SARIS DRYING ON RAM JHULA GHAT STEPS, RISHIKESH

Just Another Blessing – View of Ram Jhula. Rishikesh

Just out for a short walk after my massage today
I am soo blessed!  🙂
Namaste
Jane

PEOPLE

Just some photos of interesting people along the way.No matter how often and for how many years I walk around here, I am always surprised by new things….

Flowers for Puja

LAUNDRY DAY

FRIENDS

GANGA DEVOTION

PLEASE FEED THE FISH

THREE GENERATIONS

Hope you enjoyed the view as much as I do

Namaste
Jane

Ganga Devotional Prayer

 

 

 

Panchakarma Nov-Dec 2013

Panchakarma- Nov-Dec 2013

Color along the Ram Jhula ghats, Rishikesh

The photos in this post have no connection with panchakarma. They are just here to keep your interest and add some color to a fairly boring topic! 🙂
For those of you who have been following my blog for years, you know that I do a month long session of Panchakarma treatments each year. This is part of the Ayurveda (ayur=life, veda=science….thus science of life…the ancient, thousands of year old Indian Medicine), approach to health and is a process designed to detox and rejuvenate the body. I have found it to be of enormous advantage to my health and this is just another reason why I come back to India each year.

Ladies on Holiday in Rishikesh-shopping of course

If you want to refresh your memory about the process, or are new to this completely, you can check back to this link https://janesindiajournals.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/october-23-2008-%e2%80%93-panchakarma-begins/

to follow.a series of posts which give a full day by day description of the month long treatment from my experience. at the end of the post simple click on “next post” to read each subsequent days experience.
Or simply open the “panchakarma” listing in the categories on the sidebar and browse through the posts that interest you over the years.

Pink House

As compared to previous years, this time seems to be fairly easy and conditions are perfect. First of all, the clinic has finally added an AC which must be great when it is hot, but also perfect now in the cooler weather since the clinic is no longer freezing cold making it very uncomfortable to do massages (even with hot water bottles and blankets for warmth), take showers etc.
In addition, it is really quiet this year. Very often there are a score of people, as many as 6-8, doing the treatments at the same time….making it all very hectic and stressful and not conducive to being truly relaxed during the daily sessions. It can feel at these times like a panchkarma production line!! It is fun being there and meeting new people, but I much prefer the situation I was lucky enough to fall into this year. It is just me, one other young French girl and a German man (who I actually know from 6 years ago…nice seeing him again).
So we each have our own time, the therapists are not rushed and hassled, and we are each given full attention and concerned care. Just adds to the entire experience making it so much more pleasurable.

Just a Nice View

I have also made the decision to cut myself some slack regarding dietary restrictions. I generally eat each day porridge (oatmeal) for breakfast, steamed veggies and two chapati for lunch, and kitcheri for supper. A fruit salad, or some dried fruit or fruit juice during the day if I am super hungry, and that’s it. More than anything else, it is extremely boring!!
This year I’ve decided to add some variety to the whole thing while still keeping to the basic dietary restrictions. So porridge every morning is OK. Kitcheri at night is also OK, especially this year that I am cooking my own each evening. But every day at lunch time to try to have some variety. Instead of just plain steamed veggies, I will try out different types of vegetable soup , which the restaurants are only too happy to make up for me as I request them, even they are not on the regular menu. And I try out different restaurants to make it even more “exciting”. I alway hated preparing my own veggies in the non-kitchen I have here…so this year, I have them prepared right here in the guest house. And to make sure I get the veggies I want, I buy them and supply them to the kitchen and then just have to wait while someone else cooks them for me. This was a brilliant upgrade for me as well.
Together with my dried fruits and fruit juices and fresh papaya and chico during the day, I am so far quite content and not bored at all and I am more than half way finished with the treatments at this point.

Ghats Across the Ganga

Namaste
Jane 🙂

Color Along the Ram Jhula Ghats in Rishikesh

So much color wherever you go in India 🙂

Just Some People

Just some shots while walking around town

Daily Life

Just Something Pretty

Monkey Shines

They look SOOOO human!!  Or is it vica versa??  🙂

Let’s see…what should I do today?

hmmm….where DID I put the car keys???

Just enjoying the view

Namaste
Have a great day!!
Jane

EQUILIBRIUM-NOV 22 2013

EQUILIBRIUM-NOV 22 2013

Well, it’s taken longer then usual but I’ve finally gotten back to that place of balance, tranquility and wellbeing I so long for and find difficult to “be” in so often in my hectic life.
Admittedly, three weeks here were taken up with “being with” others-and as pleasnt as that “being with” was, it still not the same as “being” just with ME!
The tricky part is staying in that place of equilibrium while with others and living the hectic pace of daily life. I manage to keep that balance for a fairly decent period of time upon returning to reality, but eventually I drift out of the balance place and that is where the retreat mode becomes so important to me, to my life andthelives of all those around me.
The deeper, longer and more complete the retreat is, the longer its effects last.
I do not generally need a hermit like silent retreat off in a cave somewhere completely shut off from human contact, although at times silence is something I crave. I enjoy the warmth and interaction of fellow beings, the contact with family and friends at home, the meeting new people here. But this can become a trap, keeping me from truly taking full advantage of my time away.
At some point, I feel I will be guided to a full week of isolation and silence. I will see where this feeling takes me and accept the direction I am given completely, with joy, gratitude, Faith and freedom from fear.
And until, and if, that happens, I will continue to enjoy my time with you as well.
Namaste
with love ligh and JOY
Jane