10 years ago I spent time in Africa, and it was the first time I really saw suffering. Poverty, malnutrition, children wearing the same dirty clothes everyday and drinking dirty water. I had the opportunity to work with them over an extended period of time and really come to know what life is like at the village level in rural Africa. In all my time there, however, it was never I, who suffered. I had what I wanted in order to be comfortable; and my basic needs were met.
India, is the full experience. It is not only seeing the suffering, but experiencing it for oneself. I have experienced many challenges here, as Mama India shows me her secrets about Life and the world in which we live.
Water is a real problem here... You can buy bottled water for drinking, but the bacteria-laden water forges its way into your body through other means. You have little choice but to eat at restaurants, and there they use the water to wash dishes,wash the food, the table mats... You wash your hands with it, brush your teeth, shower in it....its all contaminated. Its a rare thing (if it happens ever at all), that a traveler passes through India without "India passing through them".
Its not just the water that I am suffering from here, it's malnutrition. The food is very low in nutrients as a result of poor soil, lack of proper fertilization, and loss of Life Force as the food degrades over time before consumption. The food is mostly empty carbohydrates (white flour, potatoes, white rice), and watery lentil soup. I can eat until my belly is full... But my body always feels hungry. I feel as though I am starving, even though food is plentiful.
The poor food and water quality lead to a lot of sickness, which Ben and I have been experiencing in various ways. I have pretty much been sick in one way or another since I arrived to the country. I have always been one who rarely gets sick, and have been blessed with a strong immune system. It's the first time I have known what it's like to feel sick all the time. What happens when you get sick and you can't just call up your doctor, who you trust, and get medicine? What happens when there is only one doctor in town, and you know he gives out medicine that has been banned in western countries for having serious side effects? What If you know this doctor gives out medicine without even knowing what, exactly, that medicine is supposed to treat? What do you do? Where do you go? When you are miles from the nearest hospital, in a foreign country, with some unknown sickness?
By far the hardest part for me, however, is the air. This pervasive haze is comprised of smoke, exhaust, vaporized heavy metals and burning plastic (any guesses as to what happens when you breathe in burning plastic?). It's not just something you smell now and then, though for sure you find yourself walking through clouds of it...it's an ever present, stinky layer of ICK that fills ever corner of this country and there is no escape. I feel consistently tired, lethargic, moody, heavy and unmotivated. I crave a long, deep breath of delicious, oxygen filled, sweet old air.... And the tragedy, is that it not only covers all of India...but china, SE Asia, and many other countries who still have no better way to dispose of their garbage than to burn it. As thick as this pollution is over here, and for as many years as it has been happening, there is no doubt that it's also prevalent in the US. Even if the air seems clean, it's not. Our air is slowly becoming more and more toxic by the day.
So, suddenly I find myself in a situation where my basic needs are not being met. Clean water; nutrition; health; healthcare; AIR... And it has been really hard. Truly a challenge.
This is not me complaining. This isn't a "poor me" story. I choose to be here, and unlike those who suffer beside me... I can leave at any point. I have the profound and abundant privilege to just hop on a train, or a plane, and escape to a place of comfort and ease. So why do I choose to stay? Why don't i just high-tail it outta here and head back to those luscious islands in the South Pacific? Because I want to be here. This is not a book; a photograph; a movie or documentary; an Internet website or a story I heard. This is a very intense experience which is very real to many many people. Would it really better me in some way, to just walk away cringing, and pretend like I never saw anything? Would I feel better then?...
It's not that I have some grandiose, idealistic vision of Martyrdom, that by staying and suffering I will save the world... But there is something very important to be cultivated here. Something not worth ignoring, or running away from. It exists within all of us, when we really allow ourselves to experience it. It is Compassion. Living in this environment, experiencing this lack of basic human needs...allowing myself the opportunity to really be challenged to Live... It breeds a new kind of compassion. A kind that can not be confused with pity. Real Compassion...from a place inside of me that says... "I know how you feel. I know what this life is like. And it's hard."
It is from experiences like this, that the fires of passion are stoked and set ablaze... And a new dream is born for the awakening and healing of our planet. From this experience, overflows gratitude for the immense amount of blessings in my life... For the gifts of the Earth and the power of Mother Nature. For my health and the health of my loved ones; the opportunities we all have; nutritious organic food; and every sacred, precious breath of air...
And yet.... Suffering is a state of mind....
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Bacteria Buddies
Finally, after about a week of feeling severely sick, Ben is doing better. A lot better! As the week progressed, his situation seemed to be coming and going; coming back each time with more intensity. High fevers, chills, profuse diarrhea... We didn't know what to do. He had gone to a doctor some days ago, the main doc in town, and was diagnosed with Salmonella...a very "fishy" diagnisis if you ask me. He was prescribed medication that had been banned in the US due to its severe side effects. Wisely, Ben researched the drug, and found horrifying info about it. Worst of all, it's not even used to treat Salmonella or any other intestinal infections. He stopped taking the medicine, though I was left with a significant amount of anger and frustration. Finally he went to have a stool test, and the nurse (an american volunteer) gave him some antibiotics for a common intestinal parasite. At this point, Ben had no choice but to take it, as his condition was deteriorating and sleep was lacking. By the time his results came back the next day, and he had completed a cycle of antibiotics, and he felt a lot better. The results stated that he had Giardia. "Wah Wah"... Giardia travels in the water, through a bacteria that lives in animal feces. Yum. Its probably in most of the water in India, especially with all the cows, goats and dogs roaming the streets. Im not sure how I made through as we share water and food.... Luckily, the antibiotics he was given were already for Giardia. He seems to be in the clear now.
Permaculture Design Course (PDC)
Permaculture....I realized I haven't elaborated on what it is exactly. It's not easy to define, but in class we called it a "design approach to create a sustainable human habitat and planet".
Essentially, we have been learning a little bit about many different systems and aspects under permaculture, and how to put it together into a design for sustainability. This could be for one project (ie: making a pond) and how to make it sustainable; or it could be for a whole farm, or even urban living. It would be impossible to cover every detail in this 2 week course, but it is quite extensive and gives enough information to be able to (with practice) create a fully sustainable piece of land.
We are learning about building soil; composting; aquaculture; natural building; rain water harvesting; grey and black water purifying; cropping; seed saving; forest farming; biodiversity; animal husbandry... So much. Though we are only receiving an overview of these individual subjects, the real point of the course is to understand how to "design" the land so all these parts can be connected and work together with as little input from people as possible. It's extremely fascinating, and both Ben and I have been really inspired to learn more. It's really the direction out planet needs to go; creating the skills and resources to be able to meet our own needs at the local community level. To be independent of corporations, synthetic products and imports from china. Everything we are learning makes perfect sense and is much easier than most would expect it to be. did you know that you can get chickens and pigs to till your garden for you? That you can easily build a water catchment system in which you will always have free water and it could be pumped by the kids playing on the teeter totter out back? So many ingenious ideas... Really fun to brainstorm.
The course is taught by an american with a lot of experience in permaculture, especially in the developing world. There are 12-15 students, the 3 in question come and go depending on their schedules. Half the class are locals or native Indians. Very exciting! The rest are fellow travelers, mostly from the states; and then one from Israel and one from Mexico.
We just finished day 5 out of 13 and we both love the course. We have a day off and we are finally going to make it to the temple where the famous Bodhi lives. We still haven't been there! We haven't had a chance having been sick and in class.
Spring is in the [polluted] air, and It's getting really hot here (100+degrees). In the summer, it can get up to 130 dgrees! Admittedly , we are both really looking forward to getting up to the mountains of Dharamsala soon. Hoping for fresh Himalayan air...oh, the mere thought!
Essentially, we have been learning a little bit about many different systems and aspects under permaculture, and how to put it together into a design for sustainability. This could be for one project (ie: making a pond) and how to make it sustainable; or it could be for a whole farm, or even urban living. It would be impossible to cover every detail in this 2 week course, but it is quite extensive and gives enough information to be able to (with practice) create a fully sustainable piece of land.
We are learning about building soil; composting; aquaculture; natural building; rain water harvesting; grey and black water purifying; cropping; seed saving; forest farming; biodiversity; animal husbandry... So much. Though we are only receiving an overview of these individual subjects, the real point of the course is to understand how to "design" the land so all these parts can be connected and work together with as little input from people as possible. It's extremely fascinating, and both Ben and I have been really inspired to learn more. It's really the direction out planet needs to go; creating the skills and resources to be able to meet our own needs at the local community level. To be independent of corporations, synthetic products and imports from china. Everything we are learning makes perfect sense and is much easier than most would expect it to be. did you know that you can get chickens and pigs to till your garden for you? That you can easily build a water catchment system in which you will always have free water and it could be pumped by the kids playing on the teeter totter out back? So many ingenious ideas... Really fun to brainstorm.
