India Journal 2006 #27 March 22 Room with a View and a Perfect Day

March 22nd

First, I just want to write about TODAY, (there are more lovely pics further on in the post) as it was such a pleasant day...as a matter of fact, so pleasant that I was brought to tears of joy several times during the day. I woke up, did my morning stuff and yoga, ordered my breakfast on the terrace, and then decided to go down early to internet, which I did. But not before Ainat came up to tell me she is really ill, and meeting other friends down in the restaurant. Esben, who left today, and Ilse...made an appointment to meet her for lunch at the orphanage, and then went over to Ainat's room where I found Shakti already there. Shakti, the photographer from Australia who is now travelling the world after living 1 1/2 years in China teaching English,

has finally made the decision to stay in Rishikesh. so she also left today to go to renew her visa in Katmandu and will be back in a week. We both treated Ainat, I spoke with her for awhile, and then she went to sleep and I thought to find my way down to the internet. Then decided to make a few phone calls first, which I did. I am leaving here on April 10th for Delhi and shopping, and on the 13th wanted a train to Pathankot and on to Dharamsala. But the trains are all full...so I will hope that when I get to Delhi I will find a ticket via the tourist quota, or as one guy suggested here, the "old lady quota".

So I decided to make sure that I had a room waiting for me, but had no luck calling this morning, so went down to the internet. There a found a letter from Kelly telling me that my friend from New Zealand is already there and using his room as he is living today, and that Nikolai, another friend, has taken a room as well and everyone is waiting for me to arrive. But he said I was lucky I hadn't come yet as winter is not letting go its grip and it is still freezing cold and raining.

Just as I was reading this, 2 guys who had gone to Dharamsala a few days ago from here, turned up at the internet place and said it was so cold they couldn't stay there and came back here to warm up. The weather here is lovely summer weather...28 at the height of the day but pleasant in the mornings and evenings. With plenty of mountain breezes. When I spoke to Abdellah a little later, he asked about the weather...I told him it was lovely and warm and sunny. He asked about the evenings and I told him I sit each evening on my terrace reading and listening to music. He asked what I wear, how many sweaters and shawels, and I said none, I'm in short sleeves. His reply was "Well, if you wanted to do that here, you'd have to wear your Eskimo suit!!". So, I am happily still in the right place.

So, I went back to my room and still had a few mintues before meeting Ilse for lunch, and made my phone calls. Called my guesthouse, and my favorite manager there, Ashish, answered the phone. He is also leaving today but will be back before I leave in June. He told me that Nikolai had taken MY room...but he would save another one for me. And, surprise, Abdellah was also there so I spoke to him and left a message for Nikolai that I would love to have MY room back when I arrive in a few weeks. It was nice talking to everyone and so much fun having the phone with me. I then called the owner, Kokila, just to make sure I'd have a room when I arrived.

And then I went down to meet Ilse, and just as we were walking down to the place we were going to eat, my phone rang!! It was Nikolai...apologizing for taking MY room and assuring me in his sweet gentlemanly way that I need not worry. When I arrive, if I am not satisfied with the room they have for me, he will take another room and give me MINE.

So, althought I was not at all thrilled about leaving Rishikesh, I AM looking forward to seeing all my friends, even if only for a couple of months.

(It is now actually tomorrow, the 23rd, as there was a power cut just as I was writing this post, but luckily I had it saved as a word document so nothing was lost. I went back to the same computer this morning, and here I am continuing with what I began yesterday)

Ilse and I continued walking down to the restaurant, and it was REALLY hot. I checked the weather report later in the day, and it was 28 degrees high, which is my limit for enduring hot weather, even at home. And since we were walking at 1:30 in the afternoon, it was at the heat of the day. Next time, I definitely need a hat and sun screen if I go out at that hour. We had a lovely lunch however, and it is amazing that we come from such different places and backgrounds and yet think alike in so many ways. She is 62 years old, originally from Denmark but living most of her life in Brighton, England, just as I've been living most of my adult life in Israel. We had a lovely day, and even bought myself a new necklace...I had spotted it when we came into the restaurant..the kids there made these authentic gem stone pieces of jewelry and save them and each one sold goes into the PERSONAL account of that orphan. But I've never seen something I really liked until now...kept looking at it and just as we were leaving, I asked the price. It was more than I usually spend on myself for jewelry but I figured I had worked hard for 2 weeks and deserved a treat. It is quite beautiful and I am very pleased with myself.

