Sivanada Ashram: Week Three

Third Week at the Ashram: November 28 – December 4, 201

The sun rising during Sunday morning meditation when we got a break from the Ashram and walked to Neyyar Dam.

This week took an unfortunate turn for a vibrant, middle-aged German woman who fell down the stairs after supper on December 3rd. I was walking back to my room from the supper hall when I noticed a group of people crowded around her. After performing a brief exam that revealed a very tender and edematous ankle, I traveled in a cab with her to the public hospital—an hour’s drive away—to get an x-ray.

This traditional Indian martial arts performance was a welcome change from the usual program!

Walking into a public hospital in India elevated my culture shock to another level. The building was chaotic; there were several blood-covered gurneys in the hall occupied by what appeared to be car accident victims. The ER floor was also covered in blood. It was astounding to watch used medical equipment be swept up and thrown into a regular trash bin.

These students were not lying down due to an injury but rather were almost bored to death during one of the lectures!

Unfortunately, the x-ray revealed a fractured fibula. She was so upset by the prospect of not being able to complete the course. After we discussed how the physical practice is only one aspect of the training, she changed her demeanor and committed to finishing the course in spite of her injury. Our hospital visit reminded me how privileged we are to have such a great medical system in Canada. It’s easy to focus on the shortcomings of our medical system, but when you take a step back and look at how advanced our healthcare really is, it’s hard to feel anything but gratitude for living here.

My room mate Andreas from Germany.

One idea the ashram reinforced for me is that everyone has his or her own unique life story. The story starts with your parents and family. From there, it develops to include friends, school, hobbies, work and other interests. When we reflect on our life, all we really have is a story; I believe that the other people in our stories are most critical to making them meaningful. If you aren’t happy with your story, remember that the pen is always in your hand. It is up to you to decide what to write next. Everyday brings a new page, but it takes commitment to start a new chapter. As hard as change can be, is it any more difficult than continuing to live in a miserable state? The energy that it takes to exist in a negative state is more substantial than anyone realizes; once you start to shift your life in a positive direction, this investment of energy will improve your life in so many astonishing ways.

The way that the Elephants used there trunks so precisely was amazing.

The act of the Elephant putting its trunk on your head is considered a "blessing"

One of our daily afternoon lectures is dedicated to studying the Bhavad Ghita, the “Bible of Yoga”. This text is written as a conversation on a battlefield between Arjuna, a warrior, and Krishna, a god. This text covers concepts familiar to other spiritual texts like the Bible and the Quran. One theme that emerges early on: if you want to live a purposeful life, you can’t sit on the sidelines when dealing with conflict. Arjuna experiences great conflict when he is supposed to fight in a battle. Krishna points out to him that if he doesn’t fight, he is not just removing himself from the battle—he is actually helping his opponents. This story highlights the importance of always confronting and resolving a problem, whether it is internal or external (or both).

The girls displaying their battle field skills.

Often we find ourselves in situations where we have no idea what we’re supposed to do—but our inaction will inevitably have consequences, so we must always do what we can to find a positive outcome. Of course, whenever a spiritual text written thousands of years ago is discussed, there are often arguments over the “correct” interpretation. I don’t believe there are any set answers; rather, anything that encourages people to discuss difficult concepts is beneficial for everyone. These types of discussions help me improve my critical thinking skills, develop an open mind, and encourage me to understand how other people think.

The temple at the Ashram

I used to find religious conversations uncomfortable and would avoid participating as often as possible. I became more interested in discussing these topics after learning about different religions and the commonalities they share, including love, compassion, patience, temperance, forgiveness, and lack of judgment. Now I am always seeking to improve my knowledge about religions that guide the way so many people live. It seems to me that people who are deeply religious and happy are grounded in their beliefs and do not judge people of other religions. They understand this kind of judgment is contradictory to leading a spiritual life. People who truly understand their faith only want other people to be happy; they know that it doesn’t matter what belief system you choose. It’s how you live your life and treat the people you interact with that is important.

The Ashram brought together the most unique group of people I have ever met.

Reflecting on my last three weeks with such a diverse group of people, I now recognize that the one thing we all have in common is the desire to be truly happy. Happiness is a state of mind that takes constant work to achieve, but the longer you work at developing inner peace, the easier it is to maintain this state of mind and spread its infectious way of life to those around you. When you have love in your heart, there is no room for fear.