Hi everyone, Jen here again. Great to have you back to read our next blog instalment. The last few months, we have been forging ahead in leaps and bounds, growing our business and really getting our name out there by helping people work towards their holistic health and wellness, and it feels great. Much of this extra motivation has been inspired by our recent trip to Sri Lanka and India, and has contributed in developing a deeper understanding, awareness and humility towards life and others. Today’s blog I will talk all about Leisa and my experiences, including our immersion into the Indian culture, the challenges, the sights, as well as the people we met along the way.
Our first stop on our amazing journey was to Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo. With the hotel right across the road from the Arabian sea, we were able to relax to the beautiful ocean views. The next morning we went for a tour of the city including historical sites such as Slave Island, Beira lake, and of course the Independence Square monument celebrating the end of British rule in Sri Lank in 1948. But the most incredible ornate place that took my breath away on this tour, was the Hindu Kavil which could be seen from our hotel. This is the oldest and largest hindu temple in Colombo and is dedicated to the Gods Shiva and Ganesh. The figures on this temple was just breathtaking. Well you can see for yourself 😊…………
Before Leaving Colombo, an early morning brought us up to the top level of the hotel to watch the sunrise. A cleaner was polishing the floors ready for a busy day and he could see we were admiring the hues of yellows and orange peeking over the distant mountains. He stopped to tell us, as he pointed to the mountains, that the pointy bit at the top was called Adam’s Peak and was rare to be able to see it due to the regular fog covering that part of the mountain. He continued to explain to us that it is known as “Sri Pada” or sacred footprint, which is just a 1.8 metre rock formation near the top, and is believed to be the footprint of Buddha. He was so proud to tell the story and you could also see that he was excited to be able to see the clear view of this spiritual formation and we all stood there and shared a moment as we admired the view. I was lucky to be able to capture such a beautiful sight. Adam’s Peak is the shark fin like formation in the photo.
With a whirlwind stay in Colombo, we went towards our next destination with a stop first to the spice garden and Ayurveda centre. We went on a tour through the gardens where they described to us what herbs and spices could be used for different ailments, we then had a massage and then finished the tour in the Ayurveda shop. This is where my first mishap happened……after perusing the amazing products, I decided on a few things I wanted to purchase. Leisa wanted to make sure I was correct with the currency conversion before purchasing our products. Of course, I was sure I had it right as I proceeded to pay for our goods, thinking I scored a bargain. It wasn’t until the next day that Leisa’s concerns were correct and instead of spending $87, I had spent $870. I felt instantly sick, however I thought that this was a learning experience, and we got some good products in the end. Understandably, from that day on Leisa took care of the finances…..ha ha ha.
Our next stop was Kandy, near the centre of this beautiful island, and I sure wasn’t disappointed. With beautiful lush greenery, our hotel overlooking a beautiful lake situated in the centre of the town, and old-fashioned hotel and location not dissimilar to a James Bond film, I really enjoyed this picturesque part of the world. With witness to a traditional wedding with their extravagant outfits, and a trip to watch traditional dance at the cultural centre, it was turning out to be a fantastic stay. The most memorable part of Kandy was a visit to the Temple of the Tooth, situated just across the lake from where we were staying. This golden roofed temple houses the most important Buddhist relic – The Buddhas tooth. The story of how the tooth came to Sri Lanka from India was just amazing and was an incredible, spiritual and humbling place to visit. It was not only a beautiful complex with such immense history, but it also showed the spiritual dedication through offerings, prayers and devotion to Buddha. The tooth itself is housed in a gold casket shaped like a dagoba and could only be viewed for a short time as you are herded passed it like cattle, with hundreds of people wanting a small glimpse of this Buddhist relic.
With another short stay in Kandy, we journeyed to Negombo, our last place in Sri Lanka, for an even shorter stay. This Beautiful place was once again right on the beach and really epitomized the feel of a tropical island. With palm trees, cocktails and warm tropical sun, a dip in the pool and a lounge around by the bar was in order before our red eye flight out later that night.
After our flight, we disembarked in our next country, India. We arrived in Delhi, then transferred straight away to Agra. We once again stayed in a beautiful heritage hotel with more James Bond-esque charm. The people were so friendly and beautiful and we even got to watch a puppet show put on by one of the locals which was very entertaining. His family are all puppeteers and have been making their own puppets for generations. This was one of the first glimpses of how important the upholding of tradition and passing down trades and craft skills is from generation to generation.
