PK Day 5 | Be a Seeker: Soaking Up Wisdom

After the intensity of the physical release on Wednesday night, Thursday was a joyful day of soaking up wisdom. Despite the lack of sleep, my energy rebounded quickly after breakfast. I joined two of my favorite therapists, Meredith and Melissa, for Total Body Serenity in the morning, and would see Melissa again in the afternoon for a thyroid-focused “Jatru Basti.”

Cedar Soak Tub

Before lunch, I spent a quiet, restorative hour alone in the outdoor Cedar Soak tub, gazing at the mountains and the trees. It was unseasonably warm for February. There was a light, pleasant rain that felt like a gentle cleansing from Mother Nature. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, a faint rainbow appeared among the clouds. Nature heals.

The Power to Hit the Squelch Button

During a lunch of coconut rice, lemon ginger sauce, and root veggies, my PK group discussed the peaceful quiet we were enjoying here. Cam offered a CB-radio metaphor that resonated: we were away from the “static of life,” with SoHum pressing the metaphorical “squelch button.”

It was a reminder that the peace I was experiencing was a state I could actively return to. Just as Dorothy can click her ruby slippers and return home from Oz at any time, I can always activate the squelch button and reclaim my peace.

Reflections from Harish

In the afternoon, I spent some time in my room preparing for the meeting with Dr. Lad. I came downstairs early, and lucked into a wisdom-filled conversation with Harish, Suhanee’s grandfather. He shared that reclaiming your health requires four things: Faith, Trust, Commitment, and Patience.

He suggested a simple, grounding practice: to meditate while facing the Northeast each morning and evening, taking the time to “chew” on the wisdom I was gathering, and to remember anyone I hurt during the day and to mentally ask for forgiveness.

I gave him an origami heart and shared how transformational my PK experience had been; he responded that it “blossoms his heart,” which was a lovely turn of phrase! His final piece of advice was nudging me to embrace the life of a “seeker.”

Wisdom from Dr. Lad

I entered my session with Dr. Vasant Lad and offered the origami gifts I had crafted with intention: the 8-part “flower of wisdom” for him, the 5-part spring flower for Suhanee, and hearts for the students and faculty in the room. I was delighted with their collective delight!

Dr. Lad’s guidance was deeply inspirational. I truly don’t have the words to do it justice here, but I’ll share a few small things that stood out to me.

He recommended SoHum (breath) meditation as a path to self-awareness and “I consciousness.” It is always present, but we take it for granted, ignore it, and never give it full attention. To follow this path:

• Observe the observer in the act of observation
• Listen to the listener in the act of listening
• Know the knower in the act of knowing

Three different times, he said I was “truly a divine mother – very sweet, very loving.” Suhanee emphasized to me afterward that he kept repeating it so I would really hear that message and believe it. He also gave me advice on strengthening my relationship with my son and bringing our hearts together (which has helped tremendously over the past 3 weeks I’ve been home).

He provided me with a specific Marma therapy sequence to practice – pressing points below my ring fingers, thumbs, and wrists to support my eyes, thyroid, and ojas (vital energy in the body). He also encouraged me to invite healing, happiness, and joy into my home through several simple rituals, including smudging with sage and setting up a copper kalash, both with very specific instructions.

I asked him what my purpose was, and he smiled and said I already knew my purpose, that I am a teacher, a wonderful yoga teacher.

The Vital Energy of Food

At dinner, Ami talked with us about the prana (vital life force) of our food. We discussed how food with high prana and different flavor profiles – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent – feels more filling and is more nourishing. The evening’s meal, a vibrant Beet Pulao, was a perfect example. It was grounding, rich in color, and one of my favorite meals of the week. My one regret was that I wasn’t hungry enough to eat it all!

Art and Color

We closed the day with Art Therapy (Ranga Chikitsa) with Ona. It was interesting to learn how specific colors correspond to our doshas, days of the week, and chakras. We realized that Suhanee’s colorful clothing choices, like a beautiful red top on Tuesday, were intentional and energetically aligned.

We made watercolor art to remind us of the feelings we wanted to carry home. Priya shared first, with a detailed, multi-layered creation and explanation that left us in awe. Her husband, Sri, went next, mischievously offering “what Priya said” when he shared his artwork, and all 6 of us laughed so hard we were almost crying. Cam presented an artistic outdoor nature scene.

I struggled with the watercolor medium, but aimed for my canvas to include the five elements of Ayurveda:

• Earth: flowers and ground
• Fire: sun
• Air: blue lines (top 2)
• Water: blue lines (bottom 2)
• Space: the pause between the So (inhale) and the Hum (exhale)

Sam’s creation was simple and profound, with a spectrum of warming shades in the middle balanced by green along the edges. His words remind him to “detach from past” and “keep the fire”.

Shiva’s artwork was beautiful, with several shades of green and blue, a sun, and decorative dots. I told her, with all sincerity, that I would have bought it if it had been for sale in the gift shop.

I went to bed Thursday night feeling “full” in a way that had nothing to do with physical hunger. Between the mountain rain, the vibrant art, and Dr. Lad’s soul-level reminders of who I am, the static of my daily life felt worlds away. I didn’t realize it then, but this deep state of receptivity was exactly what I needed to prepare for the final phase of PK: building the bridge back to the real world.

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In my next post: We begin to bridge the gap between quiet mountain-top clarity and the “static” of our daily lives, creating the blueprints for carrying this peace home.

Read part 9: PK Day 6 | Blueprints: Designing Our Post-PK Lives

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