108 Sun Salutations

Last week I had a great opportunity to participate with a group of 30 women in the completion of a yoga summer solstice celebration. We met in a park in my home town in the US in the late afternoon to celebrate the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Each person donated money to a local children's shelter in the spirit of giving and showing thanks for the gifts and blessings we have had in our lives.

The sun was lowering on the horizon as friends and new acquaintances met in a large open space filled with deep green grass. The flat field was perfect for this celebration and everyone was in good spirits excited to push our bodies to the limit with this sort of "yoga boot camp" which basically is a series of about 9-12 yoga poses, depending on your practice, called a Sun Salutation. This series of poses is then repeated 108 times in perfect timing and in perfect position order. Your breath becomes so smooth and fluid as your body remembers each position and the timings in which you inhale and exhale. It is really poetry in motion. Fluid movement and alignment. Beautiful. 2 hours worth of exquisite deep stretching and breathing with the sun setting softly in front of us.

Why the 108 times? Here's what I discovered. No one really knows the significance. Here are a few of the reasons I found that people all over the world do the pattern 108 times....

108 is considered spiritual for Hindus.
Prayer beads have 108 beads on them plus one central, larger guru bead.
There are said to be 108 energy lines to form the heart chakra.
The average distance from the Sun and Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters.
There are 108 sacred sites across India.

Whatever the reason others do this, I found myself doing this meditation in motion on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in Northwest Arkansas. And for the next 3 days I could not lift my arms above my head. My abs were tight. My legs felt like jello from being all stretched out. My shoulders exhausted. But I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the activity. During my practice I focused on sending my love and happiness to all the family and friends in my life that have made me a better person, a better human being. I did my sun salutations in their honor. Blessed to have each of them by my side for some period of my life.

Send love and happiness to those in your life today who have made you a better person. You are blessed to have them.

Namaste

I am back in the US this week to visit family and friends. My house in the US is in a small town in northwest Arkansas, a lovely southern state known for good barbeque, lots of lakes, home to the famous Buffalo National River, long summer evenings and icy winters, and the Razorbacks (the mascot of the University of Arkansas, my Alma Mater). The whole corner of the state where my house is has about 463,000 people in it when the last census was taken in 2010. But my little town has about  21,500 people currently residing in its borders. All in all, it is a lovely place to live with lots of arts, parks, and events. I do sometimes long for this region of the world while living in busy, people filled India so I venture home whenever I get the chance.

It is important to note that my little town of 21,500 people is composed of approximately 6% Asian Indian thanks in part to a local Information Systems group which is part of a large US based retail company located in this town.

So, last night I was taking a relaxing walk enjoying the sunset and the cooler, breezy weather of my home town happy to be here with all my creature comforts when I turned into a neighborhood several blocks from my house. I saw an older Indian couple walking towards me enjoying the night air too. The woman was dressed in a beautiful sari and she had a bright red Bindi dot on her forehead in honor of her status as a married woman, or in some Indian groups in honor of her third eye (or her chakra). The man was walking in typical Indian evening style, hands clasped behind his back, deep in contemplation. Neither was talking instead they appeared to be taking their nightly stroll. I had to smile to myself when I realized they left India to come to America. I left America to come to India.

As they approached me both of them smiled kindly but said nothing. So, I bowed slightly with my hands raised close to my face and greeted them with a friendly, "Namaste."

Both of them stopped. I mean STOPPED with their mouths open. Then both, at exactly the same time said, "Namaste" back to me with huge widen smiles on their faces. I walked past them but I did overhear the husband say to the wife, "That was nice." Funny, if only they knew I lived in their country of origin and used this phrase regularly every day.

Just goes to show you how small the world really is. We have the ability to travel anywhere. Meet people from all over the world. And sometimes use common greeting phrases for people who might just be longing for their home too on a cool, breezy summer evening. 

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I am sitting at Gandhi International airport in Delhi waiting on my flight back to the US (something I do at least 4 times a year. Gotta love those frequent flyer miles). I wanted to share with you what I am seeing as it is always a sight to observe how people travel. For instance, when you sit and people watch you get to see people from all walks of life.

For instance…the new traveler ever anxious for that first flight, spotted later in the non-denominational prayer room whispering words of hope that the plane won’t crash.

The world conquering business man who has seen it all and done it all in every country, walking with purpose luggage streamlined on wheels behind him for ease of travel.

The enlightened Caucasian, English lady sporting her brand new sari and hand made, brightly colored cloth hand bag looking around trying to convince herself that she doesn’t look stupid wearing this authentic outfit.

The flight attendant on Korean Air, hoping and praying that everyone in the airport is noticing her attractive attire and thus reinforcing her belief that we all secretly long to work for an airlines too.

The group of American men in their 20’s traveling with backpacks stuffed full with techi gadgets, wearing flip flops and cargo shorts, white ear buds conveying that they belong to an IPhone, IPod, or something with I in the name. 

Please, forgive me it is 1:30 in the morning and my flight leaves in an hour. I am a tired and unhappy mess surrounded by people who probably have shorter flights than I do. 2 layovers (London and Dallas) before I land in my hometown a sparkling 27 hours from now.

I am sure someone down at the next gate is laughing at me while I am typing this saying, “Look at that lady typing like a mad person. I bet she wants everyone to think she is a writer.” Funny, I guess I kinda am in a short story kind of way. 

What funny things have you noticed in airports while waiting for a flight?

