Every day when I scroll through my social media feed I see more and more posts involving fear, hatred, and negativity. It’s easy to get caught up in all the politics and hype, but it’s not healthy. We need to surround ourselves with positive things too. In fact, we should focus much more of our…
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The Washington State Peninsula area may only be 28 miles long, but it’s jam packed with fun things to do, white sandy beaches, and outdoor recreation. Sure, it’s world renown for its fresh seafood, including amazing shellfish, but it also has a rich history and scenic beauty that beckons visitors from around the globe. If…
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So, you want to see the world, but your checking account barely has enough in it for a trip across town. That doesn’t mean you have to put off your trip to Bali or Mexico. It just means you need to be smart and do some pre-planning. Many people are under the misconception that I…
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially in Washougal, Washington where I spent the weekend before Christmas with my dear friend Margaret Custodio. In 2014 Margaret had a dream to start a small alpaca farm, and not long after that she brought her four babies home. Now Margaret has twelve alpacas, and this…
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I waited until I got back home to the USA to write this post. Why? It’s because many Indian’s consider complaining about a service, or anything in India for that matter, “anti-nationalism.” They don’t like anyone talking bad about anything in India, and if it’s a foreigner spilling the beans, that’s even more taboo. It’s…
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Yoga is a complete lifestyle that encompasses the mind, body and spirit. My first instructor used to say, “It’s a work-in, not a workout.” It is all about harmonizing the body with the mind and breath through the practice of various breathing exercises (pranayamas), yoga poses (asanas) and meditation (dhyana). Many people often ask me what is the best way to start yoga or how to start doing yoga at home. There are many possibilities for how to start a yoga practice, but these are the best ways to start yoga.
The first thing you should know is that there are many different types of yoga. Why are there so many different types of yoga? The answer is simple, because there are so many different types of people in the world, and everyone has different preferences. The styles can be vastly different so it is a good idea to learn a little bit about them ahead of time so you can choose the type of yoga that is best for you.
Hatha yoga is a generic term that refers to any type of yoga that teaches physical postures (asanas). This is typically where most people get their yoga start. This is where you will learn basic yoga poses. Ashtanga is a rigorous style of yoga that follows a very specific sequence of postures and those postures are normally held for a longer period of time. Vinyasa classes are known for their fluid like movement or yoga flow. Vinyasa teachers carefully choreograph their classes for smooth transitions from pose to pose. Generally, they play music and sometimes it feels almost like a dance. Iyengar yoga is a very meticulous typed of yoga, with utmost attention spent on finding the proper alignment in a pose. In order to assist each student with achieving the proper alignment, an Iyengar yoga studio will stock a wide array of yoga props, like blocks, blankets, straps, chairs, and pillows. In a Bikram class, you will sweat a lot as you work your way through a series of 26 poses. Like Ashtanga, a Bikram class always follows the same sequence, but the class is taught in a heated room, much like Hot yoga. Generally, the only difference between Bikram and hot yoga is a hot yoga studio must deviate from Bikram’s sequence in some way, because the Bikram sequence is trademarked, so they must call themselves by another name.
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This is a guest post by Jeron King The time has come to take a well-deserved holiday with the person you love, and there’s a lot to think about. The most important decision is where to go — why not consider India? When it comes to romantic destinations, you have plenty of choices, so we’ve…
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Indian food is hard to beat. From Masala Dosa, to Thali, and Butter Chicken, it’s all mouth watering good. The street food is equally as delicious, but just a fraction of the cost. It’s also fast and convenient. However, if you are a westernized foreigner visiting India for the first time, you should proceed carefully. Indians don’t have any sanitation standards for their street carts. They don’t wear rubber gloves. Hell, they probably don’t even wash their hands. So, if you have a tender stomach I suggest you avoid Indian street food, but if you’re ready to indulge in some serious India treats, these are six yummy Indian street foods you simply must try.
Samosa is my new favorite Indian street food, and it costs only 10 rupees! That’s about twenty cents in USD. Samosa is a crispy deep fried snack with a flaky outer crust. Inside is a rich spicy filling of mashed potatoes and peas. It is usually served with a sweet and spicy sauce that reminds me a little of chutney.
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I had the pleasure of spending Halloween night celebrating in style with the beautiful children of Ramana’s Children’s Home. As we danced to blaring Hindi hip hop under the vivid flashing lights, I felt someone tenderly tap my leg. I looked down to see the cutest little girl reach up to me. She wanted to…
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All my life, I’ve had a terrible pattern of falling in love with the wrong people who weren’t a good match for me. At the beginning of the relationship, I’m overcome by a sudden burst of intense chemistry, and then I spend years, or even decades, trying to make it work. Now I realize that I did the same thing with Rishikesh, India. At first, I was attracted to her picturesque beauty, exotic charm, clean air, and the mighty Mother Ganga. But like any new relationship, the once rose-colored glasses have turned dark. Now that the new relationship energy is over, I’ve begun seeing obvious red flags that I missed.
I returned to Rishikesh for one main reason: deciding if I wanted to move here. The yoga, spiritual classes, Ayurveda, and recreation are alluring. Plus, it’s cheap here, really affordable! I could probably live in Rishikesh comfortably on $1,000 a month. Unfortunately, I’ve decided that inexpensive living is not enough for me. After a month in Rishikesh, the clear answer was no. I can’t live here. These are the reasons why my love affair with Rishikesh, India, is over.
The first time I came to Rishikesh, in early 2016, I cried tears of joy when I saw the brilliant blue sky. Remember that I had just left New Delhi, one of the most polluted cities on the planet. I hadn’t seen a shade of blue in the sky for months. The pollution in Delhi was so harmful that I could stare directly at the sun on most days because it appeared blurry and orange through the dense grey smog. Rishikesh is in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains, and she looked shiny and new to me compared to Delhi, a mere seven-hour drive away.
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