As I mentioned in earlier posts, one of the reasons I arrived in Delhi a few days early was to attend the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) – Delhi.  Michele, gently insisted that I take transportation from her sources, and I was delighted that she had arranged a driver to take the additional Yoga Pilgrims, who also arrived early, and wanted to enjoy NGMA as well. In the early afternoon, we assembled in the hotel lobby, where Amy and I met a few more of our Yoga Pilgrims.  Having met these Yoginis for the first time, we

5:30am Wednesday February 3rd, 2016 – Upon awaking, I try to catch myself between awake and sleep, and lie in bed in savasana (the pose of deep relaxation) for silent meditation.  This morning was different as I was in Delhi, India, and my roommate, Amy, was asleep in the bed next to me. Arising and tip-toing around as quietly as possible, I made a cup of tea, dressed for yoga, grabbed my yoga mat, and headed to the Gym to meet Jai.  Sleepily I walked through the hotel hallways to the door leading outside to the pool area. 

Entering the Spa area, for a steam and an Ayurveda and Himalayan salt scrub massage, the attendants tended to me with regularity.  As I mentioned in previous posts, the hotel staff always greeted me with formality as either Mrs. Callan, or madam.  Although I completely respect the professional intention, but those of you who know me, for the most part know, I am pretty casual. A shift change in the Spa area brought to me an angelic young attendant who is one of the most stunningly beautiful ladies I have ever seen.  She reached out for my hand

Spending the day at the Claridges hotel turned out to be an astonishingly necessary component of my transformation.  The entirety of the attentive hotel staff was welcomingly formal and always addressed me as Mrs. Callan, or Madam. After breakfast, since I had a brand new camera, I thought I might learn how to use it before the Spiritual Yoga Pilgrimage began, with the intention of gaining proficiency to be as efficient as possible while touring.  I decided to start by taking pictures of the hotel. Walking out the front of the hotel, the Bell Captains, exquisitely uniformed and

After unpacking, and taking a hot bath and a shower, I settled into bed and listened to Dr. Nazari’s Yoga Nidra meditation on my ipod.  After meditation, my eyes were wide open, and I was wide awake.  Typically, Yoga Nidra helps me to eventually fall asleep, but I was so excited!  Or, simply over exhausted.  Or, both. Yoga nidra (Sanskrit: योग निद्रा) means Yogic Sleep. Yoga nidra is one of the deepest forms of meditations, leading awareness through many levels of mental processes to a state of profound stillness and insight. In Yoga nidra, one leaves the Waking state,

At about 3:00am, safely in the van to the hotel, as we drove away from the stridency of Indira Gandhi International Airport, a calm and quietness surrounded us.  The bright lights faded into darkness as we sped through the unlit streets of Delhi.  I stared out the window to the left side of the street, which was an unending line of makeshift outbuildings.  Shadows were busily moving about selling tires, mechanical parts, food, and tea. A motorcycle sped past us, with four grown men on it!  The guy on the back looking at his cell phone as confidently

“The people”.  Without hesitation is always my response to this question, many of you have asked.  Followed by a tilt of the head and “Reeeally?” As I mentioned in earlier posts, my heart was wide open to this Spiritual journey, like a portal to the infinite possibilities of compassion, light, love, and gratitude.  I longed to have a deep a spiritual connection with as many people with whom I could possibly come into contact.  Some of those connections were conversations ranging from a blissful brief few moments, to heart throbbing hours of exploring the depths of the heart, as

Arriving in Delhi, India at precisely 1:30am (the Germans are always punctual), what was 2 floors of slumbering, snoring passengers instantaneously roused.  As the doors to the plane opened, everyone rushed out into the terminal, and many were running!  Travelers from everywhere running with their rolling bags like dragon tails, businessmen rushing with firm grip tethered to their briefcases, women in adorned saris hurrying their children in tow, and me in a zombie like daze, watching all of this hustle with childlike wonder. An insight into the level of my maturity - It was like that scene from