Christmas @ an Ashram!!

Tina and the Christmas tree at the restaurant

The kids at the orphanage. Isnt their doggy adorable??

Christmas dinner at Tulsi

Our new friend Puck from Sweeden. We are taking care of puppies- their mom got rabies and we whitnessed her attacking the puppies, isnt that aweful??? A mom attacking her own puppies. And im talking tackling them and biting them in their faces.

The orphanage, some of them have parents who are lepars that cannot take care of them.

At a friends house for tea and pudding (these are some of the people from the ashram)

Snake Charmer!! Not just in Alladin anymore (I was waiting to see one of these!)

Cow.... or camel?? preeeetty. lol

The Ganges River. Every morning when I walk past this I stop and take in a deep breath. Especially with the sun sparkling on the water, and warming me up. wonderful.

I wasn't sure what to expect... knowing I was gonna spend Christmas in an Ashram. I didn't know much about ashrams till we got here.

Ashram Life:

There is only about 20 people here, which makes it very personal and you really get to know the other people staying here.

We are here for 2 weeks.

4 hours of yoga daily. (2 hour sunrise class, 2 hr sunset class)

There are chanting gatherings at night and sometimes the morning. We sing by candle light and its beautiful. There is some Hindu influence, but very minimal. Mostly the songs are about Love and respecting eachother and nature, connectedness. Awe it reminds me of times being at church durring worship gatherings when I would just close my eyes and stop singing and listen to the voices... and know very well God must be so pleased when He hears us. =)

Breakfast lunch and dinner is served to us.

Hot showers and laundry service.

All this for only $12 a day!

It is less rigid or religious than most ashrams, perfect for beginers, and right on the Ganges River!

Christmas Day

On Christmas Eve we had a candle light service and hot cocoa and sang christmas songs... then I started a pillow fight with the pillows we sit on the floor with!!!!!!! Which turned into a spontaneous dance party (after we were told to keep the noise down) in which we pranced around like a bunch of freaks on drugs, but nope no drugs- just high on life =) Feeling the love and energy bouncing off eachother.

That all probably sounds wierd, but I don't care it was awesome! I was 6 years old again.

Then at like midnight Julia and Christina and I snuck out into the hallways and decorated the place with paper snowflakes that we had been making for days (our room was a disaster- santas little workshop if you will) and we decorated the doors of the rooms of everyone that was staying there with wrapping paper (which we got in town- Rishikesh- via motorcycle and our new friend Amit) and left them little gifts at the door- candy and an orange and a tissue- inside joke- for the breathing excersizes that make you need to blow your nose. Oh yea... and a handmade cupon for Hot Apple Cider we were making for breakfast for everyone.

They loved it and it actually made it feel like Christmas!

It was a long but wonderful day.

Then we went into town and bought blankets to hand out to the homeless families and candies and sweaters for the children.

We visited an orphanage that had like 100 kids and we sang Christmas carols with them. They would sing us a song, then we would sing them one. They spoke english very well. Their songs were way better than ours. =)

There was a local restaurant called Tulsi that put on a free Christmas Dinner for us!! American style food and everything! Well- they tried. It was mashed potatoes and gravy aaand green beans and pumpkin soup.

There was also a DJ there and we had a dance party- how fun! It was decorated with a christmas tree and lights and all that jazz.I called each of my parents while at the party (my first time Ive spoken to them via phone this trip) so that was special too.

We gave them a donation at the end to help cover the costs.

Then we all walked home together and hugged goodnight.

Christmas is a spirit and it's location has no limitations.

Namaste and Tidings of Joy!