So I’ve been in Ahmedabad “working” for four weeks, so much has happened, yet I have posted or given many details… my apologies.
Where do I begin?
I put working in quotation marks because I haven’t quite began yet. The last three weeks have been time for exploration and observation. I’ve been looking, listening and experiencing and my heart has overflowed from all of this.
Currently, I am working at the Environmental Sanitation Institute, one of the leading institutions in India in the field of sanitation. The director, Ishwarbhai (or dada) Patel has dedicated his entire life to the promotion of toilets and is known as Mr. Toilet. The recipient of the Padmashree Award, one of the highest honors bestowed by the Government of India, Ishwardada is a Gandhian, who has made it his personal life objective to work for the lowest in the social structure- the Bhangis/Valmikis or scavenger caste.
Amidst many other things, I have been sitting in on training sessions that are being held for principals/teachers of schools that are about to have school sanitation units installed under the Central Govt’s Total Sanitation Campaign. Through the training sessions, I have learned more about sanitation and hygiene (and what is important to communicate) and have begun to polish my Gujarati and expand my vocabulary to include works related to sanitation (mudh means feces for those that are curious). In addition to observing and learning, I’m looking at ways to make training more effective and again have become more aware of the vast differences in the way knowledge is communicated here and in North America.
There are a few field projects coming through the pipeline that I might be tagged onto and get field experience through also.
Where I am and how it all interconnects?
ESI was started by Ishwardada and works to bring sanitation to villages and slums. Safai Vidhalaya was started by Gandhi in 1932, along with the Harijan Sevak Sangh. Safai Vidhalaya was started with the purpose of improving working conditions for the scavenger class and ultimately eliminating the caste altogether. ESI and Safai Vidhalaya until 2 years ago shared the same space in the Gandhi Ashram and the ESI headquarters continues to be at the Ashram. Two years ago, ESI opened their new campus in Sughad, a village about 10km from Ahmedabad. The facility is a beautiful learning campus set amidst fields. The building and its characteristics are a treat for civil and environmental engineers. There are rainwater harvesting systems, a toilet garden, compost pits, open spaces, passive cooling, natural shading and ventilation. The building really is a green building. Pictures will be available at some point.
Manav Sadhna is a NGO also based out of the Gandhi Ashram, started by Jayeshmama, Anarmami and Virenbhai in 1995. This organization primarily works with in one of the largest slums in Ahmedabad called Ramapir no Tekra. They have a wide range of programs targeting primarily towards children, women and youth. The aim of their programs isn’t simply to bring people out of poverty, but rather to cultivate values, love and community bonds. All of their activities tie back to holistic development. There are several other organizations that tie by to Manav Sadhna including Gramshree (an organization where women learn artistic skills like embroidery and sewing to create wonderful pieces of clothing, etc.), Uttan (a school for mentally challenged children), a blind school.
The environment that permeates all the organizations is that of love, compassion and community. From the first day that one comes to MS, you are introduced to all those present and welcomed into the MS parivar (family). Each person is deeply connected to other another. I got a chance to experience the power and love of this huge family over the last week as many birthdays and celebrations came one after another.
First, it was Sanskruti’s birthday. She’s the daughter of Jayeshmama and Anarmami and of course a ladli (beloved one) of the MS parivar. The night before 7-8 of us got together and decorated the house with streamers, balloons and a beautiful rangoli. The next morning, 40 ragpicking women were invited over for bhajan, garba and lunch. In addition to the women, there were about 25 MS parivar people there helping out. We danced and sang, ate and prayed together.
One of the major characteristics of Manav Sadhna is spirituality. A very prominent and common picture that you will see around all places somehow connected to MS is the sarvadharma picture (a picture that includes symbols from major religions). Prayer is an important part of the daily activities of the institutions. At least at Manav Sadhna and ESI, daily prayer is held with all members. Prathna (prayer) includes saying the Sarva Dharma prayer and sharing of news and experiences, etc. On all important occasions, the beginning of any good acts, everyone prays together. The power and vibrations of these group prayers cannot even be described.
After the celebration with the ragpickers, a group headed to Seva Café to decorate the place for the evening celebration with family. There was no one person in charge of anything. People worked together to decorate, prepare food and serve with guests began to arrive. One really beautiful tradition they have here when it’s a birthday is the lighting of a diya or candles. Candles/ light should not be extinguished but rather lit to dispel darkness. Following this line of thought, instead of blowing out candles on a cake, a diya is lit. Throughout the day, I couldn’t help but stop and simply watch all that was going around me. People interacting, serving, doing tasks with utmost love. It was moving to see and experience all the love that was being shared and felt by all those that were part of the moment.
Similar experiences occurred for Anarmami and Anjaliben’s birthday. People came up with ideas and then so many hands came together to make the idea into a reality. The outpouring of love was not a special occurrence, but simply a mass manifestation of the emotions and feelings of all those that call the MS parivar family. One characteristic thing that happens on birthdays and when volunteers, etc leave is the sharing of values and good characteristics of that person. It is not to enlargen the ego of that person, but rather to share our experiences with the person and to become even more aware of the role that person has played in our life. Another principle found within the parivar is that we are always learning from each other, regardless of our age or the age of the person we are interacting with. By verbalizing the good qualities of the person, we become more cognizant of the role that interactions with one another play in our life and cultivate positive energy as the emphasis is on the positive rather than negative. Even as you listen to others speak, you find inspiration to become a better person and work even more diligently and with more love towards universal good. Anjali, for example, took 11 or so resolutions on her birthday, which including giving up all sweets and chai, meditating, journaling and personal reading daily, changing the way she views the world, amongst other things. None of her resolutions are easy and she made so many. I wasn’t the only one who took inspiration from her and has made (and following) my own resolutions.
As I try to explain this family and environment, I find it very difficult to find the right words to do it justice and at the same time, I can imagine people reading this and thinking that some or all of this may sound hippyish. Words really can’t do justice to what this world is all about. Once you enter it though, its practically a guarantee that you’ll walk away a different person. Everyday, as people come and go and personally, I can see changes in the people who come into this environment. I write in an attempt to share what I’m experiencing, but ultimately it is a personal encounter which will bring vibrancy to the colours and paint on the canvas and make it real.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Just another day
I’ve been talking to family and friends about how I’m surrounded by these incredible people and incredible work, but these words are meaningless without stories to illustrate my point.
Two days ago, I spent the day in Ahmedabad. The day began with an hour meditation sit with Nirali, Rahul and Jayeshmama. It was my first long group sit since Vipassana After breakfast, the four of us headed out to Jagatbhai’s pood (not exactly sure what the English translation would be). It’s residential area in the old city that is unlike newer developments of societies, etc. In a pood, the house are more interconnected and the layout of the area is more conducive to a community environment. Visiting the pood reminded me of pij and nar and the time that me and Sejal spent living in Nar as a little girl. It was very cool to see aspects of village life/older developments within the city.
After the pood visit, we headed over to Manav Sadhna for prathna and to pick up Kunal to take him to the hospital. Kunal was found many months ago lying on the footpath outside of MS. When walking by, Parulben saw him and began talking to him. Over the course of the conversation, she learned that lower portion of his spinal cord was in pieces, which meant that he couldn’t walk. Together with others from MS, Kunal was taken to Civil Hospital and MS volunteers/staff set up a schedule to visit and look after Kunal while he got medical attention. For the next couple of months, many helped out and Kunal learned how to walk with the assistance of a crutch and stick. The volunteers located Kunal’s family and when he was well made arrangements for him to go home. A month (a few days ago), Kunal showed up at MS again. Circumstances at home were less than ideal and he was ill. Rahul came to hear of Kunal’s story and thought it would be best to admit him to Mother Theresa’s hospital in Ahmedabad (which has an incredible story of its own). So after meeting with Kunal, we took him to the hospital. Once all the formalities were complete and reassuring Kunal that we would help him develop skills to earn an income, etc after he was better, we turned to leave, Kunal hands us a large bag. When we looked inside we found that it was full of tobacco packets. Kunal used to sell them on the streets to earn money, but he was giving up that lifestyle. We all just looked at each other not knowing what to say.
Later in the day, Jayeshmama was at Manav Sadhna, when the mother of one of the volunteers came to meet him. Her son, a NRI, had volunteered at MS/Seva Café for a week, 25 hours to be exact. He had been forced to come to MS. One week later, his mom was so touched that she was shedding tears of joy. In 25 hours, her son had been transformed. As a token of her gratitude and appreciation, she gave MS Rs. 10,000. It can take a lifetime to change people, while this volunteer changed in 25 hours of service. Incredible, yet not surprising when you meet and see the people and work of the MS family.
Within a short period of time of this incident, a school teacher comes to meet with Jayeshmama. He and his students had heard of the work that MS did during natural disasters, etc and decided to help out. So the students collected grains and money. By gathering 5 rupees, 10 rupees here and there, they made a collection of 10,000 rupees! And handful by handful, they gathered 6-7 large bags of grain. The teacher had come to meet Jayeshmama to give him the money and grain to pass on to the appropriate people =)
This all in a day’s work. Pretty awesome, huh.
Two days ago, I spent the day in Ahmedabad. The day began with an hour meditation sit with Nirali, Rahul and Jayeshmama. It was my first long group sit since Vipassana After breakfast, the four of us headed out to Jagatbhai’s pood (not exactly sure what the English translation would be). It’s residential area in the old city that is unlike newer developments of societies, etc. In a pood, the house are more interconnected and the layout of the area is more conducive to a community environment. Visiting the pood reminded me of pij and nar and the time that me and Sejal spent living in Nar as a little girl. It was very cool to see aspects of village life/older developments within the city.
After the pood visit, we headed over to Manav Sadhna for prathna and to pick up Kunal to take him to the hospital. Kunal was found many months ago lying on the footpath outside of MS. When walking by, Parulben saw him and began talking to him. Over the course of the conversation, she learned that lower portion of his spinal cord was in pieces, which meant that he couldn’t walk. Together with others from MS, Kunal was taken to Civil Hospital and MS volunteers/staff set up a schedule to visit and look after Kunal while he got medical attention. For the next couple of months, many helped out and Kunal learned how to walk with the assistance of a crutch and stick. The volunteers located Kunal’s family and when he was well made arrangements for him to go home. A month (a few days ago), Kunal showed up at MS again. Circumstances at home were less than ideal and he was ill. Rahul came to hear of Kunal’s story and thought it would be best to admit him to Mother Theresa’s hospital in Ahmedabad (which has an incredible story of its own). So after meeting with Kunal, we took him to the hospital. Once all the formalities were complete and reassuring Kunal that we would help him develop skills to earn an income, etc after he was better, we turned to leave, Kunal hands us a large bag. When we looked inside we found that it was full of tobacco packets. Kunal used to sell them on the streets to earn money, but he was giving up that lifestyle. We all just looked at each other not knowing what to say.
Later in the day, Jayeshmama was at Manav Sadhna, when the mother of one of the volunteers came to meet him. Her son, a NRI, had volunteered at MS/Seva Café for a week, 25 hours to be exact. He had been forced to come to MS. One week later, his mom was so touched that she was shedding tears of joy. In 25 hours, her son had been transformed. As a token of her gratitude and appreciation, she gave MS Rs. 10,000. It can take a lifetime to change people, while this volunteer changed in 25 hours of service. Incredible, yet not surprising when you meet and see the people and work of the MS family.
Within a short period of time of this incident, a school teacher comes to meet with Jayeshmama. He and his students had heard of the work that MS did during natural disasters, etc and decided to help out. So the students collected grains and money. By gathering 5 rupees, 10 rupees here and there, they made a collection of 10,000 rupees! And handful by handful, they gathered 6-7 large bags of grain. The teacher had come to meet Jayeshmama to give him the money and grain to pass on to the appropriate people =)
This all in a day’s work. Pretty awesome, huh.
[08-08] Inspiration
“Why do people come to India? It’s to get inspired.”
Wow. It makes so much sense, yet I had failed to recognize this reasoning. Everywhere you look in India, inspiration is right in front of you. The world that many of us live in in North America is so incredibly artificial. Turn on the tap and water comes out. Push down the handle and our feces and urine disappear from sight. Even without a formal survey, I could say with a large degree of confidence that a majority people do not have any idea how clean water gets to their taps and what happens to sewage after they flush. And these are the basic facilities. Let’s not forget how we get our food, where our clothing comes from or how plastic containers are manufactured. At least for those living in urban North America, the world that we inhabit is a mirage, hiding complexities and our interconnectedness to the rest of the world and humanity.
Come to India and a lot changes. Even if you don’t live in a village, where the connection between farm and products is very apparent, you are more aware of the realities of the world around you. For example, my upper class family friends in Ahmedabad, like everyone else, have water worries. Before the Narmada dam project, every week, a tanker would come by to fill their water tanks. It’s a country where even if you live in an AC house and drive a Mercedes Benz, the realities of the living conditions of those at the bottom of the pyramid cannot be swept under a rug.
In India, inspiration is staring you in the face. Everywhere you look there is an opportunity to serve and/or learn. Every moment that I’ve been here has been a growing experience. Left, right and all around, I’m meeting people doing incredible work and with hearts of gold. Some are NRI’s and many are not. Each is giving of their self, body and soul included. In one way, it’s easy to live in India, to be inspired and motivated. I could see how it would be a very different challenge to go back and maintain that state in the industrialized world. It’ll most definitely be interesting to see how Sameer and others adapt. Ultimately though, if one learns to see from the heart vs the head, I believe that inspiration will be found everywhere.
Wow. It makes so much sense, yet I had failed to recognize this reasoning. Everywhere you look in India, inspiration is right in front of you. The world that many of us live in in North America is so incredibly artificial. Turn on the tap and water comes out. Push down the handle and our feces and urine disappear from sight. Even without a formal survey, I could say with a large degree of confidence that a majority people do not have any idea how clean water gets to their taps and what happens to sewage after they flush. And these are the basic facilities. Let’s not forget how we get our food, where our clothing comes from or how plastic containers are manufactured. At least for those living in urban North America, the world that we inhabit is a mirage, hiding complexities and our interconnectedness to the rest of the world and humanity.
Come to India and a lot changes. Even if you don’t live in a village, where the connection between farm and products is very apparent, you are more aware of the realities of the world around you. For example, my upper class family friends in Ahmedabad, like everyone else, have water worries. Before the Narmada dam project, every week, a tanker would come by to fill their water tanks. It’s a country where even if you live in an AC house and drive a Mercedes Benz, the realities of the living conditions of those at the bottom of the pyramid cannot be swept under a rug.
In India, inspiration is staring you in the face. Everywhere you look there is an opportunity to serve and/or learn. Every moment that I’ve been here has been a growing experience. Left, right and all around, I’m meeting people doing incredible work and with hearts of gold. Some are NRI’s and many are not. Each is giving of their self, body and soul included. In one way, it’s easy to live in India, to be inspired and motivated. I could see how it would be a very different challenge to go back and maintain that state in the industrialized world. It’ll most definitely be interesting to see how Sameer and others adapt. Ultimately though, if one learns to see from the heart vs the head, I believe that inspiration will be found everywhere.
[08-07] 1st Clothing Tag
What do you do when someone hands you 22,500 rupees and tells you to do something good with it that relates to clothing?
Yesterday that was the responsibility I was given. People participating in a walkathon in New Jersey raised this money and after passing through many hands, the money is now my responsibility. With support, guidance and help from Jayeshmama, my job is to spread love and kindness with this money and use clothing as a theme for these acts of kindness.
When I first received the money, I was thinking what sort of event/project I could do. It was a large scale mentality, after all 22,500 is a lot of money. As I got caught up in thinking about what would be a good event type way to use the money giving away clothing, Jayeshmama had a much simpler suggestion. Walk around and talk to people. Interact with them, cut their nails, clean their house and make note of where they live and sizes of family members. Then buy clothing and give it to the people you interact with. So that is the plan.
It hasn’t even been a day since I told mama about the money and he’s already found an appropriate beneficiary. (Note the description of the family is from MS’s annual report 04-05 as it’s very well-written).
Arvind, 16 years old, beams with confidence that few children his age have. His brother, Jayanti, 11 years old, never passes a day without his infectious smile. I had the pleasure of spending two evenings with him thus far and he never stops smiling!
Arvind starts his day at nine in the morning by cleaning his house. He then walks to the main commercial street of Ahmedabad- CG Road, a road he loving refers to as his “office.” Along his walk to the office, he shines shoes, which he keeps up until six in the evening. From his eight hours of labor, he earns 40 to 50 rupees. Afterwards, he returns home to help fetch water and do laundry for his entire household. After eating dinner and resting briefly, he leaves home at nine in the evening, spending the next four hours picking through and collecting garbage to sell. In between all these tasks, Arvind finds time to attend Manav Sadhna’s Street Child School program, where he eagerly learns to read and write.
Arvind and Jayanti live with their mother, who is mentally challenged and elder brother, who works when he is sober. Their father died from alcoholism a few years ago.
Two years ago, Arvind was picking rags late one nigh when he found a box outside of a jewelry store. After arriving home, he sorted through the box and found several pure silver coins. Arvind could not sleep at night knowing that these coins did not belong to him The next morning he notice that the box held a letter with an address attached to it. Since his reading skills were limited, he asked an adult to read the address and took him to the jewelry store to return the items to the owner. The owner, taken aback from Arvind’s honesty, felt compelled to give him a 500 rupee award.
A child that earns less than 50 rupees a day, a child with such dismal family situation, returned a box filled with treasures worth 100 times his daily earnings.
Two weeks ago, Arvind was injured by a motor vehicle. Even though the driver was at fault, he did not get angry. His injuries have limited the amount of work he could do, greatly reducing the family’s daily income. Jayeshmama chose this family to be the first beneficiary of the “clothing” fund.
Yesterday that was the responsibility I was given. People participating in a walkathon in New Jersey raised this money and after passing through many hands, the money is now my responsibility. With support, guidance and help from Jayeshmama, my job is to spread love and kindness with this money and use clothing as a theme for these acts of kindness.
