TIGER TROUBLE

‌I heard an interesting insight about tigers recently that when a tiger approaches you, stay still. No, the tiger won't run away. He will come closer and try to nudge you, sniff you and scare you to your bone. He wants you to run, he wants a play, a catch-me-if-you-can game to excite him to kill you. If you don't fall for all he does to instigate you, he will get bored and move away unless he is starving to death (rare case). But how many of us can think of this when a tiger approaches? I guess very few. As we spot a tiger, the mind goes to fight or flight mode. The tiger being not something that can be fought (which is analysed by the brain instantly), we run. We scream our lungs out and outperform our capability to run, to go as far as we can from the tiger.
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‌Now, why would you read this any further knowing that you facing the tiger is one in a million chance? But we face a tiger every now and then in life. Not in the form of striped skin, broad paws, load roars and sharp teeth but as a challenge, a fear, a difficult decision. Life is just that tiger, that wants a little play before it can screw you up. The more you try to run away from it, the more it chases you. The more you try to avoid the encounter, the more it entraps you till it can render you helpless to surrender, to give up and give in. Here comes a time to change or get changed. Rest and digest. When we are completely trapped with no space to move only then we stop and start thinking of a permanent solution. That if thought first, we can save ourselves of all anxiety and running around.
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‌We have been designed by the nature in such a way that if the body and mind are used to their full potential, they get better and better with time. But unfortunately, we believe in updating our computer softwares but not our inbuilt mega computer.
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‌Our autonomous nervous system which is responsible for involuntary and reflexive functions in the body has two divisions. The sympathetic nervous system or the "fight or flight" response, prepares the body for action. It activates automatically and initiates increase in heart rate, contraction of muscles, termination of digestion process and the glycogen conversion to glucose. All this happens to aid our body for fight or flight.
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‌The parasympathetic nervous system or "rest and digest" response, relaxes the body. It has to be worked on and when enabled, it restores the calm and counterbalance to the body to carry on all the bodily systems normally. The more we follow parasympathetic response, the less likely we are to fall prey to anxiety, stress and all related problems.
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‌So clearly, being in "rest and digest" response mode can add more good times to our lives. But how do we exercise it's functioning more? If we don't want a tiger to feed on us all our life from time to time, we got to face him. We got to understand and work out a way to keep him out of our way forever. So, find your niche and indulge in something that truly relaxes you like loving a dog, dancing it out, learning something new, working out and you will see the effect spreading to other spheres of life, helping you to ground those unruly tigers of your mind.
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YOGA AND THE PHYSICAL SELF

It is said that there are as many asanas as there are living species, that is around 8,40,000. That means the muscles and joints can flex, extend and rotate in several thousand ways. All these asanas are classified into basic, intermediate and advanced levels. But how do you put yourself into one of these? If you are absolutely new to yoga, it is easy as you will be starting from scratch and so the basic level. But if you have been practicing for quite a while then it is a task. You can be struggling with the basic level of an easier pose and on the other hand be able to do some really difficult one. So then where do you put yourself?
But there is a way to decipher all the postures is one common way and to know how you fair physically and mentally. This way can help you understand your personality and hence your strengths and weaknesses to be applied wisely in other zones of life. Any posture can be broken into three stages - getting into the posture, holding the posture and coming out of the posture.
Getting into the posture requires you to take up the position, firm up the body yet keep it lose enough to go into the posture smoothly. Going from a neutral pose to the desired pose will demand you to align each and every involved muscle and ease into the pose consciously so as not to bend knees, tense shoulder or hunch back. Hence it demands you of a conscious will power. And there the mind questions, "how do I look when I go into the pose?",  "What would everyone else in the room think if I topple?". Can you rise above these questions and do the pose anyways? Here's a check on your perception of the self.
Holding the posture is uncomfortable to begin with. You realize that your body is shaking all the way. Your mind is focused on the only wish of ending the pose soon and so you breathe unevenly or forget to breathe completely. You realize which part of your body lacks the strength. Thus, it hones your endurance and brings awareness. And if you fall out of the pose in between, would you wish to go back into the pose? Here you check your dedication.
Coming out of the posture seems to be the happiest part until your teachers instructs you to come back slowly, step after step. Here you realize, coming out is the most difficult part actually. The core muscles are put to work here. Initially, either you rush out or you fall out of the pose till your core strengthens to ease you out smoothly.
This whole saga of a single pose puts your will power, strength, endurance, self image, fear for challenges, acceptance of failure and your ability to mold your mind; to a test.
So when Patanjali said sthira sukham asanam, he did not just mean to prepare the body for sitting still for hours of meditation. He also meant that in every pose, try to reach a state where both mind and body become still and it looks as easy as your natural state of being. Hence, asanas though important for health and balance of the body, have a deeper purpose; to diffuse the consciousness uniformly throughout the body so that duality between senses, nerves, cells, mind, intelligence and consciousness are eradicated and the whole being is in harmony. When the nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, endocrine and genito-excretory systems are cleansed through asanas, prana moves unobstructed to the remotest cells and feeds them with copious supply of energy. Thus rejuvenated and revitalized body moves towards the goal of self-realization.
Sri Brahmananda clearly and beautifully sums up the effects of asanas. He says "the body is full of inertia (tamasic), the mind vibrant (rajasic) and the self serene and luminous (satvic). By perfection in asanas, the lazy body is transformed to the level of the vibrant mind and they together are cultured to reach the level of the serenity of the self."

