>> Instructor: Go down and up.

Go down and up.

And remember the other person is >> Judy O'Bannon: When I was told that the word 'yoga' means 'union' it began to connect some things in my head that I'd been From all different places and all different disciplines, I feel like I'm hearing the same message: all is one.

There is a unity of all phenomena.

There is an interrelatedness of all things.

I saw a couple of programs on television that I think a lot of people saw The Secret and What the Bleep Do We Know and they talk on one of them about a scientist who did experiments with water.

If you said bad things to a pot of water, it formed crystals that were all deformed.

If you said good things and happy things when they froze that water, you had beautiful snowflake crystals.

The fact that water is everywhere 65, 70 percent of our body, about that much of the Earth's surface.

I read a lot of Thomas Friedman who talks a lot about the "Global Living Room" I've heard him speak and was quite inspired by that.

His message fed right into the messages of the plasma scientists that we're talking about everything being one, the unity of all phenomena, the interrelatedness of all life.

And then at the same time I read a book The Heritage of Man and the author said that it is very dangerous for someone of a Western mind, I figure I'm pretty Western minded, to think they can go to the East and understand the Eastern mind.

We have science here.

We have mysticism here.

We have people who think in different ways.

I went to India wanting to ask questions; I don't have answers.

I'm a questioner.

What does it mean?

What kind of unity are we talking about?

What does interrelatedness really mean to us?

India was the perfect place to go to find out more about it >> Announcer: This program was made possible with the support of Links Mortgage Corporation.

Links Mortgage specializes in developing and financing senior housing, assisted living, and nursing home projects.

>> Judy O'Bannon: Getting to India is not like just walking across the street.

First of all we had to get to Chicago.

Then we flew for 15, 16 hours to New Delhi.

Then from New Delhi we took a train for about five hours to Haridwar.

And at Haridwar we picked up a car, rode a very winding road for an hour and came to an area called Rishikesh, right there on the banks of the Ganges River in the foothills of the Himalayas.

And when I left India I was pretty sad, because I liked the place and the people.

But here I am.

I'm in Indianapolis with our daughter Jennifer O'Bannon who went on the trip to India with me, and also our new friend Anath Keni who's from India originally, but now you are a >> Anath Keni: Yes, I am a proud >> Judy O'Bannon: Anath invited us to join him at one of his >> Anath Keni: This restaurant is India Sizzling, Judi.

It's in my hometown Fishers, Indiana.

It's a fantastic restaurant with >> Judy O'Bannon: Isn't it amazing how a plate of food, in this case a plate of Indian food, can trigger memories, vivid memories of other places and other times.

When we went to India we went at the invitation of Ambassadors for Children which is the idea of voluntourism, which means you go and you do volunteer work, but you also tour and see cultural things.

You get to do the best of both possible worlds.

We went to the international yoga festival.

And just that gathering of people from, what was it 30 >> Jennifer O'Bannon: Over 30 countries and it was a pilgrimage for people to go and >> Judy O'Bannon: And they were enthusiastic.

Wouldn't you say they were >> Jennifer O'Bannon: Terribly >> Man: Yoga allows me to be >> Woman: Yoga helps me understand that we need to be looking at our similarities as >> Man: It's given me a calmness in my life and a challenge in my >> Woman: Because within we're seeking unity within ourselves and to the divine spirit and therefore there's unity amongst everyone else as well, because >> Judy O'Bannon: There it is again, the message of unity, the Why is it out of a culture of India, yoga would be?

Why is it yoga such a big-how >> Anath Keni: The connection with a god has to be established in your human life.

There are several paths for those connections.

Yoga is one of those paths.

And when you go through the path of yoga, ultimately you do, you're physically, you're basically establishing union with mind, body and spirit, and then ultimately with nature, and then you do meditation.

And there are different stages of yoga that will ultimately lead you to consciousness or peace that you would like to attain in your life.

And it's one of the paths in Hinduism to find yourself connected with this whole >> Judy O'Bannon: The place where we stayed and where we practiced our yoga is called an Tell us more exactly: what is an >> Anath Keni: An ashram is where the old sages, the seers of Hindu culture used to live, used to stay, and used to do research in metaphysical things.

And that's where the schools began actually.

The kids would start in the ashram.

The sages and the Hindu culture propagated from the ashram.

Those ashrams are still existing today, and I'm so glad that you've been able to go to that >> Judy O'Bannon: Attached to our ashram was an orphanage.

The children of this orphanage are known as rishakumar.

These rishakumars are who we as Ambassadors for Children came to I talked to their headmaster and said, 'Do you have a lot of groups who come and visit the orphanage?

He said, "Yes, but none like this group.