When I first received the money, I was thinking what sort of event/project I could do. It was a large scale mentality, after all 22,500 is a lot of money. As I got caught up in thinking about what would be a good event type way to use the money giving away clothing, Jayeshmama had a much simpler suggestion. Walk around and talk to people. Interact with them, cut their nails, clean their house and make note of where they live and sizes of family members. Then buy clothing and give it to the people you interact with. So that is the plan.
It hasn’t even been a day since I told mama about the money and he’s already found an appropriate beneficiary. (Note the description of the family is from MS’s annual report 04-05 as it’s very well-written).
Arvind, 16 years old, beams with confidence that few children his age have. His brother, Jayanti, 11 years old, never passes a day without his infectious smile. I had the pleasure of spending two evenings with him thus far and he never stops smiling!
Arvind starts his day at nine in the morning by cleaning his house. He then walks to the main commercial street of Ahmedabad- CG Road, a road he loving refers to as his “office.” Along his walk to the office, he shines shoes, which he keeps up until six in the evening. From his eight hours of labor, he earns 40 to 50 rupees. Afterwards, he returns home to help fetch water and do laundry for his entire household. After eating dinner and resting briefly, he leaves home at nine in the evening, spending the next four hours picking through and collecting garbage to sell. In between all these tasks, Arvind finds time to attend Manav Sadhna’s Street Child School program, where he eagerly learns to read and write.
Arvind and Jayanti live with their mother, who is mentally challenged and elder brother, who works when he is sober. Their father died from alcoholism a few years ago.
Two years ago, Arvind was picking rags late one nigh when he found a box outside of a jewelry store. After arriving home, he sorted through the box and found several pure silver coins. Arvind could not sleep at night knowing that these coins did not belong to him The next morning he notice that the box held a letter with an address attached to it. Since his reading skills were limited, he asked an adult to read the address and took him to the jewelry store to return the items to the owner. The owner, taken aback from Arvind’s honesty, felt compelled to give him a 500 rupee award.
A child that earns less than 50 rupees a day, a child with such dismal family situation, returned a box filled with treasures worth 100 times his daily earnings.
Two weeks ago, Arvind was injured by a motor vehicle. Even though the driver was at fault, he did not get angry. His injuries have limited the amount of work he could do, greatly reducing the family’s daily income. Jayeshmama chose this family to be the first beneficiary of the “clothing” fund.
Death- measure of spiritual advancement
Old post that I forgot to post.
In one of the evening discourse, Goenkaji spoke of different religions. Amongst many other things, two ideas from this discourse have stuck with me:
1) what it means to call oneself a Christian or Ram Bhakt, etc
2) death being the measure of a person’s spiritual advancement (I forget the exact word)
If one calls oneself a follower of a certain religion, God, or diety, then one should strive to embody the characteristics embodies within the religion or person. If one only prays or has belief when one needs something, but does not strive to embody the values and traits of the God or religion, one cannot consider oneself a true follower of that faith. Simple idea that makes a lot of sense, but is not practiced by many.
The example he gave was of two brothers, who said they were great followers of Ram. Ram, amongst many other things, is known for his selflessness. Even as the eldest son and crown prince, due to circumstances, he was sent to the forest for 14 years and had his kingdom given to his younger brother. When the younger brother returned and found out what happened in his presence, he went to his elder brother in the forest and the two proceeded to argue over who should have the kingdom and who should stay in the forest. Each argued that the other live in and rule the kingdom!
The second idea was particularly interesting. Goenkaji asserts that the measure of a person’s spiritual advancement is how a person dies. You can tell a phony from enlightened persons by their state of mind when they die. Jesus, for example, was being tortured on the cross, but instead of hatred and ill wishes, he only had love and forgiveness to offer those who were injuring him. This idea resurfaced this evening. I’m truly blessed. I have not one, but three (my maternal grandfather passed away before I was born) grandparents who are very spiritual advanced in bhakti yoga. Today, I learned more about the spiritual aspects of my dad’s parents, who I don’t see often as they live in India. I also learned how full story of how my grandfather died.
The day before he passed away, my grandfather knew he was going to die. Even at the age of 75, he practiced law. The day before his death, he finished all of his pending work and left behind for someone else to finish. Later, my cousin was sitting with him and my kaki. As usual, my cousin asked how he was doing (he has diabetes, etc), to which he replied “My time to die has come.”
The next day, he had a heart attack. He then walked himself to the hospital, climbed up the stairs and did not breathe his last until he lied down on the bed. To this day, my grandfather’s close friend says that he wants to die the way my grandfather did.
It is said that my grandmother also will have a peaceful death, so powerful is her faith, which I have had the pleasure of experience firsthand.
Blessed I am indeed to have these individuals as my grandparents.
In one of the evening discourse, Goenkaji spoke of different religions. Amongst many other things, two ideas from this discourse have stuck with me:
1) what it means to call oneself a Christian or Ram Bhakt, etc
2) death being the measure of a person’s spiritual advancement (I forget the exact word)
If one calls oneself a follower of a certain religion, God, or diety, then one should strive to embody the characteristics embodies within the religion or person. If one only prays or has belief when one needs something, but does not strive to embody the values and traits of the God or religion, one cannot consider oneself a true follower of that faith. Simple idea that makes a lot of sense, but is not practiced by many.
The example he gave was of two brothers, who said they were great followers of Ram. Ram, amongst many other things, is known for his selflessness. Even as the eldest son and crown prince, due to circumstances, he was sent to the forest for 14 years and had his kingdom given to his younger brother. When the younger brother returned and found out what happened in his presence, he went to his elder brother in the forest and the two proceeded to argue over who should have the kingdom and who should stay in the forest. Each argued that the other live in and rule the kingdom!
The second idea was particularly interesting. Goenkaji asserts that the measure of a person’s spiritual advancement is how a person dies. You can tell a phony from enlightened persons by their state of mind when they die. Jesus, for example, was being tortured on the cross, but instead of hatred and ill wishes, he only had love and forgiveness to offer those who were injuring him. This idea resurfaced this evening. I’m truly blessed. I have not one, but three (my maternal grandfather passed away before I was born) grandparents who are very spiritual advanced in bhakti yoga. Today, I learned more about the spiritual aspects of my dad’s parents, who I don’t see often as they live in India. I also learned how full story of how my grandfather died.
The day before he passed away, my grandfather knew he was going to die. Even at the age of 75, he practiced law. The day before his death, he finished all of his pending work and left behind for someone else to finish. Later, my cousin was sitting with him and my kaki. As usual, my cousin asked how he was doing (he has diabetes, etc), to which he replied “My time to die has come.”
The next day, he had a heart attack. He then walked himself to the hospital, climbed up the stairs and did not breathe his last until he lied down on the bed. To this day, my grandfather’s close friend says that he wants to die the way my grandfather did.
It is said that my grandmother also will have a peaceful death, so powerful is her faith, which I have had the pleasure of experience firsthand.
Blessed I am indeed to have these individuals as my grandparents.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Quick Update
Blogspot for the last two weeks has been banned in India post Mumbai train blasts. (the govt wanted a few sites taken down, blogspot couldnt take down a few, so they took down all of them). So the posts have been put up by my sis (yay sej).
Pictures coming soon.
What I'm up to now
Currently I am in Ahmedabad, one of the two largest cities in Gujarat. Presently, I'm sitting in on Indicorps Final Retreat for departing 05-06 Fellows, which has been an interesting experience given that these people have just wrapped up their year of service. Today, we learned how to make thread from cotton in an activity they set up at Vidyapeeth! I've also gotten the chance to meet and hang out with Sameer and Raj, which has been awesome. It's def interesting to meet them after "meeting them" through their blogs.
I am working at the Environmental Sanitation Institute (ESI) learning more about the state of sanitation in India, what is being done, how its being done and what needs to be done. ESI is an organization, based on Gandhian principles, that has been working to improve sanitation in India for over 30 years. The director, Shri Ishwarbhai Patel has been working in this field for over 4 decades and used to be called Mr. Toilet.
The campus of the institute and people are incredible. There is so much knowledge and expertise and every minute is a learning experience. Being at the institute has solidified my decision to focus on sanitation versus drinking water during my time in India. Countless are working on drinking water, which is incredibly important, but very few are doing sanitation work. There are countless social and cultural barriers that one faces in the field of sanitation that do not exist when talking about drinking water, after all we are talking about defecation.
There are already a variety of projects/tasks that I am working on and soon I'll begin to get some field experience in villages and visit different organization doing watsan (water/sanitation work). In addition to working at ESI, I'll be doing some work at Manav Sadhna (an NGO based out of the Gandhi Ashram- sister institution to ESI) that works in the slums of Ahmedabad, so I'll be getting exposure to village and slum conditions.
Every day, I'm meeting incredible people doing incredible work. I'm truly blessed to be able to work with such people. The stuff I learned in school is definetely coming in handy (especially microbio). Currently, I'm living with family friends, but at the end of this week, I'll be moving into residential quarters they have available for international volunteers.
I'm learning and living. There is much to be done, but that done in haste can lead to waste. I'm fortunate to come here without the constraint of time and I'm working to make the most of each moment to learn and experience as much as possible.
Pictures coming soon.
What I'm up to now
Currently I am in Ahmedabad, one of the two largest cities in Gujarat. Presently, I'm sitting in on Indicorps Final Retreat for departing 05-06 Fellows, which has been an interesting experience given that these people have just wrapped up their year of service. Today, we learned how to make thread from cotton in an activity they set up at Vidyapeeth! I've also gotten the chance to meet and hang out with Sameer and Raj, which has been awesome. It's def interesting to meet them after "meeting them" through their blogs.
I am working at the Environmental Sanitation Institute (ESI) learning more about the state of sanitation in India, what is being done, how its being done and what needs to be done. ESI is an organization, based on Gandhian principles, that has been working to improve sanitation in India for over 30 years. The director, Shri Ishwarbhai Patel has been working in this field for over 4 decades and used to be called Mr. Toilet.
The campus of the institute and people are incredible. There is so much knowledge and expertise and every minute is a learning experience. Being at the institute has solidified my decision to focus on sanitation versus drinking water during my time in India. Countless are working on drinking water, which is incredibly important, but very few are doing sanitation work. There are countless social and cultural barriers that one faces in the field of sanitation that do not exist when talking about drinking water, after all we are talking about defecation.
There are already a variety of projects/tasks that I am working on and soon I'll begin to get some field experience in villages and visit different organization doing watsan (water/sanitation work). In addition to working at ESI, I'll be doing some work at Manav Sadhna (an NGO based out of the Gandhi Ashram- sister institution to ESI) that works in the slums of Ahmedabad, so I'll be getting exposure to village and slum conditions.
Every day, I'm meeting incredible people doing incredible work. I'm truly blessed to be able to work with such people. The stuff I learned in school is definetely coming in handy (especially microbio). Currently, I'm living with family friends, but at the end of this week, I'll be moving into residential quarters they have available for international volunteers.
I'm learning and living. There is much to be done, but that done in haste can lead to waste. I'm fortunate to come here without the constraint of time and I'm working to make the most of each moment to learn and experience as much as possible.
Pigrimage Overview
Note: this is the last post on the pilgrimage (aside from a pictures post). It provides a chronological context for the other posts and refers to the where appropriate. Posts on the current happenings in my life coming soon.
Day 1/2 – en route to Dehradun
The trip begins with a lost ticket and "lost" sim card (see rude or courteous city post). Upon arrival in Ahmedabad, our first (an only destination): Gandhi's Ashram (Manav Sadhna). After questioning several people, we make it to the corner where MS is located. Apparently Jayeshbhai was at the tekra, and Krishna would be arriving shortly. So we wait and wait. The waiting was a growing experience. I wasn't bored nor did I get impatient. Instead I sat silently, taking the opportunity to mediate and take a look around. An hour and half later, my cousin had had enough and just as we were about to leave, we find out that Krishna should be arriving from wherever he was for prayers and sure enough we did. Soon, I got a tour of the place and a chance to play with all the kids. The boys sure are inquisitive and friendly. Immediately, I was surrounded by several of them asking me what my name was, etc. Such a delight. When we made it over to where the girls were, the situation was no different. However, instead of playing cricket and disc, they were chitchatting and playing carem. The kids reminded me yet again how much I enjoy working with children. It seems to be a debate that is continually coming up: to work in sanitation or to work with kids. I'm sure I'll be interacting with kids doing sanitation work, but it might not be to the same degree as if I were doing education-based work. Both are important and I do have the capabilities to do both. We'll see how it all plays out. Though I didn't get a chance to meet Jayeshbhai, I got to see MS and could feel the family atmosphere right away. I'm looking forward to spending more time there.
After lunch at MS, we headed to the train station to catch our train. Soon, I was engaged in a conversation with an uncle who was telling me about yoga and what it means to practice yoga. The lessons he was imparting were those that I had heard when I took yoga at Cal, but it was good to hear them again and it was def different (and more difficult) to hear it in hindi/gujarati.
Our conversation was cut short by the arrival of the train and then chaos began. It took an hour to figure out what our seats were, etc and for better or worse, we didn't have full sleeping seats for the 28 hour journey. After some rearranging we settled in- my first train ride for this trip.
The trip was not a disappointment. Typical India style, we played Antakshari with 8 others atop the loft beds and shared food with our new found friends heading to Dehradun to get married. The trip would not have been complete without the adorable babies and conversation with Vivek, an officer in the Indian army.
Day 3 (getting shorter because its now days later)
We had a great time laughing, singing and dancing with the hotel manager's son in Barkot. It was very interesting walking to Yamontri with my cousin, who has never has been to the mountains before. Through her awe and amazement, it was like seeing certain things for the first time again. Post on science and religion has more about being in Yamnotri itself.
Day 4/5 Gangotri
Traveling were spent in appreciation of the beauty that I was surrounded by and the enginerd in me observing the valleys, rock structures, terraces and set-up of villages, etc. (for reflections on these observations see water v earth and the valleys)
Day 5 - gaumukh
Day trip to Gaumukh on foot and on a pony. Pony riding was a not so pleasant experience in terms of the aches and pains. I crossed the raging Ganga on a pony, something that cannot be done on foot without a bridge). Meet a couple from Ahmedabad on the way (one of the three families we crossed paths with several times). I did a lot of the walking in solitude, which was very refreshing and overall enjoyable experience. My walking alone, I could walk in silence and really observe the nature around me and my reactions to what I was surrounded by. Fearlessness was one of the topics of contemplation. The rapid and continuous mental activity is slowly diminishing and the gaps of silence are growing. Even when I was walking alone, I was never alone in the sense that countless others were also making the trek. Salutation of Jai Bhole were consistently exchanged and one felt apart of a larger picture. Each person came for their own reasons, but we each are connected, despite not knowing names or faces, by our walk to Gaumukh.
There were beautiful purple Himalayan flowers as we moved higher up en route and right next to the Ganga. The photos don't do it justice. Wild flowers of all colours marked the trails.
I would love to come back with friends to go trekking/backpacking in the region. As I walked, I could imagine a bunch of tau bates go on a trekking trip here.
Day 7/8 - kedarnath
We arrived in Gaurikund at noon, which mean it was too late to walk to Kedarnath if we wanted to arrive before dark. So we made the 14km trek on horses (not ponies) through the heavy drizzle and mist that sets in daily. At times, it felt like we were in Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, since there was zero visibility and we were making our way through mountains. By the time we made it to the top, we were cold and wet and ready for some garam chai. My rain jacket served me very well and my upper bottom was completely dry, while my legs took a while to warm up. On the way up, we also crossed paths with the family from Indore, who mom had met on her way to Yamnotri.
In the morning, we did darshan in the warmth of the sun at a South Indian style temple set against a gorgeous backdrop of snowcapped peaks. The walk down, I could actually see the Mandakini following alongside the trail and fell in love with the terrain.
Day 10 - valley of the gods
In Badrinath, I got a chance to sit for an extended period of time in a temple. I cannot verbally describe the power of the vibrations that I experienced.
By this point, we had traveled enough on foot/horse that I knew I would not be able to convince my family to visit the Gurudwara and valley of flowers that were atleast 18km off road. If it is to be, then perhaps another trip to Badrinath will be arranged for these purposes. But if anyone goes to Badrinath, include an extra day or two to visit these places.
Day 11 rishikesh/hardiwar
Hardiwar- there is a temple on every corner and every street of the city. The art work is absolutely incredible There are statues and 3D depictions of so many stories and people found in Hinduism. The Bharatiya Mandir is incredible. It a temple dedicate to Bharat Mata or Mother India. Each floor has a room filled with statues. On the top floor are prominent gods (and their consorts), the second floor (from top down) is dedicated goddesses, the third floor is that of saints (Vivekananda, etc), the fourth floor to prominent men in Indian history (Gandhi, Bhagat Singh), the fifth floor is prominent women (Mirabai, Jhansi ki rani, a catholic nun, whose name I can't remember, etc), the sixth floor has a painting for each state depicting the prominent structures, people and cultural attributes of the state (for ex. for Punjab- the Golden temple, bhangra, bhagat singh, etc), finally the last floor or bottom floor has a large statue of bharat mata with a beautiful passage on how all the rivers of different cultures and religions flow through one land and we are unified by a common heritage. I would have loved to take pictures, but that's not allowed.
Hardiwar is also the starting point for a Ganga Yatra (see land of pilgrims) so we saw countless people, mainly men, carrying containers of the Ganga jal ( Ganga water), walking home.
Day 12 mathura/govardhan/gokul
I visited Vraj, the most significant pilgrimage area for Vaishnav (devotees of Krishna). It is the land where Krishna was born and raised. I got a chance to see the night aarti of the Yamuna river, in addition to playing in the sand that Krishna played in centuries ago. It is said that the sand has a lot of power because Krishna played in it and if one attempts to remove any from the site then you will not be able to leave (your mode of transport will face difficulties, etc). My cousin tried to take some years ago and their bullocks would not move until they threw the sand away. There used to be soooo much Ramanreti (literally meaning "playing sand"- aka the sand in which Krishna played), but now they have build huts for saints and expanded the temple grounds, leaving a small area of sand. I wonder how much will remain in a few years or decade.
