After spending 3 weeks on my lonesome it was time to head south to Goa to reunite with my amigos in the travelling circus. I'd really enjoyed the liberating feeling of being left to my own devices, opportunity to meet people and the freedom to do exactly what I want and devote entirely to my practice with no distractions. However I missed the laughter of my dearest friends and sharing these experiences with my favourite people and I have more time when I return to India to fly solo and go deeper.
On the plane to Goa I sat next to a super nice Indian guy who was travelling on business to Baga where I was meeting the others and so we could share a taxi. Perhaps I should be more cautious of who I take a taxi with but in India I feel so intune with trusting my instinct. And I was right when the taxi didnt know where the hotel I needed to get to was he went out of the way calling his hotel to ask for directions, asking his friend to google it and then ending up taking another taxi to ensure I got there safely. Someone in India really is looking after me!
Arriving into Baga I was shocked by how touristy, brash and tacky it was, it felt more like Magaluf than India and the laid-back hippy vibe of Goa that I dreamed of. But it was great to see the gang, enjoy drinks on sunny terrace and go for dinner down on the beach. Next morning I did long vinyasa flow practice on the terrace, I am finding that I want to slow down and hold asanas for longer which is enabling me to increase flexiblity and move deeper into postures, especially my hips which have typically held tension, stress and emotion. Then we headed to Morjim beach which is near deserted except a few bamboo huts. It's beautiful to swim in the warm sea and soak up the sunshine (and the endorphins it releases) - much closer to the Goa I envisaged. We hang out in a hippy beach shack adorned with Bob Marley posters then watch a stunning sunset glowing reds and pinks. I could never get bored of watching the sunrise or set, everyone is soo uniquely beautiful.
The following day I woke up early for another deep, slow vinyasa practice on the terrace and then I taught Sarah, Emma and the Adams, it felt great to share. Sarah and Emma have done a number of classes with me but it was both the Adams first time but was delighted that they got in the zone and enjoyed it, saying they had felt tired but immediately felt energised for the day.
Then we trekked to Arjuna beach, going through river up to our thighs and taking overgrown path winding around the coastline (most people take a boat) and deserted coves. Arjuna is the eptimomy of the Goan dream; an idyllic crescent moon of golden sand met with calm turquoise water and lined with curving palm trees and cool laid back beach bars. They even serve falafel, hummous and pitta (a staple of diet at home which sorely missed) happy days! Great day topped off with another stunning sunset :).
We spend our last day in Goa down at Baga beach, despite being touristy we find a relaxed spot away from the endless coconut, massage and jewellery sellers and touts to chill. As the sun starts to go down I did my practice watching the ocean, flowing with the big waves and closing with blissful meditation on sunset. We go for dinner at Darjeeling street cafe and have yummiest Momo's (little dumplings filled with vegetables) and 6 different special home made sauces. We end our time in Goa as begun relaxing on our terrace.
Up early for last yoga session on the terrace, my basic self practice seems to be atleast 1hr45 these days so very blessed to have the time and space to dedicate to it. Then taught Sarah, Emma and Adam - so nice to that Adam came back for more and is genuinely interested and focused and can share my passion with my best friends.
One problem with living completely in the moment in India is failing to plan and arrange travel to next destination which in this case meant that was unable to book an overnight train to our next stop Kochin, Kerala as there was no availability. This resulted in us enduring a gruelling 26 hour bus ride which certainly tested my ability to remain calm and at peace! To make a bad journey worse we had to change buses 3 times, each time downgrading to a less comfortable bus, the paan chewing bus driver was driving like a mentalist and the man opposite me was violently and loudly repetively sick in the middle of the night. Things went from bad to worse when our bus hit a tuk tuk which led to a heated debate in middle of road, attracting everyone from neighbourhood before the driver agreed to pay off the owner of the written off tuk tuk. This is the second time I have been on a bus that has crashed, thats 2 out of 3 night buses a pretty scary statistic and just extremely grateful noone was hurt.
Travelling out of of Time
Time when you are travelling becomes meaningless. There is something I like about being long journeys, being in a kind of limbo outside the routine of time, no choice but to be there and accept that. Exchart Tolle states that Time is and Illusion and in some way perhaps these long joins help you break that illusion.
"To be identified with your mind is to be trapped in time: the compulsion to love almost exclusively through memory and anticipation. This creates and endless pre-occupation with past and future and an unwillingness to honor and acknowledge the present moment and allow it to be. [...] Time isn't precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you percieve as precious is not time but the one the point that is out of time; the Now. Thatis precious indeed."
