Varkala, India

Hello Friends,

I am writing to you from Varkala. This tourist beach town is on the very southwest coast of India just north of Trivandrum. It was a very short 40 minute flight over here from Colombo, Sri Lanka and then a 2 hour ride on a local bus. The bus must have been 50 years old at least, had no windows thankfully, and it's amazing that the 30,000 pounds of steel moved at all. From a standstill the gears rattled themselves into alignment as the bus shook. Once moving the breeze and sights were lovely. The brakes worked and although there were not any shocks on the bus the trip was delightful.
I must say that the more time I spend here in Asia the more I like it. It feels very familiar to me and I can easily see myself returning here for many years to come. I came here a week ago to attend an 11 day Thai Massage course. The class is going really well and I am learning lots of new things......which I'll share with all of you when I return.
So, India is definitely quite busier than Sri Lanka. Obviously there are many more people here and the sights, sounds, and scents are extremely stimulating. Where I am, however, is a tourist area and it's kind of wierd to be around so many white folks again. Beach umbrellas, people trying to sell you stuff constantly, coffeshops, pizza places, etc. Where I've been in Sri Lanka is the complete opposite. So, I'll be in India until the 27th and then I will head back to Rocky Point for the rest of the season to continue practicing, teaching partner yoga, and giving lots of Thai Massage to people. On future trips to India I will set off and explore more of the country for sure....this time it's just a little taste.
The sounds here are so beautiful.......a screaming horn, followed by gentle chanting that drifts across the breeze, then a sudden explosion of fireworks for some various festival that's happening nearby. Dogs barking, a mother yelling for her kids, another horn, and oh, it's prayer time for the Muslim population. At 5AM everyday I hear the prayer call coming from the local mosque, just as I do at Rocky Point. It is very calming and soothing to listen to. I hear it each morning as I wake. Then it's broken by a bus slamming on it's brakes to avoid an old man on a bicycle. The horn is used very differently in this country.....it's just applied at all times. The roads have few rules..the only one is to not be hit.
The scent of burning trash and especially plastic is always unfortunate and all too common. Then the breeze shifts and the smell of plastic is replaced by fresh sea air........followed by the very familiar scent of incense.
Many blessings and love from South India in the state of Kerala. I'll send some photos soon. Jacob

AshtangaLanka

Hi Friends,

This season at AshtangaLanka we have a new Ashtanga teacher and we are in a rebuilding year. We've had guests coming but we are trying to get the word out to attract even more folks. It has come to our attention that the more links and discussion there is about our website the higher Google ranks our site when people do a Google search. Therefore I am writing about AshtangaLanka in my blog.
If anyone wants to see the website it is www.ashtangalanka.com. Also please spread the word to anyone you know who may be interested and please come visit us in Sri Lanka if you can. You'll love it. I hope that you are all happy and healthy.
Namaste. Jacob

Learning to Juggle

Hi,

This fall I took a CircusYoga Teacher Training and one of the things I learned was how to juggle. It's very addicting and since then I have shared my new passion with lots of people. The other day I had a delicious rice and curry meal with the family that I befriended last year and taught the kids how to juggle. First you start with scarves and then move onto balls. Kids and adults love it.

I have also been teaching lots of guests at Rocky Point. There is a woman at the center who is traveling with a hula hoop so we've all been having fun perfecting our skills. We've also made new hoops from materials in town and now the hula and juggling addiction is spreading across the Southern coast. Ah, I love the circus!

It's great sharing these things with people. The laughs, smiles, and playful child within all of us immediately comes to the surface.

Love and Light from humid Sri Lanka. Jacob

Coconut Harvest

Greetings,

Happy New Year! Down in these parts our new year was marked by a coconut harvest. The area where we live is covered with coconut trees and about every 10 weeks or so they need to be harvested. If they are left on the trees they turn into very deadly rocks falling from the sky. The coconut is used in just about everything we eat here. From drinking the coconut water to using the meat, and making coconut milk, it is such a versitile food. In these photos you can see the man (and his tools) who climbs up and cuts out the mature coconuts. He makes it look so easy and can climb a tree in 10 seconds flat. Several of us tried it out but barely got off the ground.

Things here at Rocky Point continue in the same routine otherwise. We've had a full house the past few weeks and it's been nice to have 15 people around the table for meals. I hope that you're all happy and healthy. Lots of love and light from 6 degrees north of the equator and on the opposite side of the planet.

Happy Holidays....

Greetings again from the southern shore of Sri Lanka. It's wild being on exactly the opposite side of the planet from most of you.....but still just a second away within the digital world. Things here are super. More guests are arriving.....last night we had 17 people at the table. This year we have a new yoga teacher who has been practicing Ashtanga for 33 years. She's amazing! I've also been teaching partner classes in the afternoons and flying lots of people.

I hope that my friends in Portland are making the best of being snowed in, and that all of you are happy and healthy. Lots of love and blessings to all.

Just like I left it....

Hi Everyone.......

It's amazing how fast the time passes. It's been about 9 months since I left Sri Lanka and now I have found my way back. Rocky Point is just as beautiful as when I left and I am happy to be here again. This year there is a new yoga teacher and the energy here is very high. I've also been sharing my love of AcroYoga with people daily. Lots of flying on the beach. There is also a new website if you're curious about this center....www.ashtangalanka.com I hope that you're all healthy and have a wonerful holiday. Jacob

Muslim Engagement Party

Hello,

It's hard to believe but my time here in Sri Lanka is coming to a close. It's been wonderful and I look forward to returning. Last weekend I had a unique cultural experience. I went to an engagement party for a young Muslim woman. She is a relative of the family that I have become friends with. Here's an explanation of the day.

After yoga in the morning I was picked up by Hafeel in a van with his relatives. At that point there was about 12 people in the van spanning at least three generations. We cruised down the road towards Galle which is about 2 hours away. Along the way we stopped at a relative in Matara and picked up two more folks. When we arrived at our destination we went to the brides house and all the women went to get dressed. The saris that they wear have 9 square meters of cloth that is intricately wrapped around the body.

All the relatives welcomed me and I felt very comfortable. Several spoke English because they too had worked in the Middle East. Eventually we made it to the banquet hall where the party/ceremony was. The engagement "party" is really an opportunity for the women of both families to acknowledge the bride. At this party the bride basically sat in a chair surrounded with flowers in the front of the room and all the women were seated in front of her. They took turns having pictures with the bride and exchanging gifts. It is crucial that the bride's family gives a gift to every woman in the husband's family....if someone is left out they will not be happy. While this is happening the men are just hanging out.

At some point food came out and we all shared rice and curry from a communal bowl in the center, of course with the right hand. As usual it was delicious. After the photos and meal things winded down.....but not before a little three year old kid locked himself in his parents car with the keys and kept pushing the alarm button because of the cool sound it made. The father went home to fetch a spare key.

On our way home we stopped at another relative and had tea. He was reading an English paper and asked me about Obama. All the adults here know about the Obama-Clinton race and it is typically the first topic of conversation. They are all really excited about having a black man as president of America. It was nice to get back to Rocky Point after a full day. Off to bed and yoga in the morning.

P.S.

The photo of the frog is a 1500 piece puzzle that I gave to Hafeel's family and they completed during the past month with the help of his extended family......and I guess several Aunts and Uncles really loved it.

Hope you are all well and I leave a week from today. Cheers, Jacob