The next morning, we awoke very early, all ready for our most anticipated part of the trip – the TAJ MAHAL 😊. Yes, yes touristy I know, but how can you not see one of the most incredible wonders of the world. As we approached the vicinity of the Taj Mahal, we had to get dropped off and walk the rest of the way due to the attempt to minimize pollution near the site. As we line up behind the gates, not far from the front, we watch as lines got bigger and bigger. The gates open and we head through to the most awe-inspiring sight you have ever seen. With the beautiful gardens, the water feature down the centre and this beautiful monument in the distance nearly brought tears to your eyes. Our guide hurried us along as we jogged to the famous seat, where Princess Diana sat, so that we could get a photo without the crowds. We were so thankful of this uninterrupted moment.
We then jogged all the way down to the main attraction and was the first people through this incredible building out of 30,000 people who visit each day. With a description of how the Taj Mahal was built, and how they thought of every intricate detail, we stepped inside the mausoleum and was just blown away by its haunting beauty. As we were the only ones in there, we were able to hear the wind coming through the structure, that echoed so magically off the walls. Something you wouldn’t be able to hear if hundreds of people were being ushered through at the same time. I couldn’t help but feel emotional inside such a beautiful testament to love. For those of you who don’t know the story, the Taj Mahal was built by emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his cherished wife who died giving birth to his 14th child. Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal were inseparable and when she died in 1631, he began the construction of this monument to her, which took around 22 years to complete. Unfortunately, soon after the Taj Mahal’s completion, Shah Jahan’s son deposed him and became emperor and put Shah Jahan under house arrest where he later died. His body now lays to rest next to his wife in the mausoleum. Such a beautiful story. It's the history of Taj Mahal that adds a soul to its magnificence: a soul that is filled with love, loss, remorse, and love again. If it was not for love, the world would have been robbed of a fine example upon which people base their relationships. At the time of our visit, they were restoring and cleaning the Taj Mahal for the first time since it was built, hence the scaffolding, however, it did not detract from its beauty
With our next visit to Fatehpur Sikri or city of victory, to visit the incredible fort built in 1571 AD, it once again showcased the incredible history surrounding the Indian culture. We ended the day in the city of Jaipur.
Jaipur is an incredible place to visit, with so much to see. Jaipur is the only planned city in India and was designed by Maharaja Jai Singh in the 18th Century. The plans for the city were based on the principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, which means the science of architecture and science of arts and crafts. The number 9 is revered in Hinduism and considered a complete, perfected and divine number, because of this Jai Singh ensured that all planning of this city surrounded the number nine, such as being divided into 9 blocks, and the buildings could be no more than 6.3 (=9) metres high. The story of how the city was built was incredible. They call it the pink city because Jai Singh wanted to welcome the Prince of Wales in a different way, by painting the whole city pink, most buildings remain pink, or terracotta to this day, and thus the name has remained. Below is a picture of the palace of the winds, which is an iconic sight within the walls of the pink city.
Jaipur is an incredible place to visit, with so much to see. Jaipur is the only planned city in India and was designed by Maharaja Jai Singh in the 18th Century. The plans for the city were based on the principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, which means the science of architecture and science of arts and crafts. The number 9 is revered in Hinduism and considered a complete, perfected and divine number, because of this Jai Singh ensured that all planning of this city surrounded the number nine, such as being divided into 9 blocks, and the buildings could be no more than 6.3 (=9) metres high. The story of how the city was built was incredible. They call it the pink city because Jai Singh wanted to welcome the Prince of Wales in a different way, by painting the whole city pink, most buildings remain pink, or terracotta to this day, and thus the name has remained. Below is a picture of the palace of the winds, which is an iconic sight within the walls of the pink city.
Jaipur is the home of one of the most beautiful forts we visited, named the Amber fort. With a quick photo stop before heading up and an encounter with a real-life snake charmer (how exciting), we headed up to the top, where we entered the incredible fort. The courtyard, and extravagant rooms were still in a condition that didn’t require too much imagination. The mirrored room that they used a lot in winter, so that the mirrors would reflect the candlelight, was spectacular, as were the gardens. The use of an irrigation system from the nearby lake really showed how advance they were for their time.
