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March 10, 2004
The big 30
March 5, 2004
Today, on my thirtieth birthday, I wake up in Katmandu, Nepal. I flew into the cloud covered valley last night from Delhi.
I always anticipated feeling a sense of stress or sadness on my thirtieth b-day as I was certain that I would feel there were things I would have wanted to accomplish by this point in my life that I had not done. However, today I have a profound sense of calm and contentness with where I am in my life -- which is smack dab in the middle of the moment.
It is amusing to look back on past birthdays and recall all of the effort I put forth to make sure my birthday was celebrated -- throwing myself parties, rallying friends to join me for dinner, drinks and dancing, making sure people knew it was my birthday as I was so afraid that they would forget and I would end up alone and feeling unloved (one of my deepest insecurities).
Interestingly, I never felt the celebration with my family really counted as they were expected to love me. As I sit in this distant country where I only know the people I met on the plane and the friends of friends who have generously offered to let me stay with them, I realize how special those family celebrations have been. My immediate family would gather for dinner (which is always best when mom cooks); my father would make a toast in my honor; my mother would disseminates a series of very amusing photographs from my childhood; my brother and I would reminisce about "the good old days"; my father would lead the family in singing a passionate yet highly off-key rendition of happy birthday; and we all (including the family dog) would devour a delicious cake compliments of my sister-in-law Deb. As I look back I can think of nothing more comforting and loving than the simplicity of this family tradition.
The absence of many gifts and lots of fanfare has also allowed me to notice the love of friends that I am constantly surrounded by even when they are thousands of miles away. For instance, I have been traveling for almost 40 days now and only spent my first two nights in a hotel. The rest of the time I have been generously hosted by friends, either those I have made during this trip or those I have made thanks to introductions of many of you from home. I can think of no better example of the nurturing care and love of the many wonderful people in my life than this extension of hospitality.
I can also think of no finer gift than finally being able to realize that everything I have always been looking for has been right under my noise, only I have been to busy searching for it to notice. What an amazing and profound happy birthday!!!
Posted by Jyllt at 06:22 AM | Comments (4)
MIA
It has been a while since I wrote but not due to a lack of wonderful experiences.
After leaving Pune I headed to Mumbai (formerly Bombay) for a few days. I didn't know anyone there but you never would have known that based on the generous hospitality of friends of friends. I was put up in the homes of the Mitra family and the Ramakrishana's; fed way too much good food by everyone including Puchu Ghose; had engaging conversations with Payal, Simmrin and her family, as well as my other host;, and was taken around to see and experience the flavor of Mumbai with my super host Ram Ramakrishana. It was all a treat and climaxed on my final day when Ram and I left his home at the crack of dawn to go the Gateway of India to participate in Mumbai's famed laughing club (a group of people who gather every morning to laugh as a form of yoga therapy -- what a blast!!). After laughing to the point where our faces hurt as the sun began peeking through the glorious archway of this famed port, we headed south to the fishing docks to watch the colorful "fishing women" fill their baskets with choice fish that were caught the night before. These are just some of the many wonderful experiences I had in Mumbai, all of which were vibrant with color, sounds, smells, life and generous hospitality.
I spent three full days in Mumbai, and then boarded my first sleeper train heading north. After entertaining everyone, most notably my fellow traveler Tam, with the high-tech lock and chain security system for my bags, I settled in for the ride. Some 14 hours, one train and two buses later we arrived in Omkareshwar just as the sun was starting to shed light on the day. After getting some fresh poha (a slightly sweet breakfast of puffed rice, dalia or cilantro, chilies and a few other spices) and chai tea we crossed the gateway to the island where we would stay. Almost like magic, as we stepped foot on the bridge we were greeted by everyone with a warm "Hare Om" and small bow of their head as they held there hands in a prayer position. After a relatively long walk (especially with my big pack on my back) we arrived at the Ma Anandamayee Ashram.
It is hard to put in words my experiences at the Ma Anandamayee Ashram in Omkareshwar. The small island of Omkareshwar is essentially a big rock in the middle of one of India's seven main rivers, the Namada, reputed to cleanse people of their sins if they just look at it. This place is charming and beautiful marked by nature in its simple and raw form. It is also an important pilgrimage site as it has one of the 12 natural Shiva lingas. There are no phones or cars, just the traffic of its few residents and the many pilgrims who visit to walk around this auspicious island (which only takes two hours).
