One of the leaders, Lotte, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Friday, April 22, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Lions and Tigers and Amritsar, Oh My!
With minds as clear as the upper Ganga, we left Phool Chatti with inner peace and outward tranquility. Music rang throughout the bus on our way to the train station, thoughtless contemplation ran high. Then the tornado of Indian travel ripped its way into our consciousness, tearing at our vulnerablilities and peaceful minds. Indian stares and crowded trains were bolstered with clashing vibes and unknown motives. We looked out the window not to see the Wicked Witch of the West on her flying broomstick, but instead the tattered reality of so many Indians. A similar disturbance. The busy streets of Amritsar threw dust in our eyes and the dark night was filled with blaring horns and headlights. And just when things seemed about to brim over, the storm settled. We had arrived at the Golden Temple, a little place I like to call the Emerald City of India. For the next three days we were fed and housed in this land of enchantment free of charge. The Golden Temple, the holiest center in Sikhism, was a place of breathtaking beauty and rich splendor. We ate our meals in the massive dining halls that give out 60-80,000 meals a day to pilgrims and foreigners. In case you were wondering, the cooking pots were the size of Paul Bunyans cereal bowl which is approximately the size of a medium sized rickshaw which is approximately the size of a small American car. We spent most of our time in the safe-haven that the temple had to offer, excluding our trip to the India/Pakistan border closing ceremony that featured the high kicks and battle-like cries of Indian border guards. A very odd experience I might say. When it came time to leave Amritsar, few tears were shed and a gentle excitement for our next destination set in. And so we arrived in Bir-a small Tibetan village nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. For the sake of the greater metaphor, we'll call it Kansas. Back in the comfort of natures silence and home-cooked meals, we settled into the Deer Park Institute brimming with childish excitement to pour our souls into our journals. We learned to travel write from Janet, our travel writing instructor. And so we did. We wrote, we shared, we listened. In a matter of days we were transformed from lowly squires to the fuedal lord of Travel Writing,I expect into immortal Kings sitting high atop the writing hierarchy. I expect at least all of us to be potentially published in the moderate future. We relaxed in Bir and spent our free time exploring a Tibetan temple, going for walks, admiring the paragliders overhead, and meandering amongst our fellow writing students. Our final night in Bir was capped with an epic lightning storm that illuminated the entire sky and a piece of our souls. The intensity of the piercing lightning and ferocious thunder mixed with the sound of spattering rain was something that I'll never forget. With Mcleod Ganj on the immediate horizon, the build-up to India's most storied location(thanks to Ben and Lotte) reached an all-time high. We scarfed our breakfasts, snapped some photos, and piled into the taxis that would be our vehicles into the next stratosphere of our Indian adventure-its gonna be a wild ride to the finish...-Noha
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Ashram Experience- A Spiritual Bootcamp
The last 7 days of our epic adventure have been spent at Phool Chatti Ashram. Because most of the members of our group have never been to boot camp, let alone base training, I took some time to describe the similarities and eventually we all agreed:
The Ashram Life= Spiritual Bootcamp.
A typical day in bootcamp looks something like this- (the Ashram equivalent will be explained in parentheses)
5:30: Wake up call/ Call to Duty (A Buddhist gong cuts through the morning air awakening us from our restful slumber and calling us to meditation)
6:00: Internal Strategic Strategizing (Silent Meditation)
6:30: Personal Gear and Gun Check (Cleansing of the sinuses with the use of a nettipot and Pranayam (Breathing Yoga))
7:00: Combat Training led by Commando Lalitaji (Integrative Yoga practice led by the serious but entertaining Lalitaji)
9:00: Morning Rationing ( Breakfast-simple but very tasty!)
10:00: Latrine and Barracks Duties ("Karma Yoga"- Cleaning and helping around the Ashram in a "giving back to the community" and karma-enhancing time)
10:30: Infantry Marching Practice- Led by Lieutenant Brandon (Silent walking meditation into the beautiful nature surrounding Phool Chatti Ashram: waterfalls, rivers, and the sacred Ganga - Led by the young, flowing haired, and (in some opinions) strapping American Brandon)
12:30: Mid-Day Rationing ( Lunch- Classic Indian Cuisine- Highlighted by Day 5 rice pudding (just ask Ben), and the constant friendly offering of "more chapati-soup vegetable-rice..." Silence Ends)
13:00: Soldier "At Ease Time" (Relaxation and free time- usually spent reading or doing some form of art- unless you are Lydia who found her new passion in "Extreme Rock Jumping"... kids these days...)
15:00: Combat Strategizing Session- Master Strategist Lieutenant Brandon (Discussions about life practices- Meditation, Yoga and how they can impact our existences as mere mortals on this existential playing field)
16:00: Combat Training II (Afternoon Yoga- Hold onto your bootstraps, the intensity picked up driving us all into a fiery orb or burning fire sweat. yum.)
