March 29, 2008 -
Sitting in the airport in Delhi with much too much time to kill. It is the now 4:30 in the morning and my flight is not until 6:30, (was actually delayed until 7:30), but I can’t sleep so figured I do something useful.
This will be the last post for this trip, aside from the videos I will post this week from home.
Overweight for first time!! I always have a few KG over the allowed weight but have never been asked to pay for it in the past. This time I wound up paying $70 for my overweight.
And after having a fairly uninteresting trip travel wise, now, my last day, I actually have something interesting to write. I jotted the things down on paper so as not to forget, but will now see how many of them come to mind.
They are basically about the changing face of India. Just as the rest of the world is
changing, so is India. The changes have been very subtle over my last couple of trips, but this trip the move forward seems to be quite drastic…almost as if the country is trying to catch up with the rest of the world over night…to make up for lost time. I know this is inevitable, but I know that each future trip will bring more and more changes, and, aside from the women’s clothing, hopefully at least, India will very soon find itself “caught up”. This of course is superficial at best as the deep seated problems of the country remain….but it is truly overgoing a “face-lift” so that what you see from the outside, is quite amazing. So, below, just a very few of the many things which caught my attention this trip, many of them just now on my way back to Delhi. (I imagine that on my next trip, when I plan to stay in Delhi for awhile, there will be even more things worth commenting on).
The thing I found most outstanding during this entire trip, was the new relative “freedom” I see among Indian couples. It was always an outright taboo for Indians, even married couples, to show any signs of affection in public and in the years I’ve been coming here, except for a couple of Muslim couples, I never saw any Indian couple even touching in public. This trip, I have seen over and over again, couples holding hands, cuddling in rickshaws, husband protectively putting his arm around his wife’s shoulder, and this was not just for very young couples. Also older married couples seemed to have gotten past the long-standing taboo. I even saw unmarried younger people doing this. And this all in the sacred city of Rishikesh. I imagine in the large cities it is already a given and taken for granted.
Since I spent my entire 7 weeks in Rishikesh, and slept through the taxi ride from Delhi to Rishikesh when I first arrived, this evening was the first time I got a glimpse of anything else, and there were many things to see. First of all, lots and lots of more modern cars on the ride. It is now a truly rare sight to see the old faithful Ambassador on the road. Aside from the local Tata cars, Indica, Indigo etc., there are many Suzukis, as well as Chevrolets and others I don’t recall. I even came today in a taxi which was a Chevy 4x4. True luxury for India! But this seems to be the growing trend. For the country’s huge population living in poverty, life remains the same, but for those on the move upward, things are moving forward very quickly.
OK..getting tired of writing…will continue when I get home I guess…
It’s now a week later and I am getting back to this. So, we continue with the changing face of India. I imagine in other places of the world there have been rest stops all along highways for years. Here in Israel it is a new growing trend and it seems at every junction a mini-mall sprouts seemingly overnight. There are so many of them the last few years it is almost comical. Well, I’d never seen anything like this in India, until this last ride back to Delhi, where, starting from about 2 hours outside the city, every few minutes we would pass what is called here a “shopping complex” on the side of the road. Many were already working, and others were being built, but I asked the driver about them and he said now, outside every large city, there are many of them, and they attract shoppers from the city who come to shop in AC comfort and to find all the latest shops all in one place.
And then there is the new approach to the Delhi airport which is just as complex and confusing as the one to the new airport in Tel Aviv. And not only that, you have to pay to get into the airport area..there is a toll booth. 11 rupees!! Even the driver was surprised and he had made this journey recently and it wasn’t yet working!
Once getting INTO Delhi itself, there were also roadworks everywhere. It seems like the whole city is getting a face lift, not just the airport. The airport itself has a new look…real international duty free areas, modern toilets, freezing AC and coffee and sandwich shops offering horrible food at ridiculous prices!
All in all, this trip to India was completely hassle free as I didn’t travel anywhere and stayed put in one lovely place. It was a perfect vacation, and with my newfound freedom from fears, quite pleasant actually. Going home, I asked that all be provided for a perfect and easy flight and also asked that Raphael, who appeared in the first card I chose you may remember several weeks ago, to remove any physical obstacles which may appear along the way. Well, the taxi ride was easy, even though I tried not taking travamin for travel sickness…and I was not sick at any point along the way, even managed to fall asleep in the taxi. I really believe that all the years I suffered with travel sickness in cars, busses, planes etc., was a physical manifestation of my fears of travel…and it seems now I am finally past them.
The flight was lovely…I even had two seats to myself. Even managed to sleep on the plane which I have NEVER done before, despite delays in both Delhi and Amman and even upon landing in Tel Aviv…I was relaxed and happy the entire way. Never felt stressed or uptight. Quite lovely.
And that’s about it. I am now home..been home for a week already, and it’s almost as if I never left. I am going dancing tonight for 3rd time since getting back…have been to visit all my children, traveling to them by car…even went to see a friend on the way home. Putting together new workshops and sharing groups, working on new energy exercises and pranayama as suggested by Dudi, and look forward to a lovely 6 months at home before going back to India in October.
Namaste for the last time this trip. Hope you’ve enjoyed the videos I uploaded, even though they are very small and the quality is not really good. Sorry about that…don’t know any other way of doing it.
See you all in October. I will now get back to posting on the Mindfulness Journal, which I got away from some time ago and have many interesting things to already write about.
