April Love List

Since I forgot the mid-month love list, I figured I'd do a Welcome Home Love List. 20 things that I'm loving about being home:

1. My own bed. The ones at the ashram and YWCA were comfy enough, but can't beat my super comfy queen size.


2. The push mower, so much nicer to use than the gas mower.


3. Vegan Italiano. I've made 3 recipes from this cookbook and they've all been good.


4. My gloriously cute cat. I forgot how adorable she was while I was gone.


5. My mom. She seems to be really enjoying me working in the yard and cooking/baking.


6. Starbucks hot chocolate.


7. Friends from the Ashram so that I don't feel quite as much like I left.


8. Our glorious showerhead. A good shower is my biggest criteria when I travel somewhere, so I'm glad the Ashram had a decent shower.


9. Thich Nhat Hanh's book Happiness, which I'm reading right now.


10. Raisins - crazy, I still love them now that I'm home. Even though I've had some sugary treats, my tastebuds are still adjusted from the Ashram.


11. My final cheque from SLE (as a full time employee anyway). It was a nice big one since it included my bank and vacation time.


12. The PVR. It's nice to catch up on the shows I missed in my own time.


13. Honey Nut Cheerios, I missed you so!


14. My meditation mat. I tried many different things while I was away including a great cushion that someone lent me during the Vancouver meditation group. But I still love my Yogasana rug for meditation.


15. My ever growing Yoga bookcase.


16. The wall hangings I bought at the Ashram for the studio. Now I just need to figure out where to hang them.


17. Emails from friends, students and future students.


18. That my ipod seems to have recovered. I couldn't sync it for a while so I'm glad it seems to be better now. I'd love a new ipod but I'm glad I don't need to buy one right now.


19. My clothes which are looser than when I left (I continued to lose weight while at the Ashram).


20. Bed at 10 pm, up at 6 am. Back to my routine.

Leaving the Ashram

Today I'm leaving the Ashram. This will also be my last post until sometime in late April / early May. I will take a break from blogging while I'm in Vancouver and when I first get home. I'm really excited about doing some exploring in Vancouver and meeting up with the meditation group there.

Before I came I was asked by a friend whether I would go to other Ashrams for my spiritual retreats. At the time I said no, because last year I felt I'd found a spiritual home at Yasodhara Ashram and therefore I wanted to explore things deeper here.

However, I've known since shortly after I got here that this is no longer my home. Something in me has shifted and it doesn't fit as well as it did. This isn't a sad thing, it just is. It is still a great place for me to explore my spirituality and I'm very grateful for that opportunity.

But now the answer to my friend may have changed. I might check out other spiritual centres to see if I find somewhere that's a better fit for me. If not, that's okay since my real spiritual home is inside me and I can explore it anywhere.

I wish you all Peace, Love and Light on your own journeys. I'll be back soon.

Life at the Ashram - Day 20 (aka Mega Mulch)

Amber - in case you're reading this, happy belated birthday. I thought of you yesterday morning and again throughout the day, but forgot while I blogged. Sending you blessings of peace, love and joy.

Yesterday afternoon I was on grounds. My mom would be so jealous of the mulch we had. We had cleared out around some trees and wanted to put some mulch down. So we went down to the beach/forest area and got an old rotting log and transported it up to the trees in the truck. Then we took a pickax to it. Now that's some fresh mulch. It was amazing!

Today is my last day of Karma Yoga. I was on accommodations all morning. I was given more than I could get done in the time I had (with the understanding I might not get it all done). And I let go of expectations and just did what I could.

More things I'll take home from here:

• Some sort of sharing circle. The reflection is amazing but it's also great to share some of those reflections with others. I get different perspectives and I just know I'm not alone in my crazy thoughts. Maybe some sort of healing circle.
• Karma Yoga - I'd like to volunteer in the community.
  
• Dream interpretation, I'm loving it. I still only remember glimpses of my dreams but it's kind of neat once you start pulling them apart.
  