Came back and rested, read, listened to music, sat with friends, did a healing session for Ainat who is still not feeling well and then off to my room to read, listen to music and go to sleep. Just a perfect day.

With the change in weather, it is even lovelier than ever sitting on my terrace...so I hope you enjoy some of the pictures in this post, which are all views from my terrace, on different days. These are daily visitors at dusk....



It is a large family but couldn't get a good shot...may another day...some of them are HUGE.


I particularly like the one of the bird...


I have been writing about different birds I have seen, and describing them as best I can, but this is the first time I've managed to get a picture of one of the more unusual ones...anyone know what it is??

I will end here with another lovely sunset

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India Journal 2006 #26- March 19-21 THE STORM and other Stuff

Monday, March 19, 2007



After finishing the second day of the Reiki workshop, the two other women in the workshop and myself, together with another friend who was leaving the same day, decided to go down for lunch (turned out to be closer to dinner by the time we actually ate) to the Welcome Center, and ayurveda restaurant I have been looking for for the past few weeks but had no luck in finding it. So it was good to go with someone who knows where it is and finally discover this lovely place. Now I have another really nice place to eat good healthy food. As a matter of fact, the food was so good, that Ilse and myself went down for breakfast the next morning BEFORE the Reiki class began! Everything is organic,


and prepared according to the Ayurveda principles of body types or doshas. So that no 2 people are given exactly the same meal, even if they order the same thing. For lunch/dinner we had an amazing tali and for breakfast, I had a wonderful wheat porridge with tons and tons of fruit, nuts etc., in in which was so much nicer than the oatmeal I usually get. And she uses only pure ghee in everything, teas are made specially for each person, and each meal is cooked only as you order it. Which is the reason for the long wait for food. I have to remember never to go there when I am already hungry!!

After eating there, I realized that I had really put on too much weight and was also not really eating what I should be, and decided to do something about it by cutting back on pasta and bread and eating my meals more according to the principles I was taught for Vatta (today,thursday march 22nd, is only a few days later and I have already lost all the "yucky" stuff around the middle. I have fruit salad and toasted brown roll with ghee for breakfast, a big salad I discovered at my own guesthouse which I didn't know they even had, but Ruth had tried it. It is on an enormous plate, filled with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, beets, avocado, tofu, the slightest bit of yak cheese on top and dressed with pesto. Really really delicious. And then for dinner also something light, but enough to fill be up and leave me satisfied, body and soul.)

So, now I am sitting on my terrace, eating the most delicious plate of hoummous and felafel! Quite extraordinarily good...as good as anything at Tanami or a good Arab restaurant!! should have really taken a picture of it but didn't think of it at the time.

And then, very pleasantly full, I went to sleep early in preparation for the last day of my Reiki class.

And that night, at 1:15 in the morning, a STORM began. Something I haven't experienced in such intensity and power for a long time. It began with an amazing display of lighting and thunder. I opened the curtains closing off the window opposite my bed, and just laid there looking at the show. Nature is quite powerful in its displays! There was no rain, at least where I was, but perhaps other places experienced rain as well. The wind did not howl through the trees...it was more a deep rumbling which built up and intensified to a roar, died away and began again, over and over for hours. I could almost imagine train after train rumbling into a station and roaring to a stop, only to make way for the next train.

The day itself had been very overcast and the air was heavy and almost stifling...not pleasant in the least. But we awoke to a morning so crisp and clear...everything had been swept clean by the fury of the winds.









