End of a journey

These last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster. Crying, laughing, so much love, sadness, happiness, peacefulness, stillness, craziness, dancing, talking, sharing, fearing, friendship, connection and the list goes on.

I can't even start putting it into words. The oral exam we had on Friday was one of the most amazing moments I have ever experienced. So many people chose to tell their personal stories and experiences linked to their topic. I don't normally cry, and definitely not in public but after one of the girls performed a song we just couldn't hold it together anymore.

So much love and positive energy in the room - this will forever stay in my heart. Everyone sharing very personal stories and fears to a room full of people we had never met 4 weeks ago.

Graduation yesterday was also wonderful. A few of us went to buy sarees for the ceremony, beautiful but very impractical to wear. The teachers all had very special things to say, they all said that this was a special group and again it was all very emotional. Our meditation teacher who held the oral exam said she had never experienced anything like it before, and that she was so grateful she got to share it with us.

They are all such amazing teachers, truly beautiful people.

Again, I don't even know how to describe these past few weeks. It has been challenging, both physically and mentally but I have also never before felt so much at peace. Content and happy. Surrounded by love and happiness.

And I don't think I have ever before written a post that is this emotional, very out of character for me I know - but it had to be done.

On Wednesday I leave Rishikesh - for this time.

Exam day

The last week of our teacher training is coming to an end, absolutely insane that we only have three days left! Feel like we just arrived, and I am definitely not ready to leave yet.

Today we have our exams, and on Saturday evening we have our graduation ceremony. So by this time in three days I will be a certified yoga teacher. CRAZY.

This morning we had our practical exam where we demonstrated some different pranayama (breathing techniques) and we also had to recite one mantra each. It wasn't very serious, and pretty easy. Written exam in an hour, so just in my room trying to cram in the last bits of Sanskrit. Such a difficult language, the words are just not relatable to any language. 

But apparently the exam is pretty easy, we only have to write a few lines on each question and we have been given the questions we need to know. So I'm feeling ok about it. Tomorrow we have a 5 min oral presentation each, on a topic we can choose from a list. And then we're all done. So little time left.

I'm glad I have a few more days here after, getting the train to Agra on Wednesday morning to meet up with Malin again and see taj mahal before we head to Nepal.

Hopefully I can try some other yoga and meditation classes next week, and I really want to go to our Hatha teachers other classes that he has outside our school.

We are also doing a lot more teaching ourselves now, I really enjoy teaching even though I feel like I still have sooo much to learn. But I guess that will never change! We will always be students. Got good feedback from teachers and the people in the group I taught, so I'm happy about that!

Should get back to some last minute studying now, next time I update I will hopefully be certified!!

Sunday

It's 7 am on Sunday morning and I have already been awake for an hour. Not because I have to but because I woke up and couldn't fall back to sleep - feeling rested. What has my life become?!
Ashtanga class doesn't start until 8 so was really looking forward to sleeping in until 7.30 but apparently my body clock wasn't as excited as me.

A few fun things already happen in this early hour though. Got up to go to the bathroom, turned on the light and discovered a new roommate! A tiny little mouse ran past me...! Not the best thing to wake up to, but I guess I'll add him to my collection of monkeys and cows - animals everywhere here. He hid under the bed for a while, tried to chase him out but now I've lost him. Maybe he's still here, maybe he's out - who knows.

Also left my laundry on the roof last night as it wasn't fully dry. Heard a strong wind this morning so went up to check on it and found my socks spread out all over the rooftop. Found all of them though, so all good. Enough excitement for an early Sunday now, so decided to do some more laundry before my yoga class.

Judging by this morning I guess you can say my life has changed pretty drastically in the past few weeks. But I love it. Wouldn't mind if it was mouse free though, but I'm learning the practice of "ahimsa" (non-violence) which primarily focuses on not having any thoughts of violence, hate etc (naturally violent actions won't happen if you don't even think it) so I guess accepting my little room mate is a good step in the right direction.

Yesterday we had a beautiful trip to Vashistha cave, where sage Vashistha (the teacher of lord Rahma) lived. We meditated in the cave, pretty amazing. Then went to the river for a dip in the holy Ganges to become purified. I only went in with my legs  as we were driving further to swim in a waterfall later and didn't wanna get my clothes wet before. So annoying that guys can just strip off while we have to wear a top and like leggings or something.
Hiked up to the waterfall later which was stunning, and had a swim in the cold water there. Such a beautiful day and I feel so grateful to be here and share this experience with so many wonderful people.
The third week has come to an end, and I am not ready to leave in a week!

Cleansing update

Today's update on the tube through the nose; still not happened. It's easier than I thought to get it all the way up the nose but then you kinda hit a wall before going into the throat, and this is where the difficulties start. Not the most comfortable sensation. And it doesn't help that people around are coughing, sneezing and making vomiting noises as they try to get it through. Euughhh.
Some people have managed though, so maybe I will too.