Life at the Ashram - Day 19 (aka Bundling Books)

This morning I was bundling books for the bookstore. It was neat work. Very slow because you have to wrap them really nicely with ribbon. So I worked slowly and mindfully. This afternoon I'm on grounds so I'll find out soon what we're doing.

Last night during Satsang, instead of our usual Prasad (dried fruit) we each received a pearl. They were from a pearl mala (prayer beads) that one of the new Yoga teachers had given (symbolically) to Swami Radha. I loved the symbolism behind the pearl. We are each only one pearl, but together we're Radha's mala. For me my pearl symbolises my spiritual community. It's great to have a totem that reminds me that while I'm the one pearl, the rest of my spiritual community are out there as well (whether they were here to receive actual pearls or not). It got me thinking of all the pearls on my mala (friends, teachers, students), and that was a happy thought.

More things I'll bring home from here:

• Reflection breaks. At home I reflect at the end of the day. But it would be good to have a break mid-day to see what might be coming up in the work I'm doing and let that reflection change my perspective.
• Moving my body more often in general. My body likes to move, beyond the Yoga classes and walking. Just in general, more movement.
• A spiritual community. I need this. I need friends that I connect with about spirituality. I need a community to practice with.
  

LL - Thanks! Miss you guys!

Life at the Ashram - Day 18 (aka Where's the Broccoli)

Today for lunch the menu said broccoli salad (among other things including some scrumptious focaccia). Yay, I love broccoli. Then when I arrived at said salad there were a few sad broccoli florets in with a whole bunch of cauliflower and mushrooms. False advertising, I say.

Since I knew I'd be on the computers all day today for Karma Yoga, I went for a short walk along the creek this morning. I felt I needed the rejuvenation of nature before heading inside.

Three of the karma yogis leaving today are 3 long timers (ranging from 6 months to 1.5 years) that live in Nanaimo. While the Ashram is sad to have them go, I'm glad that I'll be able to connect with them when I get home.

More of the things that I'll be taking home from here:

• Be quiet, move slowly. There are a few instances this isn't appropriate (like while I'm doing a workout). But in general, I'd like to be a little quieter (not always feel the need to share what's on my mind) and move from place to place more thoughtfully.
• Give my full attention to a task and if someone interrupts me, give them my full attention. When I'm absorbed in a task and someone interrupts, I tend to continue with my task and split my attention. But I'd like to be more respectful to the person interrupting me.
• Simple, tasty food. I admit, there's been a lot of food here I don't like. But what I've been so impressed with is how nearly everything is made here. I eat pretty healthy at home, but when I want salsa, I open a jar of salsa. Here almost everything is homemade: jam, yogurt, granola, crackers. I'd like to do more experimenting with my mom in the kitchen to see what we can make from scratch.
  

Life at the Ashram - Day 17 (aka Reflection)

Earlier on in my time at the Ashram I mentioned that we have a reflection break in the middle of our Karma Yoga afternoon. I thought I'd share today's reflection so you'd have a better idea of what that's like.

Sometimes during reflection break I focus on more than one topic and sometimes just the one. Usually what I reflect on is triggered by the actual task. An example is: what is working with the rose thorns trying to teach me?

Today, however, my reflection was triggered by a conversation. I was on painting this afternoon and told A (who I'm working with) that I have a mathematical mind. This is true as I very much think in numbers, lines and lists. However, the implication in the conversation that we were having is that I'm not a creative person. Very shortly after saying that I thought, hmm, do I really believe that?

I know I'm a creative person. But I also know that I don't nurture that side of myself near enough. So during reflection break I spent some time thinking of how to bring creativity into my life a little more. In particular my mind went to dance, which I've always loved. For a short time I would occasionally do free dance. No choreography, no specific genre: just dance! I miss that and since I have the studio space at the house I can gladly bring that back to my life.

I hope you enjoyed the reflection. More things I'll be taking home from here:

• Less gossipping. This is such an important one but also a hard one. I have some good friends that this is part of what we do together. But I will strive towards lessening this particular form of conversation.
• Having a general routine. I think this will be important as my schedule will be much more variable now. I want to consciously choose how I'll spend my time.
  
