yesterday was the first time in a long time that i was up before sunrise...
on a saturday morning. before yoga, i did my routine run around and around the soccer field behind the yoga building as the sun rose, brilliant orange. our yoga teachers had been watching us out the window and were not too pleased- apparently no exercise for at least a half hour before practicing the asanas, and no water either! it makes sense, though, as steady, slow breath is a key part of yoga.
in the afternoon we went out for what i would have called a sterotypical girls' afternoon if it weren't for the presence of ricky, the sole male of our group. it was an afternoon at the spa- or, more correctly, at an ayurvedic healing center that specializes in message therapy. (for those of you who don't know what ayurveda is, it's a kind of holistic medicinal practice that originated in india- big focus on herbs, yoga, etc... ). just waiting for the message was itself a relaxing experience- in the middle of the wood-paneled, incense filled waiting room there was a large round vat of water on top of which a design had been made out of marigold and other flower petals, completely obscuring all sight of the water. it looked like an undulating painting, very psychadelic.
not one but two women gave me a massage, each doing the same motions on each side of my body. it was an aromotheraputic message, and they began by rubbing scented oil into the roots of my hair. i also had a facial (not for me, really) and then they put me in a big box-like thing where i sat with only my head protruding as steam poured in- the most intense steam bath ever but afterwards, i felt completely pure.
after the hour was done, i felt very blissed out, perfectly calm- it was fabulous. a day of pampering never hurt anyone, right? though it wasn't quite as cheap as messages in the baths of budapest, it was well worth it. mmmmmmm...
today is a lazy day, a day for homework in the sun. hopefully my posts will improve after our trip to chennai and pondicherri, but for now life is slow and relaxing- perfect for me but not so conducive to blogging.
on a saturday morning. before yoga, i did my routine run around and around the soccer field behind the yoga building as the sun rose, brilliant orange. our yoga teachers had been watching us out the window and were not too pleased- apparently no exercise for at least a half hour before practicing the asanas, and no water either! it makes sense, though, as steady, slow breath is a key part of yoga.
in the afternoon we went out for what i would have called a sterotypical girls' afternoon if it weren't for the presence of ricky, the sole male of our group. it was an afternoon at the spa- or, more correctly, at an ayurvedic healing center that specializes in message therapy. (for those of you who don't know what ayurveda is, it's a kind of holistic medicinal practice that originated in india- big focus on herbs, yoga, etc... ). just waiting for the message was itself a relaxing experience- in the middle of the wood-paneled, incense filled waiting room there was a large round vat of water on top of which a design had been made out of marigold and other flower petals, completely obscuring all sight of the water. it looked like an undulating painting, very psychadelic.
not one but two women gave me a massage, each doing the same motions on each side of my body. it was an aromotheraputic message, and they began by rubbing scented oil into the roots of my hair. i also had a facial (not for me, really) and then they put me in a big box-like thing where i sat with only my head protruding as steam poured in- the most intense steam bath ever but afterwards, i felt completely pure.
after the hour was done, i felt very blissed out, perfectly calm- it was fabulous. a day of pampering never hurt anyone, right? though it wasn't quite as cheap as messages in the baths of budapest, it was well worth it. mmmmmmm...
today is a lazy day, a day for homework in the sun. hopefully my posts will improve after our trip to chennai and pondicherri, but for now life is slow and relaxing- perfect for me but not so conducive to blogging.
posted by beeke at 4:54 AM
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