We also went to Govardhan, the famous mountain which Krishna held upon his pinky to provide the entire village with shelter when Indra, the lord of rain, showered down an endless storm. To circumvent the mountain, one must walk over 15km. Imagine how tall the mountain was. I say was because it is said that the mountain becomes lower as the burden of sin upon the earth grows. Today the mountain can be considered to a be a wide hill. It has dropped significantly in height in the 10 years that have passed from when my cousin last visited (I don't remember its height from my last visit). We circumvented the mountain barefoot and in the rain. The day before we arrived, over 2 lakh (200,000) people were circumventing the mountain . Circumventing the mountain that one should perform when visiting Govardhan. It is considered to be even better if one can do with milk. So I held a clay pot, with a hole at the bottom, filled with milk in one hand and a pot filled with dhoop (smoke from ??) in another. As the pot began to run out, a man cycling alongside us would fill the pot. I partially did the parikrama (circumventing) in honour of my paternal grandparents, who are great devotees of Krishna. While I did the parikrama with milk, my mom did it with candy. As she sat on a wooden cart attached to a bicycle, she handed out candy to all the beggar children along the route. I personally think that that parikrama is worth more in terms of good karma. The thought that came up when I saw the amount of milk I would need was give it to the children instead of spilling it on the earth. Personally, I am becoming more critical of the need of certain rituals and rites. There is power in Govardhan parvata (mountain) to which I bow down, but in my mind, instead of offering gallons of milk to the mountain, offer a little to the mountain (to use in the ritualistic bathing of the stone that is used to represent the mountain) and then give the rest of the milk which you want to offer to the hungry. God is within each individual so are we not offering God milk by giving it to the needy?
Day 13 delhi
Spent 7 hours in Delhi , mainly in one shopping in one shopping area and the train station. I got to see Abhinav and how modern/Americanized Delhi is. Also got to see Guru Dev Mandir.
Day 1/2 – en route to Dehradun
The trip begins with a lost ticket and "lost" sim card (see rude or courteous city post). Upon arrival in Ahmedabad, our first (an only destination): Gandhi's Ashram (Manav Sadhna). After questioning several people, we make it to the corner where MS is located. Apparently Jayeshbhai was at the tekra, and Krishna would be arriving shortly. So we wait and wait. The waiting was a growing experience. I wasn't bored nor did I get impatient. Instead I sat silently, taking the opportunity to mediate and take a look around. An hour and half later, my cousin had had enough and just as we were about to leave, we find out that Krishna should be arriving from wherever he was for prayers and sure enough we did. Soon, I got a tour of the place and a chance to play with all the kids. The boys sure are inquisitive and friendly. Immediately, I was surrounded by several of them asking me what my name was, etc. Such a delight. When we made it over to where the girls were, the situation was no different. However, instead of playing cricket and disc, they were chitchatting and playing carem. The kids reminded me yet again how much I enjoy working with children. It seems to be a debate that is continually coming up: to work in sanitation or to work with kids. I'm sure I'll be interacting with kids doing sanitation work, but it might not be to the same degree as if I were doing education-based work. Both are important and I do have the capabilities to do both. We'll see how it all plays out. Though I didn't get a chance to meet Jayeshbhai, I got to see MS and could feel the family atmosphere right away. I'm looking forward to spending more time there.
After lunch at MS, we headed to the train station to catch our train. Soon, I was engaged in a conversation with an uncle who was telling me about yoga and what it means to practice yoga. The lessons he was imparting were those that I had heard when I took yoga at Cal, but it was good to hear them again and it was def different (and more difficult) to hear it in hindi/gujarati.
Our conversation was cut short by the arrival of the train and then chaos began. It took an hour to figure out what our seats were, etc and for better or worse, we didn't have full sleeping seats for the 28 hour journey. After some rearranging we settled in- my first train ride for this trip.
The trip was not a disappointment. Typical India style, we played Antakshari with 8 others atop the loft beds and shared food with our new found friends heading to Dehradun to get married. The trip would not have been complete without the adorable babies and conversation with Vivek, an officer in the Indian army.
Day 3 (getting shorter because its now days later)
We had a great time laughing, singing and dancing with the hotel manager's son in Barkot. It was very interesting walking to Yamontri with my cousin, who has never has been to the mountains before. Through her awe and amazement, it was like seeing certain things for the first time again. Post on science and religion has more about being in Yamnotri itself.
Day 4/5 Gangotri
Traveling were spent in appreciation of the beauty that I was surrounded by and the enginerd in me observing the valleys, rock structures, terraces and set-up of villages, etc. (for reflections on these observations see water v earth and the valleys)
Day 5 - gaumukh
Day trip to Gaumukh on foot and on a pony. Pony riding was a not so pleasant experience in terms of the aches and pains. I crossed the raging Ganga on a pony, something that cannot be done on foot without a bridge). Meet a couple from Ahmedabad on the way (one of the three families we crossed paths with several times). I did a lot of the walking in solitude, which was very refreshing and overall enjoyable experience. My walking alone, I could walk in silence and really observe the nature around me and my reactions to what I was surrounded by. Fearlessness was one of the topics of contemplation. The rapid and continuous mental activity is slowly diminishing and the gaps of silence are growing. Even when I was walking alone, I was never alone in the sense that countless others were also making the trek. Salutation of Jai Bhole were consistently exchanged and one felt apart of a larger picture. Each person came for their own reasons, but we each are connected, despite not knowing names or faces, by our walk to Gaumukh.
There were beautiful purple Himalayan flowers as we moved higher up en route and right next to the Ganga. The photos don't do it justice. Wild flowers of all colours marked the trails.
I would love to come back with friends to go trekking/backpacking in the region. As I walked, I could imagine a bunch of tau bates go on a trekking trip here.
Day 7/8 - kedarnath
We arrived in Gaurikund at noon, which mean it was too late to walk to Kedarnath if we wanted to arrive before dark. So we made the 14km trek on horses (not ponies) through the heavy drizzle and mist that sets in daily. At times, it felt like we were in Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, since there was zero visibility and we were making our way through mountains. By the time we made it to the top, we were cold and wet and ready for some garam chai. My rain jacket served me very well and my upper bottom was completely dry, while my legs took a while to warm up. On the way up, we also crossed paths with the family from Indore, who mom had met on her way to Yamnotri.
In the morning, we did darshan in the warmth of the sun at a South Indian style temple set against a gorgeous backdrop of snowcapped peaks. The walk down, I could actually see the Mandakini following alongside the trail and fell in love with the terrain.
Day 10 - valley of the gods
In Badrinath, I got a chance to sit for an extended period of time in a temple. I cannot verbally describe the power of the vibrations that I experienced.
By this point, we had traveled enough on foot/horse that I knew I would not be able to convince my family to visit the Gurudwara and valley of flowers that were atleast 18km off road. If it is to be, then perhaps another trip to Badrinath will be arranged for these purposes. But if anyone goes to Badrinath, include an extra day or two to visit these places.
Day 11 rishikesh/hardiwar
Hardiwar- there is a temple on every corner and every street of the city. The art work is absolutely incredible There are statues and 3D depictions of so many stories and people found in Hinduism. The Bharatiya Mandir is incredible. It a temple dedicate to Bharat Mata or Mother India. Each floor has a room filled with statues. On the top floor are prominent gods (and their consorts), the second floor (from top down) is dedicated goddesses, the third floor is that of saints (Vivekananda, etc), the fourth floor to prominent men in Indian history (Gandhi, Bhagat Singh), the fifth floor is prominent women (Mirabai, Jhansi ki rani, a catholic nun, whose name I can't remember, etc), the sixth floor has a painting for each state depicting the prominent structures, people and cultural attributes of the state (for ex. for Punjab- the Golden temple, bhangra, bhagat singh, etc), finally the last floor or bottom floor has a large statue of bharat mata with a beautiful passage on how all the rivers of different cultures and religions flow through one land and we are unified by a common heritage. I would have loved to take pictures, but that's not allowed.
Hardiwar is also the starting point for a Ganga Yatra (see land of pilgrims) so we saw countless people, mainly men, carrying containers of the Ganga jal ( Ganga water), walking home.
Day 12 mathura/govardhan/gokul
I visited Vraj, the most significant pilgrimage area for Vaishnav (devotees of Krishna). It is the land where Krishna was born and raised. I got a chance to see the night aarti of the Yamuna river, in addition to playing in the sand that Krishna played in centuries ago. It is said that the sand has a lot of power because Krishna played in it and if one attempts to remove any from the site then you will not be able to leave (your mode of transport will face difficulties, etc). My cousin tried to take some years ago and their bullocks would not move until they threw the sand away. There used to be soooo much Ramanreti (literally meaning "playing sand"- aka the sand in which Krishna played), but now they have build huts for saints and expanded the temple grounds, leaving a small area of sand. I wonder how much will remain in a few years or decade.
We also went to Govardhan, the famous mountain which Krishna held upon his pinky to provide the entire village with shelter when Indra, the lord of rain, showered down an endless storm. To circumvent the mountain, one must walk over 15km. Imagine how tall the mountain was. I say was because it is said that the mountain becomes lower as the burden of sin upon the earth grows. Today the mountain can be considered to a be a wide hill. It has dropped significantly in height in the 10 years that have passed from when my cousin last visited (I don't remember its height from my last visit). We circumvented the mountain barefoot and in the rain. The day before we arrived, over 2 lakh (200,000) people were circumventing the mountain . Circumventing the mountain that one should perform when visiting Govardhan. It is considered to be even better if one can do with milk. So I held a clay pot, with a hole at the bottom, filled with milk in one hand and a pot filled with dhoop (smoke from ??) in another. As the pot began to run out, a man cycling alongside us would fill the pot. I partially did the parikrama (circumventing) in honour of my paternal grandparents, who are great devotees of Krishna. While I did the parikrama with milk, my mom did it with candy. As she sat on a wooden cart attached to a bicycle, she handed out candy to all the beggar children along the route. I personally think that that parikrama is worth more in terms of good karma. The thought that came up when I saw the amount of milk I would need was give it to the children instead of spilling it on the earth. Personally, I am becoming more critical of the need of certain rituals and rites. There is power in Govardhan parvata (mountain) to which I bow down, but in my mind, instead of offering gallons of milk to the mountain, offer a little to the mountain (to use in the ritualistic bathing of the stone that is used to represent the mountain) and then give the rest of the milk which you want to offer to the hungry. God is within each individual so are we not offering God milk by giving it to the needy?
Day 13 delhi
Spent 7 hours in Delhi , mainly in one shopping in one shopping area and the train station. I got to see Abhinav and how modern/Americanized Delhi is. Also got to see Guru Dev Mandir.
The Yamuna and Ganga
Two of the holiest rivers in India. Upon the banks of one, Krishna played and the other washes away the sins of anyone that bathes in it (even the dead). The Yamuna and Ganga, respectively, hold great significance to the Hindu masses. My mother took bottles of Ganga jal back to Toronto so that she can give a few mL to families when one dies. Such is the power of the Ganga. Thousands upon thousand of dead bodies are placed in the Ganga each year because of the belief that She opens the doors to heaven. (In fact, the government recognizing that it cannot stop the practice, has placed flesh eating tortoise in the river to eat the dead bodies and reduce pollution – side enginerd fact =)
There are striking differences between the rivers and its valleys. The Yamuna is fairly clear and blue, while the Ganga even at its source is turbid and brown to large large volumes of dirt. It seems very surprising that the Ganga is so "dirty" until you notice the differences in the landscapes through which each river passes.
The Yamuna Valley (or valleys I should say)
Beautiful mountains all around, reaching up and touching the skies, the peaks only obscured by cotton candy clouds hung from the heaven against the backdrop of blue skies, while the sun shines brightly upon the scene. The valley reminds Yosemite, but there is one big difference- the habitation of the valleys. All along the sides of the mountains, terraces have been cut away (I can only imagine the effort it took). Each terrace slightly different in appearance due to the level of water and growth of different produce. From the valley floor to 4/5 of the way up, terraces line the mountains, like stairs for giants, interspersed with homes. Innovation in irrigation practices that have been developed long ago are what I was fortunate enough to see first hand. The river curves her way through the mountains and one can only marvel at how the river has shaped the valleys through which she passes. The river meanders and braids its way amidst the terraces and rocks. Sometimes gently, sometimes with great noise and vigour alluding to its power.
The Ganga Valley
The Ganga valley was striking and beautiful, but in a different form. While the mountainside was terraced, it was to a much lesser degree. Rockslides were much more prevalent. It was as if someone grabbed a piece of the mountain and tore it away from the rest, leaving a huge gap amidst the trees and greenery. Thus much more dirt and particulate matter makes its way into the river. At its source, the first 2-3 km of terrain are barren. The only life that can be found are beautiful purple flowers that grow amongst the dirt and rocks. Even the glacial from which the Ganga emerges is full of dirt and could be misinterpreted to be a mountain of dirt instead of ice. In the picture of the river, you cannot even distinguish between the river and land as the waves are still.
Both rivers and valley did not cease to amaze me. Nature has a way of humbling individuals through its grandeur and power. When one looks at nature and attempts to fathom on the landscape came into being, the events in our lifetime do not hold any significance to time the earth has existed. Yet, as a species, we have changed so much about the earth we live in (but that's a topic for another day).
The mountains with its serenity and power are incredible. After being in the mountains (we stayed in motels in cities, but we didn't explore the cities), coming back to hardiwar/rishikesh and the cities and crowd in general was overwhelming and left a desire for the serenity and power of nature. Maybe I won't work in the slums and work in the villages only to be aware of the noise of the urban world. We'll see.
There are striking differences between the rivers and its valleys. The Yamuna is fairly clear and blue, while the Ganga even at its source is turbid and brown to large large volumes of dirt. It seems very surprising that the Ganga is so "dirty" until you notice the differences in the landscapes through which each river passes.
The Yamuna Valley (or valleys I should say)
Beautiful mountains all around, reaching up and touching the skies, the peaks only obscured by cotton candy clouds hung from the heaven against the backdrop of blue skies, while the sun shines brightly upon the scene. The valley reminds Yosemite, but there is one big difference- the habitation of the valleys. All along the sides of the mountains, terraces have been cut away (I can only imagine the effort it took). Each terrace slightly different in appearance due to the level of water and growth of different produce. From the valley floor to 4/5 of the way up, terraces line the mountains, like stairs for giants, interspersed with homes. Innovation in irrigation practices that have been developed long ago are what I was fortunate enough to see first hand. The river curves her way through the mountains and one can only marvel at how the river has shaped the valleys through which she passes. The river meanders and braids its way amidst the terraces and rocks. Sometimes gently, sometimes with great noise and vigour alluding to its power.
The Ganga Valley
The Ganga valley was striking and beautiful, but in a different form. While the mountainside was terraced, it was to a much lesser degree. Rockslides were much more prevalent. It was as if someone grabbed a piece of the mountain and tore it away from the rest, leaving a huge gap amidst the trees and greenery. Thus much more dirt and particulate matter makes its way into the river. At its source, the first 2-3 km of terrain are barren. The only life that can be found are beautiful purple flowers that grow amongst the dirt and rocks. Even the glacial from which the Ganga emerges is full of dirt and could be misinterpreted to be a mountain of dirt instead of ice. In the picture of the river, you cannot even distinguish between the river and land as the waves are still.
Both rivers and valley did not cease to amaze me. Nature has a way of humbling individuals through its grandeur and power. When one looks at nature and attempts to fathom on the landscape came into being, the events in our lifetime do not hold any significance to time the earth has existed. Yet, as a species, we have changed so much about the earth we live in (but that's a topic for another day).
The mountains with its serenity and power are incredible. After being in the mountains (we stayed in motels in cities, but we didn't explore the cities), coming back to hardiwar/rishikesh and the cities and crowd in general was overwhelming and left a desire for the serenity and power of nature. Maybe I won't work in the slums and work in the villages only to be aware of the noise of the urban world. We'll see.
A land of pilgrims
The story of the Fat Man Walking took America by surprise. Why would some want to walk from California to New York? The story of Terry Fox is still an inspiration to countless of people. Running a marathon is considered a large achievement for many and something inconceivable for countless more.
North America provides a great background with which to contrast what I call the land of pilgrims. Visiting the chota char dham (small four holy sites, the main four holy sites involve traveling the entire country); I resolved to walk as much as possible. Yamontri is a 12 km route roundtrip from the closest car accessible village. To visit Gaumukh from Gangotri is an 18 km one-way and Kedarnath lies 14 km away from the closest place you can drive to (Gaurikund).
For me the walking meant carrying sufficient supply of water and food, wearing hiking boots and breathable clothing, all things typical of a North American going on a hike. Walking would take longer than horseback or a doli (four people carrying you on a palanquin), but it would be doable nonetheless. As I walked, all the preparations and comforts I needed to walk seemed laughable. Amidst the walkers, I def was one of the odd ones out. There were grandfathers and grandmothers walking barefoot or in sandals with simply the aid of a walking stick. Women walked with bags on their heads as they climbed to God's shrine. The food/water I brought along – not really needed considering there were canteens every km or so, but then again, we didn't need to stop at these places for refreshments. While I was on horseback on my way to Kedarnath, covered with a raincoat and every so often complaining of the cold setting into my legs due to the excessive dampness of my clothing, people walked through the mist without much protection from the wet or cold. While I would reach the destination before it became dark, many of these people would arrive well after darkness sets. Some walked because of sheer devotion, others because a horse or doli was simply financially not viable. Whatever their reason may be, their dedication is highly admirable and inspirational.
