Swimming in loving awareness 🧿 My experience at Basant 2.0 | Yoga & Wellness Retreat
By Mohika Mudgal, edited by Prithvi Virmani
Dear reader: if you can, please find a quiet moment before you read this newsletter. I'm writing parts of this week's edition in real time i.e. from the road, from my yoga mat, & my bunk at the hostel - so each block although in a different space & time will read like a diary entry. I wish you a good read with moist soil under my feet & a thick canopy of pine trees above. Let's begin.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Mary Oliver
This is extremely unlike me! But well, now that I’m doing this random trip, I guess it is within me to be spontaneous. Not everything needs a five year plan (ha!)
We boarded an overnight bus from Delhi to Aut, with tickets booked for five people on the 8:55 pm departure. Unexpectedly, three tickets got canceled, leaving us scrambling to find an alternative. Our only option was to catch another bus departing at 10:55 pm. While the boys took the first bus, I followed two hours later with my yoga teachers, Rachita and Shalini.
Reflecting on the experience now, I'm struck by how surprisingly calm and accepting I was of the delay. Delays can be chaotic and exhausting, disrupting plans and testing our patience. But in hindsight, they can also reveal hidden blessings. In that moment, I made a conscious effort to cherish the unexpected time with my yoga teachers, whom I admire greatly. So lucky!
Spending time with Rachita and Shalini before the trip officially began was a precious gift for me. I found myself soaking in their wisdom and guidance, secretly hoping that some of the discipline and yogic skills would rub off on me through our conversations; simply being in their soulful goofy presence. You’d think yoga teachers are all the same people; stereotype them as “hippie” even, and while there’s nothing wrong with being any type of way, there’s so much more to them as humans!
We reached Aut, nestled in the mountains above Mandi, after going through twisting tunnels in the heart of the mountain, occasionally catching a glimpse of the shimmering carpet that the Beas had laid beneath us.
Stepping off the bus, I took in the bustling chatter, the hum of engines, and the organized chaos of arrivals: the crowds and lines forming at the underbelly of the bus. An anticipation of claiming our belongings. I thought about these terminals of passage; how coming & going bleed into each other. How all our days are disco twirls between those to stay & ones that go away.
Within two minutes the sun washed everything the eyes could see in deep hues of yellow. The wind was hot and balmy. After the dry & icy air conditioned bus, the sudden mountain heat and lightness in breathing made me giddy. It settled on me like second skin, the barrier between me and everything else already blurring. Our hostel was a 45 minutes car journey away. We stopped midway to get eggs, potatoes, apples, a papaya, a zucchini, & some bread. By that point, there were more groceries and lesser humans in a tiny cab, chugging up and deep into the mountains while we spoke about little nothings.
Arrival at The Nook, Sainj
Home away from home.
This is a place where troubles melt away. Where aunty Meera floats around inviting you to take your time, leaving the scent of freshly brewed coffee and masala omelettes in her wake. Where everything I have ever wanted to say about the wabi sabi-esque aesthetic is laid out. Where everything is natural and mismatched but perfectly together, wooden furniture painted sky blue, unkept greenery, a high ceiling with imperfect walls. Beauty everywhere. & especially comfortable bunks in the dorm (where I spent many hours chatting with Ajay & Amber, my new friends.)
But The Nook isn't just about food and fun (although there's plenty of that). It's the heart of our retreat. Every morning, it's where we gather for meditation, cleansing kriyas, and physical asana practice sessions. There's something magical about starting each day with peace; to the songs of a dozen different birds. This is the place where a pre-thought itinerary goes down the valley because the weather lords decide if we stay in or venture out. I witness my teachers improvise with ease. They have the discipline of monks & excitement of monkeys; & I like them both.
The Nook is a place where you can take down a book from our host Saloni’s personal collection and read about human kind, old wisdom, or places far away. I re-read a few pages from Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. It's filled with stories about humans and how we got to where we are today. Given that I was exploring new places alone, it was nice to have something to think about and learn from.
Guilty as charged, we consumed black coffee at 6:00 AM before our 7:00 AM yoga class. Talk about being naughty kids! Used to city habits & a bit careless. This would all change in a few hours but we didn’t know that then.
Day 01
Post morning practice we hiked to the rolling meadows of Shangarh
The path opened up & we were graced by lush parrot green meadows stretching out as far as the eye can see, surrounded by towering pine trees and colorful little houses. We had stepped into a fairy tale! To our left a group played cricket. We walked over to explore blossoms of dandelion flowers & fresh dollops of cattle poop.
One of the things that makes Shangarh so special is that it's part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The sky was painted in beautiful colors, much like The Nook. Rachita spotted a heart cloud but it dissolved by the time I pulled my phone out. That’s okay. Time stood still.
The group started rolling down the meadows & I witnessed child-like joy. I wonder why I couldn’t surrender just yet to playfulness. I think I was worried about the poop on my face - but it’s just poop, I can wash it off. While others walked to a temple, I sat on damp grass with Ajay. We had a heart to heart about life and it's short-lived nature. Although this was our first conversation, my eyes were teary with joy. & soon I’d hear myself giggling uncontrollably to his jokes (but I didn’t know that then). Beautiful majestic mountains backdropped everything. I tuned out & marvelled at how crazy the earth is. & how grateful I am I get to be here in this moment.
