Yoga is so much more than putting our bodies into various shapes and poses.  In fact, the word, yoga, means union or the yoking together of body, mind and spirit. The purpose is to connect ourselves to our highest nature. The practice of yoga includes breathwork, meditation and chanting mantra.  My body feels energized after doing the poses, but I find peace and clarity from fusing all aspects of the practice.

The first time I heard the sound of the harmonium, about 12 years ago, was a spiritual experience for me. The sound was different to any instrument I had ever heard and chanting mantra to the sound of the harmonium made me feel connected to myself and those around me. I felt uplifted.  Last year when we decided to go to India I knew I would be coming home with my own harmonium.

Enter Udaipur; the white city.  This was our first landing stop in India after New Delhi.  What a romantic and enchanting place, this city of lakes. Marble palaces and havelis (mansions) sit perched above shimmering Lake Pichola.  I decided to go explore the town while the boys were doing their schoolwork. Walking through the crooked, narrow streets- none wide enough to fit a car through- is something of an art.   I had to jump into a shop doorway to avoid being hit by either an auto rickshaw or cow. I landed right into a sweet little music shop where I was invited in by Krishna, the owner. We talked for a while about family, yoga, my travels and his life in Udaipur.  I asked him if he would take me on as a student of the harmonium while I was in town and we set up my first lesson the next morning. Our first session was a family lesson with Dave and me on harmonium, Oliver on sitar and Judah on tablas.

After the hour was over Krishna said it was time to go home for tea. We said our goodbyes and he exclaimed, "No madam, we all go home for tea. My wife makes us tea."  Krishna's wife, Heena, makes the best cup of masala tea in all of Rajasthan, I'm sure of it. Despite being busy cleaning and preparing for the Diwali holiday, Krishna and Heena were wonderful hosts. We were invited to stay and join them for Heena's aloo gobi for lunch in their tiny home, just large enough for a table for 1 person and a twin bed that they share with their teenage son. We stayed for hours while Heena taught the boys how to cook chapati over an open flame and gave me a henna on my hands. And she loved seeing photos from our trip.

I continued my harmonium lessons each day, testing out several instruments throughout each lesson. Krishna had about 20 harmoniums in his tiny shop, but there was one I kept coming back to.  Krishna and all the men throughout his ancestry are of a caste of musicians. My harmonium was one of a few that had belonged to his grandfather, who was one of the palace musicians of Udaipur.  

I love its antique look, I love its old and unique sound and mostly I love its history.  I've been wanting to add something creative into my life for a long while.  I'm looking forward spending many hours learning and practicing my new instrument while sipping on a homemade masala tea, though mine doesn't compare to Heena's!