There has been a definite shift in weather here and it is much warmer during the day, and although mornings and evenings are still cool, there is no longer any need to change into long, warmer clothing. And I barely need one blanket to cover me at night and no longer sleeping in layers of clothes. This all seems to have happened almost overnight. The evenings and mornings being so pleasant now, it is simply love to sit out till bedtime and read, or just listen to music. And I find myself eating more meals alone on my own terrace rather than in restaurants, just to enjoy the lovely weather as much as possible. It is actually quite hot when out walking during the day, and imagine each day will be hotter than the one before, but so far, nothing near anything that would require me to move on.

However, the drastic change, finally awoke my hip...the rain, cold, changes to heat etc., over the past few weeks happily did nothing to create painful joints, but this very extreme drastic change finally managed to do it. I was not happy when I felt my hip, but decided just to flow with it. It was also one of the indications that I still had detox to do, especially after all the wrong food I had been eating for a couple of weeks, so I guess it was a combination of both as well as a warning to me to behave myself!!

To my great surprise, the entire episode lasted less than 2 HOURS!, instead of the usually 1 1/2 to 3 days!!!

Well, that day, I finished my Reiki class, and Agee, who does Indian Head massage agreed to teach us all the technique the following day...which he did, yesterday. And in addition, I had a full head massage myself...it is a very delicate and easy technique, but the results were well beyond anything I could have imagined...I was so relaxed when he finished, I almost fell over when getting up from the chair. Almost as if all my body parts had disconnected and forgotten how to work in unison to get me going where I wanted to! Hope to be able to use the technique when I get home.

I will end here and hopefully get the post about the lovely but confusing development in my life also done today.
Namaste
Jane

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India Journal 2006 #25 March 18-20 Reiki Workshop #2

Sunday morning, I began my second Reiki Workshop, with a group of 4 lovely people,





all from different places, different backgrounds, different ages, and almost instantly we became a homogeneous group. It was both fascinating and lovely to see. I have made 3 lovely new friends in these people and know we will be in touch very often in the future. It was an amazing 3 days, again, for some of the same reasons, and for different reasons as well. I wish each of these people could tell their own stories, but each one of them as taken a step in an entirely new direction from the one they were on when they first walked into the workshop...and I know many lovely things are waiting for each of them along their journey. I look forward to hearing from them, and know that we will meet up again in India, or perhaps someplace else. Two of the women, Ilse and Ruth, I am sure to find again as we all will be spending good parts of each year in India from now on...

Esben, the red haired Danish guy, is 25 years old and sooooooooo wise. And Agee, whose parents are obviously Indian, but he was born and raised in London and is completely British, is 34 and just brings a smile to my face every time I even think of him...He was working as a market research manager but left his job to pursue Yoga, and other spiritual journeys...found his way to my class, or rather Reiki found him. He also does head massage and refexology, and after the reiki course he taught all of us this lovely Indian Head Massage...also gave me one amazing massage and hope to be back for more.

Well, the 3 days of the workshop were exciting and seemed to fly by with much laughter, as well as deep processes for everyone...I am truly privileged to have these people sent to me. You can see from the pictures how pleasant the experience was for all and although I am planning to take a vacation now for awhile, I look forward to more courses like these.

In addition, a young girl in distress found her way to me during the same days, so I worked with her as well in the evenings the 3 days of the workshop. I was quite busy.

And of course now, a couple of days later, I am truly enjoying my vacation again. The next post will contain snips of the past days as well...time is flying by too quickly. Just found out that some of my really good friends will be leaving Dharamsala before I arrive, but some equally good friends have just arrived and will be in the same guesthouse I will. And the idea to stay in Rishikesh was a good one, as I just received a mail telling me that winter is still hanging in there. And just as I was reading it, 2 guys who had left Rishikesh a few days ago for Dharamsala, just walked into the internet cafe and told me that it is FREEZING there, I was smart for not going yet, and they came back here to warm up!











I will end this post here ....and hopefully get to writing a very important post about something that happened to me yesterday which was really exciting, and confusing, and finally understood last night when I spoke to my friends here, expressing my concerns, later with my daughter and finally went inside and found the answer...