• Help out more around the house and yard to lessen mom's workload (or at least let her spend more of her time on the things she wants to do).
  

Life at the Ashram - Day 16 (aka Spring Cleaning)

This morning I was on seasonal clean, which is what most of us would call spring cleaning. I spent most of the morning in one room, moving all the furniture, washing it all down, moving mattresses, vacuuming everything and remaking the room. Made me think about doing this at the house. I know mom would love that.

Last night we had mashed rutabaga for supper (among other things). I love mashed rutabaga. Since we always have it with our holiday dinners it feels like Thanksgiving or Christmas to me. All it was missing was the turkey gravy poured over it.

I really like doing dishes (mom, feel free to insert laughter here). But I do. I've been on dishes the last two nights (we sign up once a week and then someone asked me to take their shift for them). And I'm on kitchen this afternoon which means dealing with the lunch dishes first.

I can feel my departure coming. I can feel myself getting nostalgic for the things and people I'll miss. But I can also feel the excitement for my travels after I leave here and the excitement to return home. But I am trying as much as possible to practice mindfulness and be in the moment and not projecting forward to the end of the week.

Some of the things I'll be taking home from here:

• additional Yoga poses I hadn't done in a while and was reminded of to teach
• less TV time or rather conscious TV time (not using it as an escape)
  
• less computer time; now that I'm not in front of a computer all day I notice how much energy it draws out of me

More to come as the week goes by...

Life at the Ashram - Day 15 (aka Dungeons and Dragons?)

Reflection day! It's been a great day. I slept in and had a nap this afternoon (ended up awake for part of the night).

We don't usually have Hatha class on Sundays, but because of the certification process going on right now, I got to go to a friend's class. It was great! I do enjoy exploring other kinds of Yoga than what I teach, but I'm really grateful for what I've learned. I've realized how blessed I was to end up in a teaching program that aligns with me. There are definitely some classes out there (like the ones here) that I enjoy taking but don't think my personality would suit teaching. When I'm in Vancouver after Easter, I look forward to checking out a few studios.

I bought some songbooks from here today. I love the songs we sing during Satsang and hope to bring some of them forward into my personal practice and maybe into my teaching. I also bought another book by Thich Nhat Hanh. I might also buy a few things for the studio before I leave but I have to think on that.

As I'm sitting here typing, some people on the other side of the library are playing some sort of Dungeons and Dragons type game. It cracks me up what people do here on reflection day.

Life at the Ashram - Day 14 (aka TGI Saturday)

I admit, I'm glad tomorrow is reflection day. For the reflection but also for the rest. Today I worked on accommodations for the morning which was a nice break. I was put in a lead position again (can't seem to avoid that), but it was a good morning. Back to Shakti and the computers in the afternoon, but it went pretty smoothly.

Swami Radha, who founded this Ashram, did a lot of work with Dream Yoga (dream interpretation). I've decided to try my hand at it. So, I'm recording what I can remember of my dreams and will start to look at what the symbolism means. She has a good point: you're asleep 8 hours (if you're me) a night. You don't think your subconscious might be sending you messages during that time?

She also says if you start recording your dreams, you'll start remembering more of them to record. Pretty cool!

I hope supper tonight is tasty. Last night was salmon cakes with basil mayo and it rocked!

LL - Thanks for the comment! R's advice is definitely good and that's pretty much the motto of Karma Yoga.

Life at the Ashram - Day 13 (aka Flashbacks of Home)

Today I worked in the computer offices all day. Checking other peoples work and correcting mistakes. Giving other people training and instruction.

...honestly it felt way too close to home. I found it frustrating because I keep finding problems but I know that's just my issue (no one else really cares how long it takes, and there is a never ending list of things to be done). But I also wanted to get as much done today as possible since I might not be back in there for a couple days.

