Graduation Ceremony

We had our graduation ceremony on our last Saturday night. It lasted 3.5 hours, but oh, the dancing! A frenzy of spinning, clapping, and sweating in our kurtas and saris. One of our instructors, Himanshu, and his friends got into the dance circle and danced like fiends! It was such an energy and excitement! I have a video compilation to show you some of our dancing.

I've had fun times with nearly every one of the fifty students in our training at Rishikesh Yog Peeth. This has been the best group to be with because everyone has been so accepting and loving. It's like nothing I've had before. Lots of beautiful happiness.

Roshan, our philosopher and anatomy instructor, reads out the names of us graduating.

The 49th class of 200hr Yoga Teachers at Rishikesh Yog Peeth!

Me looking very happy! :-D

I want to leave you with this poem my friend Kelsey Quinn wrote. She recited it at the talent show we had a week before graduation and it sums up my experience in such a vivid way. Many thanks to her for allowing me to publish it here.

Rishikesh Rememberings

by Kelsey Quinn

Slate grey wings dance in the dust overhead. Fluttering, cooing and wrestling in mounds of fluffy feathers resembling the aftermath of a child's pillow fight.

Thunderous footsteps lumber across steel shelters. Little menacing monkeys with coral cheeks snatch students' snacks.

Their calm cousins with coal faces covered in silver coats sit quietly in tree tops like wise grandparents who have seen it all and now watch the world with experienced eyes.

Soothing sounds of sitar and singing bowls spiral up the streets. Diffused smells of smokey nag champa and finger-warming fires mingle with the grounding scents of overflowing sacs of cardamom, fresh butter cookies and seasonal strawberries secured to cycles.

Cows express sporadic moos

Bikes bellow perpetual horns

Yuhhh! yells the man pushing his cart containing cruciferous crops. I can't help but wonder…is this perhaps the hindi word for cauliflower?

Tonight we are serving rice, lentils, and yuhhh!

In the hall Happy says Smile, Deepa says 'Yes? Yes, class?' Roshan says 'Pardon Pardon Pardon?', Dipti giggles.

Frying pumpkin fritters waft from Krishna's Kitchen. It's meatball night! Yogis rejoice in the spandex nature of their clothing. 

Grating, chopping, clanging and blending…blending, blending…mmmmmmm…margaritas…No. No. Back to the breath.

Blue kites soaring on rooftops amuse the young all morning. Rapturous cricket in deserted courtyards keeps the boys 'til evening.

Tangerine robes drape over spindly brown shins. Still sitting, smoke spiraling.

Brown cows, black cows, white cows.

White dogs, black dogs, brown dogs. 

Rose petals, marigold garlands, rust brick piles.

Mahogany mala beads, orange bindis, crimson bracelets, white rice;

Aquamarine ganga, turquoise gems, ruby rings, emerald foothills.

Green carpet, green heart chakra

Heart overflows

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I'll continue to publish my adventures in Rishikesh, and about Holi festival, and about my week-long travel in Rajasthan (camelback safari!) so stay tuned. Thanks so much.

Tyler