A Day in the Life

So, I'd like to keep this blog going, but not too much has been happening lately. I mostly keep to myself, as I mentioned in my previous post. I have to keep a journal each day to turn in with my final project, so here is an excerpt from yesterday:
25 Nov 2009
It was my first day visiting Sajeeva at his house. I left the hostel at 7am, and had no trouble at all finding a rickshaw driver who knew exactly where I needed to go (they often just pretend) and used the meter. When he dropped me off, I wasn’t exactly sure which way to go. The directions Sajeeva had given had not been clear on this point. However, I found it without any problems whatsoever. For me, this was a small miracle.
We went over the seven charkas today, then he explained and had me practice Nithya Dhyaan, an intense meditation technique outlined by his master, Paramahamsa Nithyananda. It has 5 different parts. The first is intense and chaotic breathing, meant to over-oxygenate the system and energize it; the chaotic breathing is for interrupting patterns in the mind. Second is intense humming, also meant to interrupt patterns and thought processes. Third is focus on each individual chakra. Then, sitting silent and unclenched. Sajeeva explained that thoughts, by nature, are unconnected, but the mind finds ways to connect them, turning them into something they are not. An example given is that you may have a happy childhood memory of eating ice cream, and therefore always connected the act of eating ice cream to the emotion of happiness. It just doesn’t make sense if we look at experiences and thoughts in their individual state. So, sitting “unclenched” means to accept the thoughts as they occur, but do not connect them to each other or anything else. Finally, the last part is listening to mantras being chanted; it is believed that the vibrations alone can make a being more pure and blissful.
The first two parts require that you sit with your knees folded underneath you, your butt resting on your heels. Sajeeva had me put a pillow under my knees so that I would be more comfortable.
As I practiced the first part, the over-oxygenation made the muscles in my hands and face a little stiff (I have experience this before, so it was not as scary as the first time). But as I transitioned into the humming, I was able to relax and focus. I barely even noticed the pain in my lower body. When I went to sit cross-legged for the third part, however, my feet fell asleep so intensely I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. So, I basically skipped the chakra part because I could not stop fidgeting and thinking about how terrible my feet felt. By the time that section was over, however, I could feel my feet again and completed the rest of the session without any problems. Sajeeva gave me the CD (it’s guided meditation) and told me to practice each day. He also said that I should build up to sitting through the first to parts on my knees, because it isn’t worth do if I am uncomfortable.
Once I got back, I read some more of The Zen of Creativity, which I have realized is the perfect book for my project. It doesn’t specifically talk about “yoga,” but all of the concepts are the same and the idea is the application of ideas like awareness and stillness to creativity.
I also wrote quite a bit, and edited some other pieces. When I first started, I was concerned that the subject matter should always somehow be directly related to India or this project, but I have abandoned this concern. I have just been writing about whatever comes up for me, and focusing more on exploring what happens in a single moment.

I am enjoying this quiet time. Sometimes I get caught up in worrying that I am not doing "enough," or that I am "wasting" time. But if I don't label it, I understand that I am just happy, and doing what I need to do right now. That being said, I am still so excited to be HOME!! I have awhile, but I figure once my mom gets here and we travel a bit, it will fly by. 

 

hhhmmm

I was just reading over my older blog posts and realized how many TYPOS I make! Why didn't anybody tell me? Geez...I apologize, some things don't even make sense.

Anyhoo...I really just wanted to put up a belated reminder for those of you on facebook: I have put up lots of pictures from my 3 week adventure, so take a look!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=136327&id=512136680&l=a872f5c44f

Nothing doing

So, the big question...what have I been up to?
Well, really, absolutely nothing. And its been great.

I've been "working" on my final project, which basically involves doing whatever I want. I read a little, do some yoga and meditation, and read poetry and stories and then write. All things I would probably do if I always got my way.
I met with my guru, Sajeeva, once last week and we discussed karma, a conversation that led me to the conclusion that I SHOULD just live in the woods and read and write and make art and garden and go hiking and swimming etc. I mean, who really needs money? It's better for my karma, folks!


Haha...I'm only half serious.

I have more time to myself than I know what to do with, which is making me think a lot about past and future, kind of defeating the purpose of my project. So, Sajeeva has been e-mailing techniques that help me stay in the present and focus on my writing. He sends a new one almost everyday, which is wonderful. It is almost like playing a game: "Let's see how long I can stare at the sky without blinking..."
I hopefully meeting with him again today so we can discuss how these meditations are working and not working.
I'm also (sort of) helping organize a conference V-LEAD is having this weekend about response to natural disasters. I was assigned the job of introducing each speaker at the conference, which involves reading a long list of reasons why this person is so distinguished, so you should really listen to what he has to say. It isn't exactly what I had in mind when I signed up for the "technical" crew, but I can't get out of it. I already tried, and I'm stuck. I haven't had to do that much yet, but then again, I haven't really ventured out of the hostel enough to find out.

Thus is my daily existence. Call it pathetic if you will, but I'm having a grand time. My question is, how will I return to the real world?

Udaipur in photos

View of lake and ghats from our hotel balcony.

 

Udaipur as seen from the City Palace.