I have been working out some stuff regarding the rest of my trip over the last few days. When I came here I committed to 2 weeks, which would have me leaving tomorrow. My intent was 4 weeks. After some thought and consideration, I've decided to leave at 3 weeks (next Saturday). I've had many signs that this is the right decision. I'm going to head to Vancouver to meet up with a meditation group and do some personal exploration / reflection. And then head home a few days early for some rest. I will enjoy my last week at the Ashram but this is the right choice for me.

There is a Yoga Teacher certification course going on right now. Tomorrow morning I'll get to attend one of the new teacher's practice classes. Usually the teacher's we have here are very experienced so it will be nice to observe a newer teacher.

I feel very drained today from all the time in front of a computer. I'd say TGIF, but tomorrow is also a work day. Part of me hopes I end up in Shakti (the computer building) again so I can wrap some more things up. But part of me hopes I get almost anything else so that I can have a break from it. It will be what it will be.

Life at the Ashram - Day 12 (aka Cilantro? Never!)

This morning I was in the kitchen. And I got to make my first item. I made the dressing for an asian noodle salad. The dressing was really yummy (ginger, tamari, rice vinegar, oil, red curry paste, honey). I was really excited to try the salad at lunch.

I had put a big heap of it on my plate because it had rice noodles, peppers (but big slices I could pick out), carrots and cucumber. Yum! Then after I dished it out I noticed the greenery. Parsley, I thought hopefully? Then I remembered B chopping that big pile of cilantro. And when I looked at the ingredient list there it was.

I tried to eat the salad but there was just no way. Even picking out the cilantro I could taste it in every bite. I know I've come to love a lot of foods I used to hate (and in several cases that's been in the past 2 weeks). But cilantro? Never!

I think I'll be assigned to the computers for much of the next week. They want myself and another Karma Yogi to take the lead on the computer work we've been doing while the staff are away over the weekend. And then I'm working on a special excel project for a couple days next week. It's good work, but I prefer the food prep or accommodations work.

Life at the Ashram - Day 11 (aka Raisins, Really?)

We all become our parents. We know this. Generally women become their moms and men become their dads. It's a little disconcerting when, as an adult, you live with that parent. I can see myself becoming more like my mom in many ways. But I know she'll laugh at this one.

My mom has always eaten raisins as a snack, as if they were candy. I have always mocked this. Raisins, really? No thanks! I like them in cookies, cakes and rice pudding but just by themselves?

I have always loved sugar. There were times in my life I drank litres of pop a day. Before I came to the Ashram, I certainly wasn't eating that much sugar. But still, sweetened cereal, sweetened almond milk, granola bars, hot chocolate plus lots of fruit.

At the Ashram we don't eat a lot of sugar. Jam in the morning, juice in the morning...and sometimes a treat at supper. And that's all naturally sweetened stuff.

At Satsang each night we get Prasad, which is a blessed treat. Typically here we get dried fruit. I love the dried plums, but that's not why I'm writing. The other night the Prasad was apples and raisins. And when I ate the raisin I thought "mmm, that was awesome"...

...and then I heard that screeching noise when you stop a record in my head. "What!?! Raisins? Really?" And then a couple nights later we had them again. And I really enjoyed my raisins.

Sigh...I guess I'm one of those people now. Mom, better stock up on the raisins ;-)

Life at the Ashram - Day 10 (aka War of the Roses)

Today I'm tired. I had trouble sleeping last night due to some external stuff. I missed the asana class this morning. And for the first time in 2011 I missed my 30 min morning meditation. I decided sleep was more important for the day ahead. I'll get in at least a partial meditation tonight after dinner, take some valerian and hope I sleep well tonight.

This morning I helped make savoury carrot muffins (mmm), get beets ready for dinner tonight (mmm, again) and chopped about 45 cloves of garlic (yowsa!).

This afternoon I was cutting back the roses. I figure the thorns must have a message for me since they spent much of the time reaching out to me. I have thorn cuts from elbow to fingertip and middle thigh to mid calf. Ouch! I think the message might be something to do with patience.

And, Heather, if you're reading this: Happy Birthday! Hope it's a great one (or I suppose by the time I write this and given where you live, it was a great one).