The course is taught by an american with a lot of experience in permaculture, especially in the developing world. There are 12-15 students, the 3 in question come and go depending on their schedules. Half the class are locals or native Indians. Very exciting! The rest are fellow travelers, mostly from the states; and then one from Israel and one from Mexico.
We just finished day 5 out of 13 and we both love the course. We have a day off and we are finally going to make it to the temple where the famous Bodhi lives. We still haven't been there! We haven't had a chance having been sick and in class.
Spring is in the [polluted] air, and It's getting really hot here (100+degrees). In the summer, it can get up to 130 dgrees! Admittedly , we are both really looking forward to getting up to the mountains of Dharamsala soon. Hoping for fresh Himalayan air...oh, the mere thought!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Read at your own risk!!! (if you have a tendency to worry about us, you might consider skipping to the next post)
Well the last couple of days have been somewhat intense. Saturday (24th), Ben was sick again... This time he had a persisting fever, as well as other intestinal symptoms. It went up and down, and I made a trip to town to locate a thermometer, more oral rehydration salts, juice and some Tylenol - just in case. We decided not to use the Tylenol right away, as a fever is the body's natural defense to kill bacteria and virus. He let himself fever awhile, but eventually was too hot and achy so he took a Tylenol and felt much better. At 3am, I awoke to noise in the room and the sound of glass breaking. I asked what was going on and he said he had a fever again, and he was trying to take his temperature, and the thermometer fell on the tile floor and broke. We were both quite groggy at this hour, and without thinking about it, we just swept the mess into a small garbage bag.
The next morning, we went to the Internet cafe to google info up on the breaking of thermometers and what to do with the mercury inside. We were horrified to read about the levels of precautions to use, even with this small amount of toxic heavy metal. Back in our hotel room, we squatted down to look at the bathroom floor wih a flashlight, and sure enough... Little balls of mercury all over! We panicked, thinking of how we had walked through the bathroom in the middle of the night to pee; and showered in there in the morning...standing right in the
middle of the mercury explosion!
We spent the next three hours, carefully wiping up the floor with wet toilet paper; and fishing balls of mercury out of the tile cracks. We were careful not to touch it, and wore shoes the whole time. We threw out the broom we had used to sweep the mess up in the middle of the night, and any other questionable objects. We took everything and triple bagged it and then sat down to breathe a bit. We were both feeling highly agitated and worried about our potential poisoning/exposure. I don't know how toxic elemental metallic mercury is; if it can absorb through the skin, or if it emits any harmful vapors when not being burned. Our research was confusing as it didn't always specify which kind of mercury was being discussed, and there are several kinds ranging in forms.
After we grounded ourselves a bit, we came to our next problem... Where and how to dispose of the waste? There are no toxic waste centers; no poison control to call; no waste management of any kind. People just throw their trash right out into their yard (or more likely, their neighbors), and either leave it or burn it. Yes, they burn it all, even the plastic...
So we now have a dilemma. If it gets burned, it will vaporize the mercury... and that is real bad. We can't bury it because the water table is too close to the surface. The only thing we can think of (which by no means leaves us feeling settled) is to leave it in a pile amongst other trash... Which will still likely get burned or pawed through by someone, a cow, a dog a person looking to make use of that broom...
We asked our permaculture teacher what he thought and he didn't have any useable idea either. If anyone has any ideas or advice of any kind, please let us know!!!!
So all of this, and Ben still sick with fever. He had kept his fever down with Tylenol and was mobile though trying to take it easy. By this morning, however, he was still feeling bad. Afraid that he might have malaria or something, we talked to our permaculture teachers and one of them drove him to a local doctor whom she trusts. She has lived here 5 yrs and has also been sick and used this doc. When Ben came back, the doctor had loaded him up with antibiotics, oral rehydration salts, electrolytes, probiotics, prebiotics, and a diagnosis of salmonella poisoning. I was surprised by this and have my doubts, as we haven't eaten any uncooked food; and any eggs we have eaten have also been fully cooked- no runny yoke. Anything prepared on a surface with raw food would have been cooked. I am also skeptical because i would expect salmonella poisoning to come with profuse vomitting, and he never threw up....But then... This is India. Its certainly possible. We will see what happens the next few days and hope he gets better. He's doing fine, no need to worry. He's eating normally (and has been-another fishy sign of food poisoning), moving around and participating in the class. He's an extremely strong individual and his demeanor is positive.
So that is most of our weekend experience... We started our permaculture course today, and we will tune in again soon to let you all know how that is going. So far, we both love it and find ourselves thirsty to learn more! It's all really fascinating and fun and about half the group are locals, including two women! Dad, kendra and Mark- we are bringing a digital copy of the course material and handbook for you guys.. Loads of useful stuff I'm sure you will all love.
Again, please don't worry. We are both totally fine. We will let you know how everything goes soon enough.
The next morning, we went to the Internet cafe to google info up on the breaking of thermometers and what to do with the mercury inside. We were horrified to read about the levels of precautions to use, even with this small amount of toxic heavy metal. Back in our hotel room, we squatted down to look at the bathroom floor wih a flashlight, and sure enough... Little balls of mercury all over! We panicked, thinking of how we had walked through the bathroom in the middle of the night to pee; and showered in there in the morning...standing right in the
middle of the mercury explosion!
We spent the next three hours, carefully wiping up the floor with wet toilet paper; and fishing balls of mercury out of the tile cracks. We were careful not to touch it, and wore shoes the whole time. We threw out the broom we had used to sweep the mess up in the middle of the night, and any other questionable objects. We took everything and triple bagged it and then sat down to breathe a bit. We were both feeling highly agitated and worried about our potential poisoning/exposure. I don't know how toxic elemental metallic mercury is; if it can absorb through the skin, or if it emits any harmful vapors when not being burned. Our research was confusing as it didn't always specify which kind of mercury was being discussed, and there are several kinds ranging in forms.
After we grounded ourselves a bit, we came to our next problem... Where and how to dispose of the waste? There are no toxic waste centers; no poison control to call; no waste management of any kind. People just throw their trash right out into their yard (or more likely, their neighbors), and either leave it or burn it. Yes, they burn it all, even the plastic...
So we now have a dilemma. If it gets burned, it will vaporize the mercury... and that is real bad. We can't bury it because the water table is too close to the surface. The only thing we can think of (which by no means leaves us feeling settled) is to leave it in a pile amongst other trash... Which will still likely get burned or pawed through by someone, a cow, a dog a person looking to make use of that broom...
We asked our permaculture teacher what he thought and he didn't have any useable idea either. If anyone has any ideas or advice of any kind, please let us know!!!!
So all of this, and Ben still sick with fever. He had kept his fever down with Tylenol and was mobile though trying to take it easy. By this morning, however, he was still feeling bad. Afraid that he might have malaria or something, we talked to our permaculture teachers and one of them drove him to a local doctor whom she trusts. She has lived here 5 yrs and has also been sick and used this doc. When Ben came back, the doctor had loaded him up with antibiotics, oral rehydration salts, electrolytes, probiotics, prebiotics, and a diagnosis of salmonella poisoning. I was surprised by this and have my doubts, as we haven't eaten any uncooked food; and any eggs we have eaten have also been fully cooked- no runny yoke. Anything prepared on a surface with raw food would have been cooked. I am also skeptical because i would expect salmonella poisoning to come with profuse vomitting, and he never threw up....But then... This is India. Its certainly possible. We will see what happens the next few days and hope he gets better. He's doing fine, no need to worry. He's eating normally (and has been-another fishy sign of food poisoning), moving around and participating in the class. He's an extremely strong individual and his demeanor is positive.
So that is most of our weekend experience... We started our permaculture course today, and we will tune in again soon to let you all know how that is going. So far, we both love it and find ourselves thirsty to learn more! It's all really fascinating and fun and about half the group are locals, including two women! Dad, kendra and Mark- we are bringing a digital copy of the course material and handbook for you guys.. Loads of useful stuff I'm sure you will all love.
Again, please don't worry. We are both totally fine. We will let you know how everything goes soon enough.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Return of the Delhi Belly and praise to GSE
Every traveler of India has heard of the term "Delhi Belly", and perhaps it is unlikely that any who come here escape it. It is the imminent invasion of micro-organisms, bacteria, that live in the water here and arrive into the body via poorly filtered water, or food prepared in untreated water. It happens. It's part of the experience, and i believe it strengthens the immune system. :-) Sometimes it lasts the whole time you are here; for us it has come in 24 hour periods. It can include vomiting, diarrhea, fever and aching joints.