By far, the place where I became most aware of this land of pilgrims is Gangotri. While I made my way on horseback/foot to Gaumukh, I crossed paths with well over 200 pilgrims dressed in orange shorts and orange t-shirts with Lord Shiva picture across the chest. From all across the country, despite it not being "high pilgrim season", hundreds upon hundreds are arriving in trucks to Gangotri. They walk to Gaumukh, Ganga emerges from glacial rock, collect two containers of the holy water, which their strap to their stomach and walk back to their homes on foot, where they will offer the water to their temple deity. They will walk miles upon miles on foot, typically covering 30-40 km in day. A vehicle will follow the pilgrims carrying their clothing, etc, while the pilgrims simply carry water and walking stick. Given the sheer number of people doing this type of pilgrimage every 30-40 km, there is a rest area, where they can all sleep/rest. Canteens along the roads have special areas outside where pilgrims can hang their water. From Gaumukh, pilgrims would carry the containers in dupatta type shawl that has a pocket on either end to hold each jug of water. For the pilgrims who make this pilgrimage from Haridwar, they carry the way on either end of a pole, which is decorated with pictures, flowers, etc (see the pictures). The contraption is heavier, but the road is also straight. Most of the pilgrims participating in either one of these walks were male and in their twenties or older. In Gaumukh though, I did see one boy who was approx 6 years old! No matter how tired you were when you saw him, your fatigue melted away when you saw his smile and heard him say Jai Bhole!, which is the typical greeting you would say to others as you crossed their path.
One of the best parts about visiting all these places was the sheer devotion that one got to experience and see. As we neared Yamontri and came across the steepest part of the climb, made up of countless switch back, all one could hear was people yelling and chanting Jai Mata Ki. Pilgrims and those leading the horses alike filled with air with their chants and devotion, praising the Mother as their approached her abode. Every place, it was the same. If you ever felt that someone needed some encouragement or simply needed some energy, all one needed to do was say Jai Bhole to another pilgrim and the walk became that much easier.
The chote char dham and Hardiwar by no means the only pilgrimage sites in India. At every site you'll find countless people walking to reach God's abode. Indeed, there is a land of walking pilgrims, it would be India.
North America provides a great background with which to contrast what I call the land of pilgrims. Visiting the chota char dham (small four holy sites, the main four holy sites involve traveling the entire country); I resolved to walk as much as possible. Yamontri is a 12 km route roundtrip from the closest car accessible village. To visit Gaumukh from Gangotri is an 18 km one-way and Kedarnath lies 14 km away from the closest place you can drive to (Gaurikund).
For me the walking meant carrying sufficient supply of water and food, wearing hiking boots and breathable clothing, all things typical of a North American going on a hike. Walking would take longer than horseback or a doli (four people carrying you on a palanquin), but it would be doable nonetheless. As I walked, all the preparations and comforts I needed to walk seemed laughable. Amidst the walkers, I def was one of the odd ones out. There were grandfathers and grandmothers walking barefoot or in sandals with simply the aid of a walking stick. Women walked with bags on their heads as they climbed to God's shrine. The food/water I brought along – not really needed considering there were canteens every km or so, but then again, we didn't need to stop at these places for refreshments. While I was on horseback on my way to Kedarnath, covered with a raincoat and every so often complaining of the cold setting into my legs due to the excessive dampness of my clothing, people walked through the mist without much protection from the wet or cold. While I would reach the destination before it became dark, many of these people would arrive well after darkness sets. Some walked because of sheer devotion, others because a horse or doli was simply financially not viable. Whatever their reason may be, their dedication is highly admirable and inspirational.
By far, the place where I became most aware of this land of pilgrims is Gangotri. While I made my way on horseback/foot to Gaumukh, I crossed paths with well over 200 pilgrims dressed in orange shorts and orange t-shirts with Lord Shiva picture across the chest. From all across the country, despite it not being "high pilgrim season", hundreds upon hundreds are arriving in trucks to Gangotri. They walk to Gaumukh, Ganga emerges from glacial rock, collect two containers of the holy water, which their strap to their stomach and walk back to their homes on foot, where they will offer the water to their temple deity. They will walk miles upon miles on foot, typically covering 30-40 km in day. A vehicle will follow the pilgrims carrying their clothing, etc, while the pilgrims simply carry water and walking stick. Given the sheer number of people doing this type of pilgrimage every 30-40 km, there is a rest area, where they can all sleep/rest. Canteens along the roads have special areas outside where pilgrims can hang their water. From Gaumukh, pilgrims would carry the containers in dupatta type shawl that has a pocket on either end to hold each jug of water. For the pilgrims who make this pilgrimage from Haridwar, they carry the way on either end of a pole, which is decorated with pictures, flowers, etc (see the pictures). The contraption is heavier, but the road is also straight. Most of the pilgrims participating in either one of these walks were male and in their twenties or older. In Gaumukh though, I did see one boy who was approx 6 years old! No matter how tired you were when you saw him, your fatigue melted away when you saw his smile and heard him say Jai Bhole!, which is the typical greeting you would say to others as you crossed their path.
One of the best parts about visiting all these places was the sheer devotion that one got to experience and see. As we neared Yamontri and came across the steepest part of the climb, made up of countless switch back, all one could hear was people yelling and chanting Jai Mata Ki. Pilgrims and those leading the horses alike filled with air with their chants and devotion, praising the Mother as their approached her abode. Every place, it was the same. If you ever felt that someone needed some encouragement or simply needed some energy, all one needed to do was say Jai Bhole to another pilgrim and the walk became that much easier.
The chote char dham and Hardiwar by no means the only pilgrimage sites in India. At every site you'll find countless people walking to reach God's abode. Indeed, there is a land of walking pilgrims, it would be India.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Remembering the Tau Bates
"Happy belated birthday"
"Where were you all weekend?"
"Camping, that's what I couldn't call earlier."
"You and camping, ya right."
A couple of years ago, this comment would have been correct. Aside from living in cabins for religious retreats and one real winter camping trip, my experience with the outdoors was fairly limited. I definitely was not the one who would plan a camping trip. Then three years ago, I became a Tau Bate and everything changed. Hiking, snowboarding, backpacking, we did it all. If I ever wanted to do something random or outdoorsy, I always knew I could mention it to some Tau Bates and get a group together.
As I climbed up to Yamnotri, walked/horsebacked my way to Gaumukh, I couldn't help but remember my Tau Bates. There was no morning food preparation or Karen with her endless supply of nourishment; no Zach with his map or Pokai with his camera; no discussions with Trent or bugging Ms. Diana; no Sanjay leading us through brush, claiming there is a clearing or shirtless guys at the top of the mountain. A different experience to say the least with my uncle walking portions alongside me in sandals, while I wear hiking boots; my mom on horseback (more like ponyback) and cousin in awe of the majestic mountainous landscape, which she has never seen before.
Over these walks, I recognized how much I had grown through all of our outdoor experiences. With a pack on my back with food and water, I walked with a good amount of ease, despite being "out of shape." Angela and all the other adventurous ones came to mind and I climbing rocks, just to see the view from the top.
"What do you eat?," my driver asked as the two of us venture past the others to get as close as possible to where the Ganga emerges from the glacial rock.
"Why?"
"You have so much energy and are going everywhere."
"I do this fairly often and I have a lot of friends, whose examples are my inspiration."
"Where were you all weekend?"
"Camping, that's what I couldn't call earlier."
"You and camping, ya right."
A couple of years ago, this comment would have been correct. Aside from living in cabins for religious retreats and one real winter camping trip, my experience with the outdoors was fairly limited. I definitely was not the one who would plan a camping trip. Then three years ago, I became a Tau Bate and everything changed. Hiking, snowboarding, backpacking, we did it all. If I ever wanted to do something random or outdoorsy, I always knew I could mention it to some Tau Bates and get a group together.
As I climbed up to Yamnotri, walked/horsebacked my way to Gaumukh, I couldn't help but remember my Tau Bates. There was no morning food preparation or Karen with her endless supply of nourishment; no Zach with his map or Pokai with his camera; no discussions with Trent or bugging Ms. Diana; no Sanjay leading us through brush, claiming there is a clearing or shirtless guys at the top of the mountain. A different experience to say the least with my uncle walking portions alongside me in sandals, while I wear hiking boots; my mom on horseback (more like ponyback) and cousin in awe of the majestic mountainous landscape, which she has never seen before.
Over these walks, I recognized how much I had grown through all of our outdoor experiences. With a pack on my back with food and water, I walked with a good amount of ease, despite being "out of shape." Angela and all the other adventurous ones came to mind and I climbing rocks, just to see the view from the top.
"What do you eat?," my driver asked as the two of us venture past the others to get as close as possible to where the Ganga emerges from the glacial rock.
"Why?"
"You have so much energy and are going everywhere."
"I do this fairly often and I have a lot of friends, whose examples are my inspiration."
In Conversation with Vivek, Officer in the Indian Army
On our 28 hour train ride to Dehradun, we shared one of our seats with Vivek (last name???), an officer in the Indian army, who was heading home for a few days. Currently in Jamnagar for training, Vivek has been serving in the army for 5 years and spent 3 years in Jammu and Kashmir leading a company of soldiers.
People serve in different ways, here was the perfect opportunity to get a perspective on service and life from someone whose job literally is the serve and protect the country.
Why serve?
To help others.
Why the army?
My father was in the army and for as long as I could remember I too wanted to join. After completing my Bachelors and Masters in Commerce, I enlisted. I chose the army because as an officer I can influence/impact the lives of many people. For example, in J&K, one company of 30-40 people protects 10-20 km of mountainous terrain. Each person has their own criteria for what kind of job they want and what they want from their job, ie. money, certain types of responsibilities, etc. Being in the army satisfies my criteria.
What's your criteria?
Respect and the ability to help others.
Motto you live by?
Live in the present moment.
And how do you do that?
If I want to sleep, I sleep. If I want to read, I read. I minimize the things I leave pending for tomorrow.
You spoke about living, what about death?
It will be more comfortable than the life I live as an officer. (me -- ???) For example, in J&K, when on a mission, we might have to sit in camouflage behind a bush with our legs knee deep in snow for hours and there is nothing that we can do about it. We simply need to sit. The life of an army man is a difficult one. When death comes, it will come. All I can do in live in the present moment. There is no need to fear death.
What about killing?
On the front line, either you die or the person you are facing dies, in that moment, there really is no hesitation on what to do. And for harming innocent lives, the harshest punishment must be given.
What role does spirituality play in your life?
Have you read the Da Vinci Code? The thing about the Da Vinci Code is that it shows that is Jesus is human. He was a guide for people and provided many with direction, which was lacking in their lives. People made him into God But where does God reside? You're an engineer, you know about science. Where does God live? On Venus or Mars? We have yet to find the place in the stars where He resides. God is human. Each of us can achieve that state of "being" God/ Jesus had reached a very high spiritual place. Look at Hindu gods, each one was born and dies. To have godlike characteristics is a human capability. All these religions are all paths to attain that state or to know the Truth.
What is the Truth?
Its different for each person. What each person perceived is their own truth. For example, in flood relief, two people are in water and there is an open electric wire. I must decide if I am going to send in my men to save the victims. I won't because the truth is that if I do, they will die. I cannot kill two men like that. In that situation, that is my truth.
A few questions about India . What is India's greatest problem/challenge?
Overpopulation. It's the cause of all our problems. Poverty, lack of resources.
To address it?
Do what China did, but that can't happen here because India is a democracy.
India's greatest strength?
It's people.
Views on J&K?
It's all political. People in the villages don't have anything to do/are poor so they go to Pakistan, get arms and training and terrorize the innocent. It's partially created out of need and partially due to ego/financial incentives. Ie. A terrorist's mother is the most powerful woman in the villages. In J&K, the situation will improve when the people take action. When they stop seeing themselves as victims and do something. That's how the situation in Punjab changed also. When will the people do something? Who knows.
Last question comes back to service.
What are important things to consider when one wants to serve?
Two things are important:
1) That there is an actual need
2) What you are doing is appropriate
Before you decide to something, look around and get an idea of what the problems are, what potential solutions are, etc, then pick what you want to do. You can't just jump into something blindly.
Last question: what gets you through each day?
Knowing that I have helped another/been of service. If I have not, then tomorrow, I will do something to change that.
People serve in different ways, here was the perfect opportunity to get a perspective on service and life from someone whose job literally is the serve and protect the country.
Why serve?
To help others.
Why the army?
My father was in the army and for as long as I could remember I too wanted to join. After completing my Bachelors and Masters in Commerce, I enlisted. I chose the army because as an officer I can influence/impact the lives of many people. For example, in J&K, one company of 30-40 people protects 10-20 km of mountainous terrain. Each person has their own criteria for what kind of job they want and what they want from their job, ie. money, certain types of responsibilities, etc. Being in the army satisfies my criteria.
What's your criteria?
Respect and the ability to help others.
Motto you live by?
Live in the present moment.
And how do you do that?
If I want to sleep, I sleep. If I want to read, I read. I minimize the things I leave pending for tomorrow.
You spoke about living, what about death?
It will be more comfortable than the life I live as an officer. (me -- ???) For example, in J&K, when on a mission, we might have to sit in camouflage behind a bush with our legs knee deep in snow for hours and there is nothing that we can do about it. We simply need to sit. The life of an army man is a difficult one. When death comes, it will come. All I can do in live in the present moment. There is no need to fear death.
What about killing?
On the front line, either you die or the person you are facing dies, in that moment, there really is no hesitation on what to do. And for harming innocent lives, the harshest punishment must be given.
What role does spirituality play in your life?
Have you read the Da Vinci Code? The thing about the Da Vinci Code is that it shows that is Jesus is human. He was a guide for people and provided many with direction, which was lacking in their lives. People made him into God But where does God reside? You're an engineer, you know about science. Where does God live? On Venus or Mars? We have yet to find the place in the stars where He resides. God is human. Each of us can achieve that state of "being" God/ Jesus had reached a very high spiritual place. Look at Hindu gods, each one was born and dies. To have godlike characteristics is a human capability. All these religions are all paths to attain that state or to know the Truth.
What is the Truth?
Its different for each person. What each person perceived is their own truth. For example, in flood relief, two people are in water and there is an open electric wire. I must decide if I am going to send in my men to save the victims. I won't because the truth is that if I do, they will die. I cannot kill two men like that. In that situation, that is my truth.
A few questions about India . What is India's greatest problem/challenge?
Overpopulation. It's the cause of all our problems. Poverty, lack of resources.
To address it?
Do what China did, but that can't happen here because India is a democracy.
India's greatest strength?
It's people.
Views on J&K?
It's all political. People in the villages don't have anything to do/are poor so they go to Pakistan, get arms and training and terrorize the innocent. It's partially created out of need and partially due to ego/financial incentives. Ie. A terrorist's mother is the most powerful woman in the villages. In J&K, the situation will improve when the people take action. When they stop seeing themselves as victims and do something. That's how the situation in Punjab changed also. When will the people do something? Who knows.
Last question comes back to service.
What are important things to consider when one wants to serve?
Two things are important:
1) That there is an actual need
2) What you are doing is appropriate
Before you decide to something, look around and get an idea of what the problems are, what potential solutions are, etc, then pick what you want to do. You can't just jump into something blindly.
Last question: what gets you through each day?
Knowing that I have helped another/been of service. If I have not, then tomorrow, I will do something to change that.
Fearlessness
As I walk downwards, I look ahead at ground, choosing my path carefully. Unlike Arjuna, my gaze is not seeking a prey, and the periphery visual registers. The Ganga rages forward, a couple hundred feet below, less than one foot to my left and there isn't much between me and the cliff.
First thought: Watch where you step.
Second thought: One wrong step, and you fall and die.
Then an "encouraging" thought crosses my mind.
Yes, one misstep means death. If this is the day, then this is the day. There is no need to have fear. What is going to happen will happen.
The release of fears- one of the subtle changes post-Vipassana.
More calm and accepting attitude towards death- a recent development post Tuesdays with Morrie.
PS. riddle time. ID the story reference to Arjuna
First thought: Watch where you step.
Second thought: One wrong step, and you fall and die.
Then an "encouraging" thought crosses my mind.
Yes, one misstep means death. If this is the day, then this is the day. There is no need to have fear. What is going to happen will happen.
The release of fears- one of the subtle changes post-Vipassana.
More calm and accepting attitude towards death- a recent development post Tuesdays with Morrie.
PS. riddle time. ID the story reference to Arjuna
Hygiene and Religion
The recognition of a large promoter of good hygiene practices, within at least the middle class, came as a somewhat of a surprise to me. But as I reflect even minutely on its role in my own life, it isn't surprising at all. Religion, at least what I know of Hindu sects, have promoted good hygiene practices for centuries.
One cannot enter a temple without bathing; every morning one should do puja (which means one has to bathe); one must wash one's hands after going to the restroom; after defecating, one cannot touch any puja/temple supplies (hence one has to bathe); one cannot eat before washing one's hands and all fruit/vegetables must be washed before consumption (the latter two at least being tenants of the Vaishnav dharma).
Frequent bathing, washing hands after going to the restroom and before eating and washing fruits and vegetables: sounds a lot like the hygiene practices that countless organizations around the globe are promoting, particularly to communities where waterborne diseases are widespread.
A subtle, yet not so subtle force teaching good hygiene practices- works for me.
One cannot enter a temple without bathing; every morning one should do puja (which means one has to bathe); one must wash one's hands after going to the restroom; after defecating, one cannot touch any puja/temple supplies (hence one has to bathe); one cannot eat before washing one's hands and all fruit/vegetables must be washed before consumption (the latter two at least being tenants of the Vaishnav dharma).
Frequent bathing, washing hands after going to the restroom and before eating and washing fruits and vegetables: sounds a lot like the hygiene practices that countless organizations around the globe are promoting, particularly to communities where waterborne diseases are widespread.
A subtle, yet not so subtle force teaching good hygiene practices- works for me.
Science and Religion
May 2006 – I was awarded a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering.
For the last four years, I have honed my skills in scientific methodology and understanding. The effect of this training has become very evident during this journey. Science v religion is a debate that persisted for eons. Is there common ground? Angels and Demons explores the convergence of these two, which is why I found the book interesting. If people say there are polar opposites, I say then there must be similarities because if they are opposites, without one you cannot describe the other. For me, science and religion are different ways of understanding the world around us. The untrained human mind cannot fathom, let alone grasp the realities of the universe. Science and religion provide people with means to do so. The differences in the realities the two present and the role of each in my life is what I've become more aware of.
