The Yoga Center is awesome.
From the caress in the branches of the wavering clouds, to the depth of grace in people’s eyes when they greet you.
Something special is going on here, which is the least I could say.
Being here is like a homecoming, it’s like the place I’ve dreamed about for years.
People are not posessed by ideas and rituals, by theories or blindly following.
Everyone here is living the message: grace, love and awareness.
The center thrives on volunteering. 1/3 of all the work is done by people willing to, They just do it, to throw themselves into it, to give themselves fully and be in the moment.
There’s no bad work, only bad effort.
Now I joined a 8 day temple service, where I help guiding and greeting the people into the temple.
In and aronud the temple there is full silence,
the temple is made purely for meditation.
It’s called the Dhyana Linga.
So, theee 8 days will be mostly spent in silence.
Not an easy job, but what a great challenge.
What an opportunity to stay in the moment and be confronted with the mind.
I’m not too sure how I feel about it.
I’ve had a homesick strike today and also a push to move on.
However, yesterday I dreamed that I was home already and regretted not going on with the travel.
The next stop will surely be Kerala, but I’m not sure when I will be moving.
The ashram surely is a great place, the days are filled, and I can stay here cheapeter than the rest of my travel, hwich is maybe beyond merely useful at this point, I might end up having to watch out to have any money left at all.
But when volunteering I can stay here for free.. And get the 2 included meals as well, it’s really amazing.
They cook for probably a thousand people everu day, if not more.
And for every program, like the ones I attended, there’s a different menu.
The food is delicious and the diet is perfect.
Every day, some raw vegetables, a piece of fruit, and then rice or potato or dosa’s with different kinds of extras.
I don’t even think I’ve eaten the same thing twice in these 14 days in the ashram… It’s ridiculous.
And it must be the best diet I’ve ever had. From nuts to seeds and fruits to rice, to healthy hot drinks and fruits and vegetables I’ve never seen in my life.
Eating every day is a huge experience.
The way we eat here is something special at well.
Silence.
Sitting in large rows on the floor, men opposed to women, a metal plate in front.
An invocation chant, all together, nobody moves.
The food servants (I believe all volunteers) walk in the rows with buckets of food, each bucket one thing.
They keep walking around until everyone is finished, when they pass, you can always just ask for more.
Noone will leave hungry.
Then you take your plate and wash it.
Most people are barefoot here.
Not only does it give a great connection with the ground, an extra sensation to the perception, is it good for the rest of your body to have pressure on the feet,
also it reomves the issue of where to take off your shoes.
Besides more enjoyable, it’s just easier.
Anyway, time to go back to bed.
Time to prepare for a whole day of butt -and painhurt, of meditating in the now and consciously and passionately doing any task given.
To give myself fully to whatever it is – that is the message here.
To become more alive.