Below: pictures from inside the techni-colored City Palace.

 

We also went on a horse ride in the country outside of Udaipur.

This is Lakshmi, the very stubborn and hungry horse I rode.

 

So, after hours and hours of travel, I made it back to Mysore last Saturday. I am here for another month working on a final project. I am working with a spiritual teacher who gives me techniques to help me stay in the present moment that may help me with writing. I am so glad to be back! You never realize how much you like a place until you leave it...my bed has never been so comfortable, the food has never been so tasty, and Mysore has never looked more beautiful! 

Why I Never Made it to the Taj Mahal and Other Adventures

Hello from Udaipur! This place is beautiful, one of the most beautiful I have visited. The city surrounds a lake, and in the center of the lake is a huge white palace, where they filmed part of Octopussy (the James Bond movie). Our hotel room overlooks part of the lake and the city, which just seems like buildings stacked on top of each other, clamoring for the best lake view. Udaipur is a city of rooftop restaurants...and therefore a city of stairs. Lots and lots of stairs. I basically get winded on my way to lunch everyday, but its okay. Walking and climbing stairs is about the only form of exercise I'm getting at the moment, so I'll take it. Anyway, let's rewind.
After another night bus ride (ugh) from Mcleod Ganj, my friend Megan and I made our way over to the Delhi Domestic Airport to meet up with our friend, Anne, who was flying in from Mumbai. Our hostel guranteed free airport pick-up, so we called the hostel and eventually got picked up by Francesco, an enthusiastic Italian who started the hostel with his Indian friend. As we waited for Anne, he explained that he had moved to Delhi to start a restaurant with his friend, but had such an awful time find a decent place to stay, they put the restaurant on hold and created a place where international travelers could stay and feel comfortable. They had only opened three weeks before we got there, so some kinks were still being ironed out, but it was WONDERFUL. It was clean, they served free breakfast and free pasta and beer in the evenings, HOT SHOWERS, flush toilet, free access to the kitchen, free filtered water, free tea and coffee...we kind of never wanted to leave. It kind of reminded me of a Real World house, in terms of decor, and everyone we met was so happy to be there after such difficulty everywhere else, that we all just wanted to sit around a relax. I met a lot of cool people, some in India for a few weeks, some for months, like us, others who were traveling the world for an entire year. It was interesting to hear everyone else's experiences.
Anyway, we did get out of the hostel a little bit, and into Delhi. The day we got there, we were planning on a day trip to the Taj Mahal for the next day, so we went a purchased train tickets for 6:15am. When we got back to the hostel, we asked Francesco to call us a cab, telling him about our plans. He replied, "But didn't you know? The Taj is closed on Fridays." WHAT??!? Very frustrated. Everyone reassured us that we could make our way to the train station to get some of our money back and get a new ticket, but we decided we would just be losing money either way because of the taxi ride there and back. So on Friday, instead, we planned to go to the Delhi zoo, which we realized, once we got there, is also closed on Fridays. Okay, Plan C. We visited this old fort, Purana Qila, which was interesting, but is really just treated as a make-out park for young Indian couples escaping their parents' watchful eyes.
Afterwards, we walked to an ALL AMERICAN DINER for lunch. Lame, I know, but I must confess, I almost cried when I my peanut butter malt hit my tastebuds. It was so satisfying. We ended up sitting there for hours, because they never brought us the bill, and discussed our Taj Mahal options. We could go the next day, but we could only stay for a couple of hours once we got there or risk missing our night train to Udaipur. (Trains around the Delhi area are notoriously late.) A guy from the hostel suggested to cancel our night train and Udaipur hotel, and go stay in Agra for a day and night, and buy a new ticket to Udaipur. This also risked losing quite a bit of money and risking not being able to make it to Udaipur because most trains are full far in advance. It just seemed to be a lot of trouble and stress, and we all decided it would be best not to go. It may be lame, and a lot of people from the hostel tried to make us feel bad, ("It's a wonder of the world! It is worth all the trouble! I can't believe you are not even going to try!") but I really don't feel bad at all. Hopefully, I'll see it before I die, but until then, I am confident that I have seen some other incredible things here in India, things I've enjoyed immensely because I wasn't worried about leaving the whole time I was there.
Well, it is time for me to go. I'm about to go hop on a horse for a ride in the countryside. Wish me luck!

Blissful in the Himalayas

Just wanted to check in and say hello! Mcleod Ganj has been treating me wonderfully...getting away from the bustle and pollution of cities, eating lots of vegetables, going to bed early, hiking through some mountains...I'm feeling wonderful! Back to Delhi tomorrow on a night-bus, though.
Megan and I have seen the Dalai Lama TWICE so far, once yesterday evening and once this morning, though he was only passing in a car along with his large entourage. Although it wasn't a talk or anything, it was still thrilling and surreal seeing such a well-known face in real life! The energy was palpable as people would line up alongside the road, burning incense, excitedly looking for a sign of his arrival. We just happened to be in the right place in the right time twice. Also, I found out later that the man we saw going into a school that I posted about previously was His Holiness the Karmapa, second in status to the Dalai Lama. Such an exciting place! I'm a little sad to be leaving this little mountain-side town...we've been taking it pretty easy. Breakfast at the same place every morning, shopping (perhaps a little too much), hiking, then lunch on a rooftop or terrace overlooking the mountains, reading on the roof of our hotel, then a visit to the temple, dinner, then more reading snuggled up in the big comforters on our beds and the yak wool shawls we've bought. But tomorrow, back to the real India, the chaotic, rushed, crazy India that I've come to see as home. It will be strange to go back to the comforts of Virginia...but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless. Although this place is amazing, if nothing else it has made me realize how much I love my home.