Jane
Sunday, April 06, 2008
#21- April 6, 2008- Finally Something Interesting to Write About
Friday, March 21, 2008
#20- March 21st- The Blessing of Friendship
Lovely lovely evening yesterday- friends up on the roof for tea, music, conversation and lots of laughter. It was Yaels 27th birthday and Tasha was leaving. Had a lovely day with Tasha as you can see from some of the pics in the previous post and then came back to finish up amir's movie to take home with him (received a call from home and was told to come home immediately...no details...he was really upset as you can imagine...it was very difficult saying goodbye to him as he doesn't think he will be back next year), did a Reiki treatment for Yael and then people just started to drift up to the rooftop and we spent several really pleasant hours together. 
I have a short video which I will also attempt to upload...(you may have to wait awhile for it to buffer fully-but be patient)
later in the evening we lined up facing the mountain and just laid back and stared at the almost full moon for about 45 minutes...it was beautiful. The air was so fresh and beautiful, we all commented that with the weather so hot these days, it would pay to sleep all day and stay up all night! I'm feeling a little upset about leaving next week but also at peace knowing I've received many wonderful gifts...and know more are still waiting for me both here and at home. I also know I will be back in October...hopefully for 6 months. I am very different here. I never was a social creature and yet when I am here I seem to attract people to me. All very different but together they make up a lovely social group which is closely knit and in complete harmony. I've never really had this at home and yet each time I come to India this seems to be one of the gifts I find waiting for me. You can see from the pictures the diversity of the people...but we all just seem to fit perfectly together. 
Thursday, March 20, 2008
#19…”Quiet” day at Home and Changes in the Weather
Again, I have not felt the need to “report” all that has been unfolding the last couple of days, and although the days were fairly quiet, they flow by with alarmingly swift speed and without realizing it, another full week has gone by since we were up on the roof singing and dancing! (I am now sitting in bed with the computer on my lap, transcribing what I wrote a few minutes ago, as I am still not tired, even though the hour is now 3:30 AM. I am quite disturbed that my hip is still “talking” to me…not loudly, but a soft, persistent whisper..but even that I haven’t heard in more than a year!). So, back to transcribing…
It is now 2:30 AM and for the first time here,
I am unable to sleep. It is hard for me to comprehend that this is all ending next week. It has been so intense, and for the first time the thought of extending my stay here begins to plague me. So. Let’s just recoup the rest of yesterday following late lunch with Dudi and then today.
I had gone to sleep the nite before, if you remember, a very hot day where I had gone out with Dudi after my lovely massage with him. I figured I’d have an early night when I got back to the room. But my “muse” was waiting for me when I returned and in just 15 minutes I had Ben’s proposal written up. The other day he had given me all his input about how he views his farm and reforestation project and left it to me to put it into a workable proposal, in the event that the words came to me. I had just left everything to rest in the computer when all of a sudden I knew exactly what I needed to write.
I then had a snack with Tasha and Yael. Tasha was again after a difficult phone conversation with her boyfriend, so I offered her Reiki to calm her down. She had never had Reiki before (she is now sold on it and will learn when she gets home), and then asked Yael to go down and tell Ben his proposal was ready if he felt like coming up in 45 minutes to see it. End of early night. It was already 8:30 when Tasha and I began her Reiki session. When I finished the Reiki session, Ben was patiently waiting outside, as he also wanted to apologize to me as he was cancelling our hitchhiking date in favor of a better offer…someone was taking his motorbike to the local game reserve for the day and offered to take him along. I was actually relieved as I knew I would need a day to just rest with my hip making noises. (The hip will be shortly explained…)
Anyway, he was thrilled and quite impressed with the proposal and with my writing “expertise” and with the fact that I had said everything he had thought of saying but never could have put into written form himself. (You can see the proposal at the end of the post).We decided to add a picture of him which he will come and pose for and perhaps even short video if we manage it in the short time left.
Later in the evening my hip began to bother me (was feeling it even while out with Dudi earlier but trying to ignore it for as long as possible) for the first time in a very long time. It actually disturbed my sleep at the beginning of the night. I began , of course, to blame myself for not eating properly and being hard on myself while still putting part of the “blame” on the hot dry weather of the past couple of days. When I really couldn’t sleep, I remembered I had Tara Brach’s book with me with her lovely meditations for all situations based on her background as clinical psychologist as well as Buddhist practitioner and teacher. One of them was to help us use the concept of Radical Acceptance to gracefully accept pain without blaming ourselves. After doing this difficult but lovely meditation, I easily fell asleep and slept very soundly until morning, when I had this early morning dream of Ben sitting outside my room, in winter clothing, waiting for me. And when I opened my eyes, quite late for me-almost 9 AM – there he was, outside my room, patiently waiting for me to wake up, dressed in WINTER CLOTHES. The weather had turned colder, very cloudy, and very windy, and looked like a storm was on its way. And that, together with the accumulation of wrong foods I’ve been eating for the past 2 weeks, and the swift change from very hot and dry to cold and wet weather, certainly would explain my hip.
Planning an easy day for myself and my hip, I didn’t understand why he was here, as he was supposed to have left at 6 for his outing. Apparently both him and this other fellow had eaten something bad and neither was up to a day trip. So I gave him my ginger oil and sent him home. I needed time alone in peace and quiet…at least that was what I had in mind.
So…my day:
Got up slowly…did a facial for myself, a pedicure, beautiful hot shower and then down for breakfast. When I came back up, Tasha was up after Yoga and so I did her nails for fun also. And then, with the nasty weather as well as my needed to rest my hip, decided it was a perfect day for the movies. Tasha, Ben and Yael were all invited, but we couldn’t decide on what to see…in the end, Ben came up first while Tasha went shopping and Yael went to practice Reiki on Dudi. We had decided to see the Notebook, and beautiful poignant love story beautifully acted by Gena Rowlands and James Garner, but when he saw the long list of movies on my computer, asked if he could choose…and he did. The Simpsons!!! So stupid that it was actually funny!.