>> I think a lot of people pop in just to be able to see the kids, maybe pat them on the head, tour.

But we actually went in, all of us came in with an extra bag packed with all kinds of school supplies, books, bookbags, and we rolled up our sleeves and really spent some quality time >> Judy O'Bannon: We had an artist who teaches art.

>> Teacher: Every fish is >> Judy O'Bannon: And she had >> Girl (reading): George was >> Judy O'Bannon: And we brought >> Curious George and some popups, Disney popups.

And it was just an extraordinary time for these kids.

Each one of them got a book.

I think they'll be read.

I think it's a great sustainable thing that we start a library with them.

And then today when I saw the boys again, I said I'll come back next year.

And they said please bring >> Judy O'Bannon: In our ashram, there were big, glass showcases, so to speak, with figures in them, statues.

They are expressions of god.

>> Anath Keni: They are not idols.

They are deities.

There is a freedom for a Hindu to choose any god he wants, but >> Judy O'Bannon: One god but a >> Anath Keni: Yes, images.

>> Judy O'Bannon: And god in you >> Anath Keni: God in everything!

There's only god.

God in you, god in me, and we are part of the god.

I am part of the god.

You are part of the god.

Nature is part of the god.

Everything that you see is part >> Judy O'Bannon: Again, what I see and what I hear is we're all connected.

We're all part of the same The town of Rishakesh where we stayed in India is located on the banks of the sacred Ganges And here we have two pronunciations.

It's Mother Ganga.

And that would be more of an Indian pronunciation.

But here in the States call it the Ganges.

What do you use when you're here.

>> Anath Keni: When I speak in English, I say Ganges, because a lot of English literature probably calls it the Ganges.

But in Hindu or Indian language it is Ganga.

Ganga is the name of the river, and it's basically named after a >> Judy O'Bannon: Everything that we saw that was considered of importance happened on the banks or in the water of that For centuries, people have been coming here to the Ganga River and dipping their toes and On this lone rocky bank of the river was a single gentleman.

He had long, flowing, white garments.

He would take off, very discreetly, a piece of that clothing and wash it in the river and ring out tightly and lay it out on the rocks to dry.

He did it all very gracefully and very slowly and oftentimes when he was waiting for a garment to dry, he would seat When we were there in India, I felt often like there was just music everywhere.

We heard a lot of different kinds of music.

One thing, and I think it might be a bit Tibetan too, were the singing bowls.

We saw one man blowing a conch shell.

He said that if you did that it would bring good health, but I think there's a lot more to that >> Anath Keni: The conch shell is being used in rituals of Hinduism, and the sound that it makes is very close to the sound >> Judy O'Bannon: Do the sound >> Anath Keni: Ohm is the sound representation of god basically.

Ohm means god is present in sound.

That's what it is.

They say that that was the first sound ever heard in the >> Judy O'Bannon: First sound; >> Anath Keni: -that was ever >> Judy O'Bannon: Okay, can you make that sound?

>> Anath Keni: Yes I can.

>> Judy O'Bannon: Would you?

>> Anath Keni: Sure.

>> Judy O'Bannon: The first sound ever heard, it lives in One of the big thrills I got in India was being on the streets.

It's like everything is going on at one time.

>> Judy O'Bannon: Did you make >> Judy O'Bannon: A big part of everything that was going on >> Judy O'Bannon: One piece is >> Judy O'Bannon: You know if you just open up and talk to somebody who is like a shopkeeper and visit with them, I just think they are the most fun people and very informative.

I mean they're willing to talk to you and explain what they are making.

And when you show an interest in what they're making, you're saying, I like what you do.

I'm interested in your culture.

I want to learn about it.

I want to take it home.

I want to remember this minute, and I'm going to remember it by looking at what it is you sold me or made.

I really think that talking to merchants is a value, an actual learning value, but the friendships too.

We met a young man when Jenni's little card on her camera got full, and we went up to a little cubicle not much bigger than >> Jennifer O'Bannon: And right then, back in corner, off went the rug that was covering it and there sat his computer and he downloaded it all onto a disk >> Judy O'Bannon: And he spoke >> Jennifer O'Bannon: Incredible >> Judy O'Bannon: So we said, well have you travel a lot?

Did you study someplace else?

And he said, 'I never left this area' He learned it from people >> Merchant: I'm just learning >> Judy O'Bannon: We even had a merchant who invited us home for dinner, all of us!

His wife cooked it in a little teeny, tiny, nothing sized kitchen.

We sat on some chairs and also beds that they used as couches and had a wonderful time.

They were open to explaining what we were eating, how they lived in that house, how they did the cooking.

I think it's about as easy a way to learn the culture as I know One thing that really impressed me is the number of people who were reading the newspaper.

