Tag Archives: meditation

New Years Musings

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I was successful in slowing down over the winter holidays and I feel that I caught up on sleep and family bonding.  Immediately after my two weeks off I was spun right back into my frenetic schedule by commencing production on a short film that I was Assistant Director for.  The production was tightly scheduled with many locations so it was a demanding role and I found that I had boundless energy to dedicate to the production.  I have another shoot coming up and am in pre-production for my upcoming documentary trailer as Vancouver is enveloped in snow.

pulling focus

Setting the intention for downtime was the kindest thing I could have done for myself and my family not to mention the productions I am working on.  It was shocking that I found myself feeling anti-social at times and in need of complete relaxation and quietude.  And the personal reward was delicious and insightful dreams that allowed me to connect to my subconscious and re-evaluate my trajectory.  I enjoyed that deep and profound communication with myself which revealed new insights and inspiration.

Last winter I was in India enjoying slowness for 6 weeks.  I didn’t have that luxury this year though I am grateful for the two weeks with family and friends.  I see a bright year ahead with big changes.  Wishing you the ability to actualize your dreams and infinite bliss, there is no time like the present.

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I have watched many movies in the past month and Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” stood out on many levels.  After Von Trier’s antics at Cannes this year I was curious to see his new film.  I admire his originality and how he covers complex human issues. In his beautifully shot intro he gives the ending away so that there is no suspense and you are forced to delve into the captivating story.  I would go so far as to say that this film is mindgasmic.  At the very least you will enjoy Kirsten Dunst’s performance.

Filmspiration

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The Vancouver Film Festival is coming to an end. The festival was on while I was in production with an episodic series so I didn’t get the chance to see most of the films I wanted to see. I did however get a chance to check out a few documentaries.

Thinking about some of the things that go on in China sometimes makes my head spin. ‘Waking the Green Tiger’ tracks the rise of the green movement in China and gave me great hope showing the power of documentary activism. I loved this one.

Yoga and documentary, nuff said.

For Sigur Ros fans ‘Inni’ is a must see.

Post Panchakarma Pontifications

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As we welcome Spring I am coming up to my two month mark after completing Panchakarma treatment.  After leaving Kerala, India, I returned home and for the next month remained low key as the effects from the Ayurvedic treatment settled in.  I felt so much bliss in my body, the process is profound and really does kick start a process of rejuvenation and healing that carries on after the treatment is finished.

devotional destination

I continue to take the Ayurvedic supplements that were prescribed though I have slacked off on my yogic practice which included pranic energization techniques.  After working hard while away I am not too concerned that I have allowed some downtime though I am hoping to resume my morning practice, I like feeling like I have super powers! I have been taking the time to do my one prescribed yoga pose, simhasana, at the very least.  My friends note that I look rejuvenated, I am not surprised that the effects of this powerful transformation are visible.  How I tick has changed too.

temple lights

I deeply feel a strong synchronicity in my life and nothing feels random these days.  I conclude that the accident this past fall that pushed me to seek treatment in India was destined.  Since my return my life has taken on a new course, I have been feeling a sense of fruition.  The seeds that I had been planting the past three years at times felt like they would never germinate though they are now finally poking through the dark soil. Sometimes we need an extraordinary push to change our course or to move forward and accept the challenges that comes with the change.  These challenges always have a hidden gem awaiting for us when we overcome them, I am enjoying recent revelations.  I have so much optimism and passion when I allow myself to look forward, it brightens my present moment.  Amongst the chaos I root into calm.

Panchakarma Day 28: Ayurvedic Bliss

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I am sitting on the veranda at 5 AM in the darkness, listening to the early morning activities, the crickets, and the distant call to prayers. It seems like only yesterday that I arrived in India though I have concurrently felt for most of my duration here timeless states of deep connection with myself and my surroundings with a feeling of heightened synchronicity. It was a chain of coinciding events that brought me to India after all.

Today is my final day of Ayurvedic treatment, yesterday I started to phase out my treatments so that today I have only one, like on the day I started. Some days I had as many as 4 and the treatments sometimes were very deep and intense or sometimes very gentle and soothing. During the past 28 days I have felt every possible emotion and ultimately have returned to a place of deep inner peace.

This was my second course of panchakarma. In 2008 I had 21 days of treatment at the same location here in Kerala. I was having trouble sleeping and got to the point where I had gone 6 months with just a few hours of sleep a night. I left feeling completely restored and have not had sleeping problems since. Because I traveled to India alone this time I had more time to rest and dive off the deep end which resulted in a much deeper experience and profound results. After the half way point my treatments changed to incorporate the internal cleansing techniques which clean the micro-cavities of the body and bring the doshas into balance. I found myself falling into deep sleep after these treatments during the day and also had deep sleeps during the night as well. I find that when I undergo panchakarma my dreams are very vivid and insightful, my subconscious has the space to merge with my consciousness.

