India Journal 2006: saris

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