Example number 1: Yamontri
Yamontri is located where the Yamuna River begins (close to at least). The Yamuna is one of the holiest rivers in India. The river is a manifestation of Yamuna Devi, a goddess in Hinduism, who is the daughter of Surya, the Sun God. Now the Yamuna begins high in the mountains, where is it cold. It is said that Surya recognized the challenges that would have to be surmounted and cold that would have to be endured by devotees in order to visit Yamonotri and consequently, created a hot Yamuna at Yamontri for devotees to bathe in, in addition to the cold Yamuna river. Hence in Yamontri, there is a cold and hot Yamuna.
We met a Brahmin family at Yamontri, who informed us that of the prasad that one takes from there. (When one visits a temple, one takes away prasad or something that has been offered to God as a blessing – typically its fruits or nuts, at Vaishnavdevi- another highly frequented mountain top site – money is the prasad one takes away). The prasad of Yamontri – cooked rice. Sachets of rice are placed into the hot Yamuna for 2 minutes. The power of the Yamuna is such, that it will be cooked in this time and is taken as prasad. As the uncle removes his sachets from the Yamuna, he remarks, "See, this is the power of Yamuna, a few feet away from us, she is ice-cold and here, she is capable of cooking this rice." In my mind, the scientist within me responds – it's a sulfur hot spring, something that can be found all over the world.
Countless times, I have observed the interplay between religion and science within me and around me. Ideas and beliefs are explained and/or observed and I find the scientist within me seeking an explanation. Other times, science attempts to explain a phenomenon and I am the one saying that there are some things that science should not even try to explain and that one should simply believe.
Ultimately, it is all about what one wants to believe. A photograph can be simply a picture to one, while it is the presence of God to another. Each person has their own beliefs, which by no means are stagnant. No belief or practice should be accepted or executed simply because another says so, but at the same time none should be outright rejected either. Without active dialogue and an open mind, an understanding of others' perspectives and opinions cannot be obtained.
For the last four years, I have honed my skills in scientific methodology and understanding. The effect of this training has become very evident during this journey. Science v religion is a debate that persisted for eons. Is there common ground? Angels and Demons explores the convergence of these two, which is why I found the book interesting. If people say there are polar opposites, I say then there must be similarities because if they are opposites, without one you cannot describe the other. For me, science and religion are different ways of understanding the world around us. The untrained human mind cannot fathom, let alone grasp the realities of the universe. Science and religion provide people with means to do so. The differences in the realities the two present and the role of each in my life is what I've become more aware of.
Example number 1: Yamontri
Yamontri is located where the Yamuna River begins (close to at least). The Yamuna is one of the holiest rivers in India. The river is a manifestation of Yamuna Devi, a goddess in Hinduism, who is the daughter of Surya, the Sun God. Now the Yamuna begins high in the mountains, where is it cold. It is said that Surya recognized the challenges that would have to be surmounted and cold that would have to be endured by devotees in order to visit Yamonotri and consequently, created a hot Yamuna at Yamontri for devotees to bathe in, in addition to the cold Yamuna river. Hence in Yamontri, there is a cold and hot Yamuna.
We met a Brahmin family at Yamontri, who informed us that of the prasad that one takes from there. (When one visits a temple, one takes away prasad or something that has been offered to God as a blessing – typically its fruits or nuts, at Vaishnavdevi- another highly frequented mountain top site – money is the prasad one takes away). The prasad of Yamontri – cooked rice. Sachets of rice are placed into the hot Yamuna for 2 minutes. The power of the Yamuna is such, that it will be cooked in this time and is taken as prasad. As the uncle removes his sachets from the Yamuna, he remarks, "See, this is the power of Yamuna, a few feet away from us, she is ice-cold and here, she is capable of cooking this rice." In my mind, the scientist within me responds – it's a sulfur hot spring, something that can be found all over the world.
Countless times, I have observed the interplay between religion and science within me and around me. Ideas and beliefs are explained and/or observed and I find the scientist within me seeking an explanation. Other times, science attempts to explain a phenomenon and I am the one saying that there are some things that science should not even try to explain and that one should simply believe.
Ultimately, it is all about what one wants to believe. A photograph can be simply a picture to one, while it is the presence of God to another. Each person has their own beliefs, which by no means are stagnant. No belief or practice should be accepted or executed simply because another says so, but at the same time none should be outright rejected either. Without active dialogue and an open mind, an understanding of others' perspectives and opinions cannot be obtained.
Water vs Earth
The Ganga, Yamuna, Alakananda and Mandakini. Over the last 10 days, I ventured the valleys. From 1000m – 3500m above sea level, we drove up and down the mountains, traveling over 1500km in the Garhwal Himalayas.
The journey, like many others, made me appreciate my geology class. Sophomore year, spring semester, I used to describe my engineering course work as a rock class and water class. At that point, I literally was taking the class because I had to. I mean, I already knew about metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rock formation and who would want to go on a full-day field trip around the bay to look at rock structures? It was well after the countless hours of reading about earth processes that I began to appreciate the knowledge that I had taken for granted. Many times, not only on this trip, I have tried to identify the rocks that make up the landscape and feel some remorse that I cannot recall/name all the possibilities. If only I had my cheat sheet from our rock id test.
[Heather- which one is the zebra rock and which one only has specks? (I saw the non-zebra one on the way to Gaumukh)]
Call me an enginerd, but its cool to be able to understand how the mountains and valleys have formed. The recognition of the antiquity of the planet and the length of time it has taken for each feature to develop is quite humbling, while the understanding of the amount of change created by man within such a short time period is equally disturbing.
As I looked down at the river raging in the valley below me, I can't help but reflect upon the ancient battle between water and earth. The "small" river which lies hundreds of feet from the peaks of the mountains is the force that has created the valleys in the first place. Gently, yet persistently wearing away at the seemingly hard, immovable blocks of rock, forging its own path. The rocks and boulder, strong and sturdy, attempt to block its path, but ultimately, its resistance will diminish to that of gravel and sand which will flow along the river's path. It will take masses of water and years of resilience, but in the end, it will succeed. As wave upon wave crashes upon the rocks and mountain side, the water continues on its course. As drop after drop falls down to the earth, the rain takes with it, rocks and boulders down to the river bed. In this moment, it seems like the earth is the victor in the battle between water and earth, but ultimately, water will win the war.
[Footnote: Perhaps, viewing it as a battle is cynical, but the imagery is quite powerful. The ideas and thoughts continually change, I simply am taking note of those that cross the mind through the moments of my trip.]
The journey, like many others, made me appreciate my geology class. Sophomore year, spring semester, I used to describe my engineering course work as a rock class and water class. At that point, I literally was taking the class because I had to. I mean, I already knew about metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rock formation and who would want to go on a full-day field trip around the bay to look at rock structures? It was well after the countless hours of reading about earth processes that I began to appreciate the knowledge that I had taken for granted. Many times, not only on this trip, I have tried to identify the rocks that make up the landscape and feel some remorse that I cannot recall/name all the possibilities. If only I had my cheat sheet from our rock id test.
[Heather- which one is the zebra rock and which one only has specks? (I saw the non-zebra one on the way to Gaumukh)]
Call me an enginerd, but its cool to be able to understand how the mountains and valleys have formed. The recognition of the antiquity of the planet and the length of time it has taken for each feature to develop is quite humbling, while the understanding of the amount of change created by man within such a short time period is equally disturbing.
As I looked down at the river raging in the valley below me, I can't help but reflect upon the ancient battle between water and earth. The "small" river which lies hundreds of feet from the peaks of the mountains is the force that has created the valleys in the first place. Gently, yet persistently wearing away at the seemingly hard, immovable blocks of rock, forging its own path. The rocks and boulder, strong and sturdy, attempt to block its path, but ultimately, its resistance will diminish to that of gravel and sand which will flow along the river's path. It will take masses of water and years of resilience, but in the end, it will succeed. As wave upon wave crashes upon the rocks and mountain side, the water continues on its course. As drop after drop falls down to the earth, the rain takes with it, rocks and boulders down to the river bed. In this moment, it seems like the earth is the victor in the battle between water and earth, but ultimately, water will win the war.
[Footnote: Perhaps, viewing it as a battle is cynical, but the imagery is quite powerful. The ideas and thoughts continually change, I simply am taking note of those that cross the mind through the moments of my trip.]
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Back in Gujarat
Lots of posts coming as soon as all of them are completed in terms of typing them up and I get net access on my laptop.
What I did in a nutshell:
June 30- 28 train ride from Ahmedabad to Dehradun
July 2- left Dehradun for Yamnotri, stayed in Barkot for the night
July 3- Walked to and from Jankichatti? to Yamnotri (12 km roundtrip), close to where the Yamuna begins
July 4- Travelled from Barkot to Gangotri
July 5- Roundtrip from Gangotri to Gaumukh (where the Ganga actually emerges from glacial rock)- 36km round trip on pony and foot
July 6- Travelled from Gangotri to Gaurikund, stopped 4hr from Gaurikund
July 7- Got to Gaurikund at noon and took a horse to Kedarnath (on horse) through drizzle/rain- 14km
July 8- Walked back from Kedarnath to Gaurikund and made our way towards Badrinath, stopped in Joshimath for the night
July 9- Day trip to Badrinath, spent the night in Joshimath
July 10- Travelled to Rishikesh, spent the night in Haridwar
July 11- Travelled to Mathura
July 12- Did a milk parikrama around Govardhan Mountain (which is a hill now) - 15km, visited Ramanreeth (where Krishna played), saw Yamunaji's aarti
July 13- Spent a few hours in Delhi and board a 14 hr train back to Nadiad
I travelled the valleys and mountains, visited the city and valley of the Gods, went to the places frequented by saints, gods and goddesses. imagine the vibrations at these locations.
pages to come
What I did in a nutshell:
June 30- 28 train ride from Ahmedabad to Dehradun
July 2- left Dehradun for Yamnotri, stayed in Barkot for the night
July 3- Walked to and from Jankichatti? to Yamnotri (12 km roundtrip), close to where the Yamuna begins
July 4- Travelled from Barkot to Gangotri
July 5- Roundtrip from Gangotri to Gaumukh (where the Ganga actually emerges from glacial rock)- 36km round trip on pony and foot
July 6- Travelled from Gangotri to Gaurikund, stopped 4hr from Gaurikund
July 7- Got to Gaurikund at noon and took a horse to Kedarnath (on horse) through drizzle/rain- 14km
July 8- Walked back from Kedarnath to Gaurikund and made our way towards Badrinath, stopped in Joshimath for the night
July 9- Day trip to Badrinath, spent the night in Joshimath
July 10- Travelled to Rishikesh, spent the night in Haridwar
July 11- Travelled to Mathura
July 12- Did a milk parikrama around Govardhan Mountain (which is a hill now) - 15km, visited Ramanreeth (where Krishna played), saw Yamunaji's aarti
July 13- Spent a few hours in Delhi and board a 14 hr train back to Nadiad
I travelled the valleys and mountains, visited the city and valley of the Gods, went to the places frequented by saints, gods and goddesses. imagine the vibrations at these locations.
pages to come
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Rude or Courteous City
LAst week in Trishna, Sejal and I were discussing rude cities in the world. One of them mentioned a recent study of major cities around the world and found that NYC was the rudest. A couple of days, I was surprised to read on Quote of the Day that a Reader's Digest did a survey of 20 cities to measure their politness (can someone add the link as a comment since I don't have it on me right now). Interestingly, they found that NYC was the most courteous.
As we left for our trip to the Himalayas, unplanned and with a slight modification, my cousin and I tried the Reader's Digest test in Nadiad. As my cousin stepped out of the car at the medic store, she dropped our cousin's cell phone. The battery, sim card and cover went in different directions. Immediately, the two of us and the driver were peering into the dirt, trash and puddles for the sim card. Right away, people passing by and nearby asked what we were looking for. Over the course of the 10 minutes, 10 different people were helping us looking for the card! We didn't find the sim and finally we gave up and headed home after thanking out helpers. Luckily, we later found out that the phone didn't have a card to begin with! But nonetheless, our test was a success. Rude or courteous city? Nadiad no doubt is the latter.
I'll try to post during our 14 days trip to the Himalayas, but it's going to sparse. LOTS will be put up once I'm back.
Ps. met great people on the 24 hr train ride to dehradun and spent the morning at Manav Sadhna before leaving =)
As we left for our trip to the Himalayas, unplanned and with a slight modification, my cousin and I tried the Reader's Digest test in Nadiad. As my cousin stepped out of the car at the medic store, she dropped our cousin's cell phone. The battery, sim card and cover went in different directions. Immediately, the two of us and the driver were peering into the dirt, trash and puddles for the sim card. Right away, people passing by and nearby asked what we were looking for. Over the course of the 10 minutes, 10 different people were helping us looking for the card! We didn't find the sim and finally we gave up and headed home after thanking out helpers. Luckily, we later found out that the phone didn't have a card to begin with! But nonetheless, our test was a success. Rude or courteous city? Nadiad no doubt is the latter.
I'll try to post during our 14 days trip to the Himalayas, but it's going to sparse. LOTS will be put up once I'm back.
Ps. met great people on the 24 hr train ride to dehradun and spent the morning at Manav Sadhna before leaving =)
Thursday, June 29, 2006
A Mother's Love and family's blessings
When I was 5, I came to India with my maternal grandmother and sister. We were going to stay for approx 6 months and would spend the majority of the time in my mosad - Nar. My dad's family lived in Nadiad. As a child, I dreaded visiting Nadiad. I would actually cry to my maternal grandmother, begging her to let me stay in Nar (my cousins and I would get into fights all the time).
On Monday, coming to Nadiad felt very different. I walked up the stairs to greet my baa (dad's mom) and all I could feel was her love and compassion. She was incredibly happy to see me there, I can't even explain it. Everyday, I just want to sit with her and hold her hand. A mother's love truly is powerful.
I have yet to embark on my solo journeys. Overall, I have not been too concerned or afraid of what the future in going to hold, trusting the universe. The whole passage to India has quelled any doubts I may have had. Regardless of where I go, I know that I am protected by the blessings of my family and friends. Since the first day I've gotten here to the incredible conversation I had yesterday with an old family friend, all I have experienced is love and support by all those around, even as they passed on their warnings and voiced caution.
Truly blessed. Thank you for your wishes and support.
On Monday, coming to Nadiad felt very different. I walked up the stairs to greet my baa (dad's mom) and all I could feel was her love and compassion. She was incredibly happy to see me there, I can't even explain it. Everyday, I just want to sit with her and hold her hand. A mother's love truly is powerful.
I have yet to embark on my solo journeys. Overall, I have not been too concerned or afraid of what the future in going to hold, trusting the universe. The whole passage to India has quelled any doubts I may have had. Regardless of where I go, I know that I am protected by the blessings of my family and friends. Since the first day I've gotten here to the incredible conversation I had yesterday with an old family friend, all I have experienced is love and support by all those around, even as they passed on their warnings and voiced caution.
Truly blessed. Thank you for your wishes and support.
Reading and Family
Before I left London, I received Tuesday with Morrie. GREAT book and exactly what I needed, especially in conjunction with the Power of Now, which is a challenging read in that you have to read it in bits and pieces.
I tore through Tuesdays, cover to cover. When I finished, I noticed something that I've been noticing alot recently: my lack of full attentiveness to what I was reading. I read quickly, it could be called skim reading even. I take the gist of the what I'm reading, but don't really reflect or take time to digest what I'm reading. Not a big deal for books like Da Vinci Code and other fiction pleasure reads. But for a book like Siddharta or Power of Now, its absolutely crucial to take the time to read carefully. As I read through Tuesday, halfway through, I though it would be beneficial to write down the important ideas, so I did. I found myself reading a little more carefully. When I finished, it was time to change something. I picked up the book again and actually read it. Taking the time to reflect. I continued writing down the important ideas. Now unlike Siddharta, which I feel like i need to read again, when Tuesdays gets passed on, I'll have taken all that I can from it.
One of the tuesdays was about family. I found this lesson particularly interesting and in fact had to put the book down to think/reflect on the comments. One of the important comments that Morrie makes is in regards to family vs friends. (Paraphrased) Family is the foundation. Friends will visit and call (when you are sick), but with family, someone will always be watching over you.
Today, I experienced that first hand.
After apparently having a slight temperature for over 1 week (I knew I had a temp one day in London, but after that day I was doing alright, but since I met up with mom, she's been saying that I am warm), I got "sick". I didn't have much energy and couldn't bring myself to consume any food. Things are better now and hopefully I'll be 100% before I get into the car in Haridwar, otherwise the windy roads are going to be painful. But I digress. Since the moment my family found out I was ill, they have continually been watching over me. Eat this, don't do this, let's go to the doctor. I actually think its a good thing i fell ill today rather than later. I am blessed to be surrounded by people who are making all efforts to make sure I get better. When the solo adventures begin, things will not be the same. Morrie is right.
Family. The people who will continually be watching over you (whether you're sick or not).
I tore through Tuesdays, cover to cover. When I finished, I noticed something that I've been noticing alot recently: my lack of full attentiveness to what I was reading. I read quickly, it could be called skim reading even. I take the gist of the what I'm reading, but don't really reflect or take time to digest what I'm reading. Not a big deal for books like Da Vinci Code and other fiction pleasure reads. But for a book like Siddharta or Power of Now, its absolutely crucial to take the time to read carefully. As I read through Tuesday, halfway through, I though it would be beneficial to write down the important ideas, so I did. I found myself reading a little more carefully. When I finished, it was time to change something. I picked up the book again and actually read it. Taking the time to reflect. I continued writing down the important ideas. Now unlike Siddharta, which I feel like i need to read again, when Tuesdays gets passed on, I'll have taken all that I can from it.
One of the tuesdays was about family. I found this lesson particularly interesting and in fact had to put the book down to think/reflect on the comments. One of the important comments that Morrie makes is in regards to family vs friends. (Paraphrased) Family is the foundation. Friends will visit and call (when you are sick), but with family, someone will always be watching over you.
