Echos of India

Every step in this ancient land calls for a relinquishment of control and an acceptance of what is. In doing so, she teaches us that surrender is not a loss, but a return, a return to our true selves…

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Reflections on India by Alycia, Dani and Jill

Alycia (a guest on the immersion to India)

In October Dani and Jill led a beautiful  Indian yoga immersion which included 5 nights in the holy city of Rishikesh. With a backdrop of mountains and on the holy river Ganges, Rishikesh is reported to be the birthplace of yoga. The 20 of us were spoilt with the yoga retreat inclusions including yoga philosophy discussions, plus time to explore the holy city at the foot of the Himalayas.. Being there for Divali celebrations was magical and the locals were happy to include us in the seemingly continuous celebrations. The Beatles ashram was a definite highlight where Vedic meditation is said to originate. Rishikesh is a place I would love to visit again, though trying  to watch where I step as the cows wander freely 😂

Jill’s Reflections

India presents with contradictions everywhere - experiences of wonder and challenge - colour, noise, vibrancy, curiosity, spirituality, grace. All of this culminates in a powerful journey that will take some digesting. Self inquiry (svadhyaya) is what keeps us learning as yoga practitioners. Our enquiry for this Sacred India Immersion involved the five citta bhumi-s (mind states) leading with kspita (the monkey mind), moving towards nirodah - the focused mind in a yoga state. Consistency of practice is one of the themes that came through our discussions - so that the states of mind can be seen when they arise. Through discernment and wisdom we can start to move towards a refined mind.

India allowed us to see the mind’s tendencies every time we stepped into the streets. Would we fear, reject, embrace or mindfully navigate what we encountered? Sitting with disturbance is one of the gifts that yoga teaches us - here is where we grow and learn a little more and uncover the steps we may need to change the outcomes that are not beneficial for us.

What we do with the mind dictates the path of our life journey. In this journey we fully became the students of yoga’s teachings. Om Namah Mother India for being our teacher.

“Do we fear, reject, embrace or mindfully navigate what we encounter? How can we contain and hold focus when so much disturbance is present? ”

India allows us to see our mind’s tendencies the every time we step out the door into the rivers, streets and people of India. Do we fear, reject, embrace or mindfully navigate what we encounter? How can we contain and hold focus when so much disturbance is present? What we do with the mind sets the path for our life journey. Om Namah Mother India for being our teacher.

Dani’s Echoes

Mother India teaches us a lot about life. She demands the greatest of surrenders, asking us not only to face ourselves but to move beyond ourselves. She requires trust, not just in her flow but in life’s flow. Every step in this ancient land calls for a relinquishment of control and an acceptance of what is. In doing so, she teaches us that surrender is not a loss, but a return, a return to our true selves.

Echo One: Surrendering to Life's Flow

Her energy insists that we establish trust in life itself. Her rivers, streets, and people move with a natural rhythm, one that we often find only by letting go of our expectations and judgments. When we relinquish control and accept her flow, we touch a profound part of ourselves. This allows us to trust and to move more gracefully through change, embodying resilience and openness to whatever may come.

Echo Two: Returning to Self 

She teaches us that in letting go deeply, we return to ourselves. By loosening our grip on identities, on fears, on desires, we become established in our true selves. We come to realise that we are already whole and complete just as we are. We discover that life itself holds us with a profound sense of safety. A state of being, free from the need to grasp at what is outside of us, a wholeness that is ours to embody, whatever that may look like in each moment.

“We discover that life itself holds us with a profound sense of safety. A state of being, free from the need to grasp at what is outside of us, a wholeness that is ours to embody, whatever that may look like in each moment.”

Echo Three: The Power of Shared Journeys

Together, a group of twenty embarking on paths of personal discovery, uplifting not only ourselves but each other. Through shared experiences, challenges, stories, laughter, practice, silence, each revealing their unique light. Each bringing their hearts, presence, willingness and trust in the journey.

Echo Four: Embracing Healing, Wisdom, and Joy

India never fails to connect us deeply, stirring the dormant parts of our being that yearn for healing, wisdom, and joy. Her ancient teachings remind us of the inherent love that each of us carries. There is no need to search outside ourselves, for everything we need is already here. We simply need to tune in, to open, and to embrace what she reflects back to us – our own innate love, light, and strength.

A Final Bow

I bow to you, Mother India, for all that you give, for the wisdom you impart, for the healing that unfolds in your embrace. You have shown us once again that surrender, trust, and love are the keys to true freedom. Jai Guru Dev

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Jill Harris: kyoyoga.com.au

Dani Pritchard: danipritchardyoga.com.au