18:30: Daily Human Sacrifice (JK, ROFLchopter. LOL. just making sure y'all are paying attention)
18:45: Ceremonial Battalion Cries- Led by 1st Rank Master Commando Swammiji (Pooja- the evening sun-setting ceremony followed by Mantra chanting by the fire led by the Ashram Guru Swamiji)
19:00: Evening Rationing (Dinner- Glorious to the body, mind, and spirit- I have been pretty into food these days)
20:30 Internal Strategic Strategizing (Guided Meditation- Silence Begins)
21:00 Beddy Beddy Bed Time (I am not sure what they call it in the Ashram)
What began as an experience we all feared would be serious and dry quickly transformed into a hypothetical soap-opera complete with interesting personalities and even juicy drama. Luke and I are the lead script-writers for "Ashram Life", a satirical sitcom we hope to have on the air by early next fall and will run for a minimum of 20 seasons. The show will follow our paths to enlightenment. Its gonna be a hit. Trust me.
The week ended with a talent-show that showcased the unrivaled talents of the Carpe Diem group as well as the interesting and entertaining ideas of our foreign counterparts. A fire-ceremony capped off the whole experience and we are off to Amritsar!
Noha
The Ashram Life= Spiritual Bootcamp.
A typical day in bootcamp looks something like this- (the Ashram equivalent will be explained in parentheses)
5:30: Wake up call/ Call to Duty (A Buddhist gong cuts through the morning air awakening us from our restful slumber and calling us to meditation)
6:00: Internal Strategic Strategizing (Silent Meditation)
6:30: Personal Gear and Gun Check (Cleansing of the sinuses with the use of a nettipot and Pranayam (Breathing Yoga))
7:00: Combat Training led by Commando Lalitaji (Integrative Yoga practice led by the serious but entertaining Lalitaji)
9:00: Morning Rationing ( Breakfast-simple but very tasty!)
10:00: Latrine and Barracks Duties ("Karma Yoga"- Cleaning and helping around the Ashram in a "giving back to the community" and karma-enhancing time)
10:30: Infantry Marching Practice- Led by Lieutenant Brandon (Silent walking meditation into the beautiful nature surrounding Phool Chatti Ashram: waterfalls, rivers, and the sacred Ganga - Led by the young, flowing haired, and (in some opinions) strapping American Brandon)
12:30: Mid-Day Rationing ( Lunch- Classic Indian Cuisine- Highlighted by Day 5 rice pudding (just ask Ben), and the constant friendly offering of "more chapati-soup vegetable-rice..." Silence Ends)
13:00: Soldier "At Ease Time" (Relaxation and free time- usually spent reading or doing some form of art- unless you are Lydia who found her new passion in "Extreme Rock Jumping"... kids these days...)
15:00: Combat Strategizing Session- Master Strategist Lieutenant Brandon (Discussions about life practices- Meditation, Yoga and how they can impact our existences as mere mortals on this existential playing field)
16:00: Combat Training II (Afternoon Yoga- Hold onto your bootstraps, the intensity picked up driving us all into a fiery orb or burning fire sweat. yum.)
18:30: Daily Human Sacrifice (JK, ROFLchopter. LOL. just making sure y'all are paying attention)
18:45: Ceremonial Battalion Cries- Led by 1st Rank Master Commando Swammiji (Pooja- the evening sun-setting ceremony followed by Mantra chanting by the fire led by the Ashram Guru Swamiji)
19:00: Evening Rationing (Dinner- Glorious to the body, mind, and spirit- I have been pretty into food these days)
20:30 Internal Strategic Strategizing (Guided Meditation- Silence Begins)
21:00 Beddy Beddy Bed Time (I am not sure what they call it in the Ashram)
What began as an experience we all feared would be serious and dry quickly transformed into a hypothetical soap-opera complete with interesting personalities and even juicy drama. Luke and I are the lead script-writers for "Ashram Life", a satirical sitcom we hope to have on the air by early next fall and will run for a minimum of 20 seasons. The show will follow our paths to enlightenment. Its gonna be a hit. Trust me.
The week ended with a talent-show that showcased the unrivaled talents of the Carpe Diem group as well as the interesting and entertaining ideas of our foreign counterparts. A fire-ceremony capped off the whole experience and we are off to Amritsar!
Noha
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Indian Limelight
In a country where the word 'cricket' means little more than a noise-making bug, you may find it hard to grasp the greater meaning of the word cricket, the cricket that may forever change the face of India. With wickets and overs and bowlers and sixes, you muggles may ask yourselves: what in the name of Ganesh is all this rubbish-talk all about? Ladies and gentlemen, its cricket. Its a sophisticated game of skill and prowess; a game that puts to shame the likes of our national sports in intensity and ingenuity. But in the Indian scope, cricket is not just a pastime, it is a culture.
