Monday,
January 22nd was our final day in Bangalore. We began the day with a
yoga class from Dr. Sreenath, a faculty member with the Department of Psychology
at Christ. The yoga class was an introductory session for about 1½ hours, and
it consisted of breathing exercises, stretching, sun salutations, and corpse
pose, which is known as shavasana in
Sanskrit. Before the class began, however, Dr. Sreenath shared with us a bit
about the history of yoga in India. He explained that yoga originated in
ancient India and that the word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to join or to unite. Dr.
Sreenath said that this joining or uniting is between the mind and body, and in
that sense yoga in India is described as a group of physical, mental, and
spiritual practices. We began the practice with several breathing exercises,
known as pranayama in Sanskrit. We
first learned diaphragmatic breathing, followed by alternating nostril
breathing (nadi shodhana) and quick,
isolated diaphragm breathing. We then did several yoga stretches such as
forward fold, head circles, side bends, and single leg stretches. After the
breathing and stretching exercises, we practiced sun salutations (surya namaskar). Each sun salutation
consists of 12 yoga poses, and this is done on both sides of the body. The
final pose that we learned is known as corpse pose. This pose is done at the
end of yoga practice by laying flat on your back and slowly relaxing your
entire body. Dr. Sreenath explained that this pose has many benefits, including
turning one’s awareness inwards and reducing stress and anxiety.
In addition to learning about the
history and practice of yoga, the yoga class offered insight into the practice
of psychology in India. After talking with Dr. Sreenath afterward, I learned
that his doctoral research was on the role of a mindfulness intervention
program on enhancing resilience among adults diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. He has
also done research on spiritual well-being and parenting stress in caring for
children with neuro-developmental disorders. Dr. Sreenath’s research highlights
the relationship between India’s history of yoga and the role that it plays in
the practice of psychology. This relationship is also discussed in one of our readings
titled Positive Psychology Progress in
India: Accomplishments and Pathways Ahead. The reading discusses the development
of positive psychology in India, and the authors mention the practice of yoga
as having positive benefits to psychological and spiritual health. In the
context of positive psychology, the yoga class helped us to understand how the
work being done by psychologists and therapists in India is influenced by the
nation’s unique history and culture of yoga.
After a morning of relaxing yoga and
our stomachs full of our last breakfast at Christ, we were ready for an
excitement-filled day. When we walked into our conference room, we were
immediately taken by one of the three mehndi artists awaiting us. Mehndi, as we
learned, is an ancient practice that utilized the natural cooling properties of
the henna plant. The dried leaves of the henna plant are crushed into a
powdered paste. This paste can be used as the more common form of henna,
temporary tattoos, or it can be used to dye one’s hair. Both of these forms are
believed to withdraw heat from ones body, which is where the natural cooling
properties come into play. Typically henna is only used for special occasions
such as weddings, birthdays, holidays. But we were lucky enough that Christ
University was allowing us this opportunity to have bodies—hands, forearms,
upper arms, ankles, and toes—decorated by such talented artists. One of the
artists had been doing this art form for 20 years, and you could tell because
the process for the design quality and intricateness took half the time it took
us to actually pick out the type of pattern we wanted! It was difficult for us
to move after, because we wanted our henna to dry completely without having any
of it smudge. An hour after the henna was applied, it was set and hardened.
There was a mix of picking the top layer away and using water to aid in the
removal. All in all, they looked amazing, and will last approximately 2 weeks,
so hopefully they’ll remain long enough for us to show all of you reading this
blog upon our arrival home!!
Lastly, to really commemorate our
amazing time in Bangalore, we attended a Valedictory Presentation in Christ
University’s main auditorium, which holds 2,000 people. We were told to dress
in traditional India garb, and so the men wore traditional kurtas while those
of us who bought sarees were able to be wrapped properly by a group of women
who worked at Christ. We almost ran out of safety pins, but we didn’t! Together
we walked to the auditorium not knowing what to expect. And what we discovered
was truly an experience to remember. Students from Christ performed various
Bollywood fusion dances, a hip hop dance, well as musical pieces, such as an a
cappella group. We sat amidst raw talent, and then had the opportunity to have
a 10 minute dance party on stage with all of the dancers. To conclude the
ceremony, we gave group presentation summaries of the days we were in
Bangalore. The presentation consisted of a trivia portion, video compositions,
skits, and Powerpoints. We had many photos taken following the program to
capture the day in a snapshot. Then a quick dinner before heading to bed to get
some shuteye before our 3:30 am airport departure. Thank you, Bangalore, for
showing us your hospitality, kindness, and adventures. To Agra and Delhi we go!
Thank
you,
Hannah
and Tommy
