Yoga a go go

A couple of additional points I've missed.
Coimbatore is nice. It's fairly small (only a million people), clean, friendly and easy-going. Colleges are on the rise here and the city is becoming an up-and-comer in Tamil Nadu.
We like the hotel. It's new and modern. My room is better than the one I stayed at in Vegas and the amenities are nicer. And reasonable at about $120 USD I think.
This is the lobby:



And the view from my room.



So, we got up after a night of week sleep and breakfasted.
The food was tasty- dosa and the like.

Around noon our contact arrived and inquired what we would like to do. After some chat, we decided to go to the Isha yoga center.
It was about an hour away, so back in the car and off we go.
Now, our contact described this as a yoga center that has retreats and we can have personal growth. My response to personal growth and spirituality is generally to ask who farted.
But off we go. We get there and check our shoes and such. Our guide tried in vain to get the place to end the shoe rules for us, but we were used to it and didn't care.
They showed us a video and we learned that we would get a spiritual boost by first bathing in the waters of a pool that contained a giant linga made out of solidified mercury.
Solidified mercury?
Yes, ancient Hindu alchemists made it.
Ok.
So we walk through, do our bit and then eat to the bathing place.
It's segregated boys and girls by timing and the boys are up first.
I've opted for the sprinkle instead of the dip, so I go and wash up and head into the stone grotto alone.



This image is from their web site. No cameras allowed. These steps go down maybe 150 feet. The stairs are high and slippery but the light is awesome and the silence is affecting.
I go down slowly and step into the low water. In front of me, men are slowly, silently maneuvering about in the water up to the submerged linga.



I dipped my head and hands and let it fall down my face. After a minute I slowly mounted the steps and found the girls. I have to say- might have been the stairs or anything else, but I felt pretty mellow.
I waited in happy lassitude until the ladies were done, then we entered the big linga area. I'm sure that's not the right name, but it was basically a large brick dome with a big black linga in the middle. We went in, made offerings and then sat down cross-legged to think.


I did not say mediate because this place is so turned on that you just sit down and the mediation just happens.
Mm hmm. But dang, if ten minutes into it I was really placed out and far away.
But the bell rang and dragged me out. We had to head to work.
We were all affected and enjoyed the drive home.
Then it's suit up, game on, eight hours of talking to vendors.
First work day down.


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Location:Coimbatore