camatkAra - spectacular sense of wonder

When you dive into deep water sometimes it takes a while to come up for air. I think I’ve taken the first few breaths and now am able to open my senses to the wondrous city around me.

I’ve now been in India for 7 days and already it seems like I’ve been here for endless amounts of time. As soon as I arrived in Varanas (aka. Kashi, Banaras), I felt like I had never left. Maybe it is because nothing seemed to have changed, maybe it is because the pace of life here is so rhythmic or maybe it was the warm welcome from friends here. Probably it is a combination of all those things add to it that this is the oldest constantly inhabited city on earth and has an energy, a world, all of its own. Whatever the reason, it is good to be here.

The first few days in Varanasi were crazily hectic- searching for a place, dealing with all new food, jet lag and insomnia. A happy camper I was not! But somewhere in the back of my mind between the “what am I doing here?” thoughts and the “I will never find the right place to live” treachery there remained a bit of faith that things would eventually work out, and so they did, mostly due to the help and love from friends and bit of grace.

When I first arrived, my good friends the Tiwari brothers (Praveen, Salil, Sunit) sent a car to pick me up, with a driver whom I knew, so at the airport, I was greeted by a friendly face. After my arrival in the city, all three of the brothers have gone far beyond the call of duty to help me settle in, make me feel welcome and at home. Sunit, booked me a room for the first few days and started the housing search until Praveen came back to town. After an amazing amount of scouting (and sweating) done by Praveen, I have a room in which to spend the next six months. I think he called everyone in the city, cruising around for days on the scooter and taking me to see every vacant flat in Assi and Nagwa (two parts of town). What a trooper! I am truly blessed to have such friends. Thanks to Salil, I now have a cell phone- a luxury and a device that makes life endlessly smoother and less lonely. Not only did they smooth out the logistical aspects of living they also invited me to their home for tea and out to dinner with their beautiful wives and kids.

Now I am sitting in the treasured room, listening to the sound of tabla and morning mantras. My room is on the 4th floor of a building (empty except for me) and is only a few yards away from the river Ganges. From my room I can look out on the river and the rising sun. The room is simple but comfortable, there is a full kitchen 3 floors down and a basic bathroom that is currently private! The rooftop (aka. The living room) is ready for plants and lots of yoga. This morning, in between rounds of surya namaskar (sun salutations) every time in tadasana, I could look out on the rising, sun, the holy ganges and the many people doing morning puja. After being so down and frustrated for a few days, it is hard to imagine that life could get any better than this, living and practicing in such a place.

With the logistical things of living more or less ironed out, it is time to take another dive back into the deep waters of study. Thankfully, this dive should not be quite so wrenching. I have already had two sittings with Mark Dychkowski (Markji) and have visited and set up times with Dr. Pt. Sri Narayan Mishraji (PSNM). I’ll write more about what I will be studying with them next time!

Now I better sign off so that the entry does not get too long! Love to hear from anyone who is reading. Please send comments and any questions!

Namaskar