Pain in India

After day 2 in Sivananda ashram, I woke up after a short nights sleep in the dorm with spinning fans, nad very hard bed with a really sore neck/shoulder..thought I just needed to shake it out so attempted yoga practice that morning. During the first posture, an awful pain went shooting from my neck to back. The ayurvedic masseuse massaged my neck and shoulder but I couldn't tip my head back without buckets of tears flowing forward.

Thankfully I could still join in the " finding your inner voice" workshop. Breath, free expression, singing- it was wonderful. So I wouldn't be doing yoga for while. I put all my heart into singing, beautiful morning meditations and socializing.One day attended a yoga class for handicapped people! They students were inspiring! 

One day, Jospeph the yogi recommended that i go to the temple near the employee quarters. Everyday they chant there from from 4  to 430 . Om Namo Narayana for 30 minutes. This is one of the most sacred hindu mantras.

This mantra also has a special significance in Kerala, where Shree Guru  Narayana, a great social and spiritual reformer lived from 1855- 1928. "One religion, one caste, one man" 

Junko, a japanese friend,  and i joined them every day. Chandra, the gardener invited us to the kitchen, where we all sat on the floor and had a sweet chai tea. I was as happy as larry! The more I sang the less pain I felt. At night the pain came back. Every morning felt very scared, when I couldn’t get up out of bed by myself. So i continued the singing, the more I sang, I more my heart blossomed….