This was a precious opportunity for which I am feeling extremely grateful for. Twice my body has been in crisis and twice I have come to India and found solace and healing. India and I have developed a beautiful love affair that is beyond words. It is the opposite of Canada in that it is ancient and chaotic although there are many systems in place to provide order to the peoples lives. The lack of infrastructure are shocking for people who come for the first time though there is an opportunity to find balance in coming to an environment that is so different that the clean and organized societies we call home in the West. I think that what I feel most inspired from by coming to India is beyond the surface. I feel an ability to tap into the rich spiritual energy that has been cultivated for thousands of years. I am moved deeply by the devotion that is prevalent in this society. Every morning you are woken by a call to prayer from the temples and mosques. People have made prayer an integral part of their day with temples being the focal point of all towns, villages and even big cities. Art forms such as music and dance are another method of worshiping the divine. If find that in India there is a collective mentality of honoring the sacred and spirituality, in whatever form. India is a vast country with many different flavors and the flavors I have experienced have helped me to create the space to open my heart like never before.

Without trying sounding too cliche when we undergo suffering from circumstances in our lives that are beyond our control we can control how we respond to them. I really was in a state of shock for a long time though I had a feeling that came from deep within that told me, ultimately, everything would be ok. I have since felt a synchronicity of circumstances that have brought me around the world to come into contact with people that I needed to see in order to progress on my healing and spiritual path in an environment conducive to magical awakenings. Some of the insights I had during the two months before I embarked on this journey are being fortified here, and I am excited to say that my river is slightly changing course, this is going to be a very exciting year for me.

A few days a go one of my truly amazing girlfriends Navaro sent me an email with research from Stanford that highlights the importance of having girlfriends in your life. I have been so fortunate to have met some amazing women during the past 5 weeks that I formed sweet connections with. I am certain that this has enhanced my experiences. I am feeling lighter and calmer than I can ever recall. They say that the true benefits from panchakarma are not felt right away, that for the next 28 days I should take it easy and continue my supplements and maintain a restricted diet. This period is almost as important as the treatment period and the true benefits of treatment are felt after this time, I am welcoming this integration period and have luggage filled with Ayurvedic herbs to take when I return home.

With a deep gratitude for my friends and family who are helping me hold down the fort while I am in India and for the good fortune to have undergone this magical process I am preparing to leave Kerala. India has proven to be a place where I can come when I am feeling extreme discomfort in my body and experience profound transformation. Keep on the look out for some video footage I have captured of the beauty and magic of this pocket of the planet, I hope to share that here soon.

Panchakarma Day 12; This Is How We Should Be Living.

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Time has a way of slowing right down when I undergo this process. The past twelve days of treatment in this environment have escaped linear time where my days all merge without me consciously tracking it. At the same time I still feel connected to my friends and family. Thank-you Facebook and Skype.

In this environment, with the stress of day to day life taken away, while we undergo such transformation with gentle and profound treatments, we as patients have the time to make deep and meaningful connections with the people around us. We are not in a hurry and we are not living in a bubble. We are a community.

It feels good to make authentic connections with your neighbors, and you don’t have to be undergoing Ayurvedic treatment to live this way. Without sacrificing your energy you can ignite a spark in the people around you. Humans need community, touch, companionship. The more we tolerate others the more room we create within and the more unified we are on this planet.

from my morning walk in the garden

I was reading parts of a 60 year old book on how to live life and there was an entire chapter dedicated to pausing. Yes, this has been my theme since the fall though it seems these days we need to ‘unplug’ then pause. I see the value and importance of taking the time to enjoy a cup of tea, a to engage in a meaningful conversation, to unwind in what ever way your heart desires. When we don’t do this we don’t have anything of any real value to offer others this book stated. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for working hard though I am in contemplation on how to live with more flow.

Remember that it is fun to lift your head up, look in a strangers eyes and smile and catch them off guard. Watch them light up. We can’t possibly know everyone on this planet but we can take the time to care for the people that we cross paths with on a regular basis with more depth. Remember that we all have our own limitations though we all hold beauty within.

Ayurvedic Awakening

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On January 1st I left the ashram deep in the backwaters of Kerala and made my way up to a 100 year old Ayurvedic hospital to undergo Panchakarma, an Ayurvedic detoxification method that restores the body into a state of homeostasis. I have left my busy life in Vancouver behind so I can devote myself to my physical, mental and emotional healing which was needed after I was in a car accident this fall. I had suffered some internal injuries and was not wanting to wait a year to recover. In regards to our health and well being we have to take matters into our own hands, seek a proper diagnosis, and if we are fortunate enough to do, so pursue our own rehabilitation.

