Most people go to India seeking enlightenment, or advanced yoga studies. I went because I liked the food. Nearly thirty years ago, a Stanford grad in the midst of my PhD, I agreed to go to India only because I was a staunch vegetarian. In India I wouldn’t have to grill waiters about whether there was chicken broth in their vegetable soup!

I was not religious. I was not even one of those people who say, “Well, I’m not religious, but I’m spiritual.” I was an academic, a scientist, and simply managing my schoolwork, relationships, emotions, and addictions took all my time and energy. The idea of spirituality never occurred to me.

“I’m going to put my feet in the river,” I had said, after we dropped our bags at the hotel upon arriving in Rishikesh.