MP - I don't find the silence awkward at mealtimes, but I can see how it might be at home. Here, it's kind of nice to not have to make small talk with strangers over your meal. I love the silence! Even though the rest of the time we don't have silence, and there is certainly talking and laughing, there is also generally a quiet, peaceful energy. And if you don't want to talk, no one cares. That's one of the things I want to bring home from here (the quiet, peaceful energy).

LL - Miss you too!

Life at the Ashram - Day 9 (aka Mindfulness and Hospital Corners)

To pick up basically where I left off yesterday. I weeded out a few more of the religions and decided that the one I'm gravitating towards is Zen Buddhism.

Then I went shopping! They have a great bookstore here, and I hadn't spent any money in it yet this trip. The book I bought is You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh. I for some reason got turned off of his books a few years ago without ever having read one (I forget now what the circumstance was). But now I'm definitely being drawn to his books. For those that don't know, Thich Nhat Hanh is a great Zen Master. I also bought a caramel crunch dark chocolate bar (mmm).

Today I am practicing mindfulness. I practiced while I cleaned 7 bathrooms (!) and while I made beds. I found mindfulness particularly useful in helping me with the hospital corners. I want to get it right, but sometimes I rush. I find when I slow down and focus on the task at hand, the details (like hospital corners) are a lot easier.

When we were doing up rooms I noticed my name on the departing list for this weekend. I thought "No!". But when you come here they have you sign up for just 2 weeks and then near the end of it you can extend your stay. So I will do that before the end of the week, so that my name can come off the list for now.

I'm really glad I chose to spend a month here. The settling in took a few days and then getting to what I wanted to do here took a few more. Now I still have lots of time to continue to reflect and explore while I'm here.

Life at the Ashram - Day 8 (aka Comparative Religion)

Today is reflection day. No Karma Yoga (other than supper dishes), no morning asana class, no personal asana practice (I need to give my body a day off). So, a pretty open day.

I let myself sort of sleep in this morning. I still got up at 6 to meditate, but then I went back to bed for an extra hour before breakfast. It seems like such a treat. It's funny how I don't do that at home.

Since I have the extra time today, I decided to finish my first run through of the religion section of the library. I scanned books on Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufism, Bahai, Taoism, Sikhism and Shamanism. Phew! Unfortunately, I'm still left with a lot on my "to explore more" list: 4 kinds of Buddhism (Zen, Tibetan, Pure Land, Theravada), Hinduism, Taoism, Sikhism and Shamanism.

Now I think I'll explore some of the comparative religion books hoping to weed out a few more (and maybe do some internet research). No rush, but it would be nice to pick a few to focus on and do some more in-depth research.

In addition to my religion research, I'm also going to reflect today on how to take some of the simple life here home. I'm good with the practices (meditation, asanas) at home, but I find I leave behind some of the simple aspects of this place. Meals in silence (not reading), not watching TV, working mindfully. So I'm going to think about how I bring some of those things home.

Life at the Ashram - Day 7 (aka Zen Buddhism)

Today I had a different Karma Yoga in the morning. I was on the list for accommodations as usual. But as I was receiving direction, we got a call that myself and another Karma Yogi were to go do kitchen prep.

And then I encountered a salad spinner the likes of which I couldn't have imagined. Picture a small garbage can. Not a small garbage can you would put in your bathroom, but a small garbage can you would set by your curb. And that's the size of the salad spinner. Awesome!

Last night was movie night. I guess they do this occasionally. When you hear movie night at the Ashram you're probably thinking something spiritual, right? Nope, they watched Despicable Me. I can see why it's a nice treat for the long-timers but since I'm only here a short time, I skipped the movie (although the popcorn was tempting).

There is a great library here and at first I just checked out the Yoga / Radha section. But then I realized they have a great religion section and I figured it would be a good time to learn a bit more about some of the religions out there. I've never really found something that fit me, but I'm not sure I've tried too hard. So, I decided to just start reading/scanning various books, starting at one end of the religion/spirituality section and working my way across. Last night I finished the book on Zen Buddhism. I've been practicing some Zen meditations. Zen Buddhism is staying on the maybe list (i.e. more exploration when I'm home).

