Heaven in the desert
So I have left this little way of keeping in touch with my loved ones to go slightly quiet on the word front. I can promise it is only due to the fact I've been experiencing such whole and exciting ways of being and seeing that making them into sentences has been challenging. I could write you a novel about the three weeks I spent at Shri Jasnath Asan, this special fort in the desert. I could. But it would be incredibly self-indulgent and quite useless to anyone. And one must always keep some things for their biopic... I found them through the WWOOF India (links below) farm list; after working on a farm in Jaipur where I was eventually the only English speaker, and not entirely sure I was being useful at all. I reached out to Shree and she replied promptly and positively, it was decided. Arriving there was a huge relief. Travelling in India alone can be emotionally exhausting. Being in places is great, but getting from A to B often leaves me drained and wound up. Here I was welcomed by a warm community the minute I arrived. I forgot about the man who sat on me on the bus, and was handed a freshly baked Baajre Ka Sogra bread. (My first of many, a home-made millet flat bread served with ghee and natural sugar.) Life at Shri Jasnath is well-paced. Waking up before the sun to practice yoga, followed by a light breakfast before starting our work for the day. For me this was mainly spent in the garden or kitchen... My favourite ways to keep the wheels turning. These hours were also yoga, also practice. Inner work and outer work. Each day the volunteers spend 6 hours working around the Ashram - contributing with either cleaning, construction, gardening, teaching yoga, organising children's activities or teaching the local staff English. Our jobs most often reflecting a desire or skill we wished to explore. After work there would be another yoga class at 5pm, followed by dinner and Pooja. All of these things are done with the community of the ashram. This includes Guru-ji and Shree, the other volunteers and the local Seva workers. This gave us opportunities to connect with how life works in Rajasthan, sing Kirtan whilst making Beet Salad and sun-drying tomatoes, inadvertently learn Hindi and Marwari. I truly felt here that I was useful, understood and safe. Deeply nourished by the combination of yoga, work, warmth, delicious food and sound sleep. And oh, the ladles of ghee... It feels like a simple answer to the hours I've often spent at home worrying about how best to use my time - to be good, productive and kind. It proved to me that often the simplest way it the right one. All is perfect, all is whole; we don't need to make perfect happen. Because it's already there inside of and surrounding us. The people and spirit here will stay in my heart and influence my practice for many more moons. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity and circumstances that brought me to Shri Jasnath... I never expected to find another home and family in the desert of Rajasthan. Om Purnamadah Purnamidam Purnat Purnamudachyate Purnasya Purnamadaya Purnameva Vashishyate Om Shanti Shanti Shanti www.shrijasnathasan.org www.wwoofindia.org www.workaway.info