Monday, January 25, 2010

Oh India, how I love you...

Let me count the ways:

1. FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY
Tell someone you don't believe in God. Go on. You'll find yourself arguing so hard to make your case that you could well be accused of having a severe case of faith in no God! In anything they want to believe, which is why practically every faith known is practiced right here in India.

2. FLEXIBILITY
You may set off in the morning expecting to follow a strict schedule of assignments and appointments, but always be flexible and happy to chuck all plans at a moment's notice. Go with the flow!

3. STORIES
The history goes back 5,000 years and so do their epics that contain every emotion, possibility and philosophy that humans have ever managed to come up with.

4. CHAI
Delicious black tea, blended with an array of spices, served with lots of milk and sugar. Drink at least 3 cups a day!

5. BOLLYWOOD
Hips swirl in one direction while the torso twists in another and the shoulders go somewhere else entirely even as the head moves so violently. Excellent weather vanes, only no one would know where the wind was actually coming from!

6. AUTOS
Germany had its cute little Volkswagen Beetle, India has cute little autos (aka three-wheelers) packed with hi-tech music systems and disco lights that would put nightclubs to shame, which trundle up and down roads as their drivers overcharge everyone in sight.

7. HOSPITALITY
When I step into any one's house I am fed, watered and pampered so much, I'd never believe there was a single nasty person in this country.

8. THE NUMBER OF HOLIDAYS
There's a New Year's Day practically every month, not to mention some festival happening on any given day somewhere in the country. More reasons to party!

9. AMAZING DIVERSITY OF FOOD/TASTES
Words cannot explain the blends of spices, herbs and ingredients that go into making each dish a work of art!

10. INDIAN ENGLISH
They have de-Englished the English language and now only speak Indian, and its grand!

11. YOGA
Forget weights and ab crunches- here they may stand on one hand, with one leg wrapped around their heads, experiencing an inner, spiritual glow, because aha! Yoga isn't just a workout for the body, it's also a workout for the mind and soul.

12. MAHATMA GANDHI
One small, frail, old lawyer took on an entire imperial empire! And he did it in such an inspired manner with non-violence and noncooperation- brilliant! Every town seems to have a main street called MG in honour of him.

13. MANGOES
One a day at least! In mango lassi (yogurt drink) form is best, yummmmmmm

14. INDIAN STRETCHABLE TIME
Indian Stretchable Time is in a zone of its own and no one can understand it but Indians.

15. DOMESTIC HELP
Servants: one to cook the food, one to wash the dishes, one to sweep the floor, one to dust, one to wash the clothes, one to clean the toilet, one to make chapattis, one to watch each baby, one to man the gate and run the errands, one driver per car, one to wash the cars, one to cut vegetables, one to massage the baby, one to water the plants!

16. INDIAN RAILWAYS
All I can say is that you will experience all of India on the train! And you can literally go anywhere by train.

17. SCENERY
Here you will find ice deserts in Ladakh and actual deserts in Rajasthan. The Himalaya mountains tower to the north, the Ghats on either side of the peninsula, islands, stunning beaches, the sea, lakes, jungles, incredible wildlife, rivers, waterfalls... glorious!

18. NOTHING IS BEYOND REPAIR
Nothing is ever so broken that it'll never work again and anyone would love to be paid to fix it!

19. SARIS
What's sexy, modest, graceful, classic, cool, hot, well-ventilated,colorful and gorgeous all at the same time? Incredible!

20. RANDOMNESS
So many random things happen to me daily. There will be a blog follow up to explain one such situation that blew my mind! To be con't....

Saturday, January 16, 2010

The Osho Experience


"Drop the fear. Fear was taken up by you in your childhood, unconsciously. Now consciously drop it and be mature. Then the life can be a light which goes on deepening as you go on growing.
Know the whole world is nothing when it is compared to knowing your own inner mystery of life.
Don't move the way fear makes you move. Move the way love makes you move. Move the way joy makes you move." -Osho

***

I am currently at the Osho Meditation Center in Pune, India and have decided to stay here for a few weeks. There is an incredible community here and a lot of space, tools and guidance to learn more about myself. Check out the website if you are interested in learning more.

Words will not do this place or experience justice. I have thought long and hard about this blog and have decided I cannot really write about it. I'm going into an 8 day intensive course and will not have internet access. Possibly, if you are interested I can explain more in person, if you are open-minded.

Money has been a struggle for me here as the center is run by and operates on European standards. I feel grateful that I was born in a family and a society where funds are flexible. Right now I ponder how I will stay financially afloat over the next 3 months, but funds always work out one way or another for me.

I've had an incredible Couchsurfing host here in Pune. Ananda has let me stay at his place for the last week and he's been a great guide and friend to me as I explore the Osho experience. He's a practitioner here and on weekends he leads meditation sessions, plays music, practices reflexology and is training in water shiatsu. I'm so grateful for his kindness. I took the picture below in his beautiful garden.

***

"Once you have started seeing the beauty of life, ugliness starts disappearing. If you start looking at life with joy, sadness starts disappearing. You cannot have heaven and hell together, you can have only one. It is your choice." - Osho

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Mumbai-Consciousness




Arriving in Mumbai @ 3am, after 22 hours in planes and airports, I felt overwhelmed, happy to have finally arrived. I made my way from the airport to my couchsurfing hosts apartment 20 minutes away. The cab driver didn't know the area well so he stopped several times to ask for directions. Once I settled down for the night I wrote this stream of consciousness piece to document my first half hour in this metropolitan, chaotic city...

heart beats, my whole body is awake and conscious...

ewww, I'm sweating, where's that cab? #3845. wow, there's more backpackers than I imagined! "bye Sarah (from Salt Lake City), I'll tell you all about Osho over email", there seems to be no driving rules! garbage everywhere, don't hit that dog! close. I'm safe, follow the breath. they can't see my face, I'm invisible, people sleeping on the side of the road in perfect rows, this is not an "experience"- this is their reality.
breath, he's asking for directions again? are we lost? don't stop the cab, ok calm, night-a man's world. sleeping in your tuk tuk (three wheeler vehicle): a job and a bed! I'm very awake, it's 3:30 am here and 2pm back home. there's a sign for Inorbit, finally, we are on the right track Sherlock.
i need a phone soon, don't be so thrifty, safety first. i will not get out of this cab until i know i've arrived at my host's home, here's 10 rupees, thank you, how do you say it? shukrian? maybe? where do I go now? there's no #73, ok 7th floor seems to make sense, i'll walk up, eww I'm so sweaty, I have to ditch all these cotton clothes soon and find some light stuff! up and down and up again, i can take off my scarf now, this elevator is cool! heart racing...pushes door bell, this has to be it? hello? Shamiyana?
oh, thank you! how do you pronounce your name? you are so kind, thanks for hosting me at such a strange hour. I feel so stupid, I don't follow politics, am I stereotyping too? she's so sweet, aww she's taking the couch, I feel bad. where is the toilet? does the shower room double as the urinal? when in Rome/Mumbai! breathe. i feel so grateful! stretch out. rest at last. it's only been half an hour. hello India, please be kind!

heart beats, my whole body is relaxed and tired, zzzzzz...