We both experienced a little "India welcome party" in our bodies, in Rishikesh. It was worse for Ben than I, he having a bit of all the symptoms; I only had a day of aches and low fever. We both fared it well and took it as our homeopathic dose of the little bacteria, similar to a flu shot you get in order to buiid up immunity. It came and went and after a few days, we gained back our courage with the food and water. It seems, however that we picked up some new "friends" in Varanssi before we left. It's no surprise, Varanassi is thought to be the dirtiest city in India. Ben began feeling sick the night before we left Varanassi, and progressively got worse through the next day. It was mild, thankfully, consisting of the runs and some low energy. He began to pull out of it after about 24 hours and I thought I was in the clear. Just as in Rishikesh, however, it hit me exactly a day later than he. This is typical of us. It hit me two days ago in the late afternoon, and took me to my knees.. Literally. I had all the symptoms, with ferocious intensity. It felt like my insides were getting juiced and it was the most pain I have ever felt while being sick. Thankfully, the intensity only lasted that night, and by yesterday morning, I felt only exhaustion. I laid in bed the whole day, unable to peel myself out had I wanted to. By 8pm I felt a refreshing of energy, and we went to a nice place for some brothy soup and boiled vegetables.
We both brought some "grapefruit seed extract" with us.. A natural antibiotic which you mix in water and drink. The taste is horrifying, but it works quickly and efficiently. I am amazed at the healing powers of this little seed. After a half hour of taking it, you begin to feel better, and progressively thereafter. I believe it is the reason our bouts have only lasted 24 hours rather than days, or months. We have also been taking our rehydration salts, medicinal mushroom capsules and Ayurvedic adaptogenic herbs... So we are back on track to feeling healthy and parasite free!
For those who might be worried about us, don't be. This is totally normal...a rite of passage if you will. We are doing fine with it all, and taking really good care of each other. We both feel a lot better now.
We both experienced a little "India welcome party" in our bodies, in Rishikesh. It was worse for Ben than I, he having a bit of all the symptoms; I only had a day of aches and low fever. We both fared it well and took it as our homeopathic dose of the little bacteria, similar to a flu shot you get in order to buiid up immunity. It came and went and after a few days, we gained back our courage with the food and water. It seems, however that we picked up some new "friends" in Varanssi before we left. It's no surprise, Varanassi is thought to be the dirtiest city in India. Ben began feeling sick the night before we left Varanassi, and progressively got worse through the next day. It was mild, thankfully, consisting of the runs and some low energy. He began to pull out of it after about 24 hours and I thought I was in the clear. Just as in Rishikesh, however, it hit me exactly a day later than he. This is typical of us. It hit me two days ago in the late afternoon, and took me to my knees.. Literally. I had all the symptoms, with ferocious intensity. It felt like my insides were getting juiced and it was the most pain I have ever felt while being sick. Thankfully, the intensity only lasted that night, and by yesterday morning, I felt only exhaustion. I laid in bed the whole day, unable to peel myself out had I wanted to. By 8pm I felt a refreshing of energy, and we went to a nice place for some brothy soup and boiled vegetables.
We both brought some "grapefruit seed extract" with us.. A natural antibiotic which you mix in water and drink. The taste is horrifying, but it works quickly and efficiently. I am amazed at the healing powers of this little seed. After a half hour of taking it, you begin to feel better, and progressively thereafter. I believe it is the reason our bouts have only lasted 24 hours rather than days, or months. We have also been taking our rehydration salts, medicinal mushroom capsules and Ayurvedic adaptogenic herbs... So we are back on track to feeling healthy and parasite free!
For those who might be worried about us, don't be. This is totally normal...a rite of passage if you will. We are doing fine with it all, and taking really good care of each other. We both feel a lot better now.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Bartender! Give 'em another round on us!!
Today we went out exploring this small town, and visiting some temples. Upon leaving one of the temples, we passed a row of old women (about 8 of them) begging for change. we didn't have much change on us, and what we did have, we didn't know how to split up among them all. A few feet away there were a few men with machines that squeeze the juice out of sugar cane. A popular treat to which they add lime and sometimes mint. We asked the women if they would be interested in some cane juice, and the response was an emphatic YES!, followed by clapping and celebrating. We ordered 12 glasses of juice, and gave one to each woman; two, to a couple old men nearby, and the last two to some children to share. By the time I got my camera out and had them raise their glasses in a "cheers" gesture... The were all empty! :-) It was such a fun thing to do... We felt so much joy in sharing this moment with these beings, and the joy they felt in return was clear in their smiles and laughing eyes.
Such Joy in giving.... If you want to share this experience with us, find a creative way to give to someone else today....
Such Joy in giving.... If you want to share this experience with us, find a creative way to give to someone else today....
Basking in Buddhist Blessings
We left Varanassi on the train yesterday morning, and had our first experience of traveling second class sleeper. For those of you who don't know what this means, first class is divided into: AC chair, 1 tier AC, 2 tier AC (tiers are berths, or beds, layered 1-3 levels high), and 3 tier AC. Next comes second class sleeper and this is the lowest class, aside from second class chair which is not so common.
It was a short train ride, only 3 hours, so it was a terrific opportunity to travel "local style" and have a more rootsy Indian experience. The first thing we noticed was that, naturally, it was less clean and cozy than first class, and the berths we less cushy... but we expected that. The second thing we found out, was that although we had each paid for a full berth, 2 more people ended up sitting on them so you weren't able to lay down. I am still a bit confused as to how this works out... I'd like to know how we can pay for only one ticket and then share a seat like the locals seem to! But we happily shared our space with other riders and their luggage, embracing the "lack of logic" which is a way of life here.
I always love traveling at this local level, and having the opportunity to enjoy these intimate cultural experiences. We both had fun checking out (and sometimes tasting) the diverse and unusual train fare, which were brought by a constant stream of food peddlers. Every few minutes you would hear: "Tomato soup!", "Vegetable Biryani!", "Lassi!". We let the Chai Walla refill us as he passed back and forth...sipping our tea and taking in all the flavors of India.
When we arrived in Gaya, which is about 25km (an hour in an auto rickshaw) from Bodhgaya, we were met with hustle and bustle and some unexpected intensity. It was surprisingly more like what I expected to be met with in Varanassi. More begging, pushing, and aggressive male energy. Luckily, we were quickly swooped up by a rickshaw driver, who whisked us out of this loud city, and brought us safely to Bodhgaya. Bodhgaya is like a breath of fresh air. Literally. Trash burning is probably the number one reason for country-wide air pollution, and you never really get away from the smell of burning plastic. It is here, in Bodhgaya as well, but the town is much smaller and the air quality is better...slightly. The biggest difference, is the overall energy of being in a Buddhist town, full of temples and grassy parks. The horn honking is on a smaller scale, and a bit further away; the people are more peaceful; and there is an overall sense of open-kindness that can be typical of those who practice Buddhism. Bodhgaya is the biggest Buddhist pilgrimage place in the world, being the home of the famous Bodhi tree where the Buddha became enlightened. It is by no means crowded with people, however, and most pilgrims are monks from around the world. There are temples and monasteries from perhaps every country whose main religion is Buddhism, including: Thai, Tibetan, Bangladesh, Butanese, Japanese, and lots more.
We found a hotel we liked right away, and have decided to stay here for the duration of our time. It's down a side street, a bit quieter than the man road; across from a nice park with a large pond that kids swim in and paddle boats around; and right next door to an international meditation center. The owners of the hotel are sweet and gentle Buddhists, and we feel quite comfortable here. Being in the city of Varanassi had its many merits... but it's nice to have a little reprieve. Yes, definitely happy to be in this auspicious little town....
It was a short train ride, only 3 hours, so it was a terrific opportunity to travel "local style" and have a more rootsy Indian experience. The first thing we noticed was that, naturally, it was less clean and cozy than first class, and the berths we less cushy... but we expected that. The second thing we found out, was that although we had each paid for a full berth, 2 more people ended up sitting on them so you weren't able to lay down. I am still a bit confused as to how this works out... I'd like to know how we can pay for only one ticket and then share a seat like the locals seem to! But we happily shared our space with other riders and their luggage, embracing the "lack of logic" which is a way of life here.
I always love traveling at this local level, and having the opportunity to enjoy these intimate cultural experiences. We both had fun checking out (and sometimes tasting) the diverse and unusual train fare, which were brought by a constant stream of food peddlers. Every few minutes you would hear: "Tomato soup!", "Vegetable Biryani!", "Lassi!". We let the Chai Walla refill us as he passed back and forth...sipping our tea and taking in all the flavors of India.
When we arrived in Gaya, which is about 25km (an hour in an auto rickshaw) from Bodhgaya, we were met with hustle and bustle and some unexpected intensity. It was surprisingly more like what I expected to be met with in Varanassi. More begging, pushing, and aggressive male energy. Luckily, we were quickly swooped up by a rickshaw driver, who whisked us out of this loud city, and brought us safely to Bodhgaya. Bodhgaya is like a breath of fresh air. Literally. Trash burning is probably the number one reason for country-wide air pollution, and you never really get away from the smell of burning plastic. It is here, in Bodhgaya as well, but the town is much smaller and the air quality is better...slightly. The biggest difference, is the overall energy of being in a Buddhist town, full of temples and grassy parks. The horn honking is on a smaller scale, and a bit further away; the people are more peaceful; and there is an overall sense of open-kindness that can be typical of those who practice Buddhism. Bodhgaya is the biggest Buddhist pilgrimage place in the world, being the home of the famous Bodhi tree where the Buddha became enlightened. It is by no means crowded with people, however, and most pilgrims are monks from around the world. There are temples and monasteries from perhaps every country whose main religion is Buddhism, including: Thai, Tibetan, Bangladesh, Butanese, Japanese, and lots more.
