My biological clock is doing its job, slowly getting back into balance. Balance, that fits this place perfectly. And if I’m planning to do the EBC trek, arriving there completely exhausted wouldn’t be a great strategy. Rest, sleep, and good food are always the best medicines, combined with a bit of movement. Always and everywhere.
In Varanasi, I visited a temple and met a group of Argentinian women. One of them was crying while we were waiting to enter the temple. I decided, purely on intuition, to give her a hug, just to show some support and tell her that it’s okay, whatever it is. Of course, that last an impression by all the ladies. The guide of that group, Florencia, knows the Rishikesh area well, and we stayed in touch via WhatsApp for some tips about Agra and Jaipur. She comes to India often, and by coincidence, I ran into her and the group again here in Rishikesh while I was about to rent a scooter. She happened to have a day off, and since she knows the area, I decided to join her for a little trip.
On my scooter, we toured to a very small cave temple in a quiet spot by the Ganges, just outside of Rishikesh. I did a short prayer, and she told me about her experiences in India. As if by fate, a group of Australians was taking a dip in the Ganges — a country I also want to visit during this trip. I felt like going in the water as well so I decided to wash my own chakra in the Ganges for some good karma in this sacred river. I dipped myself into the water nine times — wonderfully refreshing. The source of the river is about 70 km upstream, so the offerings from Varanasi don’t flow into this section. A refreshing and symbolic moment and definitely something I can cross off the bucket list: a dip in the Ganges.
The further we went from Rishikesh, the more nature surrounded us. Florencia knew another spot high up in the hills where we had tea overlooking a waterfall. She’s usually a guide for that group of women, but today, on her day off, she became my guide for a bit. I’m grateful she showed me these beautiful places. For the curious reader — no, nothing romantic happened with Florencia. With a cleansed chakra, I started my 4-day yoga and meditation retreat the next day.
I’m someone who always tries to see things from two sides and stay open to the other perspective. What strikes me is that Rishikesh is truly flooded with yoga schools — hotels and retreat centers are popping up like mushrooms. This brings a lot of spiritual energy to the Ganges, and it’s certainly a place where people can find healing among like-minded souls. Still, I can’t help but notice a bit of a “Benidorm effect” — all the buildings and crowds. That doesn’t take away from how special this place is, or the fact that many Westerners come here for their Yoga Teacher Training Course. You see plenty of people walking around peacefully in their loose yoga pants, carrying their mats. There’s a bit of everything here. High demand brings lots of supply: yoga, sound healing, Ayurvedic detox, breathwork, tantra, mountain biking, hiking, cooking workshops, rafting on the Ganges, and even bungee jumping.
I decided to stick with a 4-day retreat. Upon check-in, I met my guru, Rohit. He came up to me shortly after and said he could see that I was very open. That’s true, actually. Still, it’s special when someone says that purely based on your energy and first impression. Energy and presence are your most important reflection.
The day starts with a yoga session, and I realize how much I’ve missed moving my body. Later in the afternoon, we meditate — on the same beach where I took my dip in the Ganges. The art of meditation is simply sitting still with your thoughts and closed eyes, doing nothing. Letting everything go. The intention is to meditate for half an hour, without a clock or timer. When I open my eyes, everyone else is gone, and it’s already getting dark. Rohit tells me I’ve meditated for almost an hour and that he and the group are impressed. I didn’t think I could sit still for that long. I know I have a lot of introspection, still was not expecting to sit there the longest. Meditation stirs something deep inside, and that night, I sleep deeply, though with a bit of a headache. I continue following the program easily, breathwork, yoga, a temple visit and the group of about ten people feels just right in terms of size. Not too big. A Swiss couple and a mix of Indian vacationers, young and old.
Day 3 of the retreat starts at 7:30 with hip stretches, and at 12:00 we have a yoga class. In between, I ride my scooter around to cafés and bakeries to grab snacks. I treat myself to a massage and enjoy some wonderful days here. In the evening, there’s another meditation planned, a special one for me. Again, I keep my eyes closed, focused on myself and calmness. No overthinking, no stress, no plan, just letting everything pass by. After a while, I start seeing a kind of white light. Strange, since my eyes are closed, yet I clearly see it. Rohit has to wake me up from the meditation; otherwise, I could’ve sat there for hours. I tell him about the white light, and he says:
“Only a pure soul like you can see the white color.”
With that compliment — about having a pure soul — I feel that my time in India is coming to an end. I’m ready for my next step, and this feels like the crown on my journey through India.
The next day, I take the Yoga Express train to Delhi. I do some shopping there and then catch my flight to my next destination. More about that later!
Namaste!
Shukriya!
Dhanyavaad!
India is forever in my soul and heart ❤️
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