India: Mindfulness. Meditation. Detox.

I’ve been back in New York for three weeks now, and have yet to document my recent trip to southern India to attend a 200-hour yoga teacher training (YTT). This is probably because I am still trying to characterize and make sense of it. Now, mulling it over, I ask myself, was this a fun trip? No! Was it a good experience? Perhaps. Was it transformative? Somewhat. When I first arrive, thoughts of  “WHAT was I thinking?”…

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Sanskrit chants and rituals

The program begins and ends the same, with a fire ceremony. We all wear white, and take turns tossing in offerings of fresh herbs to purge our negativity while our leader, Sachin, feeds the flames with ghee (clarified butter) and balsa wood. Our wrists are tied with red and yellow threaded bands, worn by most on the right. As a married woman, I will wear mine throughout the month, as a symbol of my devotion to the program. Two…

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