We found a hotel we liked right away, and have decided to stay here for the duration of our time. It's down a side street, a bit quieter than the man road; across from a nice park with a large pond that kids swim in and paddle boats around; and right next door to an international meditation center. The owners of the hotel are sweet and gentle Buddhists, and we feel quite comfortable here. Being in the city of Varanassi had its many merits... but it's nice to have a little reprieve. Yes, definitely happy to be in this auspicious little town....
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Tuk Tuks, Travel Agents, Trash and Temples
Over the course of the last three days, the intensity of Varanassi is beginning to set in. What began as novel, slowly is becoming louder and more difficult to breathe. I still love Varanassi, it's very powerful in all it's intense ways. It naturally brings a lot up in a person; mentally, phisically, emotionally and of course spiritually. It's a deeply useful opportunity for One who is willing to meet it and FEEL it.
Two days ago, we hopped in an auto rickshaw (same as a tuk tuk- they use the terms interchangeably). We hired him for the day and had him take us around to 4 Hindu temples: Shiva Temple ; Durga Temple; Monkey Temple (a temple devoted to Hanuman whose form was half human and half monkey... Ironically, there are monkeys all around the temple); and Tulasi Manas Temple. The Hanuman Temple was especially nice, and the "no photography" rule helped to keep the ambiance very sacred and focused. There were many there to sing and pray, and it was a deeply devotional place of worship (Hanuman being the deity of devotion).
On our way to the temples we enjoyed our first auto rickshaw accident. So common, it hardly phases the drivers or passersby... and most travelers have experienced a multitude of them. The rickshaws don't go very fast, so an accident isn't such a big deal to the rider, but the Tuk Tuks are generally quite beat up. The hierarchy of the road is: you can run over pedestrians if they are in the way; bicycles are second, and the pedestrians should watch out for bicycles veering to get away from scooters. Scooters are subservient to the tuk tuks, which are by far the most aggressive vehicles... And though they are extremely aware of their position as "above these "lesser" modes of transport", they seem to disregard the fact that they are NOT above higher vehicles. The cars are not as common as the other vehicles, and neither are buses, which are at the top of the "fuel" chain. This is a blessing, as the law says that if a vehicle lower on the hierarchy is in the way, there is no problem creaming it if it doesn't move for a bigger vehicle... Tuk Tuks are not exactly defensive drivers. There is, however, one level of the hierarchy in which every vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian will diligently avoid.... The highest of the pyramid and King of the road.... The cow! Needless to say, we were fine. It was more amusing than anything.
Yesterday, we had planned a day trip but were foiled when we ended up spending the morning and early afternoon at the travel agent's office. We are not able to do our own train booking as you must be an Indian resident to do this. In some ways it's good as it gives jobs to Indians and makes the process much easier for us. The trains book up 2-4 weeks in advance, so it is good to plan ahead and book early, which is difficult to do when you want a spontaneous journey. The travel agents, however, get a certain number of emergency tickets which they can give to tourists after the train fills up, at an extra charge, of course. Our coming trip in a few weeks to Dharamsala will be a very long journey, and it took hours to sort out train times; ticket availability; and booking. We just kept breathing through it with as much patience as we could muster.
The afternoon we spent wandering through the back alleyways of the Main Ghat, looking at crafts; snacking on dosas; and finally locating the traveler famous "Blue Lassi"... Home of Varanassi's best Lassi. A Lassi is a blend of local made yogurt and fruit. These were extra special...chocolate, banana, coconut... Pomogranite and saffron on top. We went back last night for a second.... Don't tell anyone.
Today, we woke up at 5am, and hopped in a row boat with a sweet and honest man. He took us for a sunrise cruise on the Ganga. Varanassi was born again this morning, in all her rich glory. Bathers littered the ghats, doing their morning wash-up along with their pujas and prayers. Many began their days early with hours of clothes washing. A constant stream of chanting and singing could be heard as well as the laughter of young girls playing in the river. The ashes from the previous day and nights sacred burning of the bodies were pushed into a large pile, and then shoveled into the river... The last remains of the dreams, of the traveling pilgrims come to die in this Holy city.
The close up view of the river gave us the opportunity to see, touch and smell the extreme pollution of this sacred river. Trash, plastic, sewage, dead animals and dead bodies, all find their way to the stagnant waters of the lower Ganges. Here I had to muster the courage to touch it, while locals had no problems swimming, brushing their teeth, and even drinking it! Ack! Ben and I felt the tremendous amount of sorrow for the desecration of such an extraordinary gift of nature. We also felt immense gratitude for the beautiful, clean rivers of the north west... The blessing of living within such relatively preserved wildlife. Infinite gratitude for Mother Nature, may she return to balance and harmony.
This afternoon we went to Sarnath. Fifteen km away from Varanassi, It's the town where the first Buddha gave his very first sermon, and thus the birthplace of Buddhism. We stood in the place of that first sermon and felt the emanating of sweet energy. Inside the temple we sat for awhile, and it was such a peaceful reprieve from the loud, bustling city of Varanssi.
Tomorrow we leave Varanassi on a relatively short journey to Bodhgaya- only 4 hours away. This is the town where Buddha sat under the famous Bodhi tree to become enlightened. We will be there for a few days and then we start a two week permaculture course at a monastery. We will be working with some local community members of Bodhgaya to create a sustainable, no waste project using local and organic means.
Varanassi has been many things.... Rich and beautiful; intense and awful. I love it, I hate it.... Depends on where I am coming from. In the end... It's perfect.
Two days ago, we hopped in an auto rickshaw (same as a tuk tuk- they use the terms interchangeably). We hired him for the day and had him take us around to 4 Hindu temples: Shiva Temple ; Durga Temple; Monkey Temple (a temple devoted to Hanuman whose form was half human and half monkey... Ironically, there are monkeys all around the temple); and Tulasi Manas Temple. The Hanuman Temple was especially nice, and the "no photography" rule helped to keep the ambiance very sacred and focused. There were many there to sing and pray, and it was a deeply devotional place of worship (Hanuman being the deity of devotion).
On our way to the temples we enjoyed our first auto rickshaw accident. So common, it hardly phases the drivers or passersby... and most travelers have experienced a multitude of them. The rickshaws don't go very fast, so an accident isn't such a big deal to the rider, but the Tuk Tuks are generally quite beat up. The hierarchy of the road is: you can run over pedestrians if they are in the way; bicycles are second, and the pedestrians should watch out for bicycles veering to get away from scooters. Scooters are subservient to the tuk tuks, which are by far the most aggressive vehicles... And though they are extremely aware of their position as "above these "lesser" modes of transport", they seem to disregard the fact that they are NOT above higher vehicles. The cars are not as common as the other vehicles, and neither are buses, which are at the top of the "fuel" chain. This is a blessing, as the law says that if a vehicle lower on the hierarchy is in the way, there is no problem creaming it if it doesn't move for a bigger vehicle... Tuk Tuks are not exactly defensive drivers. There is, however, one level of the hierarchy in which every vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian will diligently avoid.... The highest of the pyramid and King of the road.... The cow! Needless to say, we were fine. It was more amusing than anything.
Yesterday, we had planned a day trip but were foiled when we ended up spending the morning and early afternoon at the travel agent's office. We are not able to do our own train booking as you must be an Indian resident to do this. In some ways it's good as it gives jobs to Indians and makes the process much easier for us. The trains book up 2-4 weeks in advance, so it is good to plan ahead and book early, which is difficult to do when you want a spontaneous journey. The travel agents, however, get a certain number of emergency tickets which they can give to tourists after the train fills up, at an extra charge, of course. Our coming trip in a few weeks to Dharamsala will be a very long journey, and it took hours to sort out train times; ticket availability; and booking. We just kept breathing through it with as much patience as we could muster.
The afternoon we spent wandering through the back alleyways of the Main Ghat, looking at crafts; snacking on dosas; and finally locating the traveler famous "Blue Lassi"... Home of Varanassi's best Lassi. A Lassi is a blend of local made yogurt and fruit. These were extra special...chocolate, banana, coconut... Pomogranite and saffron on top. We went back last night for a second.... Don't tell anyone.
Today, we woke up at 5am, and hopped in a row boat with a sweet and honest man. He took us for a sunrise cruise on the Ganga. Varanassi was born again this morning, in all her rich glory. Bathers littered the ghats, doing their morning wash-up along with their pujas and prayers. Many began their days early with hours of clothes washing. A constant stream of chanting and singing could be heard as well as the laughter of young girls playing in the river. The ashes from the previous day and nights sacred burning of the bodies were pushed into a large pile, and then shoveled into the river... The last remains of the dreams, of the traveling pilgrims come to die in this Holy city.
