Sometimes in the moment I am not aware of the teachings.
What is this experience handing me to walk away with?
What will I bring away with me?
I was wondering these questions a lot while I was in the south of India.
Questioning the light in each moment is not always as intense when in those good moments. But in the less enjoyable ones I wonder to myself “ok, what is it? What about this is necessary for my path? Hmm…?”
Sometimes only a day later, and other times years, I reach a point, the light comes on…and I smile and sometimes laugh because I see how fucking fun life is with how things come around and how things needed to happen to get me here. And finally those low points shed light on the “why?” and “what am I doing here?” questions I once had.
Less than a week ago I reached a point where I decided I was finished with the south for this trip. I was very ready to get back to one of my 5 true comfort zones (2nd homes) that are here in India. I had the plans set after the backwaters to spend a short 18 hours in Kochi, just enough time for basic sightseeing, covering all the bases, eating and resting…and then off I go.
And then funny life played one of those tricks on me with a snafu on my departure date: All of Kerala had a scheduled strike of all vehicular traffic. My rescheduled ticket to bypass this bump would keep me in Kochi for 3 more days before fleeing north.
So this dance with this prankster life took a twirl and instead of sitting this one out and pouting I looked it in the face and said “ok, show me”.
Flowing
I ended up really enjoying my entire time in Kochi!
And had amazing walks in a sophisticated urban Keralan city of Ernakulum and then a short ferry ride across the harbor to visit the touristy area of Fort Cochin. It was a perfect setup for me because I was able to have both: India AND a tourist area. Yay. I thought it was funny how many people staying in the touristy Fort Cochin seemed shocked that I chose to stay in Ernakulum and that I actually enjoyed staying there.
Different strokes
So thank you, life, for putting me in my place and giving this gift of a balancing time in Kochi.
But then the day came and I, ahhhhhhhh, arrived back to Arambol.
Immediately my energy shifted and I was such a bright light again…so shining…and so freeking great to see all the friends I have established from many seasons here. It was like coming home.
And now that I feel the way I feel now, compared to a more intense, self conscious, shy and ambivalent me who was here upon arrival just days before new year’s eve…I am here now with new light bestowed by the trails and bumps in the past weeks…moving through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala…all in a matter of 6+ weeks. WHEW! Jeez I covered a lot of ground!...for me, that is. Everyone travels differently in India. Everyone has different objectives, paces, interests and paths. I have decided that I am now closing the chapter on the moving quickly and hopping around. It is exhausting, plus right here in Arambol is my family. Our living room is Arkan Bar and the tables sit 20 so we all sit together for meals, beers, conversations and smokes.
I really needed the past 6 weeks. Actually I should say 4 weeks, because Gokarna was the same feeling as here for me.
So 4 weeks of…making me strong, giving me muscle, being alone, dancing with life…
I got the most amazing room. Oh wow. Actually my timing to return to Arambol is so perfect. All the holiday riff-raff is over, the tourists are gone mostly and now it’s down to the core…the real travelers…the hippies…and as the conservative London chap described to me while in an Ernakulum dhaba: the people who look like circus performers. Yep. My people.
Anyway, since so many people are beginning to head north on the backpacker route following the sun of the shifting seasons…my amazing room became free. It is a house standing alone, only two rooms, one for me and one for Klause, the older man who is beginning a 3 week intensive advanced yoga course at the place where I quit. Ha ha…funny to think about that now. we each have our own “apartment” but we share this killer front porch.
So here now I sit on my front porch with my laptop…semi-hidden from the occasional passerby through the field of the tiny white chapel…looking out to the left however is the beach and the Hindu temple.
My first day back here I was reunited with Nijiko AGAIN. Such a lovely angel gracing my travels…love her sweetness so much. And now there is a third, lovely Andrea from Barcelona. The three of us, all 5’ 10”+, in different colorings and cultures take to the streets and I feel like we’ve got this Charlie’s Angels goddess power. It’s fucking cool. Anyway, it’s just so fun to have amazing goddess energy to kick it with here in Arambol.
Kochi http://www.flickr.com/photos/meredith415/sets/72157603951293691/
Arambol (in progress) http://www.flickr.com/photos/meredith415/sets/72157603964859908/
What is this experience handing me to walk away with?