They're the world's largest democracy, and in a democracy, if we don't have people informed we are in real trouble.

These people cared and were reading and they were informed >> Anath Keni: Judy, you did >> Judy O'Bannon: Well, if that's the same person as Swami G. Is it alright if I call him >> Judy O'Bannon: He was wonderful.

He spoke to us every night.

He was part of the ceremony, the lighting and passing of the lantern every night.

But he spoke to our group too, to those at the International Yoga Festival, and then I got to have an audience with him.

And he allowed me to ask some questions.

One of things I wanted to ask him so much is I had read this article that for a Western mind to really understand Eastern mind, and I said to him, talk to >> Swami: Understanding Eastern mind or Western mind, it doesn't >> Judy O'Bannon: He said it isn't hard at all for a Western mind to understand an Eastern mind.

All you have to do is get simplified down to the basic truth that we just need to treat each other like we need to be treated, what we call the Golden Rule.

He explained ideas or philosophies that might appear different from East and West, and yet we all share them and just use different words for it.

He was a fascinating person to be around.

And his voice when he chanted >> Judy O'Bannon: Swami G had a wonderful way of simplifying the complicated issues that come between us and the lives that we would like to live.

And in almost everything he said, I heard the message of coming together, the message of unity and the oneness of all >> Judy O'Bannon: One of the most fortunate things is that the yoga festival took place >> Jennifer O'Bannon: We got to experience this wonderful, beautiful festival.

Extraordinary, vibrant, colorful powders being thrown in the air and the celebration of it all is unlike anything I've ever experienced.

And it was absolutely thrilling >> Anath Keni: It is the most >> Judy O'Bannon: And they said, if you don't want that powder on you, you best just go to your room and hide, because it would be everywhere in the ashram and definitely out in the streets.

Tell us more of the meaning of that.

We've got the fun and the >> Anath Keni: Holi is probably welcoming the spring celebration.

It's during the springtime.

And all the colors the spring is going to bring is showed and enjoyed, and people are taking part in the colorful season that >> Jennifer O'Bannon: Happy Holi >> Judy O'Bannon: We were so pleased to be able to float down those prayer-what are they called?

>> Anath Keni: Yes, I mean it's basically a flower bouquet with a candle on it.

Basically it's sent as an offering for remembering your family members and sent over the river.

And since all rivers lead to the ocean, it ultimately reaches the ocean which is the best representation of oneness in nature.

Ocean is always one.

>> Judy O'Bannon: Jenni and I >> Judy O'Bannon: But when I was expressing a little bit of dubious-you mean I can do this at a great distance by thinking things?

She said, 'Do you listen to the radio?

I said, 'Well yes I listen to the radio.

She said, 'Do you listen to the radio at a distance?

Yes, I listen to the radio at a distance.

She said, 'Can you see the radio waves?

I said no I hadn't seen the radio waves.

She said those vibrations you send off are like those radio waves.

They are there.

They are real.

They are scientifically real, but you cannot see them with >> Judy O'Bannon: We are basically of the same materials >> Judy O'Bannon: And that if we are this lot of water that creates energy that is vibrations and I'm sending those vibrations of to you that say either, oh I like you, I don't like you, I don't understand you.

It all gets me to thinking that when I abuse someone else with my thoughts or actions, that vibrations coming back.

I'm really picking on myself, aren't I?

Literally as well as >> Jennifer O'Bannon: When we had our one to one talk with Swami G at our ashram, he basically said when you asked about the Western mind coming over with their Western eyes and looking at the Eastern culture, can we fully understand it?

And he said well yes because we all still basically believe the same thing which is the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

So with that vibration, it is going to come back to you.

And if you don't want that coming back to you, since we're all one, why would you treat >> Anath Keni: Judy and Jennifer, what are your conclusions about the India >> Jennifer O'Bannon: For me personally, I don't think there is a conclusion.

As we speak-we went with questions.

Some things were confirmed, but what it did was open up possibilities even further than I could imagine going into this of universal oneness.

And it had me leaving with more questions and an even more aggressive and excitable search to find some of those answers or to get closer to the sense of it >> Judy O'Bannon: It gave me a sense of hope, of something well beyond me, something that unites us all, that is eternal, and is >> Judy O'Bannon: I want to thank India Sizzling restaurant for this wonderful food and their marvelous hospitality.

And I want to thank you Anath.

You were terrific to talk with.

We got to do this again.

My sidekick who carried my camera with me, thanks to you.

Thank you too for watching, and I'll see you on the next edition >> Announcer: This program was made possible with the support of Links Mortgage Corporation.

Links Mortgage specializes in developing and financing senior housing, assisted living, and nursing home projects.