Recipe for feeling blissful in India. Start with a small town. Next, be sure it’s sacred. Far from an airport. No railroad station. Temples and ghats (ceremonial bathing spots) are everywhere. Finally, for the icing on the cake: no alcohol or meat anywhere in town. I knew Pushkar would be a special, place. But I […]
There may be a thousand people crammed in a large temple hall. If this were the U.S., it would likely be against the fire code. But we are in Mumbai, India. With 26,000 people per square kilometer. This is an oasis of spirituality. A temple filled with love, gratitude, and flowers. A golden altar houses […]
Gutsy Yoga. That’s the name of my signature workshops that explores yoga and GI disorders, helping people deal with digestive issues. (Note: A GUTSY YOGA workshop will take place at The Namaste Getaway on June 15. Contact Deborah to register.) I developed Gutsy Yoga, in part, because of my personal health history. And, my solution: […]
In my last article, I spoke about finding thousands of Ganeshas in Varanasi. Unexpectedly. Beyond the Ganeshas, almost everywhere in Varanasi spirituality was overflowing. “It is the headquarters of the Brahmin faith, and one-eighth of the population are priests of that church.*” Just as I relished morning arati in Vrindavan, I woke up early each […]
Saving the best for last on my spiritual tour of Northern India was Varanasi. AKA Kashi (city of light) and Benares. Hindus flock here for spiritual cleansing. Plus, this part of the Ganges is the preferred site for the cremation and/or releasing ashes. While popular among foreigners, spying on sacred burial rites wasn’t my cup […]
Travel, to me, is about learning and sharing. Karma yoga (selfless service) has been integral to my trips over the last ten years. The yamas and niyamas also surface when I travel. No cruises or resorts. I enjoy homestays and support ethical tourism. Likewise, when I shop, I prefer to buy from artisans or non-profits. […]
Candramauli Swami is one of the Men in Orange who sat with us at our wall-free classrooms in India. He has been wearing his orange robe for five decades. However, he spends much time with men that some of us picture wearing black and white stripes. Five decades ago he became a direct disciple of […]
One of the many reasons why I chose to travel to India, earlier this year, was to visit the holiest of places. Vrindavan was top of the list, and my group stayed in Vrindavan for four nights. Throughout our journeys, we were accompanied by two men in orange, about whom I previously published six […]
Part Six of Journeys with Men in Orange is the last that features two monks. My group was fortunate. We literally traveled with two men in orange for much of our trip. Shyamananda Das and Chaitanya Charan Das shared their words of wisdom, in open-air classrooms. They spoke about love, religion, karma , and more […]
Discussing Spirituality versus Materialism Yoga teaches us to detach from the material world. Of the primary yoga tenets, two focus on releasing ourselves from the ever-present materialism surrounding us. So, it was to be expected that Men in Orange* spoke about spirituality versus materialism in my recent trip to India. Caundramauli Swami is an American […]
Learning about spirituality from monks in Vrindavan If you read my last three articles, you know that I recently spent one month nurturing my spirituality in India. More than one week was spent traveling with monks. I don’t mean seeing men in orange in trains, temples, or fire ceremonies. Rather, briskly passing through airport security […]
When you take your driver’s license test, or renewal, in the United States, you may be asked what the color orange means. Caution. Possible dangers ahead. Construction. For many in the spiritual world, orange can have a similar meaning. Caution, and beware of possible dangers i.e. maya (illusion) and ego. The construction, however, can equate […]