Why are so many people trying to find themselves in India?
Every second person we met was seeking the truth. They were on a greater path to enlightenment and wanting more out of life. The more and more I met these people the more I realised that they seemed lost in their own minds. Why do you have to travel half way across the world to find your purpose in life? Surely people can seek enlightenment in their own country?
I am no stranger to meditation and yoga, I have been practicing for 10 years and understand the mental and physical benefits these have on the body. It is no secret that your mind is a powerful thing and we only really harness this power when we are fully concentrated on our purpose. Yogis and Buddhists alike have known this for years and has been filtering through to western culture. We somehow feel a need and drive to find ones purpose along the way.
Elise attempting to meditate
But why in India!
I feel that many people come to India to feel alone and try and practice from these master gurus that aren’t in the their own country. I get that there are extremely enlightened beings in India and people are seeking that same feeling of these gurus. But not on a 2 week long Yoga holiday. It is s nice introduction to yoga but why are we so eager for quick fixes in our lives. I mean come on, a 2 week rejuivating spa to meditate? That barely scratches the surface and you are merely going to put more money out of your pocket than you would gaining any form of true enlightenment.
Looking for more
Then you have these people that have been living in India for years and have been practicing ancient techniques and want to show you that it is possible. These people are just as bad as the door knockers (you know who I am talking about). For me yoga is in many ways a type of religion. Many would beg to differ, but it is a combination of rituals and repetitive practices that will ultimately bring enlightenment and closer to your creater-whoever or whatever that may be.
When in India, the inevitable question would always come up on how long have you been here and what made you travel to India. Seeking the truth must have been in the top ten for most people we spoke to.
I get that India is an ancient spiritual place, hell that is one of the reasons I love traveling there. It is something different unlike anything that I have ever experienced at home. But come to India to learn from gurus and find yourself somewhere else. Don’t hope that you will come to the country and all your worldly troubles will be flushed away. You are the power of your destiny not a spiritual country.
End of rant.
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I’m in India right now and just left Rishikesh last week…and I’ve met a few of those enlightenment-seekers you mentioned. What I find difficult (but more like patience-testing) with some of the people I meet is the immediate judgement that is passed if you are not on the same course to enlightenment like them.
It’s frustrating when people quickly disregard your experience because you haven’t done a week-long silence retreat or haven’t been in India for the past ten months studying under a certain guru.
It makes me question, are you on a path to personal enlightenment or professional ego-boosting?
Oh no Anthony! A yoga challenge in Nepal is the next stop on my round the world trip! Does this mean I need to reconsider?! Haha.
What have been the biggest mental and physical benefits you’ve noticed from practicing yoga?
I will be heading to India next year as part of my journey – aptly named Happiness Plunge. I think people probably look for themselves in India because it’s so diverse, different, and exotic. There is constant stimulation, yet tranquil opportunities for reflection. I haven’t been there, but that’s what I imagine anyway. Great post!
Its been a fashionable thing to do in India ever since the Beatles went there! I’ve done several multi-month trips to India – but I prefer to focus on enlightenment on the beach or in the amazing culture that is India
We just spent a month in India, but we weren’t on any specific spiritual quest. We were there to volunteer and ride elephants. It sounds silly when simplified to such an extent, but everything wonderful we learned or experienced along the way was not planned or sought after.
I believe most of the foreigners come to India with a mix of party and spiritual highs.. India is also considered as one of the cheapest destination which lures people for their long-term vacations… Yoga Ashrams and Spiritual centers are becoming a fashionable…
Yes India is on the cheap side for most westerners but I just don’t think that going to an ashram for 2 weeks is going get you any closer to enlightenment. Sure it is a good way to ignite the passion within you but we talked to many tourists about being a Yogi and how they have changed as people since being in India and how these Ashrams created a spiritual alignment like they have never seen before. What I don’t like is when they start to push it on others. We both do our fair share of Yoga and meditation and if these people new anything about it they would realise if is all internal and about yourself and not proving to everyone that they are happy. I guess it is like anything, it becomes popular because everyone is doing it.