By the time that was over, I was starving…had Biryani for lunch and by then Tasha was back from shopping and asked when the movie begins! So, we went back into my room and we watched The Notebook together, sitting comfortably on my bed with our pillows…only popcorn was missing. We both enjoyed it, cried together and at the same moment that a storm begins in the movie, the rain began outside here as well. Things have cooled down considerably and hopefully the next few days will stay a little cooler. (It was up to 37 degrees for a couple of days).
We had a lite dinner together, just hung around…had an interesting conversation on reincarnation with Yael, Ben came up to play Bubbles and FINALLY won a game, which made it easier to kick him out, and then quickly drifted off to sleep, until now, when my thoughts began churning in my head.
So many things I still want to do here…so many people I don’t want to leave. I will wait a few more days and see if I get any definite answers in the form of signs or messages.
Tomorrow perhaps hitchhiking, but I would prefer doing my last minute shopping for some things I still haven’t gotten around to. It is Thursday and the market is closed but I should be able to get the stuff around here. I also need to stock up on some food as the next day is Holi and the place is shut down tight until the evening (you remember Holi from last year with all the colors thrown around…same day and same background story as Purim)
Friday another massage with Dudi. Perhaps tomorrow I will give him a Reiki treatment in advanced payment. I am also doing Reiki on Yael tomorrow as birthday present to her. She is turning all of 27 years old!!
Well, just writing has calmed me down somewhat. I will probably sleep better now and see what tomorrow brings. The air is really chilly as it blows in from the mountains, through the open window to my left and across my bed. Will bundle up in my extra quilt like blanket and hopefully drift back off to tranquil sleep until a new day dawns and patiently wait to see what it brings my way.
After many years of traveling around the world and being witness to the destruction caused by our greed and lack of respect for nature, I have repeatedly asked myself what I can do to make a difference. The word which consistently surfaces in my consciousness is TREES, TREES, TREES.
The idea of reclaiming a piece of land destroyed by ignorance and greed and having it shine again in all its natural glory, has become a repetitive mantra for me. People today are very aware of their carbon footprint and would favor companies who were perceived as doing something to reverse the situation. The idea of taking over a piece of land which has been destroyed by big business, in effect receiving the land from them, would allow me to achieve the goal of reforestation and at the same time generate good publicity for the company.
With my great love of nature and my ability to persevere even in difficult situations, I feel that I can wholeheartedly apply myself to this goal.
A project of this sort would include, in addition to the reforestation, any or all of the following: regeneration, carbon offset, oxygenation, sustainable farming, wildlife habitats, local employment, re-education, healing, education in reforestation and encouraging others to take on similar projects. A small farm on the same piece of land would also provide permaculture, annual produce from trees and plants, provide employment to local families, even allow for the possibility of one or two local families to live and work on the farm and benefit from a small income as well as a comfortable standard of living for the local area.
An example would be Mexico, where massive areas of land have been destabilized due to deforestation and the resulting land erosion. A large company that is aware of its carbon footprint might find this the perfect solution to contribute to change in a positive way and begin reversing the situation, slowly but steadily. At the same time, the publicity they receive would be invaluable to their public image and continued business success and growth. Sustainable forestry would be one option for such a company.
The resources I would need to initiate such a project would be both financial and human. At some point, volunteers could join the project, thus learning the methods for continuing this work in other places. I am offering you an opportunity to show the public that you are truly committed to reversing the carbon footprint. I guarantee you that whatever goal is mutually set, will be realized and even surpassed.
This is the true path of my heart and I put my feet firmly upon it.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
#18 – March 16-18 BUSY BUSY BUSY!
Well, I have had not interest in the computer or in writing for the last few days. Actually since I last wrote…but then again I’ve been so busy, even if I HAD felt like writing, I really didn’t have the time.
I will try and catch up with the last few days, but will begin my telling you that I am sitting in me newly decorated room, at my “desk” 
and actually feeling comfortable while writing this. Music playing, the fan pleasantly cooling the air (which has gotten very hot the last few days and forced me to change my daily schedule to be out of the heat during the daytime-about 12-4), and comfortably seated, wondering why I didn’t think to do this weeks ago. 
Just how it happened,
was yesterday, Ben came up in the middle of the day as he had asked if I would be willing to offer my secretarial services and writing skills to assist him in writing up a proposal for his dream of a farm and reforestation program. I made no promises to actually get it done, but was willing to listen and take notes etc. to that end he arrived at my room and I asked him to bring the plastic picnic table from the other side of the roof into the shade near my room so I would be more comfortable, but it was still too hot outside, so he simply brought it INTO the room. It fit so well, and looked so good, 
I said I wished I could keep in here all the time. He asked why I couldn’t and I replied that it would not be nice and he said that no one would notice, and if they did, they wouldn’t care, and if they DID care, would certainly not say anything to me. So, I now have an upgraded room as you can see from the pics. And it has a "cooler" look for the warmer weather as well.