When you are stuck on a bus for 26 hours all you can do is allow the present moment be so perhaps there is something precious about accepting that.
On the plane to Goa I sat next to a super nice Indian guy who was travelling on business to Baga where I was meeting the others and so we could share a taxi. Perhaps I should be more cautious of who I take a taxi with but in India I feel so intune with trusting my instinct. And I was right when the taxi didnt know where the hotel I needed to get to was he went out of the way calling his hotel to ask for directions, asking his friend to google it and then ending up taking another taxi to ensure I got there safely. Someone in India really is looking after me!
Arriving into Baga I was shocked by how touristy, brash and tacky it was, it felt more like Magaluf than India and the laid-back hippy vibe of Goa that I dreamed of. But it was great to see the gang, enjoy drinks on sunny terrace and go for dinner down on the beach. Next morning I did long vinyasa flow practice on the terrace, I am finding that I want to slow down and hold asanas for longer which is enabling me to increase flexiblity and move deeper into postures, especially my hips which have typically held tension, stress and emotion. Then we headed to Morjim beach which is near deserted except a few bamboo huts. It's beautiful to swim in the warm sea and soak up the sunshine (and the endorphins it releases) - much closer to the Goa I envisaged. We hang out in a hippy beach shack adorned with Bob Marley posters then watch a stunning sunset glowing reds and pinks. I could never get bored of watching the sunrise or set, everyone is soo uniquely beautiful.
The following day I woke up early for another deep, slow vinyasa practice on the terrace and then I taught Sarah, Emma and the Adams, it felt great to share. Sarah and Emma have done a number of classes with me but it was both the Adams first time but was delighted that they got in the zone and enjoyed it, saying they had felt tired but immediately felt energised for the day.
Then we trekked to Arjuna beach, going through river up to our thighs and taking overgrown path winding around the coastline (most people take a boat) and deserted coves. Arjuna is the eptimomy of the Goan dream; an idyllic crescent moon of golden sand met with calm turquoise water and lined with curving palm trees and cool laid back beach bars. They even serve falafel, hummous and pitta (a staple of diet at home which sorely missed) happy days! Great day topped off with another stunning sunset :).
We spend our last day in Goa down at Baga beach, despite being touristy we find a relaxed spot away from the endless coconut, massage and jewellery sellers and touts to chill. As the sun starts to go down I did my practice watching the ocean, flowing with the big waves and closing with blissful meditation on sunset. We go for dinner at Darjeeling street cafe and have yummiest Momo's (little dumplings filled with vegetables) and 6 different special home made sauces. We end our time in Goa as begun relaxing on our terrace.
Up early for last yoga session on the terrace, my basic self practice seems to be atleast 1hr45 these days so very blessed to have the time and space to dedicate to it. Then taught Sarah, Emma and Adam - so nice to that Adam came back for more and is genuinely interested and focused and can share my passion with my best friends.
One problem with living completely in the moment in India is failing to plan and arrange travel to next destination which in this case meant that was unable to book an overnight train to our next stop Kochin, Kerala as there was no availability. This resulted in us enduring a gruelling 26 hour bus ride which certainly tested my ability to remain calm and at peace! To make a bad journey worse we had to change buses 3 times, each time downgrading to a less comfortable bus, the paan chewing bus driver was driving like a mentalist and the man opposite me was violently and loudly repetively sick in the middle of the night. Things went from bad to worse when our bus hit a tuk tuk which led to a heated debate in middle of road, attracting everyone from neighbourhood before the driver agreed to pay off the owner of the written off tuk tuk. This is the second time I have been on a bus that has crashed, thats 2 out of 3 night buses a pretty scary statistic and just extremely grateful noone was hurt.
Travelling out of of Time
Time when you are travelling becomes meaningless. There is something I like about being long journeys, being in a kind of limbo outside the routine of time, no choice but to be there and accept that. Exchart Tolle states that Time is and Illusion and in some way perhaps these long joins help you break that illusion.
"To be identified with your mind is to be trapped in time: the compulsion to love almost exclusively through memory and anticipation. This creates and endless pre-occupation with past and future and an unwillingness to honor and acknowledge the present moment and allow it to be. [...] Time isn't precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you percieve as precious is not time but the one the point that is out of time; the Now. Thatis precious indeed."
When you are stuck on a bus for 26 hours all you can do is allow the present moment be so perhaps there is something precious about accepting that.
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