Holistic Living

This past week has been busy with our event Holistic Living. It was a really interesting event and lots of fun to experience another side of the culture and life in India.
Holistic Living was all about being aware of how body, mind, and soul are connected and enriching your life.
Some of the cool sessions we did were yoga, meditation, laughter club/laughing yoga, a panel on holistic living where we had professionals from ayervedic, homeopathic and traditional medicines, a spirituality session with a silent hour for reflection…stuff like that.
We had a great group of participants from 3 travel groups...but all from the USA. It was cool, made the group a little less multicultural and sometimes those are the fun and funny parts. As staff we're constantly entertained by what we all call things in our countries...today Anna called her mouth a "gob" and I had a HUGE revelation where I finally understood the name of the candy "gobstoppers"...things like that! haha.
It's been great, and stressful, and hard all at different points. Since we are going into our sixth week here (I can't believe it's been that long) we're all done settling in, and so as everyone knows all the nicities are wearing off. Its hard too that we all live, work and play together...but hopefully we'll all make it through!

Tomorrow is Pulkhi, which is this huge religious pilgrimage thing that happens here. People from all over Maharashtra state (and all over India) come to participate in this 15 day walk, 300 kms from Alandi which is the town about an hour away from us to another part of the state. The best part is since I live on Alandi Road they walk right past our gate. Literally. 225,000 people going by...it's gonna be amazing. They stop right at Datta Temple which is all of 100 feet away from Sangam for about an hour or so to participate in some rituals I believe and eat, etc. The area around here has been changing every hour. Yesterday I went out and Datta Temple which is half in ruins due to road construction here was being temporarily prepared for the event, getting decorated, it has lights all over the place, etc. For the last few days we've been able to spot the pilgrims all over town, but the best was in one of the nearby school fields there were a group of pilgrims with all their sheep, horses, etc. It was awesome. Then today when I went out there were banners everywhere, little stages being set up, temporary spaces being made for people to sleep overnight, they were spraying the area for mosquitos so I'm assuming that a lot of people will be staying here overnight.
I'm so excited to see what happens! Hopefully it won't monsoon rain tomorrow, because rain or shine I will be sitting out on our wall watching it all happen! I heard last year the staff went over to Datta temple and joined in on the fun as well so I am hoping to make Darshana or Aruna be my escort so I can experience it all. I'll hopefully get pictures up of it quickly so everyone who has been here can see the crazy crowds and stuff! Theres a website here that explains a little more about it http://www.aryabhatt.com/fast_fair_festival/Festivals/Palkhi%20Festival.htm

Then on Wednesday/Thursday we're heading to Mumbai. 6 of us are going and Darshana is going to be our own personal tour guide which is a-mazing. She is from Mumbai so she's a real catch for this trip :) We're gonna check out the basic tourist stuff and then her guiding centre, her home, things like that. I'm really excited, it should be a great crash course in Mumbai - or a great tour if I never get the time to head back there for longer.

Wanted to end this post with my new favourite poem. One of our participants wrote this during our silent hour from the Spirituality session. We gave them an hour where they could express themselves however they wanted, paint, read, draw, write, dance, play, etc. And Gaby wrote this beautiful piece...

Sangam

Wake early in the morning
To laugh

Walk barefoot
In the home

Eat six times a day
With your hands

Honk please
Before you pass

Beware
The falling coconuts

No matter how poor
own clothing rich in colour

Love the god
Inside each person

Heal the soul
And the body will follow

Leave the front door
Open always

Come together
Like the rivers

-Gabriella March

Each and every time I read this (and it's only been a day since I've heard it) I realize the beauty of being here. And I try to remind myself to stop stressing, find patience and enjoy the chaos. Sometimes it's hard being secluded here in Sangam, away from the life outside our gates - but this makes me recognize how lucky we are to have this safe haven in the busy city. Its wonderful to constantly have new visitors around because they remind me to keep appreciating things like it was the first time...