It may not have been about herbs very much, but my trip to India in November was about everything. Plants, people, life, love, community, spirituality, music, yoga, love, generosity and so much more.
We traveled with 8 participants and most importantly our guide, mentor, yoga teacher and dear friend, Jogi Bhagat. Jogi is a born Indian and now lives in Austin where he teaches yoga to many fortunate students.
Tom and I flew to New Delhi a day early to become acclimated to this wondrous new country and settle in before our tour started, but our journey began right away. We stayed at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in New Delhi where I did yoga everyday, meditated in the large and stunning meditation hall, volunteered in the garden (yes many of the plants at the Ashram were those I knew from Austin. i.e. Lantana, Yellow Bells) and met many interesting and genuinely kind, loving people from all over the world. Before the rest of our group arrived, Jogi treated me to an exquisite henna tattoo on both sides of my right arm. I was a walking work of art ready to celebrate my time in India and the Festival of Lights (AKA Dewali, just a few days away). The next day we started our tour by visiting various historical places, a Mosque, the Parliament and most memorably, The Sikh temple where we heard music and prayers and covered our heads as we worshipped with these generous, spiritual people. We toured the kitchen and learned that the Sikhs feed 1000 people at a time, 25 
After a few days we took our first train ride to Jaipur, the pink city, where we visited palaces, saw a concert of talented Indian performers and did what you do in Jaipur and that is shopped!!! The Indian people are kind, courteous, trustworthy and giving. I found most of the shopping to be relaxed, unhurried and not pushy as it is in so many other countries I have visited. We ate in a lovely restaurant that evening and danced the night away feeling happy and relaxed.
The best part of our trip was yet to come and that was our spiritual pilgrimage to Rishikesh at the foothills of the Himalayas. This small city was alive with chanting, singing and ceremonial fires. I loved just gazing at the mountains and my favorite time was on the rooftop of our hotel where we practiced Yoga at 6:30am, did the sun salutation and watched the sun rise over the mountain. Truly a glorious and miraculous moment.
The next morning we visited the Shivananda Ashram for a 6:30am service and learned about the Society of Divine Love. This Ashram supports and believes in all spiritual practices and pays homage to the sacred phrases and prayers from religions and spiritual traditions from all over the world. We are all connected, we are all on a journey together discovering God or Nirvana or Peace or however one wishes to define it. We are truly one and Shivananda Ashram brings it all together for us.
Leaving Rishikesh, we journey back to the Ashram in New Delhi where we are honored to have a stimulating teaching by Dr. Ramesh Bijlani. I enjoyed two days of teaching on Stress Management as Dr. Bijlani wove together Hindu philosophy and western psychology in a simple, understandable, yet profound way.
That evening we dressed up in our finest new Indian clothes (purchased for us by Jogis lovely sister, Sunita), and headed over to her home for a scrumptious dinner, Dewali prayers and celebration and lots of fireworks. Dewali is a perfect combination of Christmas and the Fourth of July with twinkling lights on many houses and hand-made artwork on the ground made from flowers, chalk and candles.
The next day we got up very early and began our journey with another fantastic meal at Jogis brothers home on our way to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. I am just awed at the graciousness and generosity of the Indian people. They do say that when a stranger enters their homes they are treated like Gods, not guests. And we were. The Taj Mahal was everything I always imagined. It truly took my breath away as I admired the clean, bright marble, the crushed gems in the patterns of flowers, the symmetry, the grace, the design. I learned that the architect who designed the 
Finally on our last day I had the surprise of my life as I heard that the Dali Lama was speaking at a Quantum Physics conference just 2 miles from our Ashram. So without a ticket, but with hope and excitement, two of my fellow travelers, and one very sweet Buddhist Nun, hopped in a car and went to the JNU. We were able to register for the conference onsite and as I waited at the top of the ramp (with only about 50 others), the Dali Lama entered the building and slowly made his way up the ramp. He often stops and and finds a face in the crowd to talk to and he stood directly in front of me, while talking to the fellow next to me. I reached for his hand and he held it for a minute or so. I was in awe. From the moment I saw his approach on the steps under an umbrella, until we were seated in the auditorium, I cried tears of joy as I was filled with the love and kindness and joy that this man emanates.
I have brought India home with me in many ways. I am continuing to practice my skills as an Herbalist, to teach others of the magnificence of our green world and to help my friends understand the importance of this reality as we strive together to create peace, unity and abundant love on our planet.
Namaste, Ellen