Today, I experienced that first hand.
After apparently having a slight temperature for over 1 week (I knew I had a temp one day in London, but after that day I was doing alright, but since I met up with mom, she's been saying that I am warm), I got "sick". I didn't have much energy and couldn't bring myself to consume any food. Things are better now and hopefully I'll be 100% before I get into the car in Haridwar, otherwise the windy roads are going to be painful. But I digress. Since the moment my family found out I was ill, they have continually been watching over me. Eat this, don't do this, let's go to the doctor. I actually think its a good thing i fell ill today rather than later. I am blessed to be surrounded by people who are making all efforts to make sure I get better. When the solo adventures begin, things will not be the same. Morrie is right.
Family. The people who will continually be watching over you (whether you're sick or not).
Role Model in Compassion
The last few days, I realized how that a great role model in compassion was right in front of my eyes. As I hestitated at times before tagging people, I have found my mom asking me multiple times if I gave something to this person or that person. Whenever she sees a child, she turns to me and goes Heena, give them something. As we prepare for our trip to the Himalayas, more than half of the stuff we are taking is packed into this large suitcase and isn't even for us. My mom packed over a bag load of stuff from Canada for us to carry to the Himalayas to give to the poor. As people come in and out of our home in Nadiad and when we visited our gam Pij, I continually hear my mom calling me to give a child a toy or take pictures of so-so. Incredible how happy someone gets when you take a picture of them, even though they won't see it.
I've always recognized my mom's huge heart. Whenever she sees someone in distress, she goes above and beyond to help them, be it monetarily or simply giving them a shoulder to lean on. As I conciously work to grow in compassion and kindness, the recognition of her capabilities has taken on another dimension. For her, there is no hesitation.
Over the last few months, I have found numerous role models in compassion. Now I've realized, one of the best has been someone I've known my whole life.
I've always recognized my mom's huge heart. Whenever she sees someone in distress, she goes above and beyond to help them, be it monetarily or simply giving them a shoulder to lean on. As I conciously work to grow in compassion and kindness, the recognition of her capabilities has taken on another dimension. For her, there is no hesitation.
Over the last few months, I have found numerous role models in compassion. Now I've realized, one of the best has been someone I've known my whole life.
Losing one’s “smileginity”
Smileginity – lacking the experience of smile tagging (coined by my sister before embarking on her first experience with Trishna and I).
Lots of people lost their smileginity when I was in London =)
First, came a friend from Toronto, who currently lives in London. After a meal where she commented about the lack of openness and warmth in London, particularly in comparison to the tdot, it seemed like a great time to spread the kindness. Armed with smiles stones, we were off. As we neared a bank, I handed her a stone and nudged her to give it to the guard. The guard saw me do this and asked her if it was because I thought he was good looking…. Sure. Whatever will make him smile right.
As we made our way from Holburn to Waterloo bridge and back to Victoria station, we would go up to strangers: “Can I share a smile with you?” Man is London one hard city to crack! People looked at us with bewilderment at times, whiles other would at least say no thank you. We got a “fock off” too, but for the majority of our rejections, they at least smiled while saying no, so mission accomplished! The tourists were awesome! They always broke out into a huge smile.
Despite the rejections, my friend was out there handing them out left and right. She did a better job than I did! Soon, we were sharing stories of people we’d encounter who epitomized what smile tagging was about. They didn’t need smile cards or smiles stones, these people were them!
An European man (Armenian I think) runs a small coffee shop near her flat. He knows all the neighbours and is continually inviting people in to have some tea. Don’t try paying him though if he invites you in: I invited you, he says, don’t you dare think of paying. He listens to each person’s stories with care. It was too late to meet him, but I could just imagine the love and warmth radiating from this small shop.
Then there was the man in the tube. He couldn’t use his legs so he used braces/canes with his two arms. When I saw him I was walking into the empty platform with stones in my hand. As I looked over, he smiled so I went over to show/give him some. An even bigger smile (if that was possible) broke out on his face as he saw the faces.
“Here, these are for you.”
“What are they for?”
“They’re to make people smile. Just to spread some joy.”
He looks me straight in the eyes and say, “Give them to people who actually need them. In my condition, you can do one of two things, laugh or cry. I choose to smile.”
Speechless, I smiled and walked on.
Smile virgin number 2: my cousin.
Perfect person to lose her smileginity. As a ticketing agent for American Airlines, she sees loads of people each day leaving for destinations across the globe. Now she has her own jar of smile stones to give to children and frustrated customers to lighten up their day.
Smile virgin number 3: my sister
She knows about the concept, has signed up for the smile newsletter and has even tagged a friend or two, but strangers are a whole new ball game. Grabbing some roses, candy and business cards with inspirational quotes, my sister, Trishna and I were off. London, as I had already discovered, is def not as friendly or open as California. Apparently, I was lucky, people were becoming warmer as the weather became warmer. If there was a place where people needed some cheer, it would be London.
The evening started off with Trishna and I approaching random people giving out candy and roses, while my sister watched. We both had different technique, I was a give and go person, while Trishna stopped and talked to people. Soon we were both mixing it up a bit, when we realized Sej was just watching. Refusing to tag anymore, we waited for Sej to share some love. With a rose and card in hand, she’s off.
“Maam, can I give you a rose?.”
“No thanks.”
“Excuse me, can I give you a rose?”
“Sorry”
“Hi, can I give you a rose?”
“It’s alright.”
Rejection times three… things were not going well. Change up what you’re saying. So she did.
“Hi, this rose is for you.”
“For me?”
“Yea, my friends and I are out spreading some kindness. We heard about this website from a friend, where people do nice things for others, got inspired and are out here. No gimmick. Just wanted to make you smile.”
“Thank you,” with a huge smile on her face.
Success.
There was the woman who looked at me funny when asked her if I could give her rose. “No, no,” and then she points to her son, “that’s my son.” I realized she didn’t speak much English, I again try to give her a rose, when she shakes her head, I move on. A few moments later, I see her again.
“Maam, can I give you this rose. It goes perfectly with what you’re wearing” The yellow complimented her red sweater.
“How much?”
“It’s free”
“Three?” holding out three fingers.
I make a zero with my own. “Free.”
She looks at her son, who gives a small nod. With a smile, she takes the rose. As we walk away, I see the two of them reading the smile card.
I guess they continued to watch us before passing us. As we neared the intersection, we see a woman coming towards us with a yellow rose in her hand already. As we look ahead, we see the woman and son walking on, no rose in hand. They had already continued the chain of kindness.
One of the guards at the House of Parliament took a rose and candy. While putting them aside because he was on duty, he promised to pick them up and give them to someone walking by, whom he thought needed some cheer.
We tried to do the same with some police officers (ask them to pass them out). Since they were on duty, they couldn’t accept. But a conversation did ensure, covering what we were doing, why we were doing it and an invitation to dinner for my sister (I tell you, smile tagging could be a great way to “meet” people ;).
After tagging some cars, hitting up the tube station (GREAT place to tag), passing on cards to taxi drivers and helping an Italian family navigate the tube, we ran out of supplies. With smiles on our faces, we headed home.
“So what did you think?”
“Not bad. That was interesting,” replied Sej.
Smile virgins 4 - 6
The next day, me and Sej were out for lunch with some of friends. As we left the tube station and walked to Nando’s, which apparently has great chicken for you non-vegs, I spied a Tesco express (the same store we had bought flowers and candy from the previous day). Remembering the smile cards in my pack and seeing the 4 able-bodied people around, what better time and place could there be to go tagging?
After eating, Karim and I go to grab some flowers and candy. A very interesting conversation ensued (paraphrased below).
“So what exactly are we doing?” I had simply told them that we’re going to do an experiment.
“Spreading kindness. We’re going to give random people flowers/candy, along with a smile card.”
“Why here? Why are you spending your time and money on people in London, who are relatively well off. Why not do something for the poor people in India or elsewhere, where people need assistance and would actually appreciate what you are doing? People here won’t care.”
Whoa. Heavy loaded question. Why? What’s the point. Even in the short while that I’ve been doing this, I can’t really say that anyone has really asked me that. Something felt right so I do it, but I never had to verbalize it. So I began my attempt and thanks to Gibran, I had someone else to help support my argument.
In the Prophet, there is this great passage on giving. (posted at the end of this post). It is Gibran talks about givers thinking of those who are most worthy of their gifts. The prophet goes on to say (paraphrase from what I could recall at that moment) who are we to decide who is worthy or unworthy. If each of us has been given the gift of life already by the Almighty, who are we to say that someone is not worthy of what we have to give. We are not giving something as precious as life itself.
I could tell the argument wasn’t persuasive. Time to try again. I was fortunate to be the person in this discussion.
You talk of giving to the poor, well I’m going to India. I’m going to work with the poor, yet I still feel like this is worth my time. Think about this way. All these people, who are well-off, who might not appreciate this, are going along their usual routine, wrapped up in their own lives. Maybe today, maybe when we do this, one person will “wake up,” be jolted out of their world for even a second and think wow, this is cool, I should continue this chain and do something kind for someone. It doesn’t matter if that someone is a stranger or a friend. The point is that they have taken action. They have performed an act of kindness. Kindness like anything else must be developed. Today we might give someone the push they need. Only through giving, can one develop one’s capacity to give. Today they’ll give once. Maybe tomorrow or the day after, they’ll have the desire to give again. Slowly the ball will pick up momentum. Today, you and I are willing to do something for the poor. Maybe tomorrow, this person too will feel the desire to do something for those people too. In these acts, we are not only developing our own capacity to be kind, but potentially helping someone else develop their own.
As I said it, I realized I was getting to one of the reasons that I did all this. Only through giving, can one develop one’s capacity to give.
Aiight. Let’s give this a shot. I hand him the candy and a bunch of smile cards and take the roses and we’re off. We meet up with the others, disperse the candy and make our way back to the tube. Sej and Karim go off on their own and really quickly, you could see Karim was having a blast. Two of the others enjoyed it two, while the fourth found the process a bit intimidating, which I wholly admit it is, especially the first time.
Soon we see the Evening Standard stand. It was the tag that a friend had mentioned before. We pull out some pounds and smile cards and hand them to the lady at the stand. As she tries to hand us a paper, we explain. Bewildered, she agrees and accepts some candy also and we’re off again.
The tube like I said is a great place to tag. By the time I got inside, Karim and Sej had already tagged all the workers and Karim was looking a rapidly dwindling supply of candy. The train ride was the best. Everyone in our vicinity had candy and cards. People were talking to us about what we were doing and one girl told her boyfriend that he had to take the cards to Australia with him and pass them on! As we stepped on the train, you could feel the positive vibrations coming from that car.
The day was a success. By the time I handed Karim the rest of my cards, he and Sej had already decided to go tagging again.
Tagging reflections
One interesting conversation occurred on the street as a woman inquired about what we were doing upon receiving a rose. As we explained, she summed up our observations of London.
“Good luck. People in London are very skeptical. They won’t take stuff from strangers.”
“All the more reason to do this in London.”
She was bang on. From the three days of tagging, the responses were consistent. People here have become trained to be suspicious of strangers. People asked us what the catch was. We often had to say “free” before giving something out in order for someone to take it. People expected some catch and were surprised when there was none. It was the perfect place to tag. In California, it was so easy. Smile at someone and they’d smile back. Here, people looked at me funny. I bet the weather does make a difference. Plus California is its own little world, where people tend to be more open and friendly. London needed the cheer. One day, I was walking through London with my kaki while handing out smile stones. Upon seeing that I got rejected 4 of 5 times, she said that Londoners won’t accept things from strangers. It didn’t matter though, for the most part they at least smiled when they saw the stones. London was an experience. Maybe I got hooked on tagging while in California because it was so easy. In London, I really experienced and realized what Rev Heng Sure said:
Being brittle and hard is easy,
It takes courage to be kind.
It really does.
Lots of people lost their smileginity when I was in London =)
First, came a friend from Toronto, who currently lives in London. After a meal where she commented about the lack of openness and warmth in London, particularly in comparison to the tdot, it seemed like a great time to spread the kindness. Armed with smiles stones, we were off. As we neared a bank, I handed her a stone and nudged her to give it to the guard. The guard saw me do this and asked her if it was because I thought he was good looking…. Sure. Whatever will make him smile right.
As we made our way from Holburn to Waterloo bridge and back to Victoria station, we would go up to strangers: “Can I share a smile with you?” Man is London one hard city to crack! People looked at us with bewilderment at times, whiles other would at least say no thank you. We got a “fock off” too, but for the majority of our rejections, they at least smiled while saying no, so mission accomplished! The tourists were awesome! They always broke out into a huge smile.
Despite the rejections, my friend was out there handing them out left and right. She did a better job than I did! Soon, we were sharing stories of people we’d encounter who epitomized what smile tagging was about. They didn’t need smile cards or smiles stones, these people were them!
An European man (Armenian I think) runs a small coffee shop near her flat. He knows all the neighbours and is continually inviting people in to have some tea. Don’t try paying him though if he invites you in: I invited you, he says, don’t you dare think of paying. He listens to each person’s stories with care. It was too late to meet him, but I could just imagine the love and warmth radiating from this small shop.
Then there was the man in the tube. He couldn’t use his legs so he used braces/canes with his two arms. When I saw him I was walking into the empty platform with stones in my hand. As I looked over, he smiled so I went over to show/give him some. An even bigger smile (if that was possible) broke out on his face as he saw the faces.
“Here, these are for you.”
“What are they for?”
“They’re to make people smile. Just to spread some joy.”
He looks me straight in the eyes and say, “Give them to people who actually need them. In my condition, you can do one of two things, laugh or cry. I choose to smile.”
Speechless, I smiled and walked on.
Smile virgin number 2: my cousin.
Perfect person to lose her smileginity. As a ticketing agent for American Airlines, she sees loads of people each day leaving for destinations across the globe. Now she has her own jar of smile stones to give to children and frustrated customers to lighten up their day.
Smile virgin number 3: my sister
She knows about the concept, has signed up for the smile newsletter and has even tagged a friend or two, but strangers are a whole new ball game. Grabbing some roses, candy and business cards with inspirational quotes, my sister, Trishna and I were off. London, as I had already discovered, is def not as friendly or open as California. Apparently, I was lucky, people were becoming warmer as the weather became warmer. If there was a place where people needed some cheer, it would be London.
The evening started off with Trishna and I approaching random people giving out candy and roses, while my sister watched. We both had different technique, I was a give and go person, while Trishna stopped and talked to people. Soon we were both mixing it up a bit, when we realized Sej was just watching. Refusing to tag anymore, we waited for Sej to share some love. With a rose and card in hand, she’s off.
“Maam, can I give you a rose?.”
“No thanks.”
“Excuse me, can I give you a rose?”
“Sorry”
“Hi, can I give you a rose?”
“It’s alright.”
Rejection times three… things were not going well. Change up what you’re saying. So she did.
“Hi, this rose is for you.”
“For me?”
“Yea, my friends and I are out spreading some kindness. We heard about this website from a friend, where people do nice things for others, got inspired and are out here. No gimmick. Just wanted to make you smile.”
“Thank you,” with a huge smile on her face.
Success.
There was the woman who looked at me funny when asked her if I could give her rose. “No, no,” and then she points to her son, “that’s my son.” I realized she didn’t speak much English, I again try to give her a rose, when she shakes her head, I move on. A few moments later, I see her again.
“Maam, can I give you this rose. It goes perfectly with what you’re wearing” The yellow complimented her red sweater.
“How much?”
“It’s free”
“Three?” holding out three fingers.
I make a zero with my own. “Free.”
She looks at her son, who gives a small nod. With a smile, she takes the rose. As we walk away, I see the two of them reading the smile card.
I guess they continued to watch us before passing us. As we neared the intersection, we see a woman coming towards us with a yellow rose in her hand already. As we look ahead, we see the woman and son walking on, no rose in hand. They had already continued the chain of kindness.
One of the guards at the House of Parliament took a rose and candy. While putting them aside because he was on duty, he promised to pick them up and give them to someone walking by, whom he thought needed some cheer.
We tried to do the same with some police officers (ask them to pass them out). Since they were on duty, they couldn’t accept. But a conversation did ensure, covering what we were doing, why we were doing it and an invitation to dinner for my sister (I tell you, smile tagging could be a great way to “meet” people ;).
After tagging some cars, hitting up the tube station (GREAT place to tag), passing on cards to taxi drivers and helping an Italian family navigate the tube, we ran out of supplies. With smiles on our faces, we headed home.
“So what did you think?”
“Not bad. That was interesting,” replied Sej.
Smile virgins 4 - 6
The next day, me and Sej were out for lunch with some of friends. As we left the tube station and walked to Nando’s, which apparently has great chicken for you non-vegs, I spied a Tesco express (the same store we had bought flowers and candy from the previous day). Remembering the smile cards in my pack and seeing the 4 able-bodied people around, what better time and place could there be to go tagging?
After eating, Karim and I go to grab some flowers and candy. A very interesting conversation ensued (paraphrased below).
“So what exactly are we doing?” I had simply told them that we’re going to do an experiment.
“Spreading kindness. We’re going to give random people flowers/candy, along with a smile card.”
“Why here? Why are you spending your time and money on people in London, who are relatively well off. Why not do something for the poor people in India or elsewhere, where people need assistance and would actually appreciate what you are doing? People here won’t care.”
Whoa. Heavy loaded question. Why? What’s the point. Even in the short while that I’ve been doing this, I can’t really say that anyone has really asked me that. Something felt right so I do it, but I never had to verbalize it. So I began my attempt and thanks to Gibran, I had someone else to help support my argument.
In the Prophet, there is this great passage on giving. (posted at the end of this post). It is Gibran talks about givers thinking of those who are most worthy of their gifts. The prophet goes on to say (paraphrase from what I could recall at that moment) who are we to decide who is worthy or unworthy. If each of us has been given the gift of life already by the Almighty, who are we to say that someone is not worthy of what we have to give. We are not giving something as precious as life itself.
I could tell the argument wasn’t persuasive. Time to try again. I was fortunate to be the person in this discussion.
