A little over a year ago this time, my mom and I were exercising our body and mind, at a yoga centre in Lonavla, India. We spent a beautiful week at Kaivalyadham, drinking tea concoctions, eating wholesome food, interacting fondly with the happy people, grumbling secretly about the annoying ones. Each day involved two yoga sessions, some meditation in the evening and generally a lecture after dinner. There is a college of yoga attached to the centre, comprising of erect, sometimes somber, sometimes high spirited young students. The aura of calm seemed to have set in on the resident dogs as well.
Flower arrangement outside the admin office
While many of the others taking the course were busy getting oiled( inside and out- oil seeping in through their pores, oil seeping in through other holes), or caked with herbal powders, I spent my time walking/ reading within, writing about, and drawing the serene compound of quiet corridors, green gardens, cows and other life forms. There was also a tunnel you could walk through to find a school on the other side, and beyond that, lush hills. One squishy step at a time we climbed them, all the way to the top, where the vibrant green met the cloudy grey.
Plagued by the seriousness of my self, and doing things on my own, I at first intended on taking the course alone. However, I'm very glad my mom was interested and keen to go. She spearheaded the trip and having her around made it complete. The journey through the self might be a singular one, but I’ve come to realize, I like being alone together. I absolutely cherish our shared experience at Kaivalyadham. How else could this fantastic moment come about to be:
