Morning started with a great class with the Stepford Yogis. The teacher is brilliant, mentally and physically. He really does glow. He's very laid back and has a much more patient approach to yoga than in the West. His thing is that you don't need to push anything, you slowly loosen and release over time. If your muscles are trembling in an awkward pose you just end up tightening.
I got to hear some of the lecture from the morning session before class. His school doesn't just teach yoga and teaching techniques but uses a holistic approach. It encompasses pranayama, anatomy, psychology, philosophy, ayurveda. The class sounds amazing but also very rigorous.
The Dalai Lama's residence, Tibetan government in exile headquarters and main temple and are all together on one hill on Temple Road. The Tibetan museum was closed because it was Monday so I went ahead to the Temple where I watched the monks making a sand mandala in the temple and on the grounds. In the garden I watched as they had their morning philosophical debates. They have a very animated style of communicating. They step back and forth and clap their hands together in a swiping motion after their point is made. I met a couple Lebanese guys who asked what the clapping meant so we asked someone and it is sort of a talking stick. When they are done talking they clap their hands and throw the conversation back to the other guy.
We decided to go explore the area together and find the Dalai Lama's residence. We figured it might be on the other side of the hill so we took the circular road and found prayer wheels and stupas and prayer flags and carved slate steles left by worshipers. We ended up back where we started and asked for directions and realized that we planned on finding the residence in the courtyard literally right in front of the wall to his house.
After some snacks we hit the market. They were taking a bus at 7 and making their way back to Beirut so wanted to get some last minute gifts on the way. Amazing bargainers. Told me about their lower cost accommodations. Was almost as good as mine but down crazy uneven steps 1/4 KM right next to my hotel, so not worth the risk of breaking my neck coming home late at night down the precarious steps.
As I was walking to meet the yogis at the town's only Japanese restaurant I saw the instructor on the way. He was going to the only Korean restaurant but decided to come have dinner with us instead. Through dinner yogi and I talked about biking through India. At he end of dinner everyone was planning to go to the Heart Rock Cafe and the instructor said that he would not go that he was a solitary person and even coming to dinner was a stretch for him. I loved the frankness.
I got a text message from Sarah who I met in Rishikesh so I beelined over to meet up with her for a drink. She was with Emma who I met in Amritsar and Stephan who I met in Jodhpur. For such a big country this is a small place. Unfortunately though I also often meet people right at the end of their journey so it's great when you find a repeat.
I got to hear some of the lecture from the morning session before class. His school doesn't just teach yoga and teaching techniques but uses a holistic approach. It encompasses pranayama, anatomy, psychology, philosophy, ayurveda. The class sounds amazing but also very rigorous.
The Dalai Lama's residence, Tibetan government in exile headquarters and main temple and are all together on one hill on Temple Road. The Tibetan museum was closed because it was Monday so I went ahead to the Temple where I watched the monks making a sand mandala in the temple and on the grounds. In the garden I watched as they had their morning philosophical debates. They have a very animated style of communicating. They step back and forth and clap their hands together in a swiping motion after their point is made. I met a couple Lebanese guys who asked what the clapping meant so we asked someone and it is sort of a talking stick. When they are done talking they clap their hands and throw the conversation back to the other guy.
We decided to go explore the area together and find the Dalai Lama's residence. We figured it might be on the other side of the hill so we took the circular road and found prayer wheels and stupas and prayer flags and carved slate steles left by worshipers. We ended up back where we started and asked for directions and realized that we planned on finding the residence in the courtyard literally right in front of the wall to his house.
After some snacks we hit the market. They were taking a bus at 7 and making their way back to Beirut so wanted to get some last minute gifts on the way. Amazing bargainers. Told me about their lower cost accommodations. Was almost as good as mine but down crazy uneven steps 1/4 KM right next to my hotel, so not worth the risk of breaking my neck coming home late at night down the precarious steps.
As I was walking to meet the yogis at the town's only Japanese restaurant I saw the instructor on the way. He was going to the only Korean restaurant but decided to come have dinner with us instead. Through dinner yogi and I talked about biking through India. At he end of dinner everyone was planning to go to the Heart Rock Cafe and the instructor said that he would not go that he was a solitary person and even coming to dinner was a stretch for him. I loved the frankness.
I got a text message from Sarah who I met in Rishikesh so I beelined over to meet up with her for a drink. She was with Emma who I met in Amritsar and Stephan who I met in Jodhpur. For such a big country this is a small place. Unfortunately though I also often meet people right at the end of their journey so it's great when you find a repeat.
1 comment:
Ok, that is just too nice
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