The close up view of the river gave us the opportunity to see, touch and smell the extreme pollution of this sacred river. Trash, plastic, sewage, dead animals and dead bodies, all find their way to the stagnant waters of the lower Ganges. Here I had to muster the courage to touch it, while locals had no problems swimming, brushing their teeth, and even drinking it! Ack! Ben and I felt the tremendous amount of sorrow for the desecration of such an extraordinary gift of nature. We also felt immense gratitude for the beautiful, clean rivers of the north west... The blessing of living within such relatively preserved wildlife. Infinite gratitude for Mother Nature, may she return to balance and harmony.
This afternoon we went to Sarnath. Fifteen km away from Varanassi, It's the town where the first Buddha gave his very first sermon, and thus the birthplace of Buddhism. We stood in the place of that first sermon and felt the emanating of sweet energy. Inside the temple we sat for awhile, and it was such a peaceful reprieve from the loud, bustling city of Varanssi.
Tomorrow we leave Varanassi on a relatively short journey to Bodhgaya- only 4 hours away. This is the town where Buddha sat under the famous Bodhi tree to become enlightened. We will be there for a few days and then we start a two week permaculture course at a monastery. We will be working with some local community members of Bodhgaya to create a sustainable, no waste project using local and organic means.
Varanassi has been many things.... Rich and beautiful; intense and awful. I love it, I hate it.... Depends on where I am coming from. In the end... It's perfect.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The Beauty in Varanassi
We arrived in Varanassi after a 13 hour train ride yesterday morning. We made a smooth transition into an auto rickshaw, and headed toward town about a half hour's drive in traffic. I have heard many stories about Varanassi...mostly concerning how intense, dirty, loud, dangerous, polluted and unruly this town is.... and it is quite possibly all of these things. But as we rode down the streets and looked at the sewage water running down the gutters; the backed up traffic and non-stop loud car horns; the beggars... breathed in the smokey, polluted air; the smell of cow poop and human pee which permeates nearly ever corner of the city....... I saw only Beauty. The raw-ness of this place feels so real, and I can see the intensity is there, but it just doesn't feel so intense to me. This is a way of life, and through all the grime and garbage, I felt a connection to this place. After two days here... I still see only beauty... so the question then, is, WHERE does beauty live?? Where does it really exist?? Is it the world outside of us in which we are looking at??? Or does it live inside of us? In a place where beauty is eternal...
Varanassi is the kind of place you can only either love or hate. There is no place for logic here. If you approach this place from your mind, and place judgements on everything you see, always wanting it to be different than the way it is... then you will hate it. If you approach it from the Heart, and accept it as it is, and meet it with an open mind... you may find that you Love it.
Ben and I found a guesthouse right away called "Om Home". Its actually quite nice and we like it a lot... the restaurant serves tastey food to the table on the balcony outside our room for very cheap so we are able to have tea and meals right at our room! A luxury I have never before experienced. This being said, its not a resort.. by india standards its quite nice.. by western... perhaps lacking. We like it though, and Ben has grown used to the fact that his knees touch the wall while he sits on the toilet!
We spent yesterday and today exploring the town. We walked along the Ganga (which is FAR dirtier here than in Rishikesh, where I did finally take a swim in her purifying waters), from Ghat to Ghat (a ghat is a set of steps going down to the river). We passed many men asking if we wanted a boat down the river- obviously a big money maker for them. We passed a Ghat which we have coined "Ghat Poop" as it seems to be where poeple come to do their business and PeeU! It stinks. We have heard so many stories about being hassled non-stop by people selling things; scams; sexual harrassment; etc... we have had none of this. We have been met by kindness, laughter, and Varanassi has thus far been very gentle for us. We both love it here.
By late afternoon yesterday, we finally made it to burning Ghat. This is the Ghat where the old and sick go to spend there last days waiting to die. This is where the bodies of loved ones are brought to be placed on pyres. The bodies are wrapped up in beautiful fabrics and placed on big piles of wood, with logs then placed on top of them. The bodies are burned slowly and many gather around to watch. There are upwards of 15-20 pyres burning at a time. We saw only 2 other Indian women there among the few hundred men, aside from a few western women. I am not sure if it a local custom for women not to attend or if they choose it, but I felt blessed to be allowed to see this. Interestingly, I didn't feel or think much as I saw this for the first time. I felt curious and found myself wanting a closer look. I was intrigued by the way in which the bodies were handled and the emotions or lack of, from family members. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this experience, but I actually found it to be very beautiful. Instead of putting bodies in a box in the ground and trying to keep the Earth out... These bodies were being cremated in a very sacred way, so that their loved ones might have a chance at ending the cycles of rebirth and move into the more heavenly realms. It is done from a place of love, and does not feel at all like a horrific scene. It is said that the burning of the bodies is a purifying process. No, pictures may be taken at Burning Ghat, this experience is reserved for pilgrimage only.
It is also the music capital and well known for music and voice lessons, and classial Indian concerts. Ben and I dipped into a very beautiful concert this evening for our first experience of live music in India.
It is a powerful place, Varanassi, unlike any other place in the world. Once must be open to recieve the Truth that lies in meeting all this town has to offer.. When the Truth is met... Great awakening is possible...
Varanassi is the kind of place you can only either love or hate. There is no place for logic here. If you approach this place from your mind, and place judgements on everything you see, always wanting it to be different than the way it is... then you will hate it. If you approach it from the Heart, and accept it as it is, and meet it with an open mind... you may find that you Love it.
Ben and I found a guesthouse right away called "Om Home". Its actually quite nice and we like it a lot... the restaurant serves tastey food to the table on the balcony outside our room for very cheap so we are able to have tea and meals right at our room! A luxury I have never before experienced. This being said, its not a resort.. by india standards its quite nice.. by western... perhaps lacking. We like it though, and Ben has grown used to the fact that his knees touch the wall while he sits on the toilet!
We spent yesterday and today exploring the town. We walked along the Ganga (which is FAR dirtier here than in Rishikesh, where I did finally take a swim in her purifying waters), from Ghat to Ghat (a ghat is a set of steps going down to the river). We passed many men asking if we wanted a boat down the river- obviously a big money maker for them. We passed a Ghat which we have coined "Ghat Poop" as it seems to be where poeple come to do their business and PeeU! It stinks. We have heard so many stories about being hassled non-stop by people selling things; scams; sexual harrassment; etc... we have had none of this. We have been met by kindness, laughter, and Varanassi has thus far been very gentle for us. We both love it here.
By late afternoon yesterday, we finally made it to burning Ghat. This is the Ghat where the old and sick go to spend there last days waiting to die. This is where the bodies of loved ones are brought to be placed on pyres. The bodies are wrapped up in beautiful fabrics and placed on big piles of wood, with logs then placed on top of them. The bodies are burned slowly and many gather around to watch. There are upwards of 15-20 pyres burning at a time. We saw only 2 other Indian women there among the few hundred men, aside from a few western women. I am not sure if it a local custom for women not to attend or if they choose it, but I felt blessed to be allowed to see this. Interestingly, I didn't feel or think much as I saw this for the first time. I felt curious and found myself wanting a closer look. I was intrigued by the way in which the bodies were handled and the emotions or lack of, from family members. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this experience, but I actually found it to be very beautiful. Instead of putting bodies in a box in the ground and trying to keep the Earth out... These bodies were being cremated in a very sacred way, so that their loved ones might have a chance at ending the cycles of rebirth and move into the more heavenly realms. It is done from a place of love, and does not feel at all like a horrific scene. It is said that the burning of the bodies is a purifying process. No, pictures may be taken at Burning Ghat, this experience is reserved for pilgrimage only.
It is also the music capital and well known for music and voice lessons, and classial Indian concerts. Ben and I dipped into a very beautiful concert this evening for our first experience of live music in India.
It is a powerful place, Varanassi, unlike any other place in the world. Once must be open to recieve the Truth that lies in meeting all this town has to offer.. When the Truth is met... Great awakening is possible...
Thursday, March 15, 2012
A New Pilgrimage
Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world, draws many westerner and Indian spiritual seekers... Its a place many come to study; practice meditation; enjoy satsang with a Guru; sing Kirtan and relax on sandy beaches by the Ganga. Its a relatively easy place to travel and be. Though many store owners want for you to come inside and shop, and there are a few on the streets selling this or that... there is little in the way of feeling hassled. Most speak good English, and are very polite. Its not too crowded and its easy to find a quiet place along the Ganga to sit alone without being disturbed. Cows roam the streets languorously, and the even the dogs look decently fed and cared for. Decently... There is often joyful music coming from this or that ashram, and around sundown the occasional parade of singing and dancing. The energy is easy-going and open, and most who come find it a nice reprieve from other "more intense"places in India. There has not been much to write as far a this blog goes, as we have spent most of our time relaxing; chatting with locals or fellow travelers; watching the sunset and enjoying the daily cups of chai. We have enjoyed this place as a gentle landing pad for our introduction to India... and now we feel its time to venture out into the Heart of this sacred place and truly "meet" India Ma. In a few hours we catch a midnight train to Varanassi... Reportedly, the most intense and Holy place in India...
