December 18, 2014
I feel like I'm in the middle of "Eat,Pray,Love"!
This afternoon, I had an extensive consultation with the Ayervedic doctor here. Then I got an amazing warm oil massage from two therapists. Then a warm shower with a body scrub.
Lunch was vegetarian and tasty.
Just now, I took part in a candle meditation. I'm pretty laid back after the massage so it was nice.
After dinner, I want to go straight to bed so I can catch the early yoga and meditation classes. I have my own "villa" with garden, outdoor living room and bathroom. I hope the monkeys don't scamper around on the roof tonight. They can get into everything except the bedroom.
December 19
Because I want to take advantage of everything, I did Gentle Yoga at 7 this morning. I realized awkwardly how rusty and full of kinks I've gotten!
Breakfast was as scimpy as dinner last evening. I've been put on a special diet: no food! Actually, it just feels like that. I always get warm water infused with something. Last evening it tasted like water from a rusty pipe but turned out to be coriander. "No dessert and no wine" the waiter told me gleefully.
It is amazing how used to too much food I've gotten. Looking at the population of USA and Germany, I suspect I'm not the only one.
I also did an art "meditation" which was really a visualization followed by producing a picture of what popped into our heads. Since I visualized a waterfall flowing upwards with drops turning into fish, that is what I painted. The words " the unexpected" kept going through my mind.
This afternoon I had the most amazing treatment. I was slathered in oil and then very warm medicinal water was poured over me for an hour. Sounds gooky but it is pure heaven. Everything ends with a shower and body peel so I left feeling very relaxed. The doc gave me some herbal medicines to take after every meal.
I couldn't resist trying out the intermediate yoga class after that which was definitely a killer after about an hour. Asana after asana. Inhale. Exhale.
Another shower (the fourth today) and I was ready for a mantra meditation. The meditation sessions are kind of cool (although sweat was dripping down my back).
So now I'm sitting in the library waiting for dinner to be served. Can't wait to get my giant 1/4 portion. At least the doc says I won't be so hungry after about 4 days. I shouldn't complain. I just talked to a lady who is on a juice diet- a glass of juice every hour. Six days long.
I feel very priviledged to do all this. Of course it is very expensive but I am thankful to have enough work to pay for it.
I did some "knitting meditation" while relaxing in my outside living room. The back of Nadja's sweater is almost finished. There is a place for making tea including teas, fresh ginger and sterilized water. I enjoyed sitting with the doors open so I could enjoy a nice view of a lake and feel the breeze.
All good up 'til now.
Breakfast was as scimpy as dinner last evening. I've been put on a special diet: no food! Actually, it just feels like that. I always get warm water infused with something. Last evening it tasted like water from a rusty pipe but turned out to be coriander. "No dessert and no wine" the waiter told me gleefully.
It is amazing how used to too much food I've gotten. Looking at the population of USA and Germany, I suspect I'm not the only one.
I also did an art "meditation" which was really a visualization followed by producing a picture of what popped into our heads. Since I visualized a waterfall flowing upwards with drops turning into fish, that is what I painted. The words " the unexpected" kept going through my mind.
This afternoon I had the most amazing treatment. I was slathered in oil and then very warm medicinal water was poured over me for an hour. Sounds gooky but it is pure heaven. Everything ends with a shower and body peel so I left feeling very relaxed. The doc gave me some herbal medicines to take after every meal.
I couldn't resist trying out the intermediate yoga class after that which was definitely a killer after about an hour. Asana after asana. Inhale. Exhale.
Another shower (the fourth today) and I was ready for a mantra meditation. The meditation sessions are kind of cool (although sweat was dripping down my back).
So now I'm sitting in the library waiting for dinner to be served. Can't wait to get my giant 1/4 portion. At least the doc says I won't be so hungry after about 4 days. I shouldn't complain. I just talked to a lady who is on a juice diet- a glass of juice every hour. Six days long.
I feel very priviledged to do all this. Of course it is very expensive but I am thankful to have enough work to pay for it.
I did some "knitting meditation" while relaxing in my outside living room. The back of Nadja's sweater is almost finished. There is a place for making tea including teas, fresh ginger and sterilized water. I enjoyed sitting with the doors open so I could enjoy a nice view of a lake and feel the breeze.
All good up 'til now.
12/20/2014
I am slowly getting used to being hungry about an hour before meals. Yesterday, I was hungry much earlier and actually was a bit shakey.
My two yoga sessions yesterday led to muscle soreness today. I had Dhanyamla dhara today: special medicated water (warm!) is poured on the body (3 therapists) for an hour. Good for liquefaction of adipose, subsides generalized and localized swelling, improves circulation and helps de-tox. Well there you go!
Wish I could liquify my adipose...😎😂😂😂
I finally sat by the pool today, reading The Remains of the Day again after loving it 20 years ago.
There was a big frog in my toilet last night. If your bathroom is outside in the tropics, you better check the loo before sitting down!