Now back to a few days ago, don’t remember exactly when, but the same day I wrote the last post about WRITING. When I returned eventually to my room towards evening, I found Natasha, the English neighbor who was leaving with her friend that evening and Ben, sitting on my terrace and singing! Not very well, but certainly enjoying themselves. I asked what the singing was all about and Natasha joyfully told me she had postponed her flight by a week! It seems the card reading I had done with her in the morning, had a very deep impact on her and she actually LISTENED to the message she was given and followed the guidance to extend her trip.!! I then offered my computer playlist to them to find other songs they would like to sing together with background music to help them along. They asked what kind of music I had and I replied “Music that a 60 year old lady who grew up in America and lives in Israel would like. They were a little skeptical but they began going over my playlists and found lots and lots of lovely songs to sing-along with and I joined them, especially in my specialty of the 60’s which was fun for them as well and we really were having fun. Even I was singing outloud and no one seemed upset about it! It was really really fun. We did this for sometime until Yael, young Israeli girl came up and then we decided to put on some Hebrew songs and sing for them. Yael noticed that I had folkdancing and said she remembers dancing when she was in grade school. Soooooooooooo. I got her up in the middle of the roof, and we began dancing, with me as instructor and her laughing the whole time. It looked like so much fun I guess that Natasha’s friend from England joined us for a few dances. Brought back lovely memories for me of when I taught and all in all it was great fun. The roof is a perfect place for dancing! After that, we ordered light snacks to the roof to wait for Fran to leave by taxi to Delhi and continued chatting, singing etc. She left at 9, and when Natasha came back up she had a bag full of goodies with her. Ben had come back after going home for Thali by Mamaji’s and she said she is celebrating her vacation extension. And then Viki, from the internet café joined us with a bottle of whiskey (which he and Natasha enjoyed), as he was celebrating his 27th birthday. So we went into Natasha’s room with the potato chips, coke, sprite, computer and music, and had a lovely party until almost midnight!! Everyone was enjoying the music on my computer to my surprise, we were telling jokes and stories and it was a lovely evening.
Next day I don’t remember what I did most of the day actually, but I had a “date” with the lady I had met the day before from Tasmania. We met at a mutual friend and healer named Suresh down in the Tapovan Bazaar. I went back with her to her room and found another lovely place to stay if ever necessary. And we agreed to meet at Tulsi for dinner the next day at 6:30. And I went down, we spent 3 hours together, and it was really interesting. No details here as I have so much more to write. Came back late to my room to find Ben waiting for me and we wound up spending time together until after midnight as well. Two late days in a row for this old lady is something! And I am still full of energy, getting up early etc. All since releasing all those toxin fear energies last week. It is a good, light and liberating feeling.
Next day I also had a busy schedule beginning with my getting a Reiki treatment from Yael who had just studied Reiki I with Dudi, the Master here. As I came up to my room which I had decided to clean and was busy sweeping the floor with a typical Indian “broom”, someone came to my door and asked “Are you Jane”. I looked up to see a lovely young India girl there and I said yes I am,…who are you? “My name is Sweta and I am a big fan of your blog…have been following it for years and knew you were here now. “!! She is here for the weekend with her boyfriend from Delhi and had started looking for me the evening before. She said she was pretty sure it was me up here as she had been watching us dancing on the roof and couldn’t imagine there would be a lot of people around in Rishikesh who would be dancing folkdancing on the roof! And then at breakfast she had overheard us talking and I happening to be talking about my Father who passed away about 1 ½ years ago and she KNEW it was me, as she had read my Memorial Blog to my father as well. We spoke for awhile but I really had to get ready for Yael, but I met her the next morning for breakfast with her boyfriend. They are a lovely couple, live in a suburb right outside Delhi and appear to be very well off. They come often to Rishikesh for the weekened to relax. She is “principal correspondent” for a newspaper and he is, get this, a professional golf player!!! In India!!! They were really sweet and a whole new side of Indian life for me, and invited me to come stay with them before I go home for a few days in Delhi so they can show me the OTHER Delhi. I told her the only thing I really know well in Delhi is Pahar Ganj and Khan Market (she couldn’t believe I would actually stay in Pahar Ganj!), and she said she we show me the really beautiful city that Delhi is. I told her I would love to do it but don’t think I would this trip. So she said next time I come back, to simply come directly to her from the airport and stay for as long as I want, AND I WILL!!
Well, back to the day. Yael gave me a really lovely Reiki treatment, very relaxing, and I felt very at peace. Then I helped Ben with his proposal, had a light lunch and discovered, thanks to Yael, something new to eat right here at Swiss cottage on hot days now so as not to have to go out for lunch. Veg Biryani made with brown rice. Quite delicious to my great surprise and seasoned just the slightest bit spicey like I enjoy myself at home.
After finishing up with Ben, I had to get ready, as Dudi, the Master, was coming to ME for a card reading and Reiki treatment. I must say I was a little intimidated, but he has been asking me since he first did the past-life regression for me, saying I had very special energies and he would like to really have me treat him. Once I began however, all my lack of confidence left and I felt totally guided by higher powers. The reading was lovely and quite incisive for him and after the Reiki treatment, he commented that he was simply “flying” and that I have the most comfortable and gentle energies he has felt in a very long time, and actually asked for another treatment. Which I of course agreed to.
As he was leaving I mentioned that I had done something to one of my neck vertebrae which hasn’t bothered me in years, and if I could come tomorrow for him to do some healing on it. He insisted on doing “first aid”, which already relieved some of the acute pain (I am sitting here typing and I feel fine), and when he moved further down my back, said I MUST come for a massage the next day (he is also a massage therapist). When I asked what type of massage he does, as I am wary of massages, he said “as gentle as your energies”…so I agreed. Something else to look forward to. By then it was quite late and wanted to go out for dinner, so went down with Natasha to Tulsi. We had a deeper personal discussion.. She is a very sweet girl and really enjoy her company, and happy to have her for a few more days a my neighbor up here. We decided at dinner that we would go up the next day to the next village, Kunchapuri, as her friend Fran had done it the day before with Amir and said the taxi was only 100 rupee! Well, for that price, why not. A lovely village with nice temple and view of the Himalayas!
