mystical west coast

Well faithful blog followers, we have all come to the end of this journey.

I arrived back home a couple of days ago to the beautiful blue tinted mountains of the North Shore and the sounds of seagulls beckoning fullbodied calls of love to the ocean. I completely understand their compulsion.

The cascade of love in India continued for my last days there. I was given the gift of 30 students singing "What a Wonderful" world to me in their lilty Hindi accents. One of the dancers created a solo for me. The classes made a beautiful DVD made up of clips of me teaching interspersed with proclomations of love from students. I was also given many Indian gifts which I later stuffed into my oversized luggage.

The signing of autographs and writing of messages to all 60 students continued as I left the studio and got into a rickshaw. It was the most rockstar I have ever been. Unfortunately the whole event was colored by a nauseaous feeling which increased at the airport when the students came to see me off at 3:00am. It increased again on the plane and it is now at a high in my apartment in Vancouver. This may be a relapse of the hepatitis. It means that I won't be able to go back to work for an indefinite amount of time and every thought of India compounds the sick feeling with memories of sick feelings.

This sick time will bring more self reflection, hopefully some application writing and many episodes of 30 Rock.

On another note, I just read in a Facebook message from a student that there have been marches in the streets of Mumbai against the government. Before leaving, I remember a feeling of faith that the Mumbaikars were going to start rising up against the neglect from the government. Anyone who tries to deny that many people equal rights to food, shelter and education is asking for a revolt. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see an India without any more remnants of castes or unnecessary disease? Wouldn't it be inspiring to see a greater improvement in sanitation and housing? Mostly, it would be wonderful to see it change from the ground up spurred by the action of people who know they deserve better.

Which brings me to one of the biggest lessons I learned on my trip; to never underestimate what I am capable of and to always be using my skills and growing in a way that connects me to others. There is a reason for everything and I think that lesson was my reason for being in India. Well worth a little hepatitis any day;)

Thanks for reading my blog. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it and am looking forward to the next bloggin adventure!

pack it up and pack in the cake!

Things here are winding up for me. Mumbai is kind of shutting down tomorrow for the cricket world cup match (I've never been so excited about a game in my life). So, my final class has been moved to Sunday.
My students have started the process which seems to be common here. I'd like to call it the "great Indian shower of love". Today, they got me a cake with my photo on it. They all FED it to me...all 30 of them in one of my classes. Then, they took photos for about an hour. Then, they made a big circle and had me sit in the middle and sat and gazed at me and asked me to stay.
I got many beautiful gifts and notes which I already charish. One of the most extraordinary was a homemade book with each page covered in things which this lovely student learned during our time together. She wrote that she felt it was her responsibility to let me know what my love does for people. Can you believe it!!!! Ha, and I do truely know what love does because I feel it from them.
So, I'd like to take this entry to honour my dance instructors, it's them who brought me to this amazing situation.

Ellizabeth Russel, Louise Shockey, Laura Lee, Veronica McGuire, Holly Bright, Sarah Brewer, Marla Eist, Cheryl Prophet, Judith Garay, Anthony Morgon, Henry Daniels, Shannon McMurchie, Meghan Walker-Straight, Mary-Louise Albert, John Ottman, Wen Wei Wang, Peggy Baker, Margie Gillis, Serge Bennethan, Julia Sasso, Mark Boivin, Davida Monk, Darcy McGehee, Melissa Monteros, Wojciech Mochniej, Michele Moss, Joanne Baker, Peter Bingham, Rob Kitsos, Lin Snelling, Andrea Nann, Day Helesic, Desiree Dunbar and Justine Chambers.....just to name a few.

AND of course- Mom, Dad and Stace. Where would I be if I didn't have the amazing family that I have. This trip is dedicated to you!!

Everyone, if you have enjoyed these blog entries, please think about sponsoring a child in India or doing a small part to help this country. There are many things which could benefit the people heret including helping to support sanitation programs, education for children or sponsoring a single mother. I'll look for some organizations and get back to you.

My last entry will be in Canada!

Man Love

I love men. I will never become a man basher, men are my brothers, fathers and loves. I need them as much as I need women, animals, food and water. I tend to live a rather yin life as I am surrounded by amazing women in the dance world. Here, I've had the opportunity to work with a group of dancers which is made up of more men than women.
I have a special group right now who are doing some extra classes with me. They are talented and happen to be all men. It's been such a great challenge to figure out how to train them and a gift to see how they respond.
For me, I feel a strong female energy in India. At least, the male and female energy seems more balanced. There is alot of physical affection between men and it's not a problem and I see less machoism here. My men's class makes me really smile every day. I don't quite know how to communicate to them how much what they do touches my heart.
They have a favourite song which I play. It's a gentle lullabye and (to my surprise) they request it daily. Not only do they request it but I see them closing their eyes and singing along. I've heard them singing it together while they are getting changed and ready for class! Amazing.
I've never met a group of men who are so willing to show gentleness and softness. They also aren't afraid to show pain and....they aren't scared to do movement that would look very feminine to the western sensibility.
But, they're still guys and do typical guy things as well. It's amazing to me that they are so unashamed of both aspects of their personalities.


