I have been at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA for about five days. These five days have been very different than any five days I have ever experienced. For those of you who know me, I am a man of routine. A leads to B, which leads to C and then finally D, if that makes any sense. From my school routine I got into my vacation routine, or lack thereof. Routine, to me keeps me grounded, I know what I have to do, what I want to do, and where I have t do it. At the Institute; which after five days I feel " cool " enough to say, life is very different.
The schedule is posted, seminars , karma yoga, etc. Schedule adjustment plays major tricks on my mind. New people and new location always bring new anxiety for me. In terms of anxiety, I was a nervous wreck for the first two days. The lifestyle adjustment, especially the food, has and still is taking time for me to adjust to. I wake up at seven a.m., go outside for a walk, and come back for breakfast at 8. Karma yoga, or selfless service, takes up four hours of my day, 9-11 and 2-4. While yoga classes are scheduled, I avoided them until todays 4:30 class. The avoidance was not out of fear, it was out of sheer non-interest. I wanted, and actually still want my free time. While yoga is known as a body and mind healer, I guess I want to do things on my own terms. I have been reading up on various breath awareness techniques and the art of meditating. The whole idea of meditation fascinates me. As a man with anxiety and a never-ending thought process, meditation seems that it would be the best thing for me. In my short stay so far, I have been able to feel the change in my body by simply focusing n my breath. I want to read more on it, and eventually start a regular practice, kind of like a release from my world of anxiety and constant thinking. We shall see!
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