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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

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India Journal 2006#23 March14-15 Reiki, New Direction and Pics

Well, I finished my first Reiki I class here in India and some really exciting things happened to the participants. It was exciting for me as well, and now I have 2 days vacation before I start my next one on Sunday. And the funniest thing, as I was sitting here writing, the girl in the next computer wanted to know where I had taken the Reiki course...
so I gave her my card of course and explained to her that I am the Master DOING the course...and she said she would call soon! Here are a few pictures of the 3 very happy girls.







I am now at the internet after 2 extremely exciting days to say the least. Just a few days ago I had made the final decision to return to India in October to continue working, and was really pleased with the decision. I had planned to go with Shakti, (see pics below of my 3 really good friends here the past month, 2 young Israeli girls and Shakti from Australia who I've mentioned before)to study Hindi in Mussorie in a proper school, to do panchakarma again, and to work.

Just as I was falling asleep that night, I received an SMS message on my cellphone. I generally don't even look at them at that hour of the night, but something told me to take a peek.

the message was short and sweet. Chanale is pregnant x 2 it said. I didn't get to speak to my daughter until the next day after my second Reiki class, and it was a difficult day for me, but after speaking to her, I knew that all was happening as it should, even though there was no way that I myself could understand why. I am sure that at some point along the way, all things will be clarified further as they always are.

So, I sat with my friends, put allthings into new persepctive, and am now moving along in an entirely new direction, with peace in my heart.

Here are some pictures....views from my new room (same guesthouse, one flight higher up), the girls in their saris last week when they went to the wedding, and a picture of the 4 of us together just before Meital returned to Israel on Monday. There are also some pictures of views from the roof of the guesthouse and the first really nice sunset since I am here, a day after the rains finally stopped again.

also, the local house pets who both LOVE Reiki, and a curious thing found in rishikesh - sidewalks...very often taken over by sleeping cows or local food stands, but still clean, nice and surprising to find in India.






































Enjoy....




...

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India Journal 2006 #22 March 12-13 FIRST REIKI CLASS AND MORE ON THE WAY!

This post will be fairly short, but full of happy stuff...well mostly. Yesterday, for some reason, winter came back with a fury. It was raining all day, REALLY cold, and no one could believe the weather. So I mostly stayed in my room the whole day and rested. Particularly since the evening before, when returning from my job hunt, I found
myself "coming down with something". I had also received a call from the young girl I met on the way home and we made a date to begin a 3 day Reiki I workshop in two days (today)and I could not afford any ill health. So I decided to use all the heavy ammunition...my new Indian Ayurvedic Tulsi, my regular Vitamin C, my homeopathic Traumeel, honey and onion mixture, as well as my Yogic galneti (cleansing of nose passages by running water through alternate nostrils and having it come out the other nostril). In addition, I meditated on good health, did Reiki and went to sleep. Well, something worked, and I woke up with nothing more than a little runny nose, and in the morning, was completely well!!

The whole day was spent with lovely company in the guesthouse, and preparations for the Reiki workshop. Printing out workbooks, preparing myself and my room both physically and on deeper levels and went to sleep early. During the night, I awoke, once again, with messages for the participants. Specific issues that I don't usually discuss in a Reiki I workshop and I was instructed to do so for these participants. I wrote it all down and went back to sleep. Woke up in the morning and found really interesting things there, which I most definitely used today in the first session.

It was quite exciting, and different, and we all felt very powerful energies in the room. There were 4 people, instead the initial 2...2 of them having already done REiki I but not satisfied with the courses, and asked to join the group. I will be teaching something which I love teaching, meeting lovely new people, and earning money at the same time! Just by requesting that people find their way to me each day!!

And, when I came up to my room to wait for the girls this morning, I was told that another lady had come looking for me about Reiki. So I found her and she said she just overheard someone talking about a Reiki lady in the guesthouse and asked about me. So she will beginning another course (she needs English, the current one is Hebrew) in a few days!! Will look for at least one other participant...I am really busy!

Someone else has asked me to teach her pranayam and meditation, but I also must go one day with Shakti to Mussorie to check out the language school, so I put her off for now...told her when I finish the Reiki workshop for the English lady, I will be able to teach her.

