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Well masked but surely unmasked

Bien masqués mais sûrement démasqués

We arrived in Cochin, India after a very special and incredible trip, a Covid test, two days before the flight, our train to the airport got cancelled the day before departure from the city of La Rochelle to Paris. We ended up travelling with a rented car with our big four suitcases, with the help of our dear President and the treasurer of our Yoga charity France. We thank Isabelle and Philip for taking the risk to drive us by car (12 hours two-way) during a full French lock down and organizing the trip at the last moment. The Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris was empty, never have we seen that before. We were interrogated at the airline check-in counter and with the border Police concerning the motif of our travel and the proofs of our mission, seemed like a never-ending boarding process. A stopover at Dubai airport, another mandatory Covid test had to be done, we were asked to wear a visor with mask during the entire flight. Finally, we reached Cochin airport in India at 3am after 2 days of flight and airport wait, seeing the airport felt like we reached at a hospital with employees in blue coveralls hermetically sealed from head to toe to receive the passengers. We had to book a special non-stop taxi arranged by the airport for the passengers, being driven home in a "bubble" taxi which moves at the speed of light was a special experience and finally ending up home for a 14 days quarantine. Every 5 days, we had calls from the local police station to make sure we are at home.
Needless to say, we are very happy to be here and aware of how lucky we are to have reached India safely.
This time of lock down was a time to rest and preparing our body, mind and soul to welcome the presence of this beautiful energy, in this community of people where the pandemic has affected socially and economically. We are ready to continue the mission.

Well masked but surely unmasked

How is the association's family doing?

How is the association's family doing?
Little by little, with the days passing by, we received people who are happy to be with us and who wished to share their experiences of life during these difficult times of Coronavirus.
Biju came to share with us the difficulties the local people are facing and talking about his own concerns. The café is closed, and he no longer has a tenant for his accommodation. It's not easy to cope with everyday life when your mind is entangled with financial problems of all kinds.
We have given Biju a little help, so that he can continue and accompany him in his work at the charity office in Cochin, in these very difficult socioeconomic times.
Rema, who returned to the Bloom workshop after being in isolation for three weeks affected by Covid-19. She has many things to express to us, illness, fear for her future and sadness. She talked us about her daughter who is facing a stomach ache, how with her husband, with the help of our office, they went to the Medical Trust hospital in the night during the pandemic. Her daughter had to undergo a series of tests; X-rays gave nothing. They need to continue some more in-depth examinations to understand what is happening. Rema is very emotional, she tells us her tensions and at the same time her faith in God through prayers. We reassure her, tell her that the association's office will help with her daughter's health examinations. She is relieved and returns to her job at our Bloom stitching workshop.
We had a visit from Sanitha, our association's office receptionist. Sanitha brought us laddus, the small Indian sweets made from lentil flour, clarified butter, sugar, dried raisins and cardamom. These are the specialties that the Indians offer each other on the occasion of the festival of light, “Diwali”. It was a very moving to see Sanitha again, masked and when she said "I am fine, very fine Sophie", her face was lit up with joy. I could feel her deep joy after all the difficult moments that she went through in the past 3 years. Sanitha was not having a place to live with her family, her husband 2 small children, and, from which she finally came out with the help of the association who mortgaged a house for her, for a long period. A wonderful moment, a grace of God as she puts it. She is a lot relaxed and became creative.
Harry our experienced driver, who lost job with no visitors and no trips for his ambassador car. He is in good shape, he doesn't go out much with his wife and is very careful because of his health problems he had. He is very grateful for the help he receives for him and his wife from our office towards his housing, food and medical expenses.
Leena comes every day to prepare meals at home, she gets help for her housing with medical care for her and her husband. The association continues to help her with her rent and this is very important to her.
Valsa continues to receive her monthly care at the hospital, she is getting better and her movements of legs have improved a lot. Paul's health is more worrying, he suffers from respiratory problems, we can say that the confinement has caused Paul to suffocate morally and physically. We are going to visit them once our quarantine gets over.
The women of the workshop are doing well, they continue to come to the workshop. They wear the mask and keep their distance. We are going to take time to listen to each one and see what help they need the most.
The meetings will take place little by little and we are preparing ourselves to be available with each one and see what the most urgent requests for help are.

In Spain, before our travel to India
A week of meditation and a Bloom exhibition in Spain October 2020

In Spain, before our travel to India A week of meditation and a Bloom exhibition in Spain October 2020
In Spain, before our travel to India A week of meditation and a Bloom exhibition in Spain October 2020

We met Sarasvathi and Mahesh in India, they were travelling with a yoga group and Jordi, the leader of the group had the idea to contact the association for a collective meditation with Jude’s teaching and a visit to the Bloom workshop.
We kept in touch and this year Sarasvati and Mahesh invited us for the second time to Blanes to continue teaching yoga in everyday life. Together, with Jordi and Myriam his wife had organized a few days in their village. The program included daily meditation with the teaching in the morning and evening, a meditative walk in the afternoon, and a time for personal meetings between Jude and the participants on request.
We also organized a small exhibition of Bloom products to show the work of the Indian textile workshop. The people enjoyed it so much that, on the initiative of Mahesh's daughter, the products stayed in Catalonia and are sold in a wellness shop in Figueras.
Our warmest thanks go to Sarasvati, Mahesh, Jordi and Myriam for their kind and loving welcome. This stay was a moment of joy that helped all the people we met to clarify their lives and to free themselves from very strong tensions of their lives. We wish to continue this mission in Spain and our friends there are ready to help us.

On the French side
A space dedicated for Bloom at Hélène’s “Saveurs d'Asie”

On the French side A space dedicated for Bloom at Hélène’s “Saveurs d'Asie”

Hélène offered a space for Bloom's creations in her shop 'Aux Saveurs d'Asie', rue des Dames in La Rochelle, France. A beautiful initiative that helps the association to generate some revenue.
The exhibition initially planned on the Ile de Ré in November could not take place because of the confinement so it is a nice opening at this Christmas time.
Please don't hesitate to talk about it around you, make Bloom products, the work of women in India known and to continue to raise awareness of the association's mission.

May the light guide you during this Christmas season

May the light guide you during this Christmas season

Keep the flame in your hearts alive
The whole family of the association wishes you a Merry Christmas.

Copyright © 2020 Yoga, a daily life experience, All rights reserved.

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