Embracing the Journey: Choosing India.

I have to admit that even as a Yoga Teacher, India was never really on my travel list. It was perceived it as exotic, with a culture distinct from my own, with norms I could possibly not understand. Additionally, I've often heard warnings about India being unsafe for solo female travelers.

Although yoga brought me closer to Indian culture, my initial exposure to it came through an American teacher, and my practice remained largely westernized, which created a conflict when it came to embrace myself as a yoga teacher. Was I really a Yoga teacher? Was my practice and teachings really Yoga?

However, whether it was or not, the effect of it is undeniable. 2024 when I came back to Germany after recovering an injury for two months abroad, my first feeling when I enter my apartment was that it was not time to unpack my suitcase. It was strange since Berlin feels like my home and I am normally very happy to come back. I started to meditate on in, seeking insights and impressions that emerged when connecting with my heart. I had clear images of landscapes, lights, animals and people, all impregnated with a feeling of pure bliss. It became clear to me that the place calling out to me was India.

Slowly I started learning about the destination, researching on districts, flight, tips, education, hotels. I portrait doing the trip 4 weeks from then, in March, when the temperature in India would still be tolerable. However, my fear and resistance towards the trip were strong, making me consider postponing it or opting for an "easier" destination on multiple occasions. I looked for guidance through tarot consultations, which provided needed clarity, and talked about it with my family and therapist. Surprisingly, nothing external hindered me from embarking on the journey; rather, it was my own apprehensions holding me back. I. had to constantly remind myself of the life I want to have— and the readiness to embrace life's transitions, including death. I acknowledged my fear and vertigo, and even with that sensation, I booked my flight a week before I took it, right after I managed to get my Visa. From that moment on what I felt was a deep calming sensation and security. I experienced mental clarity and content with my choice. I start getting all I needed for my trip and packing.

The day arrived and this feeling stayed present throughout the 17h hours I spend on flights and in airports. I did not know what was the source of this sense of center and peace that sustained me, keeping me resilient and patient thoughout the journey. How the distractions around me, and the things my ego normally desired, were barely registered. It was only upon arriving in Rishikesh that I began to grasp the beauty that awaited me, and with it, the understanding of that inner strength and peace.

Strangely, upon setting foot in Rishikesh, I felt as though I had been there forever. Nothing felt unfamiliar or unwelcoming. On the contrary, the mountains, the locals, the tourist, the animals, everything that was present in spirit and matter seem to cohexist harmoniously. There was no sense of alienation, but a profound acceptance of life and its intensity, being chaos also part of God and beauty.