The Ashram is equally as simple and poignantly beautiful as the island. Set in the side of a cliff overlooking the river, the whitewashed cement facilities climb a steep set of stairs, shaded by gently cascading flowers and jasmine bushes that lead from the river to the main path that encircles the island.
I opted to stay in the "kotia", a set of three single rooms set slightly off to the side of the main building that are generally reserved for people who want to engage in a serious yoga/mediation practice. While the setting of my room allowed for extra quite and privacy, it also required a slightly more rustic lifestyle as there was no electricity or toilets in the immediate vicinity. The circumstances of my locale forced me to quickly learn the art of making a fire and cooking over the open flame as it was quite a hike to get to the nearest place for food.
My travel mate Tam encouraged me to request some time to meet with Baba Shri Swami Kedarnath Ji, who is the guru that further facilitates the teachings of May Anandamayee (who has passed). I made a request to meet with him which was granted on my third day.
Meeting with Baba was a very special experience. Just being in his company facilitated a sense of calm and serenity as I was immediately engulfed in his thoughtful, generous, compassionate, and wise energy even before any words were spoken. He offered me instruction in all aspects of my spiritual practices, and answered many questions that emerged over my two week stay at the Ashram. I know I am incredibly fortunate to have had his undivided attention and guidance, and am certain his words will continue to source new and valuable insights as I go deeper into my introspective journey.
It only took a day or so for me to slip into a routine of waking at 6:30am to the chorus of birds announcing the arrival of a new day. I would then sit just outside my room, with a cup of tea (compliments of my dear kotia mate Tam who would wake at 5:30 or 6 to build a fire and boil water), and watch as the sun illuminated the river and land around me. At 7ish I would return to my room to engage in my asana (yoga postures), pranyama (breathing), and meditation practices.
I would be done around 9:15 and pursue to build a fire and cook some porridge for Tam and I. By 10:30 it was starting to get hot and I was usually sticky and stinky from the smoky fire, so I would head down to the river to bathe and wash my clothes. Bathing in the river was one of my favorite parts of the day as the water was cool and refreshing and the bank was often an ideal site for viewing island activity (including the passing of boats filled with pilgrims, a parade of cows, water buffalo or donkeys, and the emersion of other men and women in the holy waters of the Namada). As such, my baths often took an hour or so which seemed to be appreciated by the locals as they found my bathing routine quite entertaining, especially when I would rub my feet vigorously with my purple synthetic pumice stone and my hot pink nail brush. What can I say, a girls feet can get pretty rough and dirty in a place like this.
By the time I hung my clothes to dry and returned to my room, I would be summonsed to the main kitchen for lunch by the chiming of a bell (after a few meetings with Baba it was determined that I was serious about my practice and thus allowed to take lunch and/or dinner with the permanent residents and visiting devotees). Lunch was always a treat as it offered a simple yet tasty array of foods usually including some rice, dhal (lentils), vegetables and chapatti (round bread). We would all gather on mats on the floor and eat with our hands off of metal plates or banana leaves. Essentially the meals were taken in silence except for the constant offer of more food, which literally occurred every 2-3 minutes.
Lunch was usually over by 1, at which point it was to hot to do much of anything other than read, sleep, and write in the shad of my room. Before long the sun and temparature would start their descent and it would be time to get ready for satsung and arte.
Satsung was a forum for all devotees and visitors to the ashram to gather and ask Baba any questions they might have. This hour dialogue would be followed by arte, when everyone would join in the temple dedicated to May Anandamayee to sing beautiful hymns to honor and give thanks to May for her divine guidance and protection. Arte was another one of my favorite parts of the day as the passionate harmony of bells, drums and voices created a rhythm that soothed and lifted my soul.
By the time arte was over I was ready to retire to my bed. After washing and brushing my teeth at the main building I would strap on my headlamp to ensure I did not step on any snakes on my way back to my room. Yes, a friend convinced me to get a headlamp rather than a handheld flashlight due to the practicality of having my hands free. While he was absolutely right about the convenience of being able to see and use my hands at the same time, he did not inform me about the level of amusement I would once again be providing for the locals. Before long a little joke was being circulated about me being truly enlightened as light was actually coming out of my third eye.
