Author:
Cailin O'Connor
Placement: 2 months at placement 0148
Period:
August-September 2007
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I went expecting to exercise my body, but I was surprised
at how much I ended up exercising my mind. Suman is wonderfully calm and
friendly, and his library of eastern philosophy is the perfect way to balance
physical and mental stimulation.
So, my day would usually start around 7
when I would go over to the main house with Rosie (from London) and we'd have
some herbal tea, do some yoga, and eat an unbelievably delicious homemade
breakfast. After that usually some chores, anything from sorting
gooseberries to cooking Keralan food to stamping on rice straw. The farm
is beautiful, with big fruit and nut trees bordering on rice paddy and enormous
butterflies flitting amongst the flower bushes.
Afternoons were generally
pretty peaceful, maybe some work, perhaps some reading, making chapati for
dinner. Often Suman would take the whole family on a walk to nearby
waterfalls, lake, or viewpoints. For me these walks through rural villages
and gorgeous countryside were the highlight of the day, a time to meditate and
just appreciate life. In the evening Rosie would sometimes read aloud from
a philosophy book, or we would play cards with Nithya (he's 8). Generally
I found it to be just a calm, wonderful place.
Cailin