And that's about it. The weather is not great, but not as bad as yesterday, and I am energized and excited and feeling amazingly blessed and at peace.

Namaste
Jane

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India Journal 2006 #21 March 11 2007...JOB HUNT AND PLAYING HOPSCOTCH

Well, after all the insights I've had over the past few days, already partially posted on the Mindfulness Journal...you received links in the previous post...had originally planned to go "job hunting" yesterday, but met this nice lady in a restaurant as mentioned and by the time we finished chatting it was too late...so did my shopping yesterday instead.

Today, woke up and realized
this was the day to set things in motion for the new plan and the new me in India. And the new plan works in perfectly well with the addition of an upcoming pregnancy in the family added to my life's "equation"...

According to the "new plan", I will be coming back to India in October, rather than next year as planned, as I want to be here during the fall for one thing, need to be back home for the planned birth, want to do panchakarma again BEFORE the winter sets in, and, I will be meeting up here with some lovely people I've met who are also coming back in October. I may even go with Shakti to Mussorie for a month to a Hindi School...time will tell how much of all of this works out, but I WILL be here in October, and one of the biggest things I needed to set in motion was having a job when I get here.

So to day I went down to the center where I did my panchakarma, where I also celebrated Holi, and had a long discussion with the guys there explaining why I would be a great asset to their business (among other things, I speak Hebrew!). They were in complete agreement with all I said, explaining that they were trying to think of a way to speak to me about my staying here and working with them, but didn't think I was interested. So they were quite pleased with the idea.

So we agreed that if they have people asking about certain programs, and they would prefer doing them in Hebrew, they will either call me to come there to work or will send them to me. I left them some business cards which I had made up before I left home, one side in English, one in Hebrew, and added by local cellphone number to it.

If they have people who they feel would also benefit from counseling and healing, which they do not do, they will also suggest they come see me. We agreed to split the fees, although, in typical Indian fashion, did not yet discuss HOW we would split them. But I know what I want so I doubt there will be a problem with them.

Now I just have to work on manifesting this new work, and am sure I will be earning some money here very soon. This is all in preparation for when I come back in October...

And on the way home, I met a nice Israeli girl "by chance" who I had seen a couple of weeks ago, and she remembered that I said I teach Reiki. She asked if she could study with me...she is not sure yet but considering it...and asked how much I charged. So I asked her what people were charging around here, and she said anywhere from 2500-4000 rupees per course. I had considered taking 1500 (which is also what I would ask Vivek for..they charge 2500), and she was quite pleased. So, I may already have my first job.

So where does the Hopscotch (Potsie) come in? DOn't know how many of you remember playing this as a kid on the streets in the States...we would draw a pattern on the street with chalk and then using a rock have to navigate our way through the numbers etc....I haven't played it for at least 50 (!) years.

Well, when I arrived at the center today, Deepak's 2 little boys were there...one aged 7, the other 4. By the way, the 4 year old, the moment I saw him, reminded me exactly of my own grandson, Eyal, who will be four in a couple of weeks. He had the same eyes, hairstyle, very small frame, and was in constant motion the whole time. I had no problem playing with him...him jabbering away in Hindi and both of us just having fun. When I mentioned to Deepak that I bet he is highly intelligent, and seems to just know everything, he was amazed that I picked this up so quickly, as it is true...but it was so evident it was impossible not to see. (I thought of my Father playing with his greatgrandkids all those years, not speaking their language, but always having an amazing rapport with them...and then I saw myself in the same position and it was quite moving for me).

At any rate, since the Holi party, I had discovered a "new me" within as I mentioned, and the older son began drawing on the sidewalk. I immediately realized he was drawing a Hopscotch shape...was amazed by the fact that it was exactly the same as the one we used to draw....Deepak said it is a very old and popular Indian game, and I commented that I used to play when I was a child in the States. Quite amazing.

And, as soon as the little boy started playing, I found myself getting up, and playing with him!! I couldn't believe at first I was doing it, but I had SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much fun...truly felt like a kid again-so lighthearted. And people passing along the street down by the Ganga, all stopped to smile, laugh, comment...it seemed to make many many people happy. I had a wonderful morning to say the least.