It is said, that if you go to Varanassi to die, and your body is put in the Ganga River.. that all your sins will be forgiven and that your cycles of birth and death will end. As you can imagine, hoards of people then come to this sacred city, hoping to end Samsara. Varanssi is said to have "everything and anything you can imagine." Its intensity lies in many levels and realms... people from all over coming in their last stages of life... and their bodies, burned in the middle of the town in front of all and then put into the Ganga.
I feel deeply compelled to see and feel this powerful place....
This journey through India, through the Heart, through the Self, continues...
It is said, that if you go to Varanassi to die, and your body is put in the Ganga River.. that all your sins will be forgiven and that your cycles of birth and death will end. As you can imagine, hoards of people then come to this sacred city, hoping to end Samsara. Varanssi is said to have "everything and anything you can imagine." Its intensity lies in many levels and realms... people from all over coming in their last stages of life... and their bodies, burned in the middle of the town in front of all and then put into the Ganga.
I feel deeply compelled to see and feel this powerful place....
This journey through India, through the Heart, through the Self, continues...
Monday, March 12, 2012
Mystical India
I understand now why so many refer to India as "magical"... Why "you don't do India, India does you"...Every moment is a new adventure, a new surrender, another synchronicity. Traveling from the Heart is the only way to move.. and every challenge is just an opportunity to expand and to Love more.
So far, India has been kind... and we have been spending our "moment" in a state of ecstatic bliss! We are in Love with the music; the ceremony; the daily chai; the communion with friends from all over the world (many we have actually met before on previous adventures or through mutual friends.. the world shinks...); sunsets over the Ganga; Holy cows; feeding stray puppies; DOSAS!; the depth in the eyes of the passing brethren; incense... Even the little bacterias which have invaded our bodies. We have both been feeling a little sick today, especially Ben... a little welcoming handshake from India Ma. We receive it with grace and embrace. Everything is amplified in India. And if you didn' t see it before... you will now- be it in the inner world or outer. It is a ripe and fertile ground to dive into yourself and "feast" on all that you are... which is everything...
So far, India has been kind... and we have been spending our "moment" in a state of ecstatic bliss! We are in Love with the music; the ceremony; the daily chai; the communion with friends from all over the world (many we have actually met before on previous adventures or through mutual friends.. the world shinks...); sunsets over the Ganga; Holy cows; feeding stray puppies; DOSAS!; the depth in the eyes of the passing brethren; incense... Even the little bacterias which have invaded our bodies. We have both been feeling a little sick today, especially Ben... a little welcoming handshake from India Ma. We receive it with grace and embrace. Everything is amplified in India. And if you didn' t see it before... you will now- be it in the inner world or outer. It is a ripe and fertile ground to dive into yourself and "feast" on all that you are... which is everything...
Friday, March 9, 2012
The Carriers of Color
Integrating into India has been sweet, smooth and blessed. Because of the holiday and the yoga festival, the town has been completely booked and many travelers are having a hard time finding a place to stay. Thanks to our good friend Karl Baba, who has been in Rishikesh for a few months and was an acquantaince of Alesha, we were saved a room in a beautiful guesthouse! There were two rooms next to each other on the third floor with stunning views of the town, the Laxman Jhula bridge and Ganga Ma. The sun sets just over the mountains right off our balcony. As if we weren't already lucky enough, in a town with no available rooms, the day after Ben arrives a room opens up in our hotel... right next door to our other two rooms! We are infinitely blessed!
Yesterday was a national holiday called "Holy". Its a festival in which locals and tourists alike douse each other from head to foot in an array of paint colors. I had heard stories of tourists getting mauled, molested and trampled, so I decided to watch the festival from the safety of the balcony. The guesthouse locked their doors at 8am and you were either in or out. Every shop shuts down; all restaurants, food vendors and fruit stands. All doors close and the paints fly in a brilliant chaos of colorful celebration of the return from darkness to light. Holy is considered the worst day of the year to travel. Not only are you being pelted with paint and fighting crowds of frenzied locals, but everyone has the day off and its tricky to find a ride anywhere. So it was both terrifying and humorous that this was the very day that Ben was flying to India and traveling to meet me in Rishikesh... I was between worried and delighted at the adventure I knew he was about to experience.
Alesha, Karl Baba (from California) and I, watched the spectacle from the balcony... taking pictures and laughing as the children on the street plastered passersby with buckets of water filled with paint, and then finished them off with pouches of dry paint powder. I began to feel comforted about Ben coming as I realized that Rishikesh is much more gentle in this celebration than some of the other places I have heard of in India. Alcohol and Marijuana are illegal here as it is a holy city, so crowds are much more docile than other towns. It was all in good fun, and in some ways I wished I had gone down to the streets to play... but from above I had a great birds eye view and an opportunity to watch for a beautiful brown haired man with a backpack, taking his first glimpse of the "holy land".
Ben showed up earlier than I expected, with pink and blue paint all over his clothes and face. He got off quite easy I would say and missed the hectic display by mere minutes. He was smiling, however, and I knew his experience had been a good one. What a welcome to India!!
We went straight to the Ganga to wash up and enjoy our first meditation together. As we sat by the waters edge, we were greeted by a man and two bags of paint. We agreed to let him anoint us with green and yellow color and sat for the first time together, breathing in the sacredness of this land, this culture, this one eternal moment... Delighting in each others company, a communion of the souls...we are dancing in the ecstasy of re-union and the joy of sharing this adventure with one another.
My being is pulsating with Joy... each day I feel expanded to hold a bit more of this, and a bit more gratitude... and more Love. I feel so incredibly blessed by those near me; the land I walk on, the spirit of Love... and Grace. Beloved Grace. I am so thankful.
Yesterday was a national holiday called "Holy". Its a festival in which locals and tourists alike douse each other from head to foot in an array of paint colors. I had heard stories of tourists getting mauled, molested and trampled, so I decided to watch the festival from the safety of the balcony. The guesthouse locked their doors at 8am and you were either in or out. Every shop shuts down; all restaurants, food vendors and fruit stands. All doors close and the paints fly in a brilliant chaos of colorful celebration of the return from darkness to light. Holy is considered the worst day of the year to travel. Not only are you being pelted with paint and fighting crowds of frenzied locals, but everyone has the day off and its tricky to find a ride anywhere. So it was both terrifying and humorous that this was the very day that Ben was flying to India and traveling to meet me in Rishikesh... I was between worried and delighted at the adventure I knew he was about to experience.
Alesha, Karl Baba (from California) and I, watched the spectacle from the balcony... taking pictures and laughing as the children on the street plastered passersby with buckets of water filled with paint, and then finished them off with pouches of dry paint powder. I began to feel comforted about Ben coming as I realized that Rishikesh is much more gentle in this celebration than some of the other places I have heard of in India. Alcohol and Marijuana are illegal here as it is a holy city, so crowds are much more docile than other towns. It was all in good fun, and in some ways I wished I had gone down to the streets to play... but from above I had a great birds eye view and an opportunity to watch for a beautiful brown haired man with a backpack, taking his first glimpse of the "holy land".
Ben showed up earlier than I expected, with pink and blue paint all over his clothes and face. He got off quite easy I would say and missed the hectic display by mere minutes. He was smiling, however, and I knew his experience had been a good one. What a welcome to India!!
We went straight to the Ganga to wash up and enjoy our first meditation together. As we sat by the waters edge, we were greeted by a man and two bags of paint. We agreed to let him anoint us with green and yellow color and sat for the first time together, breathing in the sacredness of this land, this culture, this one eternal moment... Delighting in each others company, a communion of the souls...we are dancing in the ecstasy of re-union and the joy of sharing this adventure with one another.
My being is pulsating with Joy... each day I feel expanded to hold a bit more of this, and a bit more gratitude... and more Love. I feel so incredibly blessed by those near me; the land I walk on, the spirit of Love... and Grace. Beloved Grace. I am so thankful.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Goodbye Thailand, hello Mama India!!
Yesterday I was in Bangkok, eating my last coconut curry.....today... I washed my face in the sacred Ganga...
The last five days have mostly been spent traveling. We left Pai on Friday and had a day in Chiang Mai to indulge in one last 2 hour Thai massage, and some last minute thailand shopping. We took the night bus to Bangkok on Sat night and arrived Sunday morning at 5:30am. The bus dropped us at the famous Kohsan Rd...a backpacker hotspot for an all night party. The energy was a bit unsettling as we navigated through the littered drunken bodies on the street and the stumbling dazed... Tired and disoriented we traipsed around looking for a room and all the guesthouses were full. We finally just hired a cab to take us to a hotel near the airport. We splurged on a nice room with air-conditioning...a must at this point since we were dripping sweat at 6am.