I truly enjoyed the simplicity of my daily routine as it allowed for plenty of self nurturing and reflection. Equally as much, I enjoyed the breaks from routine or the special moments that made each day unique. There were so many, each a distinct memory, including: opening my eyes from meditation to see a VERY LARGE snake slither by just 10 feet away; walking the "Parikrama" or path of pilgrims at the early hours of the morning and interacting with more monkeys than people along the way; watching the sun set from so many different points on the island; visiting with the children who attended the ashram school (the only school on the island) and having the opportunity to tell them about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and teach them the electric slide; participating in the preparations for and celebration of Shivrati (the birthday of Shiva, an incredibly important day on the holy calendar with special significance in Omkareshwar); waking at 3am to bathe in the river before participating in the days first service at one of the island's main temples; returning to my room every day to the loving groan of enthusiasm from the stray dog that Tam adopted; walking to the market along the river bank in the late afternoon when the suns glow made everything soft and alluring; noticing how the disproportionate number of resident devotees were male yet were balanced by the strong female presence of May and the river; asking Swami Moglananda for some suggestions of places to visit and receiving a four page guide of favorites complete with stories and a show-and-tell presentation; many diverse dialogues with Tam that always left me challenged, inspired and hopeful; being nursed back to health after developing a sinus infection by a team of resident devotees filling the role of medical professional/healer; carrot and chocolate haluwa (a sweet snack); private instruction in asana and pranyama with Gurumit; taking photos of the children at the school; wearing my first Sari for the Shivrati celebration. . . the list goes on and on.
In addition to all of the above, I finally found the inspiration to begin shooting photographs. Consequently, I will be loading a few for you to enjoy in the near future (technology permitting).
On my last day in Omkareshwar, I found a book that was given to me by a young man in Pune. His name was Yaron Cohen and he is also the author of the book which is entitled "The Master: The Wisdom of Zen and the Tao Master Lao-Two." (To find out more about this book go to www.geocities.com/thetaomaster1). The book was a delight to read, offering simple Buddhist wisdom wrapped in an enlightening and fun story. It also helped me to find a quote that captures this experience better than I could say it myself:
It is possible to travel all around the world and be at home much more than someone who hasn't left his hometown.
I found that home at the Ashram and on this island -- a natural and effortless rhythm and an experience of belonging. My heart and head were light, I was happy and at peace.
* * * * * *
After 17 days or so, the rapid increase in temperature and the prospects of meeting my friends Michelle and Brad (who were visiting India for a wedding) lured me back to the mainland and north to Indore and Delhi. In Indore I stayed with Sarbjeet (Gurumit's brother and the Ashram treasurer) and his family where I was pampered with the comforts of home and family. Highlights include EVERY meal, and being wrapped in the beautiful sari that Shruthi (Sarabjeet's wife) had made for me. While this visit was short, it was rich. I hope to visit with them again in late April.
After two days in Indore I boarded a train for Delhi. It was a pleasant and uneventful trip. I was watched out for by one of Sarabjeet's students (he is a professor of business at a university in Indore) and engaged in an interesting dialogue with a young girl who was en route to a Krishna spiritual retreat. The 14 hours passed quickly and before I knew it I had arrived in Delhi
Under the guidance of Aparajita (my soon to be host and new friend) I haggled hard with the auto-rickshaw driver for a reasonable rate to her apartment. By the time I arrived it was about 7:30 am thus I decided to capitalize on the day by getting to know the surrounding area. The day quickly turned to evening and next thing I knew I was hanging out with Michelle and Brad, sharing stories of my adventures, hearing about the lavish wedding celebration they had been participating in for the past few days, and basking in the company of two of my favorite people. One day in Delhi effortlessly faded into the next, probably because Aparajita's company and apartment remind me so much of home including discussions of photography, oversized coffee mugs and olive oil (real rarities hear in India) and a photograph of the Brooklyn Bridge hanging just outside my bedroom door. Some five days later, I was on the road again, heading to my next destination: Katmandu, Nepal.
Posted by Jyllt at 06:19 AM | Comments (0)