If I had had the camera with me, I would have photographed it, but I rarely carry the camera anymore, so you'll have to take my word for it.

And with that, I will say
Namaste
Jane

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India Journal 2006 #20 March 8-10 THE FIRST LESSON / POEM AND SHOPPING!!

Well, for those of you who have been following my travels over the past 6 years, you know that every trip holds certain lessons for me, and each trip is different in character and unique in the ways these lessons are shown to me. (Later in this post I will give a quick rundown of what I've been doing the past few days so skip over the next part if you choose to and move down to read the full "travel" part of the story.

This trip is no different of course, and, in spite of all the busyness of the past week (or perhaps because of it), I remained awake almost the whole night last night (and that is part of another story which will eventually follow), and while awake, some wonderful things and insights presented themselves to me. I will share them with you, but since they are more concerned with things other than travels, I will post them on the Mindfulness Journal and you can access the lesson, the Poem, the quotes, the understandings etc.,
HERE and
HERE

On second thought, am posting here as well...simply easier for my readers:

The Sudden Need to Know-

But knowing is not what it seems to be
Is knowing knowledge?
or is it understanding of TRUTH!
To know what your personal truth IS, is the most profound
form of understanding.
And when what you know to be TRUE is what guides you
along your path,
Then you may stumble at times, you may even feel a momentary fear
when faced with some new obstacle,
But you will never stray

Because you KNOW!!

LESSON ONE:
TRUST IN THE DIVINE AND PUT YOUR FAITH IN TRUTH

My TRUTH is service to others! I have know this for a very long time, but it was shot with an arrow which hit the target bull's eye this time!!

And, just as all this came together, I read the following in Paulo Coelho's book which I am now reading:
...Death is possibly THE most important thing. We are all walking towards death, but we never know when death will touch us and it is our duty, therefore, to look around us, to be grateful for each minute. But we should also be grateful to death, because it makes us think about the importance of each decision we take, or fail to take: it makes us stop doing anything that keeps us stuck in the category of the "living dead" and, instead, urges us to risk everything, to bet everything on those things we always dreamed of doing, because, whether we like it or not, the angel of death is waiting for us.

So, this is the poem, and the lesson, and I will now work and making things move along, always following the guidance I am so lovingly given each and every moment of each and every day (and night)!


in the Mindfulness Journal. You will also find there a post about an amazing healing I was asked to perform and guided with specific instructions to, as well. (To be posted shortly...look for it).

Within several days I received the message through the tree, the poem and specific lesson, and then an amazing Tarot reading in my room at night...all things giving further validation to the messages sent to me this past week. So check them out on the other blog if you are so inclined, and if not, just continue reading here with some regular, ordinary news of my days in Rishikesh.

Friday, March 9th
Just a pleasant day, where I had the last of my 5 back massages, spent some time in internet still trying to catch up, then walked down to Laxman Jula, got my CD's, sat at a lovely coffee shop overlooking the Ganga, had my first cappucino in India and met a lovely German lady named Sabina. Returned home afterwards and that's when I did a Tarot reading for myself as mentioned above, and it will appear on the other blog.

Had dinner in my room, received a call from one of my daughters, went up to visit a sick friend, gave her Ginger and reiki and she woke up fine the next morning, call from my Mother and then back up to the room for needlepoint, some lovely classical music, and off to sleep.

Saturday, March 10th
SHOPPING DAY!!
I had actually decided to do some shopping yesterday, but when I got to the first shop, I realized that I had forgotten my money in my room!! I guess I was meant to do something requiring less energy yesterday, like eat cake and drink cappucion and talk to a nice lady at a coffee shop overlooking the Ganga.....

