Swami Devand and the Spirit Guided Journeys group
October 30 was a busy day for the Spirit Guided Journeys group. Actually, all our days were eventful and that added to the fun. On this particular day we left our lovely lodgings at the Alila Hotel and traveled the short distance to Gaia Bangalore. Our morning began with a yoga practice led by our workshop presenter, Swami Devanand of the Bihar School of Yoga. A yoga practice in the Bihar style is intentional and profound. I am always struck, when in India, at how much more slowly and mindfully yoga is guided and practiced. For me, the outcome is a deeper level of peace and awareness; a feeling of returning to my inner self and a sense of coming home. I am sure this is due, in part, to being away from all that is familiar and distanced from the bustle of my daily life. And while I love practicing yoga when I am home, there is just something different about yoga in India.
After our practice, Swami Devanand engaged with us in a discussion about yoga and the underlying yogic precepts. As our time together came to a close, his wife guided us into a deep yoga nidra meditation before we broke for tea and biscuits and a lively discussion under the Mango trees.
Cooking class followed our morning workshop. Poonam Illuri taught us several Indian dishes including a delicious Dahl recipe and a chicken mince dish.
Ah – the cooking class with Poonam. Yum!
I am not qualified to teach Indian cooking, so I have appealed to Poonam to write a guest post detailing some of the recipes she taught that day, including a discussion of the most commonly used Indian spices. Keep a watch for this gift from Poonam – the food is yummy.
Lunch with Poonam on the porch
After the demonstration, we ate lunch on the porch in the beautiful Indian weather. Glorious.
Just writing this makes me hungry.
If you would like to experience the yoga and the food of India in it’s place of origin, mark your calendars for the end of October/ beginning of November 2015 when Spirit Guided Journeys is heading back to southern India. And keep watch for Poonam’s post with details about the food we enjoyed at Gaia Bangalore.
As always, Blessings and Namaste,
Kelley