Our final visit in Jaipur was to the astrological observation site known as Jantar Mantar. This observatory, built in the 18th century, is the only working observatory out of 5 in India, since Jaipur, being a planned city, has buildings no taller than 6.3 metres. Designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye, they embody several architectural and instrumental innovations. Astrology is an important facet in the lives of many Hindus. In Hindu culture, newborns are traditionally named based on their charts, and astrological concepts are pervasive in the organization of the calendar and holidays as well as in many areas of life, such as in making decisions made about marriage, opening a new business, and moving into a new home. Many Hindus believe that heavenly bodies, including the planets, have an influence throughout the life of a human being, and these planetary influences are the "fruit of karma." The Navagraha, planetary deities, are considered subordinate to Ishvara, i.e., the Supreme Being, in the administration of justice. Thus, these planets can influence earthly life. It was incredible seeing these astrological instruments in use, and they were so advanced with their designs.
Our final destination of our whirlwind touristy part of our holiday was back to Delhi. This capital is an intriguing place where old meets new. On one side is traditional old Delhi, where the streets are too narrow for cars, so only rickshaws and bikes can get through, the electrical wiring would give any electrician nightmares and the marketplace so alive with colour and smells. The other side is New Delhi, where the influence of British rule is evident, and a high-rise metropolis contrasts from the tradition of its neighbour. It was a feast for our senses to tour around both parts, with a highlight being the rickshaw ride through the markets in old Delhi.
We also visited the war memorial monument erected by England in recognition for the many Indian lives lost fighting for Britain in the war, as well as visiting the parliament buildings and the house of the head of state.
We finished off our night with a beautiful roof top dinner at our hotel, where we met fellow Australians and some women from England, whom we shared stories with. The owners of the place came and visited the rooftop to see how we were enjoying the stay and were so warm and hospitable, we really felt looked after. It was a great finish to our tourist half of the holiday.
The first half of our journey saw us indulge in all the tourist activities, creating many memories and observing many beautiful sites. However, it was the next part of our journey that we were looking forward to the most, and that was our visit to the Ashram named Shanti Mandir – Temple of peace. Shanti Mandir was established in 1987 by Mahamandaleshwar Swami Nityananda and continues the spiritual work of his Guru, the renowned sage Baba Muktananda, whom he succeeded in 1982. The ashram provides an ideal environment for seekers to immerse themselves in a traditional way of spiritual life, as passed down from the ancient sages, which includes Sanskrit Chanting and Vedic tradition and teachings. The ashram also includes a boys school that provides vedic teachings, a woman empowerment program that helps the rural poor to learn handicraft skills and provides work opportunities, as well as a mobile clinic that provides medical services for villages around the ashram free of charge. This incredible place does so much for the community that we could not wait to immerse ourselves in such an incredible place.
Our main reason for staying in such a place was because Leisa was completing her level 3 yoga training put on by the amazing instructors at Shantarasa Yoga, which was all about meditation, yoga Psychology and mindfulness. You couldn’t have chosen a better place to learn these incredible skills. When we first arrived to the place, it was like a little oasis among the four walls steeped in tradition and the sound of chanting. We were shown to our room, which took me a second to comprehend due to our recent luxury in hotel rooms, and began to take in the place where we will be staying for 2 weeks. This was the moment I realized that we are so obsessed with material things and that we take many things for granted. By resorting back to simplistic living, it strips away the expectations and allows no distractions in experiencing life in the here and now.
We were incredibly lucky when we arrived as it was the beginning of Holi, or the festival of colour. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter. It lasts for a night and a day, starting with a Holika Dahan where people gather, perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire, and pray that their internal evil be destroyed the way Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, was killed in the fire. The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi – a free-for-all festival of colours, where people smear each other with colours and drench each other. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and colour each other. Although the popularity of Holi among Western cultures has skewed the traditions of such a festival, being within the traditional confines of the Ashram really allowed us to experience Holi properly.
As Leisa and fellow students began their studies, I began to explore the Ashram and the peace and beauty that it holds. Surrounded by a mango plantation, banana palms and beautiful surroundings, the place was alive with animals, and I fell in love with the playful chipmunks that frolicked all over the place. I had never seen one before and being the animal lover I am, I quickly became obsessed 😊
Meal times were an experience and totally different to anything we have experienced before, which only added to the experience of the place. The boys, after their chant, serve our meal on a leaf plate. The meal usually consisted of rice, dahl and chapatti, with the occasional extra vegetables. This was our staple diet for the time at the ashram and became a challenge after a time as us westerners are so used to variety. However, we soon got used to it.