Legible Three and a Miracle Indeed

I have had 6 phone calls or visits in the last 40 hours from the same person. In the US I think we would call this person a stalker, a harasser with me as their obsession.

Here's the story.

So Lance is traveling a lot for work, like I said in my earlier post this week. In India, for tax reasons, our  bank account here has to have ONLY his name on it since I am not working here thus do not have a work visa. Therefore, only he can sign cheques, etc. Because we knew he would be traveling and we had our utility bill due while he was to be out of town he signed a cheque for me to use for this bill. (It is important to note you can not pay bills in India in cash for things like this. I think they are worried that the people that work for them would steal their money.) So, the utility bill comes on Monday and I drop by their office on Wednesday afternoon to pay the silly thing, all 18,553 rupees of it (or $336 US dollars). I write in the name of the payee, the amount of the bill on the designated spot, spell out the words eighteen thousand, five hundred, and fifty three rupees on the correct line, add the date, and smile at my husband's signature missing him considerably.

About an hour later I am at home when I get a phone call saying the number 3 on the written out amount line is not legible and the check will be returned by the bank. They want a new cheque with legible wording on it. I explain nicely that my husband is traveling outside of the country and can not write another cheque until he returns in a week and a half. The gentlemen says fine.

About 45 minutes later the SAME gentlemen shows up at my front door and explains he needs another cheque because the written out word "three" on the rupee line was not legible. I explain again. Please note that his English is perfect. He had heard me the first time I told him this 45 minutes ago. He tells me ok but he needs me to come by the office today to get the "bad" cheque. So I ask while smiling, "Why did you not just bring the cheque with you to my house since you were coming by anyway?" He just stares at me like this is the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard and demands that I need to come to his office today to get it. Apparently I am no longer the customer!!!

4 more discussions later over the next 24 hours all go the same way with the same guy (Note that this entails 1 house more visit and 3 more phone calls). This last time he called about an hour ago I yelled, "What do you want me to about it? You are just going to have to wait until he returns from his trip. " He says nothing but then says in a most condescending tone, "Mam, when your husband returns he will need to call the customer service line and come in with another cheque. Do you understand me?" He then says, "He needs to come in with another cheque in the next 5 days."

I yell at him, "How's he going to do that when he is OUT OF THE COUNTRY for the next week and a half. I have told you this 6 times now! If you have to charge us a late fee or something then do it." I had already read the receipt that explained that returned checks would be charged a 200 rupee fee (or $4 US dollars).

Ignoring what I just said, he condescendingly states again, "Mam, Do you understand? Did you write it down for your husband?"

I wanted to scream, 'No sir, I am an idiot. I have 7 years worth of college and a masters degree to prove it and about 10 years of managerial experience but because I am a woman I must be an idiot.' But I don't say this. Instead I hang up on him while he is still talking. Not mature I know, but I was loosing my stuff!

On a happy note, they received another cheque from us about 10 minutes later. I said nothing the whole time but he looked suspiciously at me during the transaction. I had a plastered smile on my face. As I walked out I turned to him and said in my most condescending and loud tone possible, "You have to forgive me. I am just a STUPID woman! Oh and my husband got your message." He wasn't smiling back at me but I sure did feel better! And it sure was a miracle finding that other cheque with his signature on it! Yes, a miracle indeed. 

For the Love of Pashmina

I am in love with scarves. All sizes. All colors. It is a beautiful thing.

India has been great for me for this reason...the abundance of scarves for my purchasing pleasure. Now, I did move to India to learn to live with less in my life (less clothes, less material stuff) but my scarf addiction is getting out of hand. Really! Case in point...

My husband has been traveling a bit more than usual for his job and I have been home alone taking care of our large dog, Bella. So every day I take her for walks, swims in the pool, etc but in the afternoons after my yoga practice I start getting a "hankering" to do a little shopping. You see all my friends are traveling for the summer break over here too so there isn't really anyone around to hang out with these days. So I decided to call my old friend pashmina to see if she wanted to hang out a bit.

No, she isn't a person. She is a thing. A beautiful soft, lovely thing that wraps around you to keep you warm and comfortable. I was on the hunt for a beauty.

So, I headed to a few of my favorite scarf stores and before you know it I had purchased a few for myself and a few more for fun. I had also bought a bounty of clothes. How did this happen. The guilt was starting to build up in me! That's when I saw it. A beautiful pashmina hanging in a shop window. True pashmina, not some synthetic faker material. It had three block colors that gently blended one color into the next, royal purple, to deep blue, finishing into a dark red. The work was exquisite. I had to have her.

So, I asked the shop keeper the price and of course, gagged. Good grief. After some careful haggling I managed to get "my precious" at a reasonable price and headed home with my purchases, pashmina in tow.

Upon getting home, I laid out the loot and the guilt came back again. Why did I buy so much? I haven't done that in a very long time and certainly not while living in India. Was it out of boredom? My dog sat staring at my purchases too with her head cocked to one side like she was trying to figure out the mystery laid before her. I went back and re-read my entries on this blog and in my journal. I meditated on my goals while living here in India and, after much deliberating, decided to give my goodies away. Including my beautiful new tri- color scarf. So, some of my friends here and loved ones back home will get to enjoy the fruits of my shopping labor for I will keep none of today's goodness.

For I do love that new pashmina but really I have like 10 of them already. What's one more gonna do for me? Gotta draw the line sometime. And I guess it is good to share your love of beautiful things with those you love too....pashminas and all.