#sensingindia

TOUCH Have you felt the soft, downy touch of pashmina against your skin? Imagine what dry cream might feel like. It comes from the chin and chest wool of Himalayan mountain goats. They shed their coats in spring by rubbing against bushes. This is then collected by shepherds and woven into shawls, scarves, wraps, throws and stoles.

HEAR I remember taking a road trip south from Bombay. One night we would be staying in a Maharajah’s palace, and the next in a concrete block. The night we arrived at the concrete block, it was pitch black and there was no electricity. We were shown to our rooms by oil lamp. I could hear a waterfall outside, but could see nothing. We drifted into sleep wondering what shape this softening sound would take the next morning. As dawn turned on, I parted the shutters and there it was. A sound now sight. A scenic kinetic painting.

- Sri Guru Granth Sahib

TOUCH The next best thing to Abhyanga (full body massage) is the foot massage. An ayurvedic foot massage helps the entire body and the nervous system. It relaxes the entire physiology of the individual and brings a sense of resurgence, modified energy, and enhanced blood circulation.