One thing that I quickly came to realize, was the sense of community within such a place. Everyone helped in maintaining the ashram, whether it be cooking, cleaning, food preparation, teaching, farming, or so many more chores. It was a beautiful thing to see, as I am sure you all experience, we live in a very individualistic society where a sense community is not as prominent. To experience this communal responsibility really began a change in my own thinking. We began to help with chores such as food preparation and washing dishes, and soon realized how much of a social experience this was. We began chatting to others whilst cutting vegetables and really bonding over this time spent together.
Another task I had the pleasure of doing, was spending a couple of days teaching English to the kids in the school. Although nervous, they were so welcoming and were excited to have me spend some time teaching them. It really was an experience I will never forget, especially seeing the smiles on those boys faces.
As mentioned earlier, chanting is a big part of the Ashram. They chant in the morning, then again at night time, and waking up to the beautiful sound in the morning really got you in a good frame of mind to start the day. Many of us visitors would go to the temple to chant with the locals, as they provided us with the books containing the lyrics. It was so wonderful to be part of such tradition.
Leisa was enjoying her yoga training, as she was filling me in on the many interesting topics that she was learning and telling me all about the other wonderful people in her course, some even flew from Germany to join in the training. During their yoga practice, I would quietly snap pictures of them in their poses. It must have been an amazing, spiritual journey for them to do their yoga practice in the country where yoga was developed.
On the weekend, we went on a field trip, or a pilgrimage you could say to Ganeshpuri which is a small village about 80km north of Mumbai. Ganeshpuri is a holy land since ancient times. Sage Varistha, Lord Rama's Guru, held a great yagna here and as per belief at that time installed Lord Ganesha in a temple here. Great yogis practiced penance here in the surroundings of mountain Mandagni, which has been mentioned in many scriptures. It was home to Bhagavan Nityananda from 1936 until he left his body in 1961. His samadhi shrine is now a focal part of the village and draws many pilgrims each year. Bhagavan Nityananda was the founding member of the lineage in which the people of Shanti Mandir base their practices and teachings, hence the importance that such a place has in the ashram community. To experience the people, the temple, the place where Bhagavan Nityananda lived and also left his body really provided a great sense of peace and humility. We also got to share a delicious meal provided by one of the locals in his own home, only emphasising the kind, and welcoming people you encounter in India.
The trip on the road, although long, is always filled with some interesting sights. From colourful trucks, to tractors which are overladen with produce, or even cows and elephants, there is always something to keep you entertained on the road
With our return to the ashram, we continued to involve ourselves in the community and lapping up every moment, as we knew we would not be able to ever experience anything like this back at home. We sit down for our afternoon chai, chat about the day and watch the adorable chipmunks play in the field next to us. It was a wonderful time to reflect on the amazing life-changing experiences we have shared in the walls of the ashram. We met some amazing people, shared some amazing experiences and know that our visit to the ashram will forever be in our memories.
As we left the ashram to return home, Leisa and I couldn’t help but have a tear in our eye, knowing that our trip was over and that we return to daily life back in Adelaide. However, I think we both realized that we will be bringing a bit of India home with us, with new found appreciation, humility, respect and love, and have noticed since our return, we are both changed from our experiences on our trip.
Some of the photos you see from the ashram have been taken by the amazing Izzy who, as you can see, is an amazing photographer and was able to really capture the essence of life in the ashram. Thanks Izzy.
Wowzers, what a long blog hey? I thank you for taking the time to read this blog as it is a personal reflection on our experiences, and I hope it has inspired you to travel, or even disconnect for a while and immerse yourself into your community. The world really is a beautiful place ready to be experienced and I am so grateful for everyone and everything in my life. Being able to experience such peace, mindfulness, humility and kindness has really emphasised the importance and need for inner health and wellbeing and is what Leisa and I at Intrinsic Mind hope to help you also achieve with the many services we offer as holistic health and wellness specialists. To expand on the importance of inner health and wellbeing, I will be dedicating the next blog to mental health awareness as it is just as important as physical health, yet seems to be often neglected.
If you are interested in any of our services, including training and workshops, have any questions, treatment inquiries, or even any suggestions for a blog topic, please don’t hesitate to contact us on myintrinsicmind@gmail.com or continue to scroll through our website for our services. We would love to hear from you
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