The Maha Swaha

Whew! What a journey this has been!

The group arrived at Manaltheeram Ayurveda Resort between Saturday and Sunday, the 6th & 7th of September.

After 23 hours of travel, we landed at the Trivandrum airport a bit weary, but filled with excitement and anticipation. Our transport was waiting for us (something that was a bit surprising to Jill, given her previous experiences in India) and that ride to the resort was an unforgettable experience. We shared both sides of the road with rickshaws, pedestrians, transport trucks, and so many mini-bikes/motorcycles carrying groups of 1 - 4! The smell of petrol burned the insides of our nostrils, and the blast of the horn was our soundtrack.

We were greeted at the resort with a mala of fresh jasmine flowers and coconuts to drink out of. A table had been set up, perched at the edge of the property, peeking over the fluffy caps and swirls of the Arabian Sea. Palm trees swayed their applause at our arrival, and the staff was incredibly gracious. After 3 plane rides and many hours of transit, this was paradise!

The resort so beautiful! We stayed in bamboo huts. Practiced yoga in an open-sided building facing trees, listening to a symphony of birds accompanied by the sound of the Sea. We each got Ayurveda Massage, many with Shirodhara, all of us coated in oil to nourish the skin and hair, and to rejuvenate the spirit after the arduous journey to the sub-continent. Unfortunately the treatment fanned the irritation on my husband's skin. He spent quite some time in the airconditioned hut, playing his guitar and drinking scotch.

On the fifth day we signed on for an incredible journey to the very tip of the continent. It's a point of convergence where three bodies of water meet: the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Here we boarded a boat for a quick jump to the Swami Vivekananda Memorial. This temple was profound and filled with Shakti. Here we learned that when the Tsunami hit in 2004, 1500 people were inside this temple. Right next to the temple, maybe 100 feet away, stands an enormous statue of a famous poet from the state of Tami Nadu. That statue was completely submerged in the Tsunami, but the temple wasn't hit at all. Miraculous.

We spent the next day on a very lazy houseboat floating on a lake in Kerala. Our hope was to cruise the backwaters on this boat, but the boatmen were all on strike. Swaha. This was just the first of compromises we had to negotiate.

Next we headed to Delhi. More later.

Sending Shakti and Love from the Motherland,

Corina

Preparing for our Pilgrimage to India

Greetings, Friends in Yoga!

The Wake Up Yoga first ever pilgrimage is preparing to launch next week. A group of 18 travelers (including myself, co-teacher Jill Manning, and my husband, Paul Wilkinson) is meeting up on the Indian Sub-Continent for a 2 week whirlwind tour of India. We'll spend some time in the South, in Delhi, visit the Taj Mahal, and stay in an Ashram in Rishikesh. We'll even camp out by the Ganges on the last evening. To prepare, we've all received numerous inoculations, applied for visas, and even gathered a few times to 'meet and greet.' There is a nervous excitement palpable in everyone going. Having been planning this trip since January, it's so exciting to realize we depart NEXT WEEK.

I hope to post some updates 'on the road,' so to speak, to keep everyone in the homeland abreast of our travels. If the trip turns out to be successful (and I cannot imagine otherwise!), perhaps this will become a pilgrimage we offer annually, or every other year.

In any event, please check back to the blog every few days. Hopefully we'll even figure out how to upload images to share our journey with you in real time.

With Love,

Corina Benner
Director, Wake Up Yoga, LLC

TIBETAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR

Hello Friends,
Here is info regarding a Tibetan arts and crafts bazaar. Check it out for beautiful holiday gifts that support Tibetan artists in exile.
Peace.

TIBETAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15 ,2007 10:00 TO 5 PM

THE ETHICAL SOCIETY BUILDING
1906 RITTENHOUSE SQUARE
PHILADELPHIA, PA
FREE ADMISSION
610-664-8579

www.tibetanbuddhist.org email: tibetanbc@yahoo.com

PERFECT FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS

This bazaar will feature silverwork, textiles and handicrafts from the Tibetan communities-in exile in India and Nepal. Traditional Tibetan Food.

This Bazaar creates an opportunity for Tibetan Tradesmen to showcase their culture through their silverwork, silk brocades, jewelry, books, music and Buddhist prayer items.

PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE TIBETAN ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA AND THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST CENTER OF PHILADELPHIA

Tibetan Bazaar

Hello Friends,
We are spreading the word about this wonderful Tibetan arts and crafts bazaar. Check it out for beautiful holiday gifts that support Tibetan artists in exile.
May your holidays be peaceful and joyful!

TIBETAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15 ,2007 10:00 TO 5 PM

THE ETHICAL SOCIETY BUILDING
1906 RITTENHOUSE SQUARE
PHILADELPHIA, PA
FREE ADMISSION
610-664-8579

www.tibetanbuddhist.org email: tibetanbc@yahoo.com

PERFECT FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS

This bazaar will feature silverwork, textiles and handicrafts from the Tibetan communities-in exile in India and Nepal. Traditional Tibetan Food.

This Bazaar creates an opportunity for Tibetan Tradesmen to showcase their culture through their silverwork, silk brocades, jewelry, books, music and Buddhist prayer items.

PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE TIBETAN ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA AND THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST CENTER OF PHILADELPHIA

Tibetan Bazaar

Friends,
Check out this wonderful Tibetan crafts bazaar for beautiful holiday gifts that support Tibetan artists in exile.
Peace.

TIBETAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15 ,2007 10:00 TO 5 PM

THE ETHICAL SOCIETY BUILDING
1906 RITTENHOUSE SQUARE
PHILADELPHIA, PA
FREE ADMISSION
610-664-8579

www.tibetanbuddhist.org email: tibetanbc@yahoo.com

PERFECT FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS

This bazaar will feature silverwork, textiles and handicrafts from the Tibetan communities-in exile in India and Nepal. Traditional Tibetan Food.

This Bazaar creates an opportunity for Tibetan Tradesmen to showcase their culture through their silverwork, silk brocades, jewelry, books, music and Buddhist prayer items.

PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE TIBETAN ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA AND THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST CENTER OF PHILADELPHIA