It is amazing how the ‘five elements’ (the PanchabhUtAs – prithvi – Earth, jala or ApaH – Water, agni – Fire, vAyu – Air, AkashaH – Space) give an experience that is unforgettable.

My recent experience at Dharamshala, where I went for a Yoga and Wellness Retreat was one such. Two reasons drew me to the Retreat – my earlier two experiences with the people who organise it and Dharamshala, a place close to my heart. When I enrolled myself for it, I didn’t know what was ahead. When the ahead became the present, it truly was a ‘present’. A ‘present’ that will be stored and cherished in memory for as long as memory is.

prithvi

We had all retired for the night after a sound healing session. I had almost dozed off, when I heard a rumbling rattling sound and of the bed, shelf and the table shaking. I opened my eyes to see the fan moving differently. My room mate was also up and both of us thought that either there was a thunderstorm or some quarrying was happening that was causing the rumble, rattle and the shake. When it lasted for a few seconds is when we realised that it was much more than what we thought. We decided to step out of the room. Just then, we heard a few voices in the corridor outside – of some of our fellow retreaters and the staff of the place we were staying in. It was then that we knew that the rumble, rattle and shake was due to an earthquake of a magnitude of 4.9 on the Ricter scale.

Quite some questions we had – Are all safe? WIll there be an aftershock? Which is the exit for us to escape from, if there is a recurrence? Etc Etc Etc

If the sound healing session made some shifts within me, the movement of the tectonic plates, symbolically seemed to echo that shift. In addition, was a sense of gratitude to have experienced this ‘element’ in its most raw and natural version. Life is wonderous indeed!!

“Experience me in my element”, says prithvi.

jala or ApaH

This element wasn’t as flowing water but in the form of ice. Patches of snow on the Dhauladhar mountain range. At times it seemed as though the patches were water rivulets that had frozen. Every frozen patch was a beautiful sight and it was hard to remove my gaze from the snow patch mountain; and if I removed my sight, very quickly they would be drawn back to the snow patch mountain. This sight was an addictive one. No matter how many times I looked at this sight, I wasn’t satiated. I happily kept looking and absorbing the sight. The more I looked, my happiness grew. When it was time to leave from this place, there was a sense of fullness and gratitude for all that was absorbed.

“Experience me in my element”, says jala / ApaH.

agni

Fire need not be in its glowing blowing self. It can also be in the form of rays that radiate from the bright sun. When the sun rays shine on the peak of a mountain, the sight that it lends for that short period is one to behold. I remember seeing this in movies and photographs and admiring the way the rays of the sun changes the way the mountain peak looks. It was a surreal few moments to see it actually happening right in front of me. That golden glow atop the mountain is a sight that gives me the goosebumps, even as I pen this blog. Both agni and jala / ApaH did their roles well, neither affecting each other, even though they can. Nature is certainly a marvel!!

“Experience me in my element”, says agni.

vAyu

An hour of breathing exercises, established in me the need for deep diving in it, to lead a balanced life.. ‘Be mindful of your breathing, when you are in a discomforting situation’ is what I have heard from time to time. I was given to understand that a focus on breathing helps the mind to shift from the discomforting situation, to our breath. That’s when we realise the shallow breaths we take and that realisation makes us make attempts to balance our breath. A balanced breath is a balanced mind and body; which leads to a balanced action. A ripple effect!!  My own deeper understanding of breath helped me connect it to Wellness.

Kanchi Mahaperiyava’s words rang in my mind – with nine dwArAs (openings) in our body, what is fascinating is not how prAnA (breath) leaves our body in the final moment of our life; what is fascinating is how it is retained every moment, till we are alive.

Every breath is a ‘present’!!

“Experience me in my element”, says vAyu.

AkAshaH

If the Dhauladhar range was expansive and drew my attention, the space and its vastness was never ending. It just seemed to go on and on. That limitlessness is to be experienced.

There was a boundary and yet not..

The mountains seemed to be within reach and yet not..

The snow patches looked as though one can go near them and touch and thats only in the photographs that are taken..

As we walked thru a long and finding walk of forest and a rocky terrain, we thought we reached somewhere, only to find that the way ahead seemed to go on and on.. Vastness!!

In the walk, we saw a burst pipe and water springing up from it. The rays of the sun shining on the water that had sprung up, made a rainbow emerge on land. Every colour was so resplendent and vibrant. I have seen a rainbow and even a double rainbow in the sky but a rainbow on land? Infinite possibilities!!

Vastness.. Infinite.. limitless..

“Experience me in my element”, says AkAshaH.

Tectonic shift.. fulfilling snow patch.. radiating rays.. breathful moments.. limitlessness..

When every moment is spent in the presence of the panchabhUtAs, a sense of calm and peace prevails. A sense of fulfillment envelops.. Moments of immense gratitude is experienced..

A Wellness Retreat that also became an Elemental Retreat (for me)!! Holistic indeed!!

NOTE: Find below the instagram handle of Sowkhyam Yoga and Wellness Retreat, with whom I went for the Retreat.

https://www.instagram.com/sowkhyam.wellness?igsh=N3I2b2FiZDVocGY5