The bus and the sandbox

A view from the "Hot Seat" when the group was here in March!

I laugh at what passes through my mind while meditating and observing at the ashram.  When I was sitting in the back a lot, it felt like I could be on the backseat of a bus.  Gurudev is the bus driver and we make all of these different stops throughout the day, people come and go, different sized groups, the weather changes, the internal scenery varies etc..

Lately, I have been observing it as a giant sandbox where people come with their questions/thoughts (sand bucket/shovel).  Each person or group carves out a space on the beach with their asanas, phones, purses etc. Some stay sitting, others wander around and take in the sights (temples, statues, and wall hangings), but we all want a piece of the ocean/sun (Gurudev.)

The ashram isn't always a quiet place:  phones ringing, people talking on their phones, conversations, rustling of the human traffic, birds calling, distance sounds of traffic, noises from the kitchen, and whatever happens throughout the day to day process.  It is a small village that is quite active.  There are so many opportunities to examine your ego, but the best part is the energy field.  The training wheels for however deep and spacious a place you want to let yourself go.