Rishikesh has been the journey I never knew I needed, but oh do I. A journey of falling in love with a new place and new people, a journey of challenges and hardships, a journey of my physical and mental capacities, and a journey to myself.

Two weeks have passed now in this magical place, and I have been learning A LOT. I spent the first couple days before the teacher training course began wandering the roads that connect the towns along the spiritual Ganga river. We are staying in Ram Jula (jula=bridge) and this photo was taken on the Laxman Jula, about a 20 min walk upriver.

A small group of us from the course got a late breakfast at the Little Buddha Cafe in Laxman Jula, which is the cutest and most delicious restaurant imaginable. I enjoyed a large masala chai as I overlooked the Ganga in the fog

It is easy to feel at peace simply by spending time in this area. There is a sense of comfort being tucked into the valley by the mystical foothills of the Himalayas. And of course being near the Holy Ganga which flows straight out of Hilmalayan glaciers and onward to bring life to this country.

There are spiritual men adorned in orange shawls around every turn, as well as countless animals; cows, horses, dogs, birds, and so many monkeys!

Makes me feel like I can gain much more from this place than just the 200 hour scheduled teacher training.

We all came together for the initial orientation on the afternoon of January 7th. So many amazing people from all over the world! South Africa, Canada, Israel, France, Spain, Russia, Japan, England, Poland, China, Italy, Australia... all with a common love of yoga and deepening our awareness. Our teachers Kamal and Sunil gave us a brief introduction to the course and the schedule before we all enjoyed a delicious Indian meal together.

Then the next morning, we began! Every day has essentially the same schedule:

6:45am- Pranayamas (breathing practices)

8:30am- Asanas (a set series of poses that are moved through with the breath)

10:30am- Brunch! (we eat twice/day at the Health Cafe.. mmm)

12:00pm- Workshop 

1:15pm- Yoga Nidra (like naptime in kindergarten... but you're not fully sleeping.. so cool)

2:15pm- Lecture (more like an insightful and mindblowing discussion, every day)

4:00pm- Adjustment class

6:00pm- Dinner

8:30pm- Meditation

So we have very full days, but we have a lot to learn in just one month so I wouldn't have it any other way. The pranayamas and meditations are on the top floor of our guesthouse in a big open room that has windows in every direction providing a beatiful backdrop of the mountains. The rest of the day is spent in the big yoga shala in the heart of the town. I snapped a quick shot of us all in the shala working on downward dog adjustments.

Each day has brought new insight, challenges, and growth. Too much to go into here, but maybe I'll fit it all into a book one day :)

The first night during our meditation, I was so focused that I felt something very disturbing... Something  was crawling on my head. Okay maybe a few things. Okay there's a lot of them. Yep, I had LICE. I've never had lice before, but luckily my roommate (who was sent from the heavens. or Australia.. wherever angels come from) has had some experience in the whole routine and she spent the next few hours picking the buggers ou of my hair. FUN. 

Here's a picture you didn't ask to see: (but at least you didn't have thirty of these living on your scalp)

The next day I was able to get some lice shampoo, but it only kills the live ones so Emma (my angel) continued to pick my entire head of the lice eggs. By the hundreds. With nothing but a pair of tweezers! I will honestly never be able to thank her enough. Girl deserves a trophy.

Proceeded to wash all my clothes, change my sheets, and kill them off with the shampoo, oils, and good ol tweezers. Just another one of those curveballs life throws at you!

Every Tuesday we have the day off, so Emma and I went exploring for the day! And oh what a beautiful day it was. We came across this temple shooting out from the jungle (in the background of this picture) and decided to climb on up.

After hundreds of stairs, and an increasingly beautiful view, we made it to the very top! We received a blessing from a man at the top, who insisted on taking our pictures afterwards.

(I lucked out with the best roommate ever!)

He wanted us to take one of him as well... as all Indians do!

Oh the views of Rishikesh from above were so amazing! We spent a while up there taking it all in, then continued on our adventurous day.

After exploring an abandonded school in the hills and wandering a road in the forest, we headed back into town towards the Ganga.

 The following day was Emma's birthday, and her birthday wish was to take a dip in the river! Since we had free time on that day and we would be busy on her actual birthday, plus it was so warm out for a change, we decided to just go for it. 

We found a nice spot, and slowly submerged into the cold but purifying Holy Ganga.

This was a kind of turning point for my time here, I was able to let go of the ups and downs I was experiencing the first week of the course and I could simply enjoy. I felt pure happiness radiating all throughout me after that. And I was so grateful to help Emma fulfill her birthday wish!

Afterwards we stopped for some delicious chai...

and found so many puppies!

Puppies have kind of been the theme of my trip. India = puppies.

After we changed into some dry clothes, we ventured back to the Little Buddha Cafe where we took to a cushioned area next to the nicest elderly spiritual man. He also insisted on taking a photo of us.. "Faces together!"

I enjoyed some chips and guacamole, India style, and a delicious smoothie. We wanted to make it back to Ram Jula in time for a sunset ceremony along the river, but our meal ran a little long. So a shopkeeper grabbed a passing motorcyclist and had the two of us jump on the back! Yep, Emma and I rode with a complete stranger (which doesn't really exist in India) between towns on the back of his motorbike, and he dropped us off with a polite head nod and smile to our many thank-yous.

And we made it to Ganga Aarti on the river bank in time for the entire ceremony. Beautiful people, beautiful songs and chants, and a beautiful sunset. 

The entire day allowed me to feel so deeply connected to this place... India holds this potential unlike any other place on this planet. I feel grateful to ground myself here, and every day I remember this gratitude because I'm reminded how everything in this life is temporary and to not let a single moment here pass me by.