Incredible India
As i write this i feel incredibly at peace. Its been just over 2 weeks since i arrived in India, and what a 2 weeks it has been!
The first day i went to a wedding! Met up with some Couchsurfers (www.couchsurfing.com - an awesome worldwide project that i am participating and believe in - check it out!) and after dinner Seb and i got to go to a wedding. The food buffet was to die for - the best indian food i have ever had! I learnt a lot that night about the traditions and culture, it was such a great opportunity and i have couchsurfing to thank, and Harmeet and Abi of course!
Then we headed for Jaipur and to a Psy-Trance festival held in the rajastani desert. Got there on the saturday afternoon, and by monday morning about 4am the cops shut it down... well it was fun while it lasted... met some really cool people and as usual partied hardy!
Next, off to Pushkar. I had a few days here last year and really liked it. This time we stayed for over a week. It was just after the Camal Fair and most of the people from the trance party went there to chill (or keep partying) for a few days, so it was really busy at the start. Found a uber shanti guest house and just fell into a massive chill mood. Biggest decision of the day was what to eat at times. Met some really good people and had some really good conversations... this is one of the reasons why i love travelling in India so much - the type of person who comes here... the type of deep conversations you can have. Its a melting pot for the interlect and spirit. Two particular people have made an impact on my journey so far... Anubhav, an Indian man from Kashmir who i met at the party, sitting around a camp fire. He has an air about him... someone far wiser then his age dictates. He taught me more about hinduism and other indian traditions (including the ever important meanings and symbolism on smoking chillum - Bom!). You know how some people just have that charisma, a very good energy and you feel like you can learn from them, gain something? well this i got from Anubhav. He has now gone on to Hampi where he is hanging out for a few months. The second person is a very funny man from Israel. His name is Shai. He's a little cynical after spending 7 months already here in India, but he made me laugh and also imparts wisdom and knowledge. He is an observer and he is patient. He spends a month in different places and really gets to know the local people and other travellers, their nature... why they are like the way that they are. I'm not sure what journey i am on at the moment, but i do know that meeting these people and learning from them is all part of my growing process.
Now i am in Mt. Abu. Very different to Pushkar. There are no westerners here. I have come here after reading an article on the Brahma Kumaris in the Air India flight magazine. I knew that i wanted to go to some kind of ashram... but was not too keen on hardcore yoga... i wanted more meditation and discussion then anything. I knew staright away after reading this article that this was the place that i had to come to. So here we are. Today we started our introductory course. It was basically a lecture from one of the sisters... theories on how the mind works and how to utilise positive thoughts and actions to reach a state of continual contentment. None of it was new to me, but new techniques and advice is always welcome. Tommorrow we start the Raja yoga (meditation). i'm sure my next blog entry will be an overview of what i get out of it all... Om Shanti... its like their catch phrase... inner peace for outer peace. If you change, the world changes. I do believe this. Think of it like this - if i gave 1 cent to charity, it means nothing to me... and i'm sure to you also. imagine if every capable person gave 1 cent then millions would be produced and a real impact would be made for whatever good cause. By making a concious effort to try and stay positive, to expell negativity within (hatred, anger, revenge, laziness etc) and to at least stay neutral when something or someone negative tries to hurt us, we are making the world a better place. By making your world better (inner peace) the outside world - everything that you affect and more is affected by your positivity and thus also becomes better (outer peace). Sebastian asked the question, 'if you could have any dream or wish to come true, what would it be?' we discussed this and both agreed that the cliche - 'world peace', when you break it down is a worthy response. For world peace to happen, a change within every person is required. Positive energy radiating from within everyone, with it, tolerance and the ability to accept the nature of things/people and yet to focus on the better qualities. Every person has some good within them... even the the most evil... And if world peace could ever happen, then i believe that only postive thoughts and actions from every being would prevail and everyones happiness, including my own, would be fulfilled.
Ok, enough deep shit. So i am alive and well and safe in India. And i will be. This is my path and God and my angel is watching over me.
