Bucket Shower ~ India Memories

I recently came across some great short but succinct notes from my 2004 month in Mysore India. One specific notable was the 'Bucket Shower' experience. Mostly people hear about the Indian toilet...the one that requires you to squat low! Well, the Green Hotel where I stayed did offer a western toilet (what we are used to in the USA) and also a shower, BUT in the shower space was a large bucket and a big cup-like ladle. It took me a short while, but when I felt like I was finally on India-time (relaxed) I tried this bathing technique - and loved it. Aside from the mindfulness and the deliberateness (hmm, sounds like yoga), this is a surefire water-saver!
Over the past years, I have thought to get my own bucket shower set up, but just never did...until last month. (for some reason I thought I had to find an Indian store to get the full-on stainless compliment) A simple Ikea plastic 'waste can' & Ikea stainless measuring cup pitcher suited me up perfectly (shown above with brush for pre-bath 'dry-brushing', essential oil spray, and post-bath vata oil) It is truly an experience. And even if you need the feel of the shower head spray to prep rinse or post rinse, the main bucket bathing is quiet and all you need.
The funniest thing is that I had just weeks before I bought my components, I got the coolest baby gift for my newest baby neighbor - a Tummy Tub. It is brilliant for bathing babies, as pictured here! Sweet :)

Root Yourself

I recently had new Yogasana tee shirts made (been a while!), and the back image is a tree's root system with the wording "Root Yourself" which just makes me smile. My student Tasha recommended a passage from Rolf Gates' book, Meditations from the Mat, which I actually own. I located the book and the passage #224 and will post it here as follows - thank you Tasha, and thank you Rolf Gates for the words:
'He who is rooted in oneness realizes that I am in every being: Wherever he goes, he remains in me.' ~ Bhagavad Gita
I once read that a great sage said the whole world was his home. It has stayed with me, this idea that we can transcend our fear and our sense of separateness that we would feel at home wherever we went. This is an extremely nourishing vision for me. It is also the direction we are moving in as we learn to be at home in the asana. We enter a posture, and we let go of the need to resist, the assumption that we do not belong. We relax, we breathe, we explore, we make ourselves at home. Off the mat, we encounter another being - a spider, a person we love, a person we do not know - and we let go of the need to react, to feel separate. We relax, breathe, explore what it is to be in relationship. We allow ourselves to be at home. This process must begin in our hearts, for we suffer from loneliness because we believe we are alone. To end this suffering, we embrace a new belief. We become rooted in oneness, in the idea that we are all love, and love is all there is.

Warriors for the Earth

I loved this for the Yogasana Newsletter back in May when the Gulf oil spill foolishness began to spin out of control. So amazing when you look closely at something that has been right under your nose - the Mangala Mantram - and how applicable it is EVERY DAY!
Our Astanga Closing Prayer ~ worth repeating again & again...
May all be well with Mankind
May the leaders of the earth protect in every way
by keeping to the right path
May there be goodness for those who know the earth is sacred
Let all beings everywhere be happy and free
Om Swasthi Praja Bhyah Pari Pala Yantam
Nya Yena Margena Mahi Mahishaha
Go Brahmanebhyaha Shubhamastu Nityam
Lokaa Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu

Back and Ready to Write

Wow - Last writings in the chilly winter month of February?! Yikes. Well I have a list of notes I have jotted down to blog about :)
Thanks for checking back. I'll be on this in the next few days!
Summer writing...much in my head - yoga studies for certain.
Be right back