Holi was amazing. That's the celebration where people throw coloured powder at each other. My students took me to a safe party within an apartment complex. I think the photos that are posted to my Facebook profile speak for themselves. It was a mad dance party with grandparents and children alike dancing like MANIACS. Of course, my students blew the lid off the whole event. There was NO agression, only joy. My roommate said that it was the time of his life. It was fun to see him running around like a 5 year old and just playing.

I'm exhausted. Off to bed. perhaps my next post will be in Canada.

blue skies and black waters

When I get back home; I will feel angry. I'm preparing myself now to be patient with that. I know that it will be born from frusteration at not being able to describe this experience fully. I'm sure all those memories will work themselves into my various corners until they get swallowed into my sense of self. I just won't be able to share all of the information with the people who I love in Canada; but something about me may seem new or different. In seeing that, I hope that people will get a glimpse of what the experience was. Perhaps they will understand.
For me, anger is fear. I'm predicting that the fear will be that I'll never be able to communicate something that I've learned here that is just so vital and touching. However, I am reminding myself that this is why I became a dancer. It was so that I could communicate and share those delicate truths that words threaten to squish and destroy.
Ha...this is REALLY how I want to write, pardon me if it's dramatic.

Most of my students have been quite concerned about Japan lately, understandably. The earth, humans, the earth, humans- that relationship is always bouncing around in my mind and within the greater social consciousness. I think about the amount of education and awareness raising it's taken to get Vancouver to be so recyling aware etc. I also think about the amount of people in India. When India turns it's head, the world tilts. Ha. How long would it take to get recycling programs REALLY running here?

Apparently, there ARE recycling programs in India. It just takes a long time for such things to get implemented because very little is initiated on a governmental level. I know so little about this, I really can't make conclusions. Accept, I know the gov is corrupt and so the people don't get what they need.

Today, I saw a dog wading through a river. He was black to his neck from wet dust, compounded feces and ground up garbage which turn the rivers into sludge. A small child was teatering along the bank near the dog. He was enjoying his freedom to explore the littered bank in bare feet and a t-shirt. Cars blared by on the highway a meter away from the child.

Later today, I thought about a recently formed law in Canada which enforces that children ride in car seats until the age of seven. I laughed out loud at the extremes. So, how do we begin to create a balance? What steps do we take to move towards meeting in the middle?

I do have ideas about this. See me for further details. I love chatting about this stuff.

No words

Ha, well what to say. My trip has become inexplicable. I just can't describe it all; it's so rich and full.
My roommates have left now. I actually cried. I realized that my experience was so much deeper because I was able to share it with them. It was also touching to see how they reacted to leaving, everyone was sad to go. I thought about why today and I realized that it's just about love. It's been easy to love here in India and that's a really good feeling. I'll have new roomies soon.
Before he left, Che met me after work one day and we went to the red light district. It was just something that we had both wanted to do as it's part of this city and we want to take it all in. It's supposed to be the largest red light district in the world.
I know of all the corruption and abuse that is threaded throughout the sex trade. I think it is something that everyone knows of. However, it was very difficult to get any sense of that as we walked through the streets which really looked like any other area of Mumbai. There were more slim and pretty women about, but there wasn't anything blaringly advertising what the area was all about. At least, not to our North American eyes and sensibilities.
What we did find was a community of people with men, women, transgendered folks and children all going about life together.
In the midst of it we found five men seated on a stage in front of some wooden benches, playing the most beautiful Indian music. The only instrument that I knew of was the tabla (sp?), and it drew me in. What skill those musicians have.
It was obvious that foreigners were a rare sight there and everyone at the little concert was so friendly and interested in us. The kids completely flock to Che. They are just sooo adoreable; I can't even describe it. They all drag each other around with arms strapped around each others shoulders and huddle together and giggle. We are exciting to them and I think Che with his athletic body must look like a giant body builder in their eyes. We played with them and listened to the music.
At one point, one of the children reached out to grab Che's sunglasses. Immediately about 6 adults jumped towards the child, sharply warning him not to touch us or our belongings. This is something that is opposite to the warnings I heard about India before I left. I prepared myself for theft to be a problem....but it just doesn't seem to be a problem at all. That concern for our well being that the adults showed is much more representative of my experience here.
The culture feels soft and I haven't felt unsafe once...accept maybe while trying to cross the street;)
Back to teaching and back to many loving students who are struggling to understand "turn out". Next project is to buy a new camera and show you all the things that I can't describe.

