Martyna, Shamanic Tantra in India 2024

The first thing that comes to my mind when I go back to the workshop in India is the smell… thousands of smells, sometimes very pleasant, sometimes strange, strong, the sweetness in them, stickiness, sun, moisture, sharpness and expressiveness.

The smell of the Earth, full of red, sun and ochre. Dust floating slightly in the air while local women smoothed the paths with palm brooms every day, I don’t really know why, maybe just to be able to smile at other people and remind them of the joy of life.

The smell of the Earth during a ritual where my companion slowly, gently covered me with sand until I completely disappeared, melting to the rhythm of shamanic drums. This experience showed me how strongly we are connected with Mother Earth, with her interior, pulsating and constantly sending us signals. Synchronization.

I deeply believe in this connection, in the power from which we can draw, not forgetting that we should give back as much as we take.

The smell of the sea in the morning, slightly unconscious, I sat every day in the sun on the sand to slowly, with faith, “crawl” into this life and now I’m seriously laughing! I smile at all these “I can’t do it”, “I’ll surely drown”, “Why do I need all this”, “I’ll run away” because sometimes it seemed to me as if it was the most difficult mission in my life. To fall into the waves the next morning in full trust and joy, to feel the clarity of life.

The smell of nature, birds that accompanied us every day during classes, appearing at beautiful moments, constantly sending signs, joyful dolphins, so much awaited by everyone every morning, dogs that were a bit like our fears. Beautiful, wild vegetation surrounding us on all sides.

The smell of people, if I were to define what moved me the most during these few weeks, it was probably the people. Relationships, words, movement, dance, bodies, smiles, gestures, tears, beautiful stories, community, separations. We are so fabulous and amazing, yet so ordinary and simple. We can pupate, be born again, die, constantly building new images of ourselves. India connected us in some way forever, each of us took a part of the other to be able to get used to our own selves.

The scent of myself, it is like the earth in India, deep and strong. During the last ritual by the fire, an image came to me: use the bird’s vision, try to look beyond just your personal loss, your personal self. If you don’t do this, your perception of the world will always be distorted. Don’t be like that little animal that only focuses on its tail.

I am everything and I go through the world!

Martyna