Om shanti...
The first day i went to a wedding! Met up with some Couchsurfers (www.couchsurfing.com - an awesome worldwide project that i am participating and believe in - check it out!) and after dinner Seb and i got to go to a wedding. The food buffet was to die for - the best indian food i have ever had! I learnt a lot that night about the traditions and culture, it was such a great opportunity and i have couchsurfing to thank, and Harmeet and Abi of course!
Then we headed for Jaipur and to a Psy-Trance festival held in the rajastani desert. Got there on the saturday afternoon, and by monday morning about 4am the cops shut it down... well it was fun while it lasted... met some really cool people and as usual partied hardy!
Next, off to Pushkar. I had a few days here last year and really liked it. This time we stayed for over a week. It was just after the Camal Fair and most of the people from the trance party went there to chill (or keep partying) for a few days, so it was really busy at the start. Found a uber shanti guest house and just fell into a massive chill mood. Biggest decision of the day was what to eat at times. Met some really good people and had some really good conversations... this is one of the reasons why i love travelling in India so much - the type of person who comes here... the type of deep conversations you can have. Its a melting pot for the interlect and spirit. Two particular people have made an impact on my journey so far... Anubhav, an Indian man from Kashmir who i met at the party, sitting around a camp fire. He has an air about him... someone far wiser then his age dictates. He taught me more about hinduism and other indian traditions (including the ever important meanings and symbolism on smoking chillum - Bom!). You know how some people just have that charisma, a very good energy and you feel like you can learn from them, gain something? well this i got from Anubhav. He has now gone on to Hampi where he is hanging out for a few months. The second person is a very funny man from Israel. His name is Shai. He's a little cynical after spending 7 months already here in India, but he made me laugh and also imparts wisdom and knowledge. He is an observer and he is patient. He spends a month in different places and really gets to know the local people and other travellers, their nature... why they are like the way that they are. I'm not sure what journey i am on at the moment, but i do know that meeting these people and learning from them is all part of my growing process.
Now i am in Mt. Abu. Very different to Pushkar. There are no westerners here. I have come here after reading an article on the Brahma Kumaris in the Air India flight magazine. I knew that i wanted to go to some kind of ashram... but was not too keen on hardcore yoga... i wanted more meditation and discussion then anything. I knew staright away after reading this article that this was the place that i had to come to. So here we are. Today we started our introductory course. It was basically a lecture from one of the sisters... theories on how the mind works and how to utilise positive thoughts and actions to reach a state of continual contentment. None of it was new to me, but new techniques and advice is always welcome. Tommorrow we start the Raja yoga (meditation). i'm sure my next blog entry will be an overview of what i get out of it all... Om Shanti... its like their catch phrase... inner peace for outer peace. If you change, the world changes. I do believe this. Think of it like this - if i gave 1 cent to charity, it means nothing to me... and i'm sure to you also. imagine if every capable person gave 1 cent then millions would be produced and a real impact would be made for whatever good cause. By making a concious effort to try and stay positive, to expell negativity within (hatred, anger, revenge, laziness etc) and to at least stay neutral when something or someone negative tries to hurt us, we are making the world a better place. By making your world better (inner peace) the outside world - everything that you affect and more is affected by your positivity and thus also becomes better (outer peace). Sebastian asked the question, 'if you could have any dream or wish to come true, what would it be?' we discussed this and both agreed that the cliche - 'world peace', when you break it down is a worthy response. For world peace to happen, a change within every person is required. Positive energy radiating from within everyone, with it, tolerance and the ability to accept the nature of things/people and yet to focus on the better qualities. Every person has some good within them... even the the most evil... And if world peace could ever happen, then i believe that only postive thoughts and actions from every being would prevail and everyones happiness, including my own, would be fulfilled.
Ok, enough deep shit. So i am alive and well and safe in India. And i will be. This is my path and God and my angel is watching over me.
Om shanti...
posted by Chrissy Yahav at 5:56 AM
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