Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, Silver Moon's sparkling... So kiss me...

I FINALLY watched Eat Pray Love 2 days ago, and I asked myself why I stalled watching the movie for so long? I loved it. Just the feel of the movie was so amazing to begin with, but I think I'm gonna give the book a shot too, when I have the time for it. Sometimes I feel lucky that I get to see/read such things and try to be more passionate about life rather than getting lost in the daily rut of just doing the same things over and over again. For once, I feel good to be thinking a lot, coz I was always looked down upon for thinking all the time in the normal course. I feel proud that I have the ability to visualize, and imagine, and appreciate the simple things in life. Though I am not a huge Julia Roberts fan, I thoroughly enjoyed watching her be all passionate about everything in the movie, right from the learning of Italian to trying to achieve balance in Bali.

Loved it!

For all of those who have watched the movie and liked it too, I just wanted to add to the India part of it. They have shown Liz (Julia Roberts) coming to India in an Ashram, and trying to meditate and find her balance, all this under a Guru. It's nicely shown. But I would like to add that there need not be a Guru for one to meditate or achieve balance, or get in touch with the inner self. I have been to Ashrams too, and well the place where I went, just left you all alone with Nature, and you were left all alone out in the open, disconnected from all sorts of technology such as TV or Laptops or Music. But they did not mind if you carried your own. Nothing was a compulsion, you could do whatever you wanted to. It was one of the best experiences I have had.

And these Emu's were on the opposite side of the Ashram road :P

We basically had a routine like this: Wake up at 5 or 6 am, then take a small walk, go for Yoga and Meditation, followed by something that is called "Kaada" which basically is a concoction of various Herbs like Basil, Wheat Grass, and few others, mixed with Jaggery, and they serve it either with Hot Milk or Hot Water. Your choice. The Hot Milk Kaada tastes a lot like Cappuccino. So I had that every morning. After we had our Kaada we had to go for various treatments daily, which were ranging from body massage, mud packs, steam, sauna, hot tubs, plus whatever was prescribed by the people there as per our particular problem such as neuro therapy for migraines, or speech therapy for stammering, and so on. After our treatments and bathing, we were all required to assemble for lunch at.. wait for it... 10 30 AM. No kidding. Lunch was pretty simple. A Salad, Soup, Some lentils and rice OR 1 large roti made with Millet flour or Ragi flour, some buttermilk, and some chutney. Did I mention that there was NO salt in the food? Only with special permission would they allow some salt intake. Also, every single ingredient was grown by us. Organically. Nowadays they grow it themselves, organically too.

This was our room. The one on the right. Well it was more like a house!

When we got back to our rooms, there used to be a special mud pack for our eyes already waiting at the door. Everything was very punctually done, and efficiently too. Post lunch and a small stroll, we would rest for a bit on the bed with the eye pack and fall asleep. Unlike what was shown in the movie, Liz was scrubbing floors and cleaning up everyday, it was not so for us. We had to do no "Seva" meaning we did not have to serve anyone but ourselves. So after our long nap, we had to go back to the assembly hall at 3:00 PM for the Kaada again. Post which we all headed out every evening for long walks to watch the Sun set from either a Dam 6 km away, or a Temple 10 km away. It was the best part because it was so full of Nature, and we would watch Robins fly past us and play with Goats and Cows on our way. For real! Sometimes we even stole Sugarcane from the fields :P

Beautiful Sunset!

Usually people were advised not to have dinner, and go for fresh fruits instead. Only special people were advised to have dinner which was at 5 PM so it was good that we did not have to, coz we were busy watching the Sun set. We would usually walk back and then eat lots of fresh fruit and some Tender Coconut water to fill ourselves up.

Fresh Fruits, and this guy still works there it's been like a decade now! He sells Tender Coconuts.

So after we got back we would socialize a little bit with the other people, and then 8 PM was Hot Fresh Milk time, coz they milked their own Cows and the milk was super fresh! So after having a good glass of Hot Milk, we all went to bed by 9 PM. Day over :)

When we did not sleep during the daytime, we would read out in the open and/or take walks around the green area and find these amazing views

I did not find the pics of the beautiful Kingfisher Birds which show up every evening! But all in all it is very very pretty!

So that was a little bit about my Ashram experience. It is definitely worth experiencing. I made some really good friends, from Indians to French to British to Brazilians, and it was a wonderful experience. Now I feel like re-visiting!

So what was originally a post about the movie turned out to be this. But I have to mention that I have decided to learn this Italian Song, which when I heard for the first time,  I fell completely in love with. I am going to learn the entire song in Italian. I am sure that would be a very satisfying feeling of accomplishment. The song is called Volare by Domenico Modugno and the moment I saw the lyrics, they just totally connected with me and the way I feel, when I am in the air, Flying. It is the feeling of Love. Or maybe something better.

Have a great day everyone!
Love,
Apfel.