You talk of giving to the poor, well I’m going to India. I’m going to work with the poor, yet I still feel like this is worth my time. Think about this way. All these people, who are well-off, who might not appreciate this, are going along their usual routine, wrapped up in their own lives. Maybe today, maybe when we do this, one person will “wake up,” be jolted out of their world for even a second and think wow, this is cool, I should continue this chain and do something kind for someone. It doesn’t matter if that someone is a stranger or a friend. The point is that they have taken action. They have performed an act of kindness. Kindness like anything else must be developed. Today we might give someone the push they need. Only through giving, can one develop one’s capacity to give. Today they’ll give once. Maybe tomorrow or the day after, they’ll have the desire to give again. Slowly the ball will pick up momentum. Today, you and I are willing to do something for the poor. Maybe tomorrow, this person too will feel the desire to do something for those people too. In these acts, we are not only developing our own capacity to be kind, but potentially helping someone else develop their own.
As I said it, I realized I was getting to one of the reasons that I did all this. Only through giving, can one develop one’s capacity to give.
Aiight. Let’s give this a shot. I hand him the candy and a bunch of smile cards and take the roses and we’re off. We meet up with the others, disperse the candy and make our way back to the tube. Sej and Karim go off on their own and really quickly, you could see Karim was having a blast. Two of the others enjoyed it two, while the fourth found the process a bit intimidating, which I wholly admit it is, especially the first time.
Soon we see the Evening Standard stand. It was the tag that a friend had mentioned before. We pull out some pounds and smile cards and hand them to the lady at the stand. As she tries to hand us a paper, we explain. Bewildered, she agrees and accepts some candy also and we’re off again.
The tube like I said is a great place to tag. By the time I got inside, Karim and Sej had already tagged all the workers and Karim was looking a rapidly dwindling supply of candy. The train ride was the best. Everyone in our vicinity had candy and cards. People were talking to us about what we were doing and one girl told her boyfriend that he had to take the cards to Australia with him and pass them on! As we stepped on the train, you could feel the positive vibrations coming from that car.
The day was a success. By the time I handed Karim the rest of my cards, he and Sej had already decided to go tagging again.
Tagging reflections
One interesting conversation occurred on the street as a woman inquired about what we were doing upon receiving a rose. As we explained, she summed up our observations of London.
“Good luck. People in London are very skeptical. They won’t take stuff from strangers.”
“All the more reason to do this in London.”
She was bang on. From the three days of tagging, the responses were consistent. People here have become trained to be suspicious of strangers. People asked us what the catch was. We often had to say “free” before giving something out in order for someone to take it. People expected some catch and were surprised when there was none. It was the perfect place to tag. In California, it was so easy. Smile at someone and they’d smile back. Here, people looked at me funny. I bet the weather does make a difference. Plus California is its own little world, where people tend to be more open and friendly. London needed the cheer. One day, I was walking through London with my kaki while handing out smile stones. Upon seeing that I got rejected 4 of 5 times, she said that Londoners won’t accept things from strangers. It didn’t matter though, for the most part they at least smiled when they saw the stones. London was an experience. Maybe I got hooked on tagging while in California because it was so easy. In London, I really experienced and realized what Rev Heng Sure said:
Being brittle and hard is easy,
It takes courage to be kind.
It really does.
London Travels
For me, voyaging to different places now has a different meaning. Less concerned with the tourist sites, inspired by the journeys of many others, now I want to meet each places’ people. The easiest way to do this is to share smiles of course. Not hard, right. I mean I’m loud, outgoing, I can do this. But frequently, I found myself hesitating. That’s when Rev Heng Sure came back to me (found in heart songs from friends unknown- thanks all).
Being brittle and hard is easy,
It takes courage to be kind.
As I walked the streets, his words rang in my head when I found myself hesitating. Only through giving, can one develop one’s capacity to give. It does take courage to be kind, funny how it takes courage to express love, which is our Being’s true nature, but it is comparatively easy to stay within our own little bubble, which is not even true reality.
Thursday, after calling friends and running back and forth between making plans, I took matters into my own hands. I was going to visit Stonehenge. As weird as people thought it was, I took the trip alone and I’m glad that I did. It was the day after Summer Solstice, so I saw the order of the Druid perform a high noon ceremony honoring the sun. Over 50 Druids dressed in white descended upon the stone monument, which is not only an artifact of the past, but a temple as well. As I walked the perimeter, I tried to recall all the tales from the book Sarum. Indeed, if I hadn’t read the book, Stonehenge would have been just a pile of rocks.
The English countryside is beautiful, it reminded me of the countryside outside of Toronto.
If my travels thus far has shown me anything, its that you will stumble upon the most interesting people along the way. On the train ride home, I met this amazing family who was just coming back from a week long festival celebrating the solstice. Their 3 year old daughter had a blast drawing smiles to make smile stones and telling stories about what she saw (brown and black horses, and no silly, there were no green ones). The couple is involved with creating this community where families can come without worries of negative influences. Once a month, they have a club night with music, etc. where they can all get together and hang out. There is music and dancing and children can come too. They don’t publicize the club, people come by word of mouth. The husband is involved with helping websites post streaming audio and video and they both work to create community events for families and kids. Great people with huge hearts and their daughter was sooo cute =) The conversation was a tad difficult to follow with the accents, but we understood each other enough =)
Being brittle and hard is easy,
It takes courage to be kind.
As I walked the streets, his words rang in my head when I found myself hesitating. Only through giving, can one develop one’s capacity to give. It does take courage to be kind, funny how it takes courage to express love, which is our Being’s true nature, but it is comparatively easy to stay within our own little bubble, which is not even true reality.
Thursday, after calling friends and running back and forth between making plans, I took matters into my own hands. I was going to visit Stonehenge. As weird as people thought it was, I took the trip alone and I’m glad that I did. It was the day after Summer Solstice, so I saw the order of the Druid perform a high noon ceremony honoring the sun. Over 50 Druids dressed in white descended upon the stone monument, which is not only an artifact of the past, but a temple as well. As I walked the perimeter, I tried to recall all the tales from the book Sarum. Indeed, if I hadn’t read the book, Stonehenge would have been just a pile of rocks.
The English countryside is beautiful, it reminded me of the countryside outside of Toronto.
If my travels thus far has shown me anything, its that you will stumble upon the most interesting people along the way. On the train ride home, I met this amazing family who was just coming back from a week long festival celebrating the solstice. Their 3 year old daughter had a blast drawing smiles to make smile stones and telling stories about what she saw (brown and black horses, and no silly, there were no green ones). The couple is involved with creating this community where families can come without worries of negative influences. Once a month, they have a club night with music, etc. where they can all get together and hang out. There is music and dancing and children can come too. They don’t publicize the club, people come by word of mouth. The husband is involved with helping websites post streaming audio and video and they both work to create community events for families and kids. Great people with huge hearts and their daughter was sooo cute =) The conversation was a tad difficult to follow with the accents, but we understood each other enough =)
Friday, June 16, 2006
First Day in London
Was fairly uneventful.
My family has a huge german shephard that doesn't like anyone else. So during the day I left the house so he could roam. Went to the library, figuring I could transfer my stuff off my hard drive to laptop, but I didn't have an adapter. Went to the library for a bit. Began to read The Prophet. (side: viral/guri- great book, easy read- thanks!) I absolutely loved the passage on giving. I don't have the book on me right now, but I share that and my reflections on it soon.
After spending my max hr on the net, I had an hour or so to kill before I could head home, I figured what better time to meditate since my practice has been lagging amidst the hecticness of packing, etc. I found a church nearby and they were having noon mass. Thanks to Tash, I kind of knew of how things would work. It was very refreshing to have a chance to sit and meditate =)
The rest of the day was spent with my aunt and relaxing. Had some great conversations about girls, marriage, etc. The next few days I feel are going to pass similarly without too many time pressures. A nice way to unwind before all that will be and is India.
Interesting recent observations about the ethnic mix of my surroundings:
1) At vipassana- i realized that there is some diversity that Cali just does not have. While in Cali, I never came across a guyanese person or someone from the west indies nor people from the carribean, while people from these places are found all over toronto. toronto wouldn't be complete without caribana. Also where are the greeks?
2) My flight to London was packed with Muslims. I was actually quite surprise. There were Muslims from all over the world, which reminded me again of how prevalent this religion is all over the globe.
3) Tooting is South Asian central!
4) Interesting comparison of South Asian culture in London vis a vis Canada and the USA (those two are really different also)
My family has a huge german shephard that doesn't like anyone else. So during the day I left the house so he could roam. Went to the library, figuring I could transfer my stuff off my hard drive to laptop, but I didn't have an adapter. Went to the library for a bit. Began to read The Prophet. (side: viral/guri- great book, easy read- thanks!) I absolutely loved the passage on giving. I don't have the book on me right now, but I share that and my reflections on it soon.
After spending my max hr on the net, I had an hour or so to kill before I could head home, I figured what better time to meditate since my practice has been lagging amidst the hecticness of packing, etc. I found a church nearby and they were having noon mass. Thanks to Tash, I kind of knew of how things would work. It was very refreshing to have a chance to sit and meditate =)
The rest of the day was spent with my aunt and relaxing. Had some great conversations about girls, marriage, etc. The next few days I feel are going to pass similarly without too many time pressures. A nice way to unwind before all that will be and is India.
Interesting recent observations about the ethnic mix of my surroundings:
1) At vipassana- i realized that there is some diversity that Cali just does not have. While in Cali, I never came across a guyanese person or someone from the west indies nor people from the carribean, while people from these places are found all over toronto. toronto wouldn't be complete without caribana. Also where are the greeks?
2) My flight to London was packed with Muslims. I was actually quite surprise. There were Muslims from all over the world, which reminded me again of how prevalent this religion is all over the globe.
3) Tooting is South Asian central!
4) Interesting comparison of South Asian culture in London vis a vis Canada and the USA (those two are really different also)
Thursday, June 15, 2006
[London] Faith in the Universe
Having faith in the universe and placing myself in the hands of the universe has been one of the more liberating things I could have done and in retrospect, I have no idea why I didn't do that earlier (but everything happens at the right time).
After not sleeping for 24 hours, running all over, I packed and was ready to leave. The flight was GREAT! There were some AMAZING kids behind me and person I was sitting next to was awesome.
When I got in line for customs, I realized I left my ticket pouch on the flight. I then spent an hour running around terminal 3 trying to get my stuff. Unfortunately, everything was closed up. Normally I would be freaking out. But as I sat there waiting. I had a tool to calm down and pass the time- meditation and somewhere inside, I knew that it would be found. I actually had NO doubts. Irresponsible still. It would be very very bad if the pouch feel into the wrong hands. But at that moment in time, I had done all that I could have done.
This morning we find out that they didn't find it on the flight. As soon as my cousin tells me I realize where it was- my laptop bag. I agree, totally irresponsible of me. I was mad at myself yesterday for not being mindful, but I knew getting angry or worried excessively wasn't going to help the situation. Lesson learned and hey I bet there is going to be a good reason for me not having a stamp in my passport from customs. Anyways, net is going to sign off in a minute.
After not sleeping for 24 hours, running all over, I packed and was ready to leave. The flight was GREAT! There were some AMAZING kids behind me and person I was sitting next to was awesome.
When I got in line for customs, I realized I left my ticket pouch on the flight. I then spent an hour running around terminal 3 trying to get my stuff. Unfortunately, everything was closed up. Normally I would be freaking out. But as I sat there waiting. I had a tool to calm down and pass the time- meditation and somewhere inside, I knew that it would be found. I actually had NO doubts. Irresponsible still. It would be very very bad if the pouch feel into the wrong hands. But at that moment in time, I had done all that I could have done.
This morning we find out that they didn't find it on the flight. As soon as my cousin tells me I realize where it was- my laptop bag. I agree, totally irresponsible of me. I was mad at myself yesterday for not being mindful, but I knew getting angry or worried excessively wasn't going to help the situation. Lesson learned and hey I bet there is going to be a good reason for me not having a stamp in my passport from customs. Anyways, net is going to sign off in a minute.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Vipassana Info
For those who may be intrigued.
You can find more info on Vipassana, the techniques, the course dates and locations, etc at www.dhamma.org
There is no cost to go to a course. At the end of the course, you give whatever you feel like giving and often rides can be arranged so don't get rides/$$ be the reasons you don't go.
You can find more info on Vipassana, the techniques, the course dates and locations, etc at www.dhamma.org
There is no cost to go to a course. At the end of the course, you give whatever you feel like giving and often rides can be arranged so don't get rides/$$ be the reasons you don't go.
Silence and Me
I remember the first time I went to Wednesday Meditation. How am I going to last the hour? I had even emailed Nipun with this concern. "Don't worry, an hour doesn't seem that long"...yaa right.
I drove down with people I didn't know before then, but I figured hey I can be sociable, I'm sure the hour drive won't be that bad. Halfway through the drive, the conversation came to a close and there was silence. I recall feeling like I should say something, there was something stifling about the silence, but I couldn't think of anything to talk about. Lil convos started here and there, but there were distinct silences. I was the only one who was uncomfortable with these periods. We made it to the house and were early. "Great, I have to meditate for longer than an hour..." I stalled as much as possible. You can go to the bathroom first, I insist. I made it through 40 minutes of meditation and then the time passed with every minute being an eternity...when was it going to end. It def was the people and the conversations that happened afterwards that made me want to come back more than the meditation itself.
Fast forward 3 months
The rest of the Wednesdays weren't so bad. Typically at 45mins, I couldn't concentrate anymore. The Gayatri Mantra and controlling my breath simultaneously only kept me focussed for so long. Interesting thought now in retrospect. It wasn't that bad trying to concentrate when using the gayatri mantra. My mind didn't wander that much especially while I was "in the zone" (ie not the first 5 mins or last 15 mins). That experience constrasted starkly with my experiences with Annapanna (one of the three techniques taught at Vipassana) and Vipassana. As mentioned in my previous post, my mind went on walks MANY times, especially during those first few days of the meditation retreat.
And with respect to silence.
Now I've come to apprecation silence. It's no longer suffocating, but rather a moment to sit quietly and go within. Interesting how much a person can change in a few months/ 10 days.
Silence. Aum begins and ends with silence. I remember reading that once.
I drove down with people I didn't know before then, but I figured hey I can be sociable, I'm sure the hour drive won't be that bad. Halfway through the drive, the conversation came to a close and there was silence. I recall feeling like I should say something, there was something stifling about the silence, but I couldn't think of anything to talk about. Lil convos started here and there, but there were distinct silences. I was the only one who was uncomfortable with these periods. We made it to the house and were early. "Great, I have to meditate for longer than an hour..." I stalled as much as possible. You can go to the bathroom first, I insist. I made it through 40 minutes of meditation and then the time passed with every minute being an eternity...when was it going to end. It def was the people and the conversations that happened afterwards that made me want to come back more than the meditation itself.
Fast forward 3 months
The rest of the Wednesdays weren't so bad. Typically at 45mins, I couldn't concentrate anymore. The Gayatri Mantra and controlling my breath simultaneously only kept me focussed for so long. Interesting thought now in retrospect. It wasn't that bad trying to concentrate when using the gayatri mantra. My mind didn't wander that much especially while I was "in the zone" (ie not the first 5 mins or last 15 mins). That experience constrasted starkly with my experiences with Annapanna (one of the three techniques taught at Vipassana) and Vipassana. As mentioned in my previous post, my mind went on walks MANY times, especially during those first few days of the meditation retreat.
And with respect to silence.
Now I've come to apprecation silence. It's no longer suffocating, but rather a moment to sit quietly and go within. Interesting how much a person can change in a few months/ 10 days.
Silence. Aum begins and ends with silence. I remember reading that once.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Vipassana and my brother
So I've posted on this thing 4 times already. I'm in the flow and am just going to go with it.
Amazing is all I have to say. I reflected on my relationship with my sibling a bit on an older blog and to summarize, essentially my sister and I talk every day essential. My brother, well he's my brother. I care about him and know he cares about me and the three of us know that we can rely on each other when anything goes wrong, but I don't talk to him on a regular basis and some people quite frankly didn't even know or believe that he existed especially since my sister is such a prominent part of my life, conversations, etc. When they both came to Cal for my graduation, things had shifted. We had gone through a lot as siblings over the last year and this was the first time it was just the three of us being able to hang out and it was amazing and now this.
My brother has gone to Vipassana, but I never really talked to him about it or he didn't really talk to me about it, just said it was good. I can see why now as an old student. I cant really explain or do the experience justice in a sense to paint its picture with non old students, they won't get on some level. But today I came back from my sitting and I got a call from my brother and the stories just flowed of each our experiences, the differences, similarities. Even though we sat our first course 2 years apart, we were in communion with each other. Turns out I thought Vipassana would be something I could share with my parents, but they are practicing other things now and as Goenkaji said don't dig many wells, pick one and find the water (he did have an analogy drawn from water- I was excited AND he mentioned "Berkeley University" in his talk too =). But parents or brother, it is something I can share with others and I do trust especially because I have seen in action that even one Dhamma meditator can transform a family.
Amazing is all I have to say. I reflected on my relationship with my sibling a bit on an older blog and to summarize, essentially my sister and I talk every day essential. My brother, well he's my brother. I care about him and know he cares about me and the three of us know that we can rely on each other when anything goes wrong, but I don't talk to him on a regular basis and some people quite frankly didn't even know or believe that he existed especially since my sister is such a prominent part of my life, conversations, etc. When they both came to Cal for my graduation, things had shifted. We had gone through a lot as siblings over the last year and this was the first time it was just the three of us being able to hang out and it was amazing and now this.
My brother has gone to Vipassana, but I never really talked to him about it or he didn't really talk to me about it, just said it was good. I can see why now as an old student. I cant really explain or do the experience justice in a sense to paint its picture with non old students, they won't get on some level. But today I came back from my sitting and I got a call from my brother and the stories just flowed of each our experiences, the differences, similarities. Even though we sat our first course 2 years apart, we were in communion with each other. Turns out I thought Vipassana would be something I could share with my parents, but they are practicing other things now and as Goenkaji said don't dig many wells, pick one and find the water (he did have an analogy drawn from water- I was excited AND he mentioned "Berkeley University" in his talk too =). But parents or brother, it is something I can share with others and I do trust especially because I have seen in action that even one Dhamma meditator can transform a family.