KT - No, I didn't try the tempeh casserole. I am trying things, but not necessarily everything. I am getting protein, just not from the beans. We do have fish, peanut/sesame butter, etc. The Ashram is on Kootenay Lake, near Crawford Bay. If you type Yasodhara Ashram into Google it should show you approximately where it is. And there are lots of good Yoga teachers in Victoria, just try to find one that's sensitive to joint issues.

Life at the Ashram - Day 6 (aka Parsnips How I Love Thee)

Today is back to our regular schedule. Yesterday there was a 2 part graduation ceremony for the teachers so our entire schedule was changed. We had less work and a little more personal time (yay, bed early!).

Lunch's winners today were biscuits with currants and warm parsnip salad. Now I have to tell you that in the past I really haven't liked parsnips. I've tried them many times. We had them a couple of days ago and they were fine. But today, the salad was super good. I went back for a big heaping pile more of parsnip salad. It seems to have settled into a rhythm where I like the lunch and don't like the supper. I can live with that.

I realized that I didn't leave the info with my mom so she could read about my trip. I'm going to call her tonight and let her know about the blog. She's going to be laughing since I'm spending all of my time vacuuming, cleaning wood floors, folding laundry, eating parsnips and many other things I don't really do at home. That will change when I get back now that I'm not working 2 jobs anymore.

It's a beautiful sunny day today, so hopefully my first outdoor Karma Yoga session flies by. I'm already pretty sore from a marathon floor cleaning session this morning.

MG - I will take mouse poo over ants anyday. It was like having a tiny little officemate.

LL - Yes, I think this is typical in an Ashram that you only have the one Yoga Asana class a day (sometimes two). The place is really much more about the big Y Yoga (Yogic Life) and about working towards enlightenment. And Karma Yoga (work) is considered a big part of that. I think there are 15-20 Karma Yogis (doing what I'm doing). There are about 70-80 in the community overall right now. The others are the YDC-ers (new teachers finishing up their training), residents (people who live here permanently), staff (work here, but don't live here) and the Swamis.

MP - Yes there is a pretty wide age group. The youngest right now is probably a little over 1. He's the only child here right now though (his parents are doing Karma Yoga). Then it ranges from 18 to ...I wouldn't want to offend anybody with a guess but definitely into their 60s at least. And that age range is pretty well represented across all the groups although the Karma Yogis do tend to be younger since they have a pretty amazing young adult program for those 18-30.

Life at the Ashram - Day 5 (aka Lessons in Folding Sheets)

Today is a great day. I'm not as tired as I was. Usually at night we have Satsang which is a lot of fun but has a very devotional feel to it. Last night, the newly trained Yoga teachers were doing their wrap-up and had a play they put on. It was absolutely fantastic. Lots of laughter. And they fed us Karma Yogis treats (carrot cake, unbaked chocolate cookies, chocolate dipped strawberries and more).

This morning I was on accommodations, and learnt how to fold fitted sheets. My mom has been trying to teach me for 36 years, but somehow I think the Ashram way might work for me.

The winners at lunch: fresh bread and tuna salad.

Thanks for the comments L.L. and M.P. I am definitely enjoying my stay, but I wouldn't have necessarily said that a few days ago. Just like last time it took about 3 days before I felt like I belonged and didn't want to just head on out of here.

Being here is sort of isolating and not all at the same time. I am isolated from my friends and family (with additional self-imposed isolation by not checking my email/fb). But it's hard to feel isolated in a community this large. People here are very warm and welcoming and so it's not like going on a private secluded retreat.

