The Summer Solstice is rapidly approaching and there is much to do before I go to Guru Ram Das Puri for the celebration. I will be joined by thousands of like-minded souls who travel to New Mexico for this extraordinary experience hosted by the 3HO®, Yogi Bhajan's Healthy, Happy, Holy organization.
In the mid-1970s, a group of Hopis took Yogi Bhajan into the Jemez Mountains of Northern New Mexico near the town of Española and gestured toward the vast wilderness that stretched out for miles. The elders explained that for a hundred thousand years, huge spiritual gatherings took place over a vast territory stretching from what is now New Mexico, south to Mexico, and east to Missouri. They told Yogi Bhajan that these spiritual gatherings took place once every 108 years and the last one had taken place 2000 years ago...around the time the forces of darkness appeared.
The Hopi elders went on to tell Yogi Bhajan that it had been foreseen that just before the forces of darkness reached their full power, a white-clad warrior from the East would
arrive and create a white-clad army to protect the Unified Supreme Spirit. Since Yogi Bhajan was the white-clad warrior they were talking about, the Hopis entrusted him with the duty of keeping and protecting the Unified Supreme Spirit on this sacred land. Yogi Bhajan had celebrated the summer soltice in many different locations, but he was looking for one place where the students could return to year after year. In 1976, 3HO Foundation bought the parcel of land that the Hopis had recommended, and Yogi Bhajan named it Ram Das Puri that came to be known as Guru Ram Das Puri.
The Summer Solstice celebration is a great opportunity for many things; to deepen your practice, to be with your spiritual family, to serve, and to live close to this sacred earth. There are several ways to experience this living close to this sacred earth...and one way is to camp. I have camped the two years I've gone and I think I've learned a few things which I wanted to share. This is just my personal experience, but it might help others as they start to prepare for the Summer Solstice experience in the high desert.
The first year I thought, that all I needed was a very small and light tent to sleep in. NOT!
LET ME TELL YOU THAT YOU SHOULD GET A TENT THAT YOU CAN STAND UP IN. It doesn't have to be the size of a one bedroom apartment, but you should be able to stand up in it. My first year I couldn't stand up and I was changing my clothes in a crow squat. It was light to carry, easy to assemble, and basically disposable. And I did dispose of it because it was useless. The second year, I bought a larger, more commodious tent with better construction. THERE IS WEATHER THERE, SO MAKE SURE YOUR TENT IS WATERPROOF and sturdy enough to withstand rain and wind. Some people came back from events on the site only to find their tents
collapsed or their belongings sopping wet. This is avoidable...so I say,
1) buy a decent tent that is waterproof and large enough to stand up in. (REI, TARGET, WALMART all have good tents)
Bring clothing that is easy to wash by hand, layer-able, and warm. It can get both very cold and very hot. If you are there for a while, you'll need to wash your clothes....
which you'll probably wash by hand and hang up on a line or a tree. so to this I say,
2) bring lots of t shirts, comfortable pants, etc. for yoga practice, servingand "playing". Bring something to wash them with. I BRING DR. BRONNERS LIQUID SOAP BECAUSE I USE IT FOR BODY SOAP, SHAMPOO, AND THE LAUNDRY.
3)be prepared for the rain: waterproof tent with rain flap. a portable, foldable rain coat or poncho is a good thing to have just in case. If you don't like to walk in the rain, bring an umbrella.
4)There is a first aid building on the property which is well stocked with things for minor pain and discomfort, sunburn, scrapes and abrasions, etc. There are doctors and nurses
on staff for anything more serious. SO IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED, BRING IT. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A FIRST AID KIT OF YOUR OWN....don't forget your prescription medication or supplements that you are used to taking. If you have a way to handle muscle pain (narayan oil, arnica, traumeel, ben gay, etc. for example) bring that with you.
There are massage therapists, chiropractors, healers offering their services in the bazaar tent so you can handle most minor injuries or discomfort for a reasonable fee. Just remember to bring what you think you might need based on your past experiences.
5. Water bottles, hot bottle for yogi tea, eating utensils,a plate (reg food)and bowl(soup). You can pick these things up at Costplus, Walmart, or Target. You'll be washing your own plates and utensils at every meal. There are water dispensaries all over the site which includes electrolyte water, too. You don't need to bring dishwashing soap...they have it at the dishwashing station.
