A few years ago I became curious about Yoga and learned that it is a great compliment to Pilates which is my full-time job as a studio owner and Certified Stott Pilates Instructor. This curiosity led me to India, where I expanded my interests to Indian culture and customs. Learning about the spirituality of Indian customs such as yoga and meditation, the idea of going to India became very appealing yet I was nervous to take this voyage on my own.

During this time, I learned about the annual customized Yoga and Ayurveda trips coordinate by my sister’s friend, Kerry Lawson. After researching the details I decided this was exactly what I was looking for and in February 2008 I was one of the participants of the most unique and wonderful voyages I have ever taken. The trip allowed me to practice Yoga with an authentic Yogi master (Guru) and several other teachers. I lived the healthy balanced life of ayurveda (Yoga is a part of ayurveda) practiced daily meditation and literally felt the teachings and wisdom of the culture seeping into my own psyche.

We began with a few days in Chennai, a large Indian city. This was obviously a bit of a shock but I loved every minute of it. The noise, high population and traffic were crazy. However, the energy from the people and the hustle of the city seemed familiar to me. Everyone seemed to be smiling and enjoying the simple things. I found myself laughing and feeling very calm amidst the chaos.