Kerala for Pancah Karma

I’ve been away from the ashram and the cows for a week now! I actually miss it. I don’t miss not having electricity and getting overheated but I miss my routine and friends at the ashram. The ashram was an incredible experience for me. I spent 3-nights in Mangalore. I visited an ENT, for my sinus infection and of course he doped me up with all kinds of meds which are making me sleepy. The ENT cost $3 USD. I even had my hearing checked by an audiologist, for 2-hearing tests at $10. The good news is I am not deaf. I think I just tune everybody out since I can’t understand what they are saying anyway. I had my rounds at the hotel bar for vodka and tonics and got the desire for alcohol out of my system. It was easy to get around the town in the tuk-tuks as most drivers spoke some English. Only one driver cheated me out of probably the 15-rides I took. This is very good odds! When I looked at a map of India I realized how close I was to Kerala so I decided to visit for Pancha Karma. This is a 5-step cleansing process which is not fun at all but it makes you feel amazing afterwards. I was at this center and did some training here in 2007, ayugreen.com I couldn’t be so close and not return. My last visit was bitter sweet. I went through a difficult period going off anti depressants. Thankfully I have not been on them since, although I still struggle with bouts of depression. I have been here about 5-days and studying a little of Ayurveda, but mostly I am receiving treatments. Yesterday I received an herbal bundle treatment. It is for joint pain, relaxation, weight loss and to reduce the brown spots on my skin from the sun allergy. I was amazed after one treatment the spots were 2-3 shades lighter. I didn’t even want to take my evening sunset beach and sun gazing walk! It is a powerful treatment and makes you pretty lethargic afterwards. I am also here to help reduce the heat in my body. I am cold and crave sweets after pancha karma. I need to cool down as the heat the last few weeks has taken a toll on me. My body swells in the heat and humidity and I have literally “no” energy! Mt walks on the beach don’t draw the crowd like it did 5-years ago. But everyone still says “hi, how are you, what is your name, where are you from”? But at least they don’t follow me any more. I wanted a burka last time just so I could walk the beach alone without 10-people attached to my arm! The center is a working Ayurveda Hospital for the locals as well as a training center for foreigners. Right now it is quiet with foreigners. Besides myself, there is a Russian and a gentleman from Sri Lanka. The Russian has been here 4-months for psoriasis and joint issues. He was not able to lift his arms. Now he can almost raise them to his shoulders! I heard another Russian just left. He was here for 21-months recovering from a drug addiction. 2-days ago within 10-minutes of here there was a Marxist political rally. During the rally a bomb was set-off to scare and scatter the people while the politician was stabbed to death! When such incidents happen, there is a harthal, a strike, called. No city services are available and the roads can be blocked with the strikers. We could hear the strikers rally on a nearby highway. I’ll have to do some research on this, but I remember the Marxist party being a problem when I was here 5-years ago too. Good new……………..I heard today they caught the murderers. Today is a holiday, as is every Sunday. Most of the staff is off. They took us on a sightseeing tor. We went to a local handicraft place. Too bad I don’t have a home or I would have bought several pieces of art today. I loved the boat ride on the river which took us out to the Arabian Sea. There were seven of us in the boat, and I am the only westerner. Once again I feel like a celebrity. Everyone along the banks of the river was waving at us/me. Now I know what movie start and politicians feel like. It felt feel good to get out and about. I am trying to decide whether to return to the cow ashram for another few weeks, or if I should hop on a plane and go north for a special class with Agama yoga in Dharmsala. It’s actually more than a hop and rather exhausting travel. I will have to take a car an hour a way to the airport. Then fly to Deli for at least 1-night, and finally take a 12-hour overnight bus ride to the Dharmsala area. I’d stay there for 1-2 nights then go to another area for a 5-day class. I am trying to decide if it is worth the hassle, or if I should just wait until another time to take the class. After the class I would need to hop on another bus ride and plane and come south for my 3-month long program at Osho. I love India but the traveling part is exhausting, expensive and very stressful for me. Decisions, decisions……let me ponder for a few days.