6. FOOTWEAR: The terrain is rough and dry and while flip flops might
be ideal for going to and from the shower area, your feet are going to get beat up. Trust me. If you are the slip-on, slip-off kind of person that I am, I like to use keen-type sandals which are waterproof, easy to get in and out of, offer support, and cover the toes (if you choose). I got mine at REI and it's my third year wearing them all the time... if you know what you want, you can go to Zappos and get them for less money. I wear the Venice H2.....and the Daytona...both EXCELLENT CHOICES FOR SOLSTICE! While we're on the subject of feet, there is a foot therapy station at Solstice...
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and I highly recommend bringing BANDAIDS, FOOTCREAM, etc. because I can guarantee that your feet will get DRY.
7. BATTERY POWERED ALARM CLOCK AND BATTERIES: even though every morning
before Sadhana, Guru Singh and his band of 20-60 merry men and women walk through the camp sites starting at around 3 singing "RISE UP"...you still may want a back up plan.
8. TOILETRIES: SUNSCREEN, LIP BALM, LOTIONS, TOOTHBRUSH AND TOOTHPASTE. BRING YOUR OWN TOWELS AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU NEED TO STAY GORGEOUS AND HAPPY ON YOUR TRIP IN THE HIGH DESERT. OH DON'T FORGET THE Q-TIPS.
9. FOR WHITE TANTRIC YOGA YOU'LL NEED: White cotton or natural fiber clothing and a white cotton or natural fiber headcovering....both of which will be available at the KUNDALINK.COM table in the bazaar tent. If you haven't experienced a Kundawrap or a Kundabini...you're in for a treat. We make white cotton clothing for women and men... and we have KundaBags, yoga duffels, and tote bags....we actually have everything you'll
need to wear at Summer Solstice!
10. THERE IS NO HOT WATER. COLD SHOWERS. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE COLD SHOWERS.If you are not used to taking cold showers, now is a good time to practice it. By the time you get to solstice, you'll be a pro.
11. Sheepskin, yoga mat, warm blanket, and a hoodie or something warm for morning sadhana. Some people take their entire bedding to the tent! It's pretty cold when you start but you warm up pretty quickly after you start doing yoga at 4 am.
12. Hat to protect you head from the sun unless you're wearing a headcovering
13. SLEEPING BAG, WARM BEDDING, SLEEPING PAD OR AIR MATRESS OR COT.
14. bathing suit just in case. Some people go down the hill to the hot springs and you might, too.
15. a bag to carry around your stuff. Of course you can buy a KundaBag or yoga duffel at the Kundalink.com table in the Bazaar if you don't get one on line....
16. flashlight OR one of these head lamps. I USE THE HEADLAMP BECAUSE WHEN I WALK TO THE BATHROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND I AM CARRYING THINGS TO THE BATHROOM, I NEED MY HANDS and you might, too!
17. On the 3HO website, they suggested bringing one or two dressy outfits for social events, but i have to say, this is not really necessary.
18. A hooded windbreaker is helpful...but i found that layers of clothing was the best way to go. I rarely wore socks although they can be helpful in the early morning chill.
AND if you need to charge your ipod or iphone or cellular, there's a charging station and you can plug in from time to time. I can tell you that you won't be using your phone very much, or at least much less that usual. The reception is so-so.
19. A "DOORMAT". SOME HEAVY TOWEL OR SHOWER MAT SO THAT YOU CAN WIPE YOUR FEET OFF BEFORE YOU ENTER YOUR TENT. JUST A THOUGHT....
The best advice I can give you is to travel light. You should be able to fit everything in a duffle bag and a medium suitcase. Try to keep your things to a minimum....and make sure you have enough clothes to layer and keep in rotation, comfortable shoes, comfortable bedding, and a tent that you can stand up in. You won't believe how helpful, generous and friendly everyone is and if you need something, if someone there doesn't have it, you can always go down the hill into "civilization" and buy it.
Bring some money because you can get some fantastic products at the bazaar.... see you there! If you'd like to see some videos that my dear friend and fellow yogi, Elena aka Ek Ong Kar, made about the summer solstice experience....here they are:
kundalini yoga: summer solstice 2008 from ETentity on Vimeo.
Summer Solstice 2010 from ETentity on Vimeo.
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