Somehow its mid June and we’re almost halfway through the year. I can’t quite believe it. The months seem to roll by at a terrifying pace and I never seem to be able to keep up! Its been more than six months since I posted on my blog page and I regret to admit, that the promise I made to myself last summer to continue to document my culinary adventures, seems to have fallen by the way side! But it’s been an eventful start to the year with some exciting trips abroad, so with the help of some photos to jog my memory, I will document the highlights of the year thus far. Not all of the goings on are food related, as my energy has been focused on pursuing another hobby, and I’m proud to say that in February of this year, I completed a month long intensive yoga teacher training in India. This has definitely been the most exciting, and perhaps the most demanding, journey I have been on for sometime, not only physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually too!
The year of 2013 kicked off in Morocco, where I was cooking for the Healthy Holiday Company with my beautiful cooking companion Hayley North, who gets mentioned time and again throughout my blog posts! This was my second time working in this particular venue, which I adore. Luckily, it is situated well away from the madness of Marakech, although the peace and quiet of our tranquil surroundings doesn’t always reflect the commotion in the kitchen! Cooking for these retreat holidays is a full on affair with constant trips to the market and relentless hours of preparation and cooking but when I’m working with Hayley, there’s no shortage of energy in the kitchen and there's always craic to be had!
The markets in Morocco are an assault on the senses, a concoction of vibrant colours and powerful smells. Animals and people alike seem to emerge from behind the stalls and if you don’t know where you’re going, it’s easy to get led astray! Luckily, we have come to know many of the food stall- holders and with our legendary taxi driver, Ali the Great, we can get in and get out without too much distraction. But even still, each shopping expedition feels like a mission!
The markets in Morocco are an assault on the senses, a concoction of vibrant colours and powerful smells. Animals and people alike seem to emerge from behind the stalls and if you don’t know where you’re going, it’s easy to get led astray! Luckily, we have come to know many of the food stall- holders and with our legendary taxi driver, Ali the Great, we can get in and get out without too much distraction. But even still, each shopping expedition feels like a mission!
On New Year’s Eve, once dinner was served, we were ready to collapse. Most of the team retreated to bed before midnight but I decided to take some time to sit in the yoga room with a candle and write a list of resolutions and wishes for the year to come. One of my wishes for 2013 was to pursue yoga more seriously and now I see there is a lot to be said for being clear about what you want and asking the universe to grant it! Not long after my trip to Morocco, the opportunity to do a yoga teacher training course in India arose and I just knew the time was right. A visit to the Sivananda Ashram at Neyar Dam in Southern India two years back gave me a taste of ashram life, as well as an introduction to Sivananda yoga. Prior to this, I had attended all sorts of yoga classes but nothing had ever really clicked with me. During this trip however, something profound happened and I felt an amazing internal shift take place. Since then, I have been practicing yoga more consistently and for sometime, I've wanted to do a Sivananda teacher training course, where you live and breathe yoga every moment of every day for one month. This is a truly powerful experience and even for those who never intend to teach yoga, this is personal journey worth exploring!
Yoga Teacher Training, Rudraprayeg, India - February - March 2013
February is my least favourite month of the year. It’s cold and grey and it feels as though winter might go on forever. So, as it was drawing to a close, I was thankful to be en route to India, only delighted to be leaving the long, dark days of London behind me. After landing in Delhi, there was still quite a journey ahead in order to reach our destination, a small pilgrimage town called Rudraprayeg, situated high up in the Uttarakhand region of the Himalayas. This region is often referred to as the ‘land of the God’s’, due to the many Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the area. For centuries, sages and gurus have inhabited the land and as a result, it has attracted people from all over the world, who have made their way here on pilgrimages and spiritual journeys. The natural beauty of this region is humbling and as with any awe-inspiring scenery, it makes one realize what a speck in the ocean we are, amidst the vast expanse of creation.
Heading North East, up towards the Indian/Pakistani borders, a cohort of five mini buses drove for sixteen hours along the most lethal roads imaginable. Overtaking on mountain passes doesn’t seem to faze the Indian drivers, who just stick there fists on the horns and go for it! There never seems to be any peace driving in India, as everyone is constantly beeping, even when there are no other cars on road!
Arriving late at night, we all fell into bed, too tired to fully absorb our surroundings. But when I awoke the next morning and opened my bedroom door, the sight was breathtaking. The sun was coming up and I was looking down onto a yoga platform, overlooking the ganges, flowing in full force.
Heading North East, up towards the Indian/Pakistani borders, a cohort of five mini buses drove for sixteen hours along the most lethal roads imaginable. Overtaking on mountain passes doesn’t seem to faze the Indian drivers, who just stick there fists on the horns and go for it! There never seems to be any peace driving in India, as everyone is constantly beeping, even when there are no other cars on road!
Arriving late at night, we all fell into bed, too tired to fully absorb our surroundings. But when I awoke the next morning and opened my bedroom door, the sight was breathtaking. The sun was coming up and I was looking down onto a yoga platform, overlooking the ganges, flowing in full force.
By no means was this month in the mountains a breeze. The course was demanding and although the days are highly structured, no moment of it is ever your own. But at the same time, there is no escaping yourself. Instead, you are forced to look within and observe what is happening and in doing so, it's quite amazing, or perhaps a little terrifying, to witness the rollercoaster of emotions experienced over the course of just one day. I have felt this before doing silent mediation retreats, where the only option is to be with your inner voices but looking back, dealing with only yourself in tranquil surroundings, feels like a walk in the park. Somehow, here in India the timetable of daily mediation, yoga practice, yoga philosophy, chanting and the constant interaction with others, felt intense. And yet, it is a different kind of intensity to being busy with work or rushing around London. It is the intensity of an inner process, of which you suddenly become acutely aware and with which you must deal with, each and every day, for one whole month! Luckily enough, I met some of the lovliest people imaginable on this trip, all of whom helped to make this a very special and life changing journey.
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