As far as how being here works? I'll let you know what my regular days are like:

• 6 - 6:50 - personal time in which I meditate and walk over to the lodge for class (but many people just sleep)
• 6:50 - 7:50 - Yoga Asana class
  
• 7:50 - 8:30 - Breakfast in silence
• 8:30 - 12:30 - Karma Yoga (work)
• 12:30 - 1:00 - Lunch in silence
• 1:00 - 1:30 - personal time in which I blog and read
• 1:30 - 3:30 - Karma Yoga
• 3:30 - 4:00 - reflection break (we all journal and in small groups share what we've written)
  
• 4:00 - 5:30 - Karma Yoga
• 5:30 - 6:00 - personal time in which I read
• 6:00 - 6:30 - Dinner in silence
• 6:30 - 8:00 - personal time in which I shower, do my personal Asana practice, journal, read
• 8:00 - 9:00 - Satsang (chanting, prayer, singing)
• 9:00 - 10:00 - personal time in which I meditate, do "legs up the wall" and anything I didn't get done during the earlier break
• 10:00 - lights out for me (that's individual, but I'm sticking to my pre-Ashram schedule)

Of course there are lots of days that differ from that with various other things like dish duty, dinner serving, ceremonies, classes, etc.

M.P. I'm not sure if I've answered your question regarding how it works being here, but feel free to ask me a more specific question in the comments if there is something else you're wondering about. That goes for everyone!

Namaste

Life at the Ashram - Day 4 (aka Snow?)

This morning I was doing Karma Yoga. I was flying: vacuuming, cleaning boot trays, recycling, cleaning Kali's Cafe, squeaking, mopping. And when I went to Kali's Cafe (it's a short walk from the main building), I just wore my hoodie because I was warm and it seemed nice enough out.

I gathered the dirty dishes and empty milk jars from the cafe and headed outside. To snow! What?!? Big wet flakes. Suffice it to say I wore my jacket for the rest of my outdoor treks.

I woke up this morning really tired and was going to blog about that, but right now I feel great. I know I'll be exhausted again tonight (and tomorrow morning), but right now I have energy. I'm not sure if I'm tired because of the busy schedule here (i.e. no real down time), because my body is lacking protein (beans, yuck) or if it's because my ego is trying to distract me (a frequent reason I end up tired).

Food update? Last night was tempeh barley casserole. Pass! But luckily it was served with roasted veggies and braised cabbage and I love both of those. Today's big lunch winner was some kamut yam crackers. They could market those ones, just the right combination of sweet and savory.

Now I'm going to find a book in the library before I go to my afternoon work. Not sure when I'll get to read it, but that's okay.

Life at the Ashram - Day 3 (aka Angel of Death)

I'm sure you are curious about that title, but first an update on the food. Supper last night was fine, nothing I loved, but definitely stuff I could eat. And then today at lunch, spectacular! Focaccia bread with olive oil and balsamic, caesar salad and soup. There was minestrone, but I had leftover french onion from yesterday. Yum! Sort of made up for the morning.

I was paired up with "B" for morning Karma Yoga. We cleaned floors, made beds, cleaned the rooms of people who'd left. And then there was still 2 hrs left. And that's when we were assigned as Angels of Death (my title, not the Ashram's).

You probably think I'm using a metaphor; but no, we were tasked to kill. The main building at the Ashram (Mandala House) has an ant problem. Our job was to go down to the basement and vacuum up the ants alive. This included vacuuming of the ceiling (where many of them were). And then we were to set out ant poison. Wow! Really doesn't seem very good for my karma. But, we were assigned this task so we did it.

It was like something out of a bad horror movie. Going to change the vacuum cleaner bag and realizing that there was no bag and the inside of the vacuum was filled with live ants. Having ants drop down from the ceiling on us. Suddenly finding myself alone, realizing that B must have gone to get cleaning supplies and continuing to work; and then looking over at the door and finding it open (but B wasn't back yet). I'm not going to jinx myself by saying it was the creepiest job here, but I'd be super happy if I managed to avoid getting it again.

I'm glad this afternoon will be a computer afternoon. And then I'm on both dinner serving and dinner dishes tonight, so I'll see how much time that takes and whether I still have time for my personal Asana (Yoga pose) practice. We do one in the morning as a group, but I like to get my personal one in too if I have time.

