Appreciate what you have!

So I posted some photos. One was the view from my room, one is me standing beside the Neer Waterfall Saturday and then the other two are from the bus ride up here.

Appreciate what you have was the theme of our yoga class yesterday morning and it is a very powerful sentiment. We have been living very simply here and still have more than most families. We have electricity, running water, filtered drinking water, delicious sattvic food(pure easily digestible), a hot water heater in our bathroom and even air conditioning in the yoga hall.

Take a moment to appreciate ALL that you have in the states! What we have in america is 10000 times more than everyone one I have seen here so far. Yet these people are happy. they dont have all of this stuff to take care of every day. Through maintaining all of the THINGS we have it takes away our energy takes us away from ourselves and makes us unhappy. I know Nick will be happy to hear this: I washed by hand today: 3 pairs of shorts, two shalls, two pair of socks, two shirts and two pants and it took me almost an hour and Iwas thinking that if we had to wash all of our clothes by hand we would not have a whole closet full! I am really learning A LOT here! I was definitely appreciative of getting porridge for breakfast yesterday! WE only had it once so far and it is so fresh and tasty. Everything we eat is cooked so we dont get sick from it. I am dying for a salad. But when we got porridge and then milk with breakfast I could not have been more thankful. I am also very appreciative of this little Internet cafe here its 10 rupees for 15 minutes. The rate 47 rupees to 1 dollar!!!!!! I got massage and it was 500 rupees. I am also thankful for TOm loaning me his camera and his little card stick so I can actually send you photos. We all have an abundance to be thankful for and I hope that you can all practice some yoga with me and think of things to be thankful for everyday. I feel my heart really opening up here. We all get these little gems here and I get to bring them back and share them with you. I am very excited about that!

Anyway Monday started our classes and HOLY COW all we do is sit cross legged. We sit cross legged on the floor for every meal and for six hours worth for class all day and we had a Kiirtan last night and we had to sit for that!!! Everyone's knees are breaking and my thighs are yelling. However it is very amazing how much my legs have opened up after only one day and now after three days both of my knees are almost touching the floor when I sit! The transformation is pretty amazing. My teachers are amazing too. Vishvaji is hysterical and soo adorable we all want to put him in our pocket and take him home with us. I am learning so much about philosophy and poses. IT is truly amazing. Surprisinly it hasnt felt too overwhelming. Of course I have cried almost everyday. The yoga class sent some upwelling yesterday. TO really appraciate and to know that, all we will ever need is already inside of us. we dont have to search just look inside! It very liberating.
We had the coolest experience in Kiirtan last night. Kiirtan is singing together usually call and response in a repitive fashion. usually singing about something very positive or praiseing our divine nature. So we all Om'ed together. Well chanted Om together and when we finished we had to start again so everyone Om'ed at their own breath capacity just repeating OM for like 5 minutes. But there were more than 30 of us and all of the different voices and pitches and lengths of everyon's Om'ing was sooooo amazing. It was almost as everyones voices swirled in the middle of the circle and lifted up like smoke in a camp fire. It was way magical. I would like to try with a bunch of people when I get home! Apparently the Gregorian Monks chant like that. It was wicked!
Anyway I have to get back and take my bath for the night! Which consists of a bucket of water and sitting back on my heels on the marble bathroom floor. Im finding it a very devotional experience. When we take care of ourselves it can be a form of devotion to our divine nature. We move fast around here!

Love you all and miss you.
Namaste!!!