"Be Happy"
Interesting observation from the retreat.
I'm all about smiles. You hear it everyone, science has proven it, if you smile you'll begin to and will feel better, more content.
As Vipassana, they are all about being happy. Goenkaji closed every discourse with blessings to be happy. Every sit was completed by wishing happiness for all beings. Signs would say be happy.
The sign underneath the dessert for example:
Please take 2 cookies each
be happy.
No smile. Just the words be happy.
Smiling wasn't encouraged, it always be happy. In fact, I recall looking at Virginia (our assistant teacher's) face at one point and recalling a passage from Siddharta, where Siddharta is describing seeing Gotama for the first time. What struck him was the pure joy on his and the gentle passive "smile" that was on his face. I could see the same look on Virginia's face. The compassion and unforced "smile".
As I looked around and reflected a bit I began to understand. In the "mundane" world, smile and be happy are considered synonmous. At Vipassana, we were continually in the environment where we could learn how to be happy. And when I say be happy I mean BE happy. The state of actual being. The important word is not happy, but BEING happy.
I'm all about smiles. You hear it everyone, science has proven it, if you smile you'll begin to and will feel better, more content.
As Vipassana, they are all about being happy. Goenkaji closed every discourse with blessings to be happy. Every sit was completed by wishing happiness for all beings. Signs would say be happy.
The sign underneath the dessert for example:
Please take 2 cookies each
be happy.
No smile. Just the words be happy.
Smiling wasn't encouraged, it always be happy. In fact, I recall looking at Virginia (our assistant teacher's) face at one point and recalling a passage from Siddharta, where Siddharta is describing seeing Gotama for the first time. What struck him was the pure joy on his and the gentle passive "smile" that was on his face. I could see the same look on Virginia's face. The compassion and unforced "smile".
As I looked around and reflected a bit I began to understand. In the "mundane" world, smile and be happy are considered synonmous. At Vipassana, we were continually in the environment where we could learn how to be happy. And when I say be happy I mean BE happy. The state of actual being. The important word is not happy, but BEING happy.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
10 days of Silence
The silence was the easy part. In fact on day 9, I thought tommorow when we can talk, I'll be silent still or atleast somewhat more quiet... ya that didn't last very long.
Everyday I felt as I prepared to take rest that my mind was journaling, mentally writing stuff down. I tried repeating some stuff to myself, thinking that if I repeat it, I'll remember it for when I can actually write again (in addition to not speaking, you cannot read or write and really do anything to distract your mind). Now as I sit to write, some distinct ideas and emotions remain, but many of the details have faded, which is perfectly okay.
oh the agitation. I knew it yet was amazed as the speed and impermance of the thoughts and memories as they raced through my mind. Surely though, the progression was fairly rapid actually, the amount of time it took before I noticed that my mind wandered decreased as I focussed my attention and concentrated my mind on the respiration. (Side: I smile as I write some of these words as I hear Goenkaji's voice saying them).
Midway through Day 2. Silence. Nothingness.
My mind was blank. There were no thoughts, there were no ideas, there was nothing. Where did the whirlwind go? I felt my mind shutting me out. Saying no you cannot come in. You have observed what you have so far, purged yourself of the attachment to those recent memories, but no more. Slowly I developed patience, very slowly.
I experienced that day, what I would experience again: my inability to be in the present. I was bored. The assistant teacher spelled it out more clearly. Boredom is really not appecting the present moment. I was running from waht was the reality of the moment. It was the old memories or thoughts of what I should do (I was trying to find ways to stay "entertained), but my breath that was the reality in that moment. This moment is reality, not the past or present.
The mind began to open again and the battle raged on. I found myself sucked into the memory of leaving school, saying goodbye to my friends and while I knew in some part of my mind that I should go back to my breath, I wanted to relive the moments and in this reliving I began to experience my attachment to my friends. After the tears were shed and the sitting was over as I stood up, a sense of relief of lighting was felt everywhere. I had begun to let go.
Day 10 was interesting.
Lunch time was sensory overload. The silence of the dining commons was no existent, you couldn't hear the clatter of utensils over the chatter, but what conversations. They were no ordinary ones. I understood the value of the silence, the importance of it and at the same time was SO grateful that we had the day to talk. Every single person's experience was difference. Every person's background was different. Every person had their own tale of their life and course and in addition to learning from the meditation I learned from the women around me. I ended up in one person's room talking until 2am (and this is when we'd be going to sleep at 930pm each night and still had to be up at 4:15am to meditate) with a woman in her 20's who had done EVERYTHING you would do in your 20's, tried it all, a women who had made it through such a difficult period in her life and was still alive and simply and had these two great kids (people thought we were sisters, which was amusing, but it felt true in the connection I felt with her), and this person who turned 50 had the most ridiculous experiences in her life and was at the point where she was ready to cleanse. So someone really "starting" their life (me), someone passed the one big phase of, another at the prime of her adult life and another "settling" down and the latter stages. It sounds cliches and i cringed as I wrote these last words, but they are both true and false. For we all are living and the stages are merely stereotypes and ways we try to categorize our life and make it more manageable. But nonetheless, so much energy, wisdom and positive vibrations were being generated in that room, in the entire space. The next morning and all today, all I can really feel in peace.
The lessons learned:
1) I am running and have been running from reality. My mind is so agitated. Going from activity to activity, project to project. I used to think that the quote that best summarized me was: Doing nothing is the most tiresome job in the world because you can't stop and rest. And it was, it did characterize me, but over the course of the retreat, I had to face reality face on. In those sessions, especially you had to meditate in the hall for an hour and not open your eyes, I had to face reality. There was only so much I could do to think about what else I could be doing or thinking of the past, but the reality was that moment not the past or present. I by no means have gotten completely over the fact, but I have begun the process and I def have come to appreciate silence. Two weeks ago, I actually thought when is the last time that I sat and just thought and I couldnt recall a moment. I'm always thinking on the go, mind moving at the a thousand miles a minute. It's where my frustrations would come from with people who didn't follow my thoughts. In meetings, etc, I'd be saying one thing and my mind has moved on to 10 steps down the line. So i'm learning to slow down. And hey now I have a way of dealing with having "nothing to do" I can meditate (dunno if I could do that for extended periods of time randomly when I have not stopped my activities when the intention of sitting, but its a start).
2) My actions, my sentiments and attachment to people and the things I do are very intimately related to the image that I want to create of myself in those around me. I act and verbalize things to maintain or enlargen that image and many of my attachments to people are not because of the person, but because of the image they have of me and the reflection of myself that I see when I look at them. Sounds really egocentric and it is. So learning to be more true to myself and what is the reality. I could see small changes already manifesting on the last day. When we would meet and talk, many spoke of how they want to keep in the touch and understandably so, I mean the sense of community you get when you are meditating with 45 other individuals and do not care about crying or bodily noises (believe me there were plenty) is incredible. We are were sending out vibrations to each other supporting each other, without realizing it and without saying a word. But typically in such a situation, which has come up countless times at conferences, etc, particularly overnight ones Ive attended, you say we should for sure keep in touch, etc, etc. But I had an awareness that this wass not going to be the reality with a lot of teh people taht I sat the course with. And this time I found myself not saying those words because I knew was aware of the reality and was not going to verbalize it to be something else. Baby steps in change.
Funny thing, is as I write this and as I spoke to my sister I'm realizing how much I'm talkin like the people I met. Some of the sentence structure of the stuff Im writing sounds like that of Goenkaji (makessense, he was hte only voice I heard for 10 days). random observation.
So now, I am my own master. It is up to me to maintain the discipline, which I know is goign to be an INCREDIBLE struggle, to practice regularly. For all your Vipassana meditators, send some metta this way. All else, positive energy will be needed and is appreciated =)
Be Happy,
Heena
Everyday I felt as I prepared to take rest that my mind was journaling, mentally writing stuff down. I tried repeating some stuff to myself, thinking that if I repeat it, I'll remember it for when I can actually write again (in addition to not speaking, you cannot read or write and really do anything to distract your mind). Now as I sit to write, some distinct ideas and emotions remain, but many of the details have faded, which is perfectly okay.
oh the agitation. I knew it yet was amazed as the speed and impermance of the thoughts and memories as they raced through my mind. Surely though, the progression was fairly rapid actually, the amount of time it took before I noticed that my mind wandered decreased as I focussed my attention and concentrated my mind on the respiration. (Side: I smile as I write some of these words as I hear Goenkaji's voice saying them).
Midway through Day 2. Silence. Nothingness.
My mind was blank. There were no thoughts, there were no ideas, there was nothing. Where did the whirlwind go? I felt my mind shutting me out. Saying no you cannot come in. You have observed what you have so far, purged yourself of the attachment to those recent memories, but no more. Slowly I developed patience, very slowly.
I experienced that day, what I would experience again: my inability to be in the present. I was bored. The assistant teacher spelled it out more clearly. Boredom is really not appecting the present moment. I was running from waht was the reality of the moment. It was the old memories or thoughts of what I should do (I was trying to find ways to stay "entertained), but my breath that was the reality in that moment. This moment is reality, not the past or present.
The mind began to open again and the battle raged on. I found myself sucked into the memory of leaving school, saying goodbye to my friends and while I knew in some part of my mind that I should go back to my breath, I wanted to relive the moments and in this reliving I began to experience my attachment to my friends. After the tears were shed and the sitting was over as I stood up, a sense of relief of lighting was felt everywhere. I had begun to let go.
Day 10 was interesting.
Lunch time was sensory overload. The silence of the dining commons was no existent, you couldn't hear the clatter of utensils over the chatter, but what conversations. They were no ordinary ones. I understood the value of the silence, the importance of it and at the same time was SO grateful that we had the day to talk. Every single person's experience was difference. Every person's background was different. Every person had their own tale of their life and course and in addition to learning from the meditation I learned from the women around me. I ended up in one person's room talking until 2am (and this is when we'd be going to sleep at 930pm each night and still had to be up at 4:15am to meditate) with a woman in her 20's who had done EVERYTHING you would do in your 20's, tried it all, a women who had made it through such a difficult period in her life and was still alive and simply and had these two great kids (people thought we were sisters, which was amusing, but it felt true in the connection I felt with her), and this person who turned 50 had the most ridiculous experiences in her life and was at the point where she was ready to cleanse. So someone really "starting" their life (me), someone passed the one big phase of, another at the prime of her adult life and another "settling" down and the latter stages. It sounds cliches and i cringed as I wrote these last words, but they are both true and false. For we all are living and the stages are merely stereotypes and ways we try to categorize our life and make it more manageable. But nonetheless, so much energy, wisdom and positive vibrations were being generated in that room, in the entire space. The next morning and all today, all I can really feel in peace.
The lessons learned:
1) I am running and have been running from reality. My mind is so agitated. Going from activity to activity, project to project. I used to think that the quote that best summarized me was: Doing nothing is the most tiresome job in the world because you can't stop and rest. And it was, it did characterize me, but over the course of the retreat, I had to face reality face on. In those sessions, especially you had to meditate in the hall for an hour and not open your eyes, I had to face reality. There was only so much I could do to think about what else I could be doing or thinking of the past, but the reality was that moment not the past or present. I by no means have gotten completely over the fact, but I have begun the process and I def have come to appreciate silence. Two weeks ago, I actually thought when is the last time that I sat and just thought and I couldnt recall a moment. I'm always thinking on the go, mind moving at the a thousand miles a minute. It's where my frustrations would come from with people who didn't follow my thoughts. In meetings, etc, I'd be saying one thing and my mind has moved on to 10 steps down the line. So i'm learning to slow down. And hey now I have a way of dealing with having "nothing to do" I can meditate (dunno if I could do that for extended periods of time randomly when I have not stopped my activities when the intention of sitting, but its a start).
2) My actions, my sentiments and attachment to people and the things I do are very intimately related to the image that I want to create of myself in those around me. I act and verbalize things to maintain or enlargen that image and many of my attachments to people are not because of the person, but because of the image they have of me and the reflection of myself that I see when I look at them. Sounds really egocentric and it is. So learning to be more true to myself and what is the reality. I could see small changes already manifesting on the last day. When we would meet and talk, many spoke of how they want to keep in the touch and understandably so, I mean the sense of community you get when you are meditating with 45 other individuals and do not care about crying or bodily noises (believe me there were plenty) is incredible. We are were sending out vibrations to each other supporting each other, without realizing it and without saying a word. But typically in such a situation, which has come up countless times at conferences, etc, particularly overnight ones Ive attended, you say we should for sure keep in touch, etc, etc. But I had an awareness that this wass not going to be the reality with a lot of teh people taht I sat the course with. And this time I found myself not saying those words because I knew was aware of the reality and was not going to verbalize it to be something else. Baby steps in change.
Funny thing, is as I write this and as I spoke to my sister I'm realizing how much I'm talkin like the people I met. Some of the sentence structure of the stuff Im writing sounds like that of Goenkaji (makessense, he was hte only voice I heard for 10 days). random observation.
So now, I am my own master. It is up to me to maintain the discipline, which I know is goign to be an INCREDIBLE struggle, to practice regularly. For all your Vipassana meditators, send some metta this way. All else, positive energy will be needed and is appreciated =)
Be Happy,
Heena
10 Days of Silence, the precursor
My kaka planted the seed. When he visited, there was a calm surrounding him, his attitude and demeanor. He spoke of this newly developed equanimity towards everything that he was facing. He was going to bed late as he was in town for a wedding, yet still waking up at 4:30am, refreshed and ready to go. Sit with me one day and meditate. I looked and him and said kaka I'll take my sleep instead.
Several years later, my parents each attended their first course. Soon after, my brother (along with my mom) went to his first course. My parents kept bugging me and my sister to go to one also, telling us of all the young people at the course. Oh there was this one girl who just got her degree the day before the course started and she came. You should go. Nah, this isn't for me.
Timing is everything. Three years later, I somehow from googling something and following links (bored and waiting for us to leave on a camping trip) come across this site: http://nipun.charityfocus.org/blog/ I'm addicted. (This is the day after I read about the fat man walking) I sit there, reading and reading, entry after entry about this amazing young this people had set out on. Something deep within was stirred up. Here I was 3 months to graduation, planning on going to India for a year to get some field experience and as I read, I realized that I had no idea WHY I wanted to serve. WHY did I always want to do development work, WHY did I want to work with the poorest of the poor. Why, why, why. The "answer" became clearer and clearer. If I wanted to serve. If I want to give of myself, I needed to know myself. I needed to create the change within me in order to change the world. I began to understand the words engraved on the tombstone of the Archbishop, the words that I recalled to so many orders. After trying to change the world, down to reducing the goal to changing his family, on his deathbed he realizes: if I had only changed myself, I could have changed the world.
If I want to serve, I need to develop the capability to serve. To give of myself, without leaving myself with nothing so that I can continue to give. I would go to Vipassana.
As the days grew closer to the retreat, oddly my thoughts were not cluttered with questions or thoughts of what it would be like. I was surrounded my people who simply had said, it will be a growing experience. When I left their home, Viral left me with one idea: remember Heena, the only reality is the present moment. You have to be in the Now. Gives me the Power of Now and says remember that throughout your journey and throughout Vipassana.
I began reading, its a thoughtprovoking read. I get to page 6 by the time I leave. No preconceptions, nothing. I think I tried to avoid thinking about it also because I didn't want to think about what it would be like and develop anxieties particularly towards the concept of silence, which my friends could not believe I would be able to withstand. From attending several Wednesdays before I left, I felt that I had atleast started the process of calming the mind, be it for the 30 minutes or so (I NEVER could made it through the hour, but I was cool with that) and through Wednesdays, I had culvated the desire to be instructed in a meditation style.
Several years later, my parents each attended their first course. Soon after, my brother (along with my mom) went to his first course. My parents kept bugging me and my sister to go to one also, telling us of all the young people at the course. Oh there was this one girl who just got her degree the day before the course started and she came. You should go. Nah, this isn't for me.
Timing is everything. Three years later, I somehow from googling something and following links (bored and waiting for us to leave on a camping trip) come across this site: http://nipun.charityfocus.org/blog/ I'm addicted. (This is the day after I read about the fat man walking) I sit there, reading and reading, entry after entry about this amazing young this people had set out on. Something deep within was stirred up. Here I was 3 months to graduation, planning on going to India for a year to get some field experience and as I read, I realized that I had no idea WHY I wanted to serve. WHY did I always want to do development work, WHY did I want to work with the poorest of the poor. Why, why, why. The "answer" became clearer and clearer. If I wanted to serve. If I want to give of myself, I needed to know myself. I needed to create the change within me in order to change the world. I began to understand the words engraved on the tombstone of the Archbishop, the words that I recalled to so many orders. After trying to change the world, down to reducing the goal to changing his family, on his deathbed he realizes: if I had only changed myself, I could have changed the world.
If I want to serve, I need to develop the capability to serve. To give of myself, without leaving myself with nothing so that I can continue to give. I would go to Vipassana.
As the days grew closer to the retreat, oddly my thoughts were not cluttered with questions or thoughts of what it would be like. I was surrounded my people who simply had said, it will be a growing experience. When I left their home, Viral left me with one idea: remember Heena, the only reality is the present moment. You have to be in the Now. Gives me the Power of Now and says remember that throughout your journey and throughout Vipassana.
I began reading, its a thoughtprovoking read. I get to page 6 by the time I leave. No preconceptions, nothing. I think I tried to avoid thinking about it also because I didn't want to think about what it would be like and develop anxieties particularly towards the concept of silence, which my friends could not believe I would be able to withstand. From attending several Wednesdays before I left, I felt that I had atleast started the process of calming the mind, be it for the 30 minutes or so (I NEVER could made it through the hour, but I was cool with that) and through Wednesdays, I had culvated the desire to be instructed in a meditation style.
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