India Journal 2006#24 March 16-17 Weekend Relaxing and Fun with the Girls

Lots of catching up again so I will just take this slowly and go back to the last time I wrote...let's make believe today is Friday, March 16th!!



Well, working for a few days has given me an even greater pleasure at the things I can now do completely relaxed over the weekend, before beginning a new class on Sunday.
This morning, (note the above picture of a rhodedondren tree off my terrace)

following my meditation which I now do on the terrace in the lovely morning sun (which means that in addition to the pleasures of prayer and meditation and pranayama, I get a 1/2 hour sun bath all in one...quite efficient use of time!)...so, following my meditation session, and not having to prepare for "work", I am sitting on my terrace after ordering breakfast up here. Sun, lovely morning breeze, good book, Rubinstein playing in the background to complete the tranquil mood. Quite amazingly beautiful and relaxing. I am truly blessed.

I really miss this outdoor life in my current living situation in Raanana and hope to find my way back to a home with access to a yard and the possibility of enjoying the beauty of these lovely days outside in nature.

Will be going down to the market today with Shakti to look for shoes or sandals. Now that I know I won't be back as planned, I also have to begin stocking up on over-the-counter drugs, deodorants etc. to bring home.

In the end, Ruth, a lovely new lady who is now staying here, from New Zealand, joined us and I looked all over rishikesh market, driving at least 10 poor salesmen crazy with my search for the perfect shoe for my very imperfect feet, and finally found a pair of simple women's sandals which I can't use in the end as I cannot walk downhill with them. (March 21...today, just as I was walking into the internet place, I noticed a small shop with a few odd pairs of shoes outside. Asked if they had sandals for me, and for 150 rupees, 15 shekel, found a perfect pair of good walking sandals which should last at least for the next few months until I get home). It was really a mistake not to take my own good sandals with me, but I didn't realize Rishikesh would be so clean that I would feel like wearing sandals. I will know better next time I come back here and in the meantime will make due with the ones I found yesterday.

Shakti in the meantime shopped for "home furnishings" for her room as she will be coming back here next week after going to Katmandu to renew her visa for another 6 months. so she is doing interior decorating!!

We had a lovely day out in the "big town" as you can see from the picture...and note the really funny request at the end of the menu...we thought to do that just as we left, courtsey, but figured it would be too weird!!







Following this very pleasant day, I came back to my room and guess just relaxed, and spent time with friends, and in the evening, received a request for a consultation from 2 girls. I did my best over the next few days for one of them and hopefully she will continue her trip feeling a little better than she did before she came to see me.

And then, the weekly phone call from my Mother and even got to speak to my daughter, Shlomit...it was really nice...I so much enjoy this weekly contact and the mobile phone really is a wonderful thing, as long as I don't abuse it. also makes it easier for people here to make appointments with me.

And then, knowing that everything was taken care of, I got into the shower...and to my surprise the phone rang again. And somehow I knew it was Abdellah!! And knew he would say Shabbat Shalom as he always does when he calls....

Finished my shower, called back the number on the screen and sure enough it was him! What a wonderful talk we had...I so look forward to seeing him in a few weeks when I get to Dharamsala.

And the peacefully to sleep.

The truth be told, I don't remember what I did all day Shabbat, but do know that it was a very pleasant day as well...mostly relaxed around the guesthouse, prepared for Sunday, etc.

So, I think I will end this post here and start a new one for the new week.

Namaste to all
Jane