Also - no one seems to have taken my rather large hint on Day 1 that I love comments. I have reset the comment settings on my blog. You shouldn't need to log in to anything to comment, just feel free to leave me a note.

Life at the Ashram - Day 2 (aka Feast or Famine)

Coming here I knew I wouldn't like some of the food. But this is really throwing a wrench in my eating patterns. Yesterday's lunch and supper were both losers in my book. Gourmet food, just not my kind of food. I was through the kitchen several times this morning and saw a big lentil salad. Yuck, lentils! So when the lunch menu was posted I was super happy that in addition to that salad there was french onion soup and savoury muffins. Win!

And then I ate two helpings. I hadn't planned to but then I thought "what if there is no more food I like for another couple days?!?" At least it was just soup and muffins so I wasn't too full for the afternoon. But I think I just have to live with feast or famine since that's how the food is going to be.

Today was my first day of Karma Yoga. This morning I spent vacuuming, sweeping and squeaking (we'll get to that). And I was asked if I was physically able to do these things? Seriously, am I physically able to vacuum? With a central vac (so nothing to lug around)? With the hardfloor attachment (not a heavy carpet one)? Seriously?

Squeaking? It's cleaning the hardwood floors. It's like a big swiffer with a cloth cozy on it and you spray the floor and then push this thing around. But it does not push easy, so it was a bit of a workout.

This afternoon I spent on the Mac computers uploading audio files and checking them against transcripts. It was a bit slow moving but I talked with the coordinator and he gave me some pointers to help move it along tomorrow.

I'm glad that right now my Karma Yoga is split between more manual labour and more thinking stuff. It's a nice balance.

Life at the Ashram - Day 1

It is my first full day at the Ashram, but before I get to that, I'm going to talk about my travels.

Nanaimo to Nelson on the bus was an adventure. There were a couple big winners of my travels including the audiobook (thanks Meredith) and the blanket I packed in my backpack. Despite having to change buses around midnight and sleep deprivation, I was still pretty happy with the trip.

Then I was stuck in Nelson, really tired and basically loitering at the mall. I decided instead of waiting for the bus to take a cab to the ferry and get to the Ashram earlier than I'd intended. It cost me the same as it cost me to get from Nanaimo to Nelson on the bus! But at that point I was tired enough that I did not at all regret the splurge.

After a lovely afternoon nap at the Ashram, it was suppertime. I was super pleased with the casserole of pasta, cheese, tomatoes, onions and broccoli. Yum! My roommate introduced me to the creepy big flying beetles in our room. I am very grateful that as of yet, they seem to be staying on the other side of the room.

Every Karma Yogi gets one day off a week for reflection (and laundry). Turns out my day off is today (my first day)! It's sort of strange. A whole day to fill. I did some Yoga and reading and will continue reading this afternoon (along with a small nap). In that magical way things happen I had a pretty big question come up for me last night that could easily be something I reflect on for much of my time here. And when I came to the library today I found a book on exactly that topic (and because sometimes we need a push, I saw it on the bookshelf three times before I pulled it off the shelf). I still need some reflection, but it was very helpful to hear Swami Radha's thoughts on the subject.

Thank you to Meg for leaving me a comment on my last post. I love comments at the best of times, but when I'm cut off from my email and facebook (self-imposed) it is particularly nice to have comments from friends. Meg - I think of you and our other Dhanakosa friends often. That was such an amazing retreat and really helped me along my path. I hope all is well with you.

Travelling to the Ashram

Today's the day! Today I leave for the Ashram. Day 1 of travelling (I will get there late afternoon on Saturday). What does today look like for me?

• Figuring out how to fit everything on my packing list into my bags (or deciding what doesn't go).


• Catching a bus around noon.


• Ferry ride over to the mainland.


• A couple hours wait in Vancouver (reading and going for something to eat).


• Listening to the audiobook that my friend Meredith bought me (Eat, Pray, Love).


• Doing my bedtime routine on the bus (journal, meditate, relaxation).


• Sleeping successfully and sound on the bus (positive intention).

Namaste