OK…let’s see. This morning up again early and went down to the internet (haven’t been there in 2 whole days and didn’t even realize it until this morning), as I had a very powerful need to write to a friend in Israel. When I got down there, I found a letter from HER telling me she had been dreaming about me and Rishikesh for the past two nites!! Quite amazing. While I was down there I thought to order a taxi for later today to go up to the village. I asked how much and the guy said, “It is usually 1000 rupees but you can get special price of only 800!! “ I was flabbergasted, as Fran had paid 100. I told him this and he said it is not possible unless she took a bus. So I went to ask Amir about this and he began stammering and looking embarrassed. He said not to tell anyone here (so I am only telling you on the blog!), but he hired the taxi and TOLD Fran it was 100 rupees!!! And that’s then end of that trip up the mountain for 100 rupees for me and Natasha. But Ben was sitting there, and I just mentioned the part about the taxi costing 800 rupees and I couldn’t afford that much, so he suggested we go together tomorrow. His suggestion being that we hitchhike up!! At first I said no, but he said it would be fun, he does it all the time, and “be a sport”. So, tomorrow, I am hopefully going to make it up to the village by hitchhiking…this is the most surprisingly exciting and unexpected trip I’ve ever had to India.
And that brings us almost up to date. Following breakfast I went to Dudi for my massage, which was a combination of lovely massage and energy work together, and lasted for 1 ½ hours and I left feeling light as a feather. But I told him he must let me pay him in some way, as he will not take money from me. He says he gets as much from treating me as I get from him, energy wise. So I can do more Reiki treatments, but I thought perhaps a meal…however, he hardly eats anything (he really looks like a Baba…thin as a rail), and suggested going down to the Ganga and then lunch/dinner, and he agreed. So I have to “pick him up” in ½ hour. We will also be doing another massage on Friday night when he said his energies are much more powerful! I’m really getting well taken care of here.
And so, going to get dressed and head down with Dudi to Moksha where I hope he will enjoy eating as much as I do. If I haven’t posted this before then, I will continue when I get back, but perhaps I will post it sooner, as truth be told, it is a long enough post anyway.
So, another week and ½ to go and I am having more and more fun as each day goes by! I am truly, truly blessed.
Namaste
Jane
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
#16 – March 10-11, 2008 – Back to the Real World and A Really “Rough” Day
Interesting, during the previous 3 days I had this intense need to be alone, and work on the issue of irrational fears. (A posting will eventually find its way to the Mindfulness Journal, but it is still being contemplated to try and get the full impact of those 3 days across). And to my surprise, I WAS entirely alone. No one came looking for me at my room. Id didn’t meet anyone in town anywhere, nor bump into any new, or old friends at meal times. And today (yesterday actually), which I declared a “vacation” day for myself, and just hung around doing relaxing things –
nothing require any great effort either physically, mentally or spiritually, the people who saw me during the day told me I looked: renewed, vibrant, full of life, at peace, tranquil etc. But still was alone most of the day. [ Except for my meeting with Dudi, which will have to wait for another post].
And when today, (really today), I more or less got back to my “real” world, everyone staring turning up again…pretty much coming out of the woodwork so to speak. Yael, a young Israeli girl, came for advice and we sat for a long time early this morning. Then I went down to mail my package and met a nice Indian guy on the way and we talked for awhile. He is from Kerala and vacationing in Rishikesh and wanted my advice about sending a package “home”! Then, back to my room where I had prepared a small snack of cheese and grapes before headingoff to the Ganga, when Ben turned up. He’s started his teachings with the Swami Dyananda (also Akhilesh’s Swami), and I figured I would not be seeing him for awhile. Well, HE came to tell me about his first evening and morning and so we snacked together and he talked. . Then finally got down to the Ganga, and following my “swim”, walked into Moksha, the nice new restaurant down there and again met Yael, not planned, eating with a young German guy so again had company. There was hardly a minute during the day when I was not with someone else. And just as I thought I’d be heading back to relax, my phone rang (I had it with me for this exact reason, just in case) and it was Nikolai, asking to meet me in about an hour for Chai! So, back to the room, quick shower and down to spend a lovely 3 hours with him, after not seeing him for a year. And WOW! What a story HE had to tell.
From a deeply devoted practicing Buddhist of 7 years, living most of that time in India with short and infrequent trips back home to visit family, living at a monastery and preparing for his first 5 year retreat, he is now going back to Moscow to get married to a very rich girl he knows since age 14 (he is 32), who was married previously, divorced, has a 7 year old son (which he says may even be his anyway), and is very rich. He will go into her father’s business which he says is dirty, cut throat and completely demanding, and wind up getting rich himself!! When I asked how this will effect his practice and all his Buddhists beliefs, and why he was doing it, he replied that if he didn’t do itnow, he would always wonder if he made a mistake and with regrets, could never move forward in his practice anyway. If it works out, he will assume he was never as truly committed as he imagined himself to be, and if not, in 4-5 years he will simply leave it all and come back and continue from where he left off!
It is now the next day…March 11th, and I had planned, after the very intense “people filled” day yesterday, to go early to the market to do some shopping I still have on my list. But Ben joined us (my 2 British neighbors…I know, I haven’t written about them either), for breakfast and then came up to speak to me further about the teachings and why they are not working for him, and how disappointed he is in himself etc. It was an intense, and long talk, but quite insightful for him, and in the end, I didn’t leave for the market until after 12.