Had a Sunday "off" yesterday, but at 7 we did 108 sun salutations - about 50 mins of continuous sun salutations, pretty intense! Once you'd done the first 30 or so it got a lot easier, just doing one after another without thinking. Very meditative as you MUST focus only on your breath to have the energy to keep going. Felt amazing afterwards, great start to the day even though it meant I could only sleep in until 6.30.
Oh and it was optional... Yep I got up at 6.30 on my one day off to do over 100 sun salutations...what have I become.

Rest of the day was spent getting a massage (amazing), visiting the ashram where the Beatles stayed while writing their white album (even more amazing). It's such a massive place, but is now completely abandoned and just left to decay. Such a shame, it really is beautiful with little huts with separate meditation rooms, massive halls gardens etc.
Stopped by the puja (fire) offering ceremony at Parmarth Niketan which is the biggest ashram in rishikesh. Such a beautiful and positive atmosphere, everyone offering their blessings to the holy mother Ganges.

Third week of teacher training has just started, and its already more intense. I love everything though, wish I had time to stay here longer. But I will definitely be back to do my 300 hours next year. Now time for philosophy class!

Cleansing time

So I've just been inhaling some almond oil up into my nose. Just your average Thursday night in rishikesh...
Tomorrow morning its time for a new type of cleanse where you put a thin tube in through your nose and pull it out through your mouth. Then pull it back and forth a few times... Eugghhhh. Doubt I will be able to do it all the way, but will give it a try. So we were told to put some almond oil up our nose the night before to make it smoother. Really doubt that will help haha.

We are also trying completely silent meditation tomorrow, with earplugs. I get very easily distracted by noise around me so that should make it easier to focus. It's getting easier to sit still in a cross-legged position as well although I still cant manage more than 25 mins without moving.

I'm still feeling really good, body is aching somewhere constantly of course but I feel more alive than ever (yes I know that sounds cheesy) haha.

Off to bed, gonna need some mental preparation for this nose tube thing...

I'm lovin it

Haven't had much time to update the past few days, long days and quite a lot to study. Sunday is our day off, felt amazing to sleep in until 8! Although I still woke up at 5 first. Went to a kirtan concert with Krishna Das, so many people and the energy was amazing. Never been to kirtan before so it was a great experience.
Then time for massage, acupressure where she basically just pushed my whole body around and stretched and massaged everywhere. Felt so good after!
Other than that not much new, can't believe it's already week two - time flies!

I am loving every second of it, the people, the teachers, the atmosphere, the place, the food -  heart chakra is wide open here ;)

Day 4

Quick update today as my arms are too tired to hold the phone and I am dying to go to sleep! The first few days of "easier" classes seem to be finished and we are all suffering from muscle pain aaaall over our body!
The hatha class today was pretty intense, thought I was gonna face plant on the mat a few times haha. The hatha instructor is great but crazy. He'll come and basically slap you into position if you're doing it wrong or not deep enough, hilarious and slightly painful, but I feel great afterwards and I'm learning lots. He came and pulled my back with a strap today, into a deeper backbend, my spine cracked a little and my lower back feels sooo much better now! My back has felt really stiff the past few days and it all just went away.
Will see if I can walk tomorrow though...! The ashtanga class tomorrow morning might be a struggle.

Time to sleep, 5.30 start with some cleansing where we pour water (with a neti pot) through the nose to cleanse before breathing exercises and meditation. Livin the high life here ;)

The app won't let me upload any photos, but you can check Instagram for photos (search malinhagman)

Namaste

Second day of the teacher training is over and I'm still alive! They've been going quite easy on us so far but the last yoga class today was pretty intense so will see how tomorrow goes...
Hardest thing at the moment is to sit so much on the floor with straight back! It's crazy how used we are to sitting in chairs or having some kind of back support all the time. We are all taking every chance we get to sit against a wall or lie down. But they say we will get stronger soon and be able to sit for longer... Can't wait til that happens!

My days currently consist of morning meditation at 6 am (or 5.30 three days a week for 30 mins cleansing before) followed by 1.5 hour ashtanga yoga before breakfast. Other classes during the day are anatomy, yoga philosophy, pranayama (breathing techniques) and mantras and chanting. The day ends with 1,5 hour hatha yoga and 1 hour meditation class before dinner at 7.30.

Its all really interesting and I feel like time is gonna fly by! Everyone here is really nice, people from all over the world, mostly my age or slightly older but also some younger and older! Nice mix of people.

My room is not great, but I don't spend that much time there anyway so its okay. I'm currently waiting for the water to heat up so I can have a shower. Which is done with a bucket...or squatting down under the low tap combined with using the bucket. Good times. Washing my hair is not a priority these days.

I absolutely love Rishikesh though, it's beautiful with the river and the mountains and the whole place is full of yoga ashrams, temples and organic and ayurvedic cafes and shops and cows walking everywhere. It feels extremely safe, only thing to worry about are the monkeys who can be quite aggressive. They always come when we have breakfast and the guys who work here have to chase them away with sticks! Saw a jacket hanging up in the tree the other day that they probably had stolen...!

To conclude this super long post, all is great! Will need to go to bed in a minute so I can get up at 5!