Yesterday (Monday), we flew out of Bangkok. Our hearts wept a little as we said goodbye to so many of our new favorite experiences, and yet, we were thrilled with the coming adventure of communing with the "Motherland".
We arrived in New Delhi at 11:30pm and killed a few hours at the airport... procrastinating on the journey to the Delhi train station. When we arrived at the Delhi train station, we were glad to find it relatively calm. When our train came, we boarded it with ease, and drug our exhausted bodies onto our berth for a few hours of sleep. The berths are stacked 3 high and I was in the middle. Its a somewhat cushy slab which is long enough to lay down with your bag at your feet. Before our eyes shut, Alesha and I looked at each other and with a long sigh of relief, said..."it feels so good to lay down!"
Our train rolled in to Haridwar 7 hours later. We got in our first indian rickshaw and headed the last hour to Rishikesh. The ride was surreal... so many sights and smells.. cows in the streets; women in beautiful fabrics; loud honking and reckless driving; carts of fruit; and bare feet on the Earth. I am surprised that I have not seen many people since I arrived. The train station, the streets, the view out the window of fields and farmland; this town... where are all the poeple? They are here, but not in droves as I expected in this "overpopulated" country. It is a relatively normal amount of people I would say... and that has been nice.
We arrived around 1:30pm, nearly 24 hours of traveling later. We are blessed by an Angel, named Karl Baba. He has reserved us a room in his hotel, and bless our stars, because the other places in town are full! He greeted us and saved our weary souls by showing us the way around town and to our first meal in India. We had some delicious curry as we sat in a restaurant by the Ganga river. After we ate, he took us up the river a ways so we could sit and rest and meet this most sacred, worshiped Mama. Green and icy cold, the snow melt from the Himalayas comes cascading down the mountains. As I dipped my hands in and splashed my face, I felt tears well up in my eyes... Am I really here??? Is this really happening?? Am I sitting on the banks of this Magnificent Holy river???? For a couple hours we sat by the water... drinking in the energy of her ancient dance, and steeping in the gratitude of another dream realized...
India. I'm in India...
The last five days have mostly been spent traveling. We left Pai on Friday and had a day in Chiang Mai to indulge in one last 2 hour Thai massage, and some last minute thailand shopping. We took the night bus to Bangkok on Sat night and arrived Sunday morning at 5:30am. The bus dropped us at the famous Kohsan Rd...a backpacker hotspot for an all night party. The energy was a bit unsettling as we navigated through the littered drunken bodies on the street and the stumbling dazed... Tired and disoriented we traipsed around looking for a room and all the guesthouses were full. We finally just hired a cab to take us to a hotel near the airport. We splurged on a nice room with air-conditioning...a must at this point since we were dripping sweat at 6am.
Yesterday (Monday), we flew out of Bangkok. Our hearts wept a little as we said goodbye to so many of our new favorite experiences, and yet, we were thrilled with the coming adventure of communing with the "Motherland".
We arrived in New Delhi at 11:30pm and killed a few hours at the airport... procrastinating on the journey to the Delhi train station. When we arrived at the Delhi train station, we were glad to find it relatively calm. When our train came, we boarded it with ease, and drug our exhausted bodies onto our berth for a few hours of sleep. The berths are stacked 3 high and I was in the middle. Its a somewhat cushy slab which is long enough to lay down with your bag at your feet. Before our eyes shut, Alesha and I looked at each other and with a long sigh of relief, said..."it feels so good to lay down!"
Our train rolled in to Haridwar 7 hours later. We got in our first indian rickshaw and headed the last hour to Rishikesh. The ride was surreal... so many sights and smells.. cows in the streets; women in beautiful fabrics; loud honking and reckless driving; carts of fruit; and bare feet on the Earth. I am surprised that I have not seen many people since I arrived. The train station, the streets, the view out the window of fields and farmland; this town... where are all the poeple? They are here, but not in droves as I expected in this "overpopulated" country. It is a relatively normal amount of people I would say... and that has been nice.
We arrived around 1:30pm, nearly 24 hours of traveling later. We are blessed by an Angel, named Karl Baba. He has reserved us a room in his hotel, and bless our stars, because the other places in town are full! He greeted us and saved our weary souls by showing us the way around town and to our first meal in India. We had some delicious curry as we sat in a restaurant by the Ganga river. After we ate, he took us up the river a ways so we could sit and rest and meet this most sacred, worshiped Mama. Green and icy cold, the snow melt from the Himalayas comes cascading down the mountains. As I dipped my hands in and splashed my face, I felt tears well up in my eyes... Am I really here??? Is this really happening?? Am I sitting on the banks of this Magnificent Holy river???? For a couple hours we sat by the water... drinking in the energy of her ancient dance, and steeping in the gratitude of another dream realized...
India. I'm in India...
Thursday, March 1, 2012
A little slice of Pai
Pai has been a fantastic stop on our journey and we both agree we could come back someday and stay awhile. We have spent most of our time with our new friends Maja and Liz; wandering the streets of town; drinking Chai from my new favorite tea house; talking about the inner and outer experiences of life; growing, learning and teaching each other.
Last night, Maja and I ventured out to a nearby tourist attraction, called "Pai Canyon". A dynamic view of thin mountain ridges carved out from years of weather patterns, no doubt wind and rain. I'm not really sure the nature of how Pai Canyon came to be, there are no information billboards, brochures or tour guides...
There is a trail that winds around along the ridge, and we decided to take a quick stroll around. Did we know we were signing up for another harrowing adventure?... The path was slick and steep in places; the silty soil had been blown out, forming a "slot" canyon style of trail. There were a few parts where we were walking along a mere 12inch path with either side a sheer drop off. This is not something you would ever see in the States, with no concern given to safety. We crept forward, planning our moves carefully. Maja admitted she was afraid of heights. The end of the trail, was one last sketchy hop around a slippery pinnacle. After a bit of coaxing, Maja finally made the moves and we celebrated on the "safe" side of the trail. I decided that would be last time with this "hike"; the view was good enough!
We have decided to make this our last night in Pai. We leave tomorrow for Chiang Mai, givin ourselves a day to sort our way back to Bangkok, and wrap up a few last minute details in Thailand before we head to India.
Sweet lite town, wonderful memories...Bye-bye Pai!!!
Last night, Maja and I ventured out to a nearby tourist attraction, called "Pai Canyon". A dynamic view of thin mountain ridges carved out from years of weather patterns, no doubt wind and rain. I'm not really sure the nature of how Pai Canyon came to be, there are no information billboards, brochures or tour guides...
There is a trail that winds around along the ridge, and we decided to take a quick stroll around. Did we know we were signing up for another harrowing adventure?... The path was slick and steep in places; the silty soil had been blown out, forming a "slot" canyon style of trail. There were a few parts where we were walking along a mere 12inch path with either side a sheer drop off. This is not something you would ever see in the States, with no concern given to safety. We crept forward, planning our moves carefully. Maja admitted she was afraid of heights. The end of the trail, was one last sketchy hop around a slippery pinnacle. After a bit of coaxing, Maja finally made the moves and we celebrated on the "safe" side of the trail. I decided that would be last time with this "hike"; the view was good enough!
We have decided to make this our last night in Pai. We leave tomorrow for Chiang Mai, givin ourselves a day to sort our way back to Bangkok, and wrap up a few last minute details in Thailand before we head to India.
Sweet lite town, wonderful memories...Bye-bye Pai!!!
The Adventures of Peanut
Today was a day of working through fears...
My friend Maja and I went for a six hour hike today. A waterfall called "Mae Yen" (sounds auspiciously like "Mayan"), we were told it was three hours in and then three hours out. We were both so excited for good excerise and it was a beautiful day, being a bit less hazy than usual. At the trailhead we were greeted by a mid-sized dog and her pup- a cute little waggly thing. Maja had just been telling me that she was afraid of dogs, and she tried to get away as the poor little pup tried to play with her. We started hiking, and the dogs decided to come too. There was no way they were going to take "no" for an answer. Like a magnet, they only wanted to be by Maja. She was nearly in a panic, and asked if there was anyway I could walk between them? I tried but it just wasn't going to happen. Im a dog lover, and I could tell they were sweet and harmless, so I just watched in amusement to see what was going to happen. It was my guess that this situation was arising to help Maja get over her fear of dogs so I just decided to let it all play out. The first hour and a half, she was nervous and uncomfortable. In an attempt to lighten the situation, we started to joke about the dogs being our porters, and "why weren't they carrying our bags?". Gradually Maja began to tolerate the dogs and even began warming up to the pup.
