Busy daily routine

I know many of you are curious about my daily routine; I think I gave you a brief, bird's eye view in the last post but to be more specific.  It's arduous with all the chanting and meditation, two hours both am and pm starting at 5.30 am and ending at 10.00 pm.  BUT the presenters have been fantastic.  We have had an interfaith panel over the last few days as well as musicians from all parts of the world playing music for us and now there is a creative writing and yoga and creativity special event.  It is busy!  This is the busiest time of the year as the weather is lovely.  I just got back from a swim in the Sea and it was so wonderful!  Usually I walk on the beach after my workday but today I swam and was so glad I did!  The weather here is cooler than usual, when we talk in the morning for ameditation walk on the beach I wear my fleece and toque!  The wind is cool.  But most of the time we are in casual, cool clothes and eating and living outside.

All in all the life is good here; today I prepared 40 bouquets of flowers and 40 small packages of three fruits for the teacher trainees who will be graduating and getting their spiritual names tomorrow.  It is lovely to watch these new teachers grow and develop and talk to them about all their experiences while they have been here.  Tonite I had a meal with a young woman from Russia and her friend from Ottawa (her father is from Napanee!).  It is a small world.

This morning (think 7.00 to 8.00 am) we had a lecture from Dr Joe Dispenza and he talks about our brain and how we can use meditation and visualization to create the life we want.  I am impressed, loved his presentation and plan to read his book.  Check out his website formore info.

Am planning on having some body work done here, perhaps a thai yoga massage, there are great therapists.  But daily yoga keeps me limber and I feel very well and healthy.  The food is nutritious and delicious.  I still have to get over to Nassau (by short boat ride) to explore there ... perhaps in my next blog???

Hope no one has too much snow to shovel.  The beach is lovely here.

Karma Yoga at the Ashram

It has been nearly two weeks here at the Sivananda Retreat Centre and Ashram in the Bahamas.  It is not necessarily easy at times ... there are challenges of learning who people are and the rhythm of the Centre. I have been given my work assignment and it is to be in the Boutique approximately 5-6 hours per day and to keep it looking fresh and clean, monitor the bookshelves, do laminating of the various Indian saints and dieties and to set up special displays. I have also been trained on cash.  It seems like a lot but is fun being around the guests and near the food snacks (healthy things like energy bars and bars and smoothies with kale that I love!).  The weather is warm and the sea a little cold for me but soon I think it will be warm enough for me to swim ... I tried it once and I walk on the beach each day after my shift ... usually between 3 and 5 pm.  I have settled into a routine and rhythm of life in a tent (pretty simple and basic life) and am enjoying the yoga each morning between 8 and 10 am.  I love the food and the outdoor living and all the people from various parts of the world and have even bumped into people that I have met at Val Morin at the Sivananda Centre there in the past!  How fun, a woman who I did the juice fast last spring with, she is from Tremblant and another woman who is from Belgium and is doing karma yoga for over one year now at places around the world.

The lifestyle is very disciplined here.  It is part of the "practice" ... we are awoken at 5.30 am by cow bells and they ring continuously til the morning meditiation starts at 6.00 am.  Then two hours of meditation and chanting and yogic philosophy and then a short staff meeting and yoga for two hours at 8.00 am.  Brunch at 10.00 am and then work from 11 to 3 pm.  I have three hours off then and dinner is at 6.00 pm.  I go back to work for one hour between 6.45 and 7.30 to handle last minute customers and clean/close the boutique.  It is a full day but very worthwhile.  I am learning a ton about myself ... more posts about that in future.

I am not missing snow or shovelling or snow tires or anything of that business.  The beach is absolutely glorious and I am feeling very well and recovered from my cold and flu of December. 

More to follow.  This will give you some idea of life here.  O, my tent is well sealed, we have had some evening rain and condensation and I am quite cosy!  I'm grateful for that.

Surfacing

After being under the weather with cold and flu and jet lag over the last more than one week, I'm back on my game and tomorrow heading for Bahamas ... a 3 month commitment in the advanced karma yoga program at the Sivananda retreat centre.  I will be camping, have a lovely new and very light tent, with instructions and help from friends Tim and Debbie!  It will be yet another part of my adventure on my Sacred Sabbatical 6 months!

Coming back to Canada in the middle of winter from India has been quite an eye opener and I would not recommend it to anyone to be honest.  It is very tough, the cold and snow and ice and trying to drive safely without snow tires ... stressful ... but only one of two storms during the last one-plus week.

The bus to Pearson Toronto today with a huge suitcase which holds not only my summer work and yoga clothes, but my camping gear.  Heavier than what I took to India but necessary.

Looking forward to sun and beach life for the next 3 months.  More updates on the work in Bahamas, the scene at the retreat centre and my life as a camper!

Happy New Year to all who are reading!