Whimsicaljade @ Ashram

We have invited sketcher, Whimsicaljade, to share with Shop Oryx her recent experience to Karnataka, India. She is the artist behind our collection of greeting cards which you can browse at our online store. 

My mom and I have been practicing yoga for less than 2 years now. It has become quite a hype to be doing yoga, to attain flexibility and perhaps a by-product of it, a well-toned body. I started doing yoga because I wanted to be more flexible on the rock climbing walls. For my mom, it was for her overall well-being. After months of practise, I began to wonder if this 10,000-year-old practice has more to offer than just physical benefits.

That was when we decided to go to India to find out...

Of all the ashrams in India, we choose the one that popped up to us visually. That is to say, their website was pretty well-done. Thumbs up for their marketing...

AyurYoga Eco-Ashram became our home for 2 weeks in January. We were in the immersion group, a relax retreat, with lots of free time in between classes, freedom for us to roam physically, around the ashram, and mentally, to do self-searching through books, meditation, etc. 

For me, when I have time, I sketch. Sketching is something I do, wherever I go, especially when I am on the move. The term "extroverted-introvert" applies when I am in an unfamiliar place. Sketching is my method to warm up to new people, to observe, and to get to know them on a one-to-one basis if chances permit. This is not limited to people, but to environment as well. When we travel, we yearn to be taken into a different culture, a different lifestyle. Texting on the cellphone or voraciously using that DSLR is not my way of sipping into it. 

Two whole weeks at this beautiful ashram, I regretted bringing only 1 sketchbook. With that limitation, every single page has to be accounted for...absolutely no screwing up...which was hard. Each day was enriched with quality yoga classes, philosophy lessons and nature walks. I was literally burgeoning in the creative zone. 

I especially enjoyed sketching the kitchen staff. Apart from the yoga teachers, these hardworking folks are the backbone of the ashram. They work with so much joy, humming tunes as they cook, and coaxing out the flavors of every spice with such love and care. No wonder the food tasted so good...

Visit www.whimsicaljade.net for her complete AyurYoga sketchbook and more of her works. 

For more information on this ashram, please visit http://www.ayuryoga-ashram.com/