I easily found the computer shop recommended to me on Railway Road, and if I hadn’t just seen myself walk into it off the Rishikesh street, I could have sworn I was back in raanana! I bought a Logitech cordless mouse and it was so pleasant shopping there . They didn’t just hand it to me, take my money and say goodbye as would have happened back home. They opened up the substantial packaging, took out the mouse (I hadn’t said a word, was just expecting to pay and go), showed me how to put in the battery, how to store the USB piece, how to get the best results from the mouse, plugged it into their computer and asked me to try it and see if it was comfortable…all this before taking any money for me…)
I then decided to look for a mortar and pestle from marble for myself and one of my daughters, and some fabric to have a couple of favorite tops remade for me by a local tailor. But then remembered that the cosmetician I went to last year was right up the same street so figured I’d walk up just to make an appointment. I wound up spending the next 2 hours being completely pampered including back massage, and all kinds of beauty treatments, which were as wonderful as I remember them being, my face is as smooth as a baby’s behind, and all for 250 rupees!!
I DID find a mortal and pestle, as well as having my late lunch of brown rice and steamed veggies, went up to my room to rest from this really “rough” day…it was 4:30 by then and I have been up since 5:30 this morning. I am liking Rishikesh more and more each day and will definitely be back here.
I have BTW, begun doing my yoga, pranayama and meditation outside each morning facing the rising Eastern Sun and it is quite powerful. Trying to figure out some way to do that at home but so far cannot think of any practical option.
Namaste for today
Jane
Friday, February 22, 2008
#7 - Feb 22, 2008- The Israeli Riddle and the Urge to Write
I’m sitting here for the first time since I arrived with the urge, or need, to narrate. I will do my best to give words to the day, in which nothing exciting happened and yet I am excited all the same.
Woke up this morning to a hazy sky, but the truth is, this weather might not be great for photographing, but it is perfect for walking, and this what I find myself doing now…walking….
Had my regular breakfast, took a nice hot shower, had my room cleaned and then headed out with a couple of “errands” in mind and then just the thought of meandering around. I found a little hole-in-the-wall chemist shop no bigger than my bathroom,
and I have placed an order with him for all the meds I usually buy up in Dharamsala. I thought I would have to go search in the market for a “real” chemist shop, but this guy was so excited to get my order…and says he can get everything for me by Sunday. I probably will be spending more in one day than he makes in a week, or perhaps more – but for me and my family it is a big savings and certainly easy enough to do while in India.
Then I continued walking down towards Laxman Jhula and passed by the Divine Resort where Vivek has his new center. Went in to check it out. The hotel is quite impressive and the rooms really nice, and if anyone would ever want a “real” hotel, rather than Swiss Cottage, in a good location, I would recommend it. The center Vivek is so proud of is nothing to speak of, but certainly not any worse than all the other places here.
And then down to Lakman Jhula, a stop off in a book shop to browse, cross over the bridge and thought to try out a new restaurant I had seen yesterday advertising ahurveda kitcheri which is the best thing for my recuperation. I went upstairs in the Jaipur Inn to discover a lovely and pleasant roof top restaurant, beautifully clean, lovely toilet, overlooking the bridge and the Ganga. And to my surprise, I was served absolutely delicious Chai (I overdosed on caffeine today, having a cup of real south Indian filter coffee later on in the day!) and a lovely serving of kitcheri and curd. Quite delicious and just the thing. And that is where I was sitting when the urge to write over took me. But I did not sit down to write then and there, and decided to just get my mindfulness going and write later when I came back to my room, which is what I am doing now.
While sitting quietly on the roof, enjoying the atmosphere, all of a sudden noise, and I mean NOISE…not the standard street noise, was heard coming from the bridge area. I went to look, along with the Indians up on the roof…it was a political demonstration…apparently this is election season in Utrerakand…first a guy was shooing everyone off the bridge and not allowing any new people to enter the bridge from either side. And then, the motorcycles began, each with 2 or 3 riders carrying flags, beeping their horns, and singing some campaign slogan apparently. And this went on, and on, and on…all the time people patiently waiting to cross the bridge from either side…tourists trying to get ON the bridge and being pushed back….and it went on, and on, and on….once over the bridge, starting to move up the main street, until there was nothing but a stream of motorcycles from one side of the bridge to the other and moving up towards Ram Jhula…and from across the bridge there seemed no end to the procession in site. It took a good 20 minutes for all these cycles to cross over and regular traffic to resume on the bridge, but the noise from below continued for another long while.
I had finished eating by this time, and decided to just sit and relax for awhile, when an American couple came up and we began talking. Seems they are staying at the Swiss as well after just arriving in Rishikesh. We had a really interesting conversation for about 45 minutes when we decided to part company until later in the evening back at Swiss Cottage.
I came to an interesting insight around that time. Seems last year, I never really discovered rishikesh. Frist I did my panchakarma, then I recuperated, then began meeting people and spending lots of time with others, and then I began working etc., etc., so that I had very very little time alone. Now, being completely alone, feeling good, and with perfect weather, I am exploring and checking out new places and finding a whole new side to the adventure of Rishikesh. It is almost like being here for the first time, only better, because I am comfortable with the place. Following the restaurant, I again walked up to Ram Jhula along the Ganga, when all of a sudden someone comes up to me and says “Jane, is that really you?” It was the guy Bernard I met last year who I went hiking with a couple of times and then seemed to disappear into thin air. He wrote once but that was it. His girlfriend back in Germany had dumped him meaning when he left India he had no home to go back to. I was quite surprised to see him and even more surprised that he remembered me, and my name. Seems he has now been in Rishikesh for 7 weeks, but since he left India last year, he has been moving around. He spent the summer hiking in the Italian Alps, and then spent months in Nepal, mostly around Pokara, and as mentioned, arrived back here to stay at a fancy ashram about 2 months ago. Says he will come visit me at Swiss, but I doubt I’ll see him again. Continued my walk and decided to try out a health food restaurant I noticed yesterday tucked in behind the taxi stand in Ram Jhula…and had a lovely snack of really really good home made apple pie made with whole wheat flour crust and, as mentioned, a cup of coffee. Had an interesting discussion with the owner (I will definitely be going back there to eat, they have a fantastic menu with brown organic rice, veggies, steamed etc., whole wheat pasta lots of stuff. And it is a little closer than Welcome Center and also has a nice sitting area up on the roof.)
