kundalini yoga!!

i found a really nice way to start the day here in rishikesh. this kundalini yoga class is taught by a western woman in very meditative and active way as well. it's not the classical yoga poses, but it gives a great feeling while strengthening all kinds of muscles. and on top of that, i get my kundalini moving! kundalini is a powerful energy that is coiled at the base of everyone's spine. it is usually quite latent but if you get it flowing up through your chakras, you are on your way to everlasting bliss :)
after yoga i have been going to a music lesson with that 75 yr old teacher. i don't know his name yet. he's quite a character. it is taking me time to warm up to this guy. but he seems to really encourage me. i tried to tell him that i can't take class everyday since it's not in my budget but he told me it's very important and he will teach me really well, etc. so i walked out of there and felt pretty rediculous for telling this indian man that i can't afford a $3/hr lesson. his whole life has been only music, his children are in the same feild, and they live like any ordinary indian family, with a couple cows and other animals, outhouse type toilets, many people per room... since it's a private lessons it's pretty fast paced so i'll learn a lot over the course of the next month. according to guruji, this is what we humans are here for: to learn indian classical music - music to enlighten our atman.
we moved to a new guest house (actually 2 new guest houses! one room for practice and one for sleeping...) it's feels good as a change of scene. now we are even closer to the ganga, so close we can hear it!
i'm going to find some lunch.
Sat Nam
("truth is my identity" - a greeting used in kundalini yoga)