Two nights ago at 11:06pm asia time, India, our India, rose above Sri Lankan mediocrity to claim the ultimate crown- Cricket World Cup Champions.The streets erupted, Indian flags ran rampant through the air, jubilant war-cries echoed into the night. The energy seeping from the depths of Indian society into a sea of luminous light. Carpe Diem India! And so they did.
-Noha
Two nights ago at 11:06pm asia time, India, our India, rose above Sri Lankan mediocrity to claim the ultimate crown- Cricket World Cup Champions.The streets erupted, Indian flags ran rampant through the air, jubilant war-cries echoed into the night. The energy seeping from the depths of Indian society into a sea of luminous light. Carpe Diem India! And so they did.
-Noha
Rishikesh
Today we will be leaving our free days at our guest house in Rishikesh and on to the ashram.
While in Rishikesh we stayed at a wonderful cottage, and although the boys seemed to be favored by the restaurant workers, we always finished our meals happily. We have enjoyed our free days very much here in the yoga capital of the world. We have had chances to go shopping, eat falafel, and plan a few activities to entertain ourselves while we were here. Saturday Luke, Noah, Lotte, and Lydia went on a walk up to a waterfall, that they said was fun, then they hitched a ride back on an ambulance! Sunday we went white water rafting, with the exception of Lotte and Becca who have already been. The seven of us who did go rafting enjoyed it very much, and when we were in the cold water it was very breath taking and exhilarating. Our guide Sundi was also fun to be with. He had us play a game where we all took turns running around the edge of the raft trying not to fall in the Ganga. Now we are all looking forward to a peaceful week at the Ashram where we will be able to get in plenty of yoga and meditation!
-Maddi
While in Rishikesh we stayed at a wonderful cottage, and although the boys seemed to be favored by the restaurant workers, we always finished our meals happily. We have enjoyed our free days very much here in the yoga capital of the world. We have had chances to go shopping, eat falafel, and plan a few activities to entertain ourselves while we were here. Saturday Luke, Noah, Lotte, and Lydia went on a walk up to a waterfall, that they said was fun, then they hitched a ride back on an ambulance! Sunday we went white water rafting, with the exception of Lotte and Becca who have already been. The seven of us who did go rafting enjoyed it very much, and when we were in the cold water it was very breath taking and exhilarating. Our guide Sundi was also fun to be with. He had us play a game where we all took turns running around the edge of the raft trying not to fall in the Ganga. Now we are all looking forward to a peaceful week at the Ashram where we will be able to get in plenty of yoga and meditation!
-Maddi
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The Tremendous Trek
Although three of us were sadly unable to go on our trek last week, the six of us remaining had a great adventure. We had a couple struggles, but were all able to keep high spirits and push threw them. The high altitude helped bring a few laughs too!
Every morning during our trek we would get into a circle and the captains of the day would warm us up. After we did our routine warm-ups we would do our routine dance moves that each of us had taken part in making. Ben introduced to us "the squirrel", and Lotte "grandpa move", Phoebe's dance was "the roll", Luke's "The pointers", Lydia did the "Val", I did "the Indian", Becca taught us the "Kelsey", and Noha's...well Noha's dance was very unique, we topped it off with Jess's "Wingle move" and we were ready to go. I'm sure we brought entertainment to our awesome trekking crew everyday with our crazy random dances.
We were served the most delicious meals three times a day by the cook crew, and were even brought hot tea or tang when we were getting close to camp each day by Mote! The warm drinks were much appreciated in the cold weather. And we can't forget the pack horses who carried all of our things everyday for us. One of the horses was always nibbling on toilet paper or whatever he could and he was named Munchers by our Carpe group. We also named the some of the other horses Showgun, Cappuccino, and Thumpers.
On the last day of our trek we finished it in silence then we were happily reunited with our other group members. Now we are enjoying a few much needed relaxing days in Darjeeling, before we go on to Rishikesh!
Love, Maddi :)
Every morning during our trek we would get into a circle and the captains of the day would warm us up. After we did our routine warm-ups we would do our routine dance moves that each of us had taken part in making. Ben introduced to us "the squirrel", and Lotte "grandpa move", Phoebe's dance was "the roll", Luke's "The pointers", Lydia did the "Val", I did "the Indian", Becca taught us the "Kelsey", and Noha's...well Noha's dance was very unique, we topped it off with Jess's "Wingle move" and we were ready to go. I'm sure we brought entertainment to our awesome trekking crew everyday with our crazy random dances.
We were served the most delicious meals three times a day by the cook crew, and were even brought hot tea or tang when we were getting close to camp each day by Mote! The warm drinks were much appreciated in the cold weather. And we can't forget the pack horses who carried all of our things everyday for us. One of the horses was always nibbling on toilet paper or whatever he could and he was named Munchers by our Carpe group. We also named the some of the other horses Showgun, Cappuccino, and Thumpers.
On the last day of our trek we finished it in silence then we were happily reunited with our other group members. Now we are enjoying a few much needed relaxing days in Darjeeling, before we go on to Rishikesh!
Love, Maddi :)
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