Yoga and the Sri Lankan Train Ride

By Kirsten Chong
10 August 2009 08:55:00

Sri Lanka; Yoga and the Sri Lankan Train Ride

This tropical, tear drop shaped island off the southern tip of India is home to a myriad of yoga and some of the holiest sites of Buddhism in the world.

I embarked on this journey and imagined standing on mile long beaches shaded by coconut groves in vrksasana, tree pose. I envisioned my dristi resting on great vast expanse's with names like World's End in virabhadrasana II, warrior II, my fingertips pointed towards the infinite horizon. My body was craving the breath and energy of jungle warmth and sea breeze...

But where I found my yoga first was sitting in a well worn, cramped and crooked train seat, its vinyl cover cracked and abrasive beneath me. My good fortune was to have my seat, a set of two, occupied by a father and two of his three children who stood at his feet and spent most of their time hanging out the windows like lap dogs, tongues and tails wagging. The mother sat in a seat ahead of us with their third child on her lap.

This was all good fun, for the first 45 minutes.

Three hours later my body was aching in ways that I forget it aches with my lower back sore, my hips feeling weighted and my head and shoulders crying for support as I had tried to nap and found the "head-bob slump" had given me a crick I could barely right myself from.

Sitting upright the first thing I did was take a breath. I closed my eyes for a moment and centered my thoughts. I brought the awareness to the base of my spine as I sat on the cracked seat beneath me. I focused on the crown of my head and let energy infuse my spine from top to bottom. Inhaling and exhaling gently I slowly found solace in my cramped space. With a breath I turned my head right, and back to center... turned my head left, and back to center. Back and forth, encouraging movement and easing the strain in my neck. I continued, raising my arms above my head, careful not to elbow the father to my right, and stretched my shoulders, my chest, my upper back and rib cage. I turned in my seat to twist and watched the jungle trees whip past in one direction, and turned and watched the peanut wallah dole out nuts in the other. Legs outstretched I flexed and pointed my toes inside my dirty shoes and turned my ankles in circles. Then, crossing one leg over another I stretched my hips in a modified version of pigeon pose feeling the relief ebb through me.

Moving with awareness and consciousness, mindful still of the child at my feet and the stares of my fellow travelers my body slowly began to unwind. After fifteen minutes or so of movement I sat still, closed my eyes, and let my breath continue in deep waves as the swaying of the train on the tracks rocked me back and forth.

I felt whole again and in my quiet reverie was grateful for my yoga and ability to practice in this confined space. I would continue to draw on my experience and ability to practice anywhere and anytime I needed to or desired to, not only for enriching my sense of self but for strength and sanity.

Up ahead, four more hours of sitting in place watching the vibrant, green jungle and deep valleys of tea trail by....

Comments

Renée M. Grossman Says
20 August 2009 10:36:00

Please tell me how I can learn about the Yoga and Sri Lankan Train Ride.

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