Goa, India
Goa has been beautiful, relaxing for the most part, and the perfect way to ease ourselves into our travels here in this multi-sensory country.
We arrived here at the start of Febuary where we checked into our first hostel bleary eyed at 2am and crashed into our (rock solid!) bunks, we awoke to the warmest of welcomes from some of my other half, Bethany's best friends who are also travelling Goa right now, meeting here wasn't necessarily planned but what a wonderful coincidence it has been... we have spent most of the last two weeks exploring, relaxing and partying with them.. A few days later we moved into a guest house and some more of her friends arrived after weeks trecking the Himalayas.. how special it is to all be together in one place whilst all on our own little journeys.
Her friends have welcomed me in like their own, I feel so much gratitude for these warm and open hearted souls, and so blessed that we are experiencing this place together and making amazing memories to last a lifetime.
From the days roaming the most beautiful palm tree lined beaches and riding the waves together in the sea, swimming in amazing fresh-water lagoons and watching the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen, teaching yoga to them all on the beach, partying and dancing together under the stars of beach clubs, to speeding through dusty roads and villages on our mopeds soaking in all the sights and smells along the way. This place is a sensory overload; the warm air is perfumed with the heady scent of incense and spice, fresh salty sea breeze air contrasts with the dirty dusty back streets and roads. Beautiful temples and beach bars tucked between run down looking shacks the locals call home.
You see everything here.. It comes to a point where nothing you see is suprising, cows roaming down the middle of the roads oblivious to the cars and bikes swerving to avoid them, people hard selling just about anything for just a few rupees, cows on the beach, locals bathing fully dressed in the sea, women carrying huge bowls full of fruit, coconuts, shopping, pretty much anything on their heads, mopeds loaded up with the whole family and the dog, children begging for food, the most beautiful hippies you've ever seen hanging out selling their hand-made wares, dancing and playing in drum circles on the beach as the sun goes down, snake charmers entertaining the tourists, women wrapped head to toe in beautiful colourful saris despite the sweltering heat, and cows, cows everywhere!... You get so used to seeing the weird and the wonderful, it becomes the norm. I'm just open and soaking it all up, wanting to experience it all.
I'm so glad we started our travels here in Goa which is a little more westernised for the huge amounts of travellers hitting their shores for the Goan party and beautiful beaches as I feel its a gentle ease into the madness of India.. I know for sure once we head up north it will be much more of a culture shock.
So right now on these last few days I just want to make the most of the beautiful Goan sun, sea and sand.
I started this morning my favourite way; I rolled out my yoga mat on our balcony and enjoyed a wonderful practice looking out at the ocean and made salutation to the sun warming down on my skin, to the life-giving air gently breezing against my body and giving gratitude to the wonderful people I have met here, to my beautiful girl for being here by my side making this experience so incredible and to myself for making it possible to be here and for welcoming it all with an open heart.
All the yoga I have practiced here has been out in the open air, usually looking out at the ocean, there's something so special about this... A true connection to Mother Nature and all the wonderful things she brings us.
It keeps my affirmations and offerings through my practice simple and real. My ego is dissolved through my practice to nature and the elements, to friendship and love, to real pure experience. No expectations, no boundaries, non judgement... The essence of yoga, it feels so real here.
I have come back to the birthplace of this practice, and I am beginning to understand the foundations it was created upon... The culture here believes, do good and you will receive goodness in return. Karma. The more you give the more you will receive. It is unmistakably a very spiritual place, everyone believes in the greater good, in kindness and in love.
The goal here is not wealth, greed or greatness.... Greatness is found here through love; the goal is happiness and peace. We learn a lot from coming back to this basic universal law of harmony.
I am learning a lot here. Through going back to the roots, back to basic necessities, through my practice and meditation, from my relationship with myself and my OH, we are growing individually and together... I knew before we came that this trip would be more than just a holiday or sightseeing... This is growth, it is development, it is understanding, it is us coming together and learning from each other and finding peace within each other when there is madness all around. Wherever I am in the world I know I can find home in her, she brings me back to myself and makes me see all the beautiful good things in myself and in the world. This is what a partner should be; your lover but also your best friend, your guide when you are lost, your lifeline, everything. I am so blessed I have found it all in her.
To Bethany, to India, to love... I give all my gratitude. Thank you.
Namasté x
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