it already - but be smart about it

Some thoughts on getting there...

• Book a good airline with easy layovers in a safe, stable country. I took Cathay Pacific through HongKong - easy.

• What I did right: Booked myself on a nice airline.

• Traveled in the middle of the night to avoid traffic.

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What I learned - traveling tips

• Don't book a hotel too close to an airport - no taxi or uber will take you there! Instead, book a car in advance - pay the money - you won't regret it.

• Buy an electric teapot when you get there to boil water! Cheap and safe.

• Tailors are cheap and fast, but the materials aren't always so good.

• Money - if a bill has a pen or pencil mark on it - merchants won't take it - check all money you get back as change when shopping.

• Always haggle - even if it's for show.

• Accept the tea that people offer at shops.

• Everyone will want a photo with you - especially if you're blonde - it's okay to say no.

• Women stick together - if you feel uncomfortable, go and talk to a woman or family, works every time.

• ATMS work fine! Phew! But street merchants want cash. Carry small bills with you that are easily accessible.

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What I brought and what I needed...

• Right: essential oils - breathe (for my lungs - alot of smog there), lavender (calming, anti-itch/mosquitos), deep blue (anti-inflammatory) and on guard (anti-viral), and my homemade organic mosquito repellent. 

• Food - hemp and chia seeds, oatmeal and peanut butter packets

• Clothing - was smart to keep it modest, baggy linen pants and long, cotton tops, also thankful to have one sweater and scarves to keep warm in a/c buses.

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