And this brings us to the question of the relative absence of Israelis in India. Since I arrived here, even at the airport, then in the taxi, then here at Swiss and other places I’ve visited, the big topic of conversation is what has happened to the Israeli tourist trade here. It seems to have dwindled to a trickle, in relative terms. The theory (and I say theory as I have no way of knowing if it is true or not, although every Indian I speak to tells the exact same story…so somewhere along the line there must either be truth in it or very good propaganda by the INDIAN government to explain the loss of income from the lack of Isrealies). So, the theory is, that the ISRAELI government has asked the INDIAN government to not give so many visas to Israelis, and then to only give 3 month visas, because they need the Israelis in the country to fight and also don’t want the young Israelis here using drugs and coming up all screwed up! I don’t know if this is true, but every person I speak to is complaining of a BIG loss of business without the Israelis…clothing shops, restaurants, internet places…everywhere. There definitely is a conspicuous void of Israelis in the restaurants, shops, guesthouses and roaming the streets. It could be they are simply else where, but the stories from the Indians seem to say they are simply not here at all. The other tourists I’ve spoken too even mentioned that they were told they would be inundated with Israelis wherever they went in India, and so far they have seen very few…so there does seem to be some truth to the whole thing.
I finally came back to my room, walking up this time instead of taking a rickshaw, and feeling energies I haven’t felt in a long time. Oh, almost forgot…can’t get away from it. I bought some stuff. I don’t need anything, but I saw a couple of really different kinds of blouses and a new style pants I wanted to try, and couldn’t resist. Hope I will get use out of them when I get home.
So I am now back in my room. Actually out on the roof, using my laptop, which is actually on my LAP at the moment…waiting for a phone call from my Mother as usual on Friday…feeling energized, invigorated, and so very content. And now the thought of being here for only another month is quite difficult, but I will make the most of each day and know it will be good to get home as well. I will have work waiting for me…I will try to arrange workshops while here so that I can get right back to work..and I know that this short special time here will seem like a dream in a very short time.
Namaste
Jane
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
HORSEBACK RIDING VIDEO
And last but not least, a very short look into the day I went horseback riding with William at the end of my trip. It is very short as I forgot to empty my memory card before going out and simply had no room left for more shots. But enjoy anyway!
Friday, June 08, 2007
India Journal 2006-#71-June 5-8, 2007 Getting Close to the Wire
Just going over the past few days with some interesting meetings and comments and thoughts. I am getting close to the wire so to speak, and trying to make the most of every moment despite the fact that conditions are not ideal.
The weather has finally gotten hot here as well and will remain so for another couple of weeks until Monsoon begins toward the end of June. Yesterday for example, at 5 in the afternoon when it had already started cooling down a little bit, it was 30 degrees in the shade...it was well up into the 30's during the day, morning hours being the hottest...I am using my fan all the time now, even at night, and last night I slept without my blanket for the first time...just top sheet and little bed cover...it doesn't even get really cool even at night now, although it is pleasant enough once the sun goes down around 8 PM. If I am in the shade, it is OK, but the weather has pretty much confined me to town, as I cannot go walking any longer. Even if I take a Rickshaw up the mountain, it is still too hot to walk around up there, as much of the walking is in the sun. I go for a walk for about an hour, just up and down around town in the evening, and of course still walk back and forth during the day, but spend lots of time relaxing in my room or on the balcony in the shade.
So, what has happened over the past few days...
Well, William left 2 days ago, and I am once more left on my own. But, as I will write soon, never really alone it seems, at least not for any significant length of time.
I sent out my final package, weighing about 6 KG. And, although it is fairly simple here, just take the package to be parceled right next door to my hotel and one door away from the Post Office, and then into the post office and off it goes. Problem was, one of the 500 rupee notes I had (and the very end of my money that day), had a small corner torn, and so the Post Office refused to take it. so I went off to change it at the Bank, but when I got there, there was a very very long line. Remember, each person is depositing or withdrawing money in general, or paying a bill, and they do not have the automatic counting machines like banks at home have. and in Rupees there are MANY notes to count. So first the clerk has to count sometimes thousands of notes, and then recount them, then give them to the person who also counts them to be sure, meaning each person in line is there at least 15 minutes, many longer. There were 10 people on line in front of me. So I asked one of the other clerks if they could just change the note for me, but was told I had to wait on line!! And that's when I decided to beat the system. Walked back to the POst office and told the lady there that the bank said the note was good and did not need to be exchanged. I was very quiet, but did not back down, and after much discussion among the Postal employees, I found myself with the proper change in hand and a receipt for the package. I was so proud of myself.
I have apparently lost weight this trip and as I have been as careful as I can manage to eat properly, and stay away from cakes and sweets (generally speaking...), the weight has stayed off...I guess I am thinner than when I left home but I really feel good, and when I truly have the need, I eat something sweet, cake, or chocolate etc. But certainly not on a regular basis. I also seem to get along on much less food, particularly not having the need to eat anything, usually, between meals.
Just as William left and I thought I would settle down to a couple of quiet, alone days, Shanti (the healer who did the aura transformation for me, met me and asked for a few Reiki/healing sessions. I began them a couple of days ago and so far we have done 2, with 2 more scheduled. They have been very powerful for both of us. I find myself more and more tuned into events and feelings in other people's lives, intuitively, with much guidance...but I am no longer doubtful of what I sense, and the things I understand and then discuss with my clients, are always intense and important for them. Every time I move deeper into these places, I have more and more faith in the guidance I am given, and in myself as a healer. It is a true blessing to be in this new place. When I finished with her that day, I thought to go for a lite dinner and early to bed.
