As I was saying, the whole ashram experience seemed like a really bad idea those first three days. One fella politely excused himself from the whole experience, left, and was never heard from again.
The rest of us settled in for the long haul and tried our best to adjust to the restrictive guidelines (no drinking, smoking, drugs, sexing, meat, or caffeine) and intense schedule.
Each morning a bell chimed at 5:30 and the groggy bathroom shuffle would commence. By 6:00 a.m. we were all cross-seated in a candlelit room for morning meditation and satsang. The day dawned in silence broken only by the sound of cocks’ crows drifting in through the open windows. Around the time the horses awoke whinnying at the world we began our chanting. The guru’s lecture started at 7:00. We discussed pretty much everything there is to discuss in these lectures: food, sex, Sanskrit, anatomy, selfless service, breathing, bowel movements, movies, recipes, books, energy, the universe, chakras, tantric yoga, devotion, rap stars the guru had met including 50 Cent, personal finance, the Bahamas, drugs, drinking, disco, smoking, dreadlocks, work, marriage, land surveying, meat, fasting, divorce, children, Jesus, Krishna, Allah, amen, Om, computers, gardens, Truth, chiropractors, compassion, heaven, hell, reincarnation, meditation, asasnas, pranayma, chanting, ahimsa, charity, kapalabati, zen, enlightenment, the gunas, ayurveda, karma, dharma, ishwarapranidhaana, swaadhyaaya, satya, asteya, aparigraha, hatha yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, raja yoga, jnana yoga, nada yoga….and a bunch of other words with a lot of a’s in them. The list goes on and on.
At 8:00 we did our morning asana practice for an hour and a half, which gave us about half an hour to get settled in for breakfast at 10.
Following breakfast we had the option to spend an hour practicing karma yoga (i.e., selfless service). I spent three days of my karma yoga in the garden, one making mango pie, several in the kitchen on dish duty, and some cleaning bathrooms and/or the floor. A few words are warranted about the garden. The garden initially elicited romantic notions (at least in my mind) of nourishment, health, happiness, and wholesome earthy sustenance. The reality of the garden was this no doubt. The reality of the garden was also mud and muck and heat and stinky stuff and weeds and creepy crawly things with wings and pinchers and stingers that ran and jumped and flew out at you without warning. It was the most difficult work I’ve ever done in my life. It was amazing and horrible and wonderful all at once. Yoga is the union of opposites. In the garden, things started making a lot more sense.
From noon to 2:00 we had free time. Some folks spent this time studying and practicing for the class they would teach. Others spent it sleeping or showering. I usually went on walks or contacted the outside world with reports. On day five, three of us broke out of the ashram during our free time to hit the store down the street.
The afternoon hours were comprised of lecture followed by another hour and a half of yoga. Dinner was served at 6:00. We had another round of meditation, chanting, and lecture from 7:30-9:30 at night.
Something must be said here about the mangos. I’d never had a fresh mango hot off the tree before this experience. It was mango season and there were mangos everywhere and I ate them like a maniac. I ate them for breakfast. I made them in pies. I ate them in pies for breakfast. I ate them for dinner. I ate them at random times during the day.
Then I discovered I was allergic to mangos. I broke out into a rash. My lips inflated to three times their normal size, which prompted one of my roommates to exclaim, “Wow! People pay big money for lips like that!” So one of my karma yoga periods was spent at a medical clinic to deal with my mango madness.
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July 10, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Jenn
This is GREAT! I was laughing the whole time! As much as I loathed and cursed this place I feel like it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I am guessing it was mostly because I had a roomful of awesome ladies!
July 10, 2011 at 11:51 pm
Lunar Euphoria
It was an amazing experience. I’ve been struggling to understand and explain exactly why. I mean…we coulda been luxuriating at the West Coast center, right? But no, we had to pick yoga boot camp. 😀
I still haven’t managed to even remotely convey the fabulousness of the adventure. It was the right people, right place, right time. Somehow I actually did something right and learned what I need to learn.
July 11, 2011 at 12:41 am
Tori Nelson
Minus the rashy lip fiasco, this sounds like such an eye-opening experience. The only thing I can go to around here is Bake With Faith classes with the 80+ crowd at the local church. No karma yoga. Just a whole lot of casseroles 😦
July 11, 2011 at 2:17 am
Lunar Euphoria
Hey, don’t knock faith baking with the 80 set until you’ve tried it! The extraordinary can be found in the most unlikely of places. 🙂
July 11, 2011 at 4:35 am
planejaner
Great post…
sorry about the mango meltdown…that sounds horrific.
friutily horrific. who knew a person could be allergic to mangoes!?
blessings
jane
July 11, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Lunar Euphoria
It’s apparently relatively common. Mango sap contains a compound similar to poison ivy…so I’ve learned.
October 13, 2011 at 3:51 am
Dana
LOVED THIS POST!!! Where was your ashram? So sad about the mango allergy, too. I guess it takes dozens of fresh mangoes to realize that fresh mangoes are not for you. 😦
October 13, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Lunar Euphoria
Mirmar, Florida
May 18, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Ashram Lessons 1: Cultivating Joy « My Little Spacebook
[…] from various vices, hard work, heat, and allergic reactions. (See Poo-poo Tea at the Ashram and Ashram Adventures for a recap of those fun […]
August 9, 2012 at 1:20 am
Dan
So cool to read about your ashram experiences. I’d never heard of one before I found your site. Very cool and I love all the ideas it surrounds.
August 9, 2012 at 1:31 am
Lunar Euphoria
I’m glad you liked the post.
The ashram experience was one of the most important of my adult life.
August 9, 2012 at 1:39 am
Dan
How old were you when you started it and what was the duration if I may ask?
August 9, 2012 at 1:41 am
Lunar Euphoria
It was last summer, so I was 36. It was basically a two week intensive yoga teacher training course.
December 17, 2012 at 3:05 am
Rufina
Wonderful post. I will explore a bit more to make sure I am reading this in the “right” order. Not sure if it matters or not. But definitely for Lessons 1 through 10 😉
Mangoes in pies for breakfast! Lol.