Yoga on the roof and the beautiful mountains.

Everyone eventually arrived at the lodge, surviving the exciting drive up the dirt track. Paul and Fi were expert drivers on the windy tracks.
	The lodge was situated on the ridge above Canar village shown opposite. The village has a commanding view of the valley entrance. On the Sunday after settling in and yoga on the roof terrace, we walked down the hill (break us in gently) to Canar village. Whilst enjoying some well earned refreshment in the village we met a man who had won the lottery and built his dream family home in the mountains. Unfortunately his family disagreed with the decision and now the home is not finished and empty. Money does not bring happiness was the lesson behind that encounter.
Each morning we would welcome the day with some chants, including the Gayatri Mantra. It was lovely to see the group enjoy this learning process and the sound of our voices in the small room was powerful. Then on to the roof for some yoga where we looked at the Salutation to the Sun.

Sacred Gayatri Mantra

Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyoyonah Prachodayat

Rg.III-62-10; SAM: 1462

OM, the Supreme Divine Creator, pervading the three cosmic regions: Bhur, the earth, Bhuvah, the ethereal sky, and Svah, the heaven, we comtemplate on the adorable glory of SAVITA, Surya, that we may absorb in ourselves His effulgent qualities of life, light and energy.
And we pray that He may stimulate and inspire us with the power of Dhi, intelligence and will, and lead us in the way of the Great Ones DEVAS, to do good and noble deeds.

Another translation:
Let us comtemplate that most excellent light of the divine Savitri (the solar God) so that He may inspire our visions.

On Monday we went for an all day walk with Paul. The walk started by an irrigation channel, the beautiful sound of the water and cool shade were delightful. We climbed higher as we followed a forestry track through the pines. There are tracks all over the mountains built in the times of Franco to access the pine forests for timber.

Until those times there were no roads in the whole region only mule tracks, making it an isolated backwater. Climbing out of the forests we enter a different climate, treeless moorland with the higher mountains visible above. Here we stopped for lunch by a shepherds shed, where a white horse came to say hello. After traversing the strangely springy heather we started the long descent to the lodge down a winding track. We were all pleasantly tired on our return and everyone enjoyed their refreshing shower.

Tuesday was spent at the lodge in the morning, enjoying yoga on the roof. In the afternoon we strolled up the hill on a silent walk and stopped for a guided visualisation with fantastic views. In the evening Fi and Grace played the guitar and we had a singalong which I loved, thank goodness for the song book as I am always amazed at how I do not know any whole songs. The price paid for all that technology which entertains us. Fi sang beautifully some folk songs

On Wed Paul and his son Sol led us on an all day walk to the foot of some high mountains. We walked along an irrigation channel up a valley to where many shepherds bring their flocks to feed on the high summer pastures. The tradition of transferring the sheep between the coast and mountains continues today, what philosophers those shepherds must be wandering in the mountains all day. It was a beautiful day and in the evening there was a late night star gazing session from the roof. The night skies here are known for their clarity and so different from London's orange haze.

men in shorts

On Thursday it was shopping in the mountain village of Panpaniera and then a taste of some typical Spanish food at one of the restaurants. In the afternoon we went to visit Julio and Claude's magical cortijo where for 20 years they have cultivated many medicinal herbs.

This was my second visit and I was looking forward to going back. Julio is self taught and has a passion for his subject, as we walked around the garden he would introduce each plant with 'aah, this is a most important plant'. Uma gave us a talk about how she extracts essential oils, their powers and how she turns them into soaps, creams and perfumes. Julio dries plants from the hillside and his garden and together with Uma's perfume, soaps and creams they sell them at the market. I was moved by the simple beauty and power of this couple, they were tapping into something very special in their garden.