Just as I finished eating at Nick's, Vanessa, a friend from Rishikesh walked in and sat down with me, and shortly after, Akhilesh walked in as well. He and Vanessa also know each other as she took a meditation course with him. And we sat and talked for 3 hours. It was 10 by the time I headed home and on the way a an urge for chocolate. I bought a small bar with fruit and nuts and headed to my room. Ate the chocolate and read for awhile and was sure the late hour together with the chocolate would preclude easy sleeping, but I slept like a log until morning!!
Things seem to just keep flowing beautifully for me. The next day I met Yanna, the lady I met at the beginning with broken wrist, and we spent some pleasant time together as well. It seems that each day has some kind of social "event" occurring without any pre-planning. Yesterday I went to get one more thing from Ashok, the chemist, and met his girlfriend there and we sat and spoke for quite awhile as well. That's where I saw the temperature...he has a thermometer on his balcony.
Last night, decided to pick a Tarot card for some quick insight into my homecoming and what to expect or to do, direction for the next few months, etc.. Well, the card
I picked was PATIENCE...which says, in short......"simply be alert, patient, waiting...contented in waiting...be passive...let nature take its course like phases of the moon...not sleepy or indifferent...be ready for something momentous...a time full of mystery like the hours just before dawn...it is time when the only thing to do is wait!".
Couldn't have found something more perfect to take home with me!!
And that's about it. Today was even hotter yet. It is only 10 AM and it must be 35 degrees already....I will make it through the next few days with this enforced resting...and hopefully come home to cooler weather...although from what I hear, it is no different at home!
Monday, June 04, 2007
India Journal 2006 -#69- June 4, 2007- Horseback Riding
Well, today I went horseback riding with William. We first went up the mountain where I usually walk, and then continued to trails which I've partially walked in the past but never to the end. It was quite lovely. At the beginning I was very tense, felt like I would fall off the horse, was holding on really tight and not enjoying, but after the first 1/2 hour I relaxed into the swing and really began to enjoy the vista from up on the horse. I didn't take too many pics as I couldn't do it while riding...but we stopped a couple of times, and I also took a video while riding which you'll have to wait to see. coming DOWN hill was not comfortable and when we got closer to Dharamkot, we both got off and walked the rest of the way and that was fine. William is an accomplished rider, but everyone was very patient with me and I had a lovely lovely day...a real adventure.
Yesterday was a REAL storm again, but it cleared the air and the weather could not have been more perfect for this day out...I am truly blessed, again, and as always!
Enjoy the pics and imagine how much fun I was having.!!
Namaste
Jane
Half Way Point...I've very often walked up to this point but not by going all the way around the mountain as we did today.
First Rest Stop Overlooking Dal Lake and Naddi etc....been up
here by foot before a few years ago with Anil..
William
Both of Us
William at the Half way Point
From Here you can begin the walk down to the waterfalls
or up to Triund...we just rested and then came back down!!
Horsies
Overlooking Dal Lake, Army Cantonement, TCV and further to
the right, Naddi
Naddi..note the HUGE tower on the left...new...good phone
reception but not very pretty
Naddi
Guide and his son (who got to ride my horse most of the way
down and was quite happy!)
Dal Lake
Friday, June 01, 2007
India Journal 2006- #68-Beginning of Vacation-Lots of Pics and New Friend
AND I'M GOING HORSEBACK RIDING ON MONDAY!!
In just 2 weeks from today I will already be in Delhi on my way home and so I decided I would really be on vacation for the next 2 weeks and even make believe I am a tourist!
So I went out today with my camera, and mostly what you have here are pics of my day. I've been meeting lots of interesting people since yesterday, some I met in Rishikesh and others just met up with here, but they seem to bump into me all over the place.
Check out further in the post for lots of pictures.....
Met one guy today in Bhagsu
who gave me some very useful information about getting a visa for longer than 6 months, and also some suggestions about living in Rishikesh etc., and he took info from me about Panchakarma...we had a pleasant breakfast...
There are shots here from my walk up, the swimming pool in Bhagsu, which used to be just the sacred temple pool but is now a public swimming pool, and just some pics I imagine I would have taken if this had been my first trip...tried to see things as if this is my first time...enjoy . I find the weather warm enough these days that it takes its toll on me when I walk and I wind up coming back home with a light headache, even though I drink enough....
Saturday
Didn't write before about the people I'm seeing these days, but since I declared vacation, been meeting lots of nice new people and some people who I met awhile ago seem to be turning up again...so it is really nice.
Now, a few days ago a new guy came into the guesthouse, and we really hit it off. He is 47, gay, has a house on one of the islands in thailand where he lives much of the year but is originally from England. We have been having some great conversations, and now it seems he has a laptop and has offerred to lend it to me to watch movies. I took it last night and had it until now, and it was really lovely having it in the room. I am really going to enjoy having mine with me next trip. His name is william, and we are going HORSBACKRIDING on Monday. I've been contemplating doing this since my very first trip here, figuring it would be a good way to get up to Triund, and when he mentioned he was going, and suggested my coming along, I decided to do it! Just a half day trip but sounds really nice...will take my camera along and hope to get some good shots. He is really fun, reminds me alot of my fun days with Abdellah...very comfortable to be with and just nice pleasant company. He is leaving on Wednesday but it will be nice spending these last few days with him and adds lots ot my vacation days.
Women jealously watching the men in the cool pool! Reminds of Women
up in the balconey watching men dancing in a synagogue