Seeing it again for the first time

Finally on the mend. I got the go ahead from the doctor to get back to life now. Phew, I was going rather stir crazy and will be happy to see my students on Monday.
The hospital here is wonderful. I've noticed that doctors give out vitamins and natural medications along with western medecines. If they give out an antibiotic, they always give out a probiotic with it. The only medications that I've had for the Hep are vitamins and some things to help with nausea. So that's been great. Also, there is really good information sharing at the hospital. They basically gave me a copy of my file which they add all of my receipts to. Test results are posted online within 24 hours and I can access them using my patient number. Physio, GP's, the pharmacy, the centre for obesity etc. can all be found at the hospital. It's a great system.
As soon as I got the clearance, I went off on a little adventure. Melissa's Dad is here visiting and so the three of us went to Elephanta Island. It's a historical wonder. Elephanta Island has caves which are guessed to have been carved around 600AD with massive wall carvings and statues of Shiva in His various forms. There are also carvings of other Gods and families of Gods which together, depict a very sophysticated and complex Faith based system that was the foundation of the society. Of course, each God has a myriad of stories connected with it which I will be processing and learning about for awhile. Seeing the awe inspiring caves and carvings was such a humbling experience.
There were 7 caves on the island. The main one is a 130 feet chamber very carefully carved into the side of a stone mountain. The chamber is supported by rows of massive stone pillars which rest on a square base and have a cushion like capital. Within the chamber there are 9 carvings. The most glorous of which is of the supreme Shiva, fully manifest, with three heads. He is surrounded by dwarf attendant figures and figures of yogis. The Shiva figure is 8.3 meters high and rests in a recess 3.2 meters deep and 6.55 meters wide. The detail of the hair, jewelery and serene face is astounding.
The entrance to the cave is gaurded by two statues. One of Shiva as Lord of Dancers and one of Shiva as Lord of Yogis (yogesvara). The tour book that we bought says "[A]s yogevara, he is the supreme master of all yogic disciplines, as well as the teacher of all the arts that give expression to an understanding and realisation of ultimate reality." How could I not love this statement and what is conveys. These are the two forms of Shiva that were chosen to gaurd the doorway to the most sacred space of this ancient culture. The power of mindful art making is something that was deeply respected and it reminded me that art does in fact have the power to move an entire civilisation.
Unfortunately, the cave was used as a firing range for the portugeuse at some point and quite a bit of damage was caused. But, the awesomeness of the place is very evident and people still bring flowers as offerings to the Gods.
To get to the island, we took the train down to Kolaba where boats leave from The Gateway to India. I was so happy to get out in the world that while riding in the ladies coach, I delighted in the sight of the women beautifully wrapped up in colourful saris with thick braids down their backs. They all jingle when they walk from their rows of bangels and anklets and flowers are neatly tucked into their hair.
After a day of trecking, I was happy to treat myself to a cab on the way home rather than take the busy train. I could have lounged in the cab for hours and never tired of gazing out the window at the diversity of sights that is Mumbai. Giant billboards stuck to the top of buildings; tiny shops and vendors spilling fruit, vegetables and fish into the streets; old brick buildings; houses made of cloth; people walking their dogs; young girls washing clothes on the side of the highway; school children with perfectly pressed and matching uniforms, bikes and rickshaws and trains and fancy cars. Everyone living together.
So much happens in a day here and life is bursting.
My roomates are going back to Canada within days and they truely are mourning. Though they're very happy to have had the experience, I think it's taking a little mental preparation to say goodbye. Che is a true world traveller and yet he declared the other day that this particular trip was everything. That's because India is everything. And, I'm only getting started:)

Hepatitis

Well, there's a perfectly good explanation for the upset stomach. I have a self curing form of hepatitis. Most likely it's Hep E as I have an immunization for Hep A. Jaundice is a sign of hepatitis and so I have that as well.
I have had some tests to confirm it and will find out if it is A or E very shortly. However, both go away on their own in time and it takes about 2-3 weeks of real rest.
So, I have been sleeping and laying about in my apartment for a few days. I'll have to give myself some projects so that I don't get really bored. Basically, I feel slightly nauseous all of the time and very lathargic and sleepy. Any sudden movement increases the nausea so I just need to move slowly for awhile.
It's a great opportunity to catch up on reading and computer projects. It's tricky not to be able to excersise but I think I'll get strength back slowly and will be able to do bits here and there in my apartment.
As of now, I have no idea what my students will do for 2 to 3 weeks. That's a long time!!! AND, it's their money that they have invested in this program. I'm brain storming some projects to give them from afar. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear it.
Take care y'all, will write again and tell you all about the Indian medical system before too long:)