JILLING TERRACES in UTTARAKHAND

the main building at sundown

Three years back while hiking to Mt. Everest base camp in Nepal, inhaling in its thin but pollution free, fresh and healthy air I was wondering whether India being much bigger in size and with wider spread of Himalayas has such unadulterated place to offer? And three years later this April, I found my answer in Jilling Terraces, Uttarakhand.

Meditating in nature's lap

the Jilling trail

Nestled aloof on a hill in Uttarakhand, Jilling Terraces is not easy to reach. Nothing compared to Everest trek though but still a nice steep 45mins hike to reach this heaven. But I believe good things in life should never be easy, that way they are valued and cherished more.





Once you are up there, your mind goes to a self cleansing mode. No worries, no stress, no past and no future. Time literally freezes. But mind you, it's not just the pretty location that enchants you to this place. It is as beautifully done inside by its architect duo owners as outside by nature. Every furniture piece, cutlery and crockery, fabric, artifact and lamp is an art piece not just tastefully collected but carefully carried over shoulders to this height.

valley view from the rooms

dining lounge

And home stays are worthy of visit if you feel mother care in the hands of your hosts. The caretakers are friendly, helping and ready to go an extra mile for your comfort with a big smile. Fresh Rhododendron juice, omelettes and parathas for breakfast, authentic kumaoni meals of pahadi dals, mutton, achaar with phulkas along with the pure air to breathe in; takes care of your health all the while you are there.


On reaching, it took us an hour to calm down the excitement of being there. After which we had lunch and a nap to rise up to a setting sun, enjoying it's beauty with a cup of tea in the verandah. We took a walk around and went to playing board games in the dining lounge over snacks and rounds of drinks followed by scrumptious dinner. The food made us edacious and we ate too much to initiate a round of story telling session near the chimney till we felt the need to retire for the day so that we can begin the next day hand in hand with the rising sun.
Second day began with yoga in the open. After breakfast we went for a long trek; up to the edge of the hill to the village at the foot of the hill and back to our little heaven. Then exhausted, we lazed around the rest of the day chit-chatting, napping and reading books from their wide collection.
We regretted to leave on the third day and so I would recommend 3 days and 3 nights minimum stay to explore and experience and a day or two more to relax and replenish your energies after all the jumping around.

But all in all, it's a place that you visit and never leave instead you leave a part of you at the window sill, on the deck or at the dinner table and lock up its beauty in your memory so that you can revisit it every time your busy life takes over, at least till you plan to come back, which we certainly are.

              

Ringol cottage

    

Padam and Kafal



Uttish and Buransh

• Location - Bhimtal Road, Uttarakhand
• Commute by air - nearest domestic airport @ Phoolbagh, Pantnagar is around 50kms away. nearest international airport @ Delhi is around 295kms away.
• Commute by rail -  nearest railway station @ Kathgodam is around 44kms with Shatabdi running every day to and fro.
• Commute by road - nearest hotspot Nainital is some 30kms away and you need taxi in any of the above cases. Call for Jitin Bhai's taxi service @ 9412039589, it's very prompt with decent drivers.
• Commute on foot - from matial village (at the foot of Jilling) to Jilling Terraces, the hike is 2kms (nearly 45mins). They send portars for luggage but carry rucksack (that would be better for porters to carry). Wear proper shoes (climbing ones, if you have or shoes with good grip will do) and comfortable clothing for the hike.
• Stay details - the rooms are named after endemic trees of the region. Buransh and Utish on the ground floor with common verandah, an extra room with single bed and chimney; Padam and Kafal on the first floor with a wide window framing nature by the bed and the cottage Ringol with a living and dining space, a double height toilet (too sexy), verandah and terrace overlooking the valley.
• In and around - trek to nearby two villages Paniali and Kanarkha or the Gaula river. Play board games in the lounge, read books or just sit around watching birds glide and chirp and the play of sun and shade over the mountains.
• Seasons - Summers are pleasant in day time and
  cooler in nights, rains are dramatic to visit and winters would be chilling with snow mountian views.(chimneys and electric bed warmers would take care of your sleeps)

during nights

SURYANAMASKARS - HOW MANY ARE ENOUGH?

It has n number of benefits (you can Google those later) but it is not a number. It is not that a certain number of suryanamaskars a day will keep the doctor away, but it might keep you away in a few days if you treat it as numbers.
If practicing suryanamaskars daily is exhausting you, if you roll back into your bed after the practice or want to rest before beginning with your everyday chores, than you might be going all wrong with your inclination and intentions of doing it.
Rightly done, suryanamaskar will of course shake up those joints and muscles rusted by laziness and make them sore in the beginning but eventually it should be more energizing and restorative than tiring and exhausting. It is, after all called suryanamaskar for a reason, that it is a way of bowing down to Sun God and thanking for being the greatest source of energy. It is supposed to stimulate pingala nadi also called as surya nadi, that helps to tap sun's energy and remove energy blockages if any. But if you target to do so many suryanamaskars in so much time than you better call it burpees or something more fancy because it won't be beneficial as it should be if it is not done as a spiritual ritual.
So next time when you get down on your mat for suryanamaskar, switch off your phone, turn off your timer, silent your mind and just be in the flow, breath comfortably in all postures, stay as long as you wish in any posture letting it massage your muscles, align your mind in every pose and do as many as it feels good. Yoga is never about pushing yourself rather it's more about raising yourself. Numbers would increase on a healthier day and decrease on a not so healthy day; doesn't matter. What should matter is showing up each day and finding a new you after each practice.