We spent the afternoon & evening lying on the earth like that. Looking up at the sun filtering through the trees. I spent that time leisurely, as if I had boatloads of it, as if someone out there was making more of it for me. Sitting outside and listening to the world. Watching dogs play.
Day 02
I slipped on the rocks at the waterfall meditated to the sound of thunder
I write this from my bunk at the dorm. As I close my eyes and travel 5 hrs in the past, I can still hear the waterfall roaring behind the curves in the mountain. I feel the gentle patter of rainfall accompanying our thirty-minute hike. The air is crisp, alive with the scent of earth and the promise of an adventure. Little sheep babies and mountain kids accompany us. As if they know we’ll fall. As if they know they can save us. As if they know the gushing river will move pebbles under our feet & they want to hold our hand. Steady our slips. It’s probably one of my favorite memories of this Himachal trip. Their pink faces collaged in my heart.
Despite the cold bite of the waterfall, I couldn't resist the temptation to take a dip. Its icy grip jolted my skin awake. The kids monkeyed & leaped from the mountain edges, straight into the deep green pit on the water. Like corks they bounced to surface and swam towards me. I sat there, fixed & frozen with a smile on my face; gleaming eyes on the tree trunk with my feet dangling in the water.
The side angle pose we practiced this morning has opened my chest, inviting a sense of expansion and connection with the world around me. In the presence of compassionate teachers like Rachita & Shalini, I’m learning to meet myself where I am and to strive for where I wish to be. Gently but fiercely.
By the way, Shalini hiked up & down the mountain barefoot. Guts. We walked on moss, mud, pebbles, & poop. Unphased by thorns or thunder. Disciplined & grounded. I asked her how she’s avoiding poop, and she said, “it’s just poop, you can wash it off”. I took off my slippers and walked barefoot for some time.
As night descended, the heavens roared with thunder, yet I remained steadfast in my meditation. Like the mountain, I anchored myself to the earth, pouring love and acceptance into every fiber of my being. In that moment, I realized the intrinsic wholeness within myself, a radiant core untouched by feelings of inadequacy or doubt. If I keep pouring love into myself, it’ll keep making me feel confident & radiant. I am always whole & complete in myself & I don't need to change anything. I am capable of fulfilling my dreams. Paying a lot less mind to feelings of inadequacy. There is radiance within me.
Day 03
Vaman & Headstand: two things I had never attempted but now (somewhat) can
Vaman Dhauti is a Yogic purification technique of Hatha Yoga to flush out the impurities from the upper digestive tract by voluntarily inducing vomit. Safe to say I had never voluntarily tried it. & I wouldn’t be able to feel its benefits had Rachita not helped me puke by gently massaging my tummy as I gagged. “That’s it, you got this” “Keep trying” “Almost there” *Cue splash of bodily fluids all over the weeds. Sorry if it sounds gross, it was actually EPIC. Each student found a corner in the garden to shower their insides on. Amber joked about this practice being a first date idea to “break the ice”.
It was pretty early in the morning & we weren’t sure if we’ll head outdoors for another adventure. Weather report predicted 50% rain but not a single cloud floated in the sky above. & thank goodness we stayed in. That’s how I got into the first proper headstand of my life.
Believe me when I say this - I pooped bricks in my head when I heard we’ll be practicing inversions. SHIT SCARED. What if I break my neck? What if I lose my teeth? What if my eyeballs pop out & nobody can put my pieces back together? Ooof the fear roll call was real & raging. But it was day 3 of the retreat and all the meditation sessions had taught us to be in the moment. & the moment in which I was afraid about the future, I told myself to take a walk. Breathe. Take it one leg at a time. & most importantly, trust. So I did. & WOW it felt good. Teetering on the edge of a cliff. Both exhilarating & terrifying all at once.
But I had help. For this I’m grateful. Shalini’s voice steadily anchored my mind. With gentle yet firm verbal cues, she guided me through the intricacies of the posture. Making it sound easy, doable, & fun. Rachita hovered nearby, ready to catch me if I stumbled, but perhaps knowing I won’t. In that moment she must’ve trusted me more than I trusted myself. And then, with a deep breath and a leap of faith, I pushed off the ground. One crooked leg at a time. Feeling the weight of doubt and fear give way to a sense of weightlessness. As my world turned upside down, I understood what it meant to fly, to defy gravity and touch the sky feet-first, my forearms tingling with newfound strength.
Wholesome Days
A roll of the dice, a toss of the coin, and we're all players in this grand game, whether we like it or not.
We're here, alive, breathing in the madness and the magic of existence. And what do we do with this precious, fleeting gift? Do we squander it, wasting away in the monotony of routine and regret? We wake up each day, not knowing how many more we'll get. So what do we do? Do we just exist, or do we really live?
I seize it with both hands & savor every drop of sweetness it has to offer.
Sure, it takes guts. It takes courage to grab life by the horns and ride it wild. But why settle for anything less? Why not love this wonderful ride while we've still got the chance? We get to choose. I’m choosing more bizarre, more beautiful things.
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