This is the second time I have undergone Panchakarma. I first came here in 2008 while I was struggling with insomnia and wanted to try a more holistic approach. The process yielded fantastic results, it cured my sleeping problems and activated my heart in a profound way. I have chosen a gentle, holistic and profound course of treatment that allows me to go as deep as I choose.

Ayurveda is a traditional medical system native to India though practiced around the world that originated thousands of years ago, as did yoga. It is a holistic approach to health that brings the total being into alignment with transformative body treatments, diet, herbs all under the supervision of skilled and experienced Ayurvedic Physicians. I have never had success with allopathic medicine, I have always embraced the natural approach to health.

The view from my room that has been fueling me.

Sometimes you just have to extract yourself from your day to day life, change your scenery, gain new perspective, and transcend the mundane.

Another Cycle Around the Sun

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I made it safe and sound to India after enduring 24 hours of air travel. I have only been here for a handful of days though I have regained a timeless state that I enter while here. My days have been flowing with ease and I am feeling ever so blissful. The highly spiritual environment and people I am surrounded by, the sun and heat, the beauty of this land all contribute.

I have spent the day working on a very inspiring project using cutting edge technology to educate poor rural villagers on vocational trades such as textiles and plumbing. To be staying in an ashram has numerous personal benefits that we carry with us when we return to our regular day to day lives and to know that we can also be of service offering our skill and experience to contribute to such projects just feels right.

Sun descending on the Arabian Sea

After an incredibly tumultuous 2010 I am giving this year closure and am ready to welcome 2011 on an auspicious note. We will be celebrating this evening at the beach as the sun sets on the Arabian sea.

I wish you all the best for the New Year, may you cultivate conditions for you to live a meaningful life and strive to be part of the solution.

xoxo Sumitra

Tibetan Dance

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I have a friend from Tibet who gave me some footage to edit that he filmed in 2002. This segment is from a ‘Tent Festival’ where thousands of Tibetans gather for a festival in the summer once every 12 years.

Here is a sample of some of the dancing competition. I get swept away by Tibetan dance, I have performed it in the past and hope to one day further my studies of this dramatic dance in Tibet.

Long sleeves that connect arm movements to the earth and to the sky, bringing sacred awareness to the environment that sustains us. Individually and communally moving with grace, bending with force.

“May all the virtuous accomplishments arise miraculously and spontaneously!”

winter SOULstice

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I always seem to experience a deep connection to source during the enchanting summer and winter solstices. Living in Canada we experience the four seasons so fully with winter being such a challenge to so many, myself the sun worshiper included. I have found it necessary to focus on cultivating inner light during the darkest period of year as a method in overcoming lethargy, irritability, and to prevent plummeting into an abyss of blah. Usually by solstice I find that elusive balance.

This year, during the darkest time of year I am feeling ever so *bright*. Earlier in the fall I dove deep into my subconscious, I listened to the sweet melodies, the ice cold terror, the intense laughter, I listened to it all. I observed my dreams, and I slowed down enough to listen to that inner song waiting patiently to be heard. I looked deep within the dark crevices, the places that we like to gloss over and pulled out some thorns. I recognized that some of my ideals that I thought were so noble were indeed holding me back and were ready to be shed, truly becoming aware of the limitations of my own thought patterns. I have been able to take my spiritual practice deep enough that it is not just keeping me balanced, I am actually feeling like I am finally making some progress on the path. If I can get through the holiday season feeling genuinely blissful, thankful, and totally abundant rather than feeling fried, frazzled, and overwhelmed then I think I am onto something or perhaps we have been graced with more sunlight in place of our usual autumn rain.

Who knows why we insist on being so complex. Thankfully I feel surrounded by the most amazing people and community and am inspired by all of the creativity around me. I am happy to focus on that. Spending time with people who make our heart happy, who inspire us, who nurture us can help keep us from being swallowed up by the darkness. If the darkness does manage to swallow you up, don’t be afraid to listen to what it is trying to show you, you will certainly re-surface with more sparkle.

The lack of daylight brings a longer night, in the absence of light there is still light that shines though in a more subtle form. I am so grateful the emerging darkness reminded me to travel deeper within myself.

Wishing you all a very happy winter solstice and infinite seasonal bliss.

From my ‘Yogi’ ginger tea bag: One of the best actions we can take, with courage, is to relax…