April 2007 This month came the unusual experience of celebrating Hanuman Jayanti, Easter, and Passover in the very same location with the very same people: at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, on Paradise Island, Nassau, in the Bahamas. The Yoga Retreat is currently under siege: the many-tentacled über-resort Atlantis encroaching from the beach side, and constructing a water treatment (possibly desalination) plant next door; and party boats blaring loud music from the Nassau side late into the night. But despite these challenges, staff and visitors alike insisted upon benefiting from the situation. The resident Swamis led the Hanuman’s birthday celebrations; the Reverend Dr. Prince Hepburn conducted the sunrise Easter service; and Swami Swaroopananda, the Retreat’s director, conducted the Seder. It has been some years since I attended a Seder, and this one reintroduced me to the likes of the haruseth and the afikoman. It also provided a welcome reminder of the splendid savor of matzo (which I continued to consume at breakfast, lunch & dinner for several days thereafter). To complement the singing of hymns of resurrection and the chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa at our other ceremonies, I enjoyed belting out (with the help of the song sheet) the songs of the season, including particularly Chad Gadya, Dai Dayenu, and Elohenu. Four hours later we stumbled out, stuffed to the gills. Hag Samer!

Amusing occurrence, related to me by a participant (let’s call her L): L was on the shuttle, settling in on her way to the airport, when a few miles into their journey the gregarious driver asked everyone’s destination. When L mentioned the Bahamas, an adorable tiny Japanese lady (in her late 70s, or older) turned around in her seat and said to L, “Excuse me for asking, but I did not study geometry in school; is Bahamas part of US?” L responded in the negative as the realization suddenly struck her that she had forgotten her passport back at the house. Not yet being on the freeway, the driver agreed to return to house to get it (for which he received a generous tip); and no other passengers muttered their displeasure at the reroute. L accordingly made it safely to the Sivananda retreat. Om Namah Sivaya!

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