What will I bring away with me?
I was wondering these questions a lot while I was in the south of India.
Questioning the light in each moment is not always as intense when in those good moments. But in the less enjoyable ones I wonder to myself “ok, what is it? What about this is necessary for my path? Hmm…?”
Sometimes only a day later, and other times years, I reach a point, the light comes on…and I smile and sometimes laugh because I see how fucking fun life is with how things come around and how things needed to happen to get me here. And finally those low points shed light on the “why?” and “what am I doing here?” questions I once had.
Less than a week ago I reached a point where I decided I was finished with the south for this trip. I was very ready to get back to one of my 5 true comfort zones (2nd homes) that are here in India. I had the plans set after the backwaters to spend a short 18 hours in Kochi, just enough time for basic sightseeing, covering all the bases, eating and resting…and then off I go.
And then funny life played one of those tricks on me with a snafu on my departure date: All of Kerala had a scheduled strike of all vehicular traffic. My rescheduled ticket to bypass this bump would keep me in Kochi for 3 more days before fleeing north.
So this dance with this prankster life took a twirl and instead of sitting this one out and pouting I looked it in the face and said “ok, show me”.
Flowing
I ended up really enjoying my entire time in Kochi!
And had amazing walks in a sophisticated urban Keralan city of Ernakulum and then a short ferry ride across the harbor to visit the touristy area of Fort Cochin. It was a perfect setup for me because I was able to have both: India AND a tourist area. Yay. I thought it was funny how many people staying in the touristy Fort Cochin seemed shocked that I chose to stay in Ernakulum and that I actually enjoyed staying there.
Different strokes
So thank you, life, for putting me in my place and giving this gift of a balancing time in Kochi.
But then the day came and I, ahhhhhhhh, arrived back to Arambol.
Immediately my energy shifted and I was such a bright light again…so shining…and so freeking great to see all the friends I have established from many seasons here. It was like coming home.
And now that I feel the way I feel now, compared to a more intense, self conscious, shy and ambivalent me who was here upon arrival just days before new year’s eve…I am here now with new light bestowed by the trails and bumps in the past weeks…moving through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala…all in a matter of 6+ weeks. WHEW! Jeez I covered a lot of ground!...for me, that is. Everyone travels differently in India. Everyone has different objectives, paces, interests and paths. I have decided that I am now closing the chapter on the moving quickly and hopping around. It is exhausting, plus right here in Arambol is my family. Our living room is Arkan Bar and the tables sit 20 so we all sit together for meals, beers, conversations and smokes.
I really needed the past 6 weeks. Actually I should say 4 weeks, because Gokarna was the same feeling as here for me.
So 4 weeks of…making me strong, giving me muscle, being alone, dancing with life…
I got the most amazing room. Oh wow. Actually my timing to return to Arambol is so perfect. All the holiday riff-raff is over, the tourists are gone mostly and now it’s down to the core…the real travelers…the hippies…and as the conservative London chap described to me while in an Ernakulum dhaba: the people who look like circus performers. Yep. My people.
Anyway, since so many people are beginning to head north on the backpacker route following the sun of the shifting seasons…my amazing room became free. It is a house standing alone, only two rooms, one for me and one for Klause, the older man who is beginning a 3 week intensive advanced yoga course at the place where I quit. Ha ha…funny to think about that now. we each have our own “apartment” but we share this killer front porch.
So here now I sit on my front porch with my laptop…semi-hidden from the occasional passerby through the field of the tiny white chapel…looking out to the left however is the beach and the Hindu temple.
My first day back here I was reunited with Nijiko AGAIN. Such a lovely angel gracing my travels…love her sweetness so much. And now there is a third, lovely Andrea from Barcelona. The three of us, all 5’ 10”+, in different colorings and cultures take to the streets and I feel like we’ve got this Charlie’s Angels goddess power. It’s fucking cool. Anyway, it’s just so fun to have amazing goddess energy to kick it with here in Arambol.
Kochi http://www.flickr.com/photos/meredith415/sets/72157603951293691/
Arambol (in progress) http://www.flickr.com/photos/meredith415/sets/72157603964859908/
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