Anyway, I've already found the perfect gifts for my granddaughters, but had a list of shawels to buy for many people, and with the variety of shawels available here, I kept putting it off. I hate shopping in general, and having to pick things for other people is always very difficult, particularly with the descriptions THEY give, how I understand them, and the enormous choice of items available in the shops.
So, I got myself together, and first had a good lunch, where I met a lovely lady from South Africa, and finally went on my way to check out the shawel shops. And, even though it was difficult, there was pleasure in the shopping as the store keepers were really nice, pleasant, patient and didn't try to push anything. In addition, they had each shawel marked with a price and immediately told me there would be a 25% discount at the end of the purchase. So that also saved me the torture of bargaining which I hate doing and am hopeless at anyway. I had already checked prices so new approximately what I should be paying...and also found out that the shawels here are either the same price or even cheaper than the ones in Dharamsala, so decided to shop here and get my package off, and get the shopping off my mind. There are many Indians shopping here and the prices are the same for everyone which is a good feeling.

So, whether everyone will be satisfied or not, I do not know, but I am done with shopping for now and think I have put some lovely things into the parcel which I will send shortly. When I get home, I will show everyone what I chose for them...also several for myself there. I know my friends will have what they want as well as my Mother, as they described something very specific which I found to my great delight. My daughters on the other hand, gave me very abstract vague descriptions of what they wanted, so much was left to my interpretation.

Came back home quite pleased, rested and here I am. I will now go over to the other blog and see if I can get some of the other really fascinating events into writing for whoever is interested in reading them.

Namaste
Jane

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India Journal 2006 #19 March 4-8- Catch up Post

TOPICS

Sitting with John on my terrace on sunday morning during worst of Holi ....prisoners for several hours but his questions about my life and what I've done, learnt, how I've changed etc., were very incisive and pulled no punches and helped put many things into persepctive for me . In the process, he learnt many things from me as well and began an introspective dialogue with himself as well.

Later on, we (will add a picture of WE tomorrow or the next day)...had a very deep talk which revolved around a series of events in one of the girl's life, bringing many things full circle...putting all the pieces in the puzzle into place for her. Once she saw the full picture,


she was forced to leave the table in tears upon viewing her life in restrospect. That night, or close to morning, I received my second "call". This time there was no message for someone else, but rather very precise instructions as to how to conduct a healing session with her. However, I was told to insure that she come to the session without revealing the nature of the healing to her before hand. I will be posting the full healing and story behind it on my Mindfulness Journal shortly and will notify you of the link.

However, upon hearing her stories at the table, I all of a sudden realized how truly blessed I myself am. She travels the world, has no permanent home, no family responsibilities, seemingly has it all "put together" and an amazingly full and exciting life, and yet, when everything is put together, she has nothing.

I have had a long and for many years, happy marriage, raised 6 amazing human beings, did many many different things throughout all those years, and always things that I CHOSE to do...I am still learning and growing with each day, and now am able to travel when I choose, for as long as I choose, where I choose, and still have a wonderful family and home to come back to whenever I need it. I HAVE IT ALL! AND AM TRULY BLESSED!

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India Journal 2006 #18- Thursday, March 8th 2007

Yes, I know there are days missing, but after sitting here for the first time all week and finally getting caught up with last Friday and Saturday, I am exhausted!! So it will take a few more days for me to get completely caught up.

Just a few quick pics about the day I went Sari shopping with Shakti...it was a real experience. She bought, I didn't, but it was great fun as you can see...
















Seems my first two weeks here were taken up with the Panchakarma, the next week was my R&R and so I had plenty of time those weeks to write, but nothing much to write about!

This past week however, has been a whirlwind of activity, I have soooooooooo much to write about, but no time to write it!! And for the past 2 days the internet I usually use has been down so finally came out today and found another broadband place to get some pictures up.

So I have several posts started (which I actually already finished and posted to you) but still have enormous amount of stuff to get down "on paper". I imagine the next few posts will not necessarily be in order, but they will all be interesting.

I have also posted a post on the Mindfulness Journal, and may be posting others there as well, but I will always notify you here and give you the link as I have done previously.

So, off to lunch...I deserve a good meal. Have worked hard today (following my yoga out in the sun on my terrace, breakfast with the "girls" and my daily massage), spending close to 2 hours at the computer. I generally limit myself to 1 hour but it's the only way I will catch up with myself.

A great day to all
Namaste

Type rest of the post here

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