Figuring Out Life

We live in the age of science. Air travel, computers, cell phones—science and technology impacts our lives. Knowledge from medical science has aided our wellness. Science has removed some of the mystery from many illnesses and natural disasters. More people now accept that poor health is a result of germs, viruses and parasites. Natural disasters [...]

Impressions of Mumbai

The flyover from Mumbai airport was teeming with life and romance on this St. Valentine’s Day in the land that embraces all forms of spiritual expression, from the sacredness of the mother cow, to the celebration of Saint Valentine—in any form. Here in Mumbai along the swanky Marine Drive along Chowpatty beach and beyond to [...]

Paranthas

Before the morning light reached the streets of Amristar the sight of a tandoor drew us across the street to a small dhaba advertising paranthas. The only customers so far this early morning, we sat to have chai and salivated at the thought of breakfast. Not just any breakfast. This chef had already heated up [...]

Ayurveda is Everywhere

Tom (pronounced ‘tome’) Matthew was our escort to the gorgeous tea and spice country of Munnar in Kerala. The 126 km distance between Kochin and Munnar was estimated to take 5 hours. Tom spoke in English, answering Jasprit’s questions. Most Kerala citizens learn Hindi in school, but many do not practice it. They are more [...]

Rail Gardee

The distance from Trivandrum to Ernakulam is 213 km. In a 2nd class coach this means several stops and a 5 hour-train ride through palm-lined green rice paddies and small villages of Kerala. What could be an uncomfortable journey turned out to be surprisingly cushy. We each had our own berth, which doubled as a [...]

Traveling vs. Vacationing with Yoga

A blog from one of our fellow travelers and RY trained instructors, Sara: There is a difference between vacationing and traveling. Between going to one place and staying there for three weeks and going to a new place every couple of days for three weeks. Learning to stay healthy and happy in the latter situation [...]

A Place of Memory

In Amritsar there is a small well-landscaped park surrounded by high walls. The only entrance is through a walkway from the main street adjacent to the Harmandar Sahib (the Golden Temple) complex. As you walk through the narrow dirt pathway, high walls on either side of you, ahead lay greenery and a neatly lined sandstone [...]

Chai (Tea)

Our practice of making and offering chai at the RussaYog studio comes from Jasprit’s Punjabi roots where the water buffalo is the milk-giver. His uncle still owns a farm in Punjab and their buffalo live with them, adjacent to their courtyard. Every morning the buffalo give their milk and the household begins the process of [...]

Joy of Sugarcane Juice

One of Jasprit’s favorite memories from summer days of childhood was enjoying a glass of sugar cane juice, squeezed directly from the stalk. On an open trolley sits a large grinding wheel. Ten-foot long stalks are deftly sliced into 2-foot lengths with a sickle. With one hand the vendor pushes the reddish-green stalks of sugar [...]

Ordered Chaos

The bicycle rickshaw rider decided to return to Jama Masjid in Old Delhi from Sis Ganj Grdwara via the marketplace where no cars can squeeze through. The tight quarters of the lane, lined with enticements of jewelry, sparkling clothes, brass, silver, gold, fabrics, bridal wear, people on their way to the office, children to school, [...]