From Big to Little

Greetings from beautiful Mcleod Ganj, home to the Dalai Lama, who is HERE! But I doubt I'll get to see him. There is a certain excitement hanging in the air, though, brought only through his presence in this beautiful place.

Ok, so I last left you in wonderful Goa. Anne and I hopped on a plane to Mumbai to meet up with her best friend's parents, who asked to be called Auntie and Doctor Uncle. They graciously invited me to stay during my time in Mumbai, which I was SO grateful for because I would have been terrified to set foot in the city otherwise. Upon arrival, Auntie immediately quizzed us about what we wanted to eat, pizza?, and asked a lot of questions about why we haven't been eating meat. She was very confused, shaking her head and saying, "So sad." She ended up ordering tons of food, including chicken biryani, which was all very good. Anne and I were exhausted from another long day of traveling, though, so we were grateful when Auntie laid out some mattresses for us to sleep on. The next day, Anne's friend's boyfriend, Adi, took us out to see some highlights of Mumbai. The family has a car and a driver, so we rode in the comfortable air-conditioning to the southern part of the city, visiting the Queen's Necklace, which are buildings surrounding a water inlet that look like a shimmering necklace when lit up at night, as well as the Gateway of India, the Taj Mahal hotel (where last year's terrorist attacks occured), a museum (Anne's favorite), and the Hanging Gardens, which was a beautiful park on the other side of the Queen's Necklace. It was great to see such a beautiful side of Mumbai, because what is usually projected on television is the slums. Of course, they make up a huge percentage of Mumbai, but I'm glad I got to see more of the city than just that. Adi was a wonderful tour guide...I wouldn't have found better on my own. It was so hot, though, we were exhausted by the time we got back to Auntie and Doctor Uncle's apartment, and I ended up taking a long nap. When I woke up, Auntie took Anne and me out to dinner, where I tried pani puri, the first thing that has made my eyes water here. Pani puri is just a little tiny puri (basically puffed, fried bread) with a little hole poked in the top so it is like a little bowl that holds this tamirind/chickpea liquid. You are supposed to put the whole thing in your mouth at once, but that causes some of the spicy liquid to go down your throat before it hits your tongue. It was DELICIOUS though, and I have wanted more ever since.
VERY early the next morning, Auntie drove me to the airport so I could hop a plane to Delhi, where my friend Megan was waiting. She'd had a very bad experience with the taxi her hotel provided her with to get to the airport (he pulled over on a deserted road and demanded money from her, although her taxi was supposed to be included in her room fee, and then ditched her at the airport) and we headed back to the hotel and complained. So we got free breakfast and got to stay way past check-out time. We de-stressed by watching TV, munching on some great eggs, and sipping tea. We left late in the afternoon to find an invisible bus stop for our ride to McLeod Ganj. It took us FOREVER to figure out where the bus would stop because, as I said, it was not marked. So we found a guy with a suitcase in the general vicinity we thought it was in, bought a grapefruit bigger than my head, and waited for the bus. Eventually, more people started showing up and we realized we were in the right place. They FINALLY got us on a bus at around 5pm, but we literally drove aimlessly around Delhi for about 2 more hours. It was confusing and frustrating, but we eventually got on the road. No one vomited on this ride, but it was way bumpier: I think I have bruises on my elbows from them hitting the armrests. After about 12 hours, and maybe 2 hours of sleep, I woke up suddenly, freezing, and found myself in the mountains. Hotels here do not take reservations in advance, so Megan and I set off to search for a few hotels that had been recommended to us. (This place is tiny, so it is not as bad as it sounds.) We wandered aimlessly for awhile, and eventually passed the chorten (kind of a Buddhist temple), which is in the middle of the town, and a little, old Tibetan woman saw us and said, "Come." So, we followed her, to a hotel, and she gave us chai. It is a wonderful little room with a balcony and a view, but we are going to search for something a little bit cheaper for tomorrow. This place is SOOOOOOO beautiful, I could easily see myself staying for a while. Unfortunately, we only have a few days then it is back to dirty, mean Delhi to meet up with Anne again. Hopefully, before I leave, I'll post again about McLeod Ganj. So far, it is great. We got breakfast, banana honey porridge and ginger tea with real, huge pieces of ginger in it, met a few people from Australia with recommendations for hikes around the area, and saw someone really important get out of a car and ushered into a Tibetan school by a bunch of guards. I'm not sure who it was, but he shook a girl's hand and she started sobbing (with joy). I'm excited for what the next few days will bring!

(So far, I've covered almost the whole length of India. Ah!)