YOGA!

Rishikesh is amazing and by far my favorite place so far! Every morning we wake up to Yoga! As a yoga fanatic back home just the mention of doing it here and i was all in! But it has been unlike anything i could have imagined. The city is beautiful and peaceful to begin with, but at 7am when there is little activity and the air still has a cooling mix to it, it is indescribable. Breathing in such fresh air each morning it is as though i can feel the peaceful energy which surrounds this place. Having been many places thus far the air quality here is far different from the others. Each pose we do requires some type of breathing whether it be slow and even or rapid and harsh. For myself i enjoy closing my eyes during different poses, it feel more peaceful and it allows me to focus on myself rather than the others around me. But here i feel as though that is taken to a whole different level. Our instructor has such a calm and soothing voices and keeps us in certain positions for an extended count. For me i really gain a sense of peace. Waking up at 7am during the summer is not every kids dream, but once we finish a sessions the world just seems awake and refreshed, personally i never feel tired. Even though there is a fair amount of "sleeping" to be done during yoga! My favorite part of it all though, is when we've just finished a pose or breathing exercise and i slowly open my eyes and get to see these beautiful, giant mountains glowing in the waking sun. It's one of the most breath taking views i have ever experienced and has made me absolutely fall in love with the city. Having to leave tomorrow is going to be difficult! Until you have seen this view personally i feel as though words just can't describe it. I'm not one to sit here and say i feel at peace with the earth, but during and after Yoga that is probably the best way i can describe it. It is almost as though if you really focus you can feel everything around you all the beauty and grace this place has to offer can almost become a part of you.

BY: Erin Lueders