The hike began with a sketchy bridge crossing the river; some bamboo poles laid accross with a few old pieces of plywood on top. It sagged as we walked accross and I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of this structure. We crossed two more dodgy "bridges" near the beginning; one was a folded V-shaped piece of metal roofing, the other was a few PVC pipes laid next to each other (see pics on FB). Another interesting aspect of this trail, was that it was infested with "daddy long legs". Lucky for us, neither of us have a fear of these spiders; for many parts of the trail they were everywhere! You had to really navigate through them to try not to step on them. There were millions, and it looked like the ground was a moving carpet! I had never seen anything like it.
As we continued down the path, we noticed that it seemed to be the puppy's first time doing the full hike and she clearly had fear of the water. We were hiking along a creek and the trail crossed back and forth through the water many times. Each time the puppy crossed, she got a little more comfortable with the water and you could see her courage soar as she proudly began jumping into the river, showing off her skills. By this time, I decided we needed to name our porters. I walked along eating a bag of nuts, and "accidentally" dropping some on the ground so the puppy could eat some too. "Peanut!", I declared. Let's caller her Peanut! The other dog simply became "Mama" as she was clearly peanut's mother. Peanut and Mama...
We walked for 3 hours and still no waterfall. We were no longer following a trail, but climbing over rocks and small cascades. It was a bit tiring, and peanut was having trouble. I had to keep lifting her up onto the rocks. We decided to break for lunch and then make our way back, waterfall unseen, as it was getting later in the day and we still had a long way back. It was such a beautiful hike and we were having fun whether we saw a waterfall or not.
We started heading back after a nice lunch, and found ourselves on a different trail. It rose up, up, up a couple hundred feet. We followed it for awhile and found ourselves in a very rocky and steep area. The trail seemed to end and we found ourselves in a bit of a conundrum... If we followed the trail back the way we came and then followed the river, would we get home by dark? If we kept following the high road, would we find the trail again? If not, could we get back down to the river? We backtracked a few yards to see if we missed the trail, and saw what looked like it might be a little path. We started to follow it, descending a bit too quickly, and suddenly found ourselves in a very steep and slippery position. Now it was my turn to be afraid. Ever since my leg injury, I have had a fear of steep slippery foot placement. I continued to breahe through the experience, aggreeing to meet my fear as both Maja and Peanut had met theirs. There was no doubt this was not the path, as we ended up on the brink of a steep drip-off...Peanut, who was exhausted, and slowly lagging behind, suddenly ran down the path and up to Maja who was in front. At the vey moment we were both saying that we didn't think could be right, Peanut tried to jump up on Maja, and as gently as a puppy can, caught Majas arm in her teeth. "I think she's trying to tell me not go down here!" Maja said with surprise. She felt amazed at this act of protection from this little dog. We scrambled back up to rethink our situation. While we were discussing our options, we noticed Mama siting about 100 yards ahead of us in the direction of continuing forward. Hmmm... This dog had done this hike before. Maybe she knew the way back? We discussed the idea of trusting her to lead us forward. We decided to give it a go. We followed her through some brambles, and around through some rocky areas, and then... Whaddya know? The path!
As we skipped merrily down the path back toward the river, Maja reveled in amazement at the capacity of these dogs. She has never had a dog before, and she admitted that now she really liked them a lot. We joked about making then vests that said "tour guide" with a pocket for tips (i.e. doggie treats). The path forked many times on the way back, and we didn't hesitate to follow Mama; always ending up in just the right place. She took us on an even more beautiful route home, than the one which we had taken there.
When we arrived at the trailhead, we sat for a bit, throwing sticks for Mama to chase and giving our heartfelt thanks the the little dogs, our porters, our friends. As we climbed onto the scooter to drive home, the dogs, exhausted and tired, came running full speed up to us and stood at our feet with expressions which seemed say "please don't go!". We said goodbye again and began to drive away, with one last glance back at the two four-legged figures staring after us. After a moment of silence Maja said to me... "I think I want to get a dog."
My friend Maja and I went for a six hour hike today. A waterfall called "Mae Yen" (sounds auspiciously like "Mayan"), we were told it was three hours in and then three hours out. We were both so excited for good excerise and it was a beautiful day, being a bit less hazy than usual. At the trailhead we were greeted by a mid-sized dog and her pup- a cute little waggly thing. Maja had just been telling me that she was afraid of dogs, and she tried to get away as the poor little pup tried to play with her. We started hiking, and the dogs decided to come too. There was no way they were going to take "no" for an answer. Like a magnet, they only wanted to be by Maja. She was nearly in a panic, and asked if there was anyway I could walk between them? I tried but it just wasn't going to happen. Im a dog lover, and I could tell they were sweet and harmless, so I just watched in amusement to see what was going to happen. It was my guess that this situation was arising to help Maja get over her fear of dogs so I just decided to let it all play out. The first hour and a half, she was nervous and uncomfortable. In an attempt to lighten the situation, we started to joke about the dogs being our porters, and "why weren't they carrying our bags?". Gradually Maja began to tolerate the dogs and even began warming up to the pup.
The hike began with a sketchy bridge crossing the river; some bamboo poles laid accross with a few old pieces of plywood on top. It sagged as we walked accross and I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of this structure. We crossed two more dodgy "bridges" near the beginning; one was a folded V-shaped piece of metal roofing, the other was a few PVC pipes laid next to each other (see pics on FB). Another interesting aspect of this trail, was that it was infested with "daddy long legs". Lucky for us, neither of us have a fear of these spiders; for many parts of the trail they were everywhere! You had to really navigate through them to try not to step on them. There were millions, and it looked like the ground was a moving carpet! I had never seen anything like it.
As we continued down the path, we noticed that it seemed to be the puppy's first time doing the full hike and she clearly had fear of the water. We were hiking along a creek and the trail crossed back and forth through the water many times. Each time the puppy crossed, she got a little more comfortable with the water and you could see her courage soar as she proudly began jumping into the river, showing off her skills. By this time, I decided we needed to name our porters. I walked along eating a bag of nuts, and "accidentally" dropping some on the ground so the puppy could eat some too. "Peanut!", I declared. Let's caller her Peanut! The other dog simply became "Mama" as she was clearly peanut's mother. Peanut and Mama...
We walked for 3 hours and still no waterfall. We were no longer following a trail, but climbing over rocks and small cascades. It was a bit tiring, and peanut was having trouble. I had to keep lifting her up onto the rocks. We decided to break for lunch and then make our way back, waterfall unseen, as it was getting later in the day and we still had a long way back. It was such a beautiful hike and we were having fun whether we saw a waterfall or not.
We started heading back after a nice lunch, and found ourselves on a different trail. It rose up, up, up a couple hundred feet. We followed it for awhile and found ourselves in a very rocky and steep area. The trail seemed to end and we found ourselves in a bit of a conundrum... If we followed the trail back the way we came and then followed the river, would we get home by dark? If we kept following the high road, would we find the trail again? If not, could we get back down to the river? We backtracked a few yards to see if we missed the trail, and saw what looked like it might be a little path. We started to follow it, descending a bit too quickly, and suddenly found ourselves in a very steep and slippery position. Now it was my turn to be afraid. Ever since my leg injury, I have had a fear of steep slippery foot placement. I continued to breahe through the experience, aggreeing to meet my fear as both Maja and Peanut had met theirs. There was no doubt this was not the path, as we ended up on the brink of a steep drip-off...Peanut, who was exhausted, and slowly lagging behind, suddenly ran down the path and up to Maja who was in front. At the vey moment we were both saying that we didn't think could be right, Peanut tried to jump up on Maja, and as gently as a puppy can, caught Majas arm in her teeth. "I think she's trying to tell me not go down here!" Maja said with surprise. She felt amazed at this act of protection from this little dog. We scrambled back up to rethink our situation. While we were discussing our options, we noticed Mama siting about 100 yards ahead of us in the direction of continuing forward. Hmmm... This dog had done this hike before. Maybe she knew the way back? We discussed the idea of trusting her to lead us forward. We decided to give it a go. We followed her through some brambles, and around through some rocky areas, and then... Whaddya know? The path!
As we skipped merrily down the path back toward the river, Maja reveled in amazement at the capacity of these dogs. She has never had a dog before, and she admitted that now she really liked them a lot. We joked about making then vests that said "tour guide" with a pocket for tips (i.e. doggie treats). The path forked many times on the way back, and we didn't hesitate to follow Mama; always ending up in just the right place. She took us on an even more beautiful route home, than the one which we had taken there.
When we arrived at the trailhead, we sat for a bit, throwing sticks for Mama to chase and giving our heartfelt thanks the the little dogs, our porters, our friends. As we climbed onto the scooter to drive home, the dogs, exhausted and tired, came running full speed up to us and stood at our feet with expressions which seemed say "please don't go!". We said goodbye again and began to drive away, with one last glance back at the two four-legged figures staring after us. After a moment of silence Maja said to me... "I think I want to get a dog."
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