Last evening I had a crepe with veg. filling and a lovely coconut milk sauce. Turnips on the side. REALLY tasty. There is always soup beforehand.
Breakfast was müsli and coconut milk. Then two pieces of bread with peanut butter and pineapple jam.
They always give us warm water infused with herbs and spices with the meal.
I was in the kitchen this morning and was shown all the veggies and spices. They cut everything up so small. My "type" is pita/varga and the cooks make my meals accordingly.
I am feeling bad today. After meditation up on a hill overlooking the bay, I was fine for yoga. It's been downhill since then. I'll see the doc later.
Wish I had more energy, I'd do yoga 2 and focus meditation at 5. No use forcing things though.
My brother told me to forget the frogs and watch out for the cobras and mambas...😉
12.21.2014
I need to check for the whole friggin' animal and insect kingdom before using the bathroom. Only found one tiny frog and several weird insects last night. So yay.
There are snakes in the nature preserve here. I figure that the mongoose will eat a few. And these little houses are closed to the outside except for doors and windows. But whatever wants to climb or jump the walls gets in.😳
The diet is interesting but I don't understand it yet. I wasn't allowed the orange juice this morning but was given a lemon/ginger infusion. Müsli with coconut milk followed by two pieces of whole wheat bread, peanut butter and pineapple jam. All made here of course.
I could have chosen the vegetable stew instead. Not there yet.
Cooking class today at 11.30. I have to figure out a way to do this at home. The chef showed me all around and I learned a lot.
He showed me the recipe for one of my favorite sauces up until now:
Veggie-filled crepes with coconut-curry sauce
Cut veggies (cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, green beans, etc. into julienne strips. Saute with ginger and garlic (chopped up very fine). Add organic sea salt, tumeric, chili powder.
Sauce:
Mustard seeds & curry leaves (optional)
Garlic, ginger, onion (finely chopped)
Chili powder 1/2 tsp.
Tumeric powder 1/2 tsp.
Cashew paste (blend cashews and a bit of water)
Coconut milk (blend coconut and water) or canned
Salt/ juice from 1/2 lemon
1. dry roast seeds in a flat pan (medium heat about 1-2 min.) Shake the pan occasionally.
2. add ginger, garlic, salt (curry leaves) - then later the onion (pan is still dry) keep stirring (about 2 minutes)
3. add chili powder and tumeric (stir😊)
4. add cashew paste - stir until a clump forms
5. add coconut milk and stir until the sauce is slightly thickened (you might need to add more coconut milk)
6. at the end add the lemon juice and salt
Put the veggies onto the middle of a freshly made crepe, fold over so that the veggies are secure, heat in the same crepe pan on both sides.
Place a pool of sauce on a warmed plate and lay the filled crepe on it. Dribble a bit of sauce over the top.
Enjoy!
12.22.2014
OMG! Another dream has come true! The dream of talking with someone who knows what I know. Instead of always explaining things to new aquaintances.
I am not so clever but I have been working on certain things for years. I've written books and have done massive reading as well as taking extensive training. But I only have one friend whom I can discuss these things with. We talk once or twice a year.
This morning, a lady here at the ayerveda resort asked me if I would like to sit with her for breakfast. What followed was a wonderful talk about what we do (she is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist). She suggested example "conversations" with students for my new book to get my point over better but I don't think that would work now. The book is due to come out in the new year.
What a boon to my spirits.
First downsizing my stuff, getting another flat and now making new aquaintances. Step by step toward upsizing my life.
December 26
Christmas in a Hindu country
The hotel staff worked so hard to decorate the grounds. They even threw a fun party on Christmas Eve where I was allowed to eat as much as I desired of whatever I wanted. And what happened after this past week of tiny portions? I was full almost immediately! But I have lost about 5 pounds.
Christmas Day is a holiday in this area so when I took the boat to a small village, there were masses of people bathing in the sea and visiting the temples. In the midst of so many people, lots of cars and buses on the narrow streets and all honking at once, I felt the heat all the more. Exhausting! I bought a bronze statue of the dance goddess and a wooden statue of Shiva and his wife for my slimmed-down apartment. They should be fun to drag home.
I get a kick out of watching the monkeys moving rather gracefully through the trees looking for edibles. They keep to themselves and seem quite content. It is still an adventure at night using the toilet. On the way there and most probably on or in the toilet, I'm bound to find a creature or two. (My theme song is going to be "And you'll never walk alone".) Last night, I was preparing to brush my teeth when a frog jumped onto the sink and stared at me. When he wouldn't move despite my efforts to shoo him away, I just went on and brushed!
Meditation is fascinating. Yoga is doing me tons of good. And this morning at 6:30 we irrigated our noses with salt water. The practice does me a lot of good but I wouldn't want to have a video of it appear in YouTube!
I enjoy sitting at the pool after breakfast and enjoying the perfect weather. Haven't made it into the pool yet though.
After reading that